After what felt like an eternity of sharp-edged banter, Dazai now stood within the guild master's private office. The room was bathed in the muted glow of afternoon light filtering through the tall windows, illuminating the subtle tension that hung between them.
Rose leaned back in her chair, fingers loosely interlocked, her sapphire gaze cool and appraising.
"For someone so young, you play the game far better than most men twice your age," she mused. "But I seem to recall us agreeing on your promotion to S-Class and a ten percent cut of the bounty. Or am I misremembering?"
Dazai's head tilted lazily to one side, then the other, the movement almost feline — predatory in its ease. A smirk, simple yet firm, curved across his lips.
"Oh, I remember," he said, voice carrying that familiar undercurrent of mischief. "But I find myself… less interested in coin these days. What intrigues me more is how you know my father. Friends, were you? Or something else entirely?"
Rose's brow arched slightly before she sighed — soft, but calculated. Every word she spoke was measured, like she was weighing its value before letting it go.
"And what exactly do I gain from telling you?" she asked. "If Ryomen chose not to leave his past behind for you to discover, why should I be the one to fill in the blanks?"
Dazai's amused chuckle broke the silence, low and almost musical. There was a certain novelty in being on the receiving end of a negotiation — a rare and entertaining twist.
"Oh my… how refreshing," he murmured. "To think someone could turn the tables on me for once. Very well, let's strike a deal." His fingers drummed idly on the desk. "There are mana stones deep within the Forest of Astra. I have the right hands to retrieve them — discreetly, of course. I'll offer the guild ten percent of their value. Fair enough?"
Rose inclined her head slightly, her lips curving in the barest hint of a smile.
"A taste of your own medicine stings a bit, doesn't it?" she said smoothly. "Fine. I'll tell you."
She leaned back further, eyes half-lidded with distant recollection.
"Long ago, back when the Iron Kingdom still stood, the current king — who was just a boy then — was kidnapped. His father, the late king, issued a royal decree: recover the prince at any cost. My sister and I were summoned to prepare the retrieval mission."
Her gaze sharpened. "That's when Ryomen and his comrade, Coy Slytherin, arrived. Your father's aura back then…" She paused, her lips briefly pressing together. "Terrifying doesn't even begin to cover it. One glance could paralyze even the most seasoned royal knights."
Dazai's interest sharpened, the glint in his eye betraying his hunger for every word. Rose continued.
"We infiltrated the Iron Kingdom together — all of us. Ryomen gave only one command when our boots hit the soil: get the prince. Then, without hesitation, he began his slaughter. Knights, mages, anyone who stood in his path — all reduced to carrion."
Her tone was even, but the memory carried weight. "The rest of us moved for the castle. My sister and I held off the royal guard while Coy made his escape with the prince. We didn't waste a breath."
Dazai let out a quiet hum, his smile sharpening.
"And now I'm certain — you're the Water Maiden. Which would make your sister the infamous Blood Maiden."
Rose's smile was thin, but not without pride. "You've done your homework."
Her fingers traced the edge of the desk as her voice softened. "After the mission's success, Ryomen returned to the castle, drenched in blood — the king's among it. He didn't ask for a reward. Instead, he made a request — one I'll never forget. He asked that the Carnage family be removed from Astra's list of royal assassins. He wanted his family to walk a different path, free of the kingdom's chains."
Dazai's brows lifted, intrigued. "And the king agreed?"
"With some reluctance, but yes," Rose said. "The rest of us accepted it. All except Coy. He felt betrayed — like Ryomen had turned his back on everything they were. He disappeared soon after, abandoning the kingdom entirely. As for my sister, she found her own path, building a guild far from Astra's borders. I… I stayed. Your father helped me establish this guild, offered his knowledge, his resources — even some of his protection. I owe him a debt I haven't yet repaid."
Dazai's smirk softened just a touch, though mischief still danced in his eyes.
"Well… at least now I have some understanding of what kind of man he was," Dazai said softly. "Let's hope he returns someday."
---
Meanwhile — The Eternal Flame Dominion
Far across the continent, beneath a smoldering crimson sky, stood a man on the balcony of a black-stone tower. The warm evening wind tugged at his silk suit, the tailored fabric clinging to a broad, battle-forged frame.
A faint scar curved over his right eye, cutting a pale mark through weathered skin. His hair — silver as frost — was cropped short, framing a face that had long since shed all softness. Only his eyes retained their fire, crimson like dying embers, flickering with distant thoughts.
A cigar perched between his fingers, its tip crackling to life with black flames dancing from his fingertips. He took a slow drag, exhaling smoke into the darkening sky.
A quiet, almost wistful murmur broke the silence.
"I wonder…" his voice was calm, low, firm as the earth beneath his feet. "How's my family doing these days…"
The wind carried his words into the dying light, to no one in particular — and perhaps to someone far beyond sight.