HRB 60

E?

A look of confusion filled Count Almeida’s face. Who was E? But the man seemed to have no intention of explaining.

“Count Almeida.”

The voice that addressed him precisely was chillingly cold.

Indeed, the other party knew exactly who he was and had sought him out.

“You’ve done quite a lot, haven’t you?”

“W-what?”

“Eliminating political opponents, selecting only dirty deeds for convenience, and to top it all off, you have bad habits with your hands.”

Those eyes coldly swept over Count Almeida’s hands. Though it shouldn’t have been possible, the count hastily hid his wrists behind his back, feeling as if he were being cut by that gaze.

“There’s no reason for someone like you to live long.”

As Count Almeida stared at the face uttering those cold words, he belatedly realized that the intruder wasn’t wearing any mask.

What did it mean to show his face while doing something like this? Count Almeida knew exactly what it meant.

A killer who leaves no witnesses. Count Almeida’s thick throat bobbed with a gulp.

“M-money, if it’s money…”

“Money?”

When the other party showed a hint of interest, hope flickered across Count Almeida’s face. Mere money, if it could keep him alive, he’d gladly give as much as needed.

How could he, the right-hand man of Marquis Rodrigo, die like a dog here?

“Give it if you can. You’ll die anyway.”

But the man crushed that hope instantly. He extended his hand, pointing to the water glass that Count Almeida had used to quench his thirst.

“That glass, I provided it.”

“…!”

He couldn’t quite grasp it before. At these words, Count Almeida’s face turned deathly pale.

It was right after this that Count Almeida began screaming, feeling as if bubbles were rising inside him.

Yet strangely, despite his shouting and screaming, nobody came rushing into Count Almeida’s room. The servants were certainly in the mansion.

His proud knights, who had guarded him vigilantly all day, were nowhere to be seen.

After confirming Count Almeida’s eyes rolling back, the man immediately concealed himself. Though it was three stories high, he leaped out the window effortlessly and leisurely left the count’s estate.

Count Almeida would likely die slowly. Since he had taken measures to prevent any sound from escaping the room, no one would discover him until morning, by which time everything would be over.

Even if someone miraculously found Count Almeida, saving someone who had ingested deadly poison would be difficult even for the High Priest. Besides, even if treated, with his esophagus dissolved, life would hardly be worth living.

Snicker.

As soon as he reached this conclusion, the man’s face relaxed, as if he had never worn that strict, cold expression. He took out a piece of parchment from his chest and inscribed: [Nine, Completed]

Good. Now I can report to “Master.”

As he thought this, smiling brightly, he felt a small mana wave near his neck. After looking down at his neck for a moment, he pulled out a necklace with a plain-looking gem from inside his clothes.

It was a magical artifact he had shared as one of a pair with someone.

Though it appeared to be quite an expensive communication device, he didn’t particularly like the necklace because its creator, lacking aesthetic sense, had made it ugly, arguing that functionality was all that mattered.

Still, its performance was reliable. When the man infused mana into the glowing necklace, communication with the other party was instantly established.

“…Hey, what is it?”

Despite it being a long time since their last contact, there was no particular emotion in the voice. The other party didn’t seem to expect a warm welcome either, and got straight to the point in a blunt voice.

-How’s the mission going?

It was a familiar voice, at least to the man.

“Just finished another one and on my way out.”

-The business? Did you destroy it properly?

“Who do you think I am?”

When the man retorted as if offended, the other party let out a small laugh. It might be rare laughter for others, but not for the man. After all, they were childhood friends.

-The great Ebon, of course. How could I not know?

Naturally, all missions had been perfectly executed. While Ebon in daily life could be somewhat, or rather quite, careless, he never did his work sloppily.

That’s how he had been trained.

“I’m going to visit Master soon. I have to leave a mark indicating the mission is complete.”

-Still doing that?

The other party said in a dry voice. He often dismissed the man’s romantic notions as ‘useless acts.’

“Yes, I delivered it when I dealt with Marquis Meggin too.”

The secret act of checking the sleeping face of his master in the morning and leaving a note on the windowsill was Ebon’s own romance and dream.

Even though the other party knew this, he scolded Ebon, asking why he did such unnecessary things.

-You could just relay it to me through the artifact.

“You don’t understand this romance.”

Indeed, if he had understood romance, he wouldn’t have made the communication artifact necklace in such a shape. Ebon grumbled again as he confirmed its crude appearance.

Something suddenly occurred to Ebon, and he asked a question.

“By the way, is that guy still around Master?”

-Hmm? Ah, yes.

