Chapter 48

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 48

Chapter Title: Assassin Family Raven (6)

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No one came out to challenge me after I killed Willis Vuetorante's son.

I'd made it crystal clear why he died, forcing anyone thinking of revenge to reconsider if they were truly innocent.

Was throwing away their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠life for that man's vengeance really worth it? Plenty turned back after mulling it over while waiting on the Path of Revenge for an assassin to show.

The Path of Revenge only permitted desperate, life-risking outbursts. Even if you succeeded in killing a Raven assassin, the dead wouldn't return.

It was just a road crafted for a mad killer to slaughter anyone on the way home when the urge struck—no need to overthink it.

But that Holy Knight in black-painted armor showed no signs of backing down.

I'd exposed exactly what that high priest had done, and the Holy Kingdom merely expressed regret. Who did she think she was?

"Sian Raven. Why did you kill those people?"

"Because they were trying to kill me."

No other reason.

Well, one more: I had to return to the Raven Family to clear a quest.

The Holy Knight drew the longsword from her waist.

"Was that high priest a good person to you?"

"Priest Bertien healed countless people. Losing him is a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠great loss to the Holy Kingdom."

"So it's okay to sacrifice the few for the many? Even with women dying from his demonic urges and others toyed with?"

"Taking a life robs them of atonement. That's not right."

"Exactly. We were just granting a request."

White sword aura gathered on the blade gripped in the Holy Knight's two hands.

Defiling and damaging her armor, then using holy power.

I had no idea what this world's gods were up to, but they apparently ignored the conduct of those wielding holy power.

I dissolved one longsword made with Weapon Craft and gripped my own with both hands.

'What kind of assassin is this?'

I charged first, swinging my sword.

Kaaaaang!

The shadow-forged blade clashed with holy power, devouring my mana.

Both the Holy Knight and I would burn through power, but I seemed to be losing more.

Using Composure and Insight, I parried and slashed repeatedly.

Kagak kagak

Cracks began forming on her armor under my relentless assault.

Realizing she couldn't win in a contest of skill, the Holy Knight repelled my attack with force and retreated.

"Haaat!"

With her shout, the holy power surging from her sword intensified.

Clashing blades like before to seize the advantage felt too risky now.

Kwagagagak

Even Insight showed no way to block the holy-wreathed sword—I had to dodge.

Her strength was immense, but her swings were slow, leaving openings. Still, no path to topple her unscathed.

Then, at the end of the Path of Revenge, a man in a black coat stepped out.

"Tch. Dealing with a dimwitted Holy Knight who can't even pick the right target? Sian Raven."

At the voice from behind, the Holy Knight instantly whipped her sword toward her back.

"High Priest Bertien was killed by me, Kairendal Raven. Holy Knight of the Kingdom."

"You? It was clearly Sian Raven who escaped the Holy Kingdom's encirclement!"

"He's just a fool who couldn't even flee the assassination site."

Pababak

Shadows sprouted from the ground as spikes, binding the Holy Knight's body.

"High Priest Bertien died while bound like this."

Kairendal Raven lightly clenched one hand.

A long, sharp spike extended from the shadow in his palm.

Puk

The shadow spike pierced her heart at blinding speed, punching a small hole.

Even with her holy-infused sword, the overwhelming power gap left her dying slowly.

"A hole pierced his heart like that killed him. Of course, exploding his body afterward was just for show. We had to spread word of the high priest's death far and wide, right? Ahahahaha!!!"

The holy power on her sword began to fade.

Kairendal would probably let her bleed out.

I severed the Holy Knight's neck with my shadow blade.

Her silver bobbed head hit the ground; as Kairendal retracted the shadow spikes, her body collapsed beside it.

"Bad taste, Kairendal Raven."

"You're late. Come in already."

Stepping over the fallen Holy Knight and crossing the Path of Revenge cleared the quest.

Sian Raven had recovered to the state before drinking the poison.

Shadow Armor: A skill using mana to form shadow armor, shielding the body from attacks.

