Chapter 113: First Hit
While Lea sees people loitering around her property, nervous about whether or not to come in.
Using the Adventurer's Guild for advertisement was a good move. If Lacrosa had more loose rules, she could do daylight robbery, but instead, she has to do legal robbery.
Step in... step in...
Despite advertising herself as a hitman, she never killed someone for money. Only out of rage or desperation before, and maybe through malice. The past few customers only got some Hex talismans from her, but with the Guild, news will travel far and fast for her other business.
Creak...
And the first person of today finally came in. The girl seems to be a noble woman, shaking as she walks into the mansion covered in her Cursed Constructs. She seem freightened by just being here...
"Go receive the guest.", she whispered her command.
The little blots of light flew around her, then came downstairs to receive the noble. These are the ghosts living in Lea's mansion, the things haunting this place.
But they bowed to her the moment she made the Twilight Gaunt her servant. To the ghosts, Lea was a more horrifying existence.
"Eek!!", the noble yelped at the floating balls of light.
Bam!!
The door shut behind her, sealing the girl's escape path.
And Lea calmly walks down the stairs, making sure only her presence is known, but not her footsteps.
"What do you seek in this dreary place?", she asked.
The darkness writhes around her, responding to her words.
"I... I'm seeking a hit on a noble...", she was nervous from the look on her face.
Lea stopped, feeling equally nervous. This is her first hit, after all. Luckily, she has Cloak and Silence hiding her emotions very well.
"Name and address, then we will negotiate the price.", she stated, staring down at the noble girl.
"Um... s-she's Auro Mellis, the daughter of Marquis Melliz..."
"Melliz family...", Lea has no clue where that is, "Where is it?"
"Y-You don't know Kieran?"
Kieran... where the hell is that? Lea wondered.
"I know.", she lied.
Lea reminded herself to buy a world map later; there must be someone who sells maps here in Lacrosa. If not, she could go to Qaeidat's place.
A Marquis means a border noble on the Frontier of a country; they usually have a sizable military force...
"Anything I should look out for?", Lea asked with slight amusement in her voice, all to fish out information.
"W-Well... there are the Paladins from Centalpha frequently patrol near the border...", she said nervously.
Centalpha... the Holy See of the Church of the Three Rings?!
Lea suppressed her groan and began to talk; that was enough information for now...
"What crime had she committed to warrant her death?"
The noble girl's face darkened.
"She... took away my fianceé, h-he treated me so well but suddenly became cold and distant... it happened after that woman talked to him at a ball."
So either a case of broken-hearted delusions or some sort of mysticism is involved. But in any case, the one who needs to present to court is her client, not Lea herself.
"A Marquis' daughter and near the Holy See... that will be 7,500 Cee, in banknotes or coin only. Do you have enough money?"
"W-What?! That price is outrageous!!", the noble girl widened her eyes in surprise.
Lea did not answer, just kept on staring down at the noble girl.
Things got awkward quickly, for Lea at least. She doesn't know how to continue the conversation. While the noble girl became more anxious and fearful.
"I... I'll get the money right away...!!", the noble girl ran off.
At least the ghosts opened the door for her...
And for Lea, she should get one of those reception stones...
=0=0=
The downside of living in a haunted mansion on the outskirts of the biggest city in the world is that Lea needs to go quite far to get groceries.
It took her two hours to reach the market, or what advertises itself as a market, but with one giant store selling everything. A supermarket, some may say. It even has air conditioning.
It was quite convenient for getting food, but Lea only bought rations since the mansion's kitchen was unusable.
Lea was going out as herself, not her Faceless Twilight getup, just a fancy Lacrosan-style suit with a half cloak, all woven from her Cursed Constructs.
So yes, she is practically naked. That is the truth she is trying very hard to ignore.
Now that she had everything, Lea turned to a deserted alleyway, dropping her shopping bags into her shadow before sinking into it herself.
Using Shadow Step, Lea traverses the shadows and shade of Lacrosa, taking another two hours to arrive at her mansion. There are still people loitering around, but none came knocking at her door. Partly because she had the Twilight Gaunt standing behind the door, letting its unnerving aura out.
Lea slipped through using the back door, which she had covered in her Cursed Constructs before going out.
"Go back to the basement.", she commanded the faceless demon.
Obediently, it sank down to the ground.
Once again, Lea sat on the stairs, waiting for that noble girl.
