Chapter 161
What had he thought when he first wielded a sword as an executioner in the underworld?
He couldn’t remember clearly.
It hadn’t been a particularly memorable moment for Karha.
It wasn’t much different from facing monsters in the Black Forest.
The underworld was teeming with trash worse than monsters.
Karha worked diligently, feeling like a cleaner.
He also liked that he could gain real combat experience against humans.
But after Mother died, and even Cheshire disappeared.
He thought it was fortunate that he was an executioner.
Because when the pain and hardship made him want to die, he didn’t know what else to do.
At least swinging a sword mindlessly made it a little less agonizing.
By mechanically completing the assigned tasks, he forgot the pain, if only slightly.
And now.
“……”
He thought it was fortunate that he’d transformed into an adult while working as an executioner.
In the form of a child, he couldn’t have made a proper threat.
Karha stared at the inn where the Skaya royal party was staying.
It was the closest to the underworld and somewhat decent.
But it was woefully inadequate for Cheshire to stay in.
Karha frowned faintly.
Was Cheshire really there?
Did she hate returning to the Basilians so much that she’d mingle with the Skaya royals in such a shabby place?
The little baby had clearly loved them the most.
Why had she come to hate the Basilians so much?
It wasn’t rational thinking.
Even knowing he was just like the mad Kierne, Karha kept having dark thoughts.
It was when he slowly blinked, letting the droplets clinging to his damp eyelashes fall.
Figures emerged stealthily from the darkness, surrounding Karha.
Karha stood still, gazing straight ahead.
A man stood in front of the darkened inn, arms crossed.
He greeted Karha with a feigned familiarity.
“Executioner.”
Itar Skaya was someone who had once frequented the underworld diligently.
Chasing after the seductress Lichesia, he’d come and gone like it was his own home, so he knew the ways of the underworld well.
Thus, he recognized Karha’s identity at a glance.
“Why would an executioner from the underworld come here?”
Itar scanned Karha up and down, pretending to be relaxed.
From his demeanor, Karha gained certainty.
The certainty that the Skaya royal family had Cheshire with them.
Otherwise, there’d be no reason to be on guard enough to be awake at dawn.
Normally, the mercenary guards would watch the inn all night, and the crown prince would simply sleep comfortably in his room.
“Cheshire Basilian.”
As Karha uttered the name curtly, Itar’s eyes wavered faintly.
“Do you have her?”
To the question laced with conviction, Itar smiled, hiding his anxiety.
“Even if I say no, it won’t do any good. They say the master of the underworld sees and hears everything—turns out it’s true.”
It was the intelligence network the Basilians had built over generations ruling the underworld.
Even the Supreme Sun Emperor of Palen was ensnared in that web-like network, so the movements of the Skaya kingdom were crystal clear.
If anything, this time they’d realized it a bit late for some reason.
Normally, they would have known the moment Cheshire appeared in the Skaya palace.
Itar, who readily admitted to having Cheshire, drew his sword from his waist.
It was a curved blade commonly used in the southern coastal regions, especially in the Skaya kingdom.
“Why is an executioner seeking a child? If there’s no convincing reason, I can’t accept it.”
“Count Basilian made a request to the master.”
“Ha! Since when does he take requests? That’s quite the surprise.”
In reality, meeting him was impossible, so Itar could only mock like that.
But even in his sarcasm, Itar couldn’t hide his greed.
“What on earth did Count Basilian do to persuade the master?”
“……”
“I don’t know what price Count Basilian paid, but I can offer the same—no, even more.”
Itar proposed to the silent Karha.
“Arrange a meeting with the master. If he takes my request instead of Count Basilian’s, it’ll be a great benefit to both of us.”
There was no reason to exchange more words.
Since he had no intention of handing her over willingly, it had to be resolved by force.
Karha drew two swords.
The blades, drawn in a cross, gleamed eerily in the moonlight.
Seeing the swords renowned as the finest under heaven, Itar narrowed his eyes slyly.
The moment their gazes clashed.
The two men charged at each other.
Clang!
The blades collided.
Sparks flew with the sharp metallic ring.
Attacks and defenses followed at a speed hard to track with the eye.
It was like two beasts entangled in a frenzy.
However, no matter how skilled Itar was in swordsmanship.
Karha was a Basilian.
Born with talent more dazzling than anyone’s, trained with a sword from birth, and now in an adult body with no physical disadvantages.
Itar was no match for Karha.
The fight, which seemed evenly matched at first glance, soon tilted in Karha’s favor.
In the moment Itar faltered under the dual-wield assault, Karha didn’t miss the opening.
Blocking with one sword, he thrust the other into the exposed side.
Itar dodged by a hair’s breadth, but his clothes were slashed long.
The fabric tore cleanly as if cut by scissors, flapping to reveal bare skin.
The night air touched his flesh chillingly.
Itar let out a short laugh.
“You’re quite skilled.”
Karha twisted his lips at the sight of him feigning composure to the end.
Without replying, he swung his sword again.
Under the rapid onslaught, Itar was pushed back completely.
Sensing his defeat, Itar blew a short, sharp whistle.
Then the watching mercenaries charged in unison.
With so many piling on at once, Karha was naturally forced away from Itar.
Itar commanded in a loud voice.
“The rest, follow me! We’re moving immediately.”
The plan was to hold Karha back while escaping with Cheshire.
As Karha dodged an arrow shot by a mercenary, he drew a dagger from his waist and threw it.
But Karha’s dagger stopped in mid-air.
There was a mage among the mercenaries Itar had hired.
Seeing Karha slightly flustered, Itar laughed heartily.
“I learned a good lesson after that mess in Palen last time.”
The moment the mage who blocked the dagger prepared to cast an attack spell at Karha.
“Who said you could?”
With an elegant voice, magic flared.
A man in the same black leather outfit as Karha appeared from the air.
The slender man extended his arm straight.
The magic split into dozens of strands, shooting like arrows.
The mage trying to attack Karha blocked the arrow rain but ultimately got injured.
The man passed indifferently by the mage collapsing while spitting blood and stood beside Karha.
Karha frowned.
“Why are you here? Unnecessarily.”
He could have handled it without Isuel’s help.
Isuel shot back immediately.
“You think I came to help you? They said our sibling is here.”
His bright red eyes glared at the inn, now fully lit amid the untimely chaos.
“…She’s inside the inn, right.”
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The golden flash extending from Isuel blew off the inn’s roof.
Those staying on the top floor suddenly faced the night sky.
“Aaaah!”
Isuel levitated himself with magic and scrutinized the people screaming and fleeing one by one.
The young princess of Skaya was visible.
Her face pale blue, she was shouting.
“Cheshire! Cheshire Basilian!”
Watching the child frantically searching for Cheshire, Isuel bit his lower lip.
Cheshire wasn’t in the inn.
“…What the hell.”
This makes it seem like she’s really running away to avoid us.
Swallowing the low whisper, he tasted the metallic tang of blood.
He’d bitten his lip too hard without realizing.
It was as Isuel licked his blood-tasting lips.
“Wait a minute!”
A small man came running breathlessly.
The man dashing over, flapping his ears and tail—the symbols of a half-beastkin—was a familiar face.
“I, I’m Hata. The hat shop……”
Hata, his face flushed red, gasped at the chaotic scene.
Shrinking under the murderous glares focused on him, he still managed to state his business.
“Um, Lady Lichesia says she wants to talk.”
Hata rolled his eyes anxiously and added the most important part.
“Lady Cheshire is with her too.”
