Those Who Live Without the Law

Chapter 49

Looting the Mansion (2)

* * *

The cold air of the winter night brushed past my body.

‘The garden won’t properly cover me.’

Since it was winter, most of the plants were bare branches.

‘At least the snow will muffle my footsteps.’

I had walked through the garden with Irena to check. A winter garden was nothing but dead trees and grass, so it actually had more charm if the fallen snow was left to pile up instead of clearing it away.

That was why the Kellogg mansion also left the snow untouched in all areas except where people walked.

My footprints would remain, of course… but right now, I was wearing the slippers provided for guests.

‘They can’t identify me just from these prints.’

Aside from the distinguished knights who were passed out drunk or drugged, the rest were people I could easily handle, even wearing slippers.

“Blow.”

I gripped the hilt of the stained glass sword with one hand and raised the output of the battle gear to unleash Swift Blade.

A faint breeze stirred toward the garden. As it swept past the branches, the snow caught in them fluttered down like cherry blossoms.

Then the eerie sound of branches and wind scraping and rubbing against each other slowly filled the silence of the garden.

I lowered my stance, suppressed my presence, and moved forward.

The place I needed to reach was the basement of the mansion.

‘I can’t disguise myself.’

After all, the people who moved around the basement weren’t nobles but servants.

It wasn’t that I suddenly disliked the idea of pretending to be a servant.

‘What would I do about the gauntlet and the battle gear?’

Both were things I absolutely needed to keep with me, but the moment I disguised myself as a servant, they would become objects that openly invited suspicion about my identity.

“The ground level is divided into four buildings and the central garden, but….”

The basement was all connected by corridors, including beneath the garden. No matter where I entered from, as long as I reached the basement, I could use the passageways to get anywhere.

From the start, the mansion’s basement had been designed as a space for servants, guards, and other staff.

So that they could move around without catching the eyes of the masters or invited guests. After all, the sight of the lower ranks scurrying about was something the upper class should never see.

“You could also enter the basement through the garden.”

There was a passage leading underground from the garden’s storage shed. The Kellogg mansion’s staff used this shed to move between the basement and the garden, cleaning and tending the grounds while no one was watching.

And now, it was also the passage I would be using.

‘I have no reason to use the garden storage now.’

Winter was the season when the garden required the least attention. There was little need to use the storage shed frequently, and in a situation like this, with so many guests invited, they surely wouldn’t have the leisure to care for the garden at all.

Thanks to that, I was able to reach the front of the storage shed without much interference.

“Of course, why would it be unlocked.”

But the storage door was locked. If it wasn’t in use, they would keep it shut. Since this was only natural, I wasn’t particularly surprised or flustered.

I simply glanced around, then in a single motion drew the stained glass sword and swung it.

A faint light flickered once.

Without even so much as a proper cutting sound, the metal bar sealing the door was sliced clean through.

‘That’s what a good battle gear does.’

It was something made possible thanks to a fine battle gear and the skill to use it properly. I succeeded in entering the basement through the now-open storage.

….

Now was when the real task began. The garden and the storage shed were normally places where no one would be walking around at this hour.

‘But from here on, that’s not the case.’

Servants were moving around in the basement. If I didn’t proceed carefully, I would be discovered.

“What the—”

As I descended into the basement, I saw the servants moving about with desperately urgent expressions, and I felt puzzled.

“Hurry up, you wretches!”

A middle-aged woman who looked like the head maid kept shouting furious orders at the maids under her command.

Vivian Citrie, who had come with Jerry Kellogg, had collapsed in the banquet hall.

If they didn’t take swift measures and figure out the cause, it would turn into a scandal.

“She’s not likely to become the mistress of the house, but—”

With the way Jerry was acting now, there was nothing strange about the idea that Vivian Citrie might end up as the mistress of House Kellogg. However, in the end, the seat of a lord’s wife wasn’t something that could be won by love alone.

Most likely, she would be given the position of the most favored concubine. But even that was enough to make her someone who held power over the life and death of every servant in this mansion.

“Nothing wrong with what she ate?”

“No, nothing unusual. She’s suddenly suffering from a high fever.”

While giving quick orders, the head maid checked like a seasoned professional whether Vivian might have had some food allergy she herself didn’t know about.

‘Well, that woman’s business is her own.’

Since everyone’s attention was occupied like this, it only made infiltration easier for me. They were all moving about with faces as though their souls had fled.

With how hectic the basement was, it wasn’t difficult to use their blind spots to slip by.

….

Vivian, already carried back to her room on a stretcher, was lying in bed, waiting for the right moment.

“Vivian, are you all right?”

Jerry Kellogg was clinging right next to her. If I didn’t get rid of this man quickly, Vivian wouldn’t be able to act.

After coughing lightly a few times, Vivian spoke with an exhausted expression.

“Jerry, I’d like to rest a little.”

At the same time, the doctor who had been called in suddenly opened his mouth.

“The patient needs to stay calm. It would be best if you gave her space to rest.”

