Ray was always ready to deal with the man who had jumped from the roof to the veranda.
　When Ray sees the person appearing in front of him, he exclaims in confusion.

"What?"

　It is only natural that such a stupid voice should have been heard.
　The reason is that the person who appeared before Ray was completely different from what he thought was a black wolf.
　The hair reflecting the moonlight is silver.
　The physique itself seems to be no different from the one I've encountered before, but it's only shoulder-length, as opposed to back-length hair.
　It was not surprising that Ray might have simply cut his hair, but he still felt uncomfortable with the person he was standing in front of him.
　At least this is not the kind of black wolf Ray knows.
　But if you ask me if the person at the end of my gaze is a different person... that's not it.
　for the kind of gaze he had directed at him was undoubtedly the same as that which had been directed at him by someone he had thought to be a black wolf.
　Moreover, the color of the hair has changed from black to silver, and although the length is also different, it is definitely the same as the person I met before in terms of physique and features.
　That being the case, Ray could never have judged that the person in front of him was a different person.

"Are you a black wolf?"

　Just to make sure, Ray asks, but the black wolf doesn't seem to react to Ray's words, and he just looks at them.
　Yes, look at him as if he were watching.
　Ray is at a loss what to do with someone who looks at me like that.
　Originally, if you lure a black wolf here, he would immediately knock it down...that was the original purpose.
　If the black wolf who appeared in front of Ray had been the same partner as before, he would not have hesitated.
　However, Ray's current partner seems to be the same, but slightly different.
　When Ray understood it, he thought it was not advisable to touch it here.
　As long as we don't know what kind of power the black wolf has today, we believe that if we fight here, it could involve those who are having a New Year's party.
　Above all, Ray still doesn't know how to escape Sett's eyes and smell, let alone Ray.
　Rather than being able to escape in the middle of a battle and bring this information home... Ray concluded that it would be better to miss it today.

(Well, I'm telling you not to touch it from the beginning if you say so.)

「……」

　Contrary to Ray, who thinks that way, the black wolf looks at Ray.
　Ray had the same observation as before.
　That glance, I am sure, belongs to the black wolf Ray knows, but I am not sure of it now.
　Maybe... really, maybe, but the black wolf isn't alone, but it's also possible that it's a kind of group name that exists in many people.

(No, even if we're in a group, is there anyone who's looked this much like this?)

　Ray had such a question for a moment, but when I think about it, I remember that people in this world had made their bodies what they are.
　Ray's body was built by Zepyle, the supreme wizard.
　Because of this, Ray felt that it was impossible to build a body with the same abilities as Ray, but if you think about it again, it will be a long time from the time when Zepyle lived.
　It's not surprising that in the meantime technology can be developed to do similar things.

(But... Zepyle is a genius in the world. A body of the same ability as this body, produced by a group of like geniuses... I think it's a little unreasonable... well, isn't it meaningless to keep silent here?)

　Then Ray opens his mouth.

"Did you meet me before?"

　When Ray asks so, the supposed black wolf just looks at Ray without saying anything.
　If the expression had any doubt on it, it would still have been a clue.
　But the black wolf, who looks at him in this way, has not changed his expression at all.
　As far as the situation goes, Ray couldn't read what they were thinking.

(It's troublesome, though, to think of the silvery hair in this way, wouldn't it be better to use the term "silver wolf" instead of "black wolf?")

　I remember hearing from Elena that the black wolf was unknown.

"I ask you, are you sure you are the assassin who is called the Black Wolf?"

　The moment I heard the word black wolf, the man reacted.
　No matter what he did, there was no response at all, so the response gave Ray a little hope.

"If you are a black wolf, why don't you attack me? You were hired to kill me, weren't you?"
「……」

　I asked with a feeling close to conviction, but the only answer to that is silence.
　I've reacted somewhat to the name Blackwolf, but nothing else.
　While caring about it, the man who still thinks he's a black wolf just looks at him.
　How long has it been?
　Ray has nothing more to say, and the Black Wolf just looks at Ray.
　The sight of men staring at each other was something Ray didn't really want to agree with, but they still don't look away from each other.
　Ray would have wanted to know the seeds of the way he disappeared without Seth's knowledge, and the Black Wolf was just staring at Ray without changing his expression.
　Ray can't back down because they end up staring at each other in silence.
　for I was sure that if I looked away from the black wolf here, he would surely disappear again.
　That's why I was looking at Ray to disappear in front of me in order to reveal the seeds... but perhaps because I understood Ray's idea, there was no sign that the black wolf would disappear.
　Eventually, the atmosphere around him gradually becomes tense.
　Little by little, really little by little, the atmosphere of tension increases... if it reaches its peak, perhaps we don't want it yet.
　That kind of atmosphere, which can be described as strange, is spreading around me...
　Suddenly, the door behind Ray... the door leading into the building opens.
　At an instant, a sound broke through the air.
　At the same time, the person who came to the veranda noticed Ray and bowed in a hurry.

