When told that Grace Seeker was in danger, Osian asked.
"What do you mean? In danger?"
"Big sis was badly injured in this fight."
Malina's explanation made even less sense.
'Was the fight with Dead Dagger more intense than expected?'
Grace Seeker is quite skilled. It's hard to believe she was injured, but at the same time, there's no telling what kind of skilled individuals might be hiding in this city, so such things weren't unusual.
Besides, since the opponent was Dead Dagger, Grace wouldn't have come out unscathed. But there was no particular reason for Malina to come looking for him saying that big sis was in danger.
After all, Osian had absolutely no responsibility for Grace's injuries.
"So, what does that have to do with me?"
"Big sis said she wants to see you. She said she has something important to tell you.""If she has something to say, tell her to come find me herself."
Osian saw no reason to go meet her. Malina knew this too, so she bit her lip slightly, but then recalled the advice her big sister had given her and spoke those words.
"She says she found a clue related to your power."
"..."
That was something even Osian couldn't ignore. Perhaps Grace had anticipated this reaction and prepared it as a last resort.
"Interesting."
This was clearly bait that would force him to bite. Even Osian couldn't be stubborn when it came to matters related to the knight's power. It was a kind of destiny that he would eventually have to fulfill.
"Your big sister used her head well."
"So, are you going?"
"Yes. Since it's come up, I'll get ready and go right away."
Malina breathed a sigh of relief at those words. But she also thought, if he was going to come anyway, couldn't he have just agreed without making a fuss.
While Osian went to prepare, Malina naturally melted into the shadows. Standing still and waiting was difficult for her, who used thief's techniques. It was a kind of habit.
She had betrayed her organization and joined the Blood Brotherhood, which was designated as a red terrorist group. Given her nature, her information wasn't as well-known compared to other brotherhood members, but she still had to be careful.
Above all, when she used this technique, how should I put it, entering the shadows made her feel at ease. It felt like being embraced in a warm, cozy mother's bosom. Her memories of her mother were so distant that they were now not just faint but almost nonexistent. Nevertheless, the primordial comfort provided by the shadows could only be described that way.
Although she was submerged in shadows, it wasn't difficult to grasp the outside situation. In fact, she could observe her surroundings with much clearer senses than when looking around with the naked eye.
What caught Malina's attention most were the people following Osian.
'The Order of Knights, was it?'
Even though the scene was beyond the wall, Malina, hidden in the shadows, could see everything they were doing.
"Muscles! Muscles! Muscles!"
"One more set! Argghhh!"
"Today the muscles are eating well!"
Malina's expression changed strangely when she saw the knights training with heavy weights while exposing their sweaty upper bodies.
'What kind of knights are these?'
Whether their brains were full of nothing but muscles, they were shouting "muscles" like madmen while doing hard training. But looking at them, it was hard to tell if this was training or physical torture.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
"What are you doing! Harder! Use every ounce of strength you have!"
As Jonathan, with his massive muscles, took a posing stance, his companions around him beat Jonathan's body with iron clubs as if they were doing laundry.
Even to Malina, their muscles clearly weren't built casually. When such people were seriously swinging iron clubs at each other, she was worried someone might die.
But Jonathan, receiving the club massage, kept saying things like hit harder, or that it feels good today. Sometimes he even made sounds full of pleasure.
As someone who didn't know much about knights, Malina could only think, 'Ugh. That's a knight?'
"Hahaha! That's the end of today's morning training! Got a good sweat out!"
"Everyone, get ready! It's time to go experience real combat!"
It was surprising that what looked like a life-threatening process was called training, and additionally surprising that they were heading out for real combat.
Even though they seemed simple, their skills were real. For such people to experience real combat, what kind of pit would they have to throw themselves into?
'Somehow, this seems more serious than when I trained at Dead Dagger.'
Is becoming a knight only possible after going through a process like tempering iron in a furnace? As Malina was seriously contemplating this, Osian, having finished his preparations, came out.
Malina, still hidden in the shadows, quietly observed Osian. Osian came to where she had been just moments ago, looked around, and then stared directly at the shadow where Malina was hiding.
"What are you doing? I'm ready, so let's go."
"...Alright."
Malina was startled inside, but didn't show it as she emerged from the shadows. Of course, she still wondered how he had found the space where she was hiding.
'I thought I hid properly this time so I wouldn't be detected.'
She had guessed that Osian's unusually developed senses only activated when he was in danger. So she thought he wouldn't find her if she just stayed hidden quietly, but Osian noticed the space where Malina was hiding very naturally.
This meant that Osian's senses had become even sharper than before. Sharp enough to detect her shadow despite her harboring no hostility.
Yes. Osian had become stronger since the battle in District 38. Whether he was aware of it or not, Malina sincerely prayed that she would never have to oppose him in the future.
The place Malina brought Osian to was a shabby area in District 32. It was a place where vagrants mainly stayed, away from people's gazes.
"Unexpected."
"What is?"
"Isn't your Blood Brotherhood being hunted with burning eyes throughout the city?"
In fact, they had the highest bounty on them. That's why Osian thought if the Blood Brotherhood was hiding, it would be at least in the 40s district.
But District 32?
'Moreover, District 32 is where artifacts were discovered before, so people should still be frequenting it.'
