Ch.240240. Midnight Rendezvous (2)

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[I thought as much.]

“…”

Victoria Evatrice looked at the person on the other side of the crystal ball with an unusually furrowed brow.

Anyone would likely have a similar reaction if they received such a casual response after what she had just said.

“…What kind of ‘I expected this’ response is that?”

When she grumbled those words, Bogart Marquis on the other side of the crystal ball smirked and replied.

[Well, I would recommend simply accepting defeat gracefully.]

“…What?”

[I suppose you don’t know since you haven’t tangled with that one before, but when it comes to matters involving ‘demons,’ you’ve already lost from the moment you got involved.]

“…”

Victoria’s face contorted even more at his drawling sentences.

“…I’ve never lost in a competition to kill someone.”

[Is that so?]

Though Bogart Marquis’s face maintained its usual smiling appearance as he spoke, the underlying sentiment was close to mockery.

[Then this will be your first time. They will definitely be faster than you.]

As Victoria’s expression twisted further, he added an explanation.

[…Though it’s highly likely it won’t be ‘death’ in the literal sense.]

“…What are you talking about?”

[If I explained that to you, I’d be punished under Imperial law.]

“…?”

[Ah, excuse me. Are you still a child who hasn’t undergone the coming-of-age ceremony of the Furry tribe? You’re an adult by age and Imperial law, right?]

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Victoria tilted her head in confusion, then cleared her throat before continuing.

“…Anyway, if I actually succeed in killing them, that would be a big deal in its own right. It would certainly affect both the Holy Empire and the Empire.”

Considering what she’d heard about Serath being one of the Pope’s closest confidants, this was especially true.

At the very least, Victoria had enough professional consciousness to ensure her client wouldn’t be caught in the aftermath.

“I’ll report properly, so don’t worry—”

[No, I don’t need a follow-up report.]

Bogart Marquis replied indifferently.

[I’m a person with enough dignity to respect others’ privacy.]

“…?”

Though she couldn’t quite understand what this man was talking about, she still had a job to do. At least she wasn’t the type to need things repeated.

‘…They won’t be an easy opponent.’

Regardless of her hostility toward her sister, she was making a cold assessment of her opponent’s capabilities.

Her target was, like herself, one of only two assassins at the pinnacle of their craft on the continent. No matter what advantage she might have, killing them wouldn’t be easy.

In that case, the first thing to do would be reconnaissance. She needed to gather information about her target.

‘…It was definitely the adjacent building.’

With that thought, Victoria immediately prepared to leave for Serath’s private room.

She went out through the window, moving with bird-like agility.

With each step, her small body glided through the air for several meters with impressive hang time, yet produced almost no sound.

“…”

And when doing this kind of work, she couldn’t help but remember.

Who taught her these skills. Who she trained with.

That dense forest where she lived with her sister during childhood. The friends they lived with. And also—

‘…No.’

That’s all in the past now.

The fact that her homeland was completely destroyed was likely due to that damn woman’s mistake.

Victoria gritted her teeth at the thought.

‘…And yet she fawns over that Imperial man.’

She still remembered how her sister had seemed ready to give her heart and soul to that Darwood man just recently.

Her own feelings toward Darwood Campbell amounted to nothing more than “target of assignment” at best.

She had heard plenty of explanations from her client, Bogart Marquis, about Demonic Vessels, fragments, and how he was the key to the world. Apparently, she herself also carried one of those fragments or whatever inside her.

Beyond that, the unchangeable fact remained that he was one of the “Imperial people” who had turned her past into a bloody mess.

Someone she could only hate, never like, no matter how hard she looked.

While thinking this, the adjacent building quickly came into view. It wasn’t far to begin with, and with her incredible agility, she arrived in no time.

After spotting Serath’s private room, she immediately launched herself toward a nearby tree.

Landing silently again, she closed her eyes and concentrated all her senses on the “presence” inside the room.

The hypersenses of a Grand Assassin provide information beyond what the five senses can perceive. This alone allowed her to perceive the scene inside as vividly as if she were seeing it with her own eyes.

“…?”

And so, Victoria immediately became dumbfounded.

The scene “transmitted” to her was definitely beyond her expectations.

Inside wasn’t just Serath but one more person. A man, judging by his presence. Probably someone she knew. Certainly—

‘Darwood Campbell?’

She tilted her head in confusion as she thought of that name.

Well, what those two were doing right now was extremely strange.

It was like they were headbutting. Facing each other with their foreheads almost touching, as if exchanging breaths, their lips meet—

‘…Huh.’

Victoria’s face turned bright red.

‘…Huh, huh, huuuuh?!’

Such a scream echoed intensely inside her.

‘Wh-what are those two doing?!’

Of course, despite saying that, she couldn’t tear her eyes away until the end.

●

In truth, Faynol Leiphec doesn’t have many people she could call friends.

