Chapter 2
Eil wasn’t someone who would call herself merciful. If she had been, she would have quit being an assassin long ago.
‘But a bunch of people ganging up on one person is pretty low, isn’t it? Besides, if they keep making noise here, monsters will show up.’
If that happened, the area would be thrown into chaos between pursuers and fugitives.
‘Monster corpses and human corpses both rot and stink too.’
Then it would become troublesome for her to pass through this place comfortably in the future.
‘Right, I’m doing this for myself. Not because of that pretty, pitiful young master.’
Having made up her mind, Eil pulled her black cloak down low and leapt down without hesitation.
A moment later, the sound of someone lightly landing on dense bushes broke the forest’s silence.
“Hey, sickly young master, move aside. I’ll save you.”
“…Who are you?”
The boy narrowed his eyes as he watched Eil approach without hesitation.
Noticing his wary gaze, Eil casually spread her arms and mimicked flapping wings.
Flap, flap.
“What, can’t you tell? I’m an angel.”
Now that she was closer, the boy looked in even worse condition. He was covered in blood, looking like he could die at any moment.
“I don’t need help.”
But the weak-looking young master didn’t appreciate her kindness and refused her salvation.
Eil clicked her tongue and frowned.
“What are you talking about? You’re the one soaked in blood.”
Ignoring him, she stepped in front of the boy and pushed him behind her.
“…It’s not my blood.”
Unfortunately, his muttering didn’t reach her.
“How shameless!”
Eil pointed a finger at the rude assassins in front of her.
“You bunch of cowards, ganging up on a kid like this!”
At her sudden scolding, the assassins stared at her in disbelief, trembling with frustration.
“What nonsense are you talking about?! From your eyes, it looks like we’re the ones bullying him!”
“Who exactly is bullying who here?!”
“Waaah… I want my mom…”
…Well, their clothes were torn and they were bleeding quite a lot.
Did they all fall off a cliff or something? They should be more careful.
“Anyway, you were trying to shake down this kid, weren’t you? Aren’t you ashamed, picking on someone so young?”
At that, everyone except Eil fell silent.
You’re a kid too, so who are you calling—
“Wait, that black rose emblem…! Isn’t that the ‘Black Rose’?!”
“What?! No way, why is Black Rose here?!”
“R-run away!”
Only after noticing the black rose pattern on her cloak did the assassins panic and begin backing away.
“Like hell you will!”
Eil didn’t let them escape and immediately rushed forward, taking them down one by one.
“Ugh!”
“Ghh—!”
Before they could even react, they were struck on the back of the head and collapsed onto the ground, foaming at the mouth.
“Why did you help me? Aren’t you also an assassin?”
The boy, who had silently watched her elegant yet sharp movements, asked calmly. It seemed he had already figured out she was an assassin.
But when Eil turned to him, her expression was strange.
“You sheltered noble young masters really do lack awareness. I’ve been doing this since I was born. Don’t compare me to those idiots.”
Apparently, she was offended at being lumped together with the fallen assassins.
Her emotions were obvious, and for the first time, the boy’s violet eyes flickered.
“You should know this place is dangerous. Go straight down that road, turn left, run diagonally, then turn right—you’ll reach a village.”
It was the least helpful directions imaginable.
Seeing no response, Eil assumed he was scared and sighed.
“What’s the use of having money if you’re this weak? Next time, don’t travel alone. Hire guards or something.”
“Can we… meet again?”
“…What?”
Caught off guard, Eil blinked in confusion.
She had expected a simple thank you, not that.
‘He knows I’m an assassin, yet he’s asking to meet again… He’s weird.’
Someone once said you shouldn’t get involved with weird people.
“If we meet again… I probably won’t be an angel anymore. So let’s not meet again.”
With that, Eil kicked the unconscious assassins once more, then leapt into the trees and vanished.
“…Black Rose.”
Left alone in the dark forest, the boy murmured quietly.
Perhaps he would meet that violent angel again someday.
Later
“I told you to come right after the job… and now it’s already night.”
At Death’s chilly voice, Eil rolled her eyes.
Outside the window, the night sky was pitch black with no moonlight.
“Ahh!”
Stretch—
“Ahh, Captain, it hurts! It hurts!”
Her soft cheeks were mercilessly stretched, and Eil teared up, rubbing her stinging face.
“I said hurts, I said hurts! I told you to come immediately after the urgent mission!”
“I was going to, but I was saving a poor soul…!”
“Since when are you a saint saving souls?!”
Watching Eil complain while rubbing her flushed cheeks, Death let out a long sigh.
If he told anyone that Eil was the elite of the Black Rose assassin group, no one would believe him.
With her shimmering silver hair like flowing waves and ocean-blue eyes like sparkling water, she looked more like a noble lady than an assassin.
And that was exactly why she was chosen for this mission.
“Here, Eil. New assignment. Read it yourself.”
“Huh? A black rose seal?”
Eil’s eyes widened as she saw the black rose insignia on the file.
Seeing her carefree attitude, Death slapped his forehead.
‘This brat… she never listens.’
The black rose seal meant one thing: a request from a high-ranking noble.
Eil flipped through the file.
“Target is… ‘Rhys Cassio,’ age fifteen… Cassio?”
No way… that Cassio? The terrifying duke family of the Empire?
She stopped reading and looked up in disbelief.
Death nodded calmly.
“Yes. Your mission is to kill Rhys Cassio. And to uncover the secret behind the Cassio family’s power.”
“…Captain, have you finally gone insane?”
The Cassio ducal family was known as an impenetrable fortress.
So much so that countless assassins who tried to infiltrate it had died miserably.
Anyone in the empire knew this.
“You’re not going in by force. You’ll infiltrate as a maid.”
“…A maid? You want me to work as a maid? What if I get caught?”
“Maid is the lowest rank. No one will suspect you. Low risk.”
Death patted her shoulder reassuringly.
But Eil was not reassured at all.
‘I admit I’ve been a bit lax lately, but this is insane…!’
She glared at him with betrayed eyes.
“I refuse—”
Before she could finish, Death suddenly thrust something in front of her.
