CHAPTER 64: ASSASSINS IN THE INN

***

"AS EXPECTED, THAT WAS A GROUP OF ASSASSINS!"

Lothar’s earlier highlight was spot on.

"No doubt they are after Disciple Arcadia!"

He was analyzing the assassination attempt like it was nothing more than an event.

"Perhaps the assassin went after Disciple Xenos, thinking he was the strongest."

And without knowing it, Xenos’s plan to use Arc as cover worked.

"Let’s see if they survive this as well!"

***

Eris’s warning came right on time.

Xenos had already grabbed the assassin by the throat.

The guy barely made a sound before Xenos’s fingers crushed down.

A wet, cracking noise echoed through the room as the man’s legs kicked uselessly.

Xenos stared, watching the life fade from the man’s eyes.

...He looked to be around his age.

Maybe a little older.

He was a Disciple, no doubt about that.

Huh... they allowed assassins in with the Disciples.

’Bastards really want me dead.’

The assassin’s body went limp, and Xenos dropped him like trash.

After a moment, he crouched down, turning the corpse over out of curiosity.

’Eris, thanks for the save. I know you don’t have time, so excuse me if I don’t welcome you back.’

The Goddess of Calamity nodded, expecting such a reaction.

’Don’t worry, and quickly talk to me about whatever is on your mind. I’ve used up what Divinity I had left, so you won’t hear from me until after this Colosseum Game is over.’

Xenos glanced at the door.

’Hm. I thought they’d ramp things up after that Priest, but really... Why are my three hunters not just coming themselves, or at least sending someone proper to hunt me? Why would they send someone like this? He’s too weak to be from Hades. I only almost feel bad for the suicide mission they sent him on.’

A smile graced Her face.

’They’re shackled. You know that.’

He stood up while wiping his hands on the guy’s cloak.

’Yeah, yeah, I know.’

Right now, he felt a bit too unclean for his liking.

’But how shackled? I need to know, is it a divine shackle? A contract? Their HR policy?’

Eris tilted Her head.

’...what?’

’I’m just saying. You’d think they’d send something that could actually kill me, not...’

He nudged the corpse with his foot.

’This guy.’

After that, Xenos paused, thinking it through for a second.

Perhaps this could be the result of a mixture of all the options he put forth.

They could be arrogant, thinking themselves too important to make a direct move on him, not caring enough to focus all their efforts on killing him, perhaps too busy, and wanting to keep it hidden, as any higher Class movement would be known, and so naturally due to all these combined factors, the ’shackles,’ they couldn’t send someone too strong.

Or maybe, they just didn’t want to make it too hard for him.

"Eh, whatever."

Xenos cracked his knuckles.

"One’s dead; that’s progress."

While he dragged the body toward the wall, leaving it slumped in the corner, and then walked toward the door, Eris reminded him of what he needed to hear.

Her last words before disappearing once more:

’Don’t fight the rest in the kingdom; the villagers might attack you.’

Nodding, his hand touched the handle—

"Ugh..."

Only to hear someone shift behind him.

Xenos slowly turned, facing the groan’s origin.

"Oh. You’re awake."

Arc blinked groggily from the bed; his fluff was a mess, his eyes still adjusting.

Aspen sat up more attentively, already grabbing for his sword.

"Sorry guys, was I too loud~?"

The moment Aspen spotted the corpse, his eyes widened.

"What in Tartaros—?!"

"Assassin."

Xenos opened the door.

"I handled it."

"Handled—?!"

Arc nearly tripped getting off the bed.

"You killed someone in here!?"

Xenos looked at him in mild annoyance.

"Yeah...? As I said, ASSASSIN."

Aspen, already processing faster, drew his sword.

"Wait—did they send assassins after my Lord even HERE?!"

Xenos blinked, then smirked.

Much like Lothar realized the ’truth,’ Aspen did as well.

This worked perfectly; he didn’t even have to twist the story.

Aspen just did it for him; assassins were sent for Arc, the boy of Hades, not him.

Bless that sharp bastard.

"Yeah."

Xenos nodded solemnly.

"I got him, but there’s more. Probably waiting outside."

Arc cursed under his breath while Aspen sighed, tightening his grip on the sword.

"Then we move far from here; we can’t stay."

"Yep."

Xenos walked out of the room.

"I’ll go check on the girls first."

The inn creaked as he moved, reaching the other room.

He knocked on the door a few times and waited.

"..."

No answer was heard.

Frowning, he tried again, but still...

"..."

Nothing.

"Huh."

He dug into his pocket, pulled out the keys, and unlocked it.

Inside, Gaia, Ari, and Dei were all sprawled across the beds, asleep.

He scanned the room once and stood in a stance, ready for movement.

"..."

Nothing once more.

"Good. They didn’t touch them."

Thankfully, they weren’t interested in Gaia, Ari, Dei, Arc, or Aspen, leaving them unharmed, because oh, if they had done something to those little ones, Xenos would be far from calm, and that was saying something when considering his—

Clink.

A faint sound echoed at the end of the corridor.

Xenos turned, watching another shadow emerge.

But before this shadow could get near him, Aspen introduced himself.

Bursting out of the doorway of their room, his greatsword drove straight through the assassin before sending him into the wall.

The impact cracked it, and blood sprayed across the corridor.

Behind him, Arc gagged from the sight while Aspen himself panted.

It was almost as if he hadn’t expected such strength from himself.

Watching that, Xenos grinned wider, eyes gleaming in the dark.

"Well damn, nice swing."

Aspen flicked the sword free from all of the assassin’s remnants.

"I—uh—didn’t mean to—"

"No, no, that’s good."

Xenos interrupted, stepping over the body.

"Keep doing that."

He looked at the two of them and pointed his chin outward.

"Come on. Let’s get out of here."

Arc was pale as death, while Aspen was trying to keep it together.

"We’ve got Disciples to hunt."