Act 18

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“All of the mission’s bonus is yours. After all, I didn’t manage to accomplish anything.”

After the mission in the slums had ended, just before entering the royal palace, Linne stopped in her tracks and spoke with difficulty.

Julian turned his head to look at Linne’s face.

Their eyes met, but it was impossible to read any emotion on his face. As always, a smile was perched atop his narrowed eyes.

“Don’t say such things, Miss Linne. We’re fellow disciples, aren’t we?”

“I don’t like you.”

Linne said it outright.

There were many who disliked Julian, but few would openly express it.

Regardless of the overt hostility, Julian remained unchanged.

“That’s regrettable. We’re under the same master, after all. Huhu.”

“Just because we served the same master for a while doesn’t mean we’re the same. The master said that with power comes responsibility. But the power you wield carries no responsibility. Wouldn’t it be better if you exercised some restraint now?”

Remembering the overwhelming force shown against the demon just moments ago, Linne recalled her longstanding grievances.

Why act against the master’s teachings? Why desire the master’s death?

“Restraint is a virtue for cowards only.”

“Does that mean, you’re calling our master a coward?”

Insulting the master was intolerable.

Linne clenched her fists.

Her lips were bitten in rising anger, whether Julian knew she was angry or not, he casually said,

“Miss Linne, you really don’t understand the world.”

“What did you say?”

“Some people cannot afford to live a life of restraint.”

“That’s nonsense…”

Before she could finish, Julian had already made the first move.

“Anyway, you worked hard today. So, I’ll take this mission’s share.”

With a short laugh, Julian began walking toward the royal palace.

Watching his receding back, Linne frowned.

“A life that cannot afford restraint…”

It was a statement she couldn’t understand at all, considering the teachings of their master.

Linne’s mind grew heavy.

Indeed, he was someone she could neither understand nor wished to.

“Are you heading back?”

At that moment, she turned towards the voice asking her.

A man in a carriage was looking at her.

She smiled faintly at the familiar face.

“Uncle Ergen.”

Ergen Londebell

A member of the same Londebell family as herself, her father’s brother.

Greeted warmly by him, the carriage door opened.

“If you’re heading back to the mansion, let me give you a ride. Come on.”

“No, I’ll go alone…”

“No need to refuse.”

Refusing here would also be a nuisance.

Linne boarded the carriage.

As she quietly instructed the coachman, the carriage slowly began to move.

“Are you returning from completing a task for Sir Hayden?”

“Yes.”

“Did it go well?”

At the moment she was about to answer ‘yes’ to Ergen’s question, she suddenly realized that she had done nothing on this mission. 

Even though it had ended well, it was embarrassing to simply agree positively.

“So-so.”

“That’s good to hear. Sir Hayden must have recognized your talent well. But, don’t overdo it.”

Ergen looked at Linne with a worried face.

“Sorry, it seems I’m needlessly nagging you.”

“Not at all, uncle.”

“But, the man you were with earlier… Don’t tell me it was Sir Julian?”

At the mention of that name, Linne’s face contorted momentarily before she regained her composure.

“Yes.”

“Recently, his actions have been causing the Senate a lot of anxiety. There are rumors that he submitted a review to the secretariat to pressure the Senate.”

It was hard to find anyone among the empire’s nobility who wasn’t interested in ‘Julian’.

It wasn’t strange for Ergen, a nobleman, to have such questions.

The dog of the royal family, infamous for all sorts of misdeeds.

His rise and fall were of interest to those in power, and many wanted to gossip about him.

Above all, being a noble yet a dog of the royal family, it was inevitable that he would attract attention.

“Putting pressure on the nobility’s Senate, despite being a noble himself. He’s an incomprehensible man.”

“Indeed.”

“Still, what you must be most cautious about is Julian himself.”

Ergen spoke softly, then took Linne’s hand and continued in a voice laden with concern.

“For whatever reason, do not get close to him. That man is far too dangerous. He’s the sword of the royal family who lacks any affection, not considering human relationships at all. A person the nobility should avoid.”

“Yes. I understand, uncle.”

“But, I do have some doubts.”

“Yes?”

“Why would Sir Hayden expel him, despite the rumors of his exceptional skills?”

Ergen mused with a hint of mockery in his voice.

“One might start to think he’s not as great a swordsman as the rumors suggest.”

“That’s…”

“Hm?”

“Not true.”

Linne flatly denied it.

A perfect sword path.

Calmness even in urgent situations.

The distribution of power was not used frivolously but was measured and restrained.

It was quite similar to the swordsmanship she idealized.

“Regardless of anything else, his swordsmanship is genuine. The master must have recognized it too and took him as a disciple.”

The insight to precisely strike the vital points of a demon without using aura, and the physical ability to achieve it.

