Chapter 105: Insurance (1)

At the time when the performance had just started, at the Michelle Mansion. A team of knights dispatched from the palace was on high alert, boasting an ironclad security. With the exhibition taking place in Michelle's territory, it is only natural to be suspicious and be prepared for any contingencies.

The knights are deployed roughly as follows: two guards stationed in front of each family member's bedroom door, as well as the entrance to the office or basement where important documents or items are stored.

Although only a few people are guarding the mansion, they are the knights personally appointed by Leort, the brother of Rina. They are so skilled that they are said to have even taken down a dragon, so there was no problem expected.

"Oh, I want to go to the festival too. I know I can have more fun than anyone else."

"What can we do? We just have to suck it up."

However, as they were also human, they couldn't help but want to participate in the festival. Soldiers are supposed to prioritize their duties, but sometimes they want to refuse orders. Especially when there is a festival right in front of them, it was like a tempting feast.

"When will the shift change?"

"It's only been 10 minutes since we started working."

"Ah, darn it."

The replacement guard sighed at the response from the senior guard. It felt like they had been guarding this door for 30 minutes already, but time just wouldn't pass quickly enough.

"But why do we have to be on guard for this mansion?"

"Well, there's an ongoing exhibition in this area, so there could be people who think there's something worth stealing. We're here to prevent that. The possibility is low, and I'd rather want to see Baron Hawk once in a while."

"Is Batod Hawk really that strong?"

At the question from the replacement guard, the senior guard thought hard with his arms crossed before speaking.

"You might not know since you're young. Have you ever seen someone defeat a dragon alone? You should have seen that person's figure yourself. Many people wanted to become knights after seeing that figure, just like me."

"And then regretted it?"

"A little bit."

No matter where you go, people's lives are similar, so Isaac would have felt familiar with this scene. The senior and replacement guards chatted with each other to make time pass quickly. Of course, it wasn't laziness in their work. While they chatted, they were also searching their surroundings with mana. If a stranger enters within a certain range, they will be detected by their senses, so there won't be any big problems.

However, this is only from the perspective of "humans", and it is different for other races, especially demons or elves. If they use magic, they can deceive their senses and even move through space and between spaces to pass through walls.

"This is not it...and this is not it either..."

In the office where Michelle family's head, Hawk, handles his affairs, Rain was rummaging through the desk, with only moonlight shining in the room.

Even though two knights were on guard duty at the entrance of the office, they didn't notice that there was an intruder inside.

It's natural because the intruder was not a human, but a different race, a Dark Elf who are not well known externally. Elves are inherently specialized in magic, but Dark Elves' ability to hide is several times above that.

If an ordinary thief hides his body, he would at least be detected by detection techniques or magic, but the Dark Elf's concealment is on a different level.

It makes it feel like they've disappeared altogether, blending into the space. To detect a skilled Dark Elf's concealment, at least the level of a knight commander is required from a human perspective.

But even that is just "detection", and Dark Elves are almost never caught off guard because they are all seasoned warriors who have gone through hell and back.

"Is it not here either?"

Dark Elf Rain, who came as Arwen's escort, expressed doubt while returning all the documents she had investigated to their original state.

What she is currently looking for is surprisingly the draft of Xenon's Biography.

As the performance was about to begin, the words spoken by the red-haired man who had approached Arwen came to mind.

'Xenon is the pen name of the author of Xenon's Biography. And that red-haired man claimed he was Xenon himself.'

When Isaac and Marie were talking to each other. Isaac whispered, but her keen senses as a skilled dark elf made it sound vividly clear.

At first, Rain was wary, thinking that the man had approached Arwen with impure intentions, but she had gained unexpected information.

'He was certainly not an ordinary human.'

He boasted a decent appearance and excellent knowledge for a human, but it was not something to be impressed by for Rain. However, the demon who was suspected to be close to Isaac was the most concerning.

What could he possibly have to attract such a strong being, especially a demon who was discriminated against as a demon until the publication of Xenon's Biography?

Although he seemed like an ordinary human on the surface, everything would change if he was the author of Xenon's Biography. If he was really Xenon, it would explain why the demon was fond of him.

That means the demon woman must also know that Isaac is Xenon. This is also a speculation, but it feels like the puzzle pieces were falling into place, and she was getting more and more convinced.

'I need evidence. Evidence.'

Therefore, Rain broke into this mansion to find evidence that Isaac is Xenon.

If she finds a manuscript here, it will prove that Isaac is Xenon, and she can report it to Arwen afterwards.

Last time, I unknowingly stole the draft and got scolded by Arwen, and even received complaints from the elder. I had only tried to make Arwen happy, but the result worked in an unfavorable direction.

Therefore, I must find some evidence as a sign of reflection. If I find evidence, I could not only return the stolen draft secretly, but also have various options.

Of course, I won't steal it but only confirm its existence. I have realized firsthand how much impact the draft of Xenon's Biography has, as I was scolded severely. I won't make foolish choices again.

