Chapter 33
Nirua was the last descendant of an assassin family that had served the Alojé family for generations.
Because of his profession, all his collateral relatives and close kin had long perished—either on battlefields or hidden in the shadows.
He did not resent his occupation. After all, he had his own sense of pride.
“Nirua, we live thanks to Alojé’s pure water. We must protect it.”
That was what Nirua’s father had taught him.
“But you must not serve just anyone… You must constantly question whether your lord is truly worth serving, whether they deserve the loyalty of our Shadow Sword clan.”
He had always said that a loyal servant must remain wary of their lord.
“And my father returned as a corpse.”
He said it was during an Argent attack.
It happened just days after the previous Duke and Duchess Argent had died.
“Something feels off. Stay home; there’s something to check.”
Those were his father’s last words, and he returned to Nirua as a cold, lifeless body.
While everyone else was enraged, Nirua thought differently.
His father had been disguised as a commoner using the Shadow Sword clan’s secret masking technique.
Since he died, the disguise had mostly slipped, but Nirua could still recognize him.
Was he saying that Argent had killed his father, who had been disguised as a commoner?
And this was right after the Duke and Duchess Argent’s death, during a chaotic time for the Argent family?
The weak, young Dielo Argent, who couldn’t even burn a single insect with his flames?
After his father’s death, the Duke’s family had become corrupt, committing all kinds of atrocities, leaving Nirua skeptical.
Quietly, he began to harbor doubts about Duke Alojé.
During that time, he heard news of the illegitimate daughter Krua’s marriage.
“I’m sure she hasn’t awakened as Pero.”
With the Shadow Sword clan’s secret art of masking, which could hide one’s magical power, Nirua had learned to detect subtle magic emitted by Pero.
Yet Krua Alojé gave off no such magic, even on the day she left.
His suspicion deepened, and not long ago, he finally discovered the truth.
“Huff… huff…!”
And he was being chased frantically.
It was already the third time he had nearly been captured and killed.
His endurance was reaching its limit.
“Stop right there!”
Stop, he thought sarcastically, as his legs trembled, threatening to buckle.
The Alojé assassination group was relentless.
Nirua knew this all too well, having been part of it himself.
Was this how he would die?
“Now, give up already!”
He closed his eyes for just a moment—and when he opened them again, he was already surrounded by Alojé assassins.
―Swoosh!
The sound of swords being drawn came from all directions.
―Ssshhh…!
Just then, he noticed the sound of the nearby river seemed unusually loud.
The assassins manipulated the water around them to form wolf shapes.
“Ugh…!”
Nirua tried to move the water himself, but it was useless.
Although he also possessed Alojé’s ability, the combined power of the surrounding assassins suppressed him.
“Leave no trace and devour him.”
The assassins signaled.
The water wolves slowly advanced toward Nirua.
“….”
He gripped his sword tightly for the last time.
Then—
―Awooo!
The howling wolves suddenly turned back.
“What… what?!”
The wolves bared their teeth at the startled assassins, and sharp fangs tore through them in an instant.
Of the ten assassins who had intended to attack Nirua, seven were swiftly taken down.
Still, ten wolves remained.
If the water controller dies, the wolves should return to water, right?
This meant the wolves belonged to someone else.
“…There was someone at Tilla Head with such powerful water control?”
Nirua murmured in disbelief.
“Aaargh!”
The remaining assassins, in the predator position, instantly became wolf prey, leaving no trace, just as they had commanded.
The ten wolves obediently looked toward one side, like puppies.
There stood a woman with deep violet hair.
“…Krua-sama?”
Could she really control ten wolves at once with such immense water manipulation?
It seemed impossible.
Nirua’s eyes widened in shock.
As expected, Nirua had been chased relentlessly.
“This way.”
Following the guidance of Argent’s informants, I moved to rescue Nirua at a perfect moment.
―Awooo!
Just as the water-formed wolves were about to charge at Nirua, I hesitated for a moment, then steadied myself, raising my trembling hands.
This is something I must do. Even to survive.
I clenched and unclenched my trembling hands once.
They glowed with a blue light.
The ten assassins surrounding Nirua were utterly confident that the wolves would tear him apart.
But—
“Aaargh!”
What they controlled was ultimately just water.
I, possessing a stronger water control, easily wrested the command over the water from them.
