55 — Chapter 55

I woke from a shallow sleep and stretched while still sitting in my chair. Smothering a yawn, I rubbed my eyes and gazed out the window.

The city’s bustling street stretched out in a straight line. From this vantage point on the fourth floor, I had a panoramic view of the lively cityscape.

“It’s about time.”

I reached for a box-shaped device on the desk nearby and pressed a button. A mellow melody began to play. It was a music player—an Alice original, the same model as the one installed in the Golem Car. It was a nifty piece of gear capable of playing songs programmed during the design phase; I liked it so much I carried it with me often.

Moving to the rhythm, I took off my sunglasses and set them beside the player. These were also custom-made by Alice. They had functions to view others’ Statuses and deflect powers that relied on line of sight, such as Mystic Eyes. The fact that they were sunglasses was purely my personal taste. I had searched the markets for a pair but couldn’t find any, so I had Alice make them for me. The design was exactly to my liking—perfect for acting a bit stylish.

“Now then, let’s see what you’ve got.”

I settled back into the chair and smiled, my neck cracking as I tilted my head. Today was the day I would launch an attack on Michael. After more than a week of surveillance, I had formed a hypothesis regarding his abilities. The attack I was about to execute would turn that hypothesis into a certainty.

If I could take him out in one straight shot, all the better. Even if I failed, there was almost no chance of me taking any damage. It was a low-risk, high-reward plan.

From this room, I could look down upon the city street. It was a path Michael’s group took every day. After finishing breakfast, they would head toward the Adventurers’ Guild while chatting away. During my time monitoring them, there had only been two exceptions to this schedule: once when one of his companions overslept, and once when it rained.

Today was a clear day, perfect for a picnic. If I kept waiting, Michael was guaranteed to show up.

I picked a nut from a small plate on the table, tossed it into my mouth, and crunched down. As I chewed, the texture became gum-like, and a flavor similar to almonds spread across my tongue. These strange nuts were apparently a cheap luxury item, but I had stocked up on them since they were perfect for when I wanted something to chew on. They also served as a decent substitute for my dwindling supply of cigars.

‘Usually, this is when they show their faces…’

I observed the street while chewing on the nut. In less than a few minutes, I spotted four familiar figures in the distance. It was Michael and his female companions. They had arrived right on schedule. It saved me the trouble of waiting indefinitely, for which I was grateful.

The distance was about a hundred yards. The four of them were gradually drawing closer. Because of the constant flow of people, their pace was quite slow. Roadside stalls lined both sides of the street, and their attention seemed scattered. Both were favorable conditions and were part of the reason I had chosen this location.

I lifted myself off the chair and grabbed the attaché case sitting beside it. It was themed in black and silver, its surface etched with countless grooves. The grooves glowed with an emerald-green light. To an expert eye, it would be clear that they formed a series of magic circuits.

“It’s a shame I can’t brag about this to anyone.”

I twisted the handle of the attaché case. There was a sound of a lock disengaging. Simultaneously, the case unfolded, shifting its shape like a living creature.

What stood before me when it finished was a single sniper rifle. Its appearance was similar to the rifles of this world. The points of difference, however, were the mounted scope and the bipod. Both were attachments intended for long-range shooting.

This was a gun Alice had made for me specifically for this assassination plan. Specialized for long-distance hits, its accuracy was a given, but its truly terrifying feature was its overwhelming muzzle velocity. Never mind a hundred yards; even from two miles away, there was almost no time lag until impact. It was a bullet speed rare even in my original world.

The opponent was a Summoned with powerful abilities. With any other gun or a rocket launcher, there was a high possibility he would dodge. With a sniper rifle, I could attack before he even sensed it. The fact that I didn’t have to get close was a huge plus.

I intended to use this gun to assassinate Michael. He wasn’t aware of my existence. This was the method that utilized that advantage to its fullest.

There was no way he would completely evade the opening shot.

I took aim with the sniper rifle.

I rested the bipod on the window frame and peered softly through the scope.

Michael’s smiling face overlapped with the crosshairs of the reticle. I hooked my finger around the trigger.

The bullet loaded into the sniper rifle was a custom job. The projectile itself used dragon bone. According to Alice, it was impossible to block with magical defenses. Inside the bullet, she had packed a compound poison of her own concoction, designed to shatter upon impact and deliver the dose.

The main ingredient was decayed dragon meat—taken from the same specimen we killed during our joint struggle with the dwarves. It was fast-acting, causing systemic paralysis. Victims would simultaneously suffer from respiratory distress and eventually die. Apparently, commercially available antidotes could alleviate the symptoms, but a mild paralysis would remain. For several days, moving would be a struggle. Magical healing yielded the same results. In short, it was a poison specialized entirely for stripping away bodily freedom.

