Chapter 3.
It had already been a year since I finished my revenge on the Wickers family.
After barely managing to escape the Crolin Kingdom, I had wanted to cross over into the Bernheim Empire immediately, but...
I lacked the identification papers required to cross the border safely while simultaneously avoiding the pursuit that might follow at any moment.
Since identification papers record details like one's appearance and eye color, preparation was necessary.
The artifact necklace my father left me had a fatal limitation.
It couldn't be helped; artifacts aren't omnipotent.
While I could relatively easily change the length and color of my hair, the color of my eyes, and my facial features, there were limits to altering my height, bone structure, and physique.
Furthermore, I had to deactivate the disguise for a few hours every night to recharge its mana.
The function could be maintained for a few days without a charge, but it was best to keep it as close to fully charged as possible.
Anyway, after agonizing over how to best shake off the Wickers' pursuit, a good idea came to mind.
It was to change my gender as well.
I cut my hair short, altered my facial bone structure—my eyes, nose, and mouth—and flattened my chest to look like a man's.
However, perhaps because cross-dressing consumes a lot of mana, I couldn't perfectly change my voice.
I couldn't increase my height either, so I ended up looking more like a late teenager than a young man.
After some time spent preparing, I created the identity I use now: "Runelk Ains."
After that, I crossed into the Bernheim Empire and successfully landed a job in the Nox family's task force.
And looking back now, it was truly the perfect choice.
Trees are best hidden in a forest, and books in a library.
No one would ever suspect that I, who had such deep-seated grudges with the Wickers' Helena, would be working right under their noses at Nox.
And doing so while disguised as a man, at that.
"Go ahead and search as hard as you like."
I smiled contentedly, thinking of Edward, that nasty, persistent bastard who must be seething with rage by now.
"Next, please."
I gestured toward the next wagon in line.
I had joined the task force because it was a low-level organization with many members, making it easy to find a spot.
Since everyone visiting Nox had to pass through the main gate, it was also the perfect place to keep an eye out for anyone trying to infiltrate by tracking my trail.
Moreover, because I was a bit fastidious with inspections due to my own circumstances, I had gradually gained a reputation within the task force for having a sharp eye and good instincts.
"Ah, it's hot."
Though, that’s all I am, in the end.
I wiped away my sweat, opened the wagon's cover, and spoke.
"Mr. Baker of the Cheshire Trading Company."
"Yes, that's me."
"The order form says thirty barrels of Kenzia mountain wine."
"W-well, that is correct, but..."
"Look at that. Anyone can see there are thirty-three barrels."
"Pardon? No, that’s not right!"
"Mr. Baker, if you keep this up, I’m going to have to open every single one, you know?"
When I looked at him with a sidelong glance, the Cheshire employee averted his gaze and obediently turned the wagon around.
Since the ducal estate was the size of a village, these problems arose because some people engaged in secret black-market deals within its walls.
However, Nox strictly controlled the quantity of goods entering the estate.
Frankly, who knows if those barrels not listed on the manifest contain medicine, or perhaps a person?
"Right, next..."
It was when I was about to call the next person.
"His Grace the Duke is returning!"
The task force members who had been lounging at the guard post all jumped up and made the wagons lined up in front of the gate move aside.
Thud-thud-thud!
Clop, clop!
With the sound of rough hoofbeats, a dark green carriage bearing the crest of the Nox ducal family, followed by several people on horseback, passed through the main gate in an instant, their cloaks fluttering.
They were so fast that a gust of wind blew past in their wake.
"Whew, terrifying."
Jake, my senior, who had come up beside me, whistled.
"I went to the main building for an errand last year, you see."
The main building referred to the castle located in the center of the private estate, where the core departments and the Duke's office were situated within the massive Nox estate.
"I happened to see the captain of the Royal Guard in the hallway for the first time."
"You mean the captain of the Royal Guard, Kane Digrave?"
"Yeah. I went straight to the bathroom to check myself. I thought I’d had an accident in my pants."
Jake shuddered, making a fuss about how scary it was just to recall it.
"They say he's the strongest in Nox, but if the captain is like that, I might just die of a heart attack if I ever run into the Duke himself."
Usually, I ignored most of what Jake said, but this time, I nodded.
Killian Nox.
