NOVEL SIMPLE Conspiracy #2
I clutched my neck in surprise as the blade returned to her side. I could feel life draining from my body as she walked around me. I reached for my flail but I didn’t find it, I must’ve dropped it when I got slashed–
“Looking for this?” The elderly woman chuckled, holding my weapon in her hands. She was struggling to hold it upright just from its weight alone. She was not strong, but she was cunning, patient.
I never would’ve thought that She was one of “them.”
My mind processed the terrible thought. This woman could’ve done something to me anytime she wished! She might even be the one that sent those two after me… But somehow, I didn’t feel disgusted at her act, instinctively I felt disgusted at myself.
How could I feel that way, when the one at fault was her?
“It is as you say, boy.” The Journal sighed in my head, “Betrayal is but the way of life for many of the demon kind. Individuality is the essence of your race, putting oneself over everything, even blood and kin. However you are different for your soul is that of a human…”
“What good is that now anyway?!” I grimaced as I choked myself harder in an attempt to constrict the blood flow. “C-Cody— Y-You!-- What have you done to Cody!”
“Huh?” The olden inn-keeper gasped in surprise, “You can still talk? I must’ve grown rusty over the years, I could’ve sworn I cut your vocal cords too.”
“Piss off, you hag–” I grit my teeth, my grip on my neck slipping. What little oxygen was returning to my brain was not enough to keep me conscious. “W-What have you done to the kid–”
“He’s fine,” The woman grinned at me. She had made her way over the the croaking man on the floor, and drove her kitchen knife straight in-between his ribs and into his heart. The man couldn’t protest, but he was surprised to see himself get finished off too.
“Y-You bitch–”
“Vulgar boy,” the Inn-keeper glared at the dying man, “Your parent’s did not teach you manners, I see. I guess that's to be expected from a street thug.”
I glared at her but I couldn't help but grin, she was as patient as she was old. I already figured out her identity. “Record-Keeper… that’s your name isn’t it?”
The mention of that moniker caused her to turn to me in surprise, but her guard was raised “Well aren’t you well-read, young man. Here I thought you were some foreigner.”
I was once, but the absurdity of the situation was almost palpable, I would have laughed if I could. Just that remark alone told me enough. She had no idea I was working with the Garrison, maybe she never asked Cody to read into those letters. But then again, how could she have known?
That boy was as shrewd as he was tight-lipped.
“Oh…” I gagged blood. I needed to stall for time, and keeping her preoccupied would do just that. “Just a little whisper here and there… you know, the works? So where’s cody–”
Thunk!
“I’m asking the questions here.”
My smile was immediately replaced by a frown, the sting from the slash of cheek sealing my lips shut. She threw her weapon faster than I could’ve reacted. Even if I were in perfect condition, I would’ve still died if I wasn't on my guard…
And if she was a few years younger…
“Rudolf told me.” I said to her plainly, watching her. I tried very hard to repress the shiver if my spine. “I owed him, so I’m running his errands.”
“What errands?”
The inn-keeper took another knife hidden on her person, and slowly snaked to me menacingly. I just needed a few more seconds?
“To infiltrate the Mercury Crime Ring and to spy for him. I made the cut, but my meeting with Frederick is to be a week from now.”
The mention of that man’s name caused her to pause in place. Perfect for me. But that reaction was mysterious to me. Was that out of fear or respect? It didn’t matter now.
She looked down at the floor for a moment and was deep in thought. However I was not going to make a move on her, I'm smarter than that. I sighed and willed my status window to open.
It was a weird sight after not seeing it for a long time. I simply didn't like the system. It made my second life feel cheap, after all in real life you wouldn't have anything like this.
Plus I already had the Journal, so this was more or less redundant.
[ Profile: Hyun / Race: Demon / Profession: Adventurer → (Rogue Warrior), Scholar → (Soul-Bound Contractor), Civilian / Level: 20 ] [ Skill: Premonition ] [Strength: 14 (+3) / Speed: 11 / Constitution: 15 (+2) / Intelligence: 20 (+2) / Wisdom: 20(+4)]
[ Adventurer →(Rogue Warrior) ] → [ Rogue Skill Set: None ] [ Warrior Skill Set: (Permanent status points) ]
But looking at the skill I purchased gave me back memories of how to win in a situation like this. I looked at the options from both categories.
Expand.
[ Stealth(2) / Dagger Arts(2) / Intuition(2) ] [ Hand-to-Hand Techniques (8) / Full-body Martial Techniques (16) / Shield Handling (20) ] [Skill points: 20]
Well, aren't the skills for the warrior class expensive? I leveled up ten times and it gave me twenty achievement points to buy skills with, but my options are slim. Each option will be replaced once they're chosen, and if they weren't, they would then double.
