บท 6: Head of the Night Assassins, Anrietta!
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******
The Armed Nation of Dwargon was a prosperous nation that housed a variety of businesses offering high-quality products for both its residents and visitors of all races.
However, accommodating all these people wasn't an easy task, which is why various inns were constructed throughout the prosperous nation. Among them, one inn stood out the most: King's Crest Inn.
King's Crest Inn was unique in the nation as the only establishment sponsored directly by the Crown, and its service quality reflected this prestigious association. However, such high-quality service came with a steep price tag, affordable only to nobles and high-ranked adventurers. To put things into perspective, the cost of spending one night at the King's Crest Inn equaled what an average adventurer might spend in an entire month. Consequently, only those with considerable wealth frequented its halls.
But today, in the corridor of the topmost floor of the King's Crest Inn, a female elf in a maid outfit, with beautiful blonde hair and green eyes, was pushing a trolley laden with food toward a specific room. However, she was no ordinary employee of the King's Crest Inn. In fact, this woman was none other than Anrietta, the leader of Dwargon's Dark Ministry, known by her title 'Head of the Night Assassins'.
Anrietta was a woman of many talents, yet it was her mastery of stealth that secured her position as King Gazel Dwargo's undercover shadow and earned her a position among his inner circle of trusted members.
However, she wasn't working as a spy at the moment. Instead, she was acting as a messenger for her king, on her way toward a room where a certain individual was awaiting a message from him.
As she walked toward the room, her mind couldn't help but recall the events that led to the current situation.
******
*Flashback*
It all began on that morning when Anrietta sat in her office, meticulously sifting through the reports of her subordinates when suddenly, one of them appeared right in front of her.
"Anrietta-sama, two suspicious individuals have just entered our borders," her subordinate informed her. Anrietta gestured for him to continue. "One of them is a man, with long blue hair and golden eyes. The other is a woman with white hair and red eyes. Their guild cards identify them as human, but I doubt that's the case."
"Oh? And why do you think that?" Anrietta asked, raising a brow.
"They don't feel human," her subordinate explained. "It's hard to put into words, but they exude a terrifying aura that keeps anyone from getting close enough to discern their intentions."
Suddenly, the air in the room grew heavy as Anrietta's glare bore into her subordinate. Standing up, she strode toward him, dagger in hand, and held it at his neck. "Do you not feel any shame, admitting fear of approaching potential enemies of our nation and our king?" Her voice echoed with a coldness mirrored in her eyes.
"N-no, I wasn't—" stammered the subordinate.
"Shut up," Anrietta snapped, retracting her dagger. "I'll handle this myself."
Anrietta then left her office and quickly located the two individuals she had been informed about. They stood out conspicuously among the crowd with their distinctive appearance and high-class attire, making them easy to spot amidst the bustling streets
And so, she began shadowing them, attempting to discern their intentions until they reached a familiar shop and entered. 'Kaijin's shop? What could they want with that man?' she pondered, knowing that Kaijin's smithy was closed due to a recent tragic mine accident, however, she also knew that standing idle wouldn't provide her with answers. So, she moved toward the shop with the intention of slipping inside, but then, abruptly, her feet stopped in their tracks. For some unknown reason, her years of experience and elven instincts warned her to steer clear of that building. 'Is this what he was talking about?' she wondered, recalling her subordinate's words.
After a minute of internal debate, she chose to heed her instincts, retreating to the top of a nearby building to patiently await her targets' exit. An hour later, the duo emerged from the shop and started walking away. Observing their departure, Anrietta swiftly summoned one of her subordinates, instructing her to check on Kaijin and his brothers.
Continuing to track her targets, she anticipated some hidden motive, yet to her surprise, they simply strolled around, sampling various products and foods, appearing like two friends casually exploring the nation.
Just then, her subordinate returned with the information about Kaijin and his brothers.
"What!?" Anrietta asked, her eyes widening upon hearing the report. "Are you sure you weren't tricked with an illusion or some kind of magic?"
"Of course not, ma'am. I can assure you that Kaijin's brothers were back on their feet, with their lost limbs restored and no visible signs of their injuries from that mine incident," she informed Anrietta. "Moreover, Kaijin is currently on his way to the castle to deliver the order for 20 magic swords."
"...Okay, you can go now," she said, dismissing her subordinate. Once her subordinate had left, Anrietta's mind grappled with the information she had just received, all while keeping her eyes fixed on her target. The fact that Kaijin's brothers, once beyond help, were now fully recovered, coupled with the completion of the supposedly impossible order of 20 swords by Kaijin, couldn't be mere coincidence.
