Ch.5Chapter 5. Only I Can Do the Kidnapping (1)

“Huh.”

“Seriously.”

After the valedictorian of Crescen Academy’s 158th freshman class, Ryuyeong, finished his speech, someone’s scoff marked the beginning of an uncomfortable atmosphere in the hall.

Though no one directly addressed this atmosphere, all the examinees—no, freshmen—were thinking the same thing.

Anyone could tell that the commoner “Ryu’s” words were subtly looking down on those who hadn’t achieved the top score.

Saying the “Golem Hit” test, one of the most difficult entrance exams, wasn’t difficult?

It was bad enough that a commoner of unknown background had taken the top spot, but to add insult to injury, he had not only disrespected them during his valedictorian speech but also finished it in just one minute.

In the auditorium filled with anger and displeasure, the students’ gazes were subtly directed toward one place.

A girl sitting in the front row with long, shimmering golden hair, maintaining perfect posture.

While other students were indignant about the black-haired commoner Ryu giving such a half-hearted speech and leaving the podium, the blonde girl maintained her straight posture without showing any emotional reaction.

The girl who placed second in the exam after the commoner Ryu: Elaine Sinclair.

Everyone had expected Elaine would naturally take the top spot in this entrance exam—she had been the most likely candidate for valedictorian.

Her striking blonde hair and matching calmly beautiful appearance made Elaine stand out, but she possessed skills so outstanding they overshadowed her looks.

The third daughter of the Sinclair Family, whom everyone in the Crescen Empire immediately associated with “knights,” and a girl who had been called a once-in-a-generation talent even within the prestigious Sinclair Family, bearing everyone’s expectations since childhood.

When Elaine finished the exam with a score of 177 points, the students around her naturally thought she would take first place in this exam.

The result, however, was second place with an absurd point difference.

Thud- thud- plop-

While the announcer continued speaking on the podium, the students’ attention had shifted to the black-haired commoner who had returned to the auditorium and sat in the valedictorian’s seat next to Elaine.

It was natural for Ryu, who ranked first, to sit next to Elaine, who ranked second, in the seats assigned by academic standing.

Everyone was staring at Ryu and Elaine with undisguised disapproval, but the two sitting next to each other seemed completely unaware of each other.

Or more precisely, only Ryu seemed completely unaware.

Flinch-

When Ryu trudged over and sat down beside her, Elaine momentarily flinched and felt the urge to look sideways, but barely resisted.

Though she appeared to be sitting straight and looking forward, Elaine was quite conscious of Ryu sitting beside her, rolling her eyes to observe him.

Swish-

As Ryu leaned his upper body forward as if contemplating something, Elaine, still motionless except for her eyes, quickly scanned him.

‘…Right, I’ll ask him later. For now, we’re in the middle of the ceremony.’

Elaine made this promise to herself while watching Ryu, who was completely ignoring her and frowning at the floor as if facing some great dilemma.

Meanwhile, Ryu continued to fidget, touching his forehead and scratching his head while keeping his gaze fixed on the floor.

Unlike what others thought, Elaine didn’t feel wary or displeased with Ryu.

Flinch-

She was just overly conscious of him because she wanted to ask him something but couldn’t find the right timing.

**

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yes. Everyone is standing by.”

“Good. Right after the entrance exam ends, when everyone’s guard is down, is our only chance.”

As the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of purple and pink.

A group of people was intently watching Crescen Academy, where the future of the Crescen Empire gathered.

The group, dressed in black from head to toe making it difficult to identify individuals, was grimly recalling today’s mission.

This operation, which involved more than half of the organization’s combatants, was as difficult as the scale of deployment suggested.

The leader of the black group, A, was observing the academy entrance while watching the sky gradually change from various colors to a single hue.

‘Sinclair…’

Their target was to kidnap Elaine, the third daughter of the Sinclair Family, who had participated in today’s academy entrance exam.

‘If we succeed in this mission, our Black Crows can take over the back alleys of Crescen.’

The Black Crows.

One of the shadow organizations operating in the Crescen Empire, particularly in the capital city of Crescen.

The Black Crows were currently engaged in a fierce battle with the “Ten Arms” for control of the capital’s underworld. The two organizations, almost identical in size and financial power, were desperate to monopolize the underworld of the capital Crescen. If the Black Crows succeeded in this mission to kidnap “Elaine Sinclair,” they would receive an unimaginably large sum as payment.

That’s why they had accepted this obviously difficult mission to kidnap the third daughter of the Sinclair Family.

A, the field commander of the Black Crows with the codename A, swallowed in anticipation, thinking that if they succeeded in this mission, victory in the competition with the Ten Arms would be assured.

Imagining that if this mission succeeded, all underground dealings and underworld activities in the capital of the Crescen Empire would be monopolized by their organization.

“They’re moving.”

“Good, everyone start. Don’t underestimate her because she’s a child. She may be a young girl, but she’s a daughter of the Sinclair Family and called a once-in-a-generation talent. Be careful not to get caught.”

