novelraw Chapter 114 : Chapter 114
Chapter 114 : Chapter 114
Chapter 114. Verdan
The fake Haman vanished in an instant.
Yohan stared at the spot where he had disappeared, wearing an irritated expression.
“He’s gone.”
Serena’s expression remained composed.
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned everything—Verdan’s movements, his identity, and the real Haman’s location. If you wish, we can apprehend him immediately.”
Her words were hardly comforting.
Yohan was annoyed and exasperated by the very fact that he was caught up in such a mess.
Clicking his tongue, he muttered,
“This is such a pain.”
He had far more urgent matters piling up.
Yohan didn’t want to waste time on petty issues.
Watching his expression, Serena spoke.
“You’re not really bothered, are you? You don’t seem all that curious about what happened.”
Serena found it strange.
Yohan’s indifference was unusual.
Even after Haman’s true identity had been revealed, he hadn’t shown the slightest reaction.
Yohan shook his head.
“Of course I’m curious. But more than that… it just feels bothersome. Forgive me for saying so, Lady Serena, but… would you be willing to explain the situation as concisely as possible?”
He wanted to resolve this quickly and move on to more important matters.
Serena stared at him thoughtfully for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
“You really are a strange one, Lord Yohan. You’re way too numb to shock.”
Since his possession, Yohan has experienced countless crises and twists.
Sudden Apostle awakening, the appearance of Kaiaze, Gawain’s fall… compared to those, the Haman incident was minor.
It failed to shake him emotionally in the slightest.
With a calm face, he spoke.
“Maybe I’ll be surprised once I hear the full story. For now, I’d appreciate the explanation.”
Serena nodded.
“I think you’ll find it a little interesting. I’ll keep it as brief as I can.”
She began to relay everything she had learned through the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
***
In a shabby warehouse in the capital’s back alleys, the fake Haman collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.
A string of curses escaped his lips.
“Damn it, how the hell did the information leak?”
Serena had known his true identity.
From Verdan’s perspective, it made no sense.
There was no possible leak.
Verdan the Impersonator always worked alone.
Without companions, confidentiality was guaranteed.
At least on Verdan’s side, there had been no mistake.
After thinking for a moment, he muttered,
“…No way. Was it the Marquis?”
Some time ago, Verdan had taken a job from the House of Marquis Leonard.
They had hired him to investigate the Watcher of the Abyss, and Verdan had gladly accepted.
The promised payment was enormous.
He had begun his work even before Yohan arrived in the capital.
After gathering intel on the Miyatro estate, he carefully investigated each of the household staff.
The name that stood out first was ‘Haman’ the butler.
A butler was the closest position to the head of the house.
Using the butler, it would be easy to extract information about the Watcher of the Abyss.
Verdan had kidnapped Haman and taken his place.
With his power—Impersonator—Verdan became Haman himself.
His appearance, speech, personality, small habits, scent—everything was absorbed and replicated to perfection.
The Impersonator’s transformation was on a different level from typical disguise magic.
Once activated, Verdan became a perfect copy of the target.
No one could possibly detect his true identity.
Except Serena.
She had seen through everything.
This was my first.
Verdan bit his lip.
“The Marquis. Yeah. The leak came from the Marquis’ side.”
That was the only explanation.
He slammed the ground hard.
“Useless bastards! Dammit!”
As the loud noise rang out, someone groaned and stirred from the corner of the warehouse.
“P-please… please, spare me…!”
A man sat on a chair in the corner, a sack pulled over his head.
Verdan’s face twisted.
He got up and walked over.
“Shut up, you useless idiot!”
Verdan yanked the sack off.
A young man’s face was revealed.
He looked exactly like Verdan’s current appearance—like a mirrored reflection.
Only the expression was different.
It was the real butler, Haman.
He trembled in fear.
“M-Master Verdan! Please, have mercy! I’ll do anything you say!”
Verdan struck Haman across the face.
“You brainless bastard! You made them suspicious! You graduated top of the academy, and yet you’re this goddamn useless?!”
Haman was too bumbling.
Once Verdan took on his form, even he started to act stupid.
More precisely, it became hard to resist wanting to act stupid.
It was the nature of the Impersonator ability.
Because it sought perfect replication, it even replicated personality traits.
Even now, Verdan was struggling against Haman’s persona.
He wanted to act just as foolish.
“I-It’s all my fault! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
With a furious shout, Verdan grabbed his own face and yanked the skin.
“Goddammit! I can’t take this anymore!”
His skin tore away like rags.
The shredded flesh turned to smoke and scattered.
The Impersonator power was deactivated.
Verdan’s real face appeared.
A slick bald head, narrow slitted eyes, twisted mouth—his overall appearance was that of a vile-looking young man.
The moment Haman saw Verdan’s true face, he began convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
Every time Verdan returned to his original form, Haman suffered extreme agony.
His fingernails would be ripped out again.
In order to use the Impersonator power, Verdan needed the target’s fingernails.
