New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (1/1 chapter)

Secret Plot*

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(POV switch – Reingard)

The Aldridge Household was one of the most prominent noble households in Barwitch. Among them, they were especially renowned as magician nobles. Today was the commemorative ceremony and celebration hosted by the Aldridge Household.

At noon, under clear skies, a ceremony was held featuring congratulatory speeches for the eldest son, Isaiah Aldridge Jr., and various entertainments. The elated nobles made rounds of greetings in the social gathering, mostly ingratiating themselves with the upper-class nobles of Barwitch from the local landholding nobles.

From dusk onward, the celebration began. It was more like a party. A musical ensemble played in the background while the nobles enjoyed dancing. Although not as grand as the palace in the royal capital, the Aldridge mansion was exceptionally large. Its size could even be called a castle. Within Barwitch, where land was considered relatively scarce, no mansion boasted such an expansive area. After passing through the large main gate, the straight road was wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side comfortably. On either side spread symmetrical gardens, which were splendid.

I had not visited Uncle’s house since I was five years old. It was no wonder it left no lasting memories.

It was a horrible mansion. If Adalbert had inherited it instead of Isaiah, I might have been a potential heir to this mansion, running around playing with my unborn brothers, and this made my hatred for it grow even stronger.

The current time was early morning. I was watching the large noble mansion from outside the city walls. The servants were busily preparing for today’s event. They were cleaning the gardens thoroughly, going in and out of the main building, setting up tables, arranging chairs, and laying out platforms. It was a hectic scene. I aimed to take advantage of this moment during my infiltration. I had noticed that the patrols would be thin during the early morning.

Using my magic detection skill, I observed the magical barriers surrounding the mansion from a distance. What faintly appeared in my vision was the colorful contrast of barriers protecting each noble’s residence. The “color of magic” represented each attribute. Fire was red, ice was blue, lightning was yellow, holy was white, and darkness was purple. This applied to barriers as well.

Like a painter’s palette, if magic mixed, the colors would blend too. The nearby Stride Household had a light gray barrier, which meant their barrier combined light and dark magic.

As for the Aldridge Household, a red-black swirling barrier was set around the mansion. This “red-black magic” was not simply a mixture of fire and dark attributes. Darkness was a color that swallowed everything, and although it could combine with light magic, it should not be possible to mix it with the other three attributes.

So, what was this “red-black” magic? Since I had not formally studied magic academically, I had no idea. But I sensed it was dangerous. It was as if an evil god were about to start some special ritual today. In other words, it was no ordinary barrier.

I wore a tattered black cloak and pulled the hood deep over my head. Whatever awaited me, today was my only chance for revenge. My infiltration would be flawless, and I would carry out the theft and robbery forcibly. That was a debt of gratitude to the underground thugs called “Arcana Orcus.” But my main goal was revenge against Isaiah Aldridge. I would kill him. Merely killing him might not be enough. To wipe them out entirely, attacking his sons was also an option.

“Black Dog, let’s go.” (Reingard)

I summoned the hellhound I had spent my life with. I jumped from the city wall, mounted the silent Black Dog, and melted into the early morning quiet.

—

The red-black magic was indeed not a barrier. There were no barriers on the back door side, so I easily jumped over the obstacle using the Black Dog as a stepping stone. For a noble mansion in one of the city’s top families, the security was sloppy. As the boss expected, security really did become thin during celebrations. Still, I could not afford to lower my guard. It might be a trap to catch thieves.

In the backyard, there were food storage, wood sheds, and other miscellaneous buildings, but there was no sign of servants coming. Even the cooks were pulled into the garden on the other side of the mansion to prepare for the ceremony.

I entered the mansion through a small entrance next to the wood shed. It seemed to be the cooks’ break room. The cramped room had only one table and several chairs scattered carelessly. Beyond that room was the kitchen, and from there I reached a long corridor.

The corridor was narrower than I had expected. Then, I realized it was probably a passage used by the servants. Several doors lined the corridor, and when I quietly opened one to peek inside, I saw a spacious dining room. It was separate from the main corridor. The room originally had a long dining table, but it had been completely removed, leaving only the large empty space. At the far end was what looked like a fireplace. Above it hung a large portrait of an unknown person. Below the portrait were a valuable clock, gold candlesticks, and luxurious lamps.

