Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 66: The Arrival of the Mage (Part 1)

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Count Fillmore was careful not to show it.

“It was just a collection of odds and ends, nothing significant enough for you to be concerned with, Lord Hinshan.”

Hinshan’s tone was subtly sarcastic. “Not significant, yet urgent enough to be transported late at night.”

Count Fillmore maintained a composed demeanor, smiling warmly. “While it may not have been significant to me, it might have been to the recipient.”

“How thoughtful of you.”

“Your praise is too kind,” the Count replied, offering a polite bow.

Though it was unusual for a count to defer to a baron, Hinshan’s position in the Imperial Guard was formidable, and Fillmore’s distant estate held little influence in the grander scheme of things.

“And who might this recipient be?” Hinshan’s next question came.

Count Fillmore responded smoothly, as if prepared. “A merchant named Carno. We trade regularly. You’re welcome to inspect the ledger.”

Hinshan waved his hand with a chuckle. “Oh, I’m not suspicious. I only asked because I wondered if there was a connection between the assailants and the stolen goods.”

“Carno is a straightforward merchant. He doesn’t deal in contraband or restricted items. He’s a reputable man.”

“Is that so? Then why use mercenaries instead of knights for the escort?”

“As I mentioned, it was a last-minute decision. The Condor Mercenaries happened to be in town, so I entrusted them with it. The items weren’t particularly valuable.”

“I see. But considering the assailants targeted your shipment precisely at night, it seems they knew what they were after.”

“Yes, that puzzles me as well. I initially thought the Condor Mercenaries had turned rogue and stolen the goods themselves.”

“So that’s why they were pursued.”

“Indeed. Thanks to you, that misunderstanding has been cleared up.”

A subtle tension lingered between the two as they exchanged quick remarks. Caught between them, Baron Johan found the atmosphere so intense that he dared not interject.

A brief silence followed until Hinshan, seemingly recalling something, put down his fork and addressed the Count.

“Oh, and I happened to hear a troubling rumor while passing through your territory. It’s said that children have been disappearing, some suspecting monsters, others blaming kidnappers. Are you aware of this?”

The Count’s eyes twitched slightly at the mention, and he gave a heavy sigh, his expression darkening.

“Yes… I’m aware. I’ve already sent out a team to investigate and search for the missing children.”

“I see. It’s unfortunate that such incidents have marred your region.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Hinshan offered a sympathetic smile, and the Count accepted his words with a somber nod.

“And what do you plan to do with the captured raiders?”

“I intend to extract information from them, then execute them publicly in the square as a warning, to prevent further incidents.”

“A wise decision. Criminals like them deserve justice.”

Though the Count maintained a calm exterior, he was inwardly torn, unable to tell if Hinshan was an ally or an enemy.

Meanwhile, outside the room, a servant who had been eavesdropping for some time discreetly walked away. He was an agent the Peacemakers had managed to place within the Count’s estate over a decade ago, reporting on the Count’s activities.

* * *

The passage connecting the annex and the main building.

Even though Count Fillmore’s estate was remote, its luxurious decor was on par with any noble’s residence. The corridor was adorned with intricate designs and gold embellishments, and two guards were chatting as they stood watch.

“Things feel unusually busy today, don’t they?”

“Didn’t you hear? They caught some of the thieves who stole the Count’s goods.”

“Really? I hadn’t heard a thing.”

“Tsk. Pay attention for once! We’re supposed to be guards of the Count’s estate, after all.”

“Oh, coming from the guy who can’t remember what he ate yesterday?”

As the guards bickered and walked down the hallway, a shadow slipped out from between two statues.

Blending seamlessly into the darkness, Karon glided silently into the main building, moving with such fluidity that even the guards hadn’t noticed his presence.

He moved carefully through the estate, searching every corner.

Passing by ornate paintings, lifelike taxidermy, and the bustling kitchen where chefs prepared dishes, he finally arrived at the Count’s study without anyone detecting him, as if he were invisible.

With Hinshan keeping the Count occupied, Karon took his time exploring the study. He paused abruptly, noticing something unusual.

A bookshelf lined an entire wall, crammed with heavy-looking books. But Karon observed that the wall behind the bookshelf was unusually thick, whereas the opposite wall was thinner. This hinted at a hidden space.

Karon moved his fingers along the shelf, sliding them back and forth until he detected a slight draft—an almost imperceptible flow of air that only his heightened senses could pick up.

Click.

