Chapter 7: Picked Up (5)

…Who is this?

The face revealed as the cocoon opened.

A face he’d never seen before.

Doesn’t seem like an assassin either.

Evan cautiously reached out to check the scalp.

If it was the Black Dawn, there’d be a distinctive scalp tattoo.

No trace of it.

Just a bit bald.

Phew.

Evan let out a huge sigh of relief inwardly.

Not an assassin. Not an important figure either.

Though a veteran, Evan hadn’t memorized every character.

Only the important ones.

Thankfully, this man didn’t seem to be an assassin or a key figure.

Well, that’s probably why Lapis caught him.

Lapis was only ten years old.

Even as a future Sin, she was still a child.

The likelihood of him being someone important plummeted.

Still, just in case…

He had to be cautious.

Absolutely not because he was scared.

“No. 5, hold him tight. Be careful not to crush his bones.”

Nod!

No. 5, a golem with a hulking, Hulk-like build.

It firmly grasped the man with its thick arms.

“No. 4, get the potion from shelf 29.”

No. 4, a golem with long arms.

It handed Evan the potion.

[Acid Air Poison Potion.]

Acid Air Poison.

A poison that evaporates mana.

A potion refined from it.

Safe for life even when used.

The effect wasn’t long-lasting.

But its potency was amplified several times.

Designed to leave no trace of poison in the body.

Good thing I made it in advance.

It was tough to make.

Took about three months, didn’t it?

He succeeded with just instinct and knowledge, no help.

I’m not exactly talentless.

If he were a genius?

He’d have finished in a month, tops.

Lacking?

That didn’t matter.

A talent for overcoming shortcomings.

That’s what made a genius.

Wasn’t that how the player’s character was?

A mentor would be nice, though.

Evan was a self-taught alchemist.

No formal school or inherited knowledge.

The results? Pretty good.

The problem was the process.

If a mistake or issue arose?

He couldn’t fix it.

Knowledge and mastery.

He needed a mentor to pass those down.

Let’s finish this first, then find one.

Offer enough money, and someone would come, right?

Evan pushed aside stray thoughts.

He handed the Acid Air Poison potion to Golem No. 3.

“No. 3, inject this potion.”

Nod.

No. 3 took the potion.

A straw-like tube extended, sucking the potion into a syringe.

Tap tap!

As if saying, “This’ll sting~,” it tapped the man’s arm.

Stab! It plunged the syringe into his forearm.

“…!!!”

The man twitched as if he’d wake any second.

Evan stepped back slightly.

The Living Golem protected him firmly.

After a brief struggle, the man went limp.

Phew. Evan sighed in relief.

Lapis, who had been subtly pulling out a thread, hid her arm.

“No. 4, inject the recovery potion.”

No. 4 handed over a high-grade recovery potion.

No. 3, nodding, took it.

Like before, it loaded the potion into the syringe and stabbed it into the man’s forearm.

Gurgle gurgle.

“Ugh…”

The man’s deathly pale complexion began to return.

His arm didn’t heal.

Regenerating lost body parts required at least a top-grade potion.

In other words, only an elixir-level concentration could fully heal wounds.

The high-grade recovery potion used now was far from enough.

Should I attach a prosthetic?

Golems had many uses.

They could be made into arms or legs.

If this guy demanded compensation?

That much I can give.

If he wasn’t an enemy.

If he became one…

Then there’s no choice.

He’d have to use force to survive.

Nervously, he swallowed hard.

The potion was fully injected.

About three minutes passed.

If he wakes, I’ll act like he’s a nobody.

Treat him politely.

That’s just basic human courtesy.

Please don’t figure it out.

“Ugh, ugh…”

The man stirred, opening his eyes.

His blurry gaze met Evan’s.

***

…Where am I?

Blurry focus.

Hazy vision.

Shadow regained consciousness.

Realizing he was alive, he sighed in relief.

Lucky.

To think he survived that hell.

Threads pouring like a natural disaster.

He’d barely escaped with his life.

A miracle he survived.

Though he lost an arm…

This is enough.

He was alive.

That was enough.

He could reattach or regenerate the arm later.

…Where am I, though?

Shadow spread his senses as much as he could.

His vision hadn’t fully returned.

His senses were more reliable.

But perhaps because his mana was drained.

I can’t sense anything.

Twist—

He tried moving his body.

It wouldn’t budge.

Something’s holding me tight.

He wasn’t sure of much, but one thing was clear.

He’d been captured somewhere.

Stab!

“…!”

Something pierced his arm.

Liquid flowed into his body. A truth serum?

His body tensed naturally.

He clenched his jaw.

If needed, he’d bite his tongue.

He might not die, but he wouldn’t talk.

…It’s healing?

The pain began to fade.

He felt his wounds mending.

A recovery potion?

At least high-grade.

No poison or impurities detected.

Shadow was immune to most poisons.

He could identify potions entering his body.

Using something this expensive on me?

If it was poisoned, he’d understand.

But just to ‘heal’ him?

Who is this?

Shadow forced his eyes open.

It’d take time to recover, but he had no choice.

He needed to know if this was friend or foe.

Rustle…

A silhouette came into view through blurry focus.

After blinking a few times, his vision cleared.

“…!”

Shadow swallowed his shock.

A frail body.

Golems surrounding him like armor.

Unkempt hair.

Yet an undeniably radiant appearance.

Evan Alkart…?!

The one Arthur Modriter ordered him to protect.

Standing right before him.

So Evan Alkart captured me?

Shadow’s expression hardened.

A chance encounter? Impossible.

Evan rarely left the mansion.

The spot where Shadow was attacked was deep in the forest.

A remote place, hard to find without prior marking.

Yet he was found and brought here by chance?

No way.

If Evan Alkart is the culprit… it all makes sense.