If I could move the sea, then moving this water was nothing.
“!”
Nirua’s eyes widened.
I aligned the wolves neatly and appeared before him.
“…Krua-sama?”
Nirua’s expression showed disbelief.
Seeing that expression, I felt confident.
My water manipulation ability now far surpassed that of the original Krua Alojé.
Otherwise, Nirua wouldn’t have looked back and forth between me and the wolves in such disbelief.
It was time to let Nirua make a choice.
“You’re Nirua of the Shadow Sword clan, right?”
He paused at my words, then lowered his head.
“…Yes. I am Nirua.”
The Shadow Sword clan was not renowned for elemental control like the three great families, but it was unparalleled in the art of masking.
Many sought their skills, and they often hid their identities.
Yet it seemed he had no intention of hiding from me, which I liked.
“I trust you know who I am.”
I spread my hands casually.
In truth, we were the ones in a hurry.
We needed the Shadow Sword clan’s masking skills.
Still, there was no need to show we were at a disadvantage.
Above all, Dielo, eyes shining to see my “persuasion technique,” was nearby.
I had to do even better.
“I am Krua Alojé.”
Nirua bowed slightly to me, still wary.
Understandable, since the “villainous” Krua Alojé had appeared.
Besides, he had been betrayed by Duke Alojé.
He likely assumed I was in league with the duke.
I looked at him and spoke.
“Wrong.”
Nirua lifted his head at my words.
“I am Krua Argent.”
He hesitated.
He clearly understood what I meant.
By correcting my surname from Alojé to Argent, I indirectly signaled that I no longer wished to belong to Alojé.
“Let me be blunt. According to Argent’s intelligence…”
I spoke slowly.
“You’ve learned my secret, haven’t you?”
Nirua pressed his lips into a straight line.
Conflict showed in his eyes.
He could not have expected Krua herself to appear and question him about her secret.
“As you know, it’s a secret that cannot be revealed.”
Nirua’s eyes flashed at my words.
“!”
A strong murderous aura swept over me, making my entire body tense.
Argent’s informants nearby reacted instantly, noticing it.
“Stand down.”
I raised one hand to stop them.
“Krua-sama, are you truly following that plan?”
Nirua asked in the meantime.
A smile curved my lips.
It was the question I had been waiting for.
The plan—the Fake Pero plan.
He asked whether I would use Alojé’s blood as a tool, whether I was in league with the duke.
“No.”
I shook my head lightly.
“Once again, I am Krua Argent. I’ve allied with Argent and will use that plan you know to strike at Alojé.”
The gentle wind swayed my deep violet hair.
“I have no intention of being used and killed.”
Nirua’s eyes shone—different from the murderous glare before.
I knew the answer he wanted.
“Alojé’s power should be used to protect Alojé. No matter that I’m illegitimate, anyone who uses their blood as a tool cannot truly care for Alojé.”
This aligned with Nirua’s thoughts.
“I don’t trust the current Duke of Alojé.”
At my words, Nirua’s eyes widened as expected.
“I’ve heard the Shadow Sword clan’s loyalty to Alojé is deep. But since Duke Alojé is trying to kill you, why not devote your skill to me, another Alojé?”
I tilted my head slightly.
“You devote your loyalty to me, and I’ll protect you from the duke.”
“…!”
Nirua swallowed hard.
If I were the original Krua Alojé, he might have hesitated.
Her water control was far too weak.
He wouldn’t gamble on a fight he couldn’t win.
“…”
Nirua’s gaze turned to the water wolves I controlled.
I played with them for a while, then returned them to the river.
―Splash!
From a distance, the sound of wolves leaping into the river rang out.
Near the water, I felt a growing confidence.
I could manipulate this river on a much larger scale.
I spread my hands.
―Whoosh!
At that moment, the river’s flow felt almost tangible.
The water leapt up in my mind’s image of a dragon.
“!”
Nirua’s eyes widened. With a bit more finesse, I could even carve the scales.
Seeing the dragon form, I was certain:
My water manipulation power was growing exponentially.
Sensing this, Nirua finally lowered his head.
“…If my humble skills are needed, I will gladly follow you.”
“Good.”
Success.
I looked at Argent’s informants.
“Bring Nirua.”
Then I clenched my hand, still sensing the water’s flow.
I thought of the immense power that made the great river at Tilla Head feel like a small stream.