A bullet to the brain or heart meant instant death. Even a graze would leave the target immobilized by paralysis. This two-staged approach was the assassination method Alice and I had devised.

“So long, you damn dandy.”

Wearing a faint smile, I quietly pulled the trigger.

The dry crack of the gunshot hit my ears, and the recoil shoved against my shoulder. Having finished the shot, I was surprised by the scene in my line of sight.

“Whoops. You’re kidding.”

Reflected in the reticle was the red-haired girl. She was the swordsman, one of Michael’s companions. As she collapsed, a pool of blood began to spread across the ground. Behind her, Michael had fallen back onto his rear in a daze. A single red dot appeared on his abdomen, and blood began to seep out from it.

The red-haired girl had shielded Michael. Because she had stood directly in the line of fire, the bullet missed its mark and pierced through both of them. To have noticed at this distance was quite a feat. Had she sensed it intuitively? To have prevented Michael’s instant death was a significant achievement. I felt like giving her a medal personally.

The street seen through the scope was in an uproar. People were confused by the sudden turn of events. They were in a state of panic, running to and fro. The other two companions stood frozen, their faces pale.

“Ha-ha! The surprise was a success.”

Ignoring the rising clamor, I pulled the lever of the sniper rifle to load the next round. Due to its construction, rapid fire was impossible. This rifle had its resources poured entirely into accuracy and range. Naturally, I didn’t take my eyes off the scope even while reloading. I kept my gaze fixed on Michael’s movements.

In the next instant, Michael vanished. No warning, no nothing. He was gone as if he had never existed in the first place. Only the three women remained.

“Figures. I figured he’d run.”

I smiled as I moved my aim. Up to this point, it was exactly as I had predicted. Killing him instantly would have been a bonus, but I had accounted for the possibility of failure.

I continued observing the street without concern. Before long, I discovered bloodstains where Michael had been standing. The droplets moved across the ground in a trail, leading from the roadside into an alley. I watched the vicinity of the alley intently, but the man himself was nowhere to be found.

“Such a great illusion, but it’s pathetic once the trick is exposed.”

I shifted my aim back to the original position. Amidst the noisy street, the women left behind were trying to hoist up their wounded friend. Despite their panic at the ambush, they seemed intent on fleeing the scene.

“Like I’ll let you.”

I fired the sniper rifle, piercing the elf woman’s right shoulder. I reloaded instantly and shot the dark-skinned woman in the left leg. The two newly wounded women collapsed, spraying fresh blood. They seemed to be screaming something, but I couldn’t hear them over the din.

After firing a few more warning shots, the two wounded women finally fled. It looked like the elf woman was forcibly dragging away the dark-skinned woman, who clearly wanted to save the red-haired girl. Both wore tearful expressions of frustration. Under the circumstances, they probably hated leaving their comrade behind, even if it was unavoidable.

Having driven away the nuisances, I looked at the red-haired girl. Left behind, she was curled up and shivering. She was convulsing, but still alive. The gunshot wound was near her collarbone. Luckily, it hadn’t been a fatal hit.

The people nearby moved back and forth along the road, avoiding the red-haired girl. The initial panic was starting to settle. They realized who the target was and understood there was no danger as long as they didn’t get involved.

“Wonderful. Your cooperation is a big help.”

I took my eyes off the scope. I returned the sniper rifle, its duty fulfilled, to the attaché case and stuffed my personal belongings from the table inside. I threw on my coat which had been hanging on the chair and pulled the hood low over my eyes. I also equipped a black wooden mask. The mask was a magic tool I had bought at a suspicious shop in the market. It had a perception-inhibiting effect, making it impossible for others to view my Status. It was the perfect piece of equipment for hiding my identity.

Carrying the attaché case, I climbed out the window and onto the roof. From there, I sprinted across the rooftops of the houses. My destination was the abandoned red-haired girl.

Landing beside her, I scanned my surroundings in silence. The passersby wouldn’t even lock eyes with me. They hurried past with aloof attitudes. Everyone wanted to avoid trouble. I didn’t think of them as heartless. In a country like this, an unnecessary sense of justice only shortened your lifespan. If you wanted to live in peace, looking the other way was the best policy.

At that moment, the red-haired girl opened her eyes slightly. Seeing me, she let out a raspy voice.

“You… are…”

“I’m the prince who has come to spirit you away. Though I’m not exactly riding a white horse.”

Answering with a smile, I hoisted the dying red-haired girl over my shoulder.