"You don't have to cover your face anymore. You have a beautiful face at best, but wouldn't it be better to show it off?"
"……!"
Violetta's face reddened. She hurriedly backed away from her and pulled down her black veil to cover her face.
"Thank you for your words, but I'm comfortable with it for now."
Rudger did not respond and Violetta calmed her pounding chest. That's weird. Why is her heart beating so fast? It feels like someone is stomping their feet.
'No way.'
While doing this, I promised myself that I would not give my heart to anyone.
She thought that her heart would not like and longing for someone, because she is a prostitute who is despised by everyone. She has been that way to this day and will always be.
'Yes. It's just the joy of having the old scars go away.'
Having sorted out her feelings, Violetta barely regained her reason. She touched the spot where her scar had been with her hand. The rough touch disappeared and her smooth skin was felt. He healed scars that even priests have given up on healing in an instant.
'Is this real magic?'
Magic is magic, but what is real magic? Even Violetta, who had learned magic over time, couldn't understand the words. He seemed to shake her whole definition of magic.
"So what are you going to do now?"
"……For now, I'm going to do the work as directed, starting from tomorrow."
"It's good because it's fast."
Violetta has also seen and heard many things. How dangerous is this man named James Moriarty in front of her and how great he is.
His abilities were clearly demonstrated a while ago. It was only a small favor that he erased her scars. He gave her good intentions as if it was only natural. The more he places a greater meaning on it, the more he loses.
Naturally, Violetta realized in this dark alleyway, facing each other that he is a different person from her.
"Today's meeting was impressive but I'll be going now."
"Violetta."
Rudger's voice catches Violetta as she is about to leave and she stops walking.
"What?"
Rudger was staring at her back as complicated thoughts rushed through her mind. His gaze glared over as if penetrating the darkness.
"Why are you calling me……Whoa!"
Violetta couldn't finish her words. Rudger stretched out his arms and hugged her back, pulling her tight.
Violetta was taken aback by the sudden event.
"What are you doing……!"
Just as she was about to argue like that, an arrow flew past her cotton yarn. The tip of the arrow that pierced into the wall trembled.
Violetta saw it and murmured as if in dismay.
"…Surprise attack?"
"I think so."
Rudger said so and roused his magical powers.
"Come out."
As soon as those words were finished, people with weapons appeared one after another from all over the alleyways. Rudger narrowed his eyes as he looked at them.
'They didn't bring a firearm.'
In other words, knowing that he was a wizard, they even prepared for it. Come to think of it, an arrow that was fired during the surprise attack.
'Is it a crossbow?'
They are even using stuff like this?
'It's a deliberate way to target a wizard.'
Rudger had no choice but to nod his head as he recalled whether he had caused someone to resent him to the point where he was suddenly attacked in a back alley like this.
"Is it the rest of the remaining Red Society?"
"James Moriarty."
Among the besieging crowd, a man in his mid-30s with a messy beard revealed his yellow teeth and grinned.
"I can't believe that such a giant is walking around alone without an escort. Thank you for giving me the opportunity."
"I don't know who you are."
"You are going to die soon anyway."
"You fool. Do you not know how the Red Society disappeared?"
"Yeah, I know that you are a wizard but you think we weren't prepared for that?"
"Hmm."
Rudger realized that the magical energy he had been generating was not working properly and sighed inwardly.
'Things aren't very good.'
It took a lot of energy to fix the scar on Violetta's face and it takes time to recover. He didn't expect to be attacked at this time.
"Let me go."
"Excuse me."
Violetta glanced at Rudger over her black yarn, and she then took her position.
"Are you going to fight?"
"We are already surrounded. You're not trying to tell me to run now, are you?"
Violetta said as if her self-esteem has been damaged.
Rudger shrugged his shoulders.
"I apologize if I sounded like that."
"That's okay."
As Violetta said so, she pulled out a black parasol from the inside of her skirt full of black frills. This is no ordinary parasol, it was obvious that it was made from a special material. Rudger realized that it was a self-defense weapon used by Violetta.