His full name was Killian Crestair Nox.
The reason I had hesitated to hide within Nox.
The only Duke of the great Bernheim Empire and, at the same time, the head of the organization known as Nox.
He was a man who held immense power in both hands, but the reason he was terrifying wasn't just because of his power.
Killian Nox is cold-blooded.
At eighteen, he killed his stepmother and his half-brother.
Killian Nox is cruel.
After dealing with his stepmother and brother, he singled out the factions within Nox that had followed them and personally tortured them until they confessed their crimes.
Rumors persisted that the screams of those people never ceased for a hundred days in the dungeon of the Nox mansion at the time.
Killian Nox is damnably competent.
Having inherited the dukedom and the position of head, Killian Nox had multiplied the size of the organization several times over the past eight years.
He distributed all the illegal businesses that could become liabilities to loyal external families that had no paper connection to the Nox family, and began reaching out into massive, large-scale ventures.
Railroads, civil engineering, distribution, mercenary work, trade using the Nox Trading Company, and even high-class opera houses and art galleries.
Every one of those businesses became a goose that laid golden eggs in Killian Nox's hands.
Without a single failure.
The massive capital secured in that way soon became absolute power.
Most of the empire's nobles were in debt to the Nox family, and even the Emperor was busy walking on eggshells, trying to find a way to get on Killian Nox's good side.
Finally, Killian Nox has a sharp intuition.
A sixth sense that transcends the five senses of an ordinary human, or something like that.
It was the reason I had hesitated to hide in Nox.
That "intuition" was a sharp blade that cut the throats of spies and traitors.
In fact, this was the most famous thing about him.
He was freakishly good at weeding them out.
Back when I was with the Wickers, I lost several talents I had personally trained while trying to plant a spy in Nox.
'Well, I eventually succeeded, though.'
Anyway, because of that, there were even rumors that Killian Nox possessed a mysterious ability to peer into people's minds.
And what gave those rumors a strange sense of credibility was the golden "Dragon Eye" that had been passed down through the Nox family for generations.
Not a normal round shape, but pupils slit vertically like the legendary dragons.
They say one of his distant ancestors was a dragon.
According to the testimonies of people who had seen Killian Nox in person, if you met his gaze, you couldn't move a muscle, as if you were under a spell.
Of course, there was no way such things were true.
But he was undoubtedly a man with an exceptionally developed, instinctive nature that could only be explained by intuition or a "gut feeling."
As I am now, I am not a spy for another organization, nor do I have any intention of betraying Nox.
Regardless, since I have things to hide, it is best to live without catching the eye of such a Killian Nox.
"Well, it's not like I'll ever meet him anyway."
Even though I belong to Nox, I'm just a member of the task force standing guard on the outskirts, playing the role of a gatekeeper.
And as a low-level member of that task force, there was absolutely no chance I would run into Killian Nox.
"Rookie, it's shift change."
The night shift people had arrived and taken the visitor log from me.
I headed straight to the task force dormitory located on the outskirts of the ducal estate.
"Good grief, I'm exhausted."
I liked the benefits at Nox; even for a low-level member, they provided a room where you could use the bathroom alone.
Forcing my tired body to move, I washed up roughly and prepared to go to bed.
It was still early, but I had no intention of waking up until tomorrow morning.
Click.
I locked the door securely and drew the curtains tightly so no one could see in from the outside.
Then, in front of the mirror, I deactivated the artifact.
*Whoosh—*
With a sensation like a gentle breeze wrapping around my entire body, my form gradually returned to its original state.
My short, messy ash-blonde hair grew out like flowing waves until it reached my waist, then turned pitch black.
At the same time, my facial structure softened, and my height increased by about two finger-widths.
But the biggest change was, of course, the color of my eyes.
Runelk’s cloudy, sky-colored eyes gradually turned red like a sunset, eventually changing to the color of blood droplets.
It was the face of Helena Morton, known only to me in this world.
'Nothing is wrong.'
After confirming there were no issues with the necklace's function, I jumped into bed and fell asleep.
The terrible insomnia that had plagued me throughout my time with the Wickers had long since vanished.
How long had I slept?
*Flash.*
I opened my eyes and gripped the dagger I had tucked under my pillow.
*Creak, creak.*
Suspicious footsteps were approaching my door.
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