My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 49

§ 49 – Ruben’s Guardian Spirit

The landscape of Ruben was visible in the distance.

“Is that the place?”

Kuhner stepped forward.

Kuhner, a special-class assassin affiliated with the Shadow Moon Guild, was in Ruben to eliminate a target for a client.

That target was Cyan Elantour.

He was known as a good-for-nothing who resided in Ruben.

The sun dipped below the horizon, and darkness enveloped the land.

The pre-dawn silence is when most people are asleep.

Cyan was likely sleeping soundly in Ruben, unaware of the fate that awaited him.

Kuhner heightened his senses and made his way toward Ruben.

That’s how he arrived.

“······?”

Kuhner tilted his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

The Ruben he saw before him…

“……Didn’t they say it was practically in ruins?”

Far from ruins, it resembled a fortress.

Calling it an impregnable fortress wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“What’s going on here?”

Kuhner couldn’t shake his doubts.

The Shadow Moon was known as the best information guild in the Empire.

As a member, Kuhner possessed detailed intelligence about Ruben.

But this… this was something else entirely.

Kuhner concealed himself in the shadows and infiltrated Ruben.

Just then…

“Who’s there!”

Someone detected Kuhner’s presence and shouted.

It appeared to be a regular soldier guarding the territory.

Kuhner’s eyes narrowed.

‘They sensed me?’

Kuhner found it hard to believe.

He possessed considerable skill in stealth, earning him the title of special-class assassin.

Only someone at or above the Expert level could possibly detect him.

It was highly unlikely that a mere territory soldier was an Expert.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I thought I sensed someone.”

Soon, two guards approached Kuhner’s location.

However, they couldn’t find him; he had completely blended into the darkness.

“Who’s there? There’s no one here?”

“That’s strange… I’m sure the alarm went off from the watchtower.”

The two guards eventually left.

*Swoosh.*

Kuhner reappeared.

His presence had been detected, but his exact location remained hidden.

If he was determined to remain unseen, only a Master could find him.

“······Still, it’s strange.”

They shouldn’t have been able to sense even his presence in the first place.

Kuhner watched the guards retreat.

Fortunately, he hadn’t been discovered, allowing him to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Killing anyone other than the target was undesirable.

Kuhner, a denizen of the underworld, was a criminal, even a beast.

Yet, he preferred to avoid indiscriminate violence.

Special-class assassin Kuhner.

The title ‘special class’ signified more than just skill.

He disliked the rules imposed by Diana, the Shadow Moon Guild Leader, who forced them upon him, despite his preference for operating according to his own standards.

But it wasn’t a major issue.

He didn’t have any serious objections to the rules themselves.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a member of Shadow Moon.

The underworld’s scum needed to be kept in check.

Kuhner calmly surveyed his surroundings.

The landscape was completely different from the information he had received, which described Ruben as being in ruins.

This could hardly be called ruins.

It looked like a decent place to live.

“Was the information wrong?”

Kuhner suppressed his doubts and cautiously entered Ruben.

Just then…

“Woof! Woof woof!”

A barking sound echoed from nearby.

He looked toward the sound.

It came from a ranch, where a large wolf was barking fiercely in his direction.

It was twice the size of an ordinary wolf.

Its sharp fangs looked quite menacing.

That’s why it seemed more like a…

‘······A magical beast?’

It was worthy of being called a magical beast.

A Hell Hound.

These beasts and magical beasts lived in the Forest of Darkness.

A grotesque species mutated by magic.

Since it was just a mutated beast, it was less dangerous than a monster.

Still, a magical beast was a magical beast.

More than anything else…

‘Why is a magical beast in the territory?’

Why was it in the territory?

Magical beasts couldn’t be tamed.

They were creatures of blind murderous intent.

But how on earth…

Moreover, its senses were quite sharp.

The Hell Hound seemed to have noticed Kuhner’s presence.

“Woof woof! Woof woof woof! Grrr… !”

“Happy, why are you suddenly like this?”

A man who appeared to be the ranch manager emerged in response to the Hell Hound’s barking.

