[Chapter 9]
Over her bodysuit, Chelsea usually wore a short, pink jacket with puffy sleeves. The jacket was adorned with decorative white frills and a row of buttons down the front. It added a splash of color and a touch of femininity to her outfit, but today she had decided not to wear it.
Silently, Chelsea entered the room, her face transformed into someone entirely different. Her reddish-pink eyes were replaced with large, beautiful blue ones, and her original hair was concealed by long green locks. The figure she assumed had a mature look, full lips, and slanting narrowed eyes that gave her a vixen-like appearance.
No one would recognize Chelsea in this disguise unless they carefully observed her body proportions, but no one had the time or attention to do so.
Chelsea had utilized her imperial arms, Gaea foundation, to impersonate someone she had recently killed in the forest. The woman was a member of a random bandit village who had crossed paths with Chelsea and attempted to loot her, but had met her demise in a single swift attack.
By using her imperial arms, Chelsea had acquired the woman's face and a portion of her abilities, the only one of note being pick-pocketing.
However, Chelsea's attention was now focused on the bronze dagger she had meticulously sharpened over time. Its blade was so sharp that it could leave deep cuts in hard rocks with a single slash. Slicing through human skin was as effortless as cutting through smooth butter with a hot iron knife.
Coldly, Chelsea gazed at the fat sleeping merchant, the stench of alcohol emanating from his body. She approached him with purpose.
As Chelsea moved closer, she positioned herself above the fat merchant's head. With a crisp sound, she swiftly beheaded him, the only audible noise being the dripping of blood from his now headless neck. Everything else was silent as night.
Chelsea was a true assassin.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The blood dripped and fell onto the woman sleeping underneath on the floor. Chelsea made no effort to stop the blood from falling. It seemed she had some plans for the woman.
The sleeping woman's brows furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes. In the darkness, she felt something wet fall on her.
"Water?" she thought, struggling to see in the dim light. Gradually, streaks of moonlight filled the room, revealing the true nature of what had fallen upon her.
"B-Blood..." the woman exclaimed, startled as she quickly rose from the floor.
Frantically scanning her surroundings, the woman's eyes beheld the most gruesome sight of her life. The headless corpse of the merchant she had admired before falling asleep lay on the bed, its blood saturating the thin sheets beneath and finally dripping onto her face.
She let out a piercing scream, awakening the other women in the room. Confusion enveloped them as they looked around, until their gazes settled upon the lifeless body of the merchant.
Panic ensued. Everyone screamed and ran frantically within the confines of the room, their eyes eventually falling upon a mysterious figure standing by the window. It was Chelsea, watching everything unfold. Cold sweat trickled down their backs as they beheld this unknown presence, instinctively assuming her to be the killer.
Still disguised, Chelsea spoke in a husky tone, "I am Kana, a member of the bandit village in the forest. Our leader sent me here to eliminate this fatty who has caused us significant trouble. It was time for him to pay for his actions."
With those words, she produced a thick pouch filled with several gold coins, tossing it onto the floor amidst the chaos.
"Take the gold and divide it among yourselves. Your best course of action now would be to flee or prepare for harsh torture to extract information. The choice is yours. The innkeeper will be here any minute. If you want to imprison her, you may or if you may, kill her," Chelsea declared, her voice filled with a husky determination.
After her brief statement, she swiftly leaped out of the window. She had already looted over eight pouches filled with gold coins from the cavern the merchant had been using. Taking out the guards he had brought along was a simple task, as they were already asleep and were caught off guard by her swift attacks.
None of them had anticipated the presence of someone like Chelsea in their poor and weak village so most of them were carefree in night and relaxed.
"This marks one less corrupt person in this world," Chelsea chuckled mockingly as she made her way. She was no saint but killing such disgusting people made her joyful and happy.
She had the power to execute those who tried to do her evil and this power gave her chills, in her past life, she could only ever imagine having such strength.
She was in her own thoughts
Unbeknownst to her, a dark and towering figure began tailing her discreetly, observing her every move without her knowledge.
As Chelsea made her exit, the group of women left in the room fell into silence. One of them tremulously spoke up, her voice filled with fear.
"T-That figure... they're right! We're all in danger because we were the ones sharing the bed with that fat merchant. Even if we were to testify, it's likely the guards will simply torture and kill us after violating us," she expressed, her words laced with dread.
Each woman present, experienced in their own right, understood the reality of the situation. They were no strangers to corrupted individuals, having encountered various travelers and knights throughout their lives. The merchant had wealth and guards at his disposal.
Quickly, they arrived at a tactical understanding, sharing the same thought. Just then, they heard approaching footsteps, signaling the arrival of the innkeeper.
Tension gripped the room as the door swung open, revealing the innkeeper's shocked expression. She stood dumbfounded, witnessing the scene before her eyes: a group of unclothed women, a pouch overflowing with gold coins lying amidst them, and the grotesque centerpiece—a headless corpse of the esteemed merchant.
The women stared back at the innkeeper, their gazes filled with desperation. They knew that their lives were in grave danger. In a world tainted by corruption, they understood all too well the fate that awaited them. The merchant's wealth and influence would likely protect his reputation, leaving them vulnerable to torture and death.
Everyone in the room shared the same unspoken realization. In this moment of crisis, they had no choice but to act swiftly.
And their target?
The inn lady at the door.