CHAPTER 56: SHADOW OF LISTENING

"Yeah, you’re right. But first, let’s decide what to do about these people," Nolan said.

One of the adventurers on the ground groaned, trying to move. Nolan stepped over and punched him square in the face, knocking him out cold. Then he dragged the unconscious bodies together into one spot, found a coil of rope in the garden, and tied them all tightly.

"Calm down. Let’s get going," he muttered, brushing the dirt from his hands.

He and Lyra walked back to the Adventurer’s Guild. Nolan’s face was tight with anger, his brow furrowed deeply. Lyra noticed but said nothing, only offering him a small smile. He glanced at her, rubbed his face in frustration, then pushed open the door to the guild and went straight to Lucan’s table.

"I demand an answer," Nolan said firmly, his voice echoing through the hall. "Tell me, did you try to kill me?"

Lucan blinked, startled. "What are you talking about? I don’t know what you mean."

"Don’t play dumb," Nolan snapped. "Someone tried to attack me. No, someone tried to kill me. In that very house. The house I told you I wanted. The house you gave me. And when I walked in, they were waiting for me. Not thugs, adventurers."

Lucan’s brows drew together. "Adventurers...? Are you sure?"

"Yes. And not just random ones. A-rank." Nolan pulled out a card and dropped it onto the table. "Here. Ronan. He was one of them. He and the others tried to kill me."

Lucan picked up the adventurer card and examined it, his face paling slightly. "Ronan...? He’s well known. If he was hired, then it wasn’t by someone small."

"I don’t know who sent him," Nolan said flatly. "The only ones who knew I was buying that house were you and the man who handed me the key. That’s why I came to you."

Lucan leaned back, shaking his head slowly. "Don’t worry. I’ll look into this myself. Something like this won’t happen again."

Nolan’s eyes narrowed. "The rest of his companions are tied up in the garden. Someone should pick them up. They’re yours to deal with."

"Consider it done. I’ll have them taken captive and interrogated before you’re back." Lucan tucked the adventurer card into his desk and stood up. "As for Celia and Linda, they’re in the training room."

Nolan gave a sharp nod. Without another word, Lucan left the office, calling for knights to arrest Ronan and the other A-rank adventurers.

"But now that’s done, go check on them. I’ll still be here," Lyra said.

"Oh, you’re right," Nolan replied as he stood up and headed to the training room.

"Celia, Linda," he called as he walked in. Celia was practicing her sword swings, while Linda was focusing on her wind affinity. Both turned when they saw Nolan and ran toward him, grabbing his hand.

"How are you two doing? I hope you’re not hurt. Have you noticed anything strange?" Nolan asked.

"No, Master, I haven’t," Linda said.

"Same here, nothing strange at all," Celia added.

"Good. But if you notice anything unusual, or if anyone watches you with bad intentions, tell me immediately," Nolan said.

"Where is this coming from, Master? Did something happen?" Linda asked.

Nolan hesitated. Should I tell them? No, better not. Don’t let them worry.

"Well, no, nothing happened. Everything is fine," he said instead.

"But you came at the right time. I thought you went to train," Celia said.

"Yeah, I did. And tomorrow, I’ll show you something amazing. But first—I bought a house. Can you believe it?" Nolan said.

"Wow, finally! A house we can all stay in," Celia said excitedly.

"I wonder how it looks," Linda added.

"Well, let’s go back home so we can see it together," Nolan said with a smile.

As Nolan, Linda, and Celia came out of the training room, they saw Lyra waiting outside.

"Oh, you’re here," Linda said with a smile.

Lyra walked closer to Nolan, her expression serious. "Do you know it wasn’t Lucan? I did my own investigation. There was a trace of someone with a listening skill."

"What? What do you mean, listening? What is a listening skill? I’ve never heard of that," Nolan asked, confused.

Lyra lowered her voice so only Nolan could hear. "Well, I’ve been in my dungeon. Even there, I knew everything that was happening around me—I could see and hear it all. A hundred years ago, there was a skill that was common, called Listening. You could use it to eavesdrop on anyone’s conversation. But people with that skill were hunted down. They were caught listening to merchants’ secret dealings and used that information to take advantage of them. Eventually, people came together and decided that anyone with Listening would be executed. Every last one of them was killed. That skill should be extinct. Yet, I sensed someone listening to your conversation earlier—when you mentioned your new house. And it looks like he followed you. He heard the details and sent men there. I still can’t believe it, because that skill should not exist anymore."

"That’s crazy," Nolan muttered. His fists clenched. "Someone could have killed me. But what did I ever do? I’ve never harmed anyone except Garrick and Peter, and those two—I doubt it was them. They fear me, and they respect me after the lesson I gave them."

Lyra shook her head. "I don’t know who you’re talking about, but whoever this is, they aren’t a rookie. They’ll keep coming. And they will try to kill you, no matter what."

"You’re always so focused on Linda and Celia. What about me?" Lyra asked, raising a brow.

"Well, I can’t be worried about you. You’re the great divine beast, the Behemoth," Nolan replied with a serious look.

Lyra chuckled softly. "I was only joking. Why do you look so serious?"

"Hey, Master, what are you two talking about?" Linda asked as she moved closer.

"Yeah, what are you talking about, Master?" Celia added curiously.

"It’s nothing important," Nolan answered quickly. "Let’s just get going to the house.