“Take this, Black Dog.” (Reingard)

I fed the Black Dog everything that looked valuable. Its stomach was like a handbag, or rather an inventory. Later, I would make it vomit and give the items to the boss. A faint clatter echoed in the quiet room.

“Eek…” (Maid)

From the direction of the sound, a single maid looked at me with frightened eyes. She was young, and her figure was good.

“My body is devoted to Syaitan as a puppet.” (Reingard)

I quickly cast a debuff spell on that maid by instinct. Before she could raise a loud voice, I needed to immobilize her. It was a mid-level dark magic called “Debuffer”. It temporarily lowers stats and restricts movement. The effect varies depending on the target. If the original stats are high, only strength or agility decreases. But for those with naturally low parameters, it works as a restrictive spell immobilizing them.

“Ugh…!” (Maid)

I could immobilize a hired maid like this. I quietly approached the collapsed maid and looked her over. Whether it was Aldridge’s taste or not, her bust was large, and the short skirt left her thighs exposed, clearly for visual pleasure. I squeezed those thighs and also touched her swollen chest.

“…Ah… ugh… stop…” (Maid)

This could fetch a good price, but I also felt it a bit wasteful. Humiliating this woman here might also serve as revenge against Aldridge. Such a vile desire welled up inside me.

“Are you a virgin? Hm?” (Reingard)

She was still at an age before full adulthood. If she was a virgin and this ripe, the price would skyrocket. If not, it wouldn’t be a problem to violate her without being caught.

“Eek… ugh…” (Maid)

The maid fainted on the spot out of fear. Her eyes were swollen and crying.

“Tch, boring.” (Reingard)

I lifted her legs and stripped her panties and stockings off her. I threw them behind me and fed them into Black Dog’s stomach. The panties were my personal spoils. I would enjoy them later. After calming down and thinking it over, I realized that giving in to lust here would ruin everything. My true purpose was revenge on Isaiah Aldridge. If this failed due to a moment of hesitation, everything would be lost. Kidnapping the servants was only after the celebration began. I would snatch several while everyone was distracted during the ongoing party, then cause chaos and escape. If I acted before the event, Isaiah Aldridge would discover me and the attempt to kill him might fail.

I cast dark magic to put the maid into a deep sleep. The strong hypnosis would erase her memory of what happened by the time she woke up.

“I’ll take the panties with me.” (Reingard)

I left the dining room. I felt a bit regretful for being discovered so easily. This way, I might be caught before the ceremony or celebration even began. It was fine because the maid was alone, but it would be terrifying if there were multiple. The sloppiness of the mansion had lulled my own caution. My plan was to sneak in unnoticed during the morning and steal valuables if possible. The infiltration went well. Now I had to wait quietly and move only after the nobles gathered.

—

I found an old, neglected door on the second floor and sneaked inside. Inside was a study. It was dusty and musty, as if it had been unused for many years. There was a rotten desk, a tray like for dishes, worn cloth scraps, and even a straw pillow. From these, it felt like someone once lived here permanently.

“Just in case, I should ransack some of the study too.” (Reingard)

A magician’s study might hide valuable books. I was about to order Black Dog when I heard voices from the hallway.

“Good morning, Father.” (??)

The voice was orderly and felt reassuring.

“Oh, Isaiah… finally, this day has come. As a father, I have long awaited this day.” (Isaiah)

“It is an honor. I too feel deep gratitude that such a splendid celebration is held today.” (Isaiah Jr.)

“I see, I see…” (Isaiah Sr.)

It sounded like a father and son conversation, likely Isaiah Aldridge and his son Junior. Just hearing their exchange beyond the door made my guts boil with rage.

“Cough, cough!” (Isaiah)

“Father! Are you alright?” (Isaiah Jr.)

The cough sounded forced to me, but the son seemed genuinely worried. I had no idea what was going on, but if the father was truly ill, this was a chance for revenge. Luck was turning in my favor.

“Ugh, hmm… lately, my health has been very poor. Very poor.” (Isaiah)

“Is that so? You should take care and rest…” (Isaiah Jr.)

“No, it is my son’s important day. As a father, I must show my face. But I am old now. Soon… perhaps even today, I might meet death.” (Isaiah)

“Eh?! W-what do you mean?!” (Isaiah Jr.)

