Volume 2 Chapter 31 Like A Mouse Fleeing
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Damn it.
Sweat trickled from the crown of his head, sliding down his forehead to his cheeks. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, and tightened his grip on the barrier device hidden beneath his clothes. Not yet. Stay calm, he whispered to himself, half praying, and sharpened his hearing.
”Ah──so──”
”That means──about──”
A voice approached.
One step. Another step. Five meters away… two meters… one… zero──
He instinctively covered his mouth with his hand. Footsteps stomped loudly on the other side of the hidden wooden box, then quickly moved away.
────Did they leave?
He peeked out cautiously.
The soldiers were retreating, disappearing into the shadows. No one had noticed him. He had managed to evade detection by a hair.
Phew, that was close.
The timing was almost ridiculous.
He exhaled deeply.
Even though he only came to check the port, this sudden danger almost ended his escape in an instant.
He was trapped at the port, surrounded.
He’d suspected the area would be heavily guarded before arriving, so he stayed alert. But while sneaking through the pier, a surge of those called Warawa and others near the passenger facilities cut off his escape route. Now, he had no options.
After confirming no one was nearby, he peered up at the sky.
The sky glowed bright red. Without a cloud, the sun was about to set, plunging the world into darkness. Shadowy figures floated unnaturally in the clear sky.
Ah──there they go, flying.
About three… six… maybe ten. That’s all he could see.
What now? No way back.
When he said ‘attacking,’ he meant the soldiers.
If soldiers appeared, he could stay calm and just walk away. Avoiding their gaze would be enough since going outside was forbidden now.
But if the enemies were inorganic… that was a different problem. If someone controlled those red, artificial eyes and knew about Klock, they were no ordinary soldiers.
They looked exactly like those who chased him in the kingdom.
Probably mass-produced, controlled by some unknown magician. Maybe even Queen-sama herself was pulling the strings.
Golems. Flying ones.
Chunks of earth stitched together by magic hovered above the pier, scanning the ground. Their eyesight was unknown, but if Hermine controlled them, they could spot anything from far away.
Soldiers on the ground. Golems in the air.
The salty sea smelled sharp, the map unfamiliar. His ally, Suzette, couldn’t move and didn’t even know he was here, so no help would come.
He had only his usual gear and good health. The future was uncertain, and his only goal was to escape.
This is a test of luck. Shouldn’t have come here.
Whether coming was right or wrong was complicated.
The only way out was by boat. That’s why he had to come here once, but now, in this escape phase, it was a nightmare.
Maybe it was a blessing he found out before bringing Suzette here.
Even if he escaped now, the next step was to bring Suzette and break through this hopeless siege again. That was the worst scenario.
What options did he have?
Run or hide.
If he ran, he could either sneak out quietly at the last moment or force his way through. But he knew it was impossible.
He wasn’t a magician and didn’t know much about familiars. But with inorganic ones like golems, their strength depended on the caster.
Since his life was at stake, he had to assume the worst.
If all the golems were Hermine’s familiars, escape was impossible.
The reason was simple.
When he fled Tiet’s prison in the kingdom, the one chasing him was so fast he couldn’t outrun it. If these could fly, escape was hopeless.
Once spotted, it was over.
If he could get away, he might find a solution. But the risk was huge.
Well, it couldn’t be helped. He’d hide first.
Safety first. Escape plan later.
The situation was grim, but this was the only way to lower the risk.
Luckily, the area was full of tourist facilities. Not an open plaza or warehouse, so many places to hide.
He started moving, slipping through gaps in soldiers’ vision.
Hiding behind wooden containers and buildings, he stayed silent, erasing his presence.
As the sky darkened, he scanned the area for a good hiding spot.
If possible, he wanted to stay near the residential area. But if discovered, it was all over, so he searched for a place where no one’s attention would fall.
He moved, hiding and holding his breath.
Like a small animal living in the cracks of human spaces, he moved smoothly and lightly.
The golems’ movements were regular, so by dodging their gaze and timing his steps, he barely avoided detection.
Wandering the public dock, he slowly regained his composure.
Once he settled in, it wasn’t so hard.
As he easily slipped past soldiers and began to think he didn’t need to panic, a building caught his eye.
At first glance, it looked like a tall, luxurious Western-style mansion. Near the gatehouse, it seemed perfect for a lookout from the upper floors.
What was this place? Not a commercial building.
Did someone live here, even at a dock?
A whitewashed mansion built on stone foundations, with a noble air like a minor aristocrat’s home. Though the day was almost over and details were hard to see, the windows looked like colored glass.
It was a building unlike any he’d seen.
The location was good, and if no one was around, he wanted to sneak inside.
He approached carefully.
No one was nearby, but soldiers guarded the gatehouse. He had to stay quiet.
Leaning against the wall, he peeked through a red window. Too dark to see anything, the sun almost set, and his vision was fading.
Hmm? This window──
He lifted it, and it opened easily.