His hair was disheveled, as if he had just woken up.

But what?

Happy?

What was so happy about that face that looked like it came from hell?

“Happy, be quiet. You’ll wake everyone up.”

“Whine… .”

The Hell Hound lowered its tail and quieted down.

“······”

Kuhner’s mind went blank.

Soon, the ranch owner and the Hell Hound returned to their respective homes.

‘What kind of territory is this… .’

Kuhner watched the scene and slowly moved on.

Right then.

Suddenly.

Kuhner’s body stiffened.

He sensed something foreign.

-Who are you?

*Flinch!*

A chilling voice echoed from behind Kuhner.

A voice?

No, it was more of a will etched into his mind.

Cold sweat trickled down Kuhner’s cheek.

He hadn’t even sensed anyone approaching.

He was still using his stealth.

The owner of that will had penetrated Kuhner’s stealth with ease.

That was impossible unless they were a Master.

Therefore, this being was at least a Master.

‘How can a Master be in this kind of territory… ?’

Kuhner tensed up and slowly turned around.

He saw…

‘A girl?’

It was a girl.

A beautiful girl with long silver hair.

But something was off.

It was hard to tell in the pre-dawn darkness.

However, the girl seemed out of place.

‘What is it?’

Kuhner quietly observed her.

-I came because I felt a strange energy. Hmm… a face I’ve never seen before? Sorry. I’m not good at recognizing people’s faces yet.

She approached Kuhner.

-But what are you doing here? What’s over there?

She turned her head toward the ranch where Happy was.

‘An opening!’

Kuhner unhesitatingly swung the dagger he held.

Now that his presence had been discovered, he had to kill her.

*Crack!*

The dagger, imbued with Aura, tore through the air.

But…

*Clang-.*

“······?”

The dagger… was eaten.

Not blocked, but literally eaten.

The dagger Kuhner swung was swallowed by the darkness that bloomed around her.

“······!”

His eyes widened.

‘H, how can this be… !’

Kuhner was visibly shaken.

The attack he had just launched was one that even an Expert knight would struggle to block.

Even a Master wouldn’t do it this way.

It was a perfect opening.

But how on earth… !

Then, the girl spoke.

-Oh? You were hiding your murderous intent? What are you?

At that moment, a terrible fear enveloped him.

It was an overwhelming fear that he couldn’t resist.

‘W, what is this… !’

Kuhner’s whole body trembled.

As a special-class assassin, Kuhner had experienced many things.

Among them were things that could be called ‘fear’ itself.

Special-class assassins were the elite of the elite, survivors even in the face of such fear.

To Kuhner, fear was just a tool to sharpen his senses.

But…

But this was different.

The nerves all over his body vibrated as if electrocuted.

Fear and dread erupted like flames and consumed his mind.

She drew closer.

Kuhner could finally see her true form.

Dark grayish-white eyes.

A sense of horror, as if two tombstones had been embedded within them.

That’s why ‘that’ is a person.

A being that is not human.

-You’re really not going to make it. Let’s go to Cyan. No. Cyan is sleeping now. Let’s stay with me until tomorrow morning.

That was it.

*Kyaaaaaaaa!!!*

“Keuheugeogeogeogeo···!!!”

It was the last thing Kuhner remembered.

#

The next day.

“So… .”

Cyan wondered what was going on.

A man was kneeling before him.

“Are you saying this man broke into Ruben last night?”

-Yes.

Leia answered Cyan’s question energetically.

-At first, I didn’t know because he was hiding his murderous intent. So I thought he was a territory citizen, but he wasn’t.

Cyan slowly looked at the kneeling man.

The man suddenly slammed his head on the floor.

“My name is Kuhner. I am a special-class assassin belonging to the Shadow Moon. I received a request to assassinate Cyan-nim some time ago and broke into Ruben yesterday. I was wrong. I was wrong!”

He started blurting out things he hadn’t even been asked!

Cyan really wondered what was going on.

No, he’s a special-class assassin?

Shouldn’t he be more tight-lipped?

Cyan looked at Leia with an absurd expression.