He had enough energy to stand and talk in the hallway, yet claims his time of death was today. Although it should be a serious confession, Isaiah Aldridge’s tone was extremely light. It did not sound like the words of someone truly dying. It almost sounded like a joke.

Could it be that the legendary magician Aldridge has a magic that allows him to foresee the future and already expects my revenge to be fulfilled today?

“What does Mother say?” (Isaiah Jr.)

“Hmm, I have not spoken much with Misha lately. Perhaps she is glad of my death.” (Isaiah)

“Please stop joking… Mother has been gloomy, so she might not have the energy.” (Isaiah Jr.)

“Well, who knows.” (Isaiah)

From what I overheard, both the head of the family and his spouse were in poor health. If that was true, murder might be easy, but the problem was this son… He was my cousin, after all. The question was how capable he was.

“Isaiah… it’s just a chat, but I am thinking of handing over the Aldridge authority to you today.” (Isaiah)

“Eh?! What?!” (Isaiah Jr.)

“I feel sorry for the second Junior who hasn’t finished his term at the Magic University, but neither Misha nor I have much time left. Recently, I learned from a letter that even my university friends have died in accidents.” (Isaiah)

“Father’s friend, do you mean the head of the Schwarzschild Household?” (Isaiah Jr.)

“Yes.” (Isaiah)

“That’s terrible…” (Isaiah Jr)

Their voices lowered in tone. It no longer seemed like a topic for casual talk, but thanks to that, I could steal some interesting information.

“If anything happens to me… Isaiah, then you must protect this house. At that time, I will entrust you with full authority and permit you to use the name Isaiah Aldridge.” (Isaiah)

“Father… that must never happen!” (Isaiah Jr.)

“I don’t know. I might die. No, I will probably die soon. Yes, really soon.” (Isaiah)

“No, no, it won’t happen!” (Isaiah Jr.)

“No, I will definitely die. Absolutely.” (Isaiah)

“It won’t happen!” (Isaiah Jr.)

“I will die.” (Isaiah)

“It won’t!” (Isaiah Jr.)

Was there some kind of humor here? Their exchange only sounded like a joke to me. However, if they were serious, it was rare to see the infamous tyrant Isaiah appear so weak. Maybe his time of death really was near.

—

The study only had old books, but I threw into Black Dog’s stomach some expensive-looking books decorated with thick covers. The theft was going smoothly. I never expected the place to be this lax. As work, it was a sufficient result. Next was kidnapping the servants and revenge on Isaiah. It might be good to hide here in the study until the ceremony started. Everything was progressing well.

“Did you get some good items?” (??)

That cold voice drifted suddenly and without a trace, and my spine froze. I hurriedly turned and visually confirmed the shadow that silently approached.

“…!” (Reingard)

There was the source of a swirling red-black vortex. The red-black magical vortex coiling and drifting was beyond ominous. My whole body tried to reject it. The figure wrapped in that magical veil gradually became clear.

“…Ali…sa…?” (Reingard)

The girl I had longed for in the performance orchestra had grown into a woman. I was so shocked by the sight that my mouth opened, but I could not clearly speak. Long, fluffy purple hair floated lightly. Translucent white skin. Her eyes swirled with red and black. Just meeting her gaze made me transfixed, unable to look away.

“Too bad. She is not Alisa Hailwood. Isaiah Aldridge, as a goddess statue at the time, modeled her appearance on Alisa, but the original goddess does not look like this.” (??)

“A go…ddess?” (Reingard)

At that moment, I remembered. This appearance was the same as the goddess Kea-sama whom I had once kidnapped.

“Why would goddess Kea-sama look like this…?” (Reingard)

“That is not important. Reingard Aldridge, the fact that you have come this far means there is still ‘another possibility.’” (??)

“…What do you mean?” (Reingard)

I was terrified of this existence. A latent fear welled up. I had lived in the underground world and gained courage. But the being before me was someone to fear, regardless of that experience.

“Arcana Orcus’s Hugo experienced defeat in a card game battle against Alfred and became afraid of losing.” (??)

The change in tone and the mention of a familiar name startled me.

“That was the starting point where cowardice was implanted in his personality.” (??)

