TYMC 10

Chapter 10

The problem is, this is the perfect opportunity to find out what kind of power the target possesses…

Since Ail still hadn’t confirmed whether Ris actually possessed any special power, this crisis was a rather convenient way to draw out his true abilities.

I can’t exactly clean up a pile of corpses here.

However, if Ris stepped in under the assumption that he did have power, there was a good chance of mass casualties.

Ail only wanted to confirm the existence of that power. She had absolutely no desire to deal with the aftermath.

“Ail, it looks dangerous, so let’s just do as they ask.”

Without much reaction, Ris calmly took out a pouch of gold coins.

His face was hidden beneath the robe, but Ail was certain he was wearing a thoroughly bored expression.

Is this the composure of a rich man? Somehow it’s annoyingly irritating.

Unfortunately, that kind of confidence didn’t work in a place like this.

Giving in to thugs’ demands would only fuel their greed and encourage them to follow and extort more money later.

“No. If we give them money once, they’ll keep following us and demanding more.”

As Ail firmly pushed the gold pouch back toward him, Ris tilted his head lazily.

“Hmm. You look like someone who already has a solution.”

“Yes. If you’ll leave it to me, I’ll handle it.”

At Ail’s somewhat dry reply, the corner of Ris’s lips curved beneath his robe.

Realizing that was permission, Ail left behind the trembling guide and the unreadable Ris and strode toward the armed men.

“Be careful, Ail.”

The voice that landed in her ears was gentle, but his attitude wasn’t.

For someone supposedly worried, he had sent her off far too readily.

Guess that means I’m only worth this much to him for now.

Ail frowned slightly, once again reminded that she still had a long way to go.

Though they hadn’t known each other for long, she hadn’t expected him to be quite so indifferent to her existence.

She needed to become closer to the target.

More specifically, close enough that she would naturally learn the secret behind the power possessed by Cassio.

Looks like I’ll have to work harder to seduce the young master from now on.

With a sigh, Ail reached for the emergency poison needle hidden against her thigh.

Then—

“Urk!”

“Gah…!”

The thugs suddenly began letting out short groans one after another before collapsing to the ground.

All five of them fell face-first onto the floor in an instant.

The entire thing happened within mere seconds.

W-What? I haven’t even done anything yet. No matter how much of a genius I am, this is ridiculous. Something’s definitely strange…

Narrowing her eyes, Ail examined the fallen men.

Her sharp gaze landed on the backs of their necks.

There, she saw tiny red marks, as though they had been bitten by mosquitoes, slowly fading away.

Huh? That’s…

Sensing something unusual, Ail immediately looked upward.

But there was nothing except dilapidated buildings.

She stared at the shattered windows on the upper floors before feeling a gaze from behind and reluctantly turning around.

“Ail, what happened?”

Ris had somehow approached without her noticing and was looking at her curiously.

Quickly hiding her surprise, Ail shrugged casually.

“It seems another group attacked them. Faction fights are common around here.”

“I see. I’m glad you’re safe, Ail.”

Without meaning to, they had escaped the situation without lifting a finger.

Ris glanced at Ail’s somewhat dissatisfied expression and gently patted her shoulder.

“W-Then I’ll continue guiding you…”

Still trembling with fear, the guide led them onward.

After several twists and turns, Ail and Ris finally entered the arena and took their seats in a reserved private section.

She had assumed the attention would lessen once they were indoors.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Why do the stares seem even more blatant now?

Because Ris was hidden beneath a black robe, people’s eyes naturally gravitated toward Ail, whose dazzling silver hair and striking beauty stood out beside him.

Feeling the sticky attention clinging to her, Ail barely resisted the urge to throw the sword at her waist at someone and quietly sat beside Ris.

“Come on, everyone! Place your bets! A chance to strike it rich! Ticket sales for this match are closing soon!”

The arena thundered with the audience’s cheers as employees moved throughout the venue encouraging spectators to place wagers.

The atmosphere of the brutal fighting arena, where everything except killing your opponent was permitted, seethed with filthy desire.

There was no way we’d find a normal bodyguard in a place like this to begin with.

Given such ruthless rules, no one could win while playing fair.

As a result, every single fighter who entered the arena was abnormal in one way or another.

Proof of that was the fact that even Black Rose paid additional hazard compensation whenever it accepted arena-related missions.

“Hey, rich-looking mister over there! Haven’t placed a bet yet?”

“If it’s your first time here, we can help you out if you show some sincerity.”

“We’re amazing at predicting winners! For just three gold coins, we’ll even give you insider information…”

While Ail watched the savage spectacle with indifference, a new group of unwelcome guests appeared and began asking for money.

Why are there so many damn beggars in this place!? Do these bastards think we’re easy marks?

Just as irritation flared within her, the image of the extravagant golden carriage she had ridden with Ris flashed through her mind.

…We really do look like easy marks.

Swallowing a sigh, Ail rose from her seat.

Seeing Ris already pulling out his gold pouch again made her feel like her insides were twisting.

My walking treasure vault is being treated like a sucker. This is driving me insane.

With a complicated expression, Ail snatched the pouch from Ris’s hands and stepped in front of the men with a dangerous smile.

“Move aside. You’re disturbing our viewing.”

“Interested in some information too, miss? If you play with us, we’ll even tell you for free.”

“Oh? Pretty cute for such a young thing.”

In that instant, one of the men reached out and brushed Ail’s cheek.

Normally she would have dodged effortlessly, but all her attention had been focused on Ris, and she failed to react in time.

What followed was a complete disaster.

“Whew. Is it because she’s young? Her skin is incredibly soft.”

The man blushed proudly after committing what should have been an unforgivable act.

Ail’s brows twitched irritably.

Ah, I want to kill him right now—

Instinctively, her hand gripped the knife hidden inside her clothes.

The problem was that throughout her life as an assassin, she had practiced killing intent, not restraint.

This situation was surprisingly difficult for her.

Maybe I should just crack his skull open and claim it was an accident. People make mistakes sometimes, right?

Ever since leaving the Duke’s estate, the words ten million gold had served as a seal upon Ail’s rationality.

Now that seal was slowly dissolving like mist.

Just as the boundaries of common sense began to blur, a conversation she once had with Death surfaced faintly in her mind.

“Ail, normal people don’t call smashing someone’s skull in a mistake.”

“Then what if I only crack half of it?”

“How would that make it any better?”

The image of Death shouting at her not to even dream about it restored the thread of reason that had nearly slipped away.

No. If I do that, my identity will be exposed… But I still want to crack his skull open.

For the first time, Ail felt the limits of her patience.

Just as she bit her lower lip—

“Ail.”

A familiar voice echoed through the air.

“His skull… I mean, yes, Young Master.”

Forcing her turbulent emotions back down, Ail slowly turned around.

There, Ris extended something toward her with a touch so gentle it couldn’t have been kinder.