Lakham when Jin was in an awkward situation with Pascoe in the village of Kaina.

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Count Walter was currently stationed here. His original base was in Plethos, but Laxham, which is a little closer to the village of Kaina, has been his base of operations for some time now.

Master, it's morning. Please get up soon.

This morning's maid of honor knocked on the door to wake the Count. But there was no answer.

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Count Walter was a good sleeper and was notorious for playing tricks on the maid who came to wake him up.

When the Count did not wake up for a while, the maid wondered why.

She remembered that the day before yesterday he had been complaining of feeling a little tired, so she hurried to call the chief butler to see if something was wrong.

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The butler came immediately. He opened the door with a duplicate key and found ......

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"(...... how far do you think you are going?)"

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Deneb 30 thought to herself. She is now following the mystery man.

The mystery man, who had been doing all sorts of favors for Count Walter, had left the Count's villa in Rakham early this morning and was walking eastward.

At this rate, he would leave the Earl of Walter's estate.

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The mysterious man, whose identity had remained elusive throughout our investigations so far. This was surprising, considering the capabilities of the fifth column.

Perhaps even more astonishing is the man's speed of movement. It is not the speed of a normal human being.

He covered more than 60 kilometers in two hours. That is, more than 30 kilometers per hour. That is more than 1.5 times faster than a marathon.

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And they are not heading for an urban area. We were traveling through the most deserted area of the country, about halfway between the neighboring towns of Noissa and Leeuwin, and the town of Rakham in the Earl of Walter's domain.

Naturally, there were no roads, but rather rocky terrain, forests, and wasteland, all in poor conditions at speeds of 30 kilometers per hour. This was no human feat.

The mysterious man may not be a human being, as Deneb 29 and 30's investigation did not reveal his true identity, and Deneb 30 Deneb 30 had reported to the old man before the chase, and it was going to be true.

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* * * *

"Master!"

the chief butler exclaimed in dismay as he found his master on the bed, groaning in agony. He then hurriedly instructed a maid at his side.

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"He's burning up!　Get a healer!　Call the healer!

Yes, yes!

The maid rushed out of the room.

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The mysterious man and his tail were in the room.

The mysterious man and Deneb 30, who was following him, had arrived at the edge of the Shama Marsh.

It had taken them about three hours to reach this point, a ridiculously fast pace.

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The mysterious man stops for the first time at a place where the ground has begun to get muddy. He turns around slowly.

For the first time, I get a clear view of the man's face. His face is well-shaped, and he appears to be in his mid-twenties, but there is also a sense that he is not quite human. He had the air of a cold-blooded animal.

He was about 190 centimeters tall, somewhat slender but toned. He has the physique of a martial artist.

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The fact that we can now clearly recognize such details means that our mystery man has been wearing a disguise that even the fifth column (Quinta) would not notice.

"I'm glad you're here."

And his gaze clearly caught Deneb 30 who was activating stealth.

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* * * *

"............"

The healer who had been called in examined Count Walter with a difficult look on his face, and when he was finished, he said to the chief butler, "It's too late.

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"It's too late.

"What?

He's already stopped breathing. No amount of powerful magic or medicine can bring him back to life.

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No!

"...... sir. ......"

Count Walter is 41 years old. It was a quick and easy end.

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Who are you, sir?

Who are you?

Deneb30 asked the mysterious man as he emerged from his stealth.

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What are you?　You are not human, are you?

I will say the same thing to you.

"Hmm, you don't want to talk."

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One man and one body glared at each other.

It seemed that the standoff would continue, but the mysterious man was the one who made the first move, perhaps out of frustration. His speed was even faster than before.

Moreover, a dagger was shining in his hand.

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!"

Deneb 30 tried to avoid it, but perhaps because the ground was soft, his feet were caught and his initial movement was slightly delayed. And that was enough for the man.

There was a high pitched metallic sound, and a dagger had been dug into Deneb 30's right arm.

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The skeleton of the fifth column (quinta) is made of light silver. The dagger had penetrated to the middle of the arm, which was made of light silver.

"You are a golem ...... or an automaton!

The light silver was tenacious, and Deneb 30 instantly pulled his arm back so that the dagger was snatched from the man's hand, still lodged in Deneb 30's arm.

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I didn't think there was anyone in this age who could make an automaton like you. What is the name of the creator of ...... you?"

You think I'm going to tell you that?

Deneb30 pulled a dagger from his right arm and held it in his left hand as he stared at the man. His right arm is useless, with more than half of its magical muscle severed.

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"You always do that," he said. You swear unlimited allegiance to your maker. ......."

The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gemstone that glows aquamarine in the sunlight. And then.

"<>"

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The man casts a spell I've never heard of. The wave seemed to pierce Deneb 30.

"......, you're making me work for it. Automata, tell me your name and who made you."

The mysterious man orders Deneb 30 as if he is proud of his victory. But the next moment, his eyes widen in astonishment.

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"No, sir."

Deneb 30 turns to the man with the same attitude as before.

"What the hell are you ......?　You don't want to obey my enslavement!"

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I don't owe you an answer.

"...... I see. Then I will dismember you, pull out your control core, and ask you directly!

The man thrusts the jewel in his hand again,

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"<>!

He releases a destructive spell. The mud that was hit by the wave exploded. If he had been hit properly, even Deneb 30 would have been hurt, but this time Deneb 30, who knew his footing well enough, dodged it in the nick of time.

"Eladrite, isn't it?

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"You!　You know all that?

Once again, they stop moving, one against the other. Silence reigns again. .......

"...... your master is quite a man, I'll give him that."

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The man mutters in frustration.

"Well, let's make a deal. You will not stalk me any longer. In exchange, I'll answer one question for you. How about ......?"

Deneb 30 is silent. But in fact, he was communicating with the old man by means of a built-in manacam.

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（<>)

（Yes.)

(<

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After such an exchange, Deneb30 replied to the man.

I understand. I will accept your conditions. However, since you wounded my arm, I will take this dagger.

When Deneb 30 told him this, the man frowned in frustration.

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"I don't ...... have a choice. You can ask me any question you like.

The old man had already decided on the content of the question.

"Well then. What was your purpose in ...... Count Walter's place?"

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The man rolls his eyes again when he hears the question.

"......How. He asks me that. I thought you were going to ask me who I am.

"You don't have to say anything else, just answer the question."

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"...... Okay. I was with him, you know, just for the hell of it. I'm not lying."

"...... You spread contagious diseases for fun!"

Again the man was surprised.

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"......Are you and your master really who you say you are?　......I told you I would only ask you one question, and out of respect for your good eye, I will answer it.
The man tucked the eladrite into his pocket and took a great leap. With one leap, he plunges into the marsh.

"Ha-ha-ha, that was fun. But, as usual, humans are weak. But I will spare you and tell you my name. My name is Lardus. <

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The man who called himself Lardus leaps again without getting his feet caught in the soft peat. And so he vanished beyond the great Shama marshes.