Recently, rumors had spread in the territory.

That Evan Alkart created a chimera.

If that was true?

It wasn’t surprising he found and subdued Shadow.

Chimeras, born solely for combat.

Creatures combining the best traits of various beings, naturally powerful.

The difficulty of creating one didn’t matter.

Evan Alkart.

He was an alchemist who could make potions to fix Aura Holes.

My failure. I didn’t grasp this properly…

Shadow bit his lip lightly.

Why did Evan rarely go out?

To secretly perfect a chimera.

And to block information.

Step.

Evan approached Shadow.

Was this how he’d die?

Or become a test subject?

Maybe turned into a chimera, used like a puppet.

God, please forgive my incompetence.

Squeeze! Shadow closed his eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“…?”

Evan didn’t rip out Shadow’s heart or anything.

In a flat tone, he checked on Shadow.

“You seem to be in a lot of pain. Please bear with it a little longer.”

“…?”

“You were found abandoned in the forest in a cocoon, so I hurriedly treated you, but it was emergency care, so the pain likely remains.”

He’s not… killing me?

“I was going to take you to the temple, but I had no way to verify your identity. So I brought you to my room. Don’t be too nervous.”

“…”

“Do you have any means to prove your identity? Once confirmed, I’ll have you transferred to the temple.”

Evan wasn’t killing him or making him a test subject.

He was showing kindness.

A faint respect in his tone.

Shadow was thrown into confusion.

Pretending he’s not the culprit? Why?

When it was already exposed?

Shadow’s mind raced.

There’s a stereotype that assassins are dim-witted.

Pure prejudice.

Assassins needed sharp minds.

Choosing the right spot, finding an enemy’s weakness, gathering intel—plenty of brainwork.

Shadow, disciple of the Assassin King.

Exceptional in both skill and intellect as an assassin.

Figuring out an enemy’s intent was his specialty.

He’s hiding that he’s the culprit. Does he want this kept secret?

Or was it a test?

Testing him even now.

Goosebumps rose on his arm.

Fearful.

How far did Evan see?

How much did he predict?

Surely Evan knew Shadow’s master was Arthur.

It was fairly well-known.

The Assassin King’s disciple, reformed, becoming Arthur’s servant.

Someone like Evan wouldn’t miss that.

In other words.

…Is this a warning?

I’ll let it slide this time.

But try such a pathetic trick again, and I won’t let it go—

His mouth went dry.

I almost crossed a big line.

What would’ve happened?

Hard to say for sure.

All he knew was that Evan could make golems and potions.

That couldn’t be all.

He must have hidden power.

He had to find out.

At least his purpose, even if it cost his life.

All for Arthur.

“…I’m sorry. I lost my belongings when a beast attacked.”

“I see.”

“This kindness is more than enough. For now… could you loosen this?”

Shadow looked at the threads. The arm wrapped around them.

So thick, a sword might not break it.

Evan didn’t answer immediately.

He stared with emotionless eyes.

As sweat dripped from Shadow’s forehead,

Evan nodded.

“No need for repayment. I’m just a bit cowardly.”

Cautious.

Cowardly?

Even a passing dog would laugh.

No sense of humor.

One piece of information gained.

Shadow stored it in his mind.

Meanwhile, Evan commanded the golem.

“No. 4, take him outside the window.”

Swoosh.

Shadow’s body lifted.

The long-armed golem hoisted him up.

Its strength was impressive for its slender frame.

Is he telling me to get lost?

Before being tossed out the window, Shadow hurriedly asked Evan,

“Why… did you save me?”

“…?”

Evan gave a puzzled look.

“Why save someone like me, with no belongings or money, using expensive recovery potions? Please tell me. My mother taught me to always repay kindness.”

He even brought up his parents to justify it.

It didn’t seem awkward, right?

If it did, oh well—

“…”

Evan didn’t answer immediately.

As if trying to discern Shadow’s intent, he stared blankly.

Emotionless eyes.

No feelings could be read.

As if veiled by something.

Evan spoke.

“I don’t like making enemies. Ignoring an injured person and earning their hatred? I’d rather heal them.”

Shadow nearly burst out laughing.

The reason for healing him was absurd.

Because he didn’t like making enemies?

So cutting off his arm was a warning,

And healing him meant, “Let’s not be enemies”?

He’s a lunatic.

But not an enemy.

That was enough.

“Is that answer enough?”

“…Yes, it’s enough.”

Shadow nodded.

He’d gained information too easily.

Likely Evan’s intent.

I need to tell Arthur.

That Evan already knew everything.

That they must never be enemies.

“I’ll… take my leave now. I’ll return to repay your kindness.”

“Alright.”

Evan smiled.

A stiff, awkward smile.

“Go safely.”

Swoosh—

No. 4 set Shadow outside the window.

Rip! With his recovered body, Shadow tore the threads and vanished into the shadows.

As the threat disappeared, the Living Golem relaxed.

Evan clutched his chest.

Huff, huff!

Damn it, my heart.

Why are his eyes so terrifying?!

He thought he was an assassin.

But his powerlessness and ignorance of Acid Air Poison suggested otherwise.

Just a bit scary.

This should be resolved well enough, right?

Just in case, he’d strengthen security.

Still, he felt proud.

Another crisis safely navigated!

One step closer to being a true man.

Evan smiled smugly to himself.

Knock knock.

Dolph knocked on the door.

“Young Master, it’s done.”

“Come in.”

“Sniff, I’m here…!”

“Come here, Lapis.”

At least he hadn’t earned any grudges or misunderstandings.

Evan patted Lapis’s back as she hugged him, feeling reassured.

***

“Evan!”

“Yes, Lapis. What’s up?”

“A letter came.”

“Huh?”

The next day.

A letter arrived.

Stabbed with a dagger.