So, to sum it up simply—the fugitive the secret enforcers are after is hiding deep within the complex sewer system beneath the slums.
And our objective is to enter those sewers and capture that fugitive?
Now that I had heard everything up to this point, I finally felt like I was beginning to grasp the essence of the request, which had previously been too vague to even picture.
However, separate from that understanding, I couldn’t help but react negatively to the absurdity of the mission itself.
“I get what you’re saying, but… you’re telling me that just the two of us are supposed to search through that labyrinthine sewer, finish before sunrise, and capture the fugitive?”
Skepticism and disbelief filled my gaze as I stared at her back, and I let my thoughts spill out like rapid-fire bullets.
“I know I’m just a hired bodyguard, but even saying this from my position feels ridiculous. This is a large-scale search, something even the entire enforcement bureau might struggle with. Isn’t this a bit too reckless?”
Trassion’s underground sewers.
…Easier said than done.
The entire sewer system was practically a mirror copy of the city above, so vast it could be considered an underground labyrinth of its own.
It was so ancient that there wasn’t even a record of whether it had been built by humans or demons.
Over the years, as the capital expanded, the sewers had undergone constant additions and modifications, turning into a monstrous maze.
It was said that even enforcers hesitated to enter, as people often got lost even with a map.
And yet, we were expected to search that place in mere hours—just the two of us—find the fugitive, and capture them?
Unless someone had a screw loose or was completely out of their mind, this was the kind of nonsense that would be hard to bring up even as a joke.
And yet, the one spouting this madness was none other than my own client!
I barely held back the urge to cry in despair, but while I was drowning in frustration, she—despite hearing my sharp words—simply responded with a bright smile.
“I understand where you’re coming from, Karin. I know very well how absurd it is for just the two of us to search the entire sewer.”
She then turned to face me, hands clasped behind her back, and lowered her upper body, peering up into my face.
“However, I have a ‘special method’ that will make this possible. So, please trust me just this once. We’re almost there—I’ll show you my secret soon.”
Her glowing green eyes shimmered under the slum’s dim light, accompanied by a sly smile.
And then, there was her deep neckline, which was more than enough to captivate any man.
As for me, being another woman, I didn’t find it exciting in the least.
If anything, it was incredibly overwhelming, and I didn’t even know where to look.
On top of that, my gaze naturally lowered to my own chest, which only made me feel an odd sense of inferiority.
I wasn’t exactly small for my age, but compared to hers… I suddenly felt insignificant.
I wallowed in an indescribable sense of defeat for a moment, but quickly pulled myself together, crossing my arms and scoffing to hide my rising irritation.
“Hmph! Well, I’m sure you have it all figured out. But let me remind you—my job was to act as your bodyguard. And now you’re asking me to help capture a fugitive? That’s a breach of contract!”
“Oh, come on! Can’t you cut me a little slack for my sake? I couldn’t exactly include the details of a secret mission in the request, you know. Besides, I paid you way above the average rate, so consider it a little extra service.”
I was dumbfounded by her shameless attitude.
But at the same time, I couldn’t deny that the payment I had received was significantly higher than most mercenary requests.
That meant I couldn’t argue too much on that front.
Still, my dissatisfaction and skepticism didn’t disappear entirely—they lingered in the corner of my mind.
In the end, I decided to at least see this ‘special method’ she spoke of before making my final judgment.
And so, after following her for quite some time, we finally arrived at the entrance to the underground sewers, deep within the slums.
At that moment, as if on cue, an unbearably foul stench assaulted my senses.
Considering it was a place where all sorts of filth from the capital flowed in, it was only natural that the smell would be enough to make one’s face contort.
I quickly shut off my olfactory sensors to block it out.
However, unlike me—a fully functional automaton—Riel had no such ability.
Even so, contrary to my expectations, her expression remained unusually calm.
I had heard that beastkin possessed sharper senses than other races.
