In another part of the Solfyr estate, while Leon was meeting with Valeria, someone who did not belong to that house was very close. Kaelu moved through the outer areas of the property with controlled steps, keeping his body aligned with the shadows while analyzing the guards' movements. The information he had received left no room for doubt—Rebecca was really there, and that confirmation only made his objective clearer. If Leon had brought that woman into his own house, then she already held some real value to him, and that was enough to turn her into a useful piece.
'My mother always says that men in love are easy to control, so Leon won't be any different if he really likes her'
He showed no haste, but he also did not waste time hesitating. The entry had been simpler than expected, not due to lack of security, but because he knew exactly where he shouldn't pass. The less-used routes, blind spots between patrols, and reading the guards' rhythm were things he mastered easily, the result of years observing similar environments.
'And also my magic'
His affinity manifested discreetly around his body, without producing any immediately visible phenomenon. The shadow magic he possessed was not used only to hide his presence, but to reduce direct perception of him, making his movement harder to detect even when he was relatively close to others. It was not invisibility, but a subtle distortion of how others perceived the space around them.
'She's further inside'
He adjusted his direction without stopping, advancing with the same control as before, avoiding direct confrontations whenever possible. The goal was not to fight, but to reach the target, and any unnecessary combat would only increase the risk of a general alert. However, as he crossed one of the internal corridors, he sensed a presence even before seeing it.
'A mage? No… that's a knight'
Kaelu paused for a moment to assess who was nearby. A few steps ahead, Filgiri was already there, sword partially raised and body slightly inclined, clearly ready to react. There was no hesitation in his posture, only complete focus on the intruder he had identified.
'Who is this guy? Good thing I always use the detection magic stone when I'm in my lord's house'
This detection stone had been found by him in a cave after fighting some monsters. He had wanted to give it to his lord, but he was told he could keep it since it could only be used three times a day and only warned of nearby danger, so he hadn't even had time to alert others about the intruder.
"You shouldn't be here. Who are you?"
The voice came out controlled, but with clear intent. Filgiri did not advance immediately, but neither did he retreat, keeping his position between Kaelu and the interior of the mansion. He had come here with his wife to see the new Lady of Solfyr they would serve, and it seemed he already had a job to do.
"I didn't think I'd be caught"
"Answer my question"
Kaelu quickly analyzed the situation. This knight was Rank Six, experienced, and well-positioned to alert others if the fight dragged on. He was not someone who could be ignored.
'If he alerts them… it'll get complicated'
Filgiri was about to make noise to warn the others. Kaelu reached inside his clothing and pulled out a small jewel, activating it with a short flow of mana. The effect was immediate. The space around them distorted subtly before completely closing, isolating both within a sealed domain created by the jewel itself.
The corridor disappeared, replaced by an empty space bounded only by the barrier surrounding them. Filgiri immediately adjusted his stance upon realizing the change, now without worrying about the rest of the house, but also unable to call for reinforcements.
'This is—'
Kaelu simply took a step forward, releasing his magic. The difference in level was clear from the beginning. As a Rank Eight, his speed and strength were above normal for that confrontation, and he had no intention of prolonging it more than necessary. His movement was direct, closing the distance in an instant while the shadows around his body intensified slightly, following his motion.
"Shadow displacement"
Filgiri somehow managed to react in time, raising his sword to intercept the first strike. The impact was heavy enough to push him back a few centimeters, but not enough to break his defense. He immediately rotated his body, trying to reposition and create an opening for a counterattack.
'If I hadn't pushed my magic to the limit, I would've lost my head'
He tried to swing his sword in an arc to strike his opponent, but Kaelu gave no such opportunity. He maintained constant pressure, alternating attack angles with precision, preventing the knight from finding any rhythm. With each block, the impact accumulated, forcing Filgiri to spend more energy to keep his defense stable. Even so, he did not retreat. With some cuts already appearing on his body from dark blades, Filgiri attempted a thrust, which Kaelu deflected with his hand.
'He's holding on more than I expected'
His style seemed to be based on endurance, while also trying to predict incoming attacks. That became clear in the way he managed to avoid direct damage even under constant pressure. Kaelu slightly adjusted his rhythm, analyzing the best way to finish this without dragging it out. He didn't need a long fight that might alert others.
"If Leon sees me, I'm done. I need to end this quickly"
Filgiri advanced briefly, trying to break the attack sequence, but Kaelu dodged with minimal movement, repositioning and responding with a lateral blade that pierced Filgiri's magical defense and struck his armor with enough force to destabilize it.
The impact made the knight lose balance for a moment. And that was enough. Kaelu was already moving to finish the fight, with no intention of prolonging it any further.
Before the attack could land, the man bit down on something in his mouth, and a surge of mana burst from his body, pushing Kaelu back.
"I won't let you do whatever you want here. Even if I spend all my life in this instant, I'll stop you"
A dark aura surrounded Filgiri's body as his eyes turned completely white. What had happened was that he had used one of the pills Leon had given him years ago—something that consumed his own vitality to temporarily increase his power, something that could only be used once.
'I'm sorry, Jirena… I'm sorry, Lord Leon… I'm sorry, Surfien… and I'm sorry, my dear daughter Soline'