Even though it was done ‘for fun,’ if one only looks at the ‘phenomenon,’ he had indeed slain a demon without using mana.

“He is strong.”

Much more than her.

She wanted to say more, but her pride stopped her.

***

“What exactly happened?”

After completing the mission in the slums,

I was reporting to Odwin, the leader. 

What happened, indeed?

A myriad of thoughts flashed through my mind. 

Did I make a mistake, perhaps? 

Come to think of it, Odwin once felt doubtful just from the way I spoke. 

“What are you talking about?”

“Weren’t you sent to the slum area to verify the suspicion of a demon appearance?”

“That’s correct, and it turned out to be true.”

“But why did a criminal come to confess his crimes? And he mentioned your name while doing so.”

Initially, I couldn’t grasp what Odwin was talking about. 

However, after a moment of thought, I belatedly remembered encountering ‘Bayden’ in the slums. I had indeed told him to confess.

But to think he would actually confess so readily?

“He must have realized his crimes belatedly. He must have repented and decided to confess. I don’t know why my name came up there.”

Odwin gave me a doubtful look, but I ignored it. I brushed it off like that. 

Anyway, Odwin or the royal family would handle the aftermath.

Odwin, who had been looking at me, sighed once and then slightly pushed a piece of paper towards me. 

Another mission? This thought came to my mind, but it seemed not to be the case from the letters written at the top.

“It’s your mission compensation. Including the bonus for the two missions you’ve recently completed.”

Mission compensation.

In other words, my salary.

Unable to close my mouth after scanning the document detailing my salary, I was astounded.

“…11,000 Nar?”

The currency used in the Adratan Empire is ‘Nar.’ According to a website that briefly summarized the setting of “Let’s Kill the Demon Lord,” ‘Nar’ is said to have a value similar to 

‘dollars’ on Earth.

So, 15,000 Nar means

‘My salary is 15 million won?’

Upon closer inspection, the part labeled ‘Closed Eye Salary’ didn’t have much amount written.

The reason for such a high salary was due to the method of calculating the bonus. 

It was because of the two missions I had recently completed.

Moreover, Linne had given up her share of this mission to me.

“That’s impressive.”

I muttered to myself unconsciously at the astonishing salary.

Odwin nodded.

“Right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s less than usual. After all, you’ve had many days off this month due to injuries.”

I chuckled inwardly at her subsequent words.

Does this mean I usually receive more than this?

Julian was no ordinary person.

‘Royal family’s dog’ wasn’t a title anyone could hold.

After all, why would it be called a ‘royal exclusive agency’ for nothing?

The reason the Adratan Empire has remained intact until now is thanks to the overwhelming power of the royal family.

Considering that the Closed Eyes is a royal exclusive agency, it would be impossible to receive a low salary for the sake of the royal family’s reputation.

“Hm?”

While reading the salary statement, I suddenly noticed a section scribbled with a number along with a minus sign.

There, deductions attached to the salary were written.

[- Estate management fee]

[- Servants’ salaries]

Well, okay, I can understand that.

It wasn’t a huge amount.

[- Membership maintenance fee for the Imperial Art Association]

[- Subscription fee for the magazine, The Knights]

Hmm.

Yeah, I could understand up to this point.

I knew Julian liked art pieces and spent money on them.

But the subscription fee was too expensive.

[- Installment for ‘Fiancée’ porcelain from Donatien Atrium]

[- Installment for ‘Id Cosmos’ by the renowned artist Corusius]

What kind of madness is this?

Artists whose names would be recognized by any citizen of the empire.

The pieces purchased from their atriums were indeed exorbitantly priced.

As a result, the deduction section on the salary statement was filled with an absurdly high number.

[Net payment = 900 Nar]

Ultimately, what fell to me was 900 Nar.

Considering Julian’s noble status, an absurdly small amount remained.

‘Did this guy… save any money?’

Closing my eyes for a moment, the scene of the mansion filled with unnecessary antiques came to mind.

Living rooms and bedrooms plastered with artworks, and even the library.

‘Would he, this bastard.’

Suddenly, my head began to spin.

I was supposed to pick up the ‘moonstone’ I had ordered from the jeweler soon, but without money, that would be impossible.

‘I should borrow money from someone…’

No, ‘Julian’ wouldn’t do such a thing.

He would rather take on another mission or two to secure the funds.

“Sir Odwin.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any more missions coming in?”

A look of surprise appeared in Odwin’s eyes.

“It’s the first time you’ve initiated such a conversation. 

Unfortunately, there are none.”

At his reply, I sighed internally.

Julian Crypart Frason, the former disciple of the Sword Saint. 

The empire’s smiling executioner, a ghost wearing a branding iron.

Julian, a man draped in various renowns, including infamy, never imagined that his path would be blocked by such materialistic reasons.

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