"You have some pretty interesting stuff."
"The hot sun is poison to a lady."
Rudger grabbed his wand and laid his back against Violetta.
"With James Moriarty, there is even Violetta who leads the women of the Black Rose. I didn't know when the meeting was going to end, so I was curious, but I was really lucky."
"You waited so long for this? Those words bring tears to my eyes."
"Are you pretending to be relaxed in this situation? I'll see if you can keep that attitude after your limbs are cut off."
The remnants of the Red Society drew out their weapons and slowly approached them. Rudger scrutinized their faces, but he did not soften his vigilance.
'The one who shot the crossbow is not here.'
The man was nowhere to be seen, he hid immediately after shooting.
'Are you trying to hide yourself in the crowd and save your life?'
It's not a behavior that a back alley bum would have. Even if he was a member of the Red Society, he shouldn't be at this level.
'Pro.'
A type of person who has a knack for killing people also known as contract assassin.
'It seems that the remnants of the Red Society raked up money and hired them.'
If they kill him and take back the lost business, they can make money again.
Rudger inhaled calmly.
A subtle smell was felt through the stagnant air of the narrow alleyway. Not the musty smell of a dark and humid alley, but a scent that tingled the tip of his nose.
'Is it diffusion? A drug that interferes with the operation of magical power.'
It's a type of drug that interferes with the magician's operation of magic and causes a major setback in the manifestation of magic techniques but brings no harm to the body.
The effect of diffusion incense is not to nullify the magic but the opposite, by increasing the conductivity of the magic too much, and instead of condensing the magic, it is spread around a wide area.
In other words, even if I try to make a fireball, the flame will spread around me, so the power cannot be concentrated and the caster suffers damage.
'It's used to make artifacts, so it's hard to obtain and it's expensive. Are they trying to use something like this?'
Sealing the attack magic is painful for a wizard. Of course, magic like [Silence of Fire] spreads more widely, so they didn't bring any firearms but the most important thing would be the contract assassin hiding among them.
'There is nothing more fatal against a professional than showing a momentary gap.'
They are just waiting for me to panic.
'Foolish. Even if you didn't use this expensive diffuser, it was difficult for me to use magic right now.'
In fact, Rudger could use magic however, there are disadvantages. The power is reduced and the casting time is quite long, but in the case of the casting time, using [source code] makes it meaningless.
'Even so, if there is an assassin, this drug must be quite deadly to wizards. Even deliberately putting up these meat shields……Is he cheating?'
Rudger, in a quiet voice, warned Violetta as she turned her back to him.
"It is a scent that interferes with the operation of magical power. For the most part, I recommend not using attack magic. It will be scattered before it is even completed."
"……Do you know anything about that?"
"The more you experience, the more you know."
"It's annoying. I don't like to use my body."
As she said so, she was prepared to face the enemy. Did she learn something like swordsmanship?
'Well, in such a difficult world, you have to learn anything.'
It was the same for Rudger. He was a wizard, but he didn't just use magic.
"The number is about thirty but there is a dangerous one hiding among them. There might be more than one person, maybe a team……about three."
"Are they the ones who shot the crossbow? Those who take money and kill people."
"Are you acquaintances?"
"Well, they're a little bit famous so I got an idea who it is. There are people from the southern desert. I know that they are very expensive, but the work is definitely done. It looks like they spent a lot of money to kill you."
"Exactly, me."
"I'm already on your boat, so I'm the same."
* * *
Oddly enough, she is very stubborn in this area. Rudger shrugged his shoulders and grinned. He didn't really like her or anything, though.
"So, Lady. Do you know how to dance?"
"No."
Realizing that they were not using magic, the raiders rushed in screaming. Each one of them was armed with an iron pipe or a knife. However, the look on Rudger's face as he greeted them was somber.
* * *
A harsh noise erupts from the alleyway, and a huge shadow flies in the sky and is thrown onto the garbage. The face of the remnant of the Red Society who had seen his comrade beaten by Rudger became pale.
