Chapter 2

Mahel did not react in the least, his breath did not accelerate, his gaze did not move minimally, his heart did not jump, but he was surprised, he did not expect his movements to be noticed, he quickly thought about the path he had planned every single one meter, centimeter, millimeter was retraced by his mind with cold ruthlessness and, in the end, he found the flaw in his plan: the moment he jumped on the roof someone must have noticed him but had not been able to stop him from killing the noble and while he was thinking about incompetence of his "assailant" a faint mocking smile came from his lips and a light laugh clearly false pervaded the air,

then, a clearly male imperious voice asked him: what is there to laugh at, scoundrel? how dare you laugh after what you did

- nothing, nothing sir replied Mahel cold as ice and with a slight note of sarcasm in his voice clear enough to be understood by his listener. He heard a slight grinding of teeth behind him and realized that his goal had succeeded;

he continued to provoke the man: then how far were you from me? How come you couldn't stop me? How much they pay you, no don't say it is certainly too much, I calculated the minutes it took you to arrive based on the time of the lord's death: two minutes, too slow

Now stop!

He felt a slight movement of air, typical of a sword being raised towards the other.

A second, nothing else but Mahel was enough, a hand gave way while copious blood came out of the man's left arm, he finally managed to see his face: a man of about forty with white hair but with some red tufts appeared here and there the his face appeared austere, with some dark circles it could be said that it was a fascinating face but that was disfigured by a long scar starting from the right lip that went down to the neck, under the armor which by the way was not a rich or refined armor was a classic iron armor, slightly worn;

the man got up with difficulty clutching the stump that was still bleeding, took the sword with his right hand and put himself in a fighting position and asked with a slightly trembling voice: draw your blade and face me like a man if you are a man.

Mahel then pulled out his blades: two simple daggers in dark iron but with the bone hilts of some creature, he took his position and said: tell me your name I want to know the name of a dead man; - my name is Edward, Edward von Ainz, that's yours instead, I want to know the name of my lord's killer-You'll find out in a few seconds, along with my face.

Edward closed his eyes, concentrated, and a green light enveloped him, charged and attacked aiming at the head of his lord's killer, the one who had saved him from dishonor and shame, hiring him by giving him room and board and a good salary, not could allow that filthy killer to get away with it, his attack was famous in the city: "The loyalty" a technique that the greater the threat to his lord the greater was his strength and in case of death his strength was multiplied by fifty times, no one had been able to stop him, but there was no one in front of him, he looked around looking for the killer he saw no one, but suddenly he felt a stabbing pain in his stomach, suddenly blood came out of his mouth and as he fell he saw him: he was behind him, cleaning his blades with inhuman calm, as soon as he had finished he lowered the cloth from his face; Edward widened his eyes in front of him stood a boy of up to twenty years totally impassive, the boy then opened his mouth and a cold monotone and without feelings voice said: my name is Mahel, it was interesting to face you but, I'm sorry for your family-how do you know ... about ... my family-your left hand the cut one, he had a wedding ring and given your age I deduced that you had a son- he couldn't say replying that the darkness enveloped him.

Mahel covered his face again and quietly as if nothing had happened he walked towards his inn entered through the window, took his things, sword and knives took out his daggers from his sleeves checked the edge of the blade of each dagger, checked that they were not there traces of his passage took the key and the money to pay, went down to the ground floor and called the innkeeper: a big woman with two large breasts with ash blonde hair and paid the bill.

He took his horse from the stables: a beautiful black horse with a small white spot on his right thigh, he left the city, got on the horse and headed west for his next target.

Elisabhet wake up, come on we have to go- I'm awake mom don't break, -Elisabhet wake up it's that day I know mom that's why I don't want to get up, two delcate hands gently pulled her out of the blanket, Elisabhet didn't even try to free herself, and turned her towards a woman with a sweet face, pale as the moon with green eyes like a proto in spring

Elisabhet you are twenty and you still live at home, so still respect my rules or ... here comes ... the most evil monster ... the ... monster of the soleptic!

Nooo ... t..i ... please no..s..me..t..il ... a .... enough !! i...can..t ... make it ..

Now go wash we have to go to church, Mom said after practically killing her daughter in cold blood. Virtually two hours later, Elisabhet came down the stairs in a long black dress, with her face covered with a dark veil, holding flowers for an event such as white roses for peace of mind, and the symbol of the church of the god Harven a circular pendant engraved with a hammer supported by a rose, a wish for the safe passage to the afterlife.

A gloomy air heavy, like a cloak that suffocates men, regardless of status, money or gender, Elisabhet and his mother Mhiriam, went to the church to pardon his father Edward von Ainz protector of the brother of the lord of the city: Lord Ordwel, as soon as you enter in church the smell of incense enveloped her delicate but suffocating in its warm perfume, they headed for her father's coffin, it was not really her father her natural father had abandoned them when she was born, leaving her and her mother on the road in total poverty, then, one day Edward took pity on his mother and welcomed her into his home and after a short time they got married,

Elisabhet did not shed a single tear, by now she had run out of them, the night had been long and the silence brought thoughts, her mother instead burst into tears and her heartbreaking cry echoed throughout the church.

They remained in the church until sunset, when they were about to leave, the lord of the city entered the church: Lord Walter Ordwel bowed before his mother and offered her condolences, the mother instead went straight to the point: who is the murderer of my husband, tell me, my lord please

I regret what I am about to tell you, but ... we do not know, the killer was like a shadow, like the fog no one but her husband had seen him, also from how he could see from her husband's corpse the killer is a professional but above all he is very very strong, now I would like to confer with his daughter in private.

The Lord took her aside and said to her: we found a letter addressed to her on the counter of the inn "Furious Weasel", after having given her the letter, he took his leave and went to the coffin.

A few hours later they returned home, her mother after changing clothes began to cook, at least one good news had been: a valet was waiting for her near the house and I inform her that the expenses, food and everything else will be taken care of. of the lord.

Elisabhet, on the other hand, had closed herself in her room to read the letter, took the letter opener and opened the envelope, the letter was written with a refined caligraphy, with perfectly straight lines and, in a simple and frank language, almost cold she said:

"I'm sorry for the death of your father, from the little of him I know I realized that he was a noble and honorable man, just maybe a little severe, but certainly good and loving"

He assumed he was an acquaintance of his father and continued reading

"I'm sorry that you barked, but since I'm an honest man, I'll say it outright, your father was weak but he was determined that's why it was very interesting to kill him even though the plan didn't understand it.

The rest she could not read, as darkness enveloped her, woke up an hour later and saw her: her mother, holding the letter in her hand and copious lecrime falling on the ground with one hand over her mouth, so as not to cry out.