“What on earth did you do last night?”

-Just what… .

Leia smiled awkwardly and continued.

-I messed him up like that disgusting brat at the hall back then, and he turned out like this… Haha.

The disgusting brat Leia was talking about was the saintess Aria.

When Leia messed up Aria back then… it was really terrible.

Aria had some resistance to Leia’s thoughts and magic, so she only ended up getting messed up.

No one else could ever endure that power properly.

*I wondered.*

Cyan shrugged and looked at Kuhner again.

“A special-class assassin belonging to the Shadow Moon?”

“That’s right!”

Cyan was lost in thought at Kuhner’s answer.

Shadow Moon.

Cyan knew Shadow Moon.

The dark underbelly of the Empire.

A guild that dominated the underworld.

And a special-class assassin.

These were the best of the best.

Assassins that even Master knights had to be wary of.

They were the best at assassination.

Of course, they were no match for Leia.

Anyway, it was a situation where something really bad could have happened if it wasn’t for Leia.

“Why from Shadow Moon to me?”

“T, that’s… I don’t know… I’m just a guy who works for pay… .”

-Oh? You’re not answering properly?

Kuhner screamed in horror at Leia’s intimidation.

“I, I really don’t know! They didn’t tell me who the client was, saying it was top secret! Really!”

Cyan gently looked at Leia.

Leia’s grayish-white eyes widened.

Then Kuhner trembled and said.

“I, I only know that the guild leader is directly managing the request!”

“This request was directly managed by the guild leader of Shadow Moon?”

“That’s right!”

A request managed by the guild leader of Shadow Moon meant that the request was made directly to the guild leader.

The guild leader of Shadow Moon was not someone you could easily meet.

There weren’t many beings who could do that.

“Hmm… .”

Cyan was lost in thought.

‘Could it be Isabel?’

There was a possibility, but it wasn’t certain.

It was just speculation.

He had a hunch, but no evidence.

His worries deepened.

“Hey.”

Cyan slowly opened his mouth.

“Y, yes!”

“How much did you get as a commission fee?”

“It was 200,000 gold!”

200,000 gold.

It was a very expensive amount, even for hiring a special-class assassin.

“Do you have it now?”

“N, no… .”

His eyes widened!

“I have it!”

Cyan stretched out his hand and said.

“Give it to me.”

“B, but… .”

“Don’t want to?”

“No! I’ll give it to you!”

Kuhner took out a voucher from his arms and handed it to Cyan.

“A voucher? I can’t cash it right away with this.”

Cyan clicked his tongue and put the voucher in his inventory.

“T, then what about me… ?”

Kuhner asked slyly.

Cyan was lost in thought.

He tried to kill Cyan first, so he deserved to pay the same price.

But he felt uncomfortable trying to do that.

From the looks of it, he turned out like this before he could do anything.

It was an ambiguous situation to let him go like this.

‘Hmm… Ah! That’s right.’

Cyan clapped his hands and said.

“I’m just asking in case. You didn’t touch the territory citizens, did you?”

“No! Absolutely not! I don’t touch anyone other than the target!”

-I tried to kill you?

“T, t, that’s… !”

Kuhner trembled and shut his mouth.

“Okay. I’ll let you live because you didn’t touch them.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Kuhner slammed his head on the ground and shouted.

“You’ll work in Ruben without pay from now on. For now… let’s catch some magical beasts with the soldiers. We were short on manpower, so it’s a good thing. I’ll give you food, so don’t worry.”

“Y, yes?”

Kuhner wondered what Cyan was talking about.

But Cyan didn’t answer and asked Leia.

“Leia. Can you take away more of this guy’s mind?”

-To what extent?

Cyan said as if it was nothing.

“So he can’t have any other thoughts again?”

#

Dark city, Vener.

And the darkest area in Vener.

A silver-haired woman who seemed to contain moonlight was standing.

The guild leader of Shadow Moon, Diana.

Silver hair that shone in contrast to the darkness created a mysterious atmosphere.

Diana didn’t know how to accept this situation.

“Why isn’t he coming?”

