TCRDG 02

Chapter 02 …

“You really can’t deny blood.”

The woman exhaled a thick cloud of cigarette smoke and, for the first time, offered me a choice.

“This is a medicine that erases memories. If you give it to your little brother, he’ll forget everything that happened here. Of course, if you want, it can erase all of his memories. But in exchange, you’ll be bound to me for the rest of your life. Well? What will you choose?”

My blue eyes trembled violently.

‘The rest of my life.’

To a nine-year-old child, a lifetime was far too long and far too heavy to even imagine.

Even so, I made my choice.

“…Thank you.”

It was better for only one of us to fall into the abyss than for both of us to.

And I was grateful that the one who would bear that sacrifice was me—not Seniel.

Still, I allowed myself one small selfish wish.

I could have erased every memory Seniel had of me and let him begin a completely new life.

Instead, I left his memories of our family intact and erased only his memories of the training camp.

Afterward, I left Seniel at an orphanage in a distant region.

“Noona… I don’t want to be alone. Take me with you too!”

“You’ll find a wonderful family to adopt you soon, Seniel.”

“I don’t want to be separated from you.”

“Even if we’re apart, we’re still family. Never forget that. I’ll come see you every year.”

“Noona…”

Because of his striking appearance, Seniel was adopted much sooner than anyone had expected.

Only six months after entering the orphanage.

The couple who adopted him were kind-hearted provincial nobles.

They belonged to a respectable family with a long history and an excellent reputation.

Seniel became the beloved son of a noble household.

I, meanwhile, became the promising successor of the Dark Guild.

We walked down completely different paths.

And so, ten years passed.

Wearing a mask that concealed my face and clothing that covered my entire body, I swept my sharp gaze across my surroundings.

The abandoned mansion, usually deserted, was filled with suffocating tension.

Judging by the clothing alone, at least four different groups had gathered here.

It was all because of a rumor.

A map left behind by the Great Thief, marking the location where an enormous quantity of Magic Stones was buried, was supposedly hidden here.

For years, countless rumors had circulated, but no one had ever actually seen the map.

It was said to contain enough power to start a war.

“Prince! Over here!”

The moment I heard Railey’s voice while silently waiting for the signal, I drew my sword.

As I timed my move, Railey’s subordinates burst out from the opposite side and charged forward.

They were bait meant to distract the other groups that had come chasing the same rumor.

Just as expected, the moment our guild members revealed themselves, a rain of throwing weapons flew toward them.

‘Now!’

After confirming that everyone nearby had been drawn away, I concealed my presence and slipped into the rear garden of the mansion.

Among the garden walls, where every flower had long since withered, one section protruded slightly.

Exactly as I’d been told.

The moment I pressed it, a round doorknob suddenly emerged.

Carefully turning it, I opened a space just large enough for one person to enter.

At the center of the room lay a sheet of paper that was unmistakably a map.

Judging by the seal stamped on it, it undoubtedly belonged to the Great Thief.

Without hesitation, I leaped inside.

The instant I grabbed the map, throwing stars shot toward me from every direction.

“…A trap.”

An ordinary thief would have died instantly.

But avoiding attacks of that level wasn’t difficult for me.

I had rushed in because I was confident I could evade whatever traps awaited.

After dodging every throwing star, I stored the map inside my expansion-type artifact.

Without wasting a second, I turned to leave.

Then, without warning, a long sword thrust through the wall beside me.

One step—

No, even half a step later, and it would have pierced my neck.

Grinding my teeth, I raised my guard to its absolute limit.

The moment I sharpened my senses, I detected the person hiding nearby.

“How did you dodge that?”

My attacker gave me no opportunity to breathe, swinging his sword relentlessly.

He was so skilled that even I—someone without an equal in the guild—was being pushed back slightly.

To reopen my escape route, I met his blade with my full strength and forced him backward.

“So you’re Prince of the Raven Guild. They said your body was incredibly swift and that your sword carried no unnecessary weight. Now that we’ve crossed blades, I understand immediately.”

Without replying, I increased the speed of my sword.

He smoothly parried every strike and tried speaking again.

“Hand over the map. It’s not something an individual should possess.”

Not something an individual should possess?

Coming from another individual, what nonsense.

I looked at him coldly—

Then met a pair of eyes as red as fresh blood.

Like me, he wore a mask, hiding his face.