'Fortunately, the security of the mansion is quite lax.'

Fortunately, the mansion's boundaries were relatively lax from Rain's perspective. Although there was a security magic in place, it was not difficult to overcome with the power of a Dark Elf.

However, Rain was cautious when using magic to pass through the wall. An exceptionally perceptive human might be able to detect it.

'Everything here has been searched... There are so many rooms, it's confusing.'

Rain scratched her head in embarrassment.

Thanks to Arwen's support, she was gaining experience, but this was her first time breaking into a human mansion, so she had no idea about the structure. Even after meticulously investigating each room, she was only met with disappointment, becoming increasingly frustrated.

'What's next...'

She looked at the wall instead of the door. There was no need to go outside since passing through the wall was enough.

Eventually, Rain confirmed that there was no evidence related to Xenon's Biography after examining the documents again. She walked slowly towards the wall.

If an ordinary person were to encounter a wall, they would not be able to pass through it. But she was a dark elf, and a wall was no obstacle for her. With a simple spell, she could easily pass through it. Blink, a short-range teleportation magic, allowed her to move through short distances with an instant.

With a snap of her fingers, she moved through the wall and took in the entire room. If it had been an office a moment ago, now it looked like a lounge where guests stayed.

'There doesn't seem to be anything here.'

She thought as she scanned the room quickly. She then moved on to the next room, repeating the process until she finally arrived in someone's bedroom.

It seemed like the room belonged to a single person, not a couple. The room was sparsely decorated, with a faint smell of musty books and a man's musk still lingering in the air.

'This must be the room of the red-haired guy.'

Unlike a women's rooms, there was no pleasant aroma in this one.

Rain had only met Isaac and had not yet met his brother, Bryce. However, she could sense the book's scent emanating from the room, which gave her the conviction that she was in the right place. This scent was unmistakably like Arwen's.

Excitedly, she looked around the room. The bed, dressing table, and desk were small, but there were countless bookshelves in the room. As expected, there were more books in this room than in other rooms. Rain approached the desk, realizing that Isaac loved books as much as Arwen did.

'This must be the room with the red-haired guy.'

Rain discovered the book on the desk and became convinced once again. It was the book that Arwen had recommended at the bookstore. All that remained now was to search the desk for the manuscript.

Without even realizing that she had been caught by magic, she began to search through the drawers of the desk. She first looked at the drawers that were exposed, but of course, nothing came out. In most cases, they were completely empty, as if nothing had ever been placed inside.

'Then what's left...'

Only the drawer that was tightly locked with a lock remained. Rain stared at the drawer with a suspicious look. She couldn't believe that the manuscript, which could be designated as a national treasure and even treated as a relic by demons, was sleeping inside this flimsy lock.

It was too shoddy, even for its appearance. So, she began to suspect whether it really was there, but she couldn't ignore it.

Besides, it was easy to unlock since it was sealed with a lock.

Rain crouched down and grabbed the lock with her hand. She didn't need a key or any magic. It was a very simple lock that could be easily unlocked through mana.

Click-

The lock that had sealed the drawer for less than ten seconds was unlocked. After checking several times for other devices, Rain carefully removed the lock. The drawer was now completely exposed.

She looked around before slowly opening the drawer. And when she discovered a pile of manuscripts, a smile spread across Rain's face. She couldn't believe it, but it was true. She had finally found the manuscript she had been looking for.

'Is this really it? Is it really the manuscript?'

Rain excitedly pulled out the manuscript from the top with excitement. It perfectly matched the introduction of the recently published Kair Chronicles. This proved that Isaac was the author of Xenon's Biography, and there was no need to confirm it separately because the handwriting in the first manuscript was the same.

'Thank goodness. The Queen can be relieved now.'

Although she knew that breaking into someone else's mansion was not the right thing to do, she hoped that she could alleviate the burden she had been carrying. As Rain breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put the manuscript back where it was, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back, as if someone had stabbed her with a knife.

THUD!

"Kheuk!"

Before she could react, she was thrown to the ground and pinned down.

She struggled to free herself, but she couldn't move her body. Her neck was the connecting link between her brain and body, and someone had undoubtedly paralyzed it with mana.

'This can't be happening. Who could...?'

Only the most skilled warriors among the Dark Elves could possess such power. As someone with little experience in the world, Rain was stunned. Just as she was trying to turn her head to see who had subdued her, the person who had pinned her down whispered softly

"It's the one who was with that elf."

"Ughhh..."

"Do you have a hobby of raiding other people's mansions?"

It was Gartz, the guard knight of Princess Cecily. You couldn't see because he was wearing a mask, but he was currently in a very bad mood.

First, he was angry that intruders had entered the place designated by Cecily, and second, he was angry because he had missed the highlight because of Rain.

Although he covered his mouth area with a mask, his tightly squeezed eyebrows showed how uncomfortable he was.

