If there was one problem, it was that this was the perfect opportunity to find out what kind of power the target truly possessed...
Aile still hadn't confirmed whether Reese actually held the mysterious power she was searching for. As dangerous as the situation was, it could become the ideal trigger to force out his true abilities.
I can't exactly clean up a pile of corpses here.
If Reese really did possess overwhelming power and chose to act, there was no doubt everyone around them would end up dead.
Aile only wanted confirmation of his strength.
She had absolutely no intention of dealing with the aftermath.
"Aile, it looks dangerous. Let's just do as they ask."
Without showing any particular concern, Reese calmly reached into his robe and pulled out a pouch of gold coins.
His face was hidden beneath the hood, but Aile was certain he was wearing the same bored expression as always.
Is this the confidence of someone born rich? Somehow it's incredibly irritating.
Unfortunately, confidence like that didn't work in a place like this.
Giving in to thugs wasn't a solution—it only fed their greed.
"No. If we pay them once, they'll keep following us and demanding more money."
Aile firmly pushed the pouch of gold back into Reese's hands.
He tilted his head lazily.
"Hmm. You look like you already have a solution."
"I do. Leave it to me, and I'll take care of them."
Her dry response made the corner of Reese's lips curl into a faint smile beneath his hood.
Taking that as permission, Aile left the trembling guide and the unreadable young master behind as she walked toward the armed men.
"Be careful, Aile."
His gentle voice drifted to her ears.
Yet his actions didn't match his words.
For someone who claimed to be worried, he had let her go surprisingly easily.
I guess that means I'm still only worth this much to him.
The thought made Aile knit her brows.
They hadn't known each other for long, but she still hadn't expected him to be so indifferent to the possibility of losing her.
She needed to become closer to her target.
More specifically, close enough that he would naturally reveal the secret behind the power belonging to the Cassio family.
Looks like I'll have to work harder at charming the young master.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Aile reached toward the emergency poison needle hidden against her thigh.
Then—
"Ghk!"
"Urgh...!"
One after another, the thugs let out short, strangled groans before collapsing.
Within moments, all five of them were sprawled unconscious on the ground.
The entire thing had happened in mere seconds.
W-What? I haven't even done anything yet! I know I'm a genius, but I'm not that good. Something's definitely—
Her confusion lasted only an instant.
Aile's sharp gaze settled on the backs of their necks.
There, she caught sight of tiny red marks, no larger than mosquito bites, fading away before anyone else could notice.
Huh? That's...
Sensing something was wrong, she immediately looked upward.
But all she saw were old, weathered buildings.
No presence.
No movement.
She narrowed her eyes at the shattered window near the roof of a nearby building before finally turning around, unable to ignore the gaze she felt behind her.
"Aile, what happened?"
Reese had already walked over.
He looked at her with mild curiosity.
Suppressing her surprise almost instantly, Aile shrugged as though nothing had happened.
"It looks like another gang attacked them. The factions around here are always fighting each other."
"I see. I'm just glad you're safe."
Without meaning to, they had escaped the crisis without lifting a finger.
Reese glanced at Aile's somewhat dissatisfied face before gently patting her shoulder.
"Th-Then... I'll continue guiding you..."
Still pale with fear, the guide resumed leading them.
After several twists and turns, they finally entered the arena and were escorted to a reserved VIP section.
Aile had assumed that once they were indoors, they would attract less attention.
Unfortunately...
That wasn't the case.
If anything... everyone's staring even more openly.
Since Reese remained hidden beneath his pitch-black robe, the surrounding gazes naturally drifted toward the dazzling silver-haired beauty sitting beside him.
Feeling the sticky weight of countless eyes on her, Aile barely resisted the urge to throw the sword hanging from her waist at them all.
Instead, she quietly settled herself beside Reese.
"Come on, everyone! Place your bets! This is your chance to strike it rich! Betting for today's match closes soon!"
The arena thundered with cheers as attendants moved through the crowd encouraging spectators to wager on the fighters.
The fighting pit was a savage place where almost anything was permitted—
Everything except outright killing an opponent.
The atmosphere boiled with filthy greed.
As if anyone could hire a normal bodyguard in a place like this.
With rules this brutal, only those willing to use every dirty trick imaginable could hope to win.
Naturally, none of the competitors were remotely sane.
Even Black Rose paid extra hazard bonuses whenever they accepted jobs related to the arena.
"Hey, rich-looking friend! Haven't placed a bet yet?"
"If it's your first time here, show a little generosity. We might help you out."
"We're experts at picking winners! For just three gold coins, we'll even share our insider information..."
As Aile watched the bloodthirsty fighters below with complete indifference, another group of unwanted pests wandered over and began demanding money.
Seriously? Why are there so many damn beggars in this place? Do they think we're easy marks?
Just as irritation flared inside her, the image of the extravagant golden carriage she and Reese had arrived in flashed through her mind.
...We do look like easy marks.
Holding back a sigh, Aile stood.
To make matters worse, Reese had already begun pulling out his pouch of gold again.
My walking fortune is acting like the biggest sucker alive. This is driving me insane.
With a complicated expression, she snatched the pouch from his hand a little more roughly than necessary before stepping in front of the men with a dangerous smile.
"Move. You're disturbing our view."
"Oh? Interested in information too, little miss? Spend some time playing with us, and we'll tell you everything for free."
"Oho... pretty face for such a young girl."
Before she realized it—
One of the men casually brushed his hand across her cheek.
Normally, Aile would have dodged with ease.
But all of her attention had been focused on Reese, and she hadn't noticed his hand until it was too late.
"Ha! Must be because you're so young. Your skin's unbelievably soft."
The man actually blushed after committing such unbelievable rudeness.
Aile's brow twitched.
Ah... I want to kill him right now—
Her killing intent surged instinctively.
Before she realized it, her fingers had already wrapped around the dagger hidden inside her clothes.
She had spent her entire life as an assassin.
She was used to nurturing murderous intent—
Not suppressing it.
Maybe I can just smash his skull in and say it was an accident? People make mistakes all the time, don't they?
Ever since leaving the duke's estate, the words ten million gold had served as the only thing restraining her reason.
Now that restraint was beginning to dissolve like morning mist.
Just as the boundary separating common sense from insanity began to blur, an old conversation with Death surfaced faintly in her memory.
"Aile... people don't usually call smashing someone's head in 'an accident.'"
"Then what if I only crack half of it?"
"Absolutely not."
Remembering Death's exasperated expression as he firmly rejected the idea slowly pulled her slipping sanity back into place.
No. If I do that, my identity will be exposed...
...But I still really want to smash his head in.
For the first time in her life, Aile felt the limits of her patience.
She bit down on her lower lip.
Then a familiar voice broke through her thoughts.
"Aile."
"...His head... I mean, yes, Young Master."
Forcing her turbulent emotions back down, Aile slowly turned around.
Reese was standing there.
With an incomparably gentle smile, he extended something toward her.
