Episode 165. Assassination Order (1)
“Me and the Witherspoon family… … .”
Enzo opened his mouth cautiously. His voice trembled slightly. The fact that Chloe’s life was at stake in his words was weighing on him.
“… I knew the Witherspoon family before I was chained to the chains of awakening. That was before Per was born, when I was a little kid.”
There was not a single lie in the words that followed. Lies seemed meaningless in front of Rubin. It seemed as if the child in front of him could easily figure out the truth or not.
“… … .”
Rubin listens silently without saying anything in response.
… When he finally finished his long story, Rubin’s posture was the same as before. But Enzo noticed that the pressure that had been weighing him down had dissipated.
“Let me ask you just one thing.”
“… … ?”
“What if the Witherspoons had even set up an ‘island’ for you and Per to live on?”
“What? Are you telling the truth?”
“Let’s assume that’s true.”
“then…….”
Rubin’s voice became stronger as he watched Enzo taking a deep breath.
“It’s not Per that I’m worried about, it’s you. Per is capable of protecting himself. But you aren’t.”
“… If that’s the case, I’d be happy to stay there. Since it’s an island attached to Americmana, safety is guaranteed.”
“Okay, then, I understand.”
Rubin answered simply.
Is this the end? Enzo opened his eyes wide.
“So Chloe, is the child okay?”
“Yes. I don’t want to get rid of the kid I’m friends with myself. But… … .”
“but?”
“We should at least come up with a plan for you, sir.”
Strategy? Enzo tilted his head. He didn’t quite understand. However, Rubin seemed to be trying to skip the detailed explanation.
“Send a secret letter to Mrs. Witherspoon. Along with some kind of identification to prove that you are Mr. Witherspoon.”
“It’s not that hard. You know that symbol that Perga told you about? The symbol of trust, the one you proved to me in prison. The only person I ever told you about it was McEwan Witherspoon.”
“So you trust him to that extent? That’s good.”
“But what does the secret letter say?”
“Tell Chloe to go find Per. The time is two weeks, the place is the Ielos family’s estate. There will be a banquet there that day, and Per will show up there. Write it like that.”
“That’s the unit price?”
“Yes, that’s the answer.”
“If I ask you what you plan to do, you won’t tell me, right?”
Of course. Rubin got up from his seat. He took off the black robe that had created a solemn atmosphere and changed into the robe of a magic student. And before leaving the secret place, he added this.
“Don’t worry. I will strengthen the bond between the Lorenzini and Witherspoon families.”
* * *
-Rubin.
“… … .”
The way out of Enzo’s secret space. Haneke called out, but Rubin delayed answering. He returned straight to his room in the dormitory.
In half a day, half of the dorm rooms were empty. Everyone had fled the ominous city and taken temporary refuge. Also, many of the remaining cadets were scheduled to leave Capotini by tomorrow.
‘Haneke.’
Rubin’s belated reply continued as he took off his wizard robes.
‘I know what you’re trying to say. You’re saying we can trust Enzo’s word?’
I felt Haneke nodding.
To be more precise, it was more a question of whether the Witherspoons could be trusted than whether Enzo could be trusted.
“… … .”
After a while, Rubin recalls the story Enzo had told him.
The story of Enzo and the Witherspoon family was filled with Enzo’s desperate words to save Chloe. He had no choice but to reveal his true feelings because Chloe could have died because of him.
The Lorenzini family and the Witherspoon family.
The two families had a deeper connection than expected. They had been friends since before Perga was even born.
Going back further, it is said that since the time of Enzo’s father, Sam-Hwi and Won-Hwi have been building friendship by bridging their differences.
The friendship between an imperial noble and a commoner wizard family. It’s as unrealistic as a fairy tale, but it makes sense when you look at Chloe’s personality.
Chloe’s personality was influenced by her father, McEwan Witherspoon. And this seven-star great wizard is also what the world calls an ‘idealist’.
‘McEwan’s idealistic side becomes more evident later on.’
