"Mr. Ronald, I apologize for the lateness of the hour..."
"Would you like to take our carriage back?"
"..."
"No need for the carriage."
"I’ve had quite a productive day myself, and I’d like to take a walk on the way back."
"..."
An hour later, with a complex expression on his face, Ronald exchanged a few courtesies with the old butler Aler and then left the estate where Letitia resided alone.
He nodded slightly to the surrounding investigators as a greeting.
As Ronald walked away, his mind was still pondering the events that had just unfolded.
The protective abilities of the "Angel" proved to be quite useful.
When the Countess began preparing sothing with her spell, the threat was imdiately and thoroughly neutralized.
Regrettably, what was also eliminated
was the environnt Ronald and Letitia were in at the ti.
However, being a worldly and knowledgeable Countess, after an initial awkward mont, Ronald didn’t even have to present his prepared excuse before Letitia voluntarily explained that her spell was rely a small trick to influence emotions.
In reality, even if one were completely unguarded, the affected individual would not suffer any degree of harm.
Regarding this claim...
Ronald outwardly expressed understanding, but whether he believed it or not was sothing he could only regretfully keep to himself.
And with this brief interlude,
Letitia, perhaps truly uninterested in causing further issues, casually changed her attitude and engaged in a serious exchange of mystical knowledge with Ronald.
In that brief conversation of just over half an hour,
both Letitia and Ronald gained a new understanding of the person before them.
Despite her less than impeccable private life, situated at the pinnacle of a kingdom’s social structure, Letitia’s perception and understanding of Casters was highly unique.
From the viewpoint of the ruling class,
she did not approach individuals from the mystical side with the thought ’this person is powerful,’ but rather ’what would the outco be if this person appeared here,’ and that is how she addressed issues.
Although the two perspectives overlap to so extent conceptually,
in practical application, the reactions and decisions they lead to are absolutely worlds apart.
Through this probing and understanding,
Ronald ca to recognize so of the thought processes of the world’s social elite.
Conversely, the Countess’s perception of Ronald also underwent a significant change.
Initially, she may have taken a casual interest in Ronald,
but after a few sentences, Ronald, a man embodying the careful communication of a great witch, Earth’s knowledge reserves, the materials from the "Scholars’ Research Society," and so docunts from the "Gingko Leaf Comrce Alliance" and the Investigations Bureau, presented her with an entirely new awareness she had never experienced before.
In Letitia’s experience,
she often dealt with core mbers of certain schools of thought or sworn loyalists to the royal family who belonged to organizations with a deep historical legacy.
Ronald’s holder of complex and diverse original knowledge
directly caused her to undergo a fundantal change in her attitude.
The man before her could not be seen as a re ’prey’; he was a rare resource she should seriously try to win over, and if possible, bring back to her nation to serve her cause!
Therefore, once she corrected her attitude,
Letitia did not wish to bring about annoyance over so minor details.
After the conversation of over half an hour, Letitia instructed the butler Aler to send Ronald away with all due respect.
However, Ronald himself did indeed wish to walk.
So, he declined the other party’s kindness.
"..."
Heading ho under the night sky and leaving the district of the wind organs,
Ronald leisurely proceeded in the direction of his residence while also preparing in his mind how he would approach Letitia next ti.
Through tonight’s exchange,
the previously planned ’honey trap’ could be entirely abandoned.
Demonstrating value through his reserve of knowledge and intellect was the best choice for building a good relationship with the Countess.
All along the way, silence reigned.
And then, as Ronald was organizing his thoughts and had just reached the Riverbank District...
His deep grey pupils slightly narrowed.
"Um..."
Ronald had not turned off the power of ’Fury’ for surveillance the entire way.
So at this mont, he was keenly aware of soone in the distance spying on him with full intent to kill.
Such clear and straightforward hostility, and then the suddenness of its appearance.
It had been so ti since Ronald had encountered such a thing.
Was it soone from the ’Nine Commandnts’ who could not wait to have a go or a magician from a heretical cult that hadn’t been heard from in a while, or perhaps it was retaliation from the ’Original Witches’ Assembly’?
With an ambiguous expression on his face,
Ronald casually snapped his fingers, then continued on his walking route without any change.
Dealing with ordinary mystical side casters, he could only say they were within easy reach.
Pretending to be emotionless and approaching the enemy was just to avoid letting them escape as much as possible.
The quiet of the night.
Upon the pitch-black streets,
Ronald walked on his way ho, simultaneously closing the distance with the enemy who was lying in ambush.
However, right when they were closest,
the ambusher still did not make a move.
Finally, just as they were about a hundred ters apart again,
the ambusher acted!
The spell, already prid and ready, clung to a flying dagger as it aid for Ronald’s undefended back, and with all the strength of his body, the assassin hurled the blade from his hand.
Whoosh—
The sharp blade cut through the air,
flying straight toward Ronald’s heart.
But what followed was a sight that made the assassin incredulous.
Despite his back being to the flying dagger and the attack being extrely fast!
In less than a second!
His target for the night abruptly turned around, then extended two fingers and poked at it.
Pop—
There was almost no expression of shock on his face.
The movent was natural and calm.
Ronald simply extended two fingers, firmly pinning the flying dagger the assassin had thrown with all his might.
A faint white light adhered to the skin on his fingers.
The spell cast upon the surface of the flying dagger had no effect whatsoever.
...
Was this a target he could handle?
The assassin’s mind had just begun to harbor such doubts when a single thought thoroughly ousted them.
Run!
Run right away!
Otherwise, I’m dead today!
Acting on professional instinct, the assassin turned to run away at once.
Sadly, escape was a delusion.
Before his first step toward survival could hit the ground, an irresistible force of fear and pull descended upon him.
His obviously leaning body halted in the air and then twisted backwards in an instant.
Like a fisherman reeling back the line, he was hoisted up into the air and hurtled straight toward Ronald.
Pop—
With a soft sound, the assassin sat down hard on the street floor.
He lifted his head slightly and imdiately saw Ronald’s condescending, indifferent gaze from above.
Then, the assassin saw clearly,
the man with the grey pupils in front of him spoke:
"Tell , who sent you?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers