Translator: Cinder Translations
...
In the port area of Niceport, Friedrich Liszt stood contentedly in front of a two-story building, carefully inspecting it. This would soon be his workplace and home.
After a series of clanging sounds, a bilingual sign made of Aldor and Horns Bay languages was firmly hung over the main entrance—"Todd Shipping."
After happily paying the renovation workers, Liszt let out a relaxed sigh. The office commissioned by his boss was finally established. From now on, he would be the representative of the shipping company in Horns Bay. Although he wouldn't be able to return to the Northwest Bay for a long time, it could be considered a "promotion."
The office had to keep a close eye on local market trends. Todd Shipping's merchant ships, loaded with goods from the Northwest Bay, naturally couldn't return empty after unloading in Horns Bay. At this point, they would rely on the office to find business for transporting southern goods north or to procure profitable items to bring back.
As the economic ties between the two regions deepened, it was believed that more offices established by Northwest Bay merchants would emerge in Horns Bay.
While he was envisioning the future, a rag suddenly flew out from a second-floor window and landed squarely on his face.
A pretty face soon peeked out from inside, but her expression was as if Liszt had owed her eight million. "Didn't I say to clean? Why are you slacking off down there?"
Liszt chuckled as he removed the rag from his face and hurriedly replied, "I'm coming, I'm coming! I'll help you right away."
"Hmph! As if it's my responsibility!"
"Ha ha, sorry about that."
The woman's name was Sevya Asitini, Liszt's new assistant, though she held another identity—a hidden witch!
It was she who had publicly declared war on the church near the Niceport cathedral over a month ago, causing quite a stir and embarrassing the church significantly.
However, her true aim was to draw out the church's armed guards protecting the cathedral to allow another group to infiltrate and rescue imprisoned wizards. She succeeded, delivering a significant blow to the church.
But whether it was overconfidence or a resolve to risk everything, she fainted after accomplishing her mission. Fortunately, she had hidden well, and the church's armed personnel rushed back upon discovering the jailbreak, allowing her to escape with her life.
Then, she encountered Liszt, who had been hiding nearby, and he "picked" her up.
It wasn't because of the antidote; after all this time, Liszt hadn't been harmed, and he had guessed that the witch had been intimidating him. Yet perhaps because of their intimate encounter that night, Liszt felt an inexplicable compulsion to help her. Something intangible drove him.
Luckily, he had just rented a new place, providing a hidden refuge. Otherwise, if he had still been in the inn, it would have been troublesome.
As expected, the church began a full-scale manhunt, scrutinizing pedestrians in every street and forcibly sealing off the entrances and exits of the city and port. Liszt hardly dared to step outside in those days, and the purification squads stirred up resentment among the townsfolk.
Fortunately, the new bishop of Niceport, Angelo, managed to suppress the radical knights like Vileus, restoring order to the city. Rumors swirled in the streets, suggesting a divide within the church, with constant bickering. The leaders of the purification squads were dissatisfied with the new bishop's mild tendencies, but the bishop had his own supporters.
Returning to the witch Liszt had rescued, she finally woke up after three days of unconsciousness and, upon realizing the situation, berated her savior.
"Who told you to save me! Idiot!"
"Do you not know how dangerous it was? Fool!"
Finally, with a mocking tone, she added, "Heh, do you think you have some responsibility toward me because of that day? Turns out you're just a fledgling, don't get carried away!"
"Hey! Don't say that… I'm not… I didn't…" Liszt's face turned red as he firmly countered, "I saved you purely out of a sense of simple justice." He argued earnestly for himself.
Yet her tone, though seemingly ungrateful, was filled with regret and concern for the innocent involved. This made Liszt realize that the witch had a cold exterior but a warm heart, and it seemed he hadn't saved the wrong person.
After the city was locked down, the witch agreed to stay with Liszt at his persuasion.
"Well… since I saved you, how about you help me out a bit?"
"What?"
"I've been sent by my boss to set up an office here, and I need an assistant who's familiar with local information. But the budget is tight, so I was hoping you could make do… You'd just need to handle some paperwork in the house each day since you'll still have to deal with the purification squads outside."
"Hmph, you really don't fear trouble, do you? Fine, since you're not afraid, what can I say? I have nowhere else to go anyway."
However, judging by the witch's expression, she likely saw him as a lovestruck fool.
"Friedrich Liszt, representative of Todd Shipping in Niceport. I look forward to working with you!"
Liszt tried to put on a sincere expression and extended his right hand, only to retract it again, his face slightly reddening.
"Sevya Asitini, the witch of Horns Bay. I look forward to working with you."
The witch finally replied in a normal tone, though still somewhat lukewarm.
Then, Liszt witnessed her astonishing disguise skills—it was as if she had transformed into a completely different person. No wonder she could remain hidden in Niceport for so long and orchestrate the attack on the church without anyone noticing.
Was this magic? It didn't seem like it; perhaps some mundane skills, when mastered, could achieve an extraordinary effect.
Once the atmosphere in the city relaxed a bit, Liszt began searching for office space with the help of his "female assistant." With a local's guidance, it took nearly a week to finalize the housing arrangements.
This led to the scene at the beginning of this chapter.
Liszt went upstairs and began cleaning with the witch, Sevya Asitini.
While wiping the glass, he tried to make conversation.
"Wow, the weather is nice today!"
"…"
"Was breakfast tasty?"
"…"
"Um…"
"If you can't chat, then don't force it!"
"Uh… sorry."
Liszt, embarrassed, turned back and focused on cleaning the window.
Noticing the silence behind him, Sevya turned to glance at Liszt with an exasperated expression.
After agreeing to stay, she resolved that if this mortal man had any improper intentions toward her, she would make him regret ever coming into this world.
However, after spending some time together, it seemed this guy didn't exhibit any inappropriate behavior and didn't impose any excessive demands on her out of gratitude. Aside from some awkward attempts at conversation, he was straightforward about work.
Could it really be as he claimed, "out of a sense of simple justice"? Does such a thing exist in this world?
While pondering, a loud commotion erupted outside, as if a large crowd was shouting something.
Sevya quickly ducked, drawing the curtains to conceal herself, and quietly leaned out to observe.
She glanced at Liszt, who seemed unfazed and was staring blankly outside.
A large group of people streamed down the street, with more joining in.
"Angelo! Angelo!"
The crowd continuously shouted slogans.
Angelo?
Liszt and Sevya exchanged glances. Wasn't that the name of Niceport's new bishop?
(End of the Chapter)
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