This was a fact well known to Osian, who had explored the artifacts here himself. Because people had flocked to District 32 thinking there might be other artifacts elsewhere since one had been discovered, the place was bustling with people like never before.
Who would have thought the Blood Brotherhood would be hiding in such a place with so many eyes watching?
"To hide a tree, you put it in the forest."
"I see. So gathering in a place with so many people actually makes it harder to find."
"That's part of it, but our residence isn't fixed in the first place. This is just one of many."
Osian nodded. Even though they had invited him for help, Osian was still an outsider. It was premature to reveal the location of the hideout, which could be considered confidential.
"This way. Follow me carefully."
As they entered the alley, the crowd on the street abruptly ended as if it were an illusion. No, it was strangely deserted. Usually, even in such alleys, when there are many people around, there should at least be vagrants looking for scraps.
"You've set up some kind of formation?"
"That's right. As perceptive as ever. It's one of my techniques."
Malina, who uses thief's techniques, can forcibly disrupt others' perceptions. That's why she used her ability at each entrance to this path, preventing people from approaching.
People wouldn't recognize this alleyway even when looking at it, judging that there's no path and not coming here.
How far had they gone inside like this? A shabby house, indistinguishable from surrounding houses, came into view.
"Here it is."
"I see."
Osian naturally opened the door handle and went inside.
Malina watched Osian's actions with bewilderment.
"Wait. It's weird for me to say this, but aren't you worried?"
"Worried about what?"
"Well, we are the Blood Brotherhood. And until recently, we were fighting each other."
Malina felt silly saying it herself, but at the same time, she determined that this was something she needed to address now or it would be difficult later.
"And is it okay for you to come so readily to a place that might be a trap and even take the lead?"
"It doesn't matter. You invited me, and I accepted the invitation."
Osian added to the flabbergasted Malina:
"And even if this is a trap, it doesn't matter."
As he uttered those words, Osian's eyes flashed sharper than any blade.
"I'll just cut down everything."
"..."
Malina unconsciously felt goosebumps on her neck and massaged it with her hand. For someone who had spent her life stabbing daggers into the napes of others, getting chills like this was truly rare.
Osian went in, and Malina followed. The structure of the house was simple. There was a central space that could be called a large room, and each room adjacent to it had one separate room.
Naturally, going inside led to the central living room, where people were gathered.
Osian wasn't particularly surprised as he had already sensed the presence emanating from inside. However, the brotherhood members waiting inside were different.
"You, you bastard!"
The first to react intensely to Osian was Daver, who jumped up from where he had been lounging on the sofa.
The mage of burning, Daver.
He had the nasty habit of burning his opponents alive and was one of the first brotherhood members to fight Osian. He was also the one who lost to Osian, having lost one of his previously intact arms, and fled.
"Why are you here?!"
-Pzzzt!
A powerful current began to flow from Daver's Tesla arms. Seeing this, Malina stepped forward.
"Daver. Calm down. He's here today as Big Sis's guest."
"Calm down? Do I look calm? Because of that bastard, one of my arms was cut off!"
Daver had replaced his other arm with a prosthetic after fighting Osian. The new prosthetic might seem slightly inferior to the Tesla arm, but its performance didn't appear to be significantly worse.
"You got a good replacement, so you should be thanking me."
When Osian added those words, Daver frowned inside his gas mask. As a fearsome killing intent emanated from his body, Malina said to Daver:
"Are you thinking of causing trouble for Big Sis's guest?"
"...No matter what, this is too much. You're not planning to ask that bastard for help, are you?"
Daver didn't lower his aura, as if this was something he couldn't yield on. Osian watched that behavior closely and revealed the sword at his waist.
"I don't avoid fights that come to me. However, if you're going to attack, be prepared to lose your head, not just your arm."
Other brotherhood members also reacted to that provocative tone.
"Oh. The man who messed with our youngest has quite the audacity."
There was a slithering sound. Unlike the other brotherhood members, it was the sound of the only one who had been attached to the ceiling.
What covered its entire body were beautiful scales that seemed like a mixture of green, jade, and blue colors. Plus the reverse-jointed legs, a long tail, and a head similar to that of a reptile.
"A lizardman?"
It was a lizardman, one of the subspecies commonly encountered in swamps or wetlands. However, considering that normal lizardmen have rough and turbid scales, this one's scales were unusually unique. Should I say they shined beautifully like a mix of all kinds of jewels? Moreover, it moved so stealthily that there wasn't even a sound when it brushed against the air.
The Blood Brotherhood's seventh member, lizardman hybrid, Krollakia, revealed his dense teeth with an amused expression and hissed a laugh.
"Even so, showing such audacity in the middle of enemy territory. Don't you value your life? Bravado isn't good."
"Would you like to find out?"
"Whoa, whoa. I was just making a suggestion."
Krollakia backed off, raising both hands as if making excuses. Osian's gaze shifted from Krollakia to the other brotherhood members.
Indeed, true to their designation as a red terrorist organization by Tirna, the Blood Brotherhood consisted of remarkably skilled individuals.
The three who were watching this situation unfold were no exception.
"Lots of interesting fellows here."
Osian curled up the corners of his mouth as if genuinely enjoying himself.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!