Seeing Amber bring back a captive was genuinely surprising to Gawain. An hour ago, he might have expected it, but after witnessing her get knocked away by a bank representative named "My Little Pony," he had pretty much given up on counting her as a combat asset. In truth, assigning her to guard duty was closer to sending out an alarm system than a skilled lookout.
Amber's shadow-stepping skills were exceptional, so he was confident she could spot a spy or an intruder. But capturing one? That seemed beyond even her abilities.
The moment Amber returned with her captive, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway, and Sir Byron burst through the door. "My lord, what's happening here?"
Stationed to guard the main gate, the commotion from the rooftop had clearly drawn Byron's attention. During Merita's visit earlier, Amber had been taken down in one hit, causing little disturbance. But this time…
"It's fine, Byron. Just a little intruder, already dealt with," Gawain waved him off. "Head back and resume your post; tonight isn't as quiet as I'd hoped."
Byron nodded, glancing at Amber's smug expression and the slumped figure on the floor before he left the room, though his face was puzzled.
Once Byron was gone, Gawain turned to Amber. "How did you catch him? Did you actually win a fight?"
"What's with that tone?" Amber huffed, clearly miffed. "I may not be great in straight-up battles, but I'm not a total weakling! I even took down that 'Aberration' you mentioned!"
Gawain remained unconvinced.
Amber grinned. "Okay, maybe I got lucky. This guy thought he'd impress me with his shadow-stepping. He didn't know I could see him plain as day. He snuck right up, trying to look intimidating with his dagger, so I played dumb, pretended not to see him, and then—bam! Kicked him right out of his shadow form. It only took that shock to knock him out."
Gawain looked at her, astounded at the unorthodox method. Amber's technique was… unconventional. The "shadow-step" ability was a rare skill among rogues, allowing them to slip between the material world and the shadow realm. It required incredible precision and was as dangerous as dancing on a blade, for one misstep could plunge a rogue fully into the shadow, where formless horrors awaited.
Amber, however, seemed to dance between worlds with a confidence few could match. And as she boasted about her latest escapade, Rebecca, crouched beside Gawain, inspected the unconscious figure on the floor. "You think he'll wake up?"
Gawain shook his head. "Ordinarily, an impact like that would leave someone in a permanent daze… if not worse."
As if on cue, the man on the floor began to twitch, then slowly regained consciousness.
In a typical scenario, a trained operative would feign unconsciousness to gather intel on the situation before making a move. But the shock to his system had impaired his control. As he stirred, his eyes locked with Gawain's, giving away his awareness before he could control it. Realizing his situation, he instinctively tried to bite down on the poison capsule hidden in his mouth, only to find it gone.
Gawain fired off a few rapid questions. "What's your name? Your mission? Who sent you?"
The young man remained silent, face impassive, as if he hadn't heard a word.
Amber twirled a small knife, smirking. "Want me to try my hand at some old-fashioned persuasion? I might not be a pro, but I picked up a few things sneaking around dungeons."
Rebecca looked horrified. "What exactly were you doing in dungeons?"
Amber grinned, happy to enlighten her. "Guards tend to stash valuables before shifting duty, hiding them in the corners of the dungeon where they think no one will look. All I had to do was help myself."
"Save it," Gawain interrupted. "Interrogation won't work on him. This one's a royal Dark Ninja, trained in covert operations and discipline. I'm honestly amazed you managed to bring him in. That story should make you a star in the taverns for at least half a year."
Looking down at the young man's bewildered face, Gawain continued, "Back in my day, the royal Dark Ninja were personal escorts, tasked with reconnaissance in extreme conditions. How times have changed… they've fallen to sneaking and eavesdropping. What's your excuse?"
The guard's stunned expression was priceless. He opened his mouth, presumably to ask how Gawain knew his identity, but Gawain spoke first. "You're wondering how I know who you are?"
The guard gave a slight nod.
"Easy. I gave your unit its name and established your first training regimen," Gawain said with satisfaction. "I trained the very first Dark Ninja!"
Amber stared at Gawain's imposing frame in shock. "You—a knight—trained Dark Ninja? How'd that work?"
Gawain smiled faintly. "I didn't teach them stealth. I taught them endurance training and how to wield a two-handed sword."
Amber looked baffled. "Why would stealth operatives need to learn two-handed swordsmanship?"
"So they could silence any witnesses if things went wrong."
"Isn't the mission over if they're spotted in the first place?!"
"Not for Ansu's Dark Ninja. For them, getting caught is just the beginning of the mission. Although, from the looks of it, this one could use a refresher. Then again, maybe my old course materials are considered obsolete after seven centuries?"
The guard's face darkened—so it was Gawain who had originated those brutal training protocols that had only evolved but never been eliminated. To his dismay, Gawain's grueling routines of body conditioning and sword training remained foundational.
"Francis II sent you, didn't he?" Gawain's voice was gentle yet unyielding. "I can't imagine he'd be foolish enough to dispatch an assassin in a city that knows I'm here, so you're probably here to observe?"
The guard stayed silent.
"He likely told you to keep a safe distance," Gawain mused, "given that this job is perilous enough. Though the Cecil family has fallen, Gawain Cecil hasn't. So, did you ignore orders… or overestimate yourself?"
The guard finally spoke. "I failed my mission and deserve to die. No need to waste your time."
"Deserve to die?" Gawain scoffed, slapping the guard's face lightly. "Royal Dark Ninja are supposed to protect the king, the kingdom, and its lands. Your duty is to stand against those who would topple this kingdom, not spy on a loyalist. You're a disgrace! What kind of oath did you take if you're so quick to abandon it here?"
The young guard was momentarily speechless, thrown off by Gawain's conviction. "I… that wasn't…"
Gawain cut him off. "It doesn't matter what you meant. I'm not petty enough to take my anger out on my successors. You're free to go."
The guard stared in disbelief. Even Amber and Rebecca seemed stunned by Gawain's decision.
Gawain repeated himself. "You're free to leave—unless you need an escort out?"
The guard rose slowly. "You're certain?"
"Of course. I can't kill a servant of the king here, and I have no intention of parading you into the palace tomorrow, though the thought crossed my mind. Unfortunately, I'm past the age of making impulsive decisions."
Rebecca hesitated, as if to object, but Gawain's gaze silenced her.
The guard took a few tentative steps toward the window. As he reached it, Gawain called after him. "I won't bother repeating what happened here to anyone. What you report back to your king… is your choice."
The guard lingered, nodding slowly. "Thank you for your mercy."
With those words, he melted into the shadows and was gone.
Gawain sighed. "Another one taking the window exit."
Once he was gone, Rebecca found her voice. "Ancestor, you really let him go?"
"Of course," Gawain chuckled. "Letting him go was the best decision."
"But shouldn't he face some kind of consequence? And King Francis sending spies…?"
"Rebecca, if you aim for greater benefits, you have to look further down the line," Gawain explained, patting her head. "Releasing a single spy is no loss; the potential gain is inevitable."
"Potential gain?" Rebecca blinked. "Like what?"
"It depends on what that young guard chooses to report back. But there are only two likely outcomes," Gawain replied, spreading his hands. "Either Francis II spends the rest of the night sleeplessly thinking over tonight, or he'll keep an increasingly 'loyal' guard around him who isn't quite as loyal as he thinks."
Turning to the moonless night beyond the window, Gawain added quietly, "Relative loyalty, Rebecca, is simply disloyalty waiting for the right moment."