Haman clenched his fists tightly.
He tried to hide his nails with all his might.
“N-No! I don’t want to get hurt again! Please don’t!”
He broke down, sobbing in panic.
His body responded instinctively.
Verdan grabbed him by the hair and shook him violently.
“Shut up! Shut up, you pathetic waste!”
His stress was overwhelming.
His identity had been exposed. The job was ruined.
He wanted to blame everything on Haman.
“Uu… uuuuaaaargh!”
The beating began.
Verdan struck Haman wildly.
Tied to the chair, Haman couldn’t resist in the slightest.
He was simply destroyed under the merciless violence.
His screams echoed for a long while.
Verdan’s breathing grew ragged.
Only then did the assault stop.
He spat phlegm to the side and said,
“Hah… idiots like you only respond to beatings.”
Haman sagged like a rag.
Most of Verdan’s anger had subsided.
He felt a little refreshed.
Now it was time to deal with the situation.
He stared at Haman thoughtfully.
‘…I should kill him and get out of here.’
He didn’t know how far the information leak had gone.
The operation had to be aborted.
He would erase all evidence and disappear from the capital.
The payment from the Marquis would be forfeited, but it couldn’t be helped.
His life came first.
Verdan pulled out a dagger from his coat.
He slowly approached Haman.
With his face swollen beyond recognition, Haman looked back at him.
“Goodbye, idiot.”
All he had wanted was to live a good life. He had studied with everything he had.
And the result was a miserable death.
Tears rolled down Haman’s cheeks.
The dagger came closer.
At that moment, an explosion rang out from somewhere.
Verdan turned his head sharply toward the sound.
The warehouse door had been blasted open.
A knight clad in heavy armor slowly entered.
Drawing his sword, the knight spoke.
“…Impersonator, Verdan. That’s you, yes?”
On his chest was an insignia shaped like a gold coin.
The Marcano family’s crest.
In short, this intruder was a knight of a Council-affiliated house.
He must’ve been overwhelmingly strong.
Verdan stood no chance.
His face went pale.
“H-How did you find me?!”
This location had been thoroughly concealed.
Even the Marquis’ house didn’t know of it.
It was Verdan’s personal hideout.
There should’ve been no way to find it—yet the knight stood right there.
Verdan couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
Has his memory truly been read?
As he stood frozen, the knight swung his blade.
A blast of wind struck.
Verdan was flung into the wall.
Groaning in pain, he looked forward.
The knight slowly approached.
“Verdan the Impersonator, you dared insult a member of the Council. You shall pay for your crime with your life.”
He stomped on Verdan’s chest with his iron-plated boot.
Verdan ended up just like Haman.
Dragged away by the knight, unable to resist even a little.
***
Miyatro Estate, underground prison.
Yohan stood, quietly observing the cell.
A naked man trembled, bound by chains.
It was Verdan the Impersonator.
“L-Lord Yohan! Please spare me! Show me mercy, just once!”
Yohan said nothing.
He was thinking.
‘How should I use this man?’
Verdan was an agent sent by House Leonard.
Though the full picture wasn’t yet clear, that much was certain.
The Marquis’ house had made a hostile move.
The reason remained unclear.
Yohan slowly spoke.
“Verdan. I have a few questions.”
Verdan nodded rapidly.
“I’ll answer with complete sincerity!”
He desperately wanted to survive.
“Before that, I need to confirm something.”
“I’ll cooperate with anything!”
Yohan tossed something into the cell.
“Swallow it.”
A pale fingernail landed near Verdan’s feet.
Yohan’s pinky was wrapped tightly in bandages.
Verdan glanced between the nail and Yohan.
“W-Why are you giving this to me…?”
Yohan’s expression darkened.
“I don’t want to waste time on trash like you. If you feign ignorance or try to deceive me, I’ll snap your neck right here.”
Verdan made his decision quickly.
He slammed his face into the floor like a dog.
With his limbs restrained, there was no other way to comply.
Verdan swallowed Yohan’s nail.
Immediately, his skin began to soften like clay.
Before long, his form had completely changed.
A naked Yohan was now shackled in Verdan’s place.
The fake Yohan’s lips curled into a grin.
“How’s this? Flawless, isn’t it?”
His entire demeanor shifted to relaxed confidence.
His tone and expressions were eerily identical to Yohan’s.
The real Yohan chuckled.
“Interesting.”
Just as he finished speaking, black smoke began to rise from somewhere.
The real Yohan’s body was engulfed in darkness.
In the pitch black, a crimson glow flickered.
The fake Yohan furrowed his brow.
“What the hell—?”
A chilling voice cut him off.
“Come closer.”
The miasma vanished.
The view cleared.
A terrifying presence curled its lips into a long smile.
“A demon…!”
Mapheltan wiggled his jet-black fingers.
“Come now. I said… come here.”
If they could use Verdan well, Yohan could act even during the night.
For Mapheltan, it was a delightful surprise.
An unexpected—and very valuable—gift.