Those Who Live Without the Law

Chapter 48

Burglary of the Mansion

* * *

The Winter’s Farewell Party was far more extravagant compared to other parties held at different times.

To put it more simply, even the neatness that was usually considered a virtue among nobles was nowhere to be seen at the Winter’s Farewell Party.

No, rather, when it came to this particular party, the host would use every available resource and manpower to prepare the most splendid and luxurious gathering possible.

“My goodness.”

The main theme of the party hosted this time by the Kellogg family was vibrant vitality and nobility.

In more straightforward terms, it meant rubies and gold, red and golden hues.

“It’s almost dizzying to look at.”

Standing in front of a three-meter-tall golden peacock sculpture, I was left speechless. Of course, it probably wasn’t made entirely of solid gold. But the gleaming statue was crafted so intricately that it gave me chills.

“Dominic Randolph.”

When I turned my gaze toward the voice, I saw Irena standing there in a dress.

“So, what is it? Do you want to play cards even here?”

At my words, Irena let out a small laugh and replied.

“Not already. Even for me, it’s been a while since I attended a proper party. The Scarlet Leaf Order’s parties are… how should I put it? Overall, they’re a bit too stimulating.”

“I understand.”

There was no way a party hosted by Dana Watson could ever be considered normal. After a brief conversation, Irena distanced herself again to greet other people.

I picked up a glass of liquor from a tray held by a passing servant and looked around.

‘The security is rather strict.’

Just counting the number of guards deployed, there must have been at least eighty. If the purpose was to guard a single mansion, it was enough to make me wonder whether this wasn’t an excessive investment of manpower.

In fact, those guards weren’t the ones who would actually be mobilized if something happened.

“Nice to meet you for the first time, Sir Loud.”

When something truly happened, the ones who would step forward were the knights invited to this party.

The number of decorated knights present in the hall right now was thirteen. Among them, the one I had just greeted, called Loud, was even a 2nd-class decorated knight.

‘I’ll need to be careful.’

If I got caught stealing, it wouldn’t end well. With my current skills, it would be hard to win in a fight against a 2nd-class decorated knight.

Most likely, it would end in mutual destruction. However, this atmosphere and setting were advantageous to me.

“I’ve heard much about your reputation. It’s an honor to meet you in person, Sir Loud.”

Saying that, I offered him a glass of strong liquor and filled my own glass as well.

‘All I have to do is get him drunk.’

I didn’t get drunk. No matter how much I drank, the Death Sac first diluted the alcohol before it reached my stomach.

The more someone drank, the more the Death Sac filtered out the alcohol, until eventually it removed all traces of it.

No matter how much intoxication crept up, I never became completely drunk.

‘But it’s different for them.’

Anyone would inevitably get drunk if they kept drinking the liquor I offered. And a person who was completely drunk couldn’t possibly fight properly.

Besides, a party was precisely the kind of place where showing off one’s drinking capacity was perfectly acceptable.

“Sir Knight, may I ask—are you the sort who enjoys a drink or two?”

“Ha, that almost sounds like a provocation.”

When the other man answered with a laugh, I smiled as I emptied my glass.

“I was thinking about what I could possibly do to best someone as renowned on the battlefield as yourself, Sir Loud. Among my acquaintances, I’m rather famous for being able to hold my liquor.”

When I set down my empty glass, Loud lifted the corners of his mouth and drained the strong liquor in his hand.

“So, are you saying that if it comes to a drinking contest, you could beat me?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. I’d say there’s just a slight possibility that I might have a chance. And if I were to win by drinking, in a way, that’s a victory too, wouldn’t you say?”

At my words, Loud burst into laughter. He was a knight who had spent years killing enemies on the battlefield and watching his comrades die.

It was only natural that he had become a heavy drinker over time.

‘This young pup does have some spirit.’

It was a bit amusing that, thinking he couldn’t win with the sword, I’d try to beat him by drinking. But in the end, when a young man was still naive and lacked experience, this sort of rash talk was common.

Regardless, Loud found it admirable that I would boldly propose a drinking match with him the very first time we met. To be honest, someone who had reached the level of a 2nd-class decorated knight was such an intimidating figure that everyone tended to be excessively cautious around them. In that sense, this kind of approach was, to some degree, refreshing.

‘I’ll get him so drunk he can’t even stand.’

I planned to incapacitate the most dangerous man in the room for the rest of the day. Once we drank together like this, there was no guarantee this knight would ever again drink himself into a stupor.

If I got him drunk, I absolutely had to finish everything tonight.

“Oh my.”

Meanwhile, Vivian Citrie was observing this scene with an intrigued expression.

Vivian had also been worrying about how to handle Loud, who was a 2nd-class decorated knight.

But then, out of nowhere, the young master of the Randolph family showed up and neatly resolved her dilemma.

‘With things like this, how could I possibly hold back?’

Just as I had decided to achieve my objective within the night, Vivian likewise resolved to finish her business before dawn.

“You really do drink well.”

Two hours had passed since Loud and I began our drinking contest. Beside us lay about five empty bottles.

Each one contained liquor so strong it felt like fire in the mouth, boasting an intense alcohol content and aroma.

“You drink unbelievably well.”

“You’re no ordinary drinker yourself, Sir Knight.”

I lifted my glass again and emptied it. After me, Loud also downed his drink.

If most people kept drinking at this pace, they would probably have to be carried to the hospital.

We were both drunk, but there was a clear difference in degree.