Jerry hesitated at those words. In truth, according to the doctor’s opinion, Vivian’s symptoms weren’t all that severe.

‘That’s something concubine candidates often pull.’

Pretending to be sick so they could beg the man not to leave, then drawing him into bed to spend the night together.

From the perspective of the doctor, who had served as House Kellogg’s family physician for many years, Vivian’s behavior didn’t look the least bit respectable.

Even if Vivian truly was unwell rather than faking it, with symptoms like that, it was possible she was suffering from an illness that could be contagious.

‘Whatever the case, Young Master Jerry cannot be allowed to stay here.’

It was a commendable attitude, thinking first of the family he served.

‘I wonder what kind of expression he’d make if he knew his actions were endangering Simid Kellogg’s life.’

Of course, Vivian understood the doctor’s intentions as well.

“Do I have to stay alone?”

Vivian widened her eyes and looked around the room with a slightly frightened expression.

Naturally, she was quite pleased that if Jerry left immediately, she could begin her work right away.

However, if she accepted the doctor’s suggestion too readily and told Jerry to go, it would only arouse suspicion.

‘It’s better if it looks like she’s pleading for him to stay, and the doctor forcibly separates them.’

That way, it would be easier to avoid doubt later. With that calculation in mind, Vivian showed a faint reluctance, as though she truly wished Jerry would remain by her side.

“Vivian, if you want me to—”

“Young Master, the doctor knows best what care the patient requires. I understand you are concerned about Lady Citrie, but absolute rest is essential for a quick recovery.”

Before Jerry could say anything further, the doctor cut him off.

“But…”

Vivian started to speak again but soon closed her mouth and nodded lightly.

“This must be what the doctor deems necessary for me.”

As Vivian yielded, Jerry looked over at the doctor.

“How long must she rest?”

“We should monitor her condition for about a day.”

At the doctor’s words, Jerry turned back to Vivian.

“So he says. I’ll come back to see you tomorrow morning.”

Vivian nodded with a feeble smile.

‘Not that I’ll still be here by then.’

Once I killed the master of the house and secured the necessary documents, I would have no reason to remain in this mansion any longer.

Even if Jerry realized later that he had been deceived, what could he possibly do? From the start, even the name “Vivian Citrie” was an alias.

Even if he held a funeral for his dead father and swore vengeance, it would be nothing but a futile rage directed at a phantom without a trace.

‘The party tonight was already winding down anyway.’

On top of that, with someone having collapsed, it would be difficult for the party to continue. In any case, this was only the eve celebration, so they would likely end it here tonight and resume the festivities tomorrow.

In other words, Simid Kellogg had probably returned to his bedroom as well.

‘As soon as this bastard goes back, I can start.’

While Vivian kept talking to Jerry, waiting for him to finally leave, I managed to reach the suspicious location I had discovered on the blueprints.

“Ha. This could have been a lot harder.”

After confirming that no one was around, I lowered my mask for a moment and drew in a deep breath.

If all the servants hadn’t been in such chaos, it wouldn’t have been easy to slip through.

‘What’s gotten into them all of a sudden? Did someone lodge a complaint?’

The servants were completely absorbed in inspecting every bit of food and drink.

Anyway, because everyone’s attention was elsewhere, I reached the target location without incident.

….

This wall. After making sure no one was nearby, I carefully tapped it.

“Empty, just as I thought.”

According to the blueprints, it was only a space about two or three pyeong in size. But you didn’t need a large area to store something important.

I tapped the wall a few more times, then drew the stained glass sword and swung it. With a brief flicker of light, the blade sliced through the partition without a sound, creating an opening large enough for me to pass through.

If the schematics were accurate, this hidden space continued in a straight line all the way to Simid Kellogg’s bedroom. Once I secured the documents, I would also have an escape route ready.

All I had to do was collect the papers and head straight up into Simid Kellogg’s room.

‘The party still has about an hour left.’

I was well acquainted with the party schedule. That was why I judged that Simid Kellogg’s bedroom would be empty.

The problem was that it wasn’t.

Because Vivian Citrie had collapsed, tonight’s eve celebration had ended early.

I had expected Simid Kellogg’s bedroom to be vacant…

But in reality, Simid Kellogg had already returned. Not that I had any way of knowing that, as I quickly skimmed through the secured documents.

‘Even if I can’t take them,’

It would be enough simply to know their contents.

“Let’s see where you spent all those taxes you stole.”

At first, my expression as I examined the documents was indifferent, as though it were nothing special, but the more I read, the more serious I became.

And by the time I had nearly finished, my face was set like stone.

“…It seems I’ll have to sit down and have a deep, earnest conversation with this Simid Kellogg fellow.”

If what was written in these papers was true, it was well worth it.

I gathered up the documents and looked at the wall of the hidden space.

There was a ladder leading upward. If I climbed it, I would end up directly in Simid Kellogg’s bedroom.

I gripped the ladder with my hand and began to climb.