Zieg lowered his gaze, looking at the two longswords.
One was gleaming silver and slightly curved, like the coldness congealed from moonlight.
The other was deep steel and straight, like a sharp fang lurking in the night.
He turned around, pulling out two scabbards and a criss-cross sword harness from a hidden compartment in the lower part of the piano case.
They were specially tailored, the leather polished to be supple and not obtrusive.
He casually took off his deerskin cloak and draped it over the edge of the piano case.
Then he bent down, steadily fastening the sword harness behind his shoulders, the clasps interlocking like gears.
The silver sword went into the front scabbard, the steel sword against his back; both swords hung steadily.
The slight friction of the leather was almost swallowed by the night wind.
Zieg straightened his body, his chest rising and falling slightly, light and shadow intertwined in his heterochromatic eyes.
Walking with a modified piano case to carry swords was, in itself, a way to avoid detection by Shinra peacekeepers.
Within the Holy Rotum Empire, carrying any weapon was a very troublesome matter.
The official peacekeeping agency had extremely strict regulations on carrying weapons, and peacekeepers patrolled frequently.
Even with a cold weapon permit, simply walking down the street with a sword on one's back would often lead to stops, interrogations, registrations, and even being taken away.
What's more, he didn't have a permit!
Yes.
He was illegally carrying a weapon.
Remember our 101 reading website.
Otherwise, who would be so idle as to modify a piano case to carry swords?
After placing the swords on his back, Zieg straightened his body, tilted his head slightly, and felt the weight evenly distributed behind him.
The structure of a real-world sword harness is extremely unfavorable for quick draws—especially for diagonally hung positions on the back, where the angle of movement is restricted, often requiring wrist twists and body shifts, disrupting the reaction rhythm.
But for him, it wasn't a problem.
"Clear"
"Turbid"
Those two familiar lines of gravity brushed past his nerve endings, like raindrops falling into a deep well.
An invisible hand of power subtly adjusted the angle of the scabbards, and the sword hilts behind his shoulder felt as if gently pushed by a finger.
As long as he controlled the point of impact, the center of gravity of each sword would always be in a direction Zieg's hand could grip.
For him, possessing the "Clear" and "Turbid" characteristics, no matter where they hung, whether at an angle or upside down, as soon as his intention triggered, the blades would smoothly eject as if activated by some "ejection mechanism."
There was almost no resistance, no delay.
It was as if his hand had already grasped the hilt, waiting only for a thought to fall, and the blade would cut through the air.
Zieg moved his wrists, the longswords crossed behind his shoulders, the silver and steel edges silent.
His gaze was cast into the depths of the night.
The next second, his consciousness quietly sank, falling into that silent inner world.
— 【Quest Log】
— 【Karma Module · Compiling】
A deep blue background appeared in the depths of his thoughts, like a web woven by fate.
Text slowly emerged, seeping out like threads.
— 【Quest Module】 —
○ Compilation Quest
◉ Passive Trigger / Karmic Resonance (Currently executable, triggered)
○ Karmic Binding
▸ Status: Accepted!
▸ Quest Name: Exterminate Solomon Agents!
【+ Quest Overview +】
The Solomon Order is attempting to restart the Solomon Summoning Ritual.
They need to recover the relevant "Solomon Keys"—a prerequisite for completing the ritual.
According to internal documents of the Order, it is suspected that the Berengar couple obtained an unknown numbered key from within the Order more than ten years ago.
They need to retrieve this key, and so, the investigation began.
The clues narrowed down, finally leading to Bella Berlin's—Helena Harriet Berengart.
The adopted orphan girl staying with her Aunt was listed as potentially holding clues.
Now, the Order needs to obtain all information about the key from her.
But this karmic line unexpectedly became entangled with you—more accurately, it became entangled with the quest chain of the Cat on his shoulder.
This is a karmic collision.
Solomon's attack disrupted another quest path of his "gratitude contract."
akasha judged it as "Major Karmic Fracture."
Most importantly, the Solomon Order has already touched a top-priority karmic chain—【Karmic Binding: Seven Evil Fiends · ■ ■ ■ ■ !】.
▸ 【Quest Objectives】
○ Slay two peripheral agents (Incomplete).
○ Slay the Solomon Sorcerer (Incomplete).
