How the Shadow of the Marquis Lives

Chapter 85

It was common for thieves to appear in other territories, but it was rare in Agrid’s territory.

Even the most stupid thief would have heard of the name of the High Master.

In this rare event, the three highest-ranking people in the current lord castle gathered.

“Let’s start by looking and listening.”

“yes.”

“Did you need to call me too?”

They were Xi’an, the successor of the territory, Wilfried, the knight commander, and Azlet, the master of the magic wand.

Azlet, who hates work, twitched while digging his ears, but he ignored him and Wilfried reported.

“You said you used magic?”

“yes. From what I’ve heard from raided merchants and mercenaries, yes. It is said that magic poured down filling the sky… … .”

To say they used magic, they weren’t ordinary thieves.

Well, at least that much is enough to touch Agrid’s territory.

Even so, it was questionable.

If you had that kind of skill, it would be much easier and you could earn a lot by stealing in other territories instead of Agrid.

“Rather than that, something that covers the sky… … .”

“Heng. I guess I was exaggerating. Originally, in the eyes of the people who were attacked, they all look big, don’t they?”

“It’s a bit of a tone, but I agree with you. With that level of skill, there’s no way they’d be stealing.”

Xian nodded.

“I’ll have to clean up.”

“We are still organizing personnel for the punitive force.”

“… … .”

Compared to Azlet, who quietly erased his presence to avoid taking on the task, Wilfried answered with enthusiasm.

From the beginning, he didn’t even expect Azlet’s help.

“What will you do, Young Master?”

“me?”

“Even though it’s a band of bandits, it’s still worthwhile to build up merit. If things are done well, the lord may reward you.”

“done. If I, who have no military experience or knowledge, stepped forward, it would only cause confusion. I will completely leave this task to you.”

He says so, but deep inside, of course, he doesn’t want to be deeply involved in Yeongji’s affairs.

‘Cause I’m leaving someday

Wilfried looked at such a proposal.

‘I’ve felt it ever since I went out to meet him the other day.’

A lot has changed. enough to believe it was someone else.

what happened at the academy?

Have you matured mentally by living in a community with your peers away from the closed territory?

Ran and Shan, who were brought this time, also had a completely different atmosphere from the friends they used to hang out with.

They are good people who are easy-going and honest. Until now, none of your friends have been like this.

“All right. Then, let’s go immediately to form the punitive force.”

Good thing.

Seeing the changed appearance of the young master, Wilfried was naturally motivated as well.

The old master was honestly beyond salvation. However, if it is the current master, it seems that he is sufficient as the successor who will take charge of the territory later.

The future of the Agrid estate he envisions has become a little brighter.

“I will go too. I just wasted my time on something insignificant.”

Wilfried left with the sound of the heels of his boots, and Azlet slowly left.

Xian leaned back on the backrest and raised the teacup.

‘It’s all special.’

An attack by bandits… … .

If he were a thief, he would never aim for a territory with high risk and low return, such as the territory of Agrid.

Well, when you live in bondi, things that are hard to understand often happen.

Didn’t he even imagine that he would come out like this after the original Xian died.

Still, I wonder what the thieves think. When Wilfried catches them, he’ll learn something.

I thought so.

“… … sorry.”

Even after ten days, Wilfried was unable to catch them.

In the meantime, raids by merchants continued.

Thanks to this, Wilfried was very alert right now.

“What is going on?”

When Xian asked, he answered with a frown.

He always kept his expressionless face when he was working.

“They look like ghosts. If soldiers or knights move, they will never appear in that place.”

“Isn’t it the end if we find the base?”

“Thinking of that, I tried to follow the trail of the horse, but all of them were cut off in the middle. It’s not a trace that can be erased by human hands, but it seems that their magic skills are pretty good. I even tried to go out on my own.”

“Did you?”

“The day I stepped through the gates, I couldn’t see a single hair on their heads.”

Are you saying you’re looking at the trend here?

