Chapter 53
Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Assassin Family Raven (11)
A short distance from the Travis mansion, I was finally able to use Shadow Cloak perfectly.
Hiding in the darkness, I passed by a tavern where the drunken revelry and heat were dying down, and arrived at the safe house.
I knocked on the door, and Elvi appeared immediately, letting me inside.
"Did you complete the mission?"
"Yeah. They didn't seem to have beefed up security much, probably because of the target's reputation."
"Well done. So, you'll head to the Path of Vengeance in the morning?"
"That's right. And I have a job for someone from your Crow Family."
I pulled a handful of rings from my pocket—the ones that had been on Lowe Travis's desk.
"Rings, huh. The ones Lowe Travis ordered the servants to buy?"
"Yeah. For some reason, Lowe Travis insisted that the Travis family had a ring symbolizing the alliance between the founding Raven and founding Crow families. It's dubious, but it doesn't feel like information we can just dismiss outright."
Elvi examined the assortment of rings embedded with various gems and spoke up.
"Maybe he was just lashing out in his final moments, trying anything to feel like he'd done something?"
"That's likely, but I'd appreciate it if you investigated anyway."
"Understood. If such a ring exists, the Raven family head, Terrance Raven, would be the one to have it."
With our business wrapped up, I took off my coat, sat on the sofa, and decided to get some sleep.
*
Maybe I should negotiate the Path of Vengeance toll down a bit?
Handing over 50 silver to traverse a road teeming with people out to kill me feels like bad business.
Today, to return to the family, I walked the path where assassins from the Raven family lay in wait, holding their breath to kill me.
"Die!"
Slash.
The moment I entered the Path of Vengeance, I severed the neck of the first guy charging at me in a single stroke.
The sword formed from shadows in my hand had even better form than yesterday.
Was this the effect of Shadow Mastery strengthening?
I hadn't gained any new abilities, but whereas yesterday I couldn't have withstood the paladin's attack infused with holy power, I felt like I could handle it now.
This was sufficient growth.
'Next time, will it be people sent by the Travis family?'
There was a high chance they wouldn't send anyone for revenge.
Lowe Travis had such a notorious reputation as a wastrel, and I hadn't given them time to spread the word that 'the man had changed' before killing him.
But if what he said was true, rumors would start circulating that the real culprit—the wastrel created by drugs—hadn't been caught. How should I handle that?
'Should I tell the family head?'
He'd looked pretty bored sitting in the head's hall. If it involved killing a Crow family traitor, he'd probably jump at the chance with glee.
He'd be thrilled that the family was finally operating like true Ravens again.
But then, protecting the princess close to the Crow family would get harder, wouldn't it?
Sometimes it'd be easier if I just killed someone.
Today, aside from the one who charged, no one else came at me.
The guys who'd been lingering on the Path of Vengeance when I passed through two days ago apparently didn't want to tangle with someone who'd killed one and returned in just two days.
Without me, the only thing using shadow magic out there was a monster. They'd die before getting their revenge.
So before heading back to the family, I had a word for those still hanging around the Path of Vengeance.
"Anyone still hanging around, go home. At least a better future awaits than death."
*
My first stop was the room where the Crow family's client was staying.
Mission complete—it was time to collect the fee.
The Crow family intel agent who'd lectured me about protocol earlier had already heard I'd finished the assassination. She bowed deeply, and I entered the room where the woman waited.
"Is Lowe Travis dead?"
"Yeah. He's dead."
Her lips trembled at the words.
Revenge was complete, but now she had no reason to live anymore.
Seeing that made me understand why the Raven family's lunatics always collected the fee first.
It was their own twisted form of consideration.
Humans are creatures of endless desire.
They might sacrifice their life and future for revenge right now, but once it's done, they naturally crave whatever comes next.
That's why you kill them before heading out on the assassination.
When a client's sole wish is the target's death, they know the moment they die at the hands of a Raven assassin, their future is fulfilled—they can go peacefully.
That's the value of the Raven name.
The woman parted her lips as if to speak, then closed them, finally shutting her eyes in resignation.
"I've collected the fee."
Slash.
I formed a sword from shadows and slit the client's throat.
With the mission complete, Sian Raven's synchronization rate began to rise again.
Unlike Lee Sian, who'd boosted it heavily through memories, performing missions was steeply increasing the rate.
'Is this just natural for Sian Raven?'
Without looking back, I left the room. Crow family servants waiting outside entered to clean up.
"I'll report to the family head right away."