‘How could she stand there so composed?’
Just as I was silently marveling at this contradiction, she carefully scanned our surroundings, then turned to me with a serious expression I had never seen before.
“Alright, shall we begin? But before that, can you promise me one thing? No matter what you see from now on, you must never speak of it to anyone outside.”
She locked eyes with me as she made her request, seemingly preparing to use the ‘special method’ she had mentioned earlier.
At that moment, the words of the receptionist from the day before resurfaced in my mind.
I recalled that Riel’s request had specifically required a mercenary with a high level of discretion and trustworthiness—something I apparently didn’t qualify for.
Yet, despite that, she had insisted on hiring me, and now we were here.
I nearly blurted out, “If you were going to be this stubborn, wouldn’t it have been better to just hire someone trustworthy in the first place?”
But I swallowed those words and simply nodded in agreement.
Honestly, I didn’t particularly like her.
But that didn’t mean I had any intention of exposing or exploiting someone’s secret.
Not even a little.
Whether or not she believed that was entirely up to her.
Riel stared at me for a moment, as if assessing my sincerity.
Then, she gave a small smile and clasped her hands together.
And in that instant, the unexpected unfolded around us.
***
Paaah—!!!
Ding—tiring—tiring—ling—tiring—
An unfamiliar incantation spilled from Riel’s lips, her body glowing with a soft blue light.
At the same time, colorful, sparkling fragments of light began to rise all around the sewer entrance, responding to her presence.
It was a sight grand enough to leave anyone in awe—like hundreds, no, thousands of fireflies soaring into the air all at once in a pitch-black forest.
The slums, once dark and unpleasant, transformed in an instant into a dreamlike landscape, so surreal that it was hard to believe even with my own eyes.
I had been worried about what kind of bizarre stunt she was going to pull, but faced with an outcome completely opposite to my expectations, I could only stand there, mouth agape, watching it all unfold in a daze.
Considering how my impression of her had already hit rock bottom, possibly even reaching the depths of the abyss, it was only natural that it was changing rapidly now.
Under her hand’s command, the swirling mass of light gradually condensed into the form of a small golem, its body covered in lush moss.
As if responding to it, the surrounding radiance slowly faded.
Once everything returned to normal, I finally snapped out of my trance, my doubt nowhere to be found as my eyes sparkled with excitement.
“R-Riel! What is this…? Is this some kind of magic?”
“It’s quite far from magic, actually. This ability manifests by drawing out the spirits that reside within all things, both living and non-living, and interacting with them.”
Her explanation was calm as she gestured toward the golem she had just created.
**”It’s an ability known as Spirit Art, a power said to have been used by a select few humans in ancient times. And as for this little one, it’s a low-tier spirit formed from the non-living matter near the sewer entrance. It may look small and adorable, but it has existed since the very moment this sewer was built.”**
Just as she said, the golem began moving about, displaying various gestures as if proving it had a will of its own.
It was just like a newly emerged butterfly, marveling at its own wings for the first time.
The way it curiously wiggled its fresh limbs made it seem no different from an innocent doll.
I had to fight the urge to scoop it up and rub my cheek against it.
At that moment, I finally understood why Riel had been so adamant about keeping this a secret.
Despite having received thorough training in fundamental knowledge from Mark, I had never even heard of such a mysterious ability before.
If what Riel said was true—that Spirit Art was once exclusively used by humans—then everything made sense.
Given the deep-seated hatred and contempt that demons held for humans, if word got out that she wielded a human power, things wouldn’t end well for her.
Especially considering that, with her strikingly human-like appearance, she already looked far more like a human than a beastkin.
The danger was not just a possibility—it was a certainty.
…Even thinking about Lady Yuria, whom I admired and respected, I shuddered at the thought of what might have happened to her if not for her royal bloodline.
It was an unpleasant scenario to imagine, but I didn’t need to think too hard to see how it would have played out.