The room was unlit. The binds were closed except for one window that pointed to another room. On top of a small table was a letter crossed with red paint. A man garb with a cloak that blurs the surrounding stood sternly. His hands onto the brush that crossed out the letter.
"The best of us retiring – preferring to live blandly rather than continue the path. Did you fall in love?"
"Are you kidding me? Why would I fall in love easily? The right thing to say would be that I had considered this. Do you really think that there'd be a relief? You are fooling no one. I think that by the end of the month – or the moment that dragon strapped with a rocket reaches space – most of us would be uneasy in taking care of the Under-Society saboteurs."
His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. He raised a brow while taking in her words. His silhouette was barely visible for a second. Shadows covered him slowly as the night passes.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. House Forlorn is dying to take a cheap shot on that dragon. House of Wolves wants blood and the House of Blood wants the neck of anyone that could provide them that. Elf-drinkers are what we call them now. They are too unstable. The wolves are angered by the death of their kin. No human should have been able to kill a pack of them unless they were armed to kill wolves."
"The Patio Knights did it."
"I do not know about you. But I think that they are mistaking the Knights of Old. Even if they did the deed – do you really think that the current Under-Society would have the means to bring down an order who was dedicated to slaughtering them?"
"The Knights can get away with it. They are aching to kill the Under-Society and rid the world of 'evil' or what they believe. Hard not to think about that when most of them are incapable of living with humans without any violence."
"Different culture and different appearances mean they have different ways of life. Dwarves, Elves, and Humans can understand each other while they are stuck on their uncultivated ideals. While they are stuck whining underground – mankind would be out in the stars. Tell me, do you want to be dragged down by their ideals?"
"They pay well."
"That I understand well. They pay, but not in soul or satisfaction."
"The Butcher of All says this?"
"Call me what you like. I do not care what you want. But I care if you understand that I do not need the job, anyone."
"You are going to spend your life in retirement? The nose smells that you are going to that academy for studies? I thought this was a joke made by colleagues but I found you here with this letter. A death's mark that would explain why the illustrious butcher of all – would be gone."
"Fiend, do you really think that a woman like me could continue this life? I was planning to retire the moment I saw that Monster easily dispatch the Pups of the House of Wolves."
"I heard of rumors that you got dragged away by a man. That man lives just across this apartment building – the same man who had defeated you. You wanted to retire because of the man who neutralized the wolves but concluded that you wanted to because of this man who defeated you."
"Your nose is terrifying."
"I am good at it. I have erased the scent of your dealings and made sure that those who saw would not remember. I do not hold your mind. Pray to tell me how that seemingly normal man did that to you?"
"You saw his profile. He had a normal life or that he fabricated it. What he tells might be lies and that he's a man who knows how to lie or have been lying about his intentions. When I first met that man he knew me immediately and what my intentions were. He glared at me as if I was a monster that was going to ruin his plans. You know me, Fiend. I wouldn't follow the said man if he wasn't worth talking to. I noted his route and what his schedule was. I wanted to sneak in and get some info but his room's booby trapped and he writes in his own code. I do not know what I should think about this man. He's hostile to those who perceive his true self, and a reclusive man who prefers silence. His mannerism is strange but I can tell that he had no qualms about strangling someone or lying straight.
"His gait tells me that he had experiences that made him wary of his life. He moves like a panther skulking around the shadows and the way he blends into the crowd is masterful. I won't call him a master or would say that I couldn't kill him. But he knows how to survive – that I can tell."
"That's your impression of him?"
"Yes. He was quick to parley peace and accepted my presence. I respect that he doesn't meddle."
"He shouldn't have entered the under."
"He knew what to say. We can assume that there was someone who told him or that he was already a part of the Under-Society. I am not sure about him. If he's truthful or not, I cannot tell. My senses have not dulled and so far he's showing that he truly wanted to live his life peacefully."
"Do you think that he had the profession resembling us?"
"Who knows? Fiend, you should already know this. People who survived long enough can be called masters of what they do. Even I didn't start as an invincible fool or I would forever stay that way. Being knocked out by him juggled my mind and I was given the answer to my question about retirement. Do I hold regret? No, I rather not think of losing all the myths and legends about me."
"You praised him too much."
"No, I just want to make him look stronger so I won't be too embarrassed about losing to him. Don't misunderstand me, Fiend. I did not retire because of him – he might have influenced me but never think that I did it because of him. I stayed too long under the shadows that I want to try something new. I was a devil that drags down fools into the abyss – but now I just want to be a student that watches the city life. I might use my retirement money to see the sights. I heard that the walls of Petro, manned by Wall-dwellers have been redesigned to hold the storm that is the undead that lives on the borders of the dead kingdom."
"Your Academy is going to tour the wall. I heard that students are going to be told of the kingdom overrun by the dead."
"Then that is great. It's a surprise that it took many years to eliminate the stragglers of the dead."
"The undead of the dead kingdom are revived by the same exact method. Killing them isn't enough – they are dead and can only be killed thrice. Enough of the undead. They sicken me."
"It took many years to hold back evil – we've reached a stage where we could look at the stars and grab hold of it. Even the dragons are smiling at the thought of reaching the stars."
"That smile of yours I have never seen until today. I preferred that bloody smile of your but this one isn't too bad."
"And you still have the traditions of the old world of swords and axes. The time of questing knights and men clad in shadowy cloaks is over."
"Might be. Tradition still persists and losing a butcher who does her job well is always something to grieve for in our order. We might be killers but we don't have to be heartless killers. Emotions are fine as long as you use it out of combat."
"Fiend really doesn't suit you."
"I call you a Butcher. But you don't kill me for it."
"Because we're dumb friends, Fiend."
"You know, when I came here I wanted to convince you, Botan. I want the devil that drags to continue her work. Like I wanted you to suffer with me."
"That's quite sadistic."
"It is. I changed my mind now. I don't want to convince you with that smile of yours in front of me. Man, I feel like I wasted my time. I thought that it was just a fraud knowing you, but you really are set in retiring early. You have the right and I don't think there's anyone who'd target you at this point. Botan, why not drink with me?"
"Get rid of that bloody cloak first. Then we'll talk about drinking. I know that it's a good tool to hide your face and cover you in shadows but I don't want to drink with someone who doesn't even try to think about social norms of the current modern world. I might use knives but it doesn't mean I dress so poorly. I don't know how Mia can have such a boorish boyfriend."
"I should probably invite her."
"I'd like to see Mia as well."
The layers of shadow that coated this man was lifted. His chestnut eyes stared kindly. His lips formed a smile.