It couldn't be a coincidence that both of these events occurred after her targets visited Kaijin's shop... nope, not a coincidence at all.
Just then, her targets halted in the middle of the road. For a fleeting moment, it seemed like the blue-haired man glanced her way, but she dismissed the possibility, attributing it to her mind playing tricks. However, the blue-haired man exchanged words with the white-haired woman beside him, then veered into a nearby alleyway, disappearing from view in an instant.
"Where the hell—" Anrietta's words hitched as a sudden chill shot down her spine, accompanied by an eerie sensation of someone's presence looming behind her. A weight pressed against her back, sending her senses on high alert.
"Stalking strangers, huh?" Anrietta heard a whisper in her ear and instinctively drew her dagger, swiftly aiming a strike at the person behind her. However, Anrietta froze mid-swipe, her dagger halted by the mere touch of the finger belonging to the same blue-haired man whom she had been observing until now. Then the blue-haired man smiled at her and continued, "That's a hobby best left to professional weirdos. A beautiful girl like should pick up something more elegant like... Bird Watching, how that sounds?"
After a momentary surprise, Anrietta composed herself. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, simultaneously scanning for an opportunity to either neutralize the person confronting her or escape.
"Oh, really?" the blue-haired man asked, his smile tinged with amusement. "So you're going to tell me that you weren't following me and my partner for a while now?"
"Yes, I don't—"
"Don't lie, Ms. Anrietta," he interrupted, triggering alarm bells in her head. "It doesn't reflect well on a lady of your status."
'He knows who I am...' Anrietta thought, realizing there was no point in continuing her façade of ignorance any longer. "Who are you? And what do you want?" she demanded, adopting the intimidating tone she used to interrogate her victims.
However, Rimuru simply chuckled at her attempt to intimidate him. "My name is Rimuru Tempest, and I'm merely here to visit your nation."
"I don't believe you," Anrietta countered, narrowing her eyes. "There's no way someone like you—"
"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions," Rimuru interjected, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes, once again sending a shiver down her spine. "Although, I do have a request for you."
"Request?" Anrietta arched her brow. "What is it?"
"I want you to arrange a meeting between me and your king," Rimuru stated.
"Why do you seek an audience with our king?" she inquired.
"That is for your king and me to know," Rimuru replied, a smile playing on his lips, signaling to Anrietta that she wouldn't glean any more information from him.
"What if I refuse?" Anrietta questioned.
"Well, if your king won't extend an invitation, I'll simply extend one to myself," Rimuru replied casually. Before she could respond, he interjected, "And I'd appreciate it if you ceased following me and my partner from now on," then vanished, rejoining his companion.
"Damn it! What now?" Anrietta clicked her tongue in frustration, pondering her options for a few moments. She ultimately concluded that it was best to let her king decide the next course of action.
******
In the present, Anrietta arrived outside a specific room and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing Rimuru, who regarded her appearance with an amused smile.
"Oh, Ms. Anrie—"
"Sylvie," Anrietta interrupted him. "My name is Sylvie, sir. I've brought the food you ordered."
"Please, come in, Miss Sylvie," Rimuru invited her inside, stepping aside to let her enter, and closed the door behind her. Then he leaned near the door and asked, "So, what's up with that name and this attrie ?"
"I don't know-"
"I have placed anti-information barriers around us, nothing you say will leave this room," Rimuru said and made the barriers he had placed visible for a second.
Anrietta sighed and said, "It is my civilian identity," she explained. "And as for my attire, well I work here sometimes to get information on people of status. After all, quite a lot of nobles say a lot of important things in front of servants as they don't see them as people which makes my work easier," she said as she started serving the food.
"Anyway, I have something for you," Anrietta said, producing a letter and handing it to Rimuru. "This is a message from King Gazel; please handle it with care," she added, turning to leave the room.
"Hey, if you're free, why not stay for dinner?" Rimuru extended an invitation.
"Thank you for the offer, but I have other matters to attend to," Anrietta declined politely, exiting the room. Outside, she released another sigh, already anticipating the exhaustion awaiting her on the following day.
******
Tetastoraa let out a sigh of relief as the annoying woman finally exited the room. Don't get her wrong, Teasta wouldn't have minded if that woman had accepted her master's offer. However, she was grateful that the woman who had been causing them trouble earlier chose to leave her and her master alone.
Then her attention turned towards her master who was reading the letter just brought by the woman.
"What does it say, my lord?" Testarossa asked.
