"Normally, I don't approve of killing people so casually."
That was all Shade said. He then slipped the little pistol Larus III had given him into his sleeve; he still needed to keep it on him as evidence.
But as he looked at the three corpses lying at the scene and recalled what the man in black had said, as well as the strange black bullet in his hand, the Outlander felt that tonight's story absolutely could not end like this. Though there was a small chance he was overthinking things, Shade still took action.
He picked up the black-clad man's pistol and placed it together with the strange black bullet. Then, before Larus III, he took a deep breath:
"Breath of Time."
Time reversed, and the bullet returned to the barrel. As His Majesty the King watched with an awestruck expression, Shade asked again:
"What the assassin said just now made me think of some very bad possibilities. Something is off about tonight, so I need to take some precautions—do you have anything related to The Church on you?"
Delarion had no state religion, but Larus III, like Shade, believed in the God of Light and Darkness, Mister Dawn.
"Yes. Will this do?"
Larus III asked as he pulled out the badge hanging on his chest. Though it was not a holy emblem carried by clergy, it had clearly been blessed. Ordinary evil spirits would never be able to approach someone carrying it.
"Next, I am going to do something very frightening to you. But I guarantee it will not endanger your life, and it will not leave you bedridden for long."
Larus III understood almost immediately. Those remarkably lively eyes turned toward the gun in Shade's hand.
"No problem. Besides, if I can be injured tonight, that will