Chapter 16
Outside the Red Evil Mercenaries' office. No sooner had they arrived than displeased grunts echoed from within. Regina furrowed her brow. With a sigh, she rapped on the door.
"Haa...." Knock knock.
"Regina? Come in!"
The knock on the office door was followed by a brief pause. At the invitation from inside, Regina opened the door without hesitation and stepped in.
"...Hm."
What wafted from the room was the stale musk of a man's body odor mixed with a fishy tang. At the same time, the thick, sticky scent of a woman's arousal hung in the air. Her feline beastkin nose, sensitive as ever, picked up the revolting stench in full force, naturally creasing her brow.
"You're here? Hngh, fuha.... Just wait there!"
At the desk in the office sat Soboro Baekjak, stark naked, with a half-undressed maid in servant's garb pinned beneath him.
"Ooh, Behena...! This uncle's about to cum!"
"Ahn, ahn.... Haaang.... Y-yes, Uncle...! Behena's close too!"
"That's right, Uncle's gonna fill you up with his cock juice! Grraaah...!"
"Y-yes, yesss...! Uncle, it feels so good! Cum deep inside!"
"Yeah, Behena...!"
She remembered the woman's face. She was the maid in charge of laundry, who had said she was a former slave. Her name definitely wasn't Behena. Behena was the name of his niece—her rightful heir to this territory. In other words, Soboro Baekjak was projecting his own niece onto this slave woman while fucking her.
Disgusting...
If she could, she'd love to slice his throat right then and there. As long as the beastkin girl she was caring for didn't die, she'd do it in a heartbeat.
Regina spat curses inwardly as she casually raised a hand to cover her nose and mouth. It wouldn't block all the filthy air from entering her lungs, but it offered some small comfort.
"Grraaaah.... Heh heh, feel good?"
Soboro Baekjak shuddered once, then pulled himself up. The maid trembled in sync before limply splaying her arms and legs. But a shadow lingered on her expression. Regina spotted the act immediately.
"Y-yes, my lord. Hah.... It felt so intense, I have no strength left in my body."
Of course. To an assassin's sharp senses, the maid's awkward performance was obvious to anyone.
Yet the dim-witted Soboro Baekjak bought it, grinning smugly as he chuckled. "Good, good. Then lie here and rest a bit."
"But...."
The maid glanced at Regina. But Soboro Baekjak waved it off dismissively.
"It's just a beast at best. Animals watching don't make you shy, do they? No need to mind her—rest easy."
"Thank you, my lord."
Soboro Baekjak then plopped his sweat-soaked, corpulent bulk onto the sofa opposite Regina, his thumb-sized prick—freshly spent—dangling limply. Regina stared at him with blank, emotionless eyes.
Irritated by her gaze, Soboro Baekjak scowled and tossed a bundle of papers to the floor with a thwack.
As Regina glanced at it quizzically, he clicked his tongue. His expression was like a fox eyeing sour grapes.
"Tch.... There's a map in there somewhere."
"...?"
"Look for the spot marked with a red O—that's where the outpost is."
Regina tilted her head. An outpost...?
"I hear that niece you let slip away before is stationed there. Go catch her. If she resists, break an arm or leg—whatever, just don't kill her."
"...."
Niece... Regina knew exactly what he wanted, her face souring. But Soboro Baekjak ignored it, barking his threat.
"If you fail or she gets hurt, that beastkin bitch you're babysitting takes the punishment instead. Do it right."
"...."
Regina nodded. In that instant, her form blurred and faded. Staring at the spot where she'd vanished, Soboro Baekjak muttered.
"Tch, what a waste. If only she weren't filthy beastkin."
Soon after, Soboro Baekjak's room echoed once more with the maid's contrived moans.
§
Regina, departing the castle, reached the outpost marked on the map only after nightfall. But it wasn't a bad situation. Night was far easier for infiltration than day; even if she'd arrived early, she'd have waited anyway.
She held her breath, scanning the surroundings. The guards on watch looked exceptionally vigilant—even for her, breaching them wouldn't be easy.
What to do...
Causing a commotion would gain nothing. These were Bella's Red Evil Mercenaries. Recalling the recent clash with Bella, she figured Bella herself had joined them. Fighting Bella alone was tough enough; with her subordinates present, escaping was one thing, but kidnapping Behena from deep inside was near impossible.
I need to find an opening somehow.
Humans weren't perfect. No matter how strict the watch, a gap would form—maybe during a shift change.
How long had she crouched in the bushes, breath held? Finally, the opportunity she'd awaited arrived.
"Hey, you lot. Big brothers are here."
"Good work."
"Work my ass—you're up now."
"Kekeke.... We're done; you're just starting."
"Tch.... True that."
"Anyway, go rest inside."
The mercenaries chatted as they swapped shifts. In their moment of carelessness, Regina moved.
Shh. Her body dissolved into transparency, melting into the night like a shadow.
Slipping into the outpost, Regina soon sought the tent where Behena might be. First, she ruled out shabby, small ones—Behena, as employer and noble, wouldn't slum it. But oversized tents were out too: those were for meetings, storage, or common soldiers.
Narrowing it down left three tents. The first had a wagon parked beside it.
...Not that one.
Her instincts whispered no; Regina shook her head and moved to the next. Light still burned inside, revealing a lone man—face vaguely familiar. One of the Red Evil vice-captains? Not here either.
Regina headed to the last tent. Jackpot.
Inside were Behena—whom she'd seen before—and a mischievous-looking girl. Behena paced restlessly, unable to sleep. The girl tilted her head at her.
"Can't sleep?"
"Yeah, I'm a bit worried, so sleep won't come."
"What worries you so? The beast and the grump are mighty warriors this body acknowledges. With Yeonja along too, no need to fret over them."
"Uh, um.... Right. Got it."
"If sleep truly evades you, there's ginseng candy—want some?"
"...No, I'm good."
"Hm, very well."
The girl drooped dejectedly. For a moment, Regina thought of the beastkin girl back at the castle, but she shook it off, steeling herself.
...For that child's sake, no choice.
Resolving herself, Regina slowly raised her dagger. Channeling mana through her body, she hurled it at the lantern illuminating the tent.
Shing...! Straight toward the flame.
It would surely snuff out. That was the moment.
"Who might you be?"
The girl stood blocking her path. Contrary to her expectation, the tent remained lit.
"...Huh?"
How...? As confusion hit, she spotted her dagger in the girl's hand.
"Tch, intruder! Intruder's here, Dina!"
"Mm? No need for such fuss. Could be a lost child, you know."
"No way. Look at her outfit to begin with...."
"Mm? Judge not by appearances."
"No, that's not what I—?!"
"Hehe, jesting. Your face rings a bell. The beast owed you once, I recall."
With that, the girl—Dina—slowly assumed a stance toward Regina, smiling.
"Come at me. To achieve your goal, you'll have to break this body first."