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Tilea's Worries

Chapter 12

Ryuko, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Black Reapers, was both a hunter and a hunted. Having survived countless battles, Ryuko had no blind spots. His current targets were practitioners of ancient martial arts, a fourteen-year-old and a seventeen-year-old girl. Though they were just young girls, he knew better than to underestimate them. Even with weak magical power, individuals like these could be formidable. It was said that they had single-handedly decimated a group of rogue fighters, albeit not on the level of the Black Reapers, with just one technique.


He chuckled, recalling his old nemesis, Koen Motobee.


Though Koen's skill was far below his own, in certain situations, Koen displayed extraordinary strength, giving Ryuko a hard time. Overconfidence nearly cost him his life against a weaker opponent.


Back then, Ryuko was young and reckless, eager to defeat his opponent on their own turf. He had learned the hard way that close combat against a master of ancient martial arts was a mistake. This time, he would strike from a distance.


A few days later…


After completing his reconnaissance, Ryuko observed the blonde girl. She appeared to be an ordinary adult woman, her movements and behavior that of a complete amateur. The silver-haired girl, on the other hand, was more alert, nearly spotting him during his surveillance, forcing him to abort the mission.


As expected from a master of ancient martial arts. Even Ryuko, with his extensive experience in stealth, had barely managed to escape. It had been a while since he last broke a sweat. The silver-haired girl was likely far more skilled than the blonde. He decided to eliminate the blonde girl first.


The blonde girl was leisurely strolling alone.


She was completely defenseless.


It was hard to believe she was a practitioner of ancient martial arts. He wondered if it was a trap, meant to lure him into a false sense of security, but if it was an act, it was flawless.


While the silver-haired girl exuded an aura of strength, the blonde girl had none of it.


Could she just be an ordinary person?


Well, it didn't matter either way. If she was just an ordinary person, she would simply die. If it was a trap, as long as he kept his distance, he would be fine.


Ryuko pulled out his custom-made crossbow.


Unlike standard crossbows, which lost accuracy over long distances and were prone to being detected by the sound of the air being cut, his crossbow was different. He had altered the shape of the arrows for silent flight and used special strings to ensure powerful, stable trajectories.


An attack that was impossible to dodge.


The arrowheads were coated with a deadly poison. Even a mere graze would be fatal. By the time the target realized they were under attack, it would be too late.


Heh, Ryuko was also famous as a master of poison.


Normally, he would use his poison-coated hands to directly slash his enemies. Recently, he had used it on the bodyguards of his employer. They were somewhat renowned warriors, likely confident in their physical strength. But they had succumbed quickly to his poison, their strength meaningless in the face of it.


In the world, the deadliest poisons included Torikabuton, Peneno, and Iart. Ryuko had combined these and developed his own unique blend.


He named the poison "Kūki." There was no antidote for Kūki. It was unlike any existing poison. Not even the greatest healing magic from the high priests could save someone from it. It was, without a doubt, the most powerful poison in the world.


He plucked a weed growing nearby and tossed it into the air.


The weed fluttered in the wind...


He was upwind. There was no chance, not even one in ten thousand, that his shot would be detected.


She really was full of openings.


The blonde girl was so defenseless that he decided to send a tiny bit of killing intent her way.


...Still no reaction.


Normally, anyone would show some kind of response to this, even the most skilled in disguising themselves. Even a minor, mosquito-like reaction.


But the blonde girl didn’t flinch.


Could anyone really be this good at pretending?


His doubts reached their limit.


She was a complete amateur. She hadn’t even dabbled in martial arts. But he wouldn’t let his guard down. He proceeded with his task methodically.


He aimed the crossbow.


His target…


Considering she might be wearing chainmail, he aimed for the exposed skin on her limbs.


Die!


He pulled the trigger.


The arrow flew silently.


It sped toward the blonde girl with precise accuracy.


The blonde girl seemed unaware.


Got her!


Ryuko was sure of his victory—until… what!? It was deflected!


The arrow that had been headed straight for the blonde girl’s leg suddenly changed direction and flew off into the distance.


The blonde girl continued walking as if nothing had happened.


...She was completely at ease.


It was as if she had achieved the ultimate state of nothingness.


Ryuko guessed the blonde girl had detected the arrow at the last moment and altered its trajectory by a hair's breadth. It was possible she was using some magical tool, but her magical power was weak. It was more likely she had used aiki, the martial art of blending with an attack's energy.


Heh, not bad at all!


He had thought she was an amateur, but it seems she had mastered the art of nothingness. She was even prepared for long-range attacks. This is what made practitioners of ancient martial arts so troublesome.


Blonde girl, I admit defeat for now.


If she had mastered her martial art to that extent, there was no doubt he would lose if they fought head-on. His poison was useless if it didn’t hit its target.


A martial artist of this caliber hadn’t appeared since Koen Motobee.