"What? Oh, Mr. Ray? I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be in such a place."

　A man in his 40s who came out of the door to the veranda bowed in a hurry to see Ray.
　The man must have come to the veranda this way to sober up the drunkenness of the party with a cold wind.
　He must have apologized to Ray without thinking that there was a customer there, but Ray shakes his head saying there was no problem with it.

"Don't worry. I was going back soon, too. ... We've had our harvest."
"Harvest?"

　He didn't understand what Ray was saying, but he must have understood that he wasn't uncomfortable. He seemed relieved and gave up his place to Ray trying to get in.
　But the moment Ray tries to pass by the man, he suddenly finds Ray holding his right hand with his left hand.

"Mr. Ray? What's the matter with your right hand?"
"Huh? Oh, I've failed a little bit."

　Maybe it's because Ray said it lightly. He doesn't think it's a particularly important event, but he agrees.
　He probably wanted to keep Ray's time out of the way, but the man didn't pursue him any further.
　Be thankful for it, Ray enters the mansion.
　The numbness in my right arm, which had already prevented the attack of a man who seemed to be a black wolf, has almost disappeared, but it is not complete yet.
　the blow of a black wolf, caught in moonlight and in the lights of a building
　Ray blocked it with his right hand and delivered a left blow as the counter.
　As a result, Ray buried his left fist in the form of a counter on the side of the black wolf, so it was almost Ray's victory as an outpost.

(And yet, black wolf is another name? Well, for the time being, I've never had such a nickname. I can't believe I've been paralyzed by a blow.)

　Ray regularly fights mock battles with Elena and Vihela, and sometimes his hand, which prevented him from getting a blow, gets numb, so it's not that unusual for his hand gets numb.
　Still, it's only because it's a battle against the likes of Elena and Vihela, and it's not often the case that they've received a numb blow from someone else.In that sense, black wolves are definitely first‐rate... or, I guess, above the top.
　That's what I expected from Elena, but the latter is of course more important than the experience of directly fighting with the information I've heard in my biography.
　It was convenient to think about countermeasures from now on that I was at least clear that I had the ability to do something with myself.

(But I didn't know how to disappear again this time. I wanted to know how to do it today, if possible.)

　Frankly speaking, it was important for Ray to say that black wolves were powerful, but it was more important to know how black wolves were moving so that they could not be detected by Ray or Sett.
　But it's also very painful for Ray that he couldn't see it through.
　I was honest that I wanted to do something about it with this case.

(Is it impossible for me to think about it alone? Then... would you like to talk to Elena?）

　She was a daughter of the Duke's family, who knew a great deal of things, and as a general of war, Elena thought it might be strange to have such knowledge as she did not know.
　When we go back to the party with that in mind, there are many people who are making more noise than Ray did a while ago.
　The reason why no one is still lying on the floor or screaming... ...is because the Duke and Duchess of Kelebel are present at the party.
　Even at the end of the year party, they can't show a disgraceful sight in front of their host. That's what it is.
　Watching the proper moderation and yet thorough enjoyment, Ray heads to the table where the Duke and Duchess of Quevel sit.
　When Ray had just left, the butler was dining with the Duke and Duchess of Quelevel, and perhaps the meal was over, only the Duke and Duchess of Quelevel are dining at the table now.
　When Ray approaches such a table, naturally the people around him who enjoyed the party are looking at him.
　Nevertheless, Ray and Elena's relationship is already well known to those who work in the Duke of Quelevel, and there is no doubt that Ray is here as a guest.
　That being the case, there was no one to blame for it.
　It wasn't very interesting for Ray to have the most attention.
　However, Ray is used to being in the spotlight for better or worse, and approaches the Duke and Duchess of Kelevel's table without showing any sign of concern.
　Naturally, Elena, Liberte, Arcadia, and others will notice Ray, but they are not suspicious of approaching him, so they smile at him in a welcoming manner.
　Even Liberte, who usually looks stern, smiled because he was relaxed at the party today.
　Tomorrow's New Year's party, in particular, is a party where many nobles gather, but it's close to a war without force.
　Each member of the aristocratic faction moves to gain as much of his own interests of the aristocracy.
　In that sense, today's party is probably more enjoyable.
　I think it's a little bad to interrupt a party that you're enjoying like that...

"Elena, may I ask you something?"

　Yes, he was going to call out.