Sunderland Town, the blacksmith shop of the Dwarf Black Bronzebeard.
“I do indeed have an Elven item here that can remove the Pope’s restriction you mentioned. Give me an offer first. I’m willing to sell,” Black said, a pipe clenched between his teeth. He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke as he eyed the assassin dressed in a white hood.
“I thought you would side with the Resistance and refuse to sell to me,” Altair said with a hint of teasing.
“I’m just a mercenary — well, at most a mercenary craftsman. If you’re willing to pay and the price is right, I don’t care about the Pope’s faction or the Resistance.” The money-hungry Dwarven craftsman made his true motives clear.
After spending 500 gold coins, Altair entered Black’s small cabin. To avoid prying eyes, he used the Elven item right in front of Black.
As Altair opened the small box, a lush, emerald-green aura of nature surged out. He felt himself instantly nourished by the natural essence. The heavy, stifling feeling that used to manifest in his chest whenever a thought of betraying the Pope arose vanished without a trace.
No one knew exactly what kind of Elven miracle this was, but Altair could clearly feel that the Pope’s restriction on him had been lifted.
The assassin left with a smile of relief, but before he could depart, he heard the Dwarf’s final parting words.
“An eagle bound by rules… I hope you can find the bright exit out of the cave even in the darkness.”
***
At the base of the Peak of Phantoms, the headquarters of the Pope’s Resistance.
Altair bound his own hands and announced his name to the guards at the entrance.
“The Pope’s loyal dog! What kind of trick are you playing now? Our fallen knights were all killed because of your brothers!” Three guards immediately drew their swords and pointed them at Altair, taking defensive stances in a panic.
This Level 55 Elite Deathsworn Captain was notorious. Over the years, many members of the Resistance had died under his blade.
No one knew his intention in coming alone today. A team of scouts had already been sent out to determine if there were any hidden troops lurking behind him.
“Reporting to the captain! There are no hidden troops behind Altair! He is completely alone,” a scout rushed back and reported to the guard captain.
“Someone, tie him tighter and lock him in the dungeon. We will decide his fate later when Lord Marcus returns.” The guard captain remained rational enough to make this decision.
During the day, Marcus and his party had gone to Sindar Town to handle the reconstruction and aftermath. Elliris and Rachel were at the church in Sindar Town, holding a memorial service for the deceased civilians.
By evening, Marcus’s group returned to the base. Upon hearing that Altair had been imprisoned, he immediately decided to interrogate him.
“Lord Altair, I assume you didn’t come here for revenge, right? State your purpose.” Marcus spoke each word calmly and slowly.
“I don’t ask for your understanding, nor do I ask the deceased to forgive us. My only request is that Grand Knight Marcus treats the orphans in the Calonpolis slum orphanage well. I hope you can all give them a beautiful childhood.”
Sitting on the prison bed, Altair used his resolute gaze to convey his determination to Marcus.
“Next, I will make the Pope’s forces pay. This should be what you call a betrayal, hmph…” Letting out a cold snort after making such a shocking statement, Altair added, ‘I am acting on my own will now. I am about to go to the Campbell family’s annual aristocratic merchant guild gathering this weekend to complete an assassination.’
“Why should we believe you? You expect us to be convinced by just a few words?” The impatient Sophia couldn’t hold back and blurted out.
“I only hope that Lord Marcus will help me forge a noblewoman’s identity. I will complete my mission. You members of the God Race, in the hollow of the crooked tree at the corner of the road near the base exit, I have hidden copies of various ledgers between Campbell, the Pope, Shawn, and Aeneas, as well as their private letters.” Altair presented his ultimate bargaining chip and added, “I swapped those for these. The ones they have in their hands are high-quality fakes I meticulously designed. You can send someone to check now.”
Nino and Elliris found the crooked tree. After Elliris carefully verified the documents, she indeed found that these were powerful tools capable of subverting the Pope’s regime.
“Uncle Marcus, I’ve checked these. Lord Altair is indeed different from before,” Elliris said with a smile as she stroked her chin.
“Since the Saint has said so… Lord Altair, I will certainly fulfill your request. I will prepare the noblewoman’s identity you need tomorrow.”
Marcus then personally opened the cell door for Altair. Placing one hand over his chest in a noble’s salute, he spoke.
“Lord Altair, the world may have misunderstood you. But I can feel that your heart still holds onto its moral compass. You will surely be able to protect the light in your heart during this struggle. I hope we can become colleagues after this incident is over.”
