Volume 2 Chapter 1 Serial Killer ／ I Have No Money!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Sarah”
In a dimly lit attic.
At the sound of her name being called, she stood up.
Glossy black hair peeked out from under her hood.
Her brown skin was partially visible through the veil covering her face.
Sarah Nakash greeted the elderly man who climbed up the ladder with a slight bow.
”Father.”
”How many now?”
”The third. If it’s as predicted, this will end the murder cases in this town──Azrael.”
Sarah said this and turned her gaze back to the depths of the attic.
On the floor of the room, filled with old furniture and farming tools, her subordinates were investigating the scene.
The smell of blood was strong.
The back wall was stained with blood, and a dismembered male corpse hung from the ceiling beams.
”What is this…”
”He was chopped up with a sword, Father. Given the amount of blood left on the attic floor, he wasn’t killed before being cut apart.”
”There’s no doubt it’s his doing. This isn’t the work of a copycat.”
”Yes. ──’Azrael’s Death Sword User.’”
Sarah said this, her eyes under the veil twisting in displeasure.
The title of Azrael’s Death Sword User has existed since ancient times, but here, the term ‘Death Sword User’ refers to a rogue impersonating the true Azrael’s Death Sword User.
”A ‘show of force,’ huh?”
The elderly man murmured as he read the Azrael language left on the wall.
He continued.
”A fake trying to imitate. This will tarnish the name of the real Azrael’s Death Sword User.”
”The activities of the ‘Death Sword User’ began 5 years ago. And looking at the victims of the last 3 murder cases, all were killed in the same manner, with their limbs severed at once.”
”It’s a secret technique. It’s a mastery of the basic technique ‘Leap.’ The secret technique must be hidden. Only those chosen can learn the technique, so why does an outsider know about it?”
At her father’s words, Sarah tightly pressed her lips together.
”I’m thinking that… the ‘Death Sword User’ learned Azrael’s Dance Swordsmanship in this town.”
”Are you saying there’s a relative among the suspects?”
”No, the ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’ is committing crimes internationally. They likely aren’t someone who resides in this town. It’s probable that they are among those who learned swordsmanship at the monastery and were later exiled.”
”…The eldest son of the Vahid family. Jibril should have had an older brother. He was once your fiancé…”
”Kian.”
Sarah felt a bit anxious, wondering if her voice was trembling.
She thought she had already forgotten about him.
She had made an effort to forget.
However, as the crimes of the ‘Death Sword User’ came to light, Sarah found herself remembering that stubborn boy again.
(Kian harbors a strong grudge against Azrael. …After all, he received elite education at the monastery, and he might have stolen the secret techniques from his father, Umar Vahid.)
He had no magic power, so he was useless.
She thought he was probably still the same as back then.
But, perhaps due to a woman’s intuition, since the ‘Death Sword User’ incidents began occurring in Azrael, Sarah started to wonder if the ‘Death Sword User’ could be Kian.
It was an impossible thought.
But, it wasn’t absolutely impossible.
”Kian Vahid… I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing, but if he’s alive, he should be nearly 30 now, right?”
”He’s 2 years older than me, so he’s 29.”
”Five years ago, he was 24.”
”But Kian is a ‘failure.’ He hardly has any cells that produce magic power. He shouldn’t even be able to become a swordsman capable of replicating the secret techniques, let alone a swordsman of average skill.”
”That doesn’t mean we can rule him out as a suspect. Just to be safe.”
After saying that, he turned his back to Sarah.
”This is also a matter concerning our Nakash household. We will find and track down all the exiles, and dispatch apostles to various places. I believe you understand that if we find the ‘Death Sword User’, it will be you who deals with them.”
”Yes, Father.”
”If you can’t narrow down the candidates, it’s fine to kill them all. After all, they are exiles. It’s better for them to be sent to the God Azrael.”
”…”
Sarah listened to her father’s footsteps as he descended the ladder, her face filled with concern.
From beyond the wall in the attic, the sound of a gong signaling a ship’s departure to the Franz Kingdom in the west could be heard.
(If we can’t identify the ‘Death Sword User’, we will kill everyone… That’s the decision of the Nakash household.)
”Kian. It’s not you, is it? …It’s been 15 years, and even my memory of your voice is hazy…”
He used to be a kind and earnest boy.
It’s hard to believe he would do something so extreme.
”…”
Sarah touched the hilt of the curved sword she wore at her waist, her silence speaking volumes.
The sword, which had repeatedly executed judgment in the name of God Azrael, felt cold enough to hurt, as if filled with the resentment of those killed.
(If the disciples knew they had a chance to showcase their skills, they would surely be enthusiastic. They wouldn’t even consider whether Kian is truly the Death Sword User or not. If… if Kian isn’t the Death Sword User, he would be suddenly attacked and killed while living peacefully. Is this the will of God? It’s not just my father’s decision… But)
”──”
Sarah looked up at the pitiful corpse hanging from the ceiling.
(I have no right or reason to stop this. He is an exile, a man no longer related to me.)
A subordinate who was conducting the investigation called out to Sarah.
She shook her head, pushed her stray thoughts to the back of her mind, and approached the subordinate.
In the distance, the ship’s gong announcing its departure to the Franz Kingdom sounded again, loud and clear.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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