The battle would have to start over.


Close combat was disadvantageous. Even long-range sniping had been countered. Assassination seemed difficult. But Ryuko had another trick up his sleeve. Not all battles were won through direct confrontation.


A few days later...


“Thank you so much for the other day!”


“No, no, it was nothing. We help each other out in tough times.”


Ryuko, under the alias Yana, had approached the blonde girl, wearing a friendly face to put her at ease.


After some investigation, he had gotten a good sense of the blonde girl’s personality. Her combat skills were top-notch, but she had a soft side that occasionally showed through.


Her martial arts were indeed exceptional. She would easily dominate in a martial arts tournament.


But, sadly, it seemed she had never been in a true fight to the death. Her guard against hostility was far too weak.


She could be a martial arts master, but not a soldier.


So, Ryuko had pretended to be lost and approached the blonde girl as part of his plan. She had been all too happy to help him find his way, not suspecting a thing.


The blonde girl didn’t suspect him at all.


Yes, Ryuko had another talent besides his use of poison. He could suppress his magical power to an extreme degree. By doing so, and putting on a friendly smile, he could make most people drop their guard. By intentionally presenting a harmless appearance, he could get close to his targets without raising suspicion. Before he became a master poisoner, this was how he had achieved many of his kills.


It had been a while since he had used this technique. Since reaching a high level as a poisoner, he hadn’t needed to. But this time was different. If he fought the blonde girl head-on, he would be at a disadvantage. Her skills surpassed his. He couldn’t afford to use brute force here.


Only a fool would try to counter a superior opponent with the same technique.


“Tilea-san, I wanted to give you this as a token of my thanks.”


He offered her a manju, a sweet bun laced with his most potent poison.


“Oh, you don’t need to thank me.”


“Please, I insist. It’s a special yomogi mochi made with medicinal herbs. It’s very good for your health.”


“Really? That’s so nice of you.”


The blonde girl accepted the manju without suspicion and brought it to her lips.


Yes, I’ve won!


Once she put it in her mouth, it would be over.


But then…


“Yana-san, I can’t eat this.”


The blonde girl returned the manju to the box.


Had she figured it out?


While not completely tasteless and odorless, the distinct smell of the toxic herbs had been masked by other ingredients. How could she have known?


The blonde girl was also a cook. Even though it was a poisoned manju, it tasted no different from a normal one. Only a highly skilled cook could detect such a subtle difference. It seemed the blonde girl had a keen sense of taste and smell.


Heh, well, even if she knew, it was too late. She had already been exposed to the world’s deadliest poison. It was a pity she hadn’t realized before putting it in her mouth.


She should already be dead… but she isn’t!?


What? What? How is she not dead?


She’s licking it? Licking it!?


The blonde girl was licking the poisoned manju, saying, “Yes, no doubt about it. This almond scent and texture…”


She continued to smugly lick the manju over and over.


“U-Um…”


“Yana-san, this manju is really dangerous. I can’t eat it. It contains poisonous herbs. It’s probably made from Torikabuton grass.”


To be precise, it was a blend of Torikabuton, Peneno, and Iart, a unique concoction I created.


W-Well, the main ingredient is Torikabuton.


Yes, correct. That’s right—but wait, that’s not the point! This is a deadly poison! A special poison! Just one milligram is enough to make a large magical beast foam at the mouth and die!


This is ridiculous!


What’s with you!? How are you alive after licking it!?


Ryuko struggled to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside him.


His smile might have been twitching.


Calm down, stay calm, and analyze.


He vaguely remembered reading something in a text.


There were supposedly people in the world who were born with a natural immunity to poison. It seemed the blonde girl was one of those people.


“Yana-san, you really need to be careful. When amateurs use wild plants, accidents like this can happen. You shouldn’t cook with them unless you consult a chef or an expert first.”


“M-My apologies.”


“It’s not enough to say you didn’t know. Yana-san, do you know what the most dangerous poison in the world is?”


“K-Kūki…”


“Kūki? I’ve never heard of that plant. No, this is Torikabuton grass. You should remember that. It’s very dangerous because it can easily be mistaken for yomogi.”


The blonde girl then started to lecture him about poisonous plants.


How dare she treat Ryuko, the world’s greatest poison master, like an amateur!


“…And another thing, the stem of Torikabuton grass has serrated edges… The smell and taste are distinct… Wait a minute, something’s wrong.”


The blonde girl seemed to have realized something. She stopped her lecture and began licking the manju again.


What is she trying to do? Is she that eager to show off her poison resistance?


“U-Um?”


“Something’s not right. The texture… Could it be Peneno? Iart? No, but…”


What!? She’s getting close to identifying my poison blend!?


This girl is dangerous.


Ryuko snatched the manju out of her hand, muttered a quick apology, and fled the scene.

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