"...Bell?"
The moment Judiel's faintly uttered word continued, the dagger heading towards her forehead suddenly bent.
The bent dagger sliced the right side of the hood. Through the split gap, blood could be seen flowing down Judiel's cheek. But she didn't even realize her cheek had been cut, only staring at Jubel.
'It's Jubel. It really is my brother.'
She could tell just by looking at his eyes. The man standing before her now was her one and only brother, Jubel.
"Who are you?"
Jubel pointed the dagger at Judiel's neck, glaring with chilling eyes.
"How do you know that name...?"
As he tried to push the dagger closer, Judiel removed the hood covering her head.
Kyaang.
The moment her face was revealed, Jubel dropped the dagger he was holding.
"Si-Sister...?"
Like Judiel, Jubel recognized his only blood relative the moment he saw her face, and his teeth clattered together.
"Is it really you, Sister?"
"Jubel."
Judiel bit her lip hard and pulled Jubel into an embrace. She didn't care about the current situation or what Jubel had been trying to do. The emotions she had suppressed for so long burst forth, and she couldn't control herself.
"Jubel. Jubel."
She muttered her brother's name and tightened her grip on Jubel. So that she would never lose him again.
"Ugh..."
Jubel closed his eyes as he stroked Judiel's back with trembling hands.
'It's Sister's scent...'
The scent he could only smell when he slept in his sister's arms as a child.
It wasn't the fragrance of flowers, the sweetness of fruit, or the gentle scent of grass.
It was the warm scent of sun-dried blankets. Tears flowed unbidden at this gentle fragrance he thought he'd never smell again.
'You really were alive.'
He had heard from the Division Leader that Judiel was alive, but he didn't believe it. Still, he had held on just in case, but he never imagined they would meet in a place like this.
He wished he could stay like this forever, but unfortunately, there was no time for this now.
"Sister."
Jubel pulled himself together and separated from Judiel.
"Jubel. You really were alive..."
Judiel's lips trembled as she cried endlessly, unable to control her emotions.
"We can't be doing this right now."
Jubel picked up the paper Judiel had dropped. After quickly erasing any traces, he led her inside the house.
"Hoo..."
He let out his aura perception to scan the surroundings, and after confirming there was no reaction, he sighed in relief.
'It's fortunate I finished preparations before the assembly time.'
Although today was the day of the assassination, there was still time before the assembly. It was fortunate there was a little time to spare.
"Hmm..."
Judiel seemed to have come to her senses as well, wiping away the tears that had flowed down her reddened face.
"But what were you trying to do?"
She swallowed hard as she examined Jubel's attire.
"..."
Jubel bit his lip as he removed the mask covering his face.
'Should I tell her I've been living as an assassin...?'
If he told her he had been living as an assassin and killing people, Judiel would be too sad. He didn't want to see his sister cry anymore.
"Now's not the time to talk about that..."
As he tried to change the subject by saying they didn't have time, Judiel's lips moved again.
"I've been living as a spy."
"What?"
Jubel's eyes widened at the word "spy."
"I went to places designated from above, extracted information, and submitted reports."
Judiel gave a faint smile as she looked at Jubel.
"I didn't know what I was doing. Betraying people who trusted me to save my own life, I didn't want to live."
She covered her mouth with a trembling hand.
"I was going to die, but when I thought of you, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I took on a new mission thinking I'd see your face one last time, but..."
Judiel's eyes suddenly took on a clear, bright light.
"There, I met the person I serve now."
"The person you serve? Is it someone different from the one who made us like this?"
"Completely different. The one who saved me."
She nodded with a small but sincere smile.
"Who is it?"
"..."
Judiel just smiled without answering. She didn't mention his name in case she or Jubel might die here, which could harm Raon.
"What about you? How have you been?"
"I..."
Jubel swallowed hard as he looked up at the ceiling. He lowered his gaze again and fingered his pitch-black night suit.
"As you can see, I haven't lived a normal life. You said earlier that seeing me made you want to persist. It was the same for me."
"..."
"I thought even if I die, I'd at least see if you were living well before I go."
Judiel said nothing, listening to her brother's words with her fists tightly clenched.
