"Calmness is an essential virtue for an assassin, but it seems you've learned nothing from Silvio."
Kane swung his spear through the empty air.
Whoosh!
Flames, twisting like a whip, struck the empty space.
Thud!
Melin was sent flying, like a kite with its string cut, and crashed into the ground.
Though both were Beginner-Tier 3rd class knights, the skill gap was immense.
"Ugh."
Melin tried to push herself up from the ground but found it impossible.
Her ribs, likely fractured from the direct hit, prevented her from rising.
"It's no wonder you're so pathetic, everyone under Dirk is pathetic."
The Dark Sentinels were divided.
Half served Ray Hatzfeld.
The other half served Dirk Hatzfeld.
In Kane's past life,
Their leader, Silvio, initially pledged loyalty to Dirk, but later on swore allegiance to Ray Hatzfeld.
Since then, the Dark Sentinal became a source of terror across the continent.
Why?
Because he had poured his heart and soul into nurturing their growth.
"Ugh."
"There's no need to be frustrated. The others will end up just like you."
"…I'll watch your arrogance from hell."
"Not a chance."
Kane grabbed Melin's mouth with lightning speed.
If an assassin is about to be captured, their code dictates they must commit suicide.
Predictably, as defeat loomed, Melin chose to end her life.
But he prevented her from doing so.
"Ugh!"
"You're not allowed to die without my permission."
Kane's eyes formed a crescent shape.
His cheerful expression was filled with madness.
"If you want to die, spill all the information you have. Then I'll kill you."
Kane wanted the information Melin held.
He knew the future storyline, but
He wondered if anything had changed due to the Butterfly effect.
He was curious about Ray Hatzfeld's current actions.
"Mmph!"
He removed the poison from her mouth.
"Resistance is futile. I need to get information from you."
Melin struggled fiercely, but Kane was resolute.
He placed his hand on her collarbone.
"You will tell me everything of your own will."
Then he applied pressure with his fingers.
"Aaah!"
As his fingers slowly dug into her skin, red blood began to flow.
"Don't scream so loudly; you won't die."
Kane gagged her mouth with a cloth.
If she could scream, it might alleviate some of the pain, but having her mouth covered doubled the agony.
"Mmph!"
Kane withdrew his hand.
The fingers that had dug into her collarbone were now drenched in blood.
Melin's teary eyes followed Kane's hand.
"Mmph!"
Her eyes widened in terror.
Kane's hand was moving towards her ankle.
Realizing what his target was, her mind filled with dread.
As expected, Kane grasped her ankle.
"This is what you assassins fear the most, isn't it?"
Kane crushed her Achilles tendon.
"Ugh!"
Her eyes rolled back.
Her body trembled like a leaf in a storm from the pain.
The mental shock was immense.
But Kane was unfazed.
Showing mercy to the enemy was a luxury.
He didn't stop at one; he shattered the Achilles tendon on the other side as well.
"You have quite the endurance. Most others would have passed out by now."
Kane smirked and rolled up his sleeves.
He sat down and began pulling out her fingernails one by one.
By the time he had removed about six,
Melin finally lost consciousness.
"Kids these days are so weak. An assassin who can't endure this level of torture?"
Kane used mana to revive her.
A splash of water struck her face.
The dazed Melin struggled to open her eyes.
Kane removed the cloth from her mouth.
"Are you ready to answer my questions?"
She nodded weakly in response.
An assassin's greatest asset is quick judgment.
She seemed to realize that resisting further would only increase her suffering.
"You've made the right decision. Dying without pain is better, enduring will only hurt you more."
Kane smiled brightly.
Melin shuddered at the sight of his face.
"I'll ask you just three questions. Is the Hatzfeld royal family currently having a succession contest?"
"…It's a closely guarded secret, how do you… Aghhhhh!"
Melin couldn't finish her sentence, she started screaming instead.
Kane had gripped her intact shoulder forcefully.
"Who tf said you can ask me questions? I never said you could."
She couldn't scream anymore.
Meeting Kane's gaze made her feel like she was falling into a deep abyss.
"And if you keep speaking informally, you might end up in a situation where even begging for death would be a luxury.."
Despite his innocent appearance, she realized Kane had a cruel nature.
"…As far as I know, it is ongoing…."
"By now, Dirk Hatzfeld should be leading in the contest."
Despite her pain, Melin was puzzled by Kane's murmur.
However, she couldn't dwell on it due to his next question.
"So, you're working under his orders. Have you found the 'Nest of the Abyss'?"
Melin's eyes widened at the mention of the 'Nest of the Abyss.'
The Nest of the Abyss was one of the ruins.
It was said to contain a 'star' imbued with elemental mana.
A 'star' was formed by the accumulation of 'crystals.'
Theo had been easily lured to the hidden territory by the mention of the 'Crystal of the Tree,'
Crystals were immensely powerful objects.
So it was natural for many families to covet the 'star,' which was a superior form of crystal.
She also knew she had to obtain it someday.
"We are… still searching for it."
Kane's lips curled into another grin at her answer.
"You should be more precise… you've almost found it."
What they had found was a fake, not the real thing.
However, there was something incredible there.
A 5-star magic book that would make life much easier in the future.
The magic engraving techniques of Masherin were there.
'A magic book that boosted tremendous efficiency, not only for weapons, armor, and accessories but also for furniture and statues.'
It was known as the Gold Copier.
