TSSH 07

Chapter 7

I quickly entered the guard post.

When a visitor was escorted into the post, it usually meant there was some kind of issue.

“Senior, is something wrong?”

“Ah, this person says he had an appointment, but his name isn’t on the visitor list.”

Senior Jake scratched his forehead awkwardly as he replied.

“The list is wrong. I scheduled this a month in advance, you know. I’m the head of the Green Merchant Guild.”

The man—apparently the guild master—didn’t bother hiding his irritation as he kept pressing Jake.

“Who did you say the appointment was with?”

“Lord Deacon Gold.”

“Cough.”

At the mention of Deacon Gold, one of the Seven Executives, Senior Jake’s expression darkened further.

Deacon Gold and the Gold family were, quite literally, the ones who controlled Knox’s finances.

Among them, Deacon Gold was also the head of the Knox Merchant Guild.

Like all executives, he was one of the most influential figures in Knox.

“Here is a letter from the guild master as well.”

The man smugly pulled a letter from inside his coat and showed it.

When we checked it, it clearly bore Deacon Gold’s signature and seal.

“Regardless, since he’s not on the list, a field unit member should escort the guild master to the Gold Guildmaster’s office to verify it…”

Senior Jake gestured toward the empty guard post and continued.

“As you can see, we’re short-staffed today. You’ll have to wait a bit.”

“What? The appointment is right around the corner—how long are we supposed to wait? If this causes me to be disliked by Guildmaster Gold and the deal falls through, will you take responsibility?!”

“It’s protocol. If we explain the situation, even Guildmaster Gold would understand…”

“I’ll go, Senior.”

At my words, Senior Jake frowned.

“You think you can handle it?”

Escorting an outsider into the main building was usually a job for experienced seniors.

New recruits typically weren’t familiar with the vast mansion’s layout, and more importantly, lacked the ability to handle unexpected situations.

“Well, we don’t have a choice.”

“True, but…”

After a moment of hesitation, Senior Jake nodded.

“You were there yesterday, so you roughly know where the main building is, right?”

The main building?

More than that.

I had already memorized the labyrinth-like layout of Knox Castle long before I even joined Knox.

More importantly, I had something I needed to confirm regarding this “Green Merchant Guild master.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

I answered while looking at the man’s shoes.

“I’ve been expecting you, Guildmaster of the Green Merchant Guild.”

A handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes greeted the guild master.

“Lord Deacon Gold.”

The guild master, who had been frowning the entire way here, finally smiled brightly and shook his hand.

Then he suddenly turned toward me and snapped.

“Do you take people for fools?!”

“Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

I bowed slightly, offering a polite apology.

But my eyes never left the man’s shoes.

Back when I worked as an assassin in Wickers, I had created many kinds of assassination tools.

There was a limit to waiting until night and slipping in with just a dagger to cut a throat.

One of my creations from that time was a shoe that could conceal a blade coated in deadly poison under a single sole.

Later, I even developed versions with blades hidden in both soles.

After that, other assassins in Wickers began using the same method.

It wasn’t particularly difficult to make, but it was one of my important trade techniques—so no one outside Wickers’ assassins knew about it well.

‘But why is that guild master wearing those shoes?’

And not just any version—the early model with a blade on only one side?

Could it be… he’s targeting me?

On the way here, he had deliberately chosen quiet paths where it was just the two of us.

There had been several perfect opportunities for an assassination attempt, but the man only kept urging me to walk faster.

Now, standing before Deacon Gold, the guild master still only looked irritated.

As I scanned him carefully for anything suspicious,—

“Ah.”

My eyes met Deacon Gold’s.

I quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened.

Apparently uninterested, Deacon Gold said to the guild master:

“Let’s go meet His Grace the Duke now.”

What?

I froze for a moment.

‘Meet Killian Knox?’

I had assumed it was fine as long as the guild master wasn’t targeting me.

But this was an appointment with Killian Knox.

If those shoes were truly what I thought they were, and if his target was Killian Knox…

Then this was a completely different matter.

“Tch.”

I clicked my tongue softly.

If things went wrong, this could blow back on me too.

After all, I was the one who escorted the Green Merchant Guild master here.

A low-ranking field operative who led a suspected criminal into the duke’s estate would definitely be interrogated—or worse, killed first and questioned later.

Of course, I could slip away before that happened.

But even if there was a one-in-a-hundred-thousand chance that Killian Knox died…

I had chosen to hide in Knox because as long as Killian Knox was here, Edward couldn’t touch me.

If Killian Knox fell, that protection would disappear.

In other words—my peaceful life would be over.

‘No, wait. Maybe those are just normal shoes.’

But my instincts—those always correct, annoying instincts—pricked the back of my neck.

Damn it. I needed to watch this longer, but how do I justify following them?

While I was thinking—

My eyes met Deacon Gold’s again.

“Escort him to the Duke’s office. You’ll be responsible for seeing the guest out.”

“…Yes, understood.”

Unexpectedly, I was assigned to follow them.

As we walked, listening to their conversation, it became clear the guild master really did have important business.

“I finally get to meet His Grace the Duke!”

The guild master smiled brightly.

‘Was I overthinking this?’

I was too used to Wickers to let my guard down.

Feeling a little embarrassed, I bit my lip.

“His Grace the Duke.”

Deacon Gold knocked on the already-open office door.

Beyond the doorway was a massive, imposing desk.

Killian Knox and Dupon Clancher stood there.

Killian Knox only glanced briefly in our direction before returning to the documents in his hands.

Instead, Dupon Clancher, standing beside him, gestured for us to enter.

“Please come in.”

Deacon Gold led the guild master inside.

Step, step—

As I listened to the unsettling footsteps, something suddenly caught my attention.

Killian Knox’s desk.

‘Have I seen that desk before?’

A strong sense of déjà vu hit me.

Especially the engraved Knox emblem—the moon and the raven, darkened slightly by burned wood—felt strangely familiar.

I frowned, trying to recall it, when Deacon Gold turned to me.

“Stay here.”

“Excuse me? But—”

As I spoke, I caught sight of the guild master’s back from the corner of my vision.

He was walking toward Killian Knox alone, his right foot subtly twisting in a distinctive motion.

And then—

A faint click.

A small blade was revealed.

‘Damn it, he really is an assassin!’

My eyes swept across the room.

Deacon Gold still watching me.

Killian Knox and Dupon Clancher reading documents.

Even the guards outside the hallway.

No one had noticed.

I clenched my fist.

‘Don’t move yet.’

Someone would notice soon.

The assassin took another step.

Nothing had changed.

One of the guards tilted his head slightly, but he didn’t seem certain.

Another step.

‘Of course Killian Knox can handle this… he’ll dodge it.’

But the duke, who supposedly had eyes like a dragon that saw through hidden spies, was still absorbed in his documents.

‘Look up already!’

Step, step—

The assassin was now within striking distance.

‘Please… just—’

I swallowed every curse forming in my throat and waited until the very last moment.

But the moment the assassin raised his foot—

“Ah, damn it!”

I shoved Deacon Gold aside and started running.