"Those bastards said you were resting comfortably in a rich household..."
Jubel furrowed his brow as he recalled the Division Leader's sly face.
"...I've lived as an assassin. I've killed nine people so far, and today is the tenth. They say they'll let me go after the tenth assassination, but that's not going to happen."
He let out a sneer, as if he had already foreseen his future.
"Today?"
"Yes. The Siran Tribe. Our mission is to kill all of them."
"The Siran Tribe is well-known even within the Beast Union. How are you going to...?"
"All the preparations have been made in advance. It's dangerous, but there's no chance of failure."
Jubel sighed, indicating that everything was already planned out.
"Jubel."
Judiel stood up and approached Jubel. She took his hand and nodded briefly.
"Let's run away. There's no need to stay here anymore. If we can just escape from here, both of us can live."
"..."
Jubel didn't reject Judiel's hand, but he didn't answer either.
"Jubel?"
"We can't go."
He slowly shook his head.
"Assassins are already hiding in groups around Raven Village. If we try to escape outside, we'll be killed before we even leave the village."
Jubel took a deep breath and continued.
"It's a miracle you were able to come this far. They probably missed you because everyone was preparing for the upcoming mission."
Jubel let go of Judiel's hand and felt along the wall next to the bed. The wall opened silently, revealing a small space where one person could hide.
"Hide here, and when you hear the sound of fire in the forest, go back the way you came."
"What are you talking about! We should go together!"
"I told you. If we try to escape together, we'll definitely get caught. Our heads will roll before we even leave the village."
He took Judiel's hand again. Holding back tears at the warm touch, he forced a smile.
"I'll find a chance to escape too. You go first, Sister."
Jubel pointed to the mountain Judiel had come down earlier.
"Wait for me up there. I'll be there soon."
"..."
Judiel didn't insist any further. She didn't want to part again, but now wasn't the time for such words.
"Okay. I understand."
She nodded and sat down on the old bed. She patted the spot next to her, smiling in a way that didn't fit the situation.
"Let's talk about old times for a moment."
"Hmm..."
Jubel couldn't refuse even that and sat down next to Judiel.
"Remember how you couldn't sleep unless you used my lap as a pillow?"
"Wh-What are you talking about! When did I ever!"
"You'd ask for my arm if I wouldn't give you my lap, remember?"
"No way!"
The time given to the siblings was short, but the smiles that bloomed on their faces seemed deeper than anything else.
* * *
Colin, Jubel's superior and the Division Leader of the Hwansaldae, bowed his head towards a small crystal ball.
"All preparations are complete. All personnel have been deployed, and the fire seeds have been hidden. We can start at the scheduled time."
A voice saying "Good work" came from within the crystal ball.
"It's nothing. But..."
Colin licked his lips and rolled his eyes.
"Are you really going to abandon all of Team 3?"
[They're pawns raised for times like this. Their heads have already grown too big, so keeping them alive won't help. Invest them all.]
The man in the crystal ball cut off Colin's request with cold finality.
"Understood."
Colin immediately bowed his head, seeming to know the personality of the man in the crystal ball.
[Then I'll see you shortly.]
"Yes."
Colin bowed his head and covered the now darkened orb. He frowned as if he had no choice, then put on his mask and emerged from the cave where he had been hiding.
"Division Leader."
The assassins outside the cave approached and bowed their heads.
"Any signal from inside?"
"Not yet."
Bern, the leader of Team 1, shook his head.
"Hmm..."
Colin frowned as he looked up at the sky.
"I'll go in for a moment and come back."
"There's still time left."
"I know. It's the final check, so don't worry and just wait."
Colin entered the village, concealing himself in the shadows.
The assassins waiting in the village and forest seemed to have finished their preparations, hiding in their designated positions.
Finally, he headed towards Jubel's house on the outskirts of the village. He too was using concealment techniques at his designated position, just like the other assassins.
"Number 196."
Colin was about to pass by but stopped in front of Jubel's house, narrowing his eyes.
"Have you finished all the preparations?"
* * *
"Yes, I have."
Jubel swallowed hard as he looked at Colin who had suddenly appeared.