But those eyes belonged to someone who had spent his entire life standing above others.

He naturally looked down on me, pressing me with his commanding gaze.

“Which side does your Raven Guild support? The Teroid Empire? The fallen Seoundel? Or a third nation?”

Although the Raven Guild was made up almost entirely of citizens of the Teroid Empire, we had never taken the side of any nation throughout the wars.

We followed only money and justification.

Apparently, the man was curious where our allegiance truly lay.

While he questioned me, his attacks loosened for just a moment.

I deflected his sword and abruptly changed direction.

‘Got it.’

I dashed through the opening in the doorway and escaped outside.

I could have continued fighting.

But against someone of equal skill, a prolonged battle carried the risk of defeat.

Especially when I had something I absolutely had to protect.

“Wait! I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time, Prince of the Blue Eyes! I know who you are! Even for just a moment, I want to speak with you—!”

The man shouted as he chased after me.

I glanced back only briefly before sprinting at full speed and shaking him off.

Fortunately, I soon ran into Railey, who had been searching for me nearby.

The moment he spotted me, Railey let out a whistle.

Guild members lying in ambush rushed out and blocked the man’s path.

“The map?”

“I got it. It’s inside my artifact.”

“I knew it. If it was you, Prince, I knew you’d succeed.”

“That guy’s strong. Hold him off for a bit, then signal everyone to retreat.”

“Oh? If even Prince says that, now I’m curious. Isn’t he someone you’ve never met before?”

“Yeah. I have no idea who he’s affiliated with.”

“Want me to go fight him?”

“You’ll lose.”

At my firm answer, Railey flared up for a moment before shaking his head.

“…My pride wants me to try, but not now. We have to head straight back to headquarters.”

“Why?”

“Queen sent out a call.”

The old woman had summoned us?

Even while we were carrying out such an important mission?

She had never done that before.

Something serious must have happened.

Anxiety filled my chest.

Without resting for even a moment, I rode back to headquarters at full speed.

Waiting for me there was the old woman, lying in bed and struggling for breath.

“Old Lady… since when?”

The moment I saw her, I knew.

She was dying.

No medicine in existence could save her now.

The light had already nearly vanished from her eyes.

“About two years. Cough.”

“…I brought the map. You wanted this so badly.”

“I knew… you’d succeed. Heh… Everyone… cough… leave. Everyone except Prince…”

After sending everyone else away, the old woman reached up and pulled off my mask.

The cloth that had hidden everything except my eyes fell away, revealing my face.

Her rough hand gently cupped both of my cheeks.

“You’ve grown so much.”

“How can you just die like this? You told me I’d be bound to you for the rest of my life.”

I could only let out a hollow laugh.

Of course, everyone dies someday.

But not like this.

Not this suddenly.

What about the life I’d entrusted to her?

“You’re right… The lifetime I promised you… cough… I never imagined it’d only be ten years. Heh… Heh… That’s what makes life… interesting… cough… Agh…”

The old woman continued coughing up blood before my stunned eyes.

“Do you remember? I told you… the weak have no right to choose. But now… you can choose everything.”

As the strength gradually left her body, I gripped her hand even tighter.

“I know. There’s no one here stronger than me anymore.”

“So once again… I give you… the right to choose… cough… ugh…”

“Stop talking. You’re coughing up blood.”

As I gritted my teeth and wiped the blood from her lips with a handkerchief, she chuckled once more.

“You really are… a kind child.”

“Me? Do you know how many people I’ve killed with these hands? Even a stray dog would laugh at that.”

“You can’t hide your true nature. I know you’ve secretly looked after the families of your targets… and quietly helped them behind the scenes.”

“…”

“Take my place and become the Guild Master… or leave this world entirely.”

“Leave? Now, of all times?”

“Yes. You… don’t belong in this world. Once I die… you’ll finally be free… because you’re stronger than I ever was…”

She never finished her sentence.

Her head slowly fell to one side.

“Old Lady? Old Lady!! Open your eyes. Are you really dead? Just like that?”

I desperately tried to do something—anything—with the hand that no longer held any strength.

Then, at last, I let it go.

Its warmth was fading.

As her hand grew cold, I was reminded of my parents, who had died ten years ago.

“…The Old Lady is dead.”

I stared blankly into empty space for what felt like an eternity.

Then the door opened.