In Rubin’s memories, there were future events that would astonish the wizarding community, such as the ‘foundation of a unified magic school’.
However, it was not known whether a magic school where all the Whisiks gathered in one place was actually established. It was only rumored, but Rubin himself died before the actual school was established.
Anyway, according to what Enzo told me, McEwan Witherspoon protected Enzo for a while while he was in ‘Chains of Awakening’.
As the head of the greatest magic family, he knew the concept of the ‘Chain of Awakening’ from the beginning, and he also knew what was best for them.
The chain of awakening was not broken. Not only did no one die, but it was also a way to prevent chaos in the wizarding society.
Accordingly, McEwan advised Enzo to send his son to Capotini, and also sent his daughter there to protect the child.
-Will the Witherspoons really protect the Lorenzinis?
‘Chloe would be happy to do that. McEwan would probably be too. But… not all Witherspoons are like those two.’
-Yeah, and Chloe’s two older brothers too.
‘But if we can just settle down on the island, it will be a huge opportunity for Per.’
A satisfied smile appears on Rubin’s face. Haneke, who must not be unaware of its meaning, strokes his beard.
-A great opportunity…? Are you really thinking of the Witherspoons as Per’s training ground?
If Per had been alone, he would not have dared to try it. However, he currently had the intelligence of a half-god, Cellok.
As evidenced by the existence of Cellok, he was not just a simple Samhwi wizard. He was a ‘chosen wizard’. The only person who had previously been granted such a title was none other than ‘the lost great wizard, Glayton’.
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‘Actually, I was wondering how to make Per into a great wizard.’
In his previous life, Per was blinded by the anger over losing his father and his desire for revenge against the Assassin Swordsman. In this life, instead of losing his father, he had to grow on his own to become a great wizard.
-Well, even if Selok wakes up, he won’t teach you magic.
‘Sellock is to protect, Americmana is to teach magic. That’s enough.’
-Hmm. If that’s true, then Americmana will become the first Samhwi wizard?
‘It’s a suitable story for the birth of a great wizard.’
But how the Witherspoon family’s internal affairs played out was beyond Rubin’s control. Pereira was safe from danger thanks to Selok, but Enzo was not.
-So, you’re going to make plans for Enzo? But, the banquet is in two weeks… It’s the day we decided to get rid of Rosenthaler.
Even Haneke couldn’t seem to figure it out. The general’s frustration was conveyed, but Rubin paid no attention.
‘That day, I plan to hold Chloe’s hand and dance.’
-What, dancing? Are you trying to pass it off as a joke?
Rubin just shrugs.
“… … .”
As I was concluding one issue in my mind, another issue that had been put on the back burner came to mind.
A problematic unmanned unit that must be hiding in the shadow of Capotini’s imperial palace by now.
It was Rosenthaler who must have been deeply regretting his actions. He must have been anxious that he had fallen out of favor with Rulfo.
‘It’s almost time for visitors to arrive.’
With that thought in mind, I looked out the window. I saw professors from each grade working on a circular shift.
One of them was walking between the Rhapsody Hall and Humming Hall dormitories, yawning profusely.
* * *
A few days later, at noon, Rubin was out of the dorm and spending time at Kuze’s bookstore.
Leaving the dorm during the break was not easy. I had to get formal permission from the professors to leave, but since I was Rubin, I was able to skip some of the procedures.
The reason Rubin was a mado-muin was because the destination was his family’s bookstore located on the border of the Magic Tower District.
So Rubin could come here every day and devote himself to training.
Swish.
A blizzard created by the bloody frost. Rubin’s shadow flickers between them. His sword draws lines and dots, halting the blizzard’s path.
This sword fight is not a virtual battle with Haneke.
Rubin’s unwavering eyes are fixed on the air, and the sword strikes he unleashes are always mindful of his solid physique.
Rosenthaler. Rubin was constantly replaying the skirmishes of the past. He kept reminding Rosenthaler of his fighting habits that he had not been able to hide.
Rosenthaler’s unique stride and technique. The secret sword technique of the Imperial Order that reveals its outline every time the sword moves. Rosenthaler’s weaknesses that flash in Rubin’s sight every time.