Karon pulled one of the books, triggering a faint metallic sound, and the bookshelf moved away from the wall slightly. Behind it, a hidden staircase leading down to an underground passage was revealed.

Stepping carefully, Karon entered the hidden passage and restored the bookshelf to its original position. Darkness enveloped him, but it didn’t hinder his vision in the slightest.

He descended the steps, but as he did, a strange feeling crept over him.

“What is this?”

A chill ran up Karon’s spine as he sensed an intense, ominous energy—a dark and chaotic aura that felt oddly familiar to him. What puzzled him even more was why he hadn’t sensed it until just now.

Despite the strange experience, Karon maintained his calm expression, gliding down the stairs effortlessly, feeling as if he had passed through an invisible barrier.

In reality, he had entered a magical barrier. Though unfamiliar with magic, Karon could instinctively feel its effect.

The spiral staircase led deep underground. At the bottom, Karon found himself in a large circular chamber. In its center was a ritual altar with a magical circle inscribed around it, faintly glowing with energy.

A man cloaked in black stood by the altar, guarding a child who lay unconscious upon it. Next to the child was a small, red stone emitting a faint glow. Nearby, a heap of children’s bodies lay, their faces frozen in death, eyes, noses, and mouths bleeding—a scene Karon knew all too well. They had perished under the influence of a demonic stone, which was used to test if children could resist its corrupting power.

Karon felt a surge of anger rise within him. His suppressed energy exploded, triggering the barrier’s defensive magic. Around the chamber, skeletons that had stood motionless like statues began to shake off dust and come to life.

The cloaked figure looked up, his eyes narrowing in surprise at Karon’s presence.

“What…? How did you get here…?”

Quickly recovering, the cloaked figure pointed at Karon, issuing a command to the skeletons.

“Kill him!”

With guttural moans and clattering sounds, over a dozen skeletons lurched forward, their limbs creaking as they wielded swords, shields, and spears. It seemed these had once been soldiers, now resurrected as undead servants.

Unarmed, Karon remained unfazed.

Having heard stories of these creatures as a child, he had expected them to be monstrous and ruthless. But as he watched them stagger forward, he felt only disappointment at their crude appearance.

Pretending to retreat up the stairs, he suddenly reversed, leaping over a group of skeletons and kicking three of them squarely in the head.

Thud! Crack!

Though his kicks were powerful enough to break their necks, Karon was taken aback by the lack of resistance. The skeletons’ heads simply reattached themselves moments later.

Realizing the futility of fighting them directly, he caught the wrist of one skeleton and swung its sword in a wide arc, slicing through the bodies of two others. But even then, the severed bones reassembled themselves.

With a sharp look, Karon glanced at the cloaked figure. His hands emitted a dark glow that seeped into the ground—clearly controlling the skeletons.

Identifying his target, Karon evaded the swarming skeletons, charging toward the figure with a burst of speed. Though it seemed impossible to slip through the mob, Karon maneuvered skillfully, weaving between the skeletons.

Thud!

With a powerful leap, Karon used a skeleton’s shoulder as a stepping stone, launching himself at the cloaked man with his fist outstretched. A dark-red aura flickered around his hand.

However, the cloaked figure didn’t panic; he raised a hand in defense.

A faint hum—

Crash! Boom—

Karon’s fist was blocked by an invisible barrier, the dark-red energy dispersing across its surface before vanishing.

“Hah! Did you really think you could defeat magic with brute strength?”

The cloaked man sneered, extending his other hand toward Karon. A sudden force lifted Karon and flung him backward, sending him tumbling through the air.

Unaccustomed to this intangible force, Karon struggled briefly. The concept of magic remained foreign to him, its effects both startling and infuriating.

“Die!”

The cloaked figure clasped his hands together, forming a small, fiery magic circle, and launched a stream of flames at Karon.

Boom!

The flames engulfed Karon, filling the chamber with a sweltering heat. Yet, when the flames cleared, Karon stood unharmed.

Shhhh—

To the cloaked figure’s horror, the flames began spiraling, drawn irresistibly into Karon’s hands.

Swoosh—

Karon’s palms absorbed the fire until only flickering embers remained, glowing faintly on his fingertips. Karon observed the concentrated flames curiously, his expression still calm and detached.

“N-no, that’s impossible!”

The cloaked man’s eyes widened in disbelief, and his hands trembled. Hastily, he began casting every spell he could muster, flinging them all at Karon in desperation.

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