At the wizard's words, Osian unclasped his arms.
It was less of a surprise and more of what was to come.
‘I see. It doesn't make sense that such a large group of talented people, hired by different people, would not have a fight.’
Even inexperienced fixers and mercenaries have to deal with each other, and I can't believe they're like that.
Especially since the pay for this job was by no means small.
Even Delan has not yet properly valued the reward given to Osian alone.
His personality would never allow him to skimp on money, and with the Goldiron family's resources, it would be life-changing.
Osian wasn't here for the money, but others were, especially the wizards, whose desire was more intense.
Mages can make a fortune just doing research.
Mages' own workshops, experiments, potions, reagents, ether water, spellbooks and so on.The list of expensive materials can go on and on so wizards are always in need of funds.
While a mage of their caliber shouldn't be short of money, more is always better.
‘You can't hire a 4-star wizard for a pittance, so they probably have other strings attached.’
Most likely, he'd have a sponsor who would provide periodic funding.
‘But aside from that, I don't plan on ducking a challenge.’
Osian sized up the distance between them.
If they crossed the line one more time, he was prepared to draw his sword at that moment, though it would be best to move on without a fight.
'That would be impossible.’
Even if Osian didn't mind, there was a good chance that the other side didn't.
He didn't want to smile and tell them to get along.
If they want to argue, that's fine.
Show me your skills and that's it.
As Osian made that decision in his mind, the mage's argument continued.
"Hey, Fixer. Don't pretend you didn't hear me."
A glare of mockery and contempt.
Considering that mages were basically treated like nobles, it was not surprising that they would display such arrogance.
Naturally, the mage's condescending tone was not aimed solely at Osian.
"To have a bunch of baseless mutant monsters in a place like this," he said, "makes us look like a bunch of lowlifes."
Mutant monsters was a derogatory term for mutants.
"What?!"
"How dare you."
The mutants from [Supreme] were outraged.
In the past, mutants had been discriminated against for being different, but not in Tirna.
Thanks to their exceptional abilities and uncommon powers, they were treated as one class.
As a result, there was a growing trend among the mutants to refer to themselves as the New Kind, those who were more evolved than the current human race, that's why the organization was named the Supreme.
Better, more superior beings.
It was this pride that allowed them to band together in solidarity but here, the wizard has spoken words that negate that pride head-on.
The mutants burst into life and turned on the wizards.
‘Well, well.’
The wizards, with their bickering, seemed to believe they were the best.
I can understand that.
It takes a tremendous amount of talent to be a mage.
Manipulating mana is fundamental, and having the knowledge and brains to organize it is essential.
Even nobles would not look down on you if you achieved 4-star status.
But would his skill match his arrogance?
Osian's hand touched the sword at his waist.
The mages were raising their energies, and the mutants were manifesting their powers.
They were about to make a scene before he could even begin.
"That's enough. No disturbances in the mansion."
A deep voice echoes through the hall.
Up the stairs to the second floor, where the hall is in full view, a man in his sixties, dressed in an immaculate tuxedo, looked down.
"Mr. Dustin!"
Dustin Kruger, Dyke's partner and assistant.
With a goatee-like mustache and a sharp charisma that belied his thin, frail features, he stared at David with a pitying gaze.
"Master David. What do you think you're doing, trying to cause a disturbance in the mansion while Mr. Dyke is ill?"
"Well, I've sent for a man for my father in my own way-what's wrong with that!"
David protested indignantly.
"On the contrary, why is it that you, Mr. Dustin, are allowing all those baseless rascals that my brothers have summoned to wander around the manor, while you keep us, his children, from even seeing him?"
"Because you never know when a ghost might appear out of nowhere, and you have to be as careful as possible."
David taunted Dustin, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
"The ghost is an excuse, aren't you actually suspecting that one of his children is secretly trying to murder him?"
Osian didn't expect the words to come out of my mouth but Dustin's response was even more poignant.
"Yes. Of course, Master David is no exception."
Do you dare to doubt us, our father's children?
The answer to that question was a resounding yes.
David's face turned red and flushed from the blow.
Osian clicked his tongue as he watched.
‘If it was Delan, he wouldn't have reacted like that in the first place.’
How could he run a business and manage people if he couldn't hide his anger like that?
As the eldest son, Osian expected him to be a bit of a big shot, but David was just a big old kid.
"What about you? Are you a good boy?"
"What does that mean?"
"I mean, you're not completely innocent, are you trying to get us into trouble on purpose, and then blame us?"
