Damian was not the type to enjoy isolation or living within a shell. Despite his changed identity, he remained Victor at his core. Therefore, he had to make better decisions and avoid such situations as much as possible, especially since his pursuers were entirely mysterious. This was precisely the kind of enemy one must be extremely wary of!
He gently took Anna's chin between his forefinger and thumb, a soft smile playing on his lips as he gazed at her. "I will let you go, just as I promised, Anna," he said in a sincere tone. "But in return, there is one thing I want you to do for me."
When Anna heard those words, she was overwhelmed by a powerful mixture of joy and contempt. This fool is going to let her live after all. For a moment, she had truly thought he might kill her.
It made her think of her colleague—Number 41. This time, she was truly going to kill him. She had nearly died because of him.
Damian withdrew his hand from her chin and gently brushed her cheek. His hand was warm from the earlier knife wound, yet his face showed nothing but a faint smile. He leaned in slowly toward her, as if he were about to kiss her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she grew flustered. She closed her eyes involuntarily as he drew closer—until she could almost feel his breath. Then, he moved his head and raised his arms as if to embrace her... and whispered calmly in her ear:
"We are going somewhere else now. I want you to meet someone."
Anna was momentarily shocked by his words, but she quickly regained her composure. Although she thought Damian was a fool for sparing her life, she knew well that he was intelligent and possessed excellent self-control. This was evident from his actions and the calmness he displayed during their fight.
She still couldn't understand how he noticed someone was in his house, even though she had left no trace or evidence of her break-in. But the fact that he had deceived the entire organization and led them to completely misjudge his strength? That was a whole other level of cunning.
Without wasting any more time, Damian helped her wash away the blood. He stood close to ensure she wouldn't try anything, though she knew she couldn't even if she wanted to—not in her current state.
The most she could manage was walking, and even that was extremely difficult. Not to mention her face, which was now covered in cuts and bruises.
She washed the blood off her face, removed the covering that had hidden her hair, and put on some of Damian's clothes. She waited while he changed his clothes, which were stained with a bit of her blood, as well as blood from the wound on his right arm and palm.
He took off his gray shirt, revealing a lean body with broad shoulders. His abdominal muscles were lightly defined, like steps ascending toward his chest. Despite his thinness, the prominence of his chest muscles made him look deceptively strong.
Anna looked at him as she sat on the bed in his room, then quickly turned her head away as if she didn't want to see him changing. He paid her no mind and simply put on another shirt.
He quickly donned his coat and shoes. As soon as he was finished, he grabbed her, and they departed without uttering a single word.
After crossing several empty streets and alleys in the sleeping town of Rokin, they entered the dark forest. Damian carried a lantern in his hand to light the dim forest path.
Dawn was approaching; barely two hours remained before the first rays of sunlight would spread across the world. But Damian didn't care. He intended to finish what he came for and return before anyone noticed what had happened.
They were heading toward the few scattered houses in the forest on the outskirts of Rokin. As they walked, Anna let out a faint moan every few steps. It was clear she was in pain from the injuries sustained in their previous scuffle, especially her right rib, which she clutched as she walked.
But before they reached their destination, Damian stopped suddenly and halted Anna, who was two steps ahead of him. He grabbed her shoulder and said, "Anna."
The moment she turned around, a swift shadow passed before her. Her eyes widened in shock. She heard a faint word as her consciousness faded amidst a storm of disbelief and astonishment. It was a simple word, but it carried a piercing coldness that made her skin crawl.
"Goodbye."
A fountain of blood erupted from her throat. Crimson blood splattered onto his coat. The light faded from her eyes as she collapsed onto her side, her face frozen in an expression of confusion and bewilderment. Life left her body in an instant.
Her death had been inevitable from the start, from the very moment she stepped foot into that house. Her life had been hanging by a thin thread that lasted until this moment, then snapped. There was no hesitation in his movements—only a steadfast resolve that knew no doubt.
Damian raised his head and looked at the vast expanse of the night sky. He felt no pity for her. She had no one to blame but herself for staining her hands and entering this world. Even though he was a villain, he felt no sympathy for villains like her. No, they were even worse than him; after all, he did not take lives pointlessly or for a price.
People like them have no conscience and no regret. He would never grant them the honor of feeling remorse. Even if they claimed repentance or a desire to change, it was nothing but a fleeting whim born of standing on the edge of death—a slim hope they clung to for survival. A mere excuse. The moment they escaped and felt safe again, they would return to the same deeds, only with greater skill and caution. For this reason, Damian ended her suffering without letting her enjoy the illusion of survival or the dream of salvation. He left her to rot in that dark place, just as he himself had once rotted.
While he was by no means better than her, he at least had the strength to justify his actions. Unlike her, the only thing she could truly be blamed for was her weakness.
A whirlwind of thoughts spun in his mind. There was nothing in his eyes but utter disdain; not a single shred of compassion resided there!
**********************
The night sky was thick with heavy black clouds, hiding the stars as if concealing precious jewels. Pale moonlight seeped through narrow gaps, like a unique treasure that the clouds couldn't entirely hide despite their efforts.
Damian returned to the city after taking the body deep into the forest, where animals might find and devour it. He had no desire to hide or bury it. Burial was a sign of respect she didn't deserve—and in truth, neither did he.
He estimated he had about two hours until sunrise. The streets were quiet and empty. He heard nothing but the chirping of crickets and the faint sound of his own footsteps. But that didn't last long. Soon, he picked up a faint voice coming from the opposite street. Without hesitation, he slipped into a narrow alley between two houses.
"Do you really think it will be exactly as Fabian told us?" a low voice asked. After a brief pause, the voice continued: "If that's really the case, why would he want to share it with anyone? Am I wrong?"
The speaker was a young man in his late twenties, with dark hair and slightly tanned skin. He was addressing a shorter man with narrow eyes and a muscular build that made him look disproportionate.
"The only reason is that he doesn't think he can enter that cave and get the treasure on his own," the short one replied in an indifferent tone. "Otherwise, do you think he'd be stupid enough to ask for our help?"
Hearing this, the dark-haired young man could only sigh in agreement. His friend Otto's words made sense. Given that Fabian's abilities were not much better than theirs, it was almost impossible for him to have discovered that place alone.
Damian had intended to leave as soon as the two passed by, but after hearing part of their conversation, he changed his mind and decided to follow them. Perhaps he might discover something of value through this.