It passively swirled shadows around the body for extra defense, but crucially boosted resistance to shadow magic.

Without mastering this, facing Raven Family assassins was impossible.

Users like Kairendal Raven could overwhelm like he did to that Holy Knight instantly, but Shadow Armor neutralized such shadow magic from lethal.

That's why Kairendal escalated things in the Holy Kingdom, intent on killing me.

"You actually made it back alive. Heard you didn't kill a single Holy Knight or knight. Lacking skill, aren't you?"

"No need to kill anyone but the target, right? Just escape safely."

Killing every witness would make assassinations inefficient—whenever something blew up, fingers would point to the Raven Family, and half the time they'd be right.

No point inflating the family's infamy needlessly.

"Took you long enough to return, though."

"Surviving the trap meant to kill me is plenty."

"Next time, I should lend a hand."

Kairendal Raven grinned as he spoke.

This lunatic was openly threatening to stab me in the back?

As Sian Raven's assimilation rose, I understood the growing urge to kill ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kairendal.

The Raven Family lands beyond the Path of Revenge were vast.

With Crow Family members living alongside, it was practically two clans merged.

Despite the size and numbers, few combat agents stayed at the main house.

Before the emperor's meddling, nearly a hundred assassins awaited clients offering their lives—and each time, the target died.

If they'd ignored legitimacy, wouldn't the empire be better off?

Keep killing those who deserved it, and eventually, there'd be none left.

'Getting corrupted by mad thoughts.'

Sian Raven felt increasingly dangerous.

He treated the branch house women in safehouses kindly, but otherwise killed without hesitation or mercy on missions.

Using Self-Establishment, I'd capped assimilation at 50% beforehand, but hadn't even hit that yet.

Surviving four more days here for Possession Return mattered, but so did resisting this twisted worldview.

The mad assassin clan head—and Kairendal's father—Terras Raven sat in the patriarch's seat, welcoming us as we walked in together.

His waist-length black hair rippled with dark energy.

Terras Raven gazed at us impassively, nodding slightly; we immediately dropped to one knee.

"Hail, Patriarch."

"Hail, Patriarch."

To us kneeling before him, Terras Raven spoke.

"Kairendal, why enter the Path of Revenge if not returning?"

A crushing pressure bore down on Kairendal beside me.

"Because that Holy Knight sought my vengeance."

Kairendal replied to Terras Raven, blood trickling from his mouth.

"No intent to steal Sian's pleasure?"

It sounded odd from the clan head—who viewed killing as supreme joy, a peak only the maddest could claim—but it was crucial.

"No. None."

That ended Kairendal's reprimand.

"Sian, you're late returning."

"My skills are still lacking. I'll train harder."

The patriarch lingered his gaze on me before surveying us all.

"Confirmed: Holy Kingdom priest assassination complete. Stand by for next mission."

"Yes, Patriarch."

"Yes, Patriarch."

On the way out, Kairendal wiped blood from his mouth.

He exited silently; a golden-haired woman stood holding documents.

Lightly armored, she differed subtly from those we'd seen—save for the exhaustion etched indelibly on her face, mental fatigue more than physical.

"Princess Rozette."

The Raven Family verified assassination targets' legitimacy via imperial royals.

"Kairendal."

Princess Rozette nodded slightly to him, then turned to me.

"Sian, you just returned, but can you take a mission?"

"If Sian Raven says no, I can go instead?"

Kairendal spoke for me, but Princess Rozette shook her head.

"Kairendal, wipe that blood from your mouth first. And after this mess, sending you would complicate things—no need."

"Oh dear. I've completely lost Princess Rozette's trust."

The priest hit reached her ears too, making my escape harder due to Kairendal's chaos.

Kairendal showed faint regret, then brushed past us.

Business as usual after.

"Sian, let's go see the Raven Patriarch."

Just arrived and already met him? I desperately wanted to refuse, but a quest popped up.

This damn quest.