My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 145

§ 145. Threat (2)

Sian’s personal training ground, located in Lord’s Castle Lv.2.

Kwa kwa kwang─!

A massive explosion erupted throughout the training ground.

The air trembled intensely, and a thick cloud of dust billowed up.

A dust cloud completely obscured the view.

Papak!

Sian fearlessly threw himself into the dust cloud.

Flicker.

A bluish-black glint flickered through the dust cloud.

At the same time, a jet-black strike sliced through the fog, surging forward.

However, Sian, as if already aware, swung his sword mightily.

Kaang─!!

The swung sword pushed back the strike, and a whirlwind raged around them.

The dust cloud dissipated, revealing Sian and Kendrick facing each other, swords locked.

A terrifying pressure bore down on the swords.

“Kuhuk···!”

Sian gritted his teeth.

He felt as if he would be crushed along with his sword if he relaxed even slightly.

He thought he had grown stronger, but.

This dreadful power still overwhelmed Sian.

There was no way to win in a battle of strength.

Quickly making a decision, Sian retreated sharply.

Following Sian, the jet-black sword surged forward, as if tearing through space.

Sian swung his sword to shake off Kendrick, who was chasing him.

Kaang─!! Kang!

The swords intertwined, and intense sparks flew.

Kwang! Kwa kwang!

With the clash of swords, thick magical energy scattered in all directions.

A shock that felt as if his arm would break was inflicted.

Even trying to shake off the pursuit, he couldn’t escape the pressure.

Saaa···!

In an instant, Sian’s body disappeared into the darkness.

Kyle’s footwork that scatters the body into darkness, the Shadowless Step of the Demonic Soul.

The scattered darkness melted into the background, and Kendrick finally lost sight of Sian.

But only for a moment.

Suaaa···!

As Kendrick stretched out his left hand to the side, a chilling magical energy ceaselessly surged.

Kwaaaaaaa─!

Darkness erupted from his outstretched hand.

An ominousness filled with all the horrors of this world surged.

“Damn it···!”

Sian gritted his teeth.

He couldn’t avoid that.

Then···.

Saaaaaaa─!

Darkness darker than pitch-black bloomed from Sian’s entire body.

The origin of magic.

It indiscriminately devoured Kendrick’s darkness that was consuming Sian.

Darkness and darkness.

Magic and magic.

And then, a single strike.

Demonic Soul Asura Sword.

Form 1.

Asura Heavenly Slaughter.

.

.

.

Kwazazak─!

The entire landscape of the training ground split diagonally.

Like the mark of a giant beast’s claw, a massive scar was etched across the entire training ground.

However.

Saaa···!

He couldn’t cut it off. He couldn’t slice through it.

The pitch-black wave of darkness still surged towards Sian.

Sian clenched his sword tightly.

He didn’t even expect to cut through it.

The opponent before him was a Death Knight of a thousand years.

A knight who had reached the realm of Master High-Rank.

Sian once again unleashed the Shadowless Step of the Demonic Soul.

Sian’s body turned into darkness, and he charged towards the encroaching wave of darkness.

The two darknesses collided.

Even though their swords were not within reach, they swung their swords at each other.

Kwaaaang!

A terrible collision sound erupted, and Sian’s darkness faltered.

But only for a moment.

Ssak···!

Sian’s darkness scattered, instantly seizing Kendrick’s rear.

-What···?

In an instant, Kendrick’s eyes flickered with bewilderment.

Swaaaaaaak!

Exploiting that moment of bewilderment, Sian’s sword surged forward.

Kwaang─!

With an explosion, thick magical energy scattered in all directions.

‘Did it hit···?’

Only for a moment.

Saaaaaaa─!

The scattered darkness gathered again in Kendrick’s hand.

Exploding magic.

Kwaaaang!

The condensed magic exploded, and the entire area was devoured by darkness.

But there was no feeling of touching the fingertips.

