My instincts were screaming.
Something involving Lucy was definitely going to happen today.
And not to brag, but my instincts were usually right.
So I spent the day watching her like a hawk, staying on guard. But to my surprise, Lucy remained her usual self—calm, composed, and silently efficient with her tasks.
"It's time to go, Captain."
From inside my office, Lucy finished stacking documents and looked at me.
'…Already?'
I glanced at the wall clock. 6 PM.
Startled, I cleared my throat and stood up.
"Right. Let's head out."
I shoved a few papers into my briefcase and stepped out of the office. Lucy followed close behind.
We walked down the staircase and exited the General Staff Headquarters.
"Captain."
I turned at her voice and saw Lucy holding something out to me.
"This is the umbrella you lent me before. Thanks to you, I stayed dry that day. I meant to return it sooner, but you've been so busy…"
Ah, right. I'd completely forgotten about that.
"I'm glad it helped."
As I took the umbrella, Lucy blinked her crimson eyes and added:
"Congratulations on receiving the Gukseon Medal. With how the higher-ups favor you, I'm sure a promotion to Major is only a matter of time."
…Was that a threat?
I couldn't tell. I just stood there, uncertain, as Lucy politely bowed.
"Well then, I have another appointment. I'll take my leave."
And with that, she turned and disappeared down the road.
…Had I been wrong? Nothing happened after all.
I stared blankly at her figure, then slipped the umbrella into my briefcase.
'Well, no news is good news.'
I zipped the bag shut and looked up at the sky—completely clear, not a single cloud.
'Feels like summer already.'
Even at 6 PM, the sun was still up. The breeze was warm and comforting.
I let out a soft breath and began walking.
'I heard there's a new dessert place on the outskirts of town. Might be worth checking out.'
After all the chaos recently, maybe I deserved something sweet.
✦
"Boss, we secured distribution rights for Raven Street, Block 23. We paid the patrol officers extra—they've agreed to turn a blind eye."
In a dimly lit room filled with smoke and the hum of a broken fan, mafia boss Nickel let out a satisfied chuckle.
"See? What'd I tell you? If they say no, just pay more. That's how you build a network—grease the right palms, and the city opens up."
He bit down on a fat cigar. A lackey rushed over and lit it.
Nickel took a puff, blew smoke into the air, and waved him off.
Tapping ash into a cracked tray, he grinned.
"Tell the boys to dress sharp. We've got a meeting with the customs inspector tonight. A little bribe, and smuggling opium will get a whole lot easier."
"Yes, boss!"
The lackey ran out. Nickel hauled himself from his chair, which creaked under his weight, and stood in front of a full-length mirror.
Gold rings glinted on his fingers as he admired himself, a greedy smile plastered across his face.
'This is too easy.'
He had once been a spy for the Allied Nations. Smuggling opium was just a way to fund his local operations.
But the money was too good.
With thirty men under his command, Nickel had long since abandoned his original mission. Wealth suited him better than danger.
It had been over a year since he last contacted his superiors. And frankly, he didn't care.
'They treated me like garbage anyway…'
He'd betrayed both the Empire and the Allied Nations. And he was thriving.
Satisfied with his look, he turned to leave.
Click—
A chilling sound froze him in place.
The click of a silencer, pressed to the back of his skull.
He stared at the mirror in disbelief. Behind him, the air shimmered like heat waves.
'Optical camouflage…!'
A rare mana technique—one that rendered the user nearly invisible by bending light.
Only elite agents from the Empire or the Allied Nations had access to such gear.
And now, someone was deactivating it right behind him.
Sweat rolled down Nickel's temple as a woman appeared, her crimson eyes gleaming.
"…!"
His heart pounded.
He had heard the rumors.
The Red-Eyed Reaper—a ghost assassin sent to eliminate traitors to the Allied Nations.
But he'd dismissed it as a myth.
Now, face-to-face with that very legend, Nickel stammered,
"W-Wait! This is a mistake! I've been hurting the Empire! Even if I betrayed the Allied Nations, I've still been helping your side—!"
"That's not an excuse."
"Please, I—I'll give you everything I've made—!"
Pfft—
The silenced gunshot barely made a sound. Nickel collapsed in a heavy thud.
Lucy stared at his body, her face unreadable.
She calmly brushed her hands clean, opened the window, and jumped.
A three-story fall—but she landed as gracefully as a cat, vanishing into a narrow alley.
Dodging beggars and nosy onlookers, she weaved through the streets until she found a quiet corner.
Finally, a safe place to change.
She pulled sunglasses from her coat and slipped them on—her red eyes were too recognizable.
Removing her bloodstained coat and adjusting her wig, she turned her head—and froze.
A soldier had entered the alley.
Their eyes met.
Annoyed, she was about to handle it when she recognized him.
'…Daniel Steiner?'
Black hair. Sharp, predatory eyes. There was no mistaking him.
Lucy's composure cracked slightly.
'This is bad.'
Daniel wasn't just a soldier—he was a relentless interrogator who had taken down spies, one after another.
The man who killed Colonel Jeremy with a single blow. Who eliminated eight Allied agents alone.
Killing him would be suicide.
Even she couldn't escape the consequences of murdering a national hero with the Gukseon Medal.
She had to bluff.
And Daniel?
He was thinking the exact same thing.
'I just wanted dessert. Got lost. And now I've found Lucy covered in blood. Perfect.'
He had seen the red eyes before the glasses went on. He knew.
'She's on a mission.'
If he revealed anything, he'd be dead before he could blink.
He made his decision.
'Act dumb. Act normal.'
Their eyes locked—two trained killers calculating each other in silence.
'I have to deceive him.'
'I have to play along.'
Ironically, both of them were perfectly in sync—just on opposite sides.