Volume 1 Chapter 20: This Ruckus Is Too Loud!

Some time earlier.

Shijiruku’s team of Silkeia, a small elite unit, was moving stealthily under the cover of night.

Silkeia has grown to a respectable size nowadays.

However, only a select few among them possess the skills needed for an assassination.

Moreover, unless they remain a small elite, simply moving increases the risk of being discovered.

That is why a Balor assassination plan was set in motion by several members carefully chosen by Shijiruku.

Normally, they would have taken more time to prepare.

Tools, the plan, the target’s schedule.

An assassination is meant to be carried out only once every detail is absolutely in order.

But right now, Marcel has no time.

If they took their time, their enemy would gain the upper hand and suppress this uprising.

So, tonight. This very night.

They will assassinate Balor Apophis.

“Everything’s going exactly as planned. Fortunately, there aren’t many bodyguards guarding the mansion. Besides, there are only a few servants inside. If all goes smoothly, it should be easy to kill him.”

“But why are there so few? This is the lord’s mansion. Especially in an emergency, shouldn’t the security be tighter?”

“Well, that is…”

Indeed, even Shijiruku had his doubts.

Although they could see a few bodyguards patrolling the mansion, their numbers were extremely limited.

Even in peacetime, such a small force would be unusual to guard a lord’s residence.

Why are there so few?

He attempted to plunge into his thoughts…

“It’s because, with us present, such guards aren’t necessary.”

A calm female voice reached their ears.

Shijiruku and his companions immediately turned toward the direction of the voice.

There, a maid stood with a gentle smile, exuding calm.

Her tanned skin, bathed in moonlight, carried an air of mysterious allure.

“Welcome, esteemed members of Silkeia. We’re honored by your invitation—thank you for coming.”

The maid bowed courteously.

Though her choice of words betrayed a lack of genuine welcome, her smile and graceful manner presented a stark contrast.

Shijiruku thought there must be a duality in her nature.

No, more than her words, it was her appearance that captivated him.

To be more precise, it was her skin.

It was tanned—a trait unimaginable among the kingdom’s citizens.

“A maid of a different race…”

“Yes. I am Ashvin, in service to Lord Balor.”

A maid of a different race… Ashvin said with a smile.

If the people on Balor’s side discovered them before the assassination, it would spell disaster.

In such a critical situation, the members of Silkeia couldn’t help but break into relieved smiles.

“Oh, what a relief. It was you who found us—there was no need for us to spill any unnecessary blood.”

“Pardon?”

At Shijiruku’s words, Ashvin tilted her head in puzzlement.

There was no need to kill her.

Besides the assassination of Balor, there was another purpose in coming here.

“We have come to rescue you, Ashvin.”

“Rescue me…?”

Ashvin’s eyes grew wide.

She had never, in the slightest, expected to be spoken to in that manner.

Well, of course not.

In this kingdom, who would ever think of coming to the aid of someone of a different race?

Shijiruku accepted her reaction as entirely natural.

“Yes. A servant of a different race—you must have suffered greatly. Silkeia exists precisely to help people like you.”

Many among the different races are unaware even of the existence of an organization like Silkeia.

He judged that Ashvin must be one of them.

“Normally, if it were any other servants or bodyguards, we would have had to silence them… but oh, what a relief.”

“Well, after all, they’re just people of the kingdom; killing them doesn’t really matter.”

That is the unanimous sentiment of all the people of different races belonging to Silkeia.

They despise the kingdom and its citizens.

Even Shijiruku, who saw it as a just recompense, felt that way. Even though his rational mind understood, his emotions were not appeased.

After all, he had experienced such hell.

“I do too.”

“What?”

So when Ashvin murmured softly, the members of Silkeia beamed with delight.

That meant she felt the same way as they did.

That meant she would become one of them.

That was why.

However, only Shijiruku felt something off about her voice.

What is going on?

Shouldn’t he be happy along with his comrades…?

That ominous premonition would soon prove to be correct.

Ashvin smiled sweetly and said,

“I also don’t mind killing people of a different race.”

“Gah!?”

In an instant, fresh blood splattered through the dark night.

It was obvious who had attacked them.

Before anyone knew, Ashvin had taken hold of a spear.

Its tip was caked with a sticky red substance.

“W-why!? We’re comrades! We came to help you…!”

“Why?”

From Shijiruku’s perspective, it made no sense at all.

Who could have predicted that the ones we came to help would turn on them?

However, Ashvin was just as confused.

“If you raise your swords at Lord Balor, it doesn’t matter if they are your comrades or not. Since you’ve sided with Marcel, you’re all marked for slaughter.”

While chuckling gleefully, Ashvin attacked Shijiruku and his companions.

Though she was wearing a long apron dress—an outfit ill-suited for strenuous activity—the speed with which she charged forward wielding the spear overwhelmed the battle-hardened members of Silkeia.

“Guh…!? Could it be she’s been brainwashed…!?”

“That’s rude. Well, it might be true that she’s enamored with Lord Balor.”

Ashvin frowned. Although she denied it, to Shijiruku it appeared that way.

What else could prompt one to kill their comrades without hesitation, if not brainwashing?

“It’s not uncommon to become dependent on one who abuses you. Ashvin is likely the same. We must help her…”

“You’re still saying that, I see.”

With an exasperated sigh, Ashvin disappeared.

“Guh!?”

In the next moment, someone appeared right before Shijiruku and the others.

When the spear was swept through the air, the members of Silkeia were blasted away all at once.

They were sent soaring, suffering massive damage.

One wonders how much power is needed to send several people flying at once.

Even within Silkeia—a group of non-kingdom warriors renowned for their physical abilities—no one could ever do that.

And that was not all.

“I think it’s great when a spear can be thrown.”

Ashvin’s spear glowed.

Its radiance outshone the moonlight.

It was like a small sun.

And then, Ashvin hurled the light-clad spear at the soaring Shijiruku and his comrades.

A deafening boom resounded.

The explosive sound was so loud it felt as though ears might burst, resonating throughout the area.

If this were not far from the lord’s mansion, countless subjects would have rushed out in alarm.

“I ask for no help whatsoever. In fact, being under Lord Balor’s care is my salvation. Please do not get in my way.”

“T-this… How can we be attacked so unilaterally…!?”

At this point, not one member of Silkeia was still standing.

What is the nature of Ashvin’s power?

And what is that shining spear all about?

Questions kept piling up, never ceasing.

“Now, once we deal with you, Marcel’s camp will have no decent fighting force left. They can be easily crushed. So…”

Of course, Ashvin had no intention of answering that.

Raising her now-dim spear, she stood before Shijiruku…

“Just hurry up and die already.”

The spear, ruthless in its purpose to take lives, was swung down mercilessly.

“Ashvin, you’re being noisy. Are you okay? (This commotion is too much! We’re trying to sleep here! Execution, execution!)”

The spear was about to pierce Shijiruku’s heart.

Indeed, his skin had torn, and blood was oozing out.

Even so, Ashvin halted the spear at the last possible moment because someone called out.

Balor Apophis.

He is the ruler of the Apophis territory.

Surely, if such intense battle sounds echoed on a quiet night, even Balor would be stirred.

It was only natural for the gentle Balor to appear, worried about his maid, Ashvin.

And for Shijiruku, it was the perfect, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Lord Balor!”

“T-This man, of all people—AAAA!!”

A severely wounded Shijiruku charged at Balor.

It was a desperate, all-out charge.

He was moving at a speed far beyond what his natural abilities would allow.

Ashvin could only shout out,

“Huh?”

Balor, stunned, watched as the bloodied Shijiruku advanced…

His eyes gleamed.