The words sounded as if they were spoken directly inside my mind. Instead of vibrating the room’s air, it was as if a torrent of words poured into my ear canal, paralyzing my body so I could not move.

“How about it? Dali Amor, I think you heard such words from Hugo… ‘When you make a big gamble, you need to be prepared for it’.” (??)

Those words were certainly Hugo’s words. And the voice of Goddess Kea-sama, who repeated them, was exactly the same tone as Hugo’s.

“That phrase comes from the solid experience of Hugo. However, Alfred winning the card game was not a coincidence either. Without the shuffled cards from the dozen or so matches against Isaiah Aldridge beforehand, the outcome of win or loss would have been reversed. In that sense, this opportunity for victory might have been opened up by Isaiah himself.” (??)

I could not understand what she was saying. Goddess Kea-sama’s eyes, as she spoke, were covered by a red-black vortex that grew larger, and it was already impossible to tell where the pupils were. It was as if her eyes were open but staring far away somewhere.

“This time, Hugo sending you to the mansion was also caused by that implanted fear. As a result, you will be at this mansion on this day as a singularity.” (Kea)

“What… are you saying…?” (Reingard)

“Fufufu, it is still just a matter of possibility… quite interesting, indeed. Whether it is Isaiah or Emped, the outcome is entertaining to me either way, but I cannot afford to overlook one possibility. Watching a game with a decided outcome is worthless after all. You have to keep your ‘cards’ carefully until the end…” (Kea)

While I was confused and could not grasp the situation, Goddess Kea-sama smiled mysteriously. Her mouth opened as if viewing a waning crescent moon, and her smile looked like a demon’s grin.

“Now then, I have a reason to hide you. Eventually, you will be found if you stay here.” (Kea)

As she said that, Goddess Kea-sama extended her arm forward. The twisting red-black magic gradually transmitted down to her fingertips and slowly moved toward me. I could only watch it. I was paralyzed as if possessed, unable to do anything.

“I will show you something good. You are today’s main guest.” (Kea)

Death.

Death. Death. Death.

That was a mass of curses. The world soaked in black cursed words was the most disgusting I had ever seen.

Old age death. Withering death. Sickness death. Euthanasia. Lonely death. Brain death. Freezing death. War death. Pain death, drowning death, abnormal death, smoke death, sudden death, prison death, exhaustion death, defeat death, pressure death, overwork death, fake death, near death, madness death, violent death, electric shock death, suffocation death, mysterious death, prison death, change death, poison death, premature death, martyr death, death by hanging, sudden death, drowning death, being run over death, rage death, burning death, explosion death, asthma death, immediate death, throat cutting death, earthquake death, suicide death, starvation death, wave death, sutra death, gate death… and so on without end.

Every kind of death spreads across the world. Mana itself was a catalyst for transmigration that transmitted souls. The present life of humans that the gods watch is nothing but a multitude of deaths. The endless repetition is abnormal. It is like watching a kaleidoscope. Each fragment of death overlaps like puzzle pieces to form a wheel. Transmigration is a purifier of death. It was only a device that filters repeatedly, sorting in detail and letting the pieces fall off.

Ah… this is…

Kill Isaiah. Kill Isaiah. Kill Isaiah.

Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

Certainly, if everything were erased, then that meaningless cycle of death would end. The amplified curse had unknowingly become my motivation. I only hated. I wanted to kill everything.

—

When I descended to the present world again, I had become something else entirely.
The veil of night and the remnants of humans there. It was in the darkness of a large garden. Only my own “remnant as a human” remained there. The curled horns and short curled hair were the ones I yearned for. This time, she was not mistaken for a goddess. She was right in front of me, close with an unknown man.

I did not remember what had happened or what I had done. But seeing that scene, there was no doubt I felt abnormal jealousy.

“Ali…sa…” (Reingard)

“…Reingard-kun?” (??)

The impulse driving me freed the darkness inside me and wrapped all over my body.

“Ooo… Oooo…!!” (Reingard)

My head felt like it would split. Nausea came, and fatigue and weakness attacked me. I rushed forward in that state. On all fours, clumsily. It was as if I myself had become a Black Dog.

Who I was and where this place was…? Before I could think about that, I rushed toward the “woman” I suddenly encountered.

—

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