In the extinguished darkness, Sian’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

-Where on earth···.

Kendrick’s eyes flickered with bewilderment once more.

That was because Sian’s current level.

This was not the level of Sian that Kendrick knew.

The attacks continued as if they would break off, and broke off as if they would continue.

The ever-changing nature, as if alive, bewildered Kendrick’s eyes and senses.

That was different from the ever-changing nature that Kendrick possessed.

Kendrick’s ever-changing nature stemmed from various weapons.

Sometimes a sword, sometimes a spear.

And sometimes a fighting method that materialized into a giant axe.

In other words, it was an ever-changing nature based on unpredictability.

However, whether it was a sword or a spear.

There was no easy way to reduce the change for it.

Therefore, it was both an advantage and a significant weakness.

What weapon Kendrick would materialize next.

If that could be predicted, and thus induced.

Kendrick’s attack could no longer be called ever-changing.

He would simply be playing in the palm of his opponent’s hand.

But Sian was different.

The weapon called the sword did not change.

But the attacks that would follow could not be predicted at all.

That movement that scatters the body into darkness.

It was not easy to predict when and where the attack would come from.

It was truly an ever-changing nature in which the false and the real were properly mixed.

Kurururung···!

And the absolute power that supported him.

-This is like···.

An old memory flashed through Kendrick’s mind.

In an instant, a massive vibration was felt throughout the training ground.

Ferocious magical energy condensed and exploded, shaking the vision.

That’s dangerous.

Kendrick reshaped the darkness into the form of a sword.

And kwadeudeuk! He gripped it tightly.

Kwareureung!

The landscape of the training ground distorted.

The distortion spread out, warping the surrounding space.

Through that distorted landscape, flash!

A streak of dark light crossed the vision.

Demonic Soul Asura Sword.

Form 2.

Annihilating Heavenly Asura.

.

.

.

“Kuluk···!”

A groan filled with pain was heard amidst the falling silence.

A torrent of blood gushed out.

Sian forced down the blood that had risen to his throat and moved his body.

But.

Ttuk.

He stopped as a jet-black sword was pointed at his eyes.

“······ Tsk.”

Sian put down the sword he was holding.

“I guess it’s not working.”

A strangely regretful feeling.

At the same time, tting! A notification window popped up on the smartphone screen.

[Demonic Soul Asura Sword Intermediate Progress Rate 45.16%(+8.5%)]

[Shadowless Step of the Demonic Soul Progress Rate 48.7%(+6.5%)]

[Demonic Soul Control Method Progress Rate 57.7514%(1.8%)]

“Huu···!”

Sian, after checking his smartphone, took a deep breath.

Sian had been steadily training, along with the events in the North.

Thanks to that, the intermediate process of the Demonic Soul Asura Sword and the Shadowless Step of the Demonic Soul were gradually approaching the halfway point.

And the progress rate of the Demonic Soul Control Method.

The Demonic Soul Control Method had already surpassed the halfway point.

Until now, the progress rate of the Demonic Soul Control Method had been really slow.

Even if he trained all day long, it barely increased by 0.1%.

It really didn’t increase at all.

In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that all the progress rate he had gained was during the plague in the Holy Empire.

But now, he was able to gain a progress rate of 1.8%.

All at once, in a sparring session with Kendrick.

And the reason why the efficiency suddenly increased was simple.

“The buff effect is definitely there.”

First of all, the World Tree, Instiz, was planted in the territory.

Due to the Instiz effect, the mana concentration in Ruben was +100% thicker.

In simple terms, the amount of magical energy accumulated had doubled.

In addition, the synergy of effect 3 of Arnaise’s special overlapped.

『《Magic Power Amplification》

▶Amplifies the magic power efficiency of the achievement holder by +10%.』

A fraudulent buff effect that constantly increases magic power efficiency by +10%.

The effect of Instiz and the buff effect overlapped, creating tremendous synergy.

