How the Shadow of the Marquis Lives

Episode 38

Chesha said she was staying because she had errands, and Xian rode the carriage back.

Returning to Agrid’s estate, he came to meet Yeomno before going to the warp gate.

“young master. Looks like you’ve finished all your business.”

“huh. What about those bandages?”

Seeing Yeomno, Xian immediately noticed a change.

A little white bandage was visible on the inside of his sleeve.

Yeomno laughed and talked as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“I was working and saw a nail sticking out of my desk. It’s just a scratch, don’t worry.”

“okay?”

Xian examined Yeomno’s body for a moment.

Fortunately, his posture and movements did not show the flinching characteristic of an injured person.

If that’s the case, I’d say it’s not a big deal.

“Are you on your way to ride the warp? I will give you a ride.”

Without refusing the favor of Yeomno, he got on the carriage.

It was an open-ceilinged wagon for driving around the city.

I watched Xian passing by in the carriage that slowly moved through the downtown area.

“How was your meeting with the head of the household?”

“It wasn’t bad.”

“You are also a young master.”

Yeomno laughed at Xian’s answer.

“young master. Please take this.”

“This?”

Yeomno rustled something in the seat next to him and took out a package and handed it to Xian.

Xian accepted it curiously.

Inside, there was a wooden box filled with oozing liquid, and a black orb the size of the palm of your hand.

“I’ve been climbing the mountain behind me as a pastime these days. Since the young master went to the academy, there was nothing to do. It is a decoction of medicinal herbs from Kaon.”

“Remedy? Why don’t you eat me… … .”

“Heh heh heh. I, of course, drink it every day. It was decocted separately to give to the young master. Don’t be burdened.”

“… … thank you.”

Xian smiled. Then he turned his gaze towards the black orb.

What is this?

“Ah, that side is a bomb.”

“… … what?”

At Yeomno’s words, Xian’s hand, which had been fiddling with the sphere, stopped abruptly.

Yeomno smiled and continued.

“This is the one with the explosive magic engraved on it. It’s called a thunderbolt. I put my spark in it, so it should be quite useful.”

“like… … .”

“Because the simple warp stone was also used. Don’t you need something to protect your body when you’re in trouble? The power is quite strong, so please be careful when using it.”

“OK got it.”

As a prosecutor, he had no extensive and powerful means of attack.

Although it is disposable, it will be very useful.

Xian tightened the package containing the depth charge and the restorative medicine again.

Eventually, he arrived at the warp gate of the territory and handed over the payment to the wizard of the Thunder Mage Tower there.

Xian took a step towards the gate.

“Always take care of yourself.”

Seeing such a draft, Yeomno left a request.

Xian smiled slightly at him and went through the gate.

* * *

that evening.

Instead of climbing the back mountain as usual, Xian was in his dormitory room.

This is because I needed to organize my thoughts before doing the exercises.

About Ravi.

“Ravi, you… … .”

“yes?”

Ravi tilted his head at Xian’s unfamiliar appearance.

Seeing him like that, he swallowed his saliva.

Ravi accepted Verium’s power as a familiar energy.

And according to the head of the house, Beriam is a black magician who borrows power from the demons of hell.

That means that Ravi is also a being in hell.

And Gaju talked.

Hell’s demons always covet their host’s body.

If so, is Ravi like that?

Are you targeting your own body?

“Ugh.”

“… … !”

flinch.

Ravi approached Xian, who was lost in thought. Ravi came over to his hand and asked to be stroked as always.

However, Sian inadvertently pulled his hand back.

From a young age, he always had to think, observe, and judge.

In order to fulfill the role of the shadow, it was always necessary to keep a distance from people.

That habit-like vigilance suddenly broke away.

“right… … ?”

Then Ravi looked at Xian with trembling eyes.

Ravi’s feelings have been passed on to Xian through the connected energy imprint.

Embarrassment, bewilderment, sadness.

Seeing the guy start to cry, Xian frowned.

‘… … What were you doing?’

The fact that Ravi’s feelings are conveyed to him means that his feelings are also conveyed to him.

It would have conveyed his own anxiety and, furthermore, his wariness about the existence of hell.

The contractor, who should be closer than anyone else in the world, sent such feelings.

“Ugh!!”

Ravi, who looked like he would shed tears any minute, didn’t cry. Rather, he boldly jumped into Xian himself.

Xian accepted him.

The guy was just as light as his small body.

“sorry.”

he apologized

Long words were not necessary. Because he and Ravi were connected through imprints.

“Ugh! yes!”

Ravi gets angry and asks him not to do that again.

However, the emotion of anger is only an emotion that is visible on the outside, and it is different inside.

Anxiety fading, and relief rising.

“You are better than me.”

I stroked the boy’s head with my fingers.

It felt like stroking a kitten’s head.

With a small sigh, Xian sorted things out.

‘… … There is only one basis for judgment.’

However, even so, a rational basis was needed.

This was unavoidable. Because it was the 17 years he lived.

In this case, the reason is one.

Ravi’s power has certain advantages. I wonder if I can get through the future without that merit.

Xian opened his palm and looked down at his own hand.

‘Honestly, I’ve never thought that my talent was lacking.’

It wasn’t bragging, it was the truth.

He was able to memorize quite a few things after seeing them once, and he was able to perfectly follow difficult swordsmanship moves with just one demonstration.