Dustin was Duke's assistant, always by his side.
In other words, no matter what he did, he would be labeled number two for the rest of his life.
David's theory was that he was jealous of Dyke and because he was number two, he had ordered the poisoning.
That's why he purposely kept everyone else out.
"In fact, he could have woken up any time now, but you wouldn't let him."
Dustin shook his head with a small sigh at his eldest son's triumphant tone.
"In any case, I suggest you wait in the safe room, in case something happens at any moment."
David was just about to lash out when the butler told him to back away, not even bothering to respond.
The lights that illuminated the mansion as if it were daylight, even in the middle of the night, suddenly went out.
Darkness came at the crack of dawn.
As bright as it had been, the sudden darkness was dull enough to make it impossible to see.
"Kaaaaaah!"
At the same time, a tearing scream echoed from somewhere.
"Screams?"
"Youngest?!"
The owner of the scream was Maria, the youngest.
Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, there was someone moving, and it was Osian.
Osian immediately drew his sword in his hand and ran towards the source of the screams.
His steps were as fast as the wind and barely made a sound.
"Eh, eh?"
"We're coming!"
However, everyone gathered here is quite formidable.
As soon as they saw that Osian was moving, they immediately followed suit.
The first to move were two mutants with physical enhancement abilities.
They had the advantage of being able to react faster than anyone else, so they were going to chase after Osian and take him down.
But,
"What, what?!"
"We're not closing the distance!"
Osian's backside was clearly visible in the darkness.
Instead of getting closer, it was getting further away.
They're activating their abilities and chasing after him, but they can't catch up?
Could it be that he's also an enhancement mutant, but with a higher rank than them?
Regardless of whether or not the other party had any such illusions, Osian ran through the endless corridors of the mansion.
He'd heard it was a villa, but it took him a while to realize how big it was.
When he finally reached his destination, he saw Maria Goldiron slumped down, Elise standing guard over her and the Reaper, clad in black robes, wielding a scythe.
‘Reaper?’
A monster? Or something else?
Whatever it was, it didn't matter. Judging from the way Elise was confronting him, it looked like it was the ghost from before.
"Get out of the way."
Hearing Osian's words, Elise peeked her head out from behind her bony mask and stepped aside.
The two skeletons on either side of her naturally stopped fighting and made way.
Osian's sword, which had broken through the gap, was filled with starlight.
[Starlight Sword]
A flame of white and azure blended together like a bonfire, lighting up the darkness.
The starlight swung in a pure white trajectory, aiming for the Reaper's throat.
But to its surprise, the Reaper saw Osian's sword and quickly stepped backward, knocking it off course.
‘Dodging this?’
Osian stared at the reaper in surprise.
Even if it was a weak attack with Maria and Elise nearby, he didn't expect it to dodge.
Moreover, the move he had just made while dodging was quite nimble.
‘Looks like they're not as tough as I thought.’
Ossian first checked Maria and Elise's condition.
They were unharmed.
Even Maria hadn't been caught off guard by the Reaper's appearance.
In the meantime, Elise had summoned a skeleton through command to protect her.
"You......."
Elise's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the starlight sword in Osian's hand.
She hadn't seen Osian use the Starlight Sword before, so this was her first time witnessing such an unbelievable miracle.
"Wow."
Elise wasn't the only one mesmerized by the starlight.
Maria stared at the pure white sword in Osian's hand as if mesmerized by something.
The sight of Osian confronting the Reaper like a beacon in the darkness was a masterpiece in itself.
Once he was sure they were safe, Osian turned his gaze to the enemy before him.
A skeleton clad in long white robes, with a large scythe in his hand, he literally took on the form of the Grim Reaper.
'The marks in the garden, the ghostly figure people say they saw. It must be him.’
Osian hadn't seen a skeletal monster with a scythe in the game before, so it was a bit refreshing.
Whatever it is, it's a monster that needs to be defeated in order to solve the quest.
'I'll have to see the pattern and analyze it before I fight it, but I've got people chasing me, so I'll make it quick.’
His starlight sword bursts into flames, extending its length by more than one and a half times.
I'll finish it with one strike.
With that thought, Osian swung his sword.
Seeing that, the Reaper fled backwards in panic.
‘You're going to run away from here?’
Osian immediately chased after the Reaper.
The fact that it was scared meant that his attack was working and just as he was about to plunge the Starlight Sword into its back.
[Wait, wait! Can you calm down?!]
The Reaper shouted in an urgent voice.