Episode 171
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A sorceress of the Blue Tower who can contact the mountain assassins.
It was not surprising that her true identity was a snow elf.
“I never thought I would meet the Shadow Lord like this.”
“As we crossed the city streets at night, Hergé spoke, and Master Baro frowned.
“Oh my, it seems like he never gets tired of talking about that shadow again.”
“Is this what the Shadow Court’s Murderer has to say?”
The sorceress Erje asked back, and Master Baro’s expression froze for a moment at those words. The sorceress of the blue tower. And there was no doubt about the information network they possessed.
“That’s it, right away.”
Dale immediately stopped Baro and asked Hergé.
“Are we heading to the desert of heat like this?”
“If you go into the desert like this, you’ll end up a sand ghost in a few days.”
Master Baro intervened, and Hergé nodded.
“But the Shadow Lord would like to speak directly with the ‘Old Woman on the Mountain’.”
“Yes.”
“It seems like you have other things to say besides Sepia-sama’s work.”
Dale remained silent in response to Hergé’s words.
“But it seems that the Old Woman on the Mountain is also deeply interested in the existence of the Shadow Lord.”
“… … .”
“That is, if I can climb to the top of the desert mountain where she is.”
A nickname for the head of an organization called the Mountain Assassins.
At the mention of that name, Dale held his breath quietly, and Master Baro intervened.
“Is that old lady still alive?”
“Because I’m an elf.”
Hergé answered blandly.
“Haha, this is true.”
Master Baro scratched his head again, looking embarrassed.
“Why is that?”
“No, I don’t have the face to face you again, Master.”
“The old master you speak of is the head of the dark elf organization?”
“Well, that was a long time ago, before the blood dried on my head. It just happened that way.”
“Don’t worry, Salgeom. The old woman on the mountain is already feeling pleased with the fame that has spread throughout the world.”
At Hergé’s words, Baro’s expression froze again.
“Where on earth do you know that information?”
“From all the whispers of birds and rats.”
Hergé answered with a meaningful smile.
“The story of a noble knight who remains loyal to the saint who received the revelation from the Shadow Goddess until the end is no exception.”
Sling.
And before she could finish her words, Master Baro’s blade was pointed at the nape of her neck.
“Oh, this is truly rudeness and vulgarity unbecoming of a noble knight. Don’t you think so?”
“Haha, you really have to be careful what you say in front of such a rude and vulgar jerk.”
Hergé smiled happily, seemingly oblivious to the situation. Dale opened his mouth again in the cold, frozen air.
“Enough is enough, Hergé of the Blue Tower. There is nothing more to say.”
“Please do as Your Majesty wishes.”
Hergé smiled again, bowing his head. Master Baro put away his blade, and silence fell in the taut air.
‘How can there not be a day with good wind?’
In the ensuing silence, Dale thought, incredulous. It was then.
“Oh my, I can sense a murderous aura.”
Master Baro turned his head away, muttering as if it was someone else’s business. Immediately afterwards, Dale also noticed some kind of presence and turned his head.
The desolation that blew in the wind enveloped the back of my neck.
But Hergé just smiles quietly, as if he knew it would happen from the beginning.
Looking down the back alleys leading into the city’s slums.
“It’s not strange for anything to happen in the back alleys of the city.”
Master Baro spoke calmly, and Hergé answered.
“This is one of the cities closest to the hot desert. It’s not that uncommon to encounter them here.”
“… … Did you know from the beginning that this would happen?”
“It was just a perfect coincidence that the timing was just right.”
Hergé smiled meaningfully and trailed off.
Hearing those words, Dale began to kick the ground. Without even a moment of hesitation, he headed toward the back alley where the moonlight was fading away.
Along with the possibility that what was there might be the woman Dale was looking for… …thinking of the assassin on the mountain who might be pointing a knife at her.
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In the pale, shining night sky, there was a woman in a hood. The pouring moonlight scattered fragments, revealing her copper-colored skin beneath the hood.
The one in front of her was also a copper-skinned elf. Not sepia. It was impossible to guess her age from her appearance, but judging by her physical growth not yet complete, she did not seem to be an old elf.
There were severe wounds all over his body.
At Dale’s sound, the hooded assassin turned his head. A woman with copper skin. Her body was tightly wrapped, but it was not difficult to guess her identity based on the dark weapon she held in her hand.
Hashishin, the Mountain Assassin. A dark elf enforcer who purges the outcast elves of the secular world.
“Hey, save me!”
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A young elf. She was also a dark elf like the mountain assassin. However, her situation was not like that.
“Step aside, men of the empire.”
The mountain assassin glared at Dale.
“If you get involved in our affairs any longer, I won’t be able to guarantee your life.”
