We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
The one lurking in the spider’s web.
Grandpa Jangario’s magic spider silk, spread far and wide, is so incredibly thin that it’s invisible unless you’re carefully observing it.
It seems this incredibly thin spider silk is used to pinpoint the exact location of a target without them realizing it, and then either bind them or sometimes even cut them apart.
“So there are magic spells like this, huh?”
“Speaking of magic, I always thought it was extensions of natural phenomena, like flashy explosions or spells that manipulate water or create ice, so this is quite unexpected.”
Sefina, who had voiced her thoughts, observed the intricate magic silk stretched across the entrance up close.
The magic silk shimmered slightly as it reflected the sunlight. It looked incredibly sharp.
It looked like it would sever a fingertip the moment it touched it.
If someone were to enter Grandpa Jangario’s territory carelessly, without noticing this silk, it felt terrifying enough to guarantee defeat in an instant.
This is indeed the power of a former high-ranking demon that even Ruilala had to show respect for, I was being reminded anew.
“Well then, shall we go?”
After finishing her observation, Sefina touched the terrifying magic silk.
“Ah!”
Sefina smiled coolly at Madrine, who let out a cry of surprise, and turned to her.
“It’s alright. Like this…”
And with that, Sefina pushed aside the magic silk with surprising ease.
“Impressive.”
“Grandpa Jangario!?”
Then, Grandpa Jangario’s voice echoed from somewhere, and this time, I was the one who was surprised.
It’s strange, isn’t it?
Grandpa Jangario, whose presence I had definitely detected within the lord’s mansion when I sensed the anomaly in the world earlier.
How could his voice be heard at the entrance?
Was I hearing things? I checked with Sefina and Madrine, and they were both looking around the surroundings with puzzled expressions.
“Kukuku. Was I able to surprise Elnea-sama and the others? That is most gratifying. I am speaking to Elnea-sama and the others through my threads.”
“Whaaat? You can do that!? Or rather, can you hear our surprised reactions and voices too, Grandpa Jangario inside the mansion?”
“My threads are a part of my body. From them, I can scout the surroundings and also transmit and receive voices.”
“Wow. That’s amazing magic!”
I was genuinely impressed.
At first, I thought if I touched this silk, I would fall into Grandpa Jangario’s trap. But this magic seems to be much deeper.
It’s a good thing Grandpa Jangario isn’t our enemy!
“If our voices can reach you, then this is straightforward,” Sefina said, still touching the magic silk.
“What’s the situation inside the mansion? Where is the assassin?”
A short silence followed Sefina’s question. Then, only Grandpa Jangario’s voice reached us.
“Unknown. That scoundrel, deeming me too troublesome to deal with, has hidden himself. He should still be lurking within the mansion, but even with these threads spread out, forming a nest, I cannot detect his presence.”
“So he’s still hiding inside the building! But if even Grandpa Jangario’s magic silk can’t pinpoint his location…”
Grandpa Jangario mentioned he could sense the surrounding presence without touching the magic spider silk. However, even with the threads stretched throughout the lord’s mansion like a spider’s web, he couldn’t detect the assassin Jumey’s presence.
Just how skillfully is Jumey blending into the world?
Or, has he perhaps already escaped from the lord’s mansion?
No, that’s not right.
Jumey is definitely hiding somewhere within the lord’s mansion.
Because if he’s an elite assassin, and his true target isn’t Meduria, he wouldn’t be so cowardly as to flee without achieving his objective.
Jumey must have understood from the beginning that targeting Meduria’s life would inevitably lead to confrontation with the Ten Clans.
Even so, I don’t think he would retreat just because it’s “troublesome” when facing top-tier demons like Grandpa Jangario and Zeke.
Because if he were to escape once, not only would his established reputation for fear diminish, but we would also become more cautious, making assassination more difficult next time.
Considering that, I am convinced that Jumey is still hiding within the lord’s mansion.
Then, how is he hiding, bypassing my “ability to read anomalies in the world” and Grandpa Jangario’s “spider web magic”?
“Is he perhaps hiding in shadows like the Black Ogre Race? No, that’s unique to the Black Ogre Race’s magic, so that’s unlikely.”
“Elnea-kun. Standing here at the entrance won’t get us anywhere.”
“Sefina is right. Let’s rendezvous with Grandpa Jangario and the others first.”
My and Grandpa Jangario’s intentions were conveyed to Sefina and Madrine’s opinions.
And once the course of action was decided, Sefina moved immediately.
She effortlessly pushed aside the threads spread across the entrance, creating a path.
“I am indebted. I have no intention of slicing you all, but if that’s the case, I don’t need to be so vigilant. Come to me under your own power. However, be careful of him. Who knows where he’s hiding.”
Grandpa Jangario also seemed to acknowledge the impressiveness of Sefina’s ability to skillfully manipulate an opponent’s magic.
But it seems he won’t dismantle the magic threads. If the magic threads were removed, Jumey might make a move at that moment. He’s likely wary of that.
With Sefina leading the way, clearing aside the magic spider silk spread everywhere, we entered the lord’s mansion.
Inside the mansion, spider silk was also densely woven.
At this rate, any creature the size of a person would be detected the moment it moved.
Moreover, knowing that magic silk is spread throughout the mansion, we can detect the fine threads, but if we weren’t aware, we probably wouldn’t even notice their existence.