In Rosenthaler’s virtual battles, Rubin sometimes lost and sometimes won. But in neither case did the training end. It just led straight to the next battle.
Sasa sasa sasa.
Rubin jumped towards the wall. Just before he hit the wall, he activated his first-class magic stone and cast ‘Shadow Curtain’.
The next moment, the body seeps into the wall without colliding with it.
‘It’s not lacking in stealth skills, but it’s still lacking in combat skills.’
Rubin, crouching inside the Mana Cube, reflects on the completion of the ‘Shadow Curtain’.
At that moment, Tina came down to the underground cave in the form of a cat. She was looking around and meowing like a cat, but then suddenly she got annoyed and screamed.
“Aren’t you here, Rubin?”
I clearly saw him coming down earlier, but was it a mistake? Tina, who couldn’t find Rubin, went back up the stairs.
After that, she came down with Kuze this time.
“Look, it’s not there.”
“hmm…….”
Kuze looked around. He was trying to find traces of Rubin. Judging from the cold air caused by the blood frost, he must have been here just a moment ago.
“Kuje, let’s just eat together. I told you that the Siren family members usually skip meals because it’s training.”
But then, Rubin, who had been hiding in the wall, reappeared.
Sssssss.
From Kuze and Tina’s perspective, it was like a person jumping out of a wall, so even if he was an assassin, he couldn’t help but be surprised.
Tina in particular jumped up and cried in cat form.
“You, really!”
“Your Majesty! You were in the shadows.”
Even though they had seen the new spell a few times, neither of them were used to it yet. As the inside of the Mana Cube turned into liquid, it was difficult to detect it no matter how much darkness was spread.
“Don’t surprise us. When you go into the wall, at least leave a note behind!”
Rubin chuckles. He shakes the water off his head with his hand. Tina jumps again as the water splashes in his direction.
“But I guess you were hungry. I can see you’re talking about food.”
“… That’s not it, Tina.”
“You didn’t come out because you were hungry?”
“Someone is coming here. That’s why I came out.”
“Bookstore customer?”
Tina asked playfully, but Kuze, who was standing next to her, knew. He also sensed what Rubin felt, albeit belatedly.
Above the wide-spread smoke screen, there was a figure walking down the alley and coming this way.
“He is a man of darkness.”
Rubin nodded.
“Tina. Be careful, you’re an assassin who doesn’t know you’re a member of the Phantom Tribe. It would be better for you to transform into Roinecrow and stay away.”
Only then did Tina, who had become serious, nod with a serious face. Soon, the three of them went up the stairs and went out to the bookstore. Tina transformed into Roynecro as instructed by Rubin and flew up to the sky above Capotini.
“Who could it be?”
“He must be an assassin who received an assassination order from the Imperial Edict.”
“If it is an assassination order… then the target is… … .”
“Who else but Rosenthaler?”
“Your Majesty, you expected things to turn out like this.”
Because Rosenthaler made things bigger, but he made them too big.
If I had revealed myself during the outdoor class, I shouldn’t have killed Kaizen. If I had to kill him, I should have faked my death.
The news of the Capotini magic professor’s murder had already spread to nearby cities. How many hours did it take for Rulfo to make up his mind after realizing the gravity of the situation?
I don’t know for sure, but the thing that took the longest before the order to eliminate Rosenthaler was given was the audience with the Emperor. Other than that, everything else would have been decided in an instant.
‘But… isn’t Rosenthaler your target?’
Kuze’s gaze, whose thoughts had reached that point, turned to Rubin.
If the Imperial Order had assigned an assassin, wouldn’t Rubin’s plan have been ruined? However, Rubin remained calm, as if he had expected that.
“It doesn’t matter who comes. I’ll get rid of Rosenthaler by myself.”
Right then.
The doorbell rang and a visitor came in. A middle-aged nobleman with a natural air of dignity. He met Rubin’s eyes.
‘I knew it, I knew it.’