▸ 【Quest Rewards】
○ Any I-level Subtle Body authority point: +0.5.
○ 【Stance · Tiger Hunt】 Card Ritual.
— — — —
Zieg's consciousness lingered in the karmic layer for no more than two seconds.
The lines of text below the quest objectives quickly flashed before his eyes.
His gaze fell on the last line.
"Solomon Sorcerer."
The lettering remained unchanged, pale white, silent, as ordinary as ink on the edge of a page.
But his heart paused slightly.
Not doubt.
But a habitual confirmation—
"Since akasha lists it as a currently executable objective."
"That means, for me—I can cut him down."
If he couldn't cut him down, the system wouldn't allow it.
He knew that rule, just as he knew at what time the clock tower would strike in the morning, accurately and precisely.
He reined in his consciousness, cutting off the quest log from his thoughts.
The next second, he turned around.
His figure silently disappeared into the shadows of the alley.
The movement was calm and light, like a drop of ink falling into water.
It made no sound.
The longswords on his back swayed slightly, the sheathed silver and steel briefly crossing under the dim yellow light, then completely disappearing.
A few steps away, Heidewig squatted in place, silently.
He had been left by Zieg at this street corner, hidden in a corner under the remaining fabric of the cloak.
Before leaving, Zieg only said to him:
"Wait for me to return."
Now, he could only watch as the young figure in front of him walked further and further away.
Heidewig did not call out, nor did he chase.
He just lowered his ears, his Cat Eye flashing in the shadows, as if blinking softly.
— What in the world is this kid up to!?
The Winged Cat Heidewig was extremely curious!
The night was deep, and the Hermann Family's small courtyard appeared particularly lonely in the darkness.
Under a wall covered in old vines, three figures lay silently.
"The window over there isn't reinforced."
The weapon dealer Klaus whispered, his voice a little hoarse, as if mixed with iron filings in his throat.
He half-squatted, tapping his fingers lightly on the pry hook twice, his eyes like the damp, cold light of a night owl.
"Three seconds, and I can open it."
He said, licking the corner of his mouth.
The smile in his teeth seemed forcibly stuffed in, carrying a bloody undertone.
"Once inside, I'll handle the people."
"Old, young... except for the girl, you can deal with the others as you please."
Old Bloom stood behind him, leaning on his heavy ebony staff, saying nothing.
His expression showed neither approval nor disapproval.
He merely said coldly:
"Finish within fifteen minutes."
On the other side, the Infected Roman was checking his grappling hook with his head down.
He was covered by a dark grey coat, his shoulders bulging high, as if burdened by two heavy iron blocks.
He didn't speak, but his entire body stood there, taut, his hand constantly on the gunstock; if anyone made a move, he would immediately open fire.
The weapon dealer walked in front, bending low against the wall, silently approaching the window.
His movements were quick, yet his technique was not hasty.
The short-handled pry hook was inserted into the gap, a gentle twist and press, and with a click, the window lock broke.
The sound was extremely faint, like the breaking of an insect's bone.
He turned back and gestured to those behind him.
His right index finger curled up, a slight flick.
"Open for business."
The smile still lingered at the corner of his mouth, as if he had entered an old friend's shop.
However, just then—
He suddenly noticed the wind behind him stir.
He was about to turn his head.
He saw Old Bloom's face suddenly change, his entire face seeming to instantly lose color as if drenched.
"...?"
The weapon dealer hadn't even had time to voice this question.
A tearing sound, piercing the air, abruptly came from beside his ear.
It wasn't loud, but it was eerily fast, like a needle piercing leather.
The next second, he only felt a chill at his neck.
Then a very brief blank—his center of gravity toppled.
The world spun.
He saw his own body.
But it wasn't a downward glance.
It was a vision falling from above.
His body was still standing.
Only, there...
It had no head.
Blood gushed from the severed neck, like a suddenly blooming flower in the night.
Klaus's expression could no longer be seen.
Because he no longer had a face.
The wind stopped.
The window was open.
But they didn't enter the house.
They entered a slaughterhouse directly.
Under the moonlight.
A silver-haired youth held a blood-stained steel sword, looking up—
In his heterochromatic eyes, the terrified and bewildered expressions of his enemies were reflected.