Kuhner, who had been sent on a mission, was not returning.

Originally, he should have come and reported a long time ago.

Special-class assassin Kuhner.

He was one of the best in the Shadow Moon Guild.

Assassinating Cyan Elantour was nothing.

Even so, the fact that he hasn’t come yet meant…

“Did he fail the mission?”

Diana wondered if this made sense.

There was only one possibility that Kuhner would fail the mission: the existence of a Master [a person who has reached the highest level of skill in a particular art or activity].

If so…

“Is Cyan Elantour a Master?”

Diana quickly shook her head.

It didn’t make sense.

A Master was literally the ultimate state.

The ultimate realm that humans can reach.

It’s not a realm that you can easily reach in an instant.

Even if he was called the worst dullard in the world.

So Cyan Elantour is not a Master.

But Kuhner failed the mission.

And it was clear that Kuhner was defeated by a Master.

Then there is only one possibility.

There was a Master next to Cyan Elantour.

However, the existence of a Master is precious.

The best information guild in the Empire, Shadow Moon.

If a Master was born, there was no way Diana wouldn’t know about it.

Therefore, there was no possibility that a new Master would be next to Cyan Elantour.

So the only possibility she could think of…

“······ Durak.”

Durak Elantour.

The head of the Elantour family.

And the undisputed number one swordsman in the Empire.

He was Cyan Elantour’s father.

Although he was an illegitimate child, he could not deny that he was a blood relative.

But…

“Wasn’t he an abandoned child?”

It was definitely like that.

The best information guild in the Empire, Shadow Moon.

There was no way the information was wrong.

However, it may not have been updated.

The National Foundation Day event that took place recently.

Cyan Elantour was chosen by the Zodiac Sword there.

There was information that Durak showed interest in Cyan because of that.

But she thought it was just a level of interest.

“Durak protects Cyan Elantour… .”

Diana was finally able to reach this conclusion.

With the information Diana had now, this was the only conclusion.

Cyan Elantour became a Master.

The fact that Durak was protecting Cyan was much more likely than this.

Of course, the truth was never like that.

A misunderstanding that occurred because she did not know of Leia’s existence.

Cyan didn’t intend to.

Diana could only come to that conclusion.

“I haven’t heard the news that Durak has moved.”

It seemed that he was moving secretly.

No matter how much Shadow Moon was the best information guild in the Empire, there was nothing she could do if Elantour was determined to hide it.

Elantour was Elantour.

Especially if the target was Durak.

Diana calmly raised her eyes.

“Hres.”

“Did you call me?”

A man popped out of the air at Diana’s call.

Diana slowly opened her mouth.

“All requests related to Cyan Elantour are completely canceled. From now on, tear up all requests related to Cyan Elantour.”

“······ The clients’ backlash will be severe.”

“I’ll take it.”

Diana continued.

“Also, change Cyan Elantour’s interest level to special.”

“······”

“Don’t even think about investigating Cyan Elantour. He is under Durak’s protection.”

“······!”

Hres’s eyes widened.

“And.”

Diana handed something to Hres.

“Deliver it to Cyan Elantour. I want to maintain a good relationship in the future.”

Hres accepted what Diana handed him.

A mark in the shape of a crescent moon.

It was the mark symbolizing Shadow Moon.

It was a mark that only the guild leader, Diana, could use.

Hres slowly opened his mouth.

“He probably already knows that Shadow Moon has received an assassination request. Will he try to maintain a good relationship with us?”

Diana nodded and said.

“So he has to lie flat [to pretend to be unimportant or harmless]. Tell him that you will grant him everything he wants. Also, if he hands over that mark, I will handle any request myself at any time.”

“······”

Hres was momentarily speechless.

The guild leader of Shadow Moon, Diana.

The authority to move her directly was not something that could be easily obtained.

Especially if the content of the request was not picky.

“It’s worth it.”

“······ I understand.”

Hres disappeared from his seat.

The night of Vener where the moonlight fades.

“Cyan Elantour···.”

A newly rising star was shining in the sky she looked up at.