Of course.

[Current Gold Holdings] – 19,030 G

The gold situation was disastrously shattered.

‘Haa···.’

A deep sigh escaped.

Well, anyway.

Thanks to that, the progress rate of the Demonic Soul Control Method, which had been stagnant, was rapidly increasing.

So Sian briefly thought, what if···?

Kendrick, a Death Knight of Master High-Rank.

Of course, he didn’t think he would win.

But he thought he could handle it to some extent.

But the opponent was a pain in the ass [difficult to deal with].

What happened was that he couldn’t even graze a single piece of armor.

All he did was embarrass him once.

“I wonder when I’ll be able to fight you properly.”

Sian sighed softly.

But.

-My lord, how can you say that···?

Somehow, Kendrick’s thoughts seemed a little different.

-You are on a different level than during the last sparring session. To have grown this much in such a short period of time···.

Kendrick, seemingly quite surprised, continued to speak with his eyes flickering.

-I’ve felt this before··· My lord’s growth is truly bizarre. You usually seem very frustrating, but then you suddenly show tremendous growth like this···.

Then, Kendrick’s eyes flickered once more, as if he couldn’t understand.

Well··· it couldn’t be helped.

Sian’s talent, which was so pathetic that it was shattered.

But all sorts of growth buffs were plastered all over him with cash.

Kendrick would not be able to understand the discrepancy that came from those two things.

‘But he says I’m usually very frustrating.’

If Kendrick is saying such things, then really···.

Sian shook his head.

-Besides, the last strike you showed··· was really dangerous for me too.

“But it didn’t reach you.”

-It almost reached me. If I had relaxed even a little···.

“Okay. I’ve said it over and over again, but I didn’t bring it up to be comforted.”

Sian waved his hand.

“More than that, Kendrick. Can I ask you for another sparring session?”

-I don’t mind, but··· are you sure you’re okay?

Kendrick spoke with concern at Sian’s request.

That was because Sian’s condition wasn’t very good right now.

Although he still hadn’t reached Kendrick.

It was true that Sian had grown significantly compared to the last time.

That’s why Kendrick also had to put in a little sincerity [effort].

In particular, the strike of Annihilating Heavenly Asura that Sian unleashed at the end.

Kendrick’s assessment that it was dangerous was not a joke, and Kendrick had to go all out.

The blood that was still spreading around Sian’s mouth was proof of that.

“It’s okay. So please again.”

But Sian didn’t care.

He didn’t have time to relax.

He could make up for his talent that was shattered by cash.

But he couldn’t even make up for his efforts with cash.

“I have to do my best while I can.”

Sian gripped his sword once more.

-If that’s what my lord wishes.

Kendrick also raised his sword again and prepared for battle.

And once again, two darknesses bloomed.

It was at that moment.

-Sian, you have a guest?

Leia’s voice cut through the two darknesses.

Looking there.

There, Leia broke through the wall of the training ground and revealed herself.

Sian put down his sword for a moment and asked.

“A guest?”

-Yeah.

At the same time as Leia nodded, the door of the training ground creaked open.

And a man appeared.

“Kuhner?”

It was none other than Kuhner.

Sian tilted his head.

That was because Kuhner had never come to visit him personally before.

“What brings you here all of a sudden?”

“I came to deliver a message to the lord, but···.”

Kuhner glanced around.

The training ground was a mess.

No, the training ground was almost shattered.

Kuhner was momentarily speechless.

It seemed like he was training.

It was a scene where he didn’t know whether he was training or starting a war.

“If you were in the middle of training, I’ll come again next time.”

Then Kuhner stepped back again.

“No. It’s okay.”

But Sian stopped Kuhner from leaving.

Judging from his expression, it seemed like it was quite an important matter.

“Now that it’s like this, let’s take a break for a while.”

Sian put his sword back into its scabbard.

#

Sian’s office located in Lord’s Castle.