Xian frowned. Apparently, one of their members is glaring at the gates every day.

Watching the gates and communicating the situation with communication magic is not difficult for a wizard.

‘To do this… … .’

It can no longer be dismissed as trivial.

During this week, their depravity was only getting worse.

If you add up the testimonies from the merchants who have been plundered so far, they are a total of 11 warhorses and thieves riding them.

All 11 of them are skilled magicians, and the magic that covers the sky, which I first heard about as a testimony, was by no means an exaggeration.

Even though it was a low-level magic called Magic Arrow, it was said that it was sure to cover the sky.

“Looks like it’s going to be difficult to solve by just chasing after.”

“yes. Looks like I’ll have to come up with some kind of means. A few suggestions are listed… … .”

“How about using a bait?”

“That is also being considered.”

Dress up as a merchant to lure them in and catch them on the spot.

However, it was not allowed to ambush or ambush the knights around. I’ve done ambushes many times, but I’ve always been caught by them.

If there is an ambush, they will notice that it is a bait and will not approach.

“I guess we’ll have to catch them with only the costumed personnel.”

“Let’s plan the number of people and personnel.”

“To induce them off guard, it would be good to have as few people as possible, and it would have to be a strong person who won’t be defeated by the magic baptism.”

“of course. Don’t worry, boy. There are many strong people in our Knights. If necessary, I will cover my face… … .”

“How am I?”

“… … yes?”

Dalgrak. She put down the teacup she was drinking from.

“If it were me, they would be off guard. Because I’m only 17. It would be easy to fool them with a little disguise.”

“No, that… … .”

“Didn’t they say that they only target incoming merchants, not outgoing merchants? If that’s the case, I guess I’ll have to head to the nearby manor by warp and then return on horseback. If you show the moment you leave, the bait might come out.”

“It’s not possible!”

bang! Wilfried hit the desk and stood up.

“It’s dangerous, Young Master! It’s about stepping into a mage of that level. Unless you can at least use an aura!”

Sian raised his hand to Wilfried who stood up like that.

Then, an aura bloomed on that hand.

Fire.

It was a little weak during the day, but compared to other high nights, it was by no means pushed back.

Rather, even as it is now, it was much stronger than most people.

The result of this half-year training.

“This, this… … .”

Wilfried stared at Xian’s hand while his body stiffened. The aura of the night flowing there.

The shock he received now was incomparably greater than when Isaac saw Xian’s aura in the past.

Isaac is a man after all, and Wilfried is a vassal of the territory.

Moreover, he has been watching Xian since he was young, whether he likes it or not.

That’s why I was shocked more than anything else by the fact that the draft was using an aura.

“You don’t have to worry. Because I have my own idea.”

Xian withdrew his hand and retrieved the aura.

Then, he spoke to Wilfried, who was still in a daze.

“They said riding a horse and shooting magic arrows was their specialty, right? That is why it is difficult.”

“Yes, yes. So, it is difficult to respond with ordinary knights or soldiers. I have no choice but to bring a soldier who can shoot a bow while riding a horse, or use magic while riding a horse.”

Wilfried came to his senses.

He looked at Xian seriously with eyes that had returned to focus.

It was certainly shocking to see Xian use an aura, but again, not this time.

This was not something that could be solved with a sword alone.

“Neither can you, Young Master. One aura cannot solve it.”

Sian replied with a smile.

“You said you had a plan. Don’t worry.”

* * *

It’s not that Xian took the bait out of vain mischief or sympathy.

It’s an extreme word, but in fact, it has nothing to do with whether or not the territory is attacked by bandits.

There was just one thing that came to mind.

‘The timing is strange.’

The fact that this happened when there was no housekeeper.

Come to think of it, no one would argue with the High Master’s eyes wide open. Of course, it seems natural to play tricks when you are away.

But Xian was crazy about other possibilities.

Possibly it has something to do with the family head going out to fight the Dark Magic Tower.

‘They said they would send loot if we hit their stronghold.’