Its immense utility made it an artifact he absolutely had to obtain.
"Since I'm in a good mood, I'll let it slide this time."
The reason he had come to Philaec in person was to get the magic grimoire.
The fake Nest of the Abyss was located between Rehinar and Philaec.
"Now for the last question."
Melin waited for Kane to speak.
She swallowed hard just as Kane opened his mouth.
"What is Ray Hatzfeld, the 'Shadow' of Hatzfeld, doing right now?"
Melin showed the most agitation at that question.
* * *
Rattle, rattle.
The blue merchant group's caravan moved steadily towards Philaec.
"A Hatzfeld spy…"
Daniel was deep in thought as he drove the carriage.
Dealing with Dyer was troublesome enough, but now Hatzfeld too?
His head ached.
Hatzfeld was an emerging power known for using the fire rune.
They were always eyeing the Fresia Empire like a lurking wolf.
"So, that's why Dyer was so persistent in targeting Rehinar."
Daniel mumbled, but his gaze remained fixed on Kane.
"The Young Master is unexpectedly clever."
Not long ago, Kane had the reputation of being a dullard.
Now, every small action of his seemed meaningful.
"However… his methods are still excessive."
Watching him torture Melin made Daniel want to intervene immediately.
But Camilla had stopped him, explaining that disobeying Kane in that state was not wise.
As Daniel pondered over Kane,
Camilla fidgeted nervously behind Kane.
'The Young Master trusted the caravan's escort to me, but my mistake almost cost us the mana stones.'
She was bracing herself for a scolding from Kane.
Yet, his silence made her even more anxious.
'Is he disappointed in me? What if he abandons me for being useless?'
This was why her minor trait, Separation Anxiety, was a negative characteristic.
'I'm such a hopeless idiot…'
She was starting to indulge in self-deprecation.
"Haaah."
Kane sighed and stopped walking.
"Camilla."
"Yes?"
"Your nervous fidgeting behind me is distracting."
"S-Sorry."
Camilla hung her head low.
She looked like a forlorn puppy.
"Is this because of your mistake?"
"…I'm sorry."
"You'll need to steel your heart even more from now on. Especially when dealing with those you consider enemies, spare no mercy."
"I'll keep that in mind…."
Camilla still looked downcast.
"Don't make mistakes next time. I won't forgive you twice. Understand?"
"Yes."
Until Kane said this.
"This is the end of it. Forget about your mistake."
Only then did Camilla's expression brighten.
She felt relieved by Kane's forgiveness.
"Keep an eye on the slaves while I think for a bit."
"Hehe, yes!"
Camilla smiled brightly and went to Peter's subordinates.
Her strength was her innocence.
She quickly erased bad experiences from her mind.
Kane shook his head and fell back into thought.
'Nothing has changed yet.'
There was no butterfly effect.
He was still moving according to Kane Rehinar's scenario.
But things would start to twist slightly after he eliminated Melin.
Obtaining the magic grimoire might change the situation significantly.
'Ray's scenario has multiple branches. If the first plan fails, he'll switch to the second.'
Ray Hatzfeld was the king's illegitimate son.
He was the shadow of Hatzfeld but his position was unstable.
To secure his place, he needed to eliminate obstacles.
If he hits a wall, he would find another way around.
That was the only way Ray Hatzfeld could survive.
Any hesitation and his brothers, who saw him as a thorn in their side, would devour him.
'I need to make him give up on the Fresia Empire quickly.'
If his plans here kept failing, he would turn his attention elsewhere.
That was all Kane could hope for.
'First, I need to get the magic grimoire.'
He had to secure the artifact that would become his wings.
* * *
The journey from Rehinar to Philaec would take about two days.
"We should camp here for the night since it's getting dark."
Daniel sought Kane's approval.
"I was just about to suggest we take a rest. Go ahead."
Kane agreed readily.
Daniel and the caravan elders moved in perfect coordination.
Some set up tents.
Others prepared simple meals.
Some kept watch.
Their experience was evident.
After finishing their meal,
"I'm tired, so I'll head in first, old man."
"You must be even more tired since you've been out of the house. Please, rest."
Daniel bowed respectfully, and the other elders followed suit.
Kane acknowledged their greetings and was about to enter his tent when he called for Camilla.
"Camilla."
"Yes?"
"Keep a close watch on the slaves. Don't let a single one escape."
"Absolutely! I'll be on high alert, don't worry."
After firmly instructing her, Kane entered his tent and extinguished the lantern. Then, he quietly slipped out the other side and vanished into the forest. No one noticed his movements. It was as silent as an assassin's step.
'The memories are coming back bit by bit.'
At first, the path seemed unfamiliar, but it became more familiar as he went along. Emerging from the forest, he saw the base of a mountain. Following the path up the mountain, he soon reached a certain point.
The air was clear, but occasionally strong gusts of wind blew through.
"No one knows that riding this air current will bring you to the summit."
Where he stood was not the peak but around the two-thirds mark. To reach the summit, he had to leap off the cliff.
"It's time."
The moment he threw himself off the precipice, the strong wind lifted his body upward.
"Hup."
Mana was useless here. He had to rely solely on the peculiar air current. Only then could he reach the summit. His face reddened from the lack of breath. Just as his lungs screamed for air, his body began to descend.
"Gasp!"
He took a deep, ragged breath.
As his breathing steadied and he lifted his head, an entirely different scene came into view.