51 – Red Eyes
Waiting was the essence of being a sniper.
And so the most important thing for them to have is patience. They had to wait days and even weeks in order to kill their targets.
However, aside from that, this was not a situation that any proud sniper could be happy about.
“Tsk. It’s no use.”
Even if he did shoot, the magic arts would block it.
However, he still had to shoot. Strategically speaking, it was important to make the enemy waste its magic resources.
But snipers had value when their location was unknown. They were supposed to retreat once they were uncovered. And yet he had to continue to stay here and pull the trigger. It really was ridiculous.
This building…a short distance away from the Avanshiel Hotel.
One of the locations that had been provided for them by the client.
Currently, there were several snipers positioned here, as well as spotters, and armed soldiers to protect them.
Up until the start of the operation, they had been disguised as civilians. But now, they could not hide their anxiety.
It was little wonder.
The original plan had been perfect. But now, things were stretched out much longer than intended, and it was only a matter of time before the imperial army or police figured it out.
However, retreating without orders was the same as desertion.
But here, they could die at any moment. That worried them the most.
That monster, who had rushed through the sky, 20 kilometers away.
The sniper looked through the scope as he wiped his neck. It was covered in cold sweat.
“…?”
Just then, the spotter who was looking through binoculars right next to him, turned around in surprise.
“What?”
“Uh…I thought I heard something.”
The two nodded at each other, and then the sniper put down his rifle and reached for a pistol. The spotter picked up an assault rifle.
At this point, it seemed like anything could happen.
They cautiously opened the door and went down the stairs.
(What the…?)
Something was strange.
It was dark. It felt even darker than the shadows of the night.
So that even their high power flashlights seemed dim.
Clink. Something hit his boot.
He pointed the light at his feet.
And there…a face.
Contorted with fear and despair. And dead.
“…!”
He raised the flashlight as he sensed something.
And there, in the shadows, stood a woman in military uniform, carrying a knife in one hand.
They fired.
But the bullets went through empty air.
“Goodbye.”
Two heads rolled.
The last thing they registered was the cold voice from behind, and the eyes that were red like blood.
◆ ◇ ◆
“Oh? It’s already finished?”
The bloody girl turned around at the voice.
An older woman with long ears, the president of the Viskinel Academy, was smiling at her.
“Yes. This was the last point.”
“I see. so I suppose the barrier is not necessary then.”
“…If you could maintain it just a little longer.”
Mileiyu laughed knowingly.
The girl shuddered.
A barrier that not only covered such a wide area, but also stopped all bullets. It seemed completely ridiculous.
But it was said that elves, or Arves, as they liked to be called, had magic arts that exceeded that of humans.
The only reason they did not dominate the continent was because it was not in their nature to do so.
They lived for over a thousand years and bame gods. Life was just a phase in between, where they shed all unnecessary things.
Most did not have families and children. They did not care about developing a civilization. So it was little wonder that their numbers were decreasing.
But some of them were odd enough to blend in with society. They tended to be remembered by history, and leave descendants.
She was one of them.
A contract witch who had helped to protect the empire for hundreds of years.
“It is not that impressive. Besides…”
But the girl’s eyes stopped her from continuing.
“…Excuse me. Can I leave the rest to you then?”
“Yes.”
The shadows of the empire.
The reason that it was able to dominate the center of the continent for a thousand years.
Right now, the shadows squirmed at the girl’s feet.