'Why did this bastard suddenly come here?'
The mission was about to start soon. He couldn't understand why Colin, who should be at the center giving orders to everyone, had come all the way here. A chilling sense of unease ran down his spine.
"The placement of the fire bombs?"
"It's perfectly done. Once the fire seeds are lit, it'll create a prison of fire that no one can escape from."
"Good work."
Colin nodded and looked at the ground in front of the house with a strange gleam in his eyes.
'What's going on?'
What could he be thinking?
He had erased all traces on the ground after letting his sister inside, but Colin was smiling as if he knew something. Jubel's heart began to beat faster.
"It's about the plan for Team 3. Let's talk inside for a moment."
"What?"
Jubel narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the sky.
"It's almost time for the operation..."
"It's fine. It won't be a long conversation."
"...Understood."
To avoid suspicion, he nodded calmly and opened the door.
Colin sat down in a chair against the wall as usual, leaning back. Fortunately, it was on the opposite side from where Judiel was hiding.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little..."
"To think you're still nervous on your tenth job, you must have quite small guts."
He curled up the corners of his mouth as if sneering.
"Still, you'll do well. You haven't failed once so far."
"..."
Jubel didn't answer, instead releasing the tension building in his heart with a low breath.
"I promise. This is the last one. Once this job is done, you'll be able to go see your sister."
"How can I believe that?"
"Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but..."
Colin's gaze drifted to the wall next to Jubel.
"Who are you hiding in there?"
"Wh-What nonsense are you..."
"The traces in front of the door were hastily erased."
"What does that matter? Of course before a mission..."
"No. It's stranger to erase your own traces in the house you live in."
Colin raised his chin and twisted his lips.
"It's all going to burn soon anyway. You didn't know, but among the many footprints, there were also traces of a woman leading here. The traces were faint, as if from someone in the same profession, but how could I miss that?"
He smiled as he looked at the adjacent wall, as if he already knew everything.
"Come out."
Colin gripped the blade of his dagger with his fingers and pulled it back behind his shoulder.
"This is the last warning."
"Hoo..."
Jubel chewed on his pale lips as he touched the wall. The wall split silently, and Judiel, wearing her robe again, walked out.
"Who is this woman?"
Colin smirked as he looked at Judiel.
"I'm very curious about who this woman is that you've brought here, when you haven't even been near a woman since coming here."
"This woman is..."
Jubel stopped mid-sentence and punched the wall just below where he had touched earlier. He grabbed Judiel, broke through the window, and immediately threw himself out of the house.
Kuwaaaaaang!
At that moment, a huge explosion erupted with flashing red light from the ceiling and floor.
Jubel and Judiel were thrown by the blast and rolled on the ground.
"I-I'm sorry."
Judiel's chin trembled as she looked at Jubel.
"No. It's my fault. I should have considered that that pervert would notice those traces. No, let's not talk about this now."
Jubel shook his head as he helped Judiel to her feet.
'It's fortunate I had prepared the fire seeds.'
He had hidden the leftover ones after setting them up near the Siran Tribe village, and thanks to that, they were able to save their lives.
But Colin wouldn't die from just that. He would surely regain consciousness and come after them soon.
"That guy won't be dead. We need to run away quickly."
Despite his words about running away, he just bit his lip as if unsure where to go.
"You said you know all the geography around the Siran Tribe, right?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go there."
Judiel narrowed her eyes as she looked into the dark forest.
"There are assassins hiding in the forest connected to the Siran Tribe too! We'll be caught before we even get there!"
"There are even more of them outside. That's the only place we can go."
She raised her finger, pointing to the thicket that rose like a blade.
"But..."
"You know that forest better than anyone, and I trust you."
She had learned something from watching Raon. If you don't take risks, you don't get rewards. Now was the time to turn crisis into opportunity.
"That forest is our only way out."
* * *
Raon frowned as he emerged from the dimensional gate. His head throbbed, probably from moving through multiple portals.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
As he was rubbing his aching temples, a middle-aged man with blue-gray hair bowed to him. The man had impressively calm, steady eyes.
"I'm Lisurn from the Black Market Special Agent Office."
