The next day, Ray went back to the Palace. He had to go back to report about the incident, where Hiro tagged along with him. Sakura, as well as Elysia, had to go to a tea party hosted by her friends. The maids were busy working, under Ainz’s supervision for the banquet.
“I am bored…,” Kai thought to himself as he watched them working. He turned to the other direction and wheeled himself to the garden. “Hey Eva,” he called out, which had an immediate response. “Yes, Sir? How may I assist you?” Eva replied, to which Kai looked at the flower garden in front of him. “Switch to smartphone mode. I will just play some games.”
“Alright, Sir.” Eva responded. Just then, “Ah! Wait, change once I reach my room.” Kai asked so, as he started to wheel himself back to the mansion. Eva responded to it as Kai went inside, when he noticed a group of 4 maids together, where one was crying as the others tried to talk to her.
Kai watched the scene unfold from a distance, curiosity piqued. He had always been somewhat detached from the staff's personal affairs, but this was different. The crying maid was young, newer than most. “Her name’s Lily, right?” he remembered.
She was a cheerful maid, with brown hair and brown eyes. His eyes fixed on the group, as he wheeled himself closer. The crunch of gravel under his wheels caught the attention of the maids, as they turned around to look at him. “What's going on here?” he asked, with his notebook faced towards them. The maids looked at each other, uncertainty in their eyes. It was the oldest among them, a stern woman with black hair and blue eyes named Martha, who spoke up.
“Young Master, it’s about Lily.” she explained, her voice just above a whisper. “She was…,” she tried, but couldn’t bring out the words to say.
Kai looked at Lily, who was silently crying. “Few days back, she…” Martha tried to say but she was having a hard time. “Eva, find out what happened in 5 seconds,” his voice serious as he watched Lily, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
“I got what you wanted, Sir.” Eva responded, “Few days back, before you came to the mansion. It was when the Archduke and the Archduchess went to the village to get you, when the Count came to meet the Archduke. During his time here, he misbehaved with the maid in front of you, to which she slapped him. He got furious that time, but Ainz came and saved her. But right now, it seems he threatened her with her family.”
Kai after listening to her, went to Lily as he placed his hand on her shoulder. He smiled as he wrote in his notebook, “I think I get what happened. Don’t worry, I shall ask the Archduke to take care of it.” To this, Lily first asked not to, but after a few more arguments she gave in. She cried as she thanked him with the other maids. Kai started to wheel himself back on his track, “What’s the Count’s name?”
He asked to Eva, to which she gave him all the information about him. Kai started to read the screen as he thought to himself, “This guy already had a lot of misdeeds. Well, whatever. Let us play some game,” he went back to his room.
Fast forward the time, the sun set and now it was night. Hiro, Sakura and Elysia came back home, tired from traveling. After having dinner, all fell to sleep. Kai couldn’t ask about the Count to Hiro, as he was too tired. The twin moons hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that danced on the cobblestone streets. But on those streets, a figure cloaked in darkness moved stealthily, covering her face. Her silhouette barely discernible.
She moved with a predator's grace, reaching a mansion. She jumped above the mansion's walls with ease. She slipped past the guards, their senses dulled by the late hour and the monotony of their duty. She was a ghost, a breath of wind, a figment of their imagination.
The mansion was of Count Ferdinand, who was at ease, resting without a care in the world. “Soon,” he sat in his study, a glass of wine in his hand, the glow of the fireplace casting a warm light on his face. “She has no other choice,” He was alone, laughing on his own or so he thought.
The figure in cloak slipped into the room, silent as a sigh. She drew her blade as she walked towards the Count, the steel gleaming ominously in the firelight. Count Ferdinand, lost in the comfort of his solitude, didn't notice the shadow that loomed behind him. In one swift, silent motion, the Assassin struck. The deed was done. Count Ferdinand slumped in his chair, a look of surprise etched on his face. She cleaned her blade, sheathed it, and prepared to leave.
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But then, the mansion's doors open, revealing a maid who came to report to the Count. “My lor- AHHHH!!!” she screamed, alarming the knights. Soon, the knights, clad in shining armor, stormed into the room. They had discovered the body of the Count in front of them. She was cornered.
“Seize her!” one of the knights commanded, pointing his sword at the her.