An inquisitor from the Heresy Inquisition, a mage from the Demonic Spire, and now almost a loner at the Academy.

She barely had opportunities to interact with her classmates, and there are quite a few people who hold grudges against her because of the incident she caused before.

There’s Percy, with whom she had a master-disciple relationship when she was at the Demonic Spire, but their relationship has become somewhat distant due to the long lack of communication.

So then.

Funny enough, the only person she can open up to and talk with is “this one.”

[As I said before, I’m against you getting close to that man.]

The Red Demon’s prim voice echoed in her head.

She could almost picture her crossing her arms, snorting, and looking down with an overbearing gaze.

[I could tell after meeting him just once. He’s no ordinary womanizer. He’s nice to you not because you’re you, but because he treats any woman near him the same way—]

Faynol, who had been quietly listening to this assessment, tilted her head and interrupted.

“But you melted like butter when you actually met Darwood, didn’t you?”

[…]

Well, to begin with, the assessment itself is a bit strange.

If you’re going to criticize someone for being a womanizer, you should approach it by saying they have ulterior motives or their intentions are transparent, not “I know he’s a good person, but he’s not being nice just to you”?

“Didn’t you initially tell me to stay away from Darwood because he was the mastermind type plotting some scheme?”

[…]

“I think it’s a bit shameful to contradict yourself—”

[—Shut up.]

Faynol chuckled as she continued walking.

Originally, she had been avoiding this kind of conversation with the demon as much as possible. The other side would try to exert “influence” on her mind whenever there was an opportunity.

It was incredibly annoying how the demon would try to interfere with everything, like a mother who left her child by the water.

“…”

Actually, she wonders if it’s right to dismiss such “overprotection” so lightly, especially when it involved blocking all her senses.

But since she’s already been saved by Darwood once, it would be silly to dwell on the past.

And, how should she put it?

The restraints binding her entire body now actually seem more helpful. With all kinds of magical formulas suppressing the demon’s magical energy, she can now face it purely as one personality to another.

And because of that, she feels a certain closeness. Enough to be a good companion for someone like her who has no friends.

This fact becomes even clearer from the casual way she speaks next.

“Wouldn’t it be good if you also took this opportunity to open up and become friends with Darwood?”

It’s late at night, and she’s following Darwood’s “presence.”

Pinpointing that man’s location is an easy task. For Faynol, who has a natural talent for handling magical power, remembering and tracking a person’s “magical wavelength” isn’t particularly difficult.

‘A late-night secret meeting…’

At least the atmosphere matches well with the “challenge” she plans to propose to Darwood. Thinking this, she chuckled to herself.

[…Not interested.]

A curt answer came from within.

There was still a considerable amount of embarrassment in her tone. Faynol was about to tease her with a mischievous smile, but then:

[That man will soon face great trouble anyway.]

“…What?”

[Even if he has a seal, nothing good can come from a human being so deeply entangled with demons. It’s inevitable.]

These words were followed by a long sigh.

It was a statement full of certainty that something bad would happen to Darwood soon, but Faynol just tilted her head in response rather than answering.

[…Did you hear me?]

“I heard you. I just ignored it.”

[…]

“Darwood isn’t someone who would die so easily, and I don’t want to lose him to other humans. So I’m going to… ‘try hard’ too.”

[Try hard, you say.]

“Yes.”

Faynol nodded calmly.

“He saved me once, so I should save him once too. Isn’t that basic human decency?”

Even if it means risking her life.

Even if it means dedicating her everything.

[…Do as you please.]

They share the same mind. She must know that persuasion won’t work.

As the Red Demon snorted and replied, Faynol smiled brightly and continued walking.

[By the way, what’s this challenge you’re planning to propose?]

But even if they share the same mind, they don’t know everything about each other. If she doesn’t say it all the way through, there will be things the other doesn’t know, as evidenced by the question just now.

“It’s-a-secret~”

[…]

“You’ll find out soon. You’ll definitely like it once it starts.”

[That makes me a bit uneasy…]

While they were having this conversation, Faynol had arrived right in front of the place where Darwood’s wavelength was felt. She could definitely sense how close he was.

‘…It’s not his own room?’

What business could he have in someone else’s room at this hour? Thinking this, Faynol raised her hand to knock.

But she immediately stopped when she heard sounds from inside.

There was the sound of something “colliding” intensely.

Like flesh against flesh.

Something like moans could also be heard.

“…”

[…]

Faynol and the Red Demon fell silent simultaneously.

There was only one thing that came to mind from these sounds.

“…Oh my.”

After being silent for quite a while, Faynol finally spoke in a slightly subdued voice.

“Did someone have the same idea as me?”

[…The same idea?]

“I mean, about the content of the challenge I was going to propose.”

It was a statement so sincere that the Red Demon almost grabbed the back of her head in exasperation.

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