Sian opened his mouth while watching Kuhner, who was sitting across from him.

“So. What’s going on? And what’s that in your hand?”

Something in Kuhner’s hand.

It was wrapped in a bundle and looked like a lunch box at first glance.

“It’s dumplings.”

As expected, it seemed the lunch box was indeed for that purpose.

“Dumplings?”

“Dana made them. She said you would like them, Lord.”

At Kuhner’s words, Sian’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“How did she know I like dumplings?”

He had never told anyone he liked dumplings.

To be precise, Sian didn’t really go around talking about what he liked.

Well, if someone had a good sense, they might know he liked gold.

But other than that, he didn’t really mention his preferences.

Yet, Dana knew he liked dumplings.

“She noticed you often asking for dumplings when you came to the dining hall.”

“Ah.”

Sian nodded in understanding.

As Kuhner said, he had often asked Dana for dumplings.

Well, he did actually like dumplings, but…

The biggest reason was from his past, when Sian was a child.

His mother, Cecil, often made them for him.

In his childhood, Sian lived amidst neglect and contempt within the family.

Especially from his older brother, Nathan, and older sister, Roswell.

They tormented him a lot.

Often beating him under the guise of sparring.

And constantly mocking him for his lack of talent.

Sian couldn’t say anything and just endured it.

Eventually, they would get bored and leave.

Only then would Sian sob alone.

Dumplings were what Cecil made for him during those times.

Whether there was a special reason why it had to be dumplings,
or if the dumplings held some special meaning, he didn’t know.

Cecil would find Sian sobbing alone and give him dumplings.

And Sian would feel better after eating the dumplings Cecil made.

A taste he could never experience again.

So, he would occasionally ask Dana for them when he thought of Cecil.

It seemed Dana had been subtly paying attention.

Sian accepted the bundle from Kuhner.

He was feeling hungry after sparring with Kendrick.

“Let’s give it a try.”

Opening the bundle, he saw round dumplings neatly arranged.

Hot steam was rising from them, as if they had just been made.

Sian picked up a dumpling and put it in his mouth.

The texture of the dumpling as he bit into it, and the juice bursting in his mouth.

At the same time, the dumpling skin intertwined perfectly, offering an indescribable taste.

The dumpling melted in his mouth in an instant.

“Mmm! Just as I thought!”

It was indeed as he expected.

To be honest, it was even more delicious than what Cecil had made.

No, should he be even more honest?

The taste of Cecil’s dumplings was quickly forgotten!

‘No wonder the Princess said she couldn’t eat the food in the Imperial Palace.’

Sian chuckled.

He put another dumpling in his mouth and said to Kuhner.

“Guhner. What did you come here to shay [say]?”

Sian asked the question and continued to put dumplings in his mouth.

Kuhner stared at Sian’s actions.

“Why… is it?”

Kuhner brought up a meaningful question.

“Huh? What?”

“Why… don’t you suspect me?”

“Suspect? Suspect what?”

Sian had already put the fourth dumpling in his mouth.

Kuhner still had an unreadable expression.

“I could have poisoned the dumplings. As you know, Lord, I am from the underworld…”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Munch, gulp.

Sian devoured the fourth dumpling in an instant.

Kuhner pressed his lips tightly together.

Then he stared at Sian.

“What is it?”

Sian tilted his head.

Kuhner looked different than usual.

But he didn’t think too deeply about it.

Snatch.

Sian didn’t stop his hand from reaching for the dumplings.

“Lord. If you don’t mind… may I ask you one thing?”

“What is it? Just ask without beating around the bush.”

Munch, munch.

“As you know, Lord, I am an assassin from the underworld. And I tried to assassinate you… and was caught.”

And that incident became the reason Kuhner became Sian’s slave(?).

The event that led to Kuhner being appointed as the assassination instructor of Ruben.

“Why… did you forgive me back then?”