But she was not defeated. With a swift movement, she raised her hand, and a force like none other filled the room. “Zero Gravity,” she whispered in a low voice as the knights got lifted off their feet, their heavy armor no match for the invisible force. “Whaa-” the knights levitating in the air.
“Force Grip,” she whispers as she balls her first and swings around. As she does, the knights are thrown against the walls, knocked unconscious.
With the path clear, she made her way. As she walks, one knight still had his consciousness. “Who… are you?” he asked to which she turns around. She looked at him for a few seconds, then just smiled as she replied, “Trickster” before disappearing into the night as swiftly as she had come. The mansion was left in chaos, a nobleman dead, and a group of knights defeated by a single girl.
The morning after the incident at Count Ferdinand's mansion, the news of his death and all his misdeeds spread like wildfire. The townsfolk were in shock, but happy to celebrate the death of a corrupted noble. The knights who had been defeated by the girl were left with their pride wounded, their confidence shattered.
Back at the Archduke's mansion, Kai was having breakfast when he heard the news. “Is that so,” he thought to himself, without showing any reaction, continuing to eat his meal as if nothing had happened. Hiro, who was reading the newspaper about the assassination spoke up, “Looks like Diark’s work.” To which Sakura add up, “He’s doing a good job cleaning the society.” Both Hiro and Sakura shared a laugh.
Kai listening to it, wrote in his note. “Who’s Diark?” As Sakura and Hiro read it, Hiro spoke up talking about Diark.
“Diark is an assassin who kills the nobles who does wrong deeds. The commoners support him since he brings them justice when the court is not able to,” Hiro puts his view as Kai write again.
“Don’t the nobles try to catch him then?” he asked, to which Hiro replied. “Some does, but not us.” He says, as Sakura added up, “He does justice to the weak and punishes the corrupted nobles. He’s a hero of the commoner and many look up to him,” she says so with a smile. Kai listening to it thinks to himself, “Sounds like Robin Hood.”
They continue to talk, when Hiro notices something on the newspaper. “Wait, it’s not Diark’s work…” he continues to read the whole thing. “Trickster?”
Kai wheels himself out together with Elysia, talking to her after his breakfast. Hiro and Sakura still continue to discuss about the assassination. On the hallway, Elysia tells Kai about how her tea party was, when he notices Lily fixing a flower vase by the side. He writes to Elysia in his note to go ahead, as he wheels himself to Lily. As Lily notices Kai coming to her, she bows her head. “Good morning Young Master!” She greets him as he writes something on his note.
“I hope you heard the news today?” she reads to which she nods. He smiles to her response before he writes again, “Guess I don’t have to tell the Archduke then.” As he says so, Lily smiles at him. “Thank you for thinking about me, Young Master.”
After a few more talk, Kai waves to her as he continues back to his room. “Ray’s coming back today,” he sighs. “He’s lectures are boring.”
As he enters his room, he goes towards the window as he looks outside, winds gently flowing by him. “Hey Eva, tell me about the structure of the Magic academy.” He asked, to which Eva responded, “Right away, Sir. The magic academy is a very influencing academy in and throughout the Empire. Those who are passed out with good grades are sure to get a high post in search for jobs, some are even invited to the magic tower.”
“Just for learning the basic math and science, huh…”
“Yup,” Eva continued to explain. “The building of the academy is also divided into four parts. The main building is for the teachers and advance study for magic. Later, there are the three parts that are for students, 1st years, 2nd years and 3rd years. Also, the student study structure is different from ours, like the 1st years students are to start their study here from age 7-12, afterwards they are promoted to 2nd years from 13 till they turn 16 and finally to 3rd years from 17 till the age of 20.”
“Hmm, surely a unique structure it has.” Kai continues to observe the view, as the wind blows.
Time skip to the night, Ray arrived by the evening with few paper works given to him. Maximus asked him to rest, but he wanted to do at least a little work to not get lazy. 4 days to go for the banquet and 24 days till Kai’s entrance exam. Everyone was busy in their own preparation. After having their dinner, all went to sleep early that day. Kai as well was asleep on his bed, moonlight falling to his room through the window.
But on that quiet night, two man covered in black stood above a tree, as they looked at the mansion.