"Yes, understood. We'll contact the Raven family."
I exited the Crow mansion and headed to the Raven estate.
Last time before seeing the head, I'd brought Cairendal Raven or the princess—entering alone felt a bit intimidating.
I opened the door to the head's hall. Terrance Raven sat there just as he had two days ago, gazing down at me with emotionless eyes.
I approached and knelt on one knee.
"Sian Raven, reporting back after completing the mission."
"How many did you kill?"
"One."
"That's enough. Leave."
He waved me off dismissively, uninterested in my answer, but I decided to add one more thing.
"The Crow family might be plotting something."
Terrance Raven lowered his waving hand at my words.
"Plotting, eh. What kind?"
"They seem to plan on wiping out the Raven family entirely, breaking off as an independent intelligence organization, and attaching themselves to the imperial family."
I summarized what I'd heard from Lowe Travis.
The story of the Demon King and hero was too outlandish to believe, and it had little impact on the family anyway—I saw no need to mention it, and at this point, it seemed like a good card to hold.
"Who in the imperial family is leading it?"
"I only know it's someone other than Princess Rosette."
Terrance Raven gestured, and a communication magic tool from a distance flew into his hand.
Imbuing shadows with physical force to do that...
"Rowan Crow, family head. I have business with you now."
"On my way, Terrance Raven."
He set the communication tool down.
"I already knew about the Crow family's movements. When Ravens stop acting like Ravens and Crows stop acting like Crows, cracks form—that much was obvious."
"You already knew, family head?"
If he knew already, that meant even in the 'future he knew,' Terrance Raven had deliberately let it slide.
Considering the head's actions so far, was it because a crack in the Crow family would let him kill a lot of them?
"Everyone noticed the cracks except you, who was indifferent to anything beyond missions."
I'd sensed from low synchronization that Sian Raven was like that, but he really seemed to have no thoughts beyond carrying out assignments.
The opponent he'd been angriest at recently was Cairendal Raven—and even then, his rage was on the level of 'I can't do the next assassination if you kill him now.'
How the hell did a guy like Sian Raven grow into the 'King of Shadows'? What on earth did he go through in the hero's party with Roman?
I pushed aside the thought and organized what I wanted to ask the head when the door to the hall opened, and Rowan Crow strode in with heavy steps.
"Terrance Raven, you calling me first for once? I rushed over in one go out of curiosity."
"Come to think of it, it's odd for the Crow family head to come running like that. Didn't they split off because they couldn't master Shadow Mastery in the Raven family?"
"Ancient history."
"Indeed. It no longer makes sense to call the Raven family the main house and Crow the branch."
"Meaning?"
"We'll sever the two families completely. The Raven family will build its own intelligence network. The Crow family can stay as is and latch onto the imperial family however you like."
"Do you think the Raven family can function properly without handing everything but assassinations to the Crow family? You know I've been effectively running both."
"I do."
Terrance Raven rose from his seat and slowly walked toward Rowan Crow.
He seemed a bit shorter, but didn't feel smaller than Rowan Crow.
"I know you've been building your power under the Raven name, thinking you no longer need us."
"Raven family head?"
"But Ravens have never needed Crows."
Shadows began to envelop Rowan Crow's body.
Unlike when they'd wrapped around Princess Rosette, they devoured his entire form at a whole other level of speed.
"Sian Raven."
"Yes, family head."
"Take Princess Rosette and leave the family for a while. I'll clean up the Crow family."
A dark smile played on Terrance Raven's lips as he spoke of sorting out the family that served as the Ravens' hands and feet.
'Didn't expect him to handle it personally. How starved for killing was he?'
Crack. Crunch. Crraaack.
The shadows encasing Rowan Crow twisted freely, the sound of his body breaking echoing through.
"Understood."
I dodged past Terrance Raven, from whom pure darkness—not just shadows—began emanating, dashed out of the hall, and arrived in one breath at the office where Princess Rosette was.
"Lord Sian, you're back?"
The servants at the entrance bowed their heads.
"Where's the princess?"
"In the office."
I flung the door open. Princess Rosette looked slightly startled to see me, then quickly schooled her expression.
"Sian, mission complete?"
"I've received a new mission from the family head. Princess Rosette, we need to leave the family for a bit. Come with me."
"From Terrance Raven himself? What happened?"
"The family head's gone berserk."
"Let's leave now."
Princess Rosette shot up from her seat.
Having seen the head often, she was one of the few who knew exactly what happened when he snapped.