"Hmm... it seems that we got ourselves a lunch with Mr. King himself tomorrow," Rimuru announced, settling into the seat where dinner had been served. After taking a bite of his food, Rimuru glanced up, only to notice Testarossa wasn't joining him. "Testa, what's wrong? Aren't you going to join?"
"It's all right, my lord. I'm fine," Testarossa replied, feeling it would be disrespectful to share the same table with someone she served. Well, at least she would have gutted her subordinates if they had tried to do something like this.
"Testa, come on, join me," Rimuru urged with a smile. "I insist."
Though tempted to refuse once more, Testarossa knew by now that her master was quite insistent in matters like these. So, she relented and joined him at the table.
Then as they were enjoying their dinner, Testatrossa decided to ask a question that was lingering in her mind. "Rimuru sama, do you mind if I ask you something?" she asked and continued when Rimuru gave her permission. "Why are you so interested in meeting this King Gazel?"
"Well, there are multiple reasons actually," Rimuru began to explain. "As you know, I'm working on building a nation in the Jura Forest," he stated, and Testatrossa nodded in understanding. "Securing the support of a powerful and respected nation like Dwargon would significantly aid us in our initial phases. Dwargon's public acknowledgment of our nation would facilitate trade with smaller nations that have ties to or rely on Dwargon."
"Then there is the King of Dwargon, Gazel Dwargon," Rimuru continued. "From what I have gathered, I can be sure that he is a good man and an even better King, which works in our favor," he said stuffing a piece of meat in his mouth. "As long as our partnership benefits his nation and his people, Gazel will never turn his back on us."
"But what if, King Gazel decides to betray us?" Testarossa asked because a long-lived demoness like her cannot trust a human to not go back on their word.
"Oh you don't have to worry about that," Rimuru said as he leaned forward, resting his smirking face against his fist with a look in his eyes that made Testatrossa's heart race. "After tomorrow's lunch, forget about betraying us, Gazel won't even think about it."
Observing her master's confident and devious smile, Testarossa couldn't help but smile herself, feeling a twinge of pity for King Gazel, who had to deal with her master.
******
While Rimuru and Testarossa were enjoying their evening, in a dimly lit room, Anrietta delivered a comprehensive report detailing all the information she and her team had gathered about Dwargon's unwelcome guests to the four individuals gathered there.
"And that's everything," Anrietta concluded, resuming her seat.
"That's it?" Vaughn the Admiral Paladin and the supreme commander of Dwargon's military asked. "I expected better from you."
"I agree with Vaughn," Dorf, the Captain of the Pegasus Knights said. "This is not enough to be called an inelegance report."
"I'm aware that the information provided falls short and may be disappointing, and I apologize for that. However, I can assure you that this is the best we can do right now," Anrietta explained.
"Did I hear that right!?" Dorf said with wide eyes. "Did I just hear a prideful and stubborn woman like you admit that can't do something?"
"As much as it pains me to admit it, you heard that that right. There is no way to get closer to Rimuru Tempest if doesn't want you to," Anrietta said remembering the chill she felt when she tried to sneak into Kaijin's shop. "Not only that, but even his room at King's Crest Inn is surrounded by invisible anti-information barriers, and I know because he showed me those barriers."
"Magic barriers, eh?" Vaughn mused, casting a glance at a short, elderly woman shrouded in a dark hooded cloak. "Ms. Jaine, can you dismantle those barriers?"
"I can't definitively assess the situation until I've examined those barriers firsthand. That said..." Jaine, the Arch-Wizard of Dwargon's Royal Court and King Gazel's close advisor glanced at Anrietta, "... if what that girl is saying is true then I doubt I can overpower a spell of someone that strong."
"In that case, wouldn't it be unwise to allow Gazal-sama to meet someone like that?" Dorf voiced his concern.
"Dorf makes a valid point. Perhaps we should postpone the meeting until we're certain that this Rimuru Tempest poses no threat to us," Vaughn suggested, turning his attention to Gazel, seated at the head of the table. "What are your thoughts, Gazel-sama?"
Gazel Dwargo, the king of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, surveyed his trusted subordinates before focusing on the woman who often acted as his shadow. "Anrietta, given your direct interactions with this Rimuru Tempest, what's your assessment of him as a person?" Gazel inquired.
"If I'm honest, Rimuru Tempest is the most contradictory man I've ever encountered," Anrietta began, addressing her king directly. "Throughout my years of acting as your shadow, I've observed and spied on various individuals. Some were all bark, their worth only tethered to their family names, while others possessed genuine power to substantiate their claims. However, for the first time in my life, I faced the sensation of helplessness when confronted with an unfathomable power. When I stood before Rimuru, despite seeing numerous openings for escape or attack, my instincts warned against any rash actions, urging me to let him speak."