It is mostly merchants who bring the spoils.

It’s not that there aren’t professional dispatchers, but it’s a valuable item. It would be more comfortable for the Yeomno to give more money to a trustworthy company rather than a dispatcher.

In fact, it is said that the goods that have come so far have arrived through the hands of merchants belonging to large merchants.

‘What if there are important items among the things they stole?’

Wouldn’t that be a sufficient reason to attack the merchants coming to Agrid?

Recently, the family lord robbed one of the bases of the Dark Magic Tower, and there was something important there.

If Yeomno had just sent it to the family without knowing it.

It wasn’t strange that they started looting indiscriminately to find things that were coming from somewhere.

The fact that merchants leaving the territory are unharmed, but only merchants entering were attacked, supported this speculation.

‘It’s just a guess.’

However, the probability is not zero. If that’s the case, that’s a good enough reason to step out.

After getting ready, Xian headed to the warp management office to go to the next estate.

“Is it okay for the heir of Yeongji to act as bait?”

Ran was walking side by side with him.

He said he would follow him, and Xian readily agreed.

If you’re not good at it, it’ll only hold your ankle, but if you’re Ran, it’ll help enough.

Besides, isn’t he a famous prisoner in the mercenary business?

He is a perfect talent to dress up as a mercenary for escort.

“You are here too.”

“Because I originally came here to train. It’s nice to sparring with your knights, but staying in the castle only hurts.”

“Me too.”

Aside from the work of the Dark Magic Tower, Xian replied moderately.

“Please enter slowly, one at a time.”

The two rode the warp at the Warp Management Office in the territory.

And when he opened his eyes, he had already arrived at the Fallun Territory.

The estate next to Agrid. But not right next to it.

It was a place where you had to ride a horse for four days, and it was the closest warp gate to Agrid.

The two of them started putting on makeup as they toured the estate.

Xian is a merchant. Ran is a mercenary.

Ran was originally a beastman with visible ears and a tail, so even a little decoration made him look like a mercenary.

Originally, if you think of beastmen on the continent, you first think of mercenaries.

If you buy a sword in moderation and fill it up, you are already a great mercenary.

The problem was on the Xian side.

“oh… … Pretty plausible, right?”

Seeing Xian dressed up like a merchant, Ran was quite surprised.

Anyone can see that he looked like a merchant who was tired of peddling, not a son of an aristocrat.

“What kind of marquis son is so good at makeup? Where did you learn to play at least in a theater company?”

“I just do it.”

“… … .”

Actually, just saying that I do it is a bit absurd.

Xian was a shadow. A shadow to replace the original marquis’s son.

Before the original Xian died, what I always did was to play him.

It’s just that the subject has changed.

From master to merchant.

“All you need to do is buy a horse and a suitable cart.”

“Would it be okay if it was a little guy?”

“It just needs to be big enough for two horses to pull. Since he’s still young, even if it’s a small cart, he’ll think he’s just a rookie merchant.”

After a while, the two of them passed through the gates of Pailun and headed for Agrid.

After that, the two just ran.

The assailant will only appear when you get close to Agrid. Until then, he ran steadily, paying attention to the horse’s stamina distribution.

three days after that.

I arrived near Agrid’s estate one day earlier than the four days that were scheduled.

At that time, if you run for a few more hours, you will arrive at the manor.

―All over again.

Xian and Ran heard the sound of horses’ hooves that were not theirs.

The two met eyes without speaking.

Pee-!

Sian lifted his head at the sound.

Dozens or hundreds of magic arrows were falling and covering the sky.

“Ran!”

At Xian’s signal, Ran pulled out the knife she was holding for disguise and cut the string connecting the horse and cart.

It wasn’t very heavy because it was a wagon that was only loaded with bulky but light weight, but when the load was lifted, the horse that was carrying the two rode off quickly.

Xian at the same time.

Sweetheart-!

He pulled out a black sword full of aura and swung it towards the rain of falling arrows.