“Did she do something so wrong that she deserves to die?”
But Dale was not fazed and asked back.
“It is not my place to figure that out, and it is certainly not something that the people of the Empire should be concerned about.”
The mountain assassin answered, and Dale shook his head.
“No, that’s not true.”
“What says it isn’t?”
“Because I am not a ‘man of the empire.’”
Dale said.
“I am, after all, the Lord of Shadows, and I have come to speak with the leader of those who serve the Goddess of Shadows.”
For a moment, the dark elf’s expression became lifeless again.
“How dare you put shadow in your mouth?”
“If necessary, it is not difficult to prove it.”
Dale answered.
At the same time, the black blood flowing inside his body exploded and the dark blood armor wrapped around Dale.
Avatar of the Shadow Lord.
Five circles began to surround Dale’s heart and emit dark magic.
“… … !”
The sight of the dark elf terrifyingly kicked the ground at Dale, not the bloody elf girl in front of her.
It was fast. But it wasn’t fast enough for Dale’s body, which had reached the 5th circle level, to handle.
A blood-red aura followed the dark elf’s mage, and it was a very familiar color.
Because it was like the bloody sword that Master Baro showed.
“Lady Aurelia.”
So, with a good idea in mind, Dale called out to her knight in the shadows.
“… … !”
A pitch-black Valkyrie emerged from the shadows, wielding a blood-red aura blade like that of a dark elf.
Lady Shadow, who was reborn as a thorough assassin’s sword through Salgeom.
If we assume that Master Baro received training in swordsmanship from the mountain assassins as he said, then Lady Shadow, the disciple of the swordsman, would also be inheriting the ‘sword style used by the mountain assassins’.
Kaang!
After facing each other with swords, the opponent could also sense it.
“How could our swords… … !”
Aurelia’s Blood Sword blocked the dark elf’s path, and Dale spoke while watching it.
“Her auror, and her sword, are the proof beyond doubt.”
“He is right, Mountain Assassin.”
Just then, the sorceress Hergé appeared from the back alley. It was as if she had been waiting for this from the beginning.
“Hergé, has the Queen of Crystal’s clan surrendered to gold… …!”
“Oh my, that can’t be true.”
As the sorceress of the Blue Tower, Erje opened her mouth, emitting blue magic.
“As I said, we are the riders of the shadows, and our loyalty is to the lord we are meant to serve. The mountain assassins are no exception to that ancient oath.”
“Do you really think that northern monster, like the Immortal King, is worthy of being the Shadow Lord?”
“doesn’t exist.”
Just then, Dale answered, without a moment’s hesitation.
At those words, the dark elf swallowed softly.
“At least there is no reason for all of you to be loyal to such a monster.”
“… … .”
“However, by the ancient rules, I have rightfully acquired the title of ‘Shadow Lord’, and furthermore, I have no intention of forcing that title upon anyone.”
“Oh, then how are you trying to convince us?”
The dark elf asked coldly, and Dale answered.
“The old woman on the mountain will personally assess my qualifications and make a decision.”
“… … !”
“I swear on the honor of my people.”
Erje stood by Dale’s side to support him, while Aurelia remained silent, wielding her blood-red auror blade.
“Since you really guarantee it like that, I guess there’s no other way.”
The dark elf spoke as she put away her sword, turning to face the young elf who was trembling before her.
“But do not interfere with my duty.”
She swung the hilt around, and the tip of her sword was pointed at the young elf. And without a moment’s hesitation, the tip was about to plunge down.
Kaang!
Once again, someone blocked her sword.
“… … !”
Likewise, she wielded the blood-red Aura Blade, but possessed an overwhelming spirit that was even greater than that of Lady Shadow.
A swordsman with the name Salgeom and the greatest assassin on the continent.
“Put away that sword and do not interfere with our duty. If you do not, you will never see the elder again.”
“No matter what, there’s nothing more disturbing than a young lady dying.”
Master Baro shrugged and answered.
“To be honest, I can’t get out of here. I feel like that old lady is going to try to kill me.”
“… … .”
A brief silence fell.
“No, that can’t be.”
“Oh, damn it. I knew this would happen.”
After a moment of silence, Dale cut him off coldly.
“I ask again, Mountain Assassin.”
Dale continues, interrupting.
“Why are you trying to kill this child?”
“This is the last mercy we will show her.”
“What a cruel and unparalleled mercy.”
“Do you know the story of the powerless elves who fell into the ugly golden empire?”
The dark elf asked coldly.
“This is the only mercy we can give them before they are defiled by shame.”
The dark elf spoke, and Dale burst out laughing in disbelief.
“Then why don’t you just kick me out from the beginning?”