"He can't use magic, so why can't you defeat him!"
A black parasol was swung towards the face of the man who spoke. His face is deeply depressed, and his broken teeth splatter while feet in black shoes slammed down hard on his slanted head.
"Die!"
The remnants of the Red Society rushed behind Violetta, who had just put one down and a long sword swung towards the back of her head.
Rudger cut in the middle and raised his staff to block it. The sword and the staff clashed but surprisingly, the black staff could not be cut.
"What kind of wand……!"
"It's a special product." Rudger said so and swung his wand gently. The upper body of the man who had been giving strength to the long sword was thrown forward.
"Huh?"
The moment the man panics and tries to step forward with his feet to stabilize himself the wand that Rudger was rotating slammed upward towards his lower jaw. The moment he was about to turn his head backwards, the parasol's ring-shaped handle popped out and hung around his neck to prevent him from dodging.
"Once more?"
"However much."
Rudger swung his staff as hard as he could.
After being hit in the forehead, he spins several laps in mid-air and falls to the floor. More than 10 people were already lying around him, foaming.
"You're a magician, why are you fighting so well!"
"They are just two opponents! One is a woman!"
"They are tired! Just push it a little bit more and it will be over!"
Seeing the members of the Red Society chatting among themselves, Violetta shrugged her shoulders and took a deep breath.
"I'm a little tired. Maybe it's the lack of exercise."
"After this is over, let's start with stamina."
"You give encouragement at times like this……"
"It's a pity that I can't have such a friendly personality."
"Huh. Moriarty looks really good."
"Actually, this is close to my main job."
As Rudger replied, he did not forget to watch the assassins.
'That man.'
The assassin from the south clenched his fists almost involuntarily, almost at Rudger's gaze.
'I've been waiting for a gap to open for a while, but he never allowed one so far.'
Fortunately, the female side had a few openings, but every time that happened, the man named James Moriarty blocked them.
'I've been vigilant here ever since the fight started.'
Normally, when such a large number of people do joint work, it would be impossible to not get distracted by it but Rudger was always on guard against him. Even in the midst of that fight, his eyes kept busy searching for something.
'That man……it's like us. No, maybe more. It's not the first time something like this has happened to me.'
I heard he killed a sorcerer and two quasi-knights so I spent a lot of money to use the diffusion incense that interferes with the operation of magic.
There must have been a mistake with the information so he had to level up his assassination target. Even if we receive 10 times or more of the existing down payment, it is not correct.
'But the contract has already been made.'
They said they were going to do it, so they had to do it. It was their absolute credo.
'Once the woman is tired, we focus on that part.'
The number of people still standing is quite large. If we wait a little longer in this state, we will have a chance but Rudger was suddenly behaving strangely.
'What are you going to do?'
He got rid of his cane and ran away with the woman.
'Damn!'
I didn't know he was going to run away at this moment. Several people have fallen and the encirclement is loose so there was enough way for Rudger to get out.
"Chase!"
* * *
"What are you doing now?!"
"If we keep fighting on the spot it's our loss."
Rudger grabbed Violetta and ran quickly into the alleyway.
"Take me down. I can run too."
"Aren't you tired already?"
"Aren't they going to catch up quickly anyway?"
"Be careful not to bite your tongue."
"Yes?"
Before Violetta could even ask anything Rudger used a mechanism mounted on his left wrist. With the wire launcher Rudger's body soared straight into the sky along with Violetta.
The assailants who were chasing from behind stared blankly at him.
"This! He's going to the roof!"
The assassins who were hiding from the crowd climbed the wall with agile movements. Two climbed up the crevice of the window frame and the wall, and the other ran up the iron stairs attached to the exterior wall of the building.
"They couldn't have gone too far……!"
The blade of the sword stick greeted the assassin who reached the roof first. The assassin, who had his forehead pierced, fell backwards down the alleyway without stepping on the roof properly.
"There are two left."
Rudger was waiting for this moment.