It was about the suspicious person their master had supposedly picked up from the street recently. From the other party’s response, it seemed that the guy was still by their master’s side.

Ebon clicked his tongue in displeasure.

“What is he thinking? There’s nothing good that can come from keeping a stranger close.”

-I really don’t know what he’s thinking these days.

“He’s been like that since he was young.”

-That’s true…

Ebon fell into thought for a moment.

He didn’t have much to do for a while anyway. Thanks to his busy work, the nobility faction nobles were quite subdued.

Although he was concerned about Marquis Rodrigo’s rather disturbing movements and had left a warning message to his master to be careful, there wouldn’t be much trouble for a while. They would have their hands full just dealing with what had already happened.

They must have been desperate enough to swallow their pride and try to recruit the hero, a new noble they’d been looking down on.

If the hero had joined the nobility faction, things could have become a bit troublesome, but fortunately, the hero didn’t seem to show a particularly positive response to their side. Well, there was no reason for the hero to burden himself with political responsibilities.

Moreover, according to Ebon’s intelligence network, the hero’s condition these days was… not good in some way. So even if he were recruited by the nobility faction, he probably wouldn’t be able to fulfill his role.

And now with Count Almeida being dealt with this way, and once the collapse of the business became known, the nobility faction would be even more subdued.

In that case, Ebon would have nothing to do for a while. His master didn’t like rushing things.

Then was there any reason for him to keep wandering like this?

Having rationalized to himself, Ebon asked, “I think I’ll stay by Master’s side for a while.”

-What’s gotten into you?

“I’m also concerned about that guy who’s supposedly nearby. I think it would be good to observe the situation for a while.”

But his longtime childhood friend responded with a lukewarm voice.

-I hate noisy situations.

“Are you saying I’m noisy?”

-Isn’t that obvious?

Ebon wanted to object, but there was nothing he could say. Since long ago, Ebon’s vicinity had always been noisy, whether due to people or the various incidents he caused. One of the biggest victims was the person he was currently communicating with.

When Ebon shut his mouth, the other party responded with a sigh.

-Do as you please.

Ebon felt somewhat indignant. It was true that he had a slightly, just slightly, noisy side, but was it necessary to sigh so openly? They were childhood friends, after all, shouldn’t he at least pretend to be glad to see him? What an arrogant fellow.

“Sighing like that, how presumptuous. Are you doing it so I can hear? …I want the room next to Master’s.”

Even while grumbling at the other party’s unwelcoming response, Ebon tried to claim his room in advance, which made the other click his tongue.

-Sorry, but that newcomer already occupies the room next door.

“What?”

Ebon stamped his feet in frustration. How presumptuous! Truly insufferably presumptuous!

“Then give me the room next to that one!”

-As you wish.

That would only make it the room next to the ‘suspicious guy,’ but Ebon smiled with satisfaction at having claimed at least the room next-next to Eddie’s. This was possible because his brain structure was quite simple outside of work matters.

-When are you coming?

“I’ll come right away.”

-Hmm, so you’ll be here tomorrow.

“I’ll come today.”

He was boasting. Because Count Almeida didn’t have a mansion in the capital, he had to handle the job in the neighboring city, which put him at some distance from where his master lived. But since it was still dawn, if he traveled diligently during the day, he would arrive in the capital by afternoon.

-Why such a sudden rush… Never mind, do as you please.

Ebon smiled brightly, though unseen, at the words of the other party who knew his personality well and sighed. This was the good thing about being close, there were things that didn’t need to be explained to be understood.

Of course, if the other party had heard this thought, he would immediately deny it with “I don’t think that’s quite right,” but Ebon didn’t give him the chance.

Although Ebon was excited about meeting his master after a long time, he soon changed his mind.

Come to think of it, since it had been so long, it might be good to bring a gift for his master.

That would make it impossible to see his master today, but, well, his master would be happier for it, right?

“Actually, it might take a few more days.”

-…What now?

“It won’t take that long.”

The other party openly sighed at Ebon’s frequently changing whims. But this too was familiar to both of them.

-Fine, just come.

“You must miss me, but be patient for a few days, Gerold.”

With those words, Ebon cut off the artifact’s communication without even listening to Gerold’s reply, which continued with “nonsense…” The artifact that had been glowing instantly lost its light.

Ah, the design really is ugly. After grumbling, he stored the artifact back inside his clothes and belatedly put on his mask. His body, blending into the darkness, disappeared in an instant.

Ebon concealed himself in the darkness with excited steps. Soon, all traces of his presence vanished from that place.

Without leaving a single sign that someone had been there.