=0=0=
Renar, Ryteline Kingdom.
Dawn stared at the map of the known world spread across her desk, golden pins marking every location Jim had searched in the past month.
Umbros. Kres. The surrounding territories. Even inquiries were sent to distant cities through her new telephone network.
Nothing.
Lea Darkwill had vanished like smoke.
"She's using her Cloak and Silence...", Dawn muttered, frustration bleeding into her voice, "The moment she decides to hide, she becomes a ghost. Not even Jim's Fate manipulation or Auger's Bond can track her."
Solafant stood near the window, arms crossed. Their cat form had been abandoned since the Star God incident, using the form of a tall, androgynous, with features that seemed to shift subtly depending on the angle.
"She survived Dream's Grave, according to the Lady.", Solafant said quietly, "That alone proves she's stronger than we gave her credit for. Perhaps we should trust she knows what she's doing."
"She's traumatized!!", Dawn snapped, slamming her hand on the desk, "She was tortured by that spider thing, forced to hunt her own friends, and then dragged to some nightmare realm! And the moment she wakes up, she runs?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"That's someone breaking."
Solafant said nothing.
Dawn turned to the other person in the room. Charlotte, lounging in an armchair like she owned the place, was completely unconcerned with the entire situation.
The Heretic was fiddling with a smartphone. A sleek black rectangle of glass and metal that absolutely did not exist in this world. Her thumbs moved across its surface with practiced ease, occasionally making soft tapping sounds.
"Are you even listening?", Dawn demanded.
"Hmm?", Charlotte didn't look up, "Oh yes. You're worried about Lea. Very touching."
"Your library was destroyed.", Dawn said through gritted teeth, ""Miss Mashhith" is missing. Lea is gone. And you're playing with... whatever that is!"
"It's called a smartphone from Earth, though I also have a hard-light slate.", Charlotte said absently, still scrolling, "Very useful for staying connected across dimensional boundaries. Also, excellent for mobile games."
She finally glanced up, azure eyes twinkling with amusement.
"And the library wasn't destroyed; it was relocated. Sinclair did me a favor, really. That place was getting boring."
Dawn wanted to scream.
How could this woman, this monster who'd killed millions, be so utterly casual about everything?
Maybe because she has no care left to give?
"Lea trusted you to some extent.", hostility dripped in her tone, "She looked up to you, in her own way. And you just let her run off alone?"
Charlotte finally set down the smartphone, meeting the princess' gaze directly.
"Lea made her choice, I respect that."
"She's going to get herself killed!"
"Maybe so.", Charlotte shrugged, "Or maybe she'll become something extraordinary. Either way, it's her path to walk."
She stood up, stretching lazily, "Besides, you're worrying about the wrong things, Dawn. Lea will be fine. She's tougher than she looks."
Charlotte walked to the window, gazing out at the city of Ryteline below.
"You should be worrying about what's coming."
Dawn's breath caught, "What do you mean?"
Charlotte was silent for a moment, then spoke in a tone that was almost... prophetic. As if the white stars in her eyes were glowing.
"When twenty divinity lights up this world, one shall bid farewell to all."
The temperature in the room dropped.
"And that person shall stay behind as all walk into a new era."
Dawn felt ice crawl down her spine. "What... what does that mean?"
Charlotte turned back, her expression unreadable. She picked up her smartphone again, swiping through something.
"And here's another freebie for ya. When the throne of the World is reclaimed, the enemy of the world shall reveal itself."
"The throne of the World?", Solafant stepped forward, "You mean—"
"Exactly what it sounds like.", Charlotte nodded, "The Church of Sacrifice is being quite foolish. Marching to the North Pole and breaching the Fog Wall before the proper pieces are in place."
She smiled, but it held no warmth.
"They're going to force the game to start early. And when that happens..."
Charlotte's azure eyes glinted with something that might have been anticipation.
"Well, things are going to get very interesting."
She tucked the smartphone into her coat and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Dawn demanded.
"To prepare.", Charlotte said simply, "You should too. Tell your precious Church to stand by the sideline."
She paused at the doorway.
"And make sure not to heed any call for a united religious front."
Then she was gone, leaving Dawn and Solafant alone with two prophecies that promised nothing but death and revelation.
Dawn looked back at her map, at the golden pins marking failed searches for Lea.
One shall bid farewell to all.
She closed her eyes.
"Please be safe, Lea.", she whispered to the empty room, "Please..."