I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince-Chapter 487: Assassin Lilith (1)

The next morning, after a day of rest at the inn and a hearty breakfast, I stepped out to explore Ironhold.

An hour or so wandering around the town gave me a good impression of the place. It felt much like Ironhold as depicted in Luminor Academy: lively, with a sense of community and camaraderie among the residents. Most of the buildings were modest two-story structures, giving it a more village-like feel than a bustling city.

‘Seems like it’s a popular town for adventurers. Prices are reasonable, and the food’s decent too.’

I thought this while sampling a skewer from a street vendor. The meat was a bit tough, likely from a pig’s hind leg, but edible.

‘Should I check out the adventurer’s guild first? Or maybe I should hit up the blacksmith guild to get some gear sorted.’

As it had been a while since I’d had time to myself, I didn’t feel like throwing myself straight into work. Perhaps I’d take it easy for today and start the grind tomorrow.

...No, that’s a bad idea. I know myself all too well; once I get comfortable, it’s hard to break the habit. I may have been too tired to work yesterday, but today, I needed to at least pick up some gear and visit the adventurer’s guild. At the very least, I could get my adventurer’s badge or maybe even take on a simple job if things moved quickly.

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With that plan in mind, I headed down a narrow alley leading to the artisan district. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.

“...”

Having wielded my blade against both monsters and men countless times, I’d developed a decent sense for the nature of different gazes. Earlier, I’d noticed some men’s lingering glances—probably appreciating what they saw. But this time, the stares had a malicious edge to them.

I tried to hurry my pace to exit the alley before trouble could arise, but before I could, a group of men blocked my path.

“Heh heh, why the sudden rush, huh?”

“No need to run, sweetheart. Scream or resist, and we’ll cut that pretty little tongue of yours...”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, not these idiots again.”

“What...?”

Seriously, was there ever a day in this cursed world where idiots like this didn’t show up? It hadn’t even been that long since I left Blackwood Mansion, yet this was already the umpteenth time I’d run into scum like this. I’d hoped to avoid killing right off the bat in a new town, but seeing them blocking my path made me want to retch.

“Well, you idiots—if you want to die, come at me. Otherwise, leave now, and I might let you walk away.”

“Oh, you think we’re scared just because you pulled out a knife and swore at us?”

“Looks like we’ve got a sheltered little lady on our hands. What do you think you’re gonna do with that tiny dagger, huh?”

“Trying to scare us with that? Nah, you threaten someone with this.”

One of the thugs, sneering, drew a longsword from his waist as if to mock my dagger. As I assessed the men closing in around me, the largest one sauntered up confidently.

“Come along quietly now. Watching you tremble with that toy in your hand makes my heart ache...”

“...Ugh?!”

“Oh? Now it’s not just your heart that hurts, huh?”

The thug, who’d reached out to grab my head, stumbled forward as he collapsed from the dagger I’d plunged into his chest. I kicked his falling body away, and the atmosphere around me shifted instantly.

“Guh... ugh...”

“Odin! Damn it!”

“Damn fool. Always showing off to weak-looking women. Finally got what was coming to him.”

“Still, she’s got more guts than she looks. She might be worth some fun.”

The remaining five didn’t seem deterred, mistaking my success as a fluke due to their comrade’s overconfidence.

In less than five minutes, the single corpse in that alley became six.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Ugh, damn it. What a rotten way to start the day.”

Rummaging through the pockets of the alley thugs, I couldn’t help but curse. Beating or killing thugs in the alleys had become a pretty ineffective use of time. The level difference was too large to yield decent experience, and at best, I’d find a few copper coins.

Even if they were as good as monsters, it wasn’t as satisfying as killing actual beasts. Compared to the effort, they hardly offered any reward worth mentioning.

“Oh, come on, this one doesn’t even have a single coin? What kind of deadbeat...”

I scoffed, wondering if he was truly living day-to-day. He was ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) as scrawny as he looked. My curses aimed at this miser who seemed to live by the ‘born empty, die empty’ motto. As I rifled through the last thug’s pockets, a different-colored coin finally turned up.

“Oh, a silver piece.”

So even gutter trash like them could carry silver. Judging by his haul, he must’ve been the leader of this Backstreet Boys gang. As I turned out his other pocket, a crumpled piece of paper fell out.

“‘Sixth day, basement level two of the liquor warehouse.’”

Huh? What kind of strange cipher is this?

The paper looked like a clue from a detective game, making me wonder if it was tied to an event from Luminor Academy. But I couldn’t recall any quests in Ironhold that started this way.

Even if it was a quest, it wasn’t my concern. I wasn’t part of the Hero’s party or an academy student anymore.

“Tsk. Could’ve used this money to buy yourself a decent shield and become a real adventurer.”

Muttering half-hearted advice to the lifeless thug, I hurried out of the alley. It felt like my dress was making me look like an easy target, so it was time to ditch it and get some proper clothes.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Thank you for your purchase!”

“Thanks. Hope business is good.”

With a new outfit, I returned to the street, receiving a polite send-off from the shopkeeper. I’d swapped my clothes for a snug, supportive bra under a black leather cropped top, layered with a red hooded scarf. My pants, fitted black ones, hugged my form, and the stretchy material let me move freely despite being full-length.

After wearing skirts nine times out of ten, it felt strange to wear something this constricting on the lower half, but an assassin’s standard outfit was typically black and fitted.

‘Still... showing my navel feels a bit strange.’

They did have full-length shirts in the shop, but somehow, I associated assassins with exposed midriffs. To pass as a true assassin, I couldn’t afford to appear weak. While a mage could be fully covered, an assassin’s typical attire required at least a bare midriff.

I added a leather belt around my waist—a hallmark of the assassin class—and the look came together, making me look like I meant business. No matter how I tried to downplay it, the chest still stood out, but at least I’d reduced the distractions enough for now.

I decided to test out the new outfit by heading back to the alleys. This time, I still felt eyes on me but managed to pass through without anyone trying to pick a fight.

‘Seems the outfit really does help. I guess this world respects a dangerous look.’

Satisfied with my newfound “wisdom” earned from others’ blood, I finally reached the artisan district. I picked up an arm guard, shoulder protector, and a dagger holster to carry multiple knives. At the weapons shop, I selected a few new daggers with a design befitting an assassin, then made my way to the adventurer’s guild.

From today on, I would start my second life as an assassin, not a mage.

...Well, unless something really ticked me off. Then, I might use a bit of magic anyway.