151 - 24 Hearts

**Chapter 151: The Land of Entertainment and Culture, Urun.** Thud! With a soft sound, Yuda landed gracefully like a cat and immediately shifted his gaze forward. Along the path by the wall, a short fence was installed to prevent access to the garden. Above it, a transparent barrier was visible. Inside that barrier, lasers extended inward from the fence like a hexadecagon, visible clearly through his magical eyes. 'Just as Roksin described.’ The patrols happened in 10-minute intervals and rotated shifts. Even though this was the grand mansion of a high noble with reliance on magic, it wasn’t a place holding military secrets. Conducting patrols every ten minutes was impressive in itself. They probably only patrol to prevent petty thieves. Little did they suspect that a grand thief would dare infiltrate the residence of a high noble in Urun. Even in paths without patrols, there were magic stones emitting a faint red light. Through his magical vision, Yuda could see lines drawn in the air without gaps. He wondered what would happen if he touched the lines but preferred not to find out by risking himself unnecessarily. Deciding to consider what to do if caught, Yuda took off his coat, put it into his [Bag], and proceeded in. Bending his waist, he carefully marked where to step next, simultaneously memorizing the laser positions around him. From afar, his posture might have looked ridiculous, with no hint of elegance, but he summoned astonishing focus to pass without touching the lasers. ‘This is easier than I thought?’ Whether it was due to his slender physique or a combination of high agility and even higher luck, Yuda managed to pass through easily before the next patrol came by. When his hair initially brushed against a laser, he felt unnerved, but nothing happened—it seemed the alarm required simultaneous contact with multiple lasers. This was likely to account for falling leaves, wind-blown debris, and birds. After passing through the garden, Yuda hid behind a tree. Another 10 minutes passed, heralding the arrival of the next patrol. Concealed in the shadows, he cloaked himself with shadows. "……" It felt as if he were in a sealed room, stifling with the light blocked out. Without a view of the outside world, he relied on sound and the shadows spreading across the floor to gather the situation. With nothing visible, he closed his eyes. Step. Step. Two sets of footsteps sounded irregularly. The patrols exchanged no small talk. Perhaps they didn’t get along or were simply tired as they silently walked the path. Unnoticed, Yuda waited until they passed, then rose from the shrubbery, releasing the shadows cloaked around him. The shadows that had darkened the ground obediently settled at Yuda’s command. "Hmm." Clenching his hand, he felt tension grip him, his palm sweaty with the fear of being discovered. He was confident he could win in a hundred battles against them, but combat and infiltration were entirely different fields. Experiencing this unique sensation, Yuda wiped his palms on his pants and looked up. The main concern now was how to enter the mansion. "Ah." Yuda let out a foolish exclamation, awkwardly lifting the corners of his mouth. The upper window on the second floor was closed, yet lit, with someone peering down. The backlight rendered details unclear, but through his enhanced sight from his magical eyes, Yuda discerned a young man of foreign, English-like appearance, gazing down with an inert, emotionless look. ‘Elf?’ The silhouette against the window showed pointed ears. Hair wouldn’t spike like that—those must be ears. "……" Despite meeting Yuda's gaze, the man only frowned in curiosity, taking no action. He just crossed his arms, watching without calling the guards. He didn’t seem to grasp the situation. He looked on absent-mindedly, as if simply wondering, 'What is that?' Would he remain inactive if Yuda moved? After about three minutes of mutual observation, the man decisively opened the window. As the window flung open, curtains fluttered with the incoming breeze. The man turned his back and disappeared from sight. ‘Is he telling me to come in?’ If entering without causing a commotion was possible, it would be an opportunity. Finding an open window on the first floor was cumbersome, and sneaking in that way harbored risks of being caught. If he was being implicitly invited to enter, why not thank him? "Heave-ho!" Concentrating magic in his knees, Yuda leapt up, landing on the open windowsill and stepping inside. He felt slightly guilty for dirtying the pristine carpet with his muddy shoes but didn't dwell on it. The elf who opened the window stood a few steps ahead. Yuda slightly bowed, turned, gently closed the window, and pulled the curtains. "Wow, thanks for opening the window for a stranger." Still with crossed arms, the man replied, scrutinizing Yuda, "Yes, curiosity led me to do so. Human, do you know where you've come? I’ve heard of humans stealing each other’s treasures, but witnessing it myself was unexpected." "If you live among humans, you'll witness a lot of unpleasant scenes. I assume you've already seen plenty, considering you're an elf residing in this manor." His eyebrow twitched, suggesting my words had irked him. "…Indeed, I have seen much. One thing that's clear to me is that humans possess some absurd desires." Yuda shrugged, examining him closely. The man had a movie actor-like handsomeness and was dressed in an outfit laden with frills, somewhat comical. Baggy around the thighs with tight leggings reminiscent of a clown's garb. Whatever aesthetic nobles saw in such attire, Yuda wouldn’t wear it even if it were offered for free. Yet, before commenting on his outlandish attire, the most noteworthy thing was the choker-like collar around his neck. A device enforcing obedience as a slave. "It seems you don't have much regard for human society. Do you miss the forest?" "Are you mocking me? You remind me a lot of him." "Him?" "The master of this mansion." I could guess whom he meant. He was referring to the current head of the Neyube family, who had bought him as a slave. The elf exhaled sharply, clearly harboring resentment. "I hope you're not suggesting that he looks like me?" "I meant you have similar personalities. If all humans uttered as filthy, displeasing, and inconsiderate words as he does, the world would be a landfill. If that were true, I’d curse the gods." The god you speak of is standing right before you. However, knowing he wouldn’t believe it, Yuda merely smiled. "You seem to be someone of considerable skill and rank among elves. How did you end up captured?" "…It was just bad luck. My skills were lacking." "Is that so?" The elf fell silent, merely pursing his lips. Perhaps amused by engaging in idle chat with an intruder in his room, he chuckled softly. "Let's stop beating around the bush. What brings you here? If you're thinking of taking anything, you better take what's in this room and leave quickly. Getting caught won't end well." I glanced around the room. True, there were plenty of valuable items. The elf's presence was a treasure in itself, likely given this room full of precious belongings as a gesture to earn his favor, but he seemed not at all pleased. "I don't need such things. I'm not here to steal trivial items like that." "Oh? Very human of you. It’s likely if you sold some of these items, you could live leisurely for months. Unless I'm completely unaware of the monetary value in human society." "No, you're not mistaken. Selling just that tea set on the table could net dozens of gold coins. It’s expected of items used by Urun's high nobles." "Then why?" Yuda smiled wryly. "As I mentioned, I'm here for something more valuable than these objects—elves like yourself." "You intend to take me?" He asked incredulously. "My name is Yuda. I suppose my surname isn’t important to an elf like you." "Human names are of no importance." "Perhaps, but with my help, you might remember mine." "Help?" Rather than explain, Yuda reached out to him. The elf instinctively stepped back, but Yuda moved quicker, extending his hand to the collar around his neck. At that moment, Valentine glowed softly as the 〈Dispel〉 skill activated, consuming a tremendous amount of mana instantly. The elf, confused, looked down at the cracking sound coming from the cursed accessory restraining his magic. The artifact lost its form, crumbling with a peculiar noise. The sudden sense of freedom seemed unreal to him. "What… did you do?" He touched his neck, his eyes devoid of their former lifelessness, filled with surprise and curiosity. Testing his magic, his breathing quickened as his mana flowed freely. "It’s nothing much. I just came to this mansion to return elves to their original home in the forest." "…That’s hard to believe." "Even after I’ve helped you?" He smirked, casting a sharp, skeptical look over Yuda. "You humans don't do anything without personal gain." Wow, Yuda gave a nearly silent clap. "You must not have been in human society for long, yet you’ve already formed such a keen insight." "Not long, you say? In half a year... no, a year among humans, it’s only natural to learn." Mana gathered in his hand, forming a sword roughly a meter long. Despite Yuda having freed him, the elf pointed the magic-formed sword at him. --- Author's Note --- Initially, I hadn’t planned to phase things out this way. Sending off the Blue Knight Jeanne was premeditated from the beginning. It's not about phasing her out. It's just for story progression, so please don't be disappointed. ㅎㅎ