“Heh, as for being colleagues, let’s wait until after the Pope is overthrown. Besides, I don’t have a hobby of dressing like a tin can every day. However, if this ends successfully, I’ll come back to find you, Lord Grand Knight.”
Marcus could indeed see that unusual light within Altair’s deep gaze.
***
At the Campbell estate on the weekend, the crowds were bustling. Inside the grand manor, every corner was filled with signs of decadence and luxury.
“Hello, this is the invitation I received. Please take a look, sir.”
A blonde noblewoman in a minimalist black gauze floor-length dress approached. Her skirt swept silently across the marble floor as she handed the invitation to the guard of the Campbell manor.
“H-Hello. Are you Ms. Adele Adkins? You are very welcome here.” The guard stared blankly at Altair’s beautiful face. Altair followed up with a wink, nearly making the poor guard collapse.
Altair was an expert in disguise and could even use bone-shrinking techniques.
The last time Elliris had seen him at the Great Mine, he had disguised himself as an 8-year-old boy. This time, it was a top-tier demonstration of a master crossdresser.
Through Marcus’s channels, the invitation allowed him to slip directly into the merchant guild gathering where the national nobility of the Campbell region gathered. He had only one goal.
“I thank all the nobles who have traveled from afar to gather at my humble home. Everyone, please set aside the pressure of work today and indulge yourselves to your heart’s content!” The greasy old man giving the opening speech, whose belly buttons were about to burst under the strain of his gut, was Campbell.
Golden candlelight flowed across the embossed vaulted ceiling of the banquet hall. On one side was a large gambling area, and on the other were countless private booths with rare wines. The strong smell of smoke filled the large venue, a foul luxury wrapped in the overflowing scent of alcohol.
During the breaks in the banquet, the blonde noblewoman successfully gained Campbell’s trust through a seductive approach.
Adele (Altair) followed Campbell to the upper floor, entering Campbell’s private room.
The greasy old man was laughing wildly with his arm around Adele’s waist. His fat fingers rubbed against the wine glass, and the gemstone rings on his fingers glinted with a murky, dull light under the candlelight.
At that moment, Campbell actually double-locked the door. The soundproofing in this private room was top-notch; he wanted to spend a spring night with this beauty.
But he was completely unaware that as Adele stood there in her cold, elegant gown, a chilling light had already gathered at her fingertips.
As she leaned down, the black gauze slipped from her shoulder, leaving her snowy white neck completely exposed to Campbell’s view.
Campbell was completely captivated.
With a flick of his wrist, the silver blade hidden in Altair’s sleeve instantly unsheathed and was immediately pressed against Campbell’s throat.
“You! Who are you! You bitch, where do you get the nerve!” Even with death imminent, Campbell was still shouting.
“Fat pig, look closely. Do you recognize this dagger?” Altair gave Campbell a final hint in a delicate female voice.
This was Altair’s exclusive weapon, the **[Mirror Dagger]**, though killing an ant like Campbell didn’t require triggering its special effect.
**[Mirror Dagger]**
**[Effect: It can generate a phantom mirror near the target. The blade of the dagger is as smooth as a mirror. When attacking, it does not directly harm the target’s body but inflicts wounds on its reflection or image; the physical body in reality will directly receive the damage reflected from the image.]**
“You… you are — Altair! Mmph — “
Without any wasted movement, the tip of the blade precisely pierced Campbell’s throat. Before long, he drew his last breath. Altair also covered his mouth so he couldn’t call for help. Blood flowed down Campbell’s neck, staining a large portion of the sofa red.
‘Come on, let’s hang the capitalist from a lamppost and let him swing like a pendulum.’
‘Then again, if this guy swings from a lamppost, he’d probably break it, wouldn’t he?’
Gently closing the door to Campbell’s private room and locking it from the outside, his posture remained upright and graceful.
With a graceful figure blending in among the many nobles, Altair calmly left the Campbell estate with the rest of the crowd after the banquet ended.
‘That bastard Aeneas isn’t here today!’ Altair cursed as he moved away from the crowd’s sight.
‘He’s probably off messing with the Pope’s experimental subjects again…’ It seemed Altair’s next target was also clear.
In the dark of the night, the black gauze skirt fluttered backward in the wind. Before long, that beautiful silhouette had already transformed into a cold shadow that vanished into the darkness.