There was no barrier to learning and mastery was quick.

From the age of 14, he went beyond the realm of simple learning to create a swordsmanship called the Sangcheon Sword.

but.

‘Is that enough?’

If you ask if it’s enough, you shake your head.

Beriam’s case was, in a way, just a stroke of luck.

The luck that came because the unknown enemies thought they were the real Xian and were careless.

For now, you might be able to keep that luck. But one day, the day will come.

Even if you don’t get caught, the day will surely come when your enemies won’t be vigilant.

At that time, when the family head also made the decision to abandon himself, can I protect myself?

With this petty talent?

‘What is needed is not talent.’

All you need is immediate power.

You cannot give up because of an intangible threat that may or may not exist.

What he wants is not a safe road, but a road to achieve his goal even if there are risks.

“Ravi.”

“yes?”

He recalled the time when he and Ravi reached the top of the ordeal.

The tears I saw then.

I didn’t think it was a lie.

“never mind.”

“Ugh.”

He smiled and stroked Ravi’s head with his finger.

Ravi narrowed his eyes and groaned.

‘I’ll have to put a little more effort into defeating the warlock.’

Because of the housekeeper, it’s about to get involved with the black magicians.

One more reason to exterminate them was added.

As a result, there is no change in what to do, but it is still different from before.

Previously, it was just a passive reason to escape a threat.

but.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Ugh!”

Now I have a reason to actively catch and eat it.

* * *

After reconciling with Laby—even though we never fought—as usual, I climbed the back mountain and practiced the energy of the night.

Time passed quickly as I sat still and absorbed the energy.

Since the accumulation of energy is faster than when mana was accumulated normally in the past, the taste of training is also good.

That’s how I practiced until dawn today and came down.

I found an unexpected person.

Isn’t Allen Kruger coming over the fence?

“uh? draft? What are you doing not sleeping?”

“That’s just what I’m asking.”

Sian gave Allen a chin.

His appearance was not at all normal.

Not to mention being covered in sweat and dust, all over the clothes were soaked with unknown waste water.

“You stink, you.”

“hahahaha… … sorry. I have some work.”

The guy scratched his cheek and talked.

“What is it?”

“I got a request from Mr. Connie at the general store. Subdue the gutter rats in the sewer.”

“If you hold the gutter, is it a monster?”

“huh. Rats are always like that, but they seem to have increased in number and even came to the store before I knew it.”

something was strange

Although he was just talking normally, Allen’s tone was strangely harsh. Same with the word rat.

I wasn’t a kid who spoke so strongly.

“I will do it in advance during the day.”

“I went there during the day. In fact, I already cleaned everything around the grocery store, but I thought I’d clean the inside as well. Oh right. Come to think of it, there was something I wanted to ask you.”

“what?”

“When I was fighting the Goblin King at the Great Hill.”

“uh.”

“Isn’t he in a weird state or something? It’s like your eyes are red.”

“Isn’t that what demons’ eyes turn red quickly?”

“Um, what is it? So what’s different? Does it suddenly get stronger or seem crazy?”

“The strength was stronger, but it was the power of witchcraft, and the spirit… … I don’t even know about the spirit world of monsters.”

Xian showed him the power gauntlet he was wearing on his right hand. To be precise, it showed the incantation tattoo on the back of the hand.

“I see… … Hmm… … .”

Whether or not he was satisfied with that answer, Allen struggled with a complicated look on his face.

“You seem very worried.”

“… … Do you have a lot of tea?”

As a guy who usually smiles, it shows more when he is worried.

“If you have a problem, don’t be stubborn and talk to someone. Like roommates or something.”

“To Gail?”

“If they are close friends, they will accept counseling.”

At that, Allen smiled and said.

“That’s true… … .”

“no. Except for me.”

“hahahaha, kidding, kidding.”

Xian sighed.

“Go in quickly and wash up and go to sleep.”

“Ahahahaha. Okay, sleep well too.”

The two returned to the Sapphire Hall together and dispersed to their respective rooms.

Xian also went in to take a shower because sweat and waste were flowing from doing the exercises.

There was at least a simple shower in each room, so there was no need to go to a common facility.

shoot ah-

Being hit by the pouring water, Xian thought about this and that.

many things that have happened recently.

They came up and faded indiscriminately.

‘I heard that a lot of thoughts come to mind when I take a shower.’

It seems that a certain scholar made such a claim.

The more a person’s body is stimulated, the more ideas come to mind, and it is said that the effect is maximized if you take a shower with a stream of water all over your body.

I don’t know if it’s been verified because I know that kind of study is only at the level of culture, but at least empirically, it seemed to be right.

That’s how Xi’an is now.

‘Allen.’

In the meantime, he suddenly remembered the Allen he had just met.

The words I asked if the power of the Goblin King suddenly became stronger or seemed crazy.

Then a scene flashed through my mind.

―If that’s the case, you’re saying that Beriam was also a warlock.

-okay. Didn’t he suddenly get stronger or look crazy during the fight?

conversation with the lord.

Doesn’t it sound like Allen’s words and the family’s words completely overlap?

Xian, who had stopped for a moment, wiped the water flowing down his forehead and brushed his hair.

“… … It must be just a coincidence.”

He let out a small sigh and murmured.