So I might as well…
[Speed has increased by two points! ] [ Wisdom and Intelligence has increased by One point!] [ Strength: 14 (+3) / Speed: 13 / Constitution: 15 (+2) / Intelligence: 21 (+2) / Wisdom: 21(+4) ]
[ Adventurer →(Rogue Warrior) ] → [ Rogue Skill Set: (Stealth), (Intuition) ] [ Warrior Skill Set: (Permanent status points) ] [Skill points: 16]
[ Sleight of hand(4) / Dagger Arts(4) / Greater Mobility(8) ]
[Speed has increased by three points!] [Speed has increased by One point!] [Strength: 14 (+3) / Speed: 17 / Constitution: 15 (+2) / Intelligence: 21 (+2) / Wisdom: 21(+4)]
[Adventurer →(Rogue Warrior) ] → [Rogue Skill Set: (Stealth), (Intuition), (Sleight of hand), (Greater Mobility)] [Warrior Skill Set: (Permanent status points)] [Skill points: 4]
[Lock Pick(5) / Dagger Arts(8) / Shatter(10)]
As the journal said, the skills I acquire through achievement points act as prerequisites for future skills. In this case, Rudolf probably learned intuition, greater mobility, and then his disarming skill: Shatter.
This skill set would explain how he's quick with the sword, but he probably was as strong as he was fast. Three gold coins well spent. I got info on how the skill works, how it does what it does, and some on Rudolf.
[Profile: Hyun / Race: Demon / Profession: Adventurer → (Rogue Warrior), Scholar → (Soul-Bound Contractor), Civilian / Level: 20] [Strength: 14 (+3) / Speed: 17 / Constitution: 15 (+2) / Intelligence: 21 (+2) / Wisdom: 21(+4)]
“Well…” The inn-keeper just sighed, “I’ll tell Frederick that you came close to identifying who I was and is better dead than alive. I’ll say something about you threatening my grandson. Wouldn’t be the first time…”
To think she’d use her own family like that… What a chilling thought. However something tells me that although that was an understandable reason, Frederick wasn’t the kind of man to accept unforseen failure. Her hand is shaking.
“What?” She sneered at me, stepping closer. “There is nothing more important in this world than yourself and what you care about. That was your mistake, being a goody-goody is what killed you, remember that. You should’ve moved on instead of getting in-between Mercury's business.”
I watched her raise the dagger in the air for a killing blow. Her stare is hot on the center of my face, she must be aiming for the eye-socket. Once again I’m faced against death.
Seriously, for reincarnating into a single-player survival game, I’ve faced death more times at the hands of the intelligent people rather than the wild. Granted, I did sign up for this when Rudolf passed me that folder, but when I get out of this city, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy the outdoors.
“Just… answer my question…” I coughed at her. “When you said… this wouldn’t be the first— d-did you kill Cody’s parents too? A kid needs to learn lessons from…both parents.”
My question made her frown in ugly hatred. “What does it matter?” She growled deeply, her voice like that of the gnashing of one's teeth.
“Ask…him yourself that question.”
I looked at a person outside the doorway, with the bookkeeper following my eyes. I couldn’t see her face but by how her arm went down limp to her side. I returned my gaze to the appalled boy and watched as his face turned as pale as his knuckles from how tight he balled them.
The record-keeper did not even acknowledge the presence of Rudolf and Eric, instead she was in shock from the realization that her hot sin was witnessed by the last person she hoped to see.
“C-Cody–” She stammered but was met by a sharp head turn from the boy, “I-it's- n-not what you think! I– I– W-We had t-too to survive! You have to believe me–”
Twang!
The heavy recoil of heavy string hitting metal was all it took to silence the old woman, and it was accompanied by a metal crossbow bolt piercing her shoulder clean through. Surprisingly, the old woman ignored the arrow that skewered her body and looked at the kid tearfully.
“Cody… you have to believe me!”
The boy however was not as naive as she thought. He mustered what little courage he had left given the situation and pointed at her with disdain. “Liar! Y-You are a liar! Mum and Dad hated liars!”
At those words, the record keeper changed her tune. By now she probably saw the two guards looking at her with the same expressions. “You,” she shivered with anger, “I told you to run, not look for help!”
“F-Fake Bitch.” I chuckled, before channeling the last of my strength to kick her in-between the legs.
Unlike what many think, even women feel pain when kicked in-between the legs, because while there may not be two dangling organs it is still a nerve-dense area. The record-keeper’s squeal of agony was followed by her unconscious fall.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, kid.” I spat a large clot of blood before swallowing most of the healing potion hanging from my belt. By the time I finished my drink, I threw the rest of its contents on the site of the attack and in a near instant a scar took its place.
As the tissue on my neck began to sizzle and give out a little smoke, so did the corpses that were lying around the room. I must have looked surprised when Rudolf walked through the door.
He looked around the room, taking in the scene’s traces of gore as it slowly evaporated into puffs of air. Even the blood stains embedded into the wood slowly began to disappear, with the ones on my weapon and armor following them.
“Do you need a minute to breathe?” Rudolf made his way over to my feet, nudging the unconscious woman with his boot.
“And a drink.”