13 Popcorn Part 4 (2/2)
He was no longer the hero with the holy blade, and didn't need any of the responsibilities that came with it.
”Leaving any 'seeds' behind will just end up as nuisance.”
I will do what I want.
Rest as much as I want.
This is my life.
In this life, that will be my path.
Such had Riley decided upon.
”So that nothing annoying will happen.”
But...
There was one exception.
”So that I will never lose those who are dear to me.”
If it had been the past.
If it had been...
Then he would have shackled himself to a path with the least number of deaths for other people.
As the chosen hero, he could not take the weight of lives lightly.
But he lived as 'Riley' in this world.
So...
”So let me...”
Riley continued as he wished to lie on his soft bed at home.
”...Let me live an easy life.”
Riley swung his sword once more.
'How, just how?'
Tes was staring with bloodshot eyes, shocked by Riley's ability to defeat all of the assassins effortlessly.
Thankfully, although his hands and feet were paralysed like his subordinates, he could still move his eyes.
'How can he not have any hesitation in killing someone? Is that really...someone who's never fought with a sword for 19 years?'
Riley's blade didn't contain a single speck of hesitation.
It was hard to believe even after seeing it with both eyes.
'I don't...believe it...'
Tes may not have known it, but this was not the first time... Riley had cut another person.
If you included his 'past'...
In fact, if you were to compare between the two, the number of assassins he was cutting through like butter now was drastically lower than back then.
***
”Young master! Hah...where did you run off to?”
After the storm that was Lady Orelly's banishment, the Iphelleta mansion had gotten rowdy once more.
Riley who was having idle chit chat in Iris's room until now had suddenly disappeared.
'Did the assassins really kidnap young master? Was it to use him as hostage?'
There was no way he would be playing 'hide and seek' at this point in time.
Ian was speculating that Orelly, who was driven into a corner, had taken Riley away to plot a scheme.
Then he shook his head.
He did not want to consider the worst case scenario.
As Ian bit his lips, searching every nook and cranny of the mansion, a voice came from behind.
It was the maid Sera, who had been defending Iris's bedroom together with him.
”Ian-nim!”
”Sera.”
”Have you found young master?”
”I...have not.”
Ian who had replied looked at Sera intently.
Ian's eyes were asking, 'Have you found him?'
A shadow appeared on Sera's face as she read Ian's eyes.
”Neither have I.”
”Damn it!”
”He's not here. No matter where we look. Maybe young master is already...no longer in the mansion...”
”...”
It had happened even though they were on alert.
Ian's face crumbled at the fact that he had lost young master even though he had been right next to him.
It was the same for Sera.
She could not hide the guilt and helplessness, for being unable to defend Riley, on her face.
”Now is not the time to be glum.”
”Ian-nim?”
Ian turned his body and began to walk.
If he couldn't be found in the mansion, then there was no choice.
They will look outside the mansion.
”Ian-nim! Wait! What are you planning to do outside the mansion? They were assassins! They are the elite assassins who managed to make the Tes Trade Guild which was nameless...into the famous guild everyone knows, in just 30 years! Assassins of such skill...would never leave any evidence behind of kidnapping! And it is night time. If you were to go out without preparation...”
”Then...”
Sera's voice which was gaining volume was cut short.
It was because Ian turned his raging face at her.
”Are we supposed to wait with thumbs up our asses?!”
Ian roared at her.
Sera's shoulders flinched at the old man whose face resembled that of a demon.
”...”
”Kuk...I apologise. That, was unlike me.”
'I cannot be the only one who is mad.'
Ian apologised for his slip of the tongue.
His fist had been shaking for a long time.
”No. I understand.”
Just like Ian.
Sera who had been biting her lip, angry at the fact that she could not do anything, realised something and called Ian with both her eyes wide.
”Wait...Ian-nim.”
”...?”
Ian looked at Sera with a question mark above his head.
What went through her mind was how the kitchen looked.
”There was something...which bothered me in the kitchen.”
”Something that bothered you?”
”I overlooked it before, but, the crate filled with corn...was open. Only that box, nothing else.”
”Just the corn crate?”
Ian's brows twisted.
Corn?
Why corn?
”What about it?”
”Oh yes, Ian-nim was not here.”
Just before, Riley had talked about 'corn' in Iris's bedroom.
'It's something like a snack... You make it with some butter and corn.'
He had said those nonchalant words which did not suit the serious situation.
”I guess it's a woman's intuition? We should search there again!”
Reporting all that had happened before, Sera began to urge Ian to search the kitchen once more.
”Maybe we might find some evidence for young master's disappeara-...”
”What is this?”
”...?!”
”...?!”
Both Ian and Sera flinched.
”Riley disappeared?”
Behind them...stood Count Stein and his two sons