No lock. How careless.
What was this? Nothing special? Or just a careless fool?
He hoped it was the latter. Even better if there was money, but that was too much to ask.
Though he only wanted a hiding place, human nature made it hard to ignore cash.
Following his instincts, he opened the window wider and peeked inside.
Too dark. No sound. No strange smell.
It seemed empty.
He slipped in silently and closed the window behind him.
No key, no lock. Maybe it wasn’t a home or a business. The front door might be unlocked too.
The wooden floor was covered by a mat.
The faint window light barely illuminated the hallway.
A carpet with red and gold patterns was laid out, decorated with flowers and jewels woven intricately.
It was clearly a high-quality item.
What was this place?
Was this really a wealthy person’s home?
Expectation mixed with some anxiety and a mild curiosity stirred in Klock’s chest. A house that could afford a carpet like this definitely had money. Right now, staying hidden was the priority, but since he wants as much cash as possible for his escape, this situation might actually work in his favor.
He moved quietly down the hallway. There were no doors blocking the way, so he slipped around the entrance and stepped into a grand hall. The building was huge. The floor was fully carpeted, and unlit candelabras stood scattered around. A wide staircase stood prominently before him.
Klock stepped onto the staircase and began to climb. The base was probably stone, solid and quiet—no creaking like an old house. Every corner radiated luxury.
Even among nobles, places like this were rare. This was more than a Viscount’s home; it felt like a Marquis’s villa, maybe even a high noble’s retreat.
The mansion itself gave off that high-class vibe. Everything was made from expensive materials, even the candelabras had intricate designs. The colorful stained glass windows and the careful decoration impressed him. He couldn’t help but wish to own even a fraction of this luxury.
But something felt off.
A faint unease crept through his chest. Why did this place feel strange? A luxury villa was one thing, but why was it built by the dock? Nobles usually lived in the central district of the imperial capital. Even if it was a merchant’s, the location didn’t make sense.
The poor security was also suspicious. No locks on the doors—was that really a coincidence? Maybe this place was built assuming no one would break in. Just stealing one candelabra could bring a fortune.
Doubt grew heavier as he moved forward. After climbing the stairs, making two 90-degree turns, he reached the second floor of what looked like a three-story building. Then, the purpose of the mansion became clear.
Ah, this is a museum.
The walls were covered with paintings—probably hundreds of them. Various artworks filled the hall, clearly meant for viewing, not living.
So, the obsession with appearance wasn’t just for show. This place was designed to be a display, maybe for high-ranking guests or foreign dignitaries.
The paintings were difficult to understand, meant for those with refined tastes beyond common knowledge. It made sense if this was an imperial project to impress outsiders.
Ugh, a museum, huh. Art pieces like these don’t really convert to cash. Just being a painting gives some value, but there’s no way to sell them easily. Dealers for common people wouldn’t touch these. And for noble auctions or black markets, he had no connections.
It felt like having treasure but no way to use it.
Klock sighed and kept going. After clearing the third floor, his task would be done. It was probably just more art up there, but his goal was hiding, not treasure hunting. If he found something valuable, fine, but he wouldn’t lose focus.
…Huh?
As he placed his foot on the stairs to the third floor, a sudden thought stopped him. He’d felt something strange from the start.
Why was there no lock in a museum? Luxury items without locks were strange. If something got stolen, it would be a huge loss.
No one leaves gold bars unguarded just because they can’t be used. It was odd this building had no locks.
And the dock location — a museum by the salty sea breeze? That was weird. Salt air damages buildings quickly. Why would the government build it here?
It felt like a design mistake.
But wait.
This was the Empire. A magic superpower. Maybe they could handle the salt problem with magic barriers.
He remembered the barrier device in his jacket pocket. The merchant said it was Empire-made. If they could make that, protecting a whole building from the sea wouldn’t be hard. Maybe the museum was deliberately built here to show off the Empire’s magic technology. Saying it was built ten years ago could impress foreign nobles.
So, there’s a barrier here. That’s why no locks. If it protected from sea and enemies, locks wouldn’t be necessary.
He lifted his foot to climb again, but stopped once more.
Wait. What am I thinking?
The enemies are already inside! He’s the intruder here!
If there’s a barrier, how is he inside? Either the barrier isn’t active, or he somehow slipped through.
If no barrier exists, then it doesn’t matter. But if he passed the barrier, he need to consider that carefully.
Why did they let him in? Or was the barrier meant to allow certain people through?
No way.
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed from below—the noise of doors opening and footsteps reaching the second floor.
”…It stinks. It stinks. I knew it when the alarm went off, but this smell… it’s the scent of a filthy, sly thief!”
That voice—it’s her again!
The words echoed clearly, a direct challenge. They knew Klock was here.
”Give up, Klock Livorno! This time, it’s over!”
—Elna!
Notes:
• Hermine – A companion and friend of Anna. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Elna – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with white hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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