By that time, the group had already left the village, taking with them not only the information they had gathered, but also one less loose end to worry about.
The carriage rolled steadily along the uneven country road, its wooden wheels rattling over stones as the horses maintained a steady pace. The village gradually disappeared behind them, swallowed by the distance, while the surrounding fields stretched endlessly beneath the morning sun.
Inside the carriage, a heavy silence lingered for a while. Although their objective had been accomplished, none of them seemed particularly relieved. The events of the previous day still weighed on their minds, especially Thomas, who had remained unusually quiet ever since they left.
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Aemilia finally broke the silence.
"Johan, Thomas... where did you two get rid of him?"
"We threw him into the river. There wasn't any time to waste burying him," Thomas replied briefly, leaning back against the wooden seat of the carriage.
Aemilia frowned slightly, though she wasn't particularly disturbed by the answer. After everything they had been through together, such methods were far from unfamiliar.
"So... what exactly was that bastard's connection to Mark? How did he expose him?"
For a brief moment, Thomas remained silent, his gaze drifting toward the passing scenery outside the carriage.
Mark had been one of his closest friends.
A full year before the rest of the group arrived in the East, Mark had already been there alongside Thomas, Anthony Morel, and the others. Eventually, Thomas and Morel had returned east to continue their mission elsewhere, leaving Mark behind to maintain surveillance.
At first, everything had gone according to plan.
However, as time passed, Mark gradually got too close to a group working under the Caden family. Whether it was overconfidence or simple bad luck, he allowed himself to become more involved than he should have.
Eventually, his identity was exposed.
"In the end," Thomas said quietly, "that farmer... Fyodor... told them where Mark was hiding."
His expression darkened slightly.
"Mark had helped him once. The bastard repaid that kindness by selling him out."
"It turned out Fyodor had been dealing with that group from a distance all along," he lowered his eyes for a brief moment before finishing, "And that's how Mark died."
Silence filled the carriage once again.
"No wonder..." Aemilia muttered softly.
Thomas simply let out a cold snort. "He was nothing but scum," a faint, satisfied smile crossed his face. "By now, he's probably rotting at the bottom of the river."
Aemilia looked at him for a moment before asking another question. "Did he have any important information? Or anything useful?"
"Not much," Thomas answered after thinking for a moment.
"He only mentioned a few things."
He folded his arms while organizing his thoughts, "For one, there really are hired killers working under the Caden family, and according to him, the most dangerous of them usually serves only one member of the family. I assumed it would be Victor Caden... or perhaps his mother."
Thomas slowly shook his head. "But according to Fyodor, it wasn't either of them."
His brows drew together slightly. "He didn't know who that person actually was."
The carriage fell silent once more.
Even Jack, who had remained quiet the entire time, seemed to be considering those words carefully.
If Fyodor had been telling the truth, then someone hidden within the Caden family possessed enough influence to command the deadliest assassin... And none of them knew who that person was.
While Jack's group was already leaving the village behind, events that would soon shape the next stage of their mission had begun two days earlier...
Two days earlier, on Plain of the East, at the Loran family's mansion.
The library was unusually quiet that afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating rows of old books and the large wooden table at the center of the room. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, an invisible tension lingered in the air.
Andrew Loran sat at the head of the table, several letters spread neatly before him. They were Jack's latest reports.
The old lord looked noticeably worn. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, and the color had yet to fully return to his face. Even after several months, the poison that had nearly claimed his life had left its mark, and his body was still far from a full recovery.
Across from him sat his two grandsons.
Liam remained as calm as ever, quietly reading through the reports. Adam, on the other hand, looked equally composed, though the slight tension in his expression suggested that something was weighing on his mind.
Andrew carefully folded one of the letters before speaking, "The news isn't as good as I expected."
His voice was calm, but the seriousness behind it was impossible to miss.
"We've already lost some of our people. Mark was the first." His eyes lingered on the papers for a brief moment.
"He was our most valuable source of information."
After a short pause, he added, "At least... they most likely still don't know he was one of ours."
Liam gave a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, Grandfather. Anthony will be heading back there soon, and I'll make sure he has a few more capable people with him this time."
He tapped one of Jack's reports with a finger. "Besides, our most important group hasn't been discovered yet. According to these reports, they're carrying out their mission remarkably well."
Andrew slowly nodded in agreement. "You're right, Liam. Even so, we'll have to be much more careful from now on."
He leaned back in his chair with a quiet sigh. "We also need to recruit more capable people if we want to avoid another loss..."
"Grandfather... I have an idea."
Adam's voice cut through the room before Andrew could finish. Both grandfather and his brother turned to look at him.
"What if I accompany Morel?" Adam spoke without hesitation, his tone calm yet confident.
"I'm still unknown over there, and besides, I'm probably the most..."
"No." Andrew interrupted him immediately.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough authority to end the conversation before it could begin.
"That idea is out of the question, Adam."
He looked at his grandson with a mixture of concern and frustration.
"You know perfectly well that I'm barely of any use in my current condition." His gaze shifted toward Liam.
"Your brother already has more responsibilities than he should, and you've been helping him shoulder them."
He paused before adding more quietly, "And above all... it's dangerous. You know what happened to Mark."
Adam didn't lower his eyes,"I know, Grandfather."
His answer came without the slightest hesitation. "But I'm confident in what I'm saying."
A faint smile appeared on his face, "You won't regret letting me go."
He leaned forward slightly, "I promise I won't get involved in anything unnecessary. I'll simply observe alongside Morel. We need to make sure the new people can be trusted... don't we?"
Andrew didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he studied Adam in silence, his tired eyes fixed on his grandson as if trying to understand when the boy sitting before him had become so determined.
"You sound just like your father," he said at last, a weary smile touching his lips. "Always believing determination alone is enough."
His expression turned serious again. "Do you even realize what you're asking me to approve?"
"I do." Adam met his gaze without wavering.
"That's exactly why I volunteered. Someone has to go, and I'd rather it be me than someone else."
A brief silence settled over the library.
Liam finally spoke, "Grandfather... Adam isn't saying this on impulse. He's been thinking about it ever since Jack's last report arrived."
Andrew closed his eyes for a moment and let out a slow sigh. When he looked up again, the stubborn determination in Adam's eyes hadn't changed.
"...Very well. If you've already made up your mind, I won't stop you."
A faint smile crossed his face before fading almost immediately.
"But you'll return the moment your brother thinks it's appropriate."
His voice grew firm. "And don't involve yourself any more than necessary. Promise me that."
"I promise, Grandfather." Adam smiled reassuringly.
"I'll finish my task and come back as soon as I can."