The moment he met those sharply honed eyes, Raon could tell this was the agent with an assassin background that Denning Rose had mentioned.
"I'm Raon Zieghart."
"I've heard your name often. It's an honor."
Lisurn showed a disciplined smile.
"Since we don't have much time, shall we depart right away?"
"What do you mean we don't have time...?"
"The assassins hiding in the village are preparing to burn down the forest. They seem likely to move either today or tomorrow. I wanted to remove the fire seeds, but there was too much surveillance to move easily."
"No, you did well."
Tampering with it unnecessarily could have made the problem bigger. It was better to leave it for now and deal with the aftermath later.
"Hoo..."
Raon frowned deeply. Lisurn had said today or tomorrow, but if preparations were complete, it wouldn't be strange for them to move right now. They needed to reach Raven Village as quickly as possible.
"We really don't have time. Please, let's depart."
"I'm quite confident in my footwork. Will that be alright with you?"
"Please, go at full speed."
Lisurn nodded and gently pushed off the ground. Unlike his lightly extended legs, his body shot forward at a terrifying speed.
It was indeed a skill level worthy of confidence in footwork.
Teong!
Raon stepped with the Supreme Harmony Steps while watching Lisurn's back. With just one step, his shoulders were already level with Lisurn's.
"Huh...?"
Lisurn opened his mouth in a round shape, as if he hadn't expected Raon to keep up so quickly.
"You can increase the speed further."
Raon nodded casually in that state.
"Ugh."
Lisurn bit his lip and increased his speed, but Raon easily kept pace.
As they ran together, with Lisurn's expression gradually becoming more strained, they could see a distant village engulfed in huge flames, spewing gray smoke.
"That's..."
"Th-That's the village. They've already started!"
Lisurn's eyes widened, as if he hadn't predicted this situation.
"I'll go ahead."
"What?"
Without waiting for a response, Raon kicked off the ground forcefully. In that instant, the sound of earth tearing could be heard as his body stretched out, distorting space.
"Wh-What the..."
Lisurn's jaw dropped as he watched Raon become what looked like a red beam of light.
"What kind of footwork is that..."
Ignoring Lisurn's reaction, Raon pressed on, crushing the path beneath him, and arrived at the entrance of Raven Village.
"Kyaaaaaaah!"
"F-First the fire! Put out the fire first!"
"We're fetching water from the river!"
He had thought a massacre might be happening, but that wasn't the case. Fires had broken out in various parts of the village, and people were trying to extinguish them.
"W-Wait! You can't go in there!"
"It's alright."
Raon shook his head at the old man trying to block his way and entered the flames.
As he surveyed the outskirts of the village, he saw corpses wearing masks and night suits. They had been stabbed in the chest, but hadn't died instantly, as if there had been hesitation.
Raon followed the trail of corpses while looking at the forest that, unlike the village, was drawing in massive flames.
It seemed he would have to go deeper inside to understand what had happened.
"Huff, huff..."
Lisurn, who had arrived late, approached from the side, breathing heavily. His eyes were filled with shock.
"Is that where the Siran Tribe is?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he pointed in the direction the assassins had moved. It was where the thickest flames were rising.
"Y-Yes, it is. It seems something different from our predictions has occurred."
Lisurn swallowed hard as he looked at the assassins' corpses.
As he said, it was no ordinary matter for assassins to be dead here. Judiel and Jubel must have met.
-That guy is quite straightforward!
Wrath chuckled as if amused.
'They're in there, right?'
-Indeed. They're moving together, but it looks quite dangerous.
The guy seemed to like Judiel's toast, as he let Raon know she was alive.
"I'll go inside. Lisurn, please wait here."
Raon took a deep breath and walked towards the forest engulfed in flames.
"W-Wait a moment!"
Lisurn stepped forward, shaking his head.
"The Siran Tribe is extremely wary. With the fire and assassins, they'll surely show hostility towards you too, Lord Raon. You might get attacked from both sides if you get caught between the assassins, so we should assess the situation first and..."
"Not going in right now is not an option for me."
Raon gently pushed Lisurn aside. In his eyes burned a flame darker than the inferno engulfing the forest.
"Because my subordinate is in there."