After all, when I sensed the anomaly in the world, I couldn’t detect Grandpa Jangario’s magic silk.
I still have much to learn.
If things continue like this, the Dragon God might get fed up with me and I might have to relinquish my position as His messenger.
To prevent that from happening, I must resolve this problem properly. Someone who can’t even protect their companions is not fit to be a messenger of the Dragon God!
Sefina carefully advanced, clearing only the obstructing magic silk.
We passed through the entrance hall and proceeded down the corridor.
The corridor floor was made of marble. The polished marble floor was still gleaming and new.
The pillars were thick, and the wallpaper was beautiful. The ceiling was high, and the furnishings were wonderful.
A beautiful lord’s mansion, just completed.
However, a terrifying assassin was lurking within it now.
Just where could they be?
We proceeded slowly, paying attention to our surroundings.
We climbed the stairs to the second floor. As I stepped onto the stairs leading to the third floor.
“Sefina!”
I swiftly swung my White Sword.
A sharp metallic sound echoed through the mansion.
And a dagger fell to the floor.
“A dagger flew from above!?”
The blade of the dagger that fell to the floor was coated with a viscous liquid.
It was definitely poison!
A poisoned dagger was thrown at Sefina, who was in the lead!
And from the floor above.
I raised my White Sword, stepped forward to shield Sefina, and glared sharply at the third-floor landing at the top of the stairs.
But there was no sign of anyone, nor any presence.
Why is no one there?
If someone threw a dagger, the thrower should be present at the origin point of the straight line.
“Thank you, Elnea-kun. I was so focused on the magic silk that I didn’t notice.”
“I also didn’t notice until the last moment. It’s good that I was in time.”
Internally, I held my breath.
Truly, I hadn’t noticed the flying dagger until the very last moment. If my reaction had been even a moment slower, the poisoned dagger would have pierced Sefina.
“A dagger flew. Does that mean the assassin is indeed hiding on the upper floor? However, for that to be the case…”
“Yes. Grandpa Jangario?”
“My apologies. I do not know.”
We were surprised, saying things like that.
Grandpa Jangario’s magic silk is intricately woven to the point where it makes it impossible for people to move. If Jumey had thrown a dagger at us, he should have detected that movement and presence.
Yet, Grandpa Jangario said he hadn’t detected anything.
“Was it a trap set in advance?”
“Madeline, isn’t that unlikely? Do you think Jumey, who attacked Meduria, could have predicted that we would come straight from the entrance like this?”
Grandpa Jangario confronted the situation and spread magic silk throughout the lord’s mansion. Jumey then went into hiding.
From that point, for us to rush over and head directly from the entrance to the lord’s office, he couldn’t have had certainty before the attack.
Or, are there various other traps laid elsewhere within the lord’s mansion?
I can’t say that’s not the case either.
Because many people, not just the Ten Clans, but also the workers, evacuated the lord’s mansion. If traps were laid there, the evacuees would have fallen into them before us.
Then, why did the dagger fly from the third-floor landing?
Also, I look again at the dagger still lying on the floor.
Even though it’s viscous, poison is a liquid. If time passes, it will all drip off the blade. Yet, the dagger’s blade was sufficiently coated with sticky poison.
“I don’t know what kind of technique or magic was used, but everyone, let’s proceed with caution. It seems Jumey can still attack us even in this situation.”
At my words, Sefina and Madrine gulped.
I could feel their tension.
I too was on high alert, more than usual.
The battles I had experienced numerous times before involved visible opponents.
Kusharilla was special, but even then, once recognized, she existed before me as an adversary.
But this time is different.
Not only is the opponent invisible, but they don’t even betray their presence. Yet, they are definitely aiming for our lives.
This is the first time I’ve felt such fear of the unseen and unfelt.
“Sefina. Slowly and carefully, okay?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Just in case, I’ll set up a small-scale barrier around us.”
“Madeline, please.”
Our resolve strengthened, we cautiously ascended the stairs again.
We reached the third floor and proceeded down the corridor leading to the office.
Just moving forward was mentally exhausting.
I had experienced situations where attacks could come from anywhere before. Nevertheless, being unilaterally targeted for my life was draining my spirit.
“That room must be the office, right?”
“Grandpa Jangario and Zeke should be there, so let’s rendezvous with them first!”
Even with my ability to read anomalies in the world, I could sense their unharmed presence.
They were still not moving, though.
And I could also sense Forard, who was holed up in the underground treasure vault.
Since the three of them are high-ranking demons, they should be able to cope without being too disadvantaged, even if their opponent is an elite assassin.
Sefina advanced, clearing aside the magic silk that densely covered the corridor as well.
And we arrived in front of the office.
“…The surprise attack was only the one just now, wasn’t it?”
“Was it a trap after all?”
“I wonder? I don’t think so?”
But if that’s the case, how did Jumey throw the poisoned dagger?
And how did he hide himself afterward?
Evading Grandpa Jangario’s magic nest.
“Grandpa Jangario, thank you for waiting.”
Brushing aside the silk in front of the door, I opened the office door.
In the depths of the office, where document shelves and reception furniture were neatly arranged.
There were Grandpa Jangario and Zeke.
“Welcome, Elnea-sama.”
As Grandpa Jangario said that, a single horizontal line appeared on his neck.
And Grandpa Jangario’s head fell off.
Simultaneously, Zeke fell, split in two vertically.
“Aaaahhh!!”
I cried out involuntarily!