Loud’s intoxication was growing steadily stronger by the minute. But my own level of drunkenness had stopped changing about fifteen minutes ago.

‘If he keeps this up for another thirty minutes, he’ll be completely done. Still, he really does hold his liquor impressively.’

Watching him, I decided to increase the pace a little more.

The sight of the two of us drinking had become entertainment in itself. People were watching with fascinated expressions, cheering and goading us on.

“It seems you’re about at your limit now.”

“…Y-you’re shaying…”

Loud’s tongue had become so tangled that it was impossible to understand what he was saying. Swaying, he lifted his glass filled with liquor.

But he failed to drink it. Loud’s body slowly tipped sideways.

A decorated knight who had never once fallen on the battlefield was now collapsing here, unable to withstand the liquor.

“Well now.”

I, the very person who had engineered this outcome, clicked my tongue as if in pity. Then I drained the rest of my glass, stood up, and approached Loud.

“I’ll escort you back to your room.”

“Uuugh….”

Loud was already unconscious and of course didn’t respond to anything I said.

No one found it strange that I was helping him up and moving him to his quarters.

After all, it was only natural that the one who got someone drunk would take responsibility for looking after them. Though I was perfectly fine, I deliberately staggered a little as if I, too, was quite drunk, supporting Loud as I left the party hall.

‘Now….’

While moving Loud, I quickly began turning over plans in my mind.

‘I still have that drug I kept from when I hit the National Tax transport convoy.’

It was a narcotic analgesic. I had secured it on Tanya Lysand’s recommendation, but in the end, my plans had changed, and I hadn’t gotten to use it.

Still, from the moment I first heard about its effects, I knew it would come in handy someday, so I hadn’t thrown it away. And now, here was the chance.

‘If he’s drunk and drugged, there’s no way he’ll regain his senses.’

Even if this mansion caught fire tonight, Loud wouldn’t be able to wake up and would simply burn to death.

That settled it. I briskly wiped my hands with a handkerchief and stepped out the door.

“Considering how much he drank….”

People would surely assume I was completely drunk as well. Even if I was absent for a while, no one would think it strange. They would simply believe I had gone off to rest and sober up.

Besides, tonight was more like the prologue to the Winter’s Farewell Party.

All the most important events were scheduled for tomorrow. That was also why Loud had so readily accepted my provocation and joined in.

I staggered a bit as I made my way to my room.

….

Once inside, I gulped down some cold water and checked the time.

‘When would be the best moment to move?’

While the party was ongoing, it was only natural for the mansion’s guards to focus their vigilance around the banquet hall. All the invited knights would be there too.

I had to choose between moving in the middle of the night or acting now, while the party was still in full swing.

“It’s better to move now.”

I decided to act immediately. Even though I had gotten that decorated knight drunk and drugged, there was always a chance he could somehow regain consciousness as time passed.

A 2nd-class decorated knight’s willpower and physical strength were far beyond anything an ordinary person could even imagine.

‘This is the best chance I’ll get.’

Meanwhile, Vivian, who was still in the banquet hall, reached the same decision I did.

‘If needed, I can pin the blame on Dominic Randolph.’

Vivian resolved to kill Simid Kellogg and then frame Dominic Randolph as the prime suspect.

After all, Dominic Randolph had been the first to leave the party hall.

Pinning the assassination of Simid Kellogg on him wouldn’t be too difficult.

To begin with, it was that man who had gotten Loud, the most dangerous figure in this hall, completely drunk.

If she wanted to connect the dots, she could claim it was all part of an elaborate setup for murder.

‘My apologies, but….’

Vivian was working for the Empire.

Whatever purpose that man had in coming to this mansion, it could not possibly be more important than the preservation and defense of the Empire.

Using that justification, Vivian suppressed her faint guilt as she mentally reviewed her assassination plan one more time.

Meanwhile, I began my own operation. Pulling a scrap of cloth up to cover my face, I took a deep breath.

“I’ll just have to rely on output alone.”

I couldn’t afford to actually draw the stained glass blade. If I had never unsheathed it, that would be one thing, but during the raid on the train, Irena had already seen exactly what it looked like.

It was a piece of battle gear so distinctive that once someone laid eyes on it, they were unlikely to ever forget.

If I drew it, my identity would be exposed immediately.

The stained glass blade was too conspicuous and after showing it in front of Irena, I couldn’t use it anymore anyway….

“But the gauntlet is a different story.”

I quickly checked the gauntlet strapped to my left hand.

By design, a few metal flechettes weren’t enough to subdue a knight. This device wasn’t made for fighting knights.

Without proper fletching, its range was short, and because the projectiles were so small, their destructive power was limited.

Of course, even this flechette launcher had enough power to kill a person.

“Just because a giant battering ram and a railroad spike can both kill someone, does that mean they’re equally powerful?”

Of course not. Likewise, flechettes were deadly, but their impact was weak.

But even so, I was confident. This gauntlet was all I needed.

“If I smash in his face, that’s all it takes.”

In the end, it was still a glove made of metal and leather.

If I landed a clean strike with it, the blow would be incomparably more devastating than hitting someone with a few tiny flechettes.

The flechettes were just for distraction. The real plan was to close in and beat them down.

After glancing outside, I gathered the equipment I needed, then slid the paper door window fully open and stepped out.

“Hmph.”

Balancing my entire weight on the ball of one big toe hooked over the windowsill, I quietly pulled the sliding window shut again and dropped down into the garden.