[Your Highness, there is an intruder in the mansion, a Dark Elf. How should we handle it?]

After easily suppressing Rain with a surprise attack, Gartz sent a message to Cecily through telepathy. Cecily had instructed him to handle any intruders that appeared as he pleased, but the situation was different with the Dark Elves.

The relationship between the demons and the Dark Elves could not be described as good or bad. However, the moment they mess with the Dark Elves, things become troublesome.

The Dark Elf warriors were all as powerful as the Reapers, and from the perspective of Helium, who needed to cultivate both diplomacy and substance, it was a rather difficult position.

Although they were exiles who had fallen out of Alvenheim, the fact that they were with an elf named Arwen was suspicious.

[That's the child who was with the Elf Queen, right?]

Cecily, who had been focused on the performance, replied to Gartz's report. She also noticed that Arwen was the queen of Alvenheim.

In response, Gartz squeezed Rain's neck even harder, who was trying to find a way to escape and replied.

[Yes, that's right.]

[Figure out why they intruded into that mansion and what their purpose was, and Balak will take care of the rest. This is entirely their fault, so they won't be able to complain.]

[Understood.]

[Oh, and don't handle it in the mansion. Deal with it outside so that blood won't splatter and make Isaac suspicious for no reason.]

Cecily fully trusted Gartz, so she gave him simple instructions and refocused on the performance. Unless it was urgent, she had no reason to go to the mansion since the highlight would be unfolding soon.

Gartz looked down at Rain as soon as his communication with Cecily was cut off. She was now completely exhausted and had stopped resisting, trembling with fear.

The sight of a young child trembling in distress was enough to evoke sympathy, but it meant nothing to Gartz. Beings like dark elves, who were shunned by those around them along with demons, have always been prone to committing acts of violence since childhood.

Therefore, Rain should not be seen as a young child, but as a warrior. Unfortunately, due to lack of experience, this situation had arisen.

"I'll ask you once. Why did you intrude here?"

"... ..."

Rain trembled at Gartz's dry question and couldn't say anything due to the fear of death she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

But Gartz continued to press her even harder and threatened her with a cold voice.

"If you don't answer from now on, I'll cut off each of your fingers one by one."

"Bea-because I'm looking for something..."

"Looking for something?"

"A manuscript..."

At the word "manuscript," Gartz shifted his gaze to the papers that had been clenched in her hand. Though it appeared to be an ordinary manuscript, the fact that she had broken into the mansion during the performance meant that it must be significant. With one hand still pressed against her throat, Gartz retrieved the manuscript.

As he began to read through the pages, his eyes widened. Having recently read the Kair Chronicles, he recognized the type of manuscript that this was.

'...I understand now why the princess is fond of that person.'

But what could he do? Although he was a fan of Xenon's Biography, he was currently on a mission. Nevertheless, the manuscript was still a valuable treasure to the demons, so he carefully placed it on the ground. He planned to retrieve it politely after dealing with the black elf.

"What were you planning to do with this manuscript?"

"That's..."

Rain hesitated to answer, clearly reluctant to reveal her intentions. At the same time, Gartz's expression grew fierce as he drew the dagger from his hip.

As the dagger reflected the moonlight, Rain was overcome with fear and began to plead for her life. Despite her rigorous training from childhood, she was powerless in the face of death.

"...so, you were the one who stole the manuscript."

Only the opposite effect occurred. It was merely circumstantial evidence that the Dark Elf had stolen the manuscript, and there was no actual proof. However, with Rain's testimony, it became certain that the theft of the manuscript was significant, whether it was an unintended act or something that occurred in Alvenheim.

'How can such an unreliable girl be a bodyguard... It seems like she's close to the queen too...'

Even if they had come secretly without making an official statement, they were unqualified in many ways. Be it the lord who had to be protected had acted unilaterally, and the bodyguard who acted on her own, everyone was disqualified.

Gartz looked at Rain, who was trembling with fear, with a pitiful look, and then put a dagger on his waist. The plan was to escape from the mansion first and then deal with it in a remote place.

It was at that moment when Gartz let his guard down to use magic.

Shing-

Suddenly, a silver dagger was aimed at Gartz's throat with no warning signs. The dark surface of the blade reflected the moonlight, emitting a bright light.

Who could it be to evade Gartz's security magic and senses? Gartz silently stared at the dagger that was close to his throat.

"Alright..."

He slowly turned his head. Even as he turned his head, the dagger pointed at his throat did not move at all.

Soon, Gartz faced a pair of golden eyes that shone even in the darkness. The owner wore a mask, just like himself, but he could be sure that she was a beautiful woman with unusual colors.

And that's not all. With her noticeable pale skin and white hair even in the darkness, her pointed ears that were half-cut, and her mature body that showed her adulthood unlike Rain.

This was the reason why Arwen could be relieved and ensured when she brought Rain. She wouldn't have brought only a crazy guy as a bodyguard.

Gartz chuckled at the appearance of another Dark Elf.

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