In fact, Kuhner shouldn’t have been alive.

Kuhner had tried to kill Sian.

Whatever the reason, Kuhner had tried to kill Sian.

He wouldn’t have been able to say anything even if he had been executed on the spot back then.

But Sian spared Kuhner’s life.

Moreover, he allowed him to live in Ruben.

So, Kuhner had always been curious.

Why he didn’t kill him and let him live.

“Why bring up the past now.”

“Please answer me.”

Sian waved his hand, but Kuhner stubbornly asked.

Their eyes met.

“Just because.”

Sian slowly opened his mouth.

“You smelled like a person.”

“A person’s smell… you mean?”

Sian slowly nodded.

Sian knew.

The criminals who roamed the underworld.

They committed murder, torture, rape, kidnapping.

They committed all sorts of creative crimes without hesitation.

And they didn’t even feel a shred of guilt.

They were truly deserving of being called sons of bitches.

However, the Shadow Moon Guild, which controlled such an underworld.

They were operating by giving themselves rules.

There was no justifiable reason for crime.

But they weren’t quite sons of bitches.

Nevertheless, the fact that they were criminals did not change.

And Kuhner was an assassin belonging to such Shadow Moon.

Even a special-class assassin.

The fact that Kuhner was also a criminal did not change.

But.

“How should I put it… I couldn’t smell a dog on you, should I say?”

At least Kuhner didn’t smell like a dog.

On the surface, Kuhner was a son of a bitch.

A special-class assassin who would assassinate anyone if commissioned.

Perhaps Kuhner had killed many people.

The Kuhner that Sian saw was definitely a son of a bitch.

However.

“The scent he gave off was that of a person.”

The scent he gave off was that of a person.

When he assassinated Sian, Kuhner didn’t touch the people of Ruben at all.

Even though he could have assassinated the guards of Ruben and entered Ruben comfortably.

Kuhner didn’t touch anyone other than his target, Sian.

He came to Sian by taking a difficult path.

Above all, the money Kuhner earned from commissions.

“You were using it for orphans in the underworld, right?”

That’s why when Sian confiscated all of Kuhner’s money.

He didn’t have much wealth for a special-class assassin.

Sian didn’t know why.

He just found out while investigating with the thought, ‘Why does a special-class assassin have so little money?’

Kuhner had his own circumstances.

Or he had his own special reason.

But the Kuhner that Sian saw was a son of a bitch.

But the scent he gave off was definitely that of a person.

And well…

“There weren’t enough people in Ruben at the time, so I needed a slave.”

This was also one of the reasons.

Sian picked up another dumpling and put it in his mouth.

Kuhner watched him.

“······”

Kuhner still didn’t say anything.

And was he a special-class assassin for nothing?

The expression on his face didn’t reveal what he was thinking.

A moment of silence.

“I see.”

Kuhner nodded calmly.

“What is it? Is this what you wanted to say to me?”

“No. There is one more thing.”

Kuhner looked at Sian and continued.

“If you don’t mind, may I have a dumpling too?”

“Dumpling? Sure, eat. What’s so difficult about that.”

With Sian’s permission, Kuhner reached out for the dumpling.

To be exact, not the dumpling, but the lunch box containing the dumpling.

Kuhner fiddled with the lunch box.

Then, click.

The lunch box split in half, revealing a hidden small space.

And one dumpling placed inside.

“What, it was a two-tiered lunch box?”

Kuhner didn’t answer Sian’s question.

He just reached out and picked up the one dumpling.

Then he slowly brought the dumpling to his mouth and chewed it.

“Indeed… it’s delicious.”

Kuhner said with a small smile.

But why?

Unlike his words, Kuhner’s expression didn’t look like he was enjoying it.

Soon, Kuhner opened his mouth again.

“I am an assassin from the underworld. I have killed many people in the name of commissions. I am… a beast that cannot be called a person.”

A hunting dog of the underworld.

