With Roland and Leo now leaving the inn, they began to converse about the possibility of finding a reliable network of information. The German criminal underworld was filled with what they called "Ratten" — experts at blending in and gathering information.
As they walked through the streets of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, a woman approached them. Dressed in a short pastel pink coat, a black skirt, and high heels, with jet-black hair and uncaring jade-green eyes, she stood out.
"Which one of you two is Roland?" the woman asked in a soft tone laced with disinterest.
"I am," Roland replied, already speculating why the woman might be questioning him. "How may I help you?" he asked calmly.
"Maria told me to relay this to you and to recite her request word for word," the woman said. Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a high-pitched tone, "GET THOSE TWO DUMBASSES TO THE BROTHEL! NOWWW!!"
Leo and Roland exchanged a look filled with both fear and disbelief as shivers ran down their spines. Reluctantly, they nodded and began making their way toward Maria's brothel.
Upon arrival, formalities were skipped between them and the staff. The woman who had accompanied them left the duo to Maria's mercy. Once they entered her room, they found her seated in front of a mirror, smoking a cigarette. She turned to them with a murderous gaze that made the two assassins flinch. Maria wore an elegant red dress, her long hair cascading down her back.
"One good reason I shouldn't beat both of you to a pulp," she demanded, standing up and pulling both of their ears. "Are you two idiots this dense?! What you did is being streamed by every goddamn news outlet in Deutschland! What happened to the 'Assassins work in shadows' bullshit?!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Miss Maria, I swear we were careful not to be traced! My bullets are untraceable, thanks to my codex!" Leo pleaded as his ear began to go numb.
"They can't find me either, without a clue or fingerprints! We are safe!" Roland chimed in, following Leo's lead.
"That is not my main concern, you dumbasses!" Maria let go of their ears, leaving the two to nurse them. She sighed deeply, her expression softening with worry.
Picking up on Maria's state, Roland and Leo exchanged worried glances. Roland approached her, kneeling in front of the distraught woman he considered a mother figure. He placed a comforting hand on hers.
"What has happened to leave you so distraught?" he asked gently, his concern evident. Leo stood by, trying to piece together what might have caused her distress.
Maria looked at Roland, tears welling in her eyes. The sight shocked both men. Before they could speak, Maria finally broke the silence.
"Kyros is coming back," Maria muttered, covering her eyes with her right hand. Roland and Leo exchanged stunned glances. Maria continued, her voice trembling. "My girls found this information after eavesdropping on an assassins' meeting. They delivered the message before they were killed."
The knight and the gunslinger's expressions turned cold and emotionless, though their eyes betrayed their fury. Rising from his kneeling position, Roland placed a hand on Maria's head gently.
"I promise you, no girl from this brothel will be harmed again. But I don't want their last words to go to waste. Was there anything else?" Roland asked, his tone steady despite the gravity of the situation.
"…Yes. Kyros will hold a grand ball at his mansion. I can get you two in, but promise me this: If things go south, you must leave immediately. No buts and no excuses." Maria's voice was laced with pain and worry. "I believe it was your last confrontation with those 21 assassins that triggered Kyros's return earlier than expected."
"Your worries will end once we infiltrate the ball. Whatever happens afterward will not be your fault," Roland assured her.
"Besides! We're the best assassins in Europe. They'd need an army and a half to even lay a finger on us!" Leo added, laughing. Roland and Maria couldn't help but smile at his confidence.
"You two idiots… Constantly so bothersome," Maria chuckled softly. She stood up and walked to the door, signaling to the two women standing guard outside. "Girls, please help these poor souls dress nicely for the occasion."
"Yes, ma'am," the women replied in unison. Before Roland and Leo could protest, they were dragged out of the room by their clothes. Maria waved goodbye with a smirk.
"Don't break them too harshly; we need them!" Maria called out. Sitting back at her mirror, she glanced at a framed photo of herself and two young children, a wistful smile crossing her face. "Perhaps… I wasn't such a failure after all."
Hours later, Roland and Leo returned with their female companions, each carrying an absurd amount of shopping bags. Maria burst into laughter at their exhausted expressions.
"So, how were the two charming princes?~" she teased, though the question went unnoticed as the two men struggled to catch their breath.
"They were extremely cooperative, kind, and understanding. They even bought gifts for us and the girls," one of the women reported with a smile.
"Yes, but… we did spend around 9,000 euros of Roland's budget…" the other admitted sheepishly.
"Please, it's just cash! I can make more!" Roland laughed, setting down the bags.
"Anyway, girls, please take these to the others and throw a party. We have business to discuss," Leo requested politely. The women nodded, taking the bags away and kissing both men on the cheeks.
Maria raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan to recover all that money?"
"We'll steal it from Kyros's banks, of course. He's a billionaire; he won't notice 100,000 euros disappearing," Leo dismissed casually. Then he turned serious. "So, what's the plan?"
Maria smirked and used a projector to display a blueprint of Kyros's mansion. "Got this by seducing the architect. The man was as much an idiot as he was horny."
"Let's begin the assault against the Kaiser."
I