"I still can't believe that the Arcellius Family is still around," Murvin murmured.
"Who knows where they've been hiding all these years?" Uldat said while eating a drumstick. "Whatever. It's not like they'll be a problem to us. The old man… Protector Avin, was it? He's unconscious anyways. The other two are brats."
"It does seem overkill to send us," the captain laughed. "Oh well, it's been a while since we've exercised our muscles so it's not a bad thing. My body is starting to rot."
"Speaking of which, what will we do with that woman catches on?"
"You mean Ten Dawn Rosemary? There's no worries there," Murvin smiled. "She left for the Celestial Court not too long ago. Don't tell me you're afraid of her?"
Uldat snorted. "As if. The two of us are more than enough to handle her. I'm not afraid of a cowardly Arcanist! I'm only worried about the Zino Kingdom catching on."
"As long as we don't make a move against Ten Dawn Nassandra, there won't be a problem. After all, the kingdom watched as the Arcellius Family disappeared, didn't they? I doubt they would do anything now."
"You're right about that. What can those fools do?" Uldat chuckled. "They should be glad that the Third Shadow has taken an interest in them!"
The two continued to drink and eat with joyful banter. They had thrown this matter far into the back of their minds, forgetting about it entirely. With the power of the Third Hand, was there a need to be so cautious? Their plan was simple: lure Freon out using Gunther's name, then lure Protector Avin out using Freon's name. Like a fisherman using successively bigger bait to catch bigger fish, it was the same sort of logic. It was bold and straightforward, as fitting for the Third Hand's creed! They believed it was a foolproof plan!
At the Vensire Family estate, two cloaked figures were leaving Ten Dawn Tengon's private study. They nimbly burst out of the fourth-floor window like a pair of birds taking flight after erasing all traces. Every action and movement exhibited the professionalism of a master with decades of experience. Not even a full-scale investigation would yield a single hair. That was how good they were! With a light twirl mid-air and a nearby tree, they negated their momentum and landed on the ground as light as a feather. They moved with such elegance and poise that it was remnant of a dance. No one noticed a thing.
The two dashed across the heavily guarded estate, weaved in and out of shadows, darted between guards, and hopped over walls. In a few minutes, the two perfectly evaded detection and left the Vensire estate! Even the two master assassins from the Second Hand might struggle to do the same! Once outside, they travelled until they were confident that no one was tailing them. But they did not lower their guards still. They continued for another half an hour while using all sorts of complex techniques to throw anyone off their trail. Disguises, splitting up, blending in… Their skills were so well-rounded that it was unbelievable. Even if the entirety of the Second Hand were present, then they would not catch a whiff of their scent!
Finally, the two converged in an abandoned building somewhere in the outskirts of Firecast. They circled around the building three times before they lowered their guard. It might seem tiresome, but it was a necessary step! For those in their profession, death was a natural outcome. Only the steady and calm could live till the next day and they heard enough stories to fill a library! Despite that, they did not seem very tired at all. From start to end, everything was so frighteningly smooth. It was like everything became second nature to them! They did not sweat a single drop throughout the night! Just imagining the countless number of assignments they took would scare people to death.
At this time, a pigeon flew in through a broken window and landed. After getting some treats, the bird happily took off while Inari's partner started reading the small message scroll. Since the two were wearing masks, it was hard to decipher his partner's reaction. Inari watched by the side and said nothing. He started cleaning his tools and weapons while gnawing on a light snack. He realized that he had no dinner yet, so he was feeling a bit peckish. However, it was then when a scroll came flying in his direction. After reading it, Inari's expression became dark.
"What do you think?" his partner asked.
"This… Is this information reliable?"
"It should be. Is something wrong?"
Inari sighed. "The truth is that I did not come alone."
"Associate?" his partner frowned.
"She's not an associate. It's Shirley."
After a light pause, "Don't tell me she's entangled with the Arcellius Family? What were you thinking?" There was the faintest hint of anger.
"I didn't think this would happen," Inari massaged his temple. "That girl… Somehow, trouble found her in less than a day. I don't know how she manages to do it!"
The message explained that the Whispering Shadow was making a hit on the Arcellius Family! Although the Third Shadow tried to keep it secret, how big was the Whispering Shadow? It was a behemoth organization with more than a ten thousand working in it. Trying to stop a leak was equivalent to trying to stop the sun from rising. It was absolutely pointless! Furthermore, the Third Hand rarely made a move themselves. Normally, the people underneath them would handle any jobs. It was like… a general personally making an appearance to the battlefield! How could anyone not notice? Coming from a trusted information broker, the reliability was top-notch. Neither doubted it.
"The Third Hand…" Inari murmured. "If they're making a move, then that must mean the Third Shadow is behind this."
"It must be that new brat that's taken over, right?" his partner released a cold hiss.
"The one we know should have retired long ago. The new Third Shadow should've known that the Arcellius Family is a taboo." Inari shook his head in frustration. "Where is this information broker? We need more details."
"We'll need to drag him out."
Obviously, working as an information broker was one of the most dangerous occupations a person could have. With the sheer number of secrets they divulged, they probably had thousands of enemies vying for their head! Therefore, it was quite hard to catch their tail… Well, that would be the case normally, but who were these two? They could sneak into an Engelsheft Family estate, interrogate then assassinate their heir, and leave without any the wiser. Finding one rat in this city would be easy! The two exchanged a glance and darted out into the dark city.
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