“Yes.”

After confirming that students were beginning to leave the academy one by one, A ordered his subordinates to begin the mission.

Today’s operation was simple.

The target, the girl named Elaine, seemed to overestimate her abilities and had come to take the entrance exam with only a servant and no guards. The Black Crows planned to exploit this opportunity.

An operative disguised as a coachman would naturally drive the carriage carrying Elaine and her servant to a secluded location, and once the operative brought Elaine to the target location, they would attempt the kidnapping.

As a precaution, three subordinates secretly followed the carriage, and more than thirty operatives were already waiting at the target point.

After confirming that the three subordinates with him had attached themselves to the carriage and that Elaine had boarded without suspicion, A quickly headed to the target point.

No matter how talented she was, a young girl with little practical experience couldn’t possibly put up proper resistance against more than thirty operatives.

Tap-

Moreover, since the organization’s fate depended on this operation, they had insurance prepared for any unexpected situations.

A ran quickly while fingering the binding magic scroll in his pocket, prepared to immediately restrain the target if she resisted.

When the carriage arrives at the target point and Elaine Sinclair, sensing something wrong, steps out, the operatives will surround her.

If anything goes wrong, he would tear the scroll to activate the binding magic.

‘With this plan, success is guaranteed.’

With these thoughts, A arrived at the meeting place.

Everyone was so thoroughly prepared that A couldn’t sense any presence of his subordinates, who normally couldn’t completely hide their presence even when trying to conceal themselves.

‘They’re really focused.’

“Is everyone here?”

In the middle of the seemingly empty forest, A spoke, impressed by his subordinates.

It was the first time A had experienced his subordinates hiding their presence so perfectly.

Thinking that everyone must really understand the importance of this mission, A looked around for his silent subordinates.

“You can answer now. Is everyone here?”

But there was no response from anywhere.

A called for his subordinates several more times, but the lack of response made him increasingly uneasy.

And then, despite feeling absolutely no presence, A suddenly noticed someone standing in front of him.

The sky, which had been shining with various colors, was now dyed in a single color, making the surroundings so dark it was difficult to see, but A’s eyes, accustomed to darkness, could clearly see.

Someone wearing black clothes similar to his own.

“Who…?”

“Are you the last one?”

“Huh? Gack-“

The unidentifiable person, who had definitely been at least 5 meters away, had in the blink of an eye grabbed A’s neck and lifted him into the air.

“Ga, gack-“

“Seeing as you arrived last, are you the boss or something? Are you the last one?”

A struggled with his whole body, trying to resist the man gripping his neck, but it was futile.

He was gradually suffocating.

The only thought dominating A’s mind was ‘I’m really going to die.’

“Ga, gaaack-!”

Just before A lost consciousness, the man loosened his grip and threw A to the ground.

“Gahack- cough- gahack-“

Despite being the field commander of the Black Crows who had been through thick and thin, A couldn’t regain his composure after coming so close to death.

His lungs were hyperventilating to compensate for the brief oxygen deprivation, and A was clutching his neck and struggling on the ground.

‘What is this…!’

“So why were you trying to do bad things?”

“Gahack- huff- huff-“

Instead of an answer, only violent breathing sounds came from A’s mouth.

The mysterious man was calmly looking down at A.

“Summer vs. winter?”

“Huff- huff, ha, w-who…”

“Oh, you really are the boss. You recover quickly. Already able to speak.”

“Why, why…!”

“Since you didn’t answer, let’s go with winter.”

A instinctively closed his eyes when he saw the man reaching out toward him.

He had no thought of counterattacking or resisting.

It was like the instinct of a herbivore encountering a predator.

Though it was a brief moment, A felt the gap between himself and the man before him. A gap so large that resistance was completely meaningless.

Whoosh-

“Ugh, aah!”

With a strange sound, A, who had instinctively closed his eyes, opened them again just as instinctively due to the sudden, inexplicable cold he felt.

A couldn’t believe the scene before his eyes or the cold he felt throughout his body.

What A saw was a snow-covered mountain.

The sky, which had been dark, was now blue, and a snowstorm was raging.

The massive snow mountain overwhelmed A with its mere presence.

“Wow, it’s cold. Shall we go then?”

“Huh…?”

Only then could A properly see the man standing beside him as he lay in disarray.

Black hair and black eyes matching the black clothes he wore.

A somewhat exotic appearance.

A childishly innocent smile as he looked down at him.

Blink-

And in the blink of an eye, the man was no longer there.

“What, what is this…!”

“A… Sir A! Ugh.”

“Huh?”

A turned his gaze from where the man had been to the direction of the voice he heard.

Hugging himself with both arms and shivering was one of his operatives.

‘What, what is happening…?’

Feeling his body involuntarily shiver from the extreme cold, A instinctively wrapped his arms around himself just like his subordinate in front of him.

What he felt inside his pocket was, for some reason, an empty binding magic scroll.