"Yet, when I visited him earlier to deliver your message, the intimidation was nowhere to be found," Anrietta continued. "No hostility or suspicion. He welcomed me into their room, conversing as if we were old acquaintances. Even his invitation to join him for dinner felt sincere, despite the apparent lack of enthusiasm from his companion. In conclusion, Rimuru appears to be a genuinely nice person, but I would strongly advise against provoking him."
"I see..." Gazel responded, patiently awaiting the input of the other three individuals in the room.
"Considering Anrietta's observations, we could hope that this Rimuru is, at the very least, a decent person," Dorf remarked. "Nevertheless, even with that, I can't recommend Gazel-sama meeting this individual until we've gathered more information."
"I understand your concerns, but I need to know what kind of magic or medicine he used to cure Kaijin's brothers," Gazel stated firmly. "We all know that after the accident in the mines, Kaijin's brothers were severely injured, to the point where even our highest grade potions were ineffective. Now, I've received a report that this mysterious man cured them as if the accident never occurred. Successfully negotiating with him might grant us access to that magic or medicine, which would significantly benefit our nation and our people won't have to wait for Holy Empire Ruberios to despatch their priest during times of crisis," he said in a voice that left no room for the argument.
Gazel then waited for a few minutes. When no one made any more objections, he was about to end the meeting. However, Jaine stopped him, saying that she had one more question to ask.
"Anrietta, you said there is a woman accompanying Rimuru, right?" Jaine asked, and Anrietta nodded. "Can you please describe her appearance once more?"
"The woman accompanying Rimuru Tempest has snow-white hair and blood-red eyes," Anrietta explained.
"I see..." Jaine said as her face paled slightly, which didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the people in the room."
"Jaine, is something wrong?" Gazel asked. "Do you perhaps know that woman from somewhere?"
"I think I recognize that description from somewhere, but honestly, I hope I'm wrong," Jaine said. She then looked at the others in the room and asked, "Have you ever heard of the 'Lakeshore Dyed Scarlet' incident?"
******
The clock was almost hitting midnight as the moon was out in the sky and watching that moon was white-haired beauty, Testatrossa while clutching her silver-colored pendant in her hand, her mind consumed by a single thought: 'I miss Blanche.'
Blanche... a shy, polite, and soft-spoken girl who often seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Yet, she held a unique place in Testarossa's life as Blanche was the only girl Testarossa had ever considered a friend, even a sister perhaps.
They say time heals all wounds, and so it did for Testarossa. With passing years, the pain of losing her friend gradually lessened, and eventually, she came to accept Blanche's absence, moving forward with her life. However, that acceptance didn't erase the occasional sting of old wounds. There were moments when longing for her friend would resurface, accompanied by a simmering rage towards those who had wronged Blanche.
"Testa, everything alright?" Testarossa startled a little, suddenly hearing Rimuru's voice who was now standing right next to her. "You look a little off. Is there something troubling you?"
"Ah, don't worry my lord," Testarossa dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. "It's nothing, definitely not something you should worry about."
"Testa, I won't pry if it's something personal, but if you ever want to share, I'm all ears," Rimuru said, smiling at her.
Testarossa bit her lip, debating with herself if she should bother her master or not until she decided to give in and take her master's offer. "Actually there is something..." she said while staring at the ground. "There was this girl, Blanch..." and so Tenstatrossa narrated the story of Blanch to him. She told him how she came into contact with Blanch. How they became friends. How a once shy and timid girl like Blanch started getting confident while making a name for herself. How Blach was betrayed by her family and the man she loved. And lastly, how Blanche fell back into an immense depression and executed the contract between her and Testatrossa, destroying her soul and handing over her body to Testatrossa.
"Blanc didn't deserve that..." Testatrossa's voice cracked. "She didn't deserve any of that..."
Suddenly, Rimuru moved forward and pulled Testatrossa into a hug. Initially surprised, Testarossa soon found solace in burying her head in his chest.
They remained embraced for a few minutes until Testatrossa broke the silence. "Why does she matter to me so much?" she asked, her head still lowered. "I am a Primordial Demon. I have existed since the dawn of time, taken countless lives without flinching. So why... why does the death of this one girl hurt so much... why can't I just forget about her after all these years?"
There was no immediate response from Rimuru. Instead, he held her tighter, offering silent comfort, while Testatrossa kept her head buried in his chest and missed a determined expression in her master's golden eyes.
To be continued...
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