That was the word that defined Kuhner’s existence.

A hunting dog used as a tool and discarded without an owner.

That was the fate Kuhner had to face.

Then he met Sian.

He became a slave of Ruben and forcibly took on the position of assassination instructor.

At first, he didn’t want to do it at all.

He wanted to escape at any time, but he couldn’t because of the damn ghost, Leia.

She noticed his intentions to escape with amazing accuracy.

The stealth skills of a special-class assassin were meaningless in front of Leia.

So, Kuhner forcibly continued his life in Ruben.

And day, two days, a week.

As his life in Ruben continued, Kuhner could find himself becoming strange.

First of all, the people of Ruben.

The people of this territory were not ordinary people.

Those abandoned by the world.

They were no different from the people of the underworld.

But they were different from the people of the underworld.

They didn’t ostracize each other.

They knew each other’s wounds and embraced them.

They were different from the sons of bitches in the underworld.

They knew how to move forward together.

Watching that, Kuhner suddenly.

He briefly thought, ‘I’m envious.’

But he quickly shook it off.

He was an outsider.

He was a criminal who had wandered the underworld.

He couldn’t get along with them.

Kuhner thought so and kept his distance.

And that day.

‘Leave Instructor Kuhner and leave immediately.’

The soldiers of Ruben who were resisting the Royal Knights.

‘Please leave Ruben right now.’

Sian, who rebuked the Princess.

“It was… the first time.”

It was the first time.

That someone was doing something for him.

It was the first time for Kuhner.

The life of the underworld where there was no one to trust.

But life in Ruben was a strange experience for Kuhner.

And it wasn’t a bad experience.

Then suddenly, Kuhner knew.

“I have come to like Ruben… so much.”

Himself who had come to like Ruben.

Himself who had come to like the people of Ruben.

He could suddenly find himself saying, ‘I hope they are happy.’

So, from some point on.

“I wanted to be with them, and I wanted to protect them.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Sian asked at Kuhner’s continued words.

But Kuhner didn’t answer.

“So, Lord.”

He just silently continued his words.

“For the first and last time, I would like to ask you a favor.”

Kuhner looked up at Sian.

The expression on Sian’s face was still full of questions.

So, a slightly foolish expression.

There was no sign of the dignity of a lord.

Kuhner chuckled without realizing it.

He was a little… wronged.

The situation that forced him to make this choice.

But it couldn’t be helped.

Elandur was not someone to deceive with false pretense.

Deceiving with lies would only worsen the situation.

Someone had to sacrifice.

Someone had to sacrifice to temporarily shake off the hand reaching out to Sian.

Also, to shake off the hand reaching out to Shadow Moon, to Diana.

So, Kuhner didn’t regret it.

This was the only way to repay the favor of taking him in.

This was the only thing a hunting dog of the underworld could do.

Not yet… not yet…

Ruben didn’t have the power to stand against Elandur.

This was the only way to protect the people of Ruben.

Perhaps these words were just the wish of a son of a bitch.

The Sian in front of him was a more brilliant existence than anyone else.

And he was just a discarded hunting dog of the underworld.

So, the words he was about to say were the last wish of a discarded beast.

But the Ruben that Kuhner saw.

The man named Sian that Kuhner had been watching.

Probably wouldn’t think so.

So.

“For the sake of a worthless me, for the sake of a mere son of a bitch.”

Kuhner opened his mouth with a small smile.

“Please, do not be angry.”

With those words, Kuhner pressed his lips tightly together.

Sian said with a dumbfounded expression.

“So, what does that mean─”

At that moment.

Cough!

Black blood gushed out from Kuhner’s mouth.

At the same time, blood tears burst from Kuhner’s eyes.

Soon, black blood poured out from all the holes in his face.

The office was instantly stained with blood.

Sian’s eyes widened in shock.

Thud.

Kuhner’s body fell limply to the floor.