Chapter 171: Smooth Criminal

Words : 1083 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

"Here’s your room, Lord Hal," said Seventeen with a bow as she stopped in front of an ironwood double door. Two Imperial Guards stood outside, stationed in the middle of a long hallway in the southwest wing of the Imperial Castle. Hal inwardly found the location rather strange, if the priority was truly safety. However, the eunuch and the servants knew far more about the castle than he did, so he could only comply. He planned to set up a few security measures for himself, anyway. Furthermore... "I’ll be staying just outside, Lord Hal. Sixteen will swap with me in the middle of the night, but please let me or her know if there’s anything you need." Hal nodded in acknowledgment and entered. There weren’t many instructions given to him, but he was sure someone would come when it was time for the official appointment ceremony. And so, with nothing much to do, Hal began setting up his defensive perimeter. Every few seconds, he would point his finger at a certain spot in the room, prompting a small green magic circle to appear, from which a green orb slowly became invisible as it floated to its destination before hovering in place. This was one of his [Uncommon]-tier trap spells that had aided him in surviving in the Luminous Runeforest region: [Wind’s Whisper]. Once someone or something made contact with it, the spell would immediately turn into a breeze that transformed back into mana and returned to the user’s body, informing him that someone was there. The sensation was intense enough to be felt even while the caster was deep asleep, waking him up. This trap was especially effective against invisible opponents. Hal believed that there should be few who could get past the two veteran Imperial Guards standing at the door, and those who had the capability to wouldn’t be allowed to roam free in the Imperial Castle. There should be no problems. Still, Hal remained vigilant just in case. As hours passed, however, he couldn’t help but slowly drop his guard, as nothing out of the ordinary really happened, and it didn’t seem like something would. Why would the fell race even know of him, anyway? ’Possibly because of that Khan?’ he mused while staring at the luxurious ceiling of his guest suite. ’Arran should still be in human territory, if not dead in the Luminous Runeforest region...’ Hal shivered slightly as he remembered the two-feet-tall gnome that he saw back then and couldn’t help but wonder what rank that monster was. ’Perhaps S?’ His imagination ran wild. He wanted to explore the system further, but didn’t dare do so in the Imperial Castle, as there were probably eyes watching him right at this moment. ’Ahh, how boring...’ he complained inwardly, ’If only Loki was with me...’ Fortunately, there were snacks prepared on the table, and Hal certainly didn’t stand on ceremony after spotting them. He ate a good half and drank a bottle of water before returning to bed. At the eighteenth hour, someone knocked on the door. Hal subconsciously sat up, asking: "Who’s there?" "Lord Hal, it’s me, Seventeen. I’ve brought dinner." "Come in." The door slowly opened, and it was indeed the gorgeous maid pushing a cart full of food. There was steamed seafood, roasted meat, stir-fried veggies, and even a side of a cup of rice. Hal naturally liked what he saw, thanking the leaving maid. Rubbing his palms together in excitement, Hal was about to take a bite of the meat when he suddenly thought of something. He then began separating the roasted meat from the bone, peeling the skin off the lobster, taking the meat from the clams, and placing them all into one of the boxes in his inventory, leaving only a few pieces of the stir-fried vegetables and half a cup of rice before returning the box to the inventory. ’Yeah, this should do...’ he thought inwardly before retrieving the rations he had prepared before leaving Aeloria. The dinner he had was much plainer than what he could’ve eaten. However, Hal chose to prioritize his safety. By the twentieth hour, he had fallen asleep, thanks to how comfortable the room was. The Manatech Airconditioner kept the temperature just right, and the bed seemed to beckon him to dreamland, even though he wasn’t tired. The hours of the serene night passed. But the peace would not last for long, as someone was lurking in the shadows of the dimly lit hallway, masterfully staying outside the detection range of the two veteran guards and the night shift maid, Sixteen. A pair of purple eyes with black irises watched as a transparent, odorless smoke drifted toward the three, entering their lungs and slowly lulling them to sleep. They didn’t even realize they were already dozing off. The hiding individual seemed delighted at the sight. The next moment, a purple-haired young woman dressed in the clothes of an Imperial Maidservant emerged from the cover of darkness, fading into invisibility as a cruel smile slowly appeared on her lips. The ironwood door opened, but the usual creaking sound was somehow absent. Seventeen, concealed by invisibility, gazed coldly at her target, who was sleeping under the thick, comfortable blanket. It seemed this assassination would be a breeze, and shortly after, she would return to the homeland in the north. Killing a talented, up-and-coming young wizard of the human race wasn’t as impressive as establishing a large portal, but it was still a significant feat that would elevate her clan’s status by a notch. Whispering unintelligible words and extending her arms to the sides, a silent black orb materialized in front of her palms, ruthlessly aiming it at the blanket. She then fired the spell a moment later, causing the orb to float slowly toward her unsuspecting victim. It latched onto the blanket and quickly began enveloping it, then constricted and formed into the shape of a violently struggling human. The orb was like indestructible gum, preventing its victim from escaping no matter how hard they tried, while depriving them of oxygen and slowly draining their mana. It also suppressed all sound, making the assassination slow and brutal. "Die, Hal Fennec." A minute later, the struggles slowly grew weaker, deepening the cruel smile on the fake maidservant’s face. "Heh, people of this caliber are considered talented by human standards? Pathetic," mumbled Seventeen with a disdainful sneer. Her mission couldn’t have been easier.

Chapter 171: Smooth Criminal

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