The Self-Proclaimed Assassin, Elijah

"Wait a minute, what did you kill to get that?"

The mage asked again, as if he had misunderstood.

Looking at my eyes, it seemed like he was having some weird hallucination.

He must have thought I was a messed-up guy who calls people bugs.

This time, I told him straight to not misunderstand.

"Insects. A small creature with a head, chest, belly, and six legs."

"Insects? Not a monster? ... Surprising."

I only killed a flea and a fly.

The mage's reaction seemed genuinely amazed.

I was about to ask if killing a bug was such a surprising thing, but the mage opened her mouth first.

"The Assassin Coin is actually a much rarer item than you think."

"What are the criteria to obtain it?"

"There are various ways... but the most representative one is a completely flawless assassination that the system recognizes."

What kind of nonsense is that.

As I stared blankly, trying to understand more details, the mage smiled.

"It seems we have our own internal evaluation criteria unique to the unknown system. If it meets that standard? It seems the system gives Assassin Coins~ That's the conclusion we've come to after researching it, including myself.

Um, in short, it means the system gives it at its own discretion.

My flea and fly assassination satisfied the standard in the system's eyes?

"It's quite something? You've thought about all this too."

"It's nothing special...."

It was only because I couldn't harm people or animals.

I said it with sincerity, but to the mage, it seemed like he was being modest.

"Thinking is one thing, but what's even more surprising is your skill. After all, the system has recognized you, right? You can be proud. The system guy is really picky with evaluations."

Hmph.

If I keep summoning people like this, they'll think I'm weird.

It's embarrassing, but secretly I feel good.

"...Is that all?"

"Then, among the people I know, only two exist who can do such miracles."

"Who are they?"

The mage pointed with her index finger at me.

"You."

And then pointed at herself.

"Me."

Ah, damn.

He's teasing me.

If this continues, I'll be caught in a wordplay trap, so I forced myself to change the subject.

"Earlier, you said among the Assassin Coins, there are clean ones and dirty ones."

"Yeah, that's right."

"What are the criteria?"

"Intent."

The mage's long explanation continued.

In short summary, things obtained with personal grudges or private benefits, like "This guy!" when it hits, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are all~ dirty coins.

My impression after hearing the explanation was this.

"It seems too subjective, doesn't it?"

"Your point is valid, but... what can I do? The world isn't fair to begin with. The system is even less so."

"Then, what if my coin was a dirty one? What would you do?"

"What do you mean? Even if it makes you unhappy, you have to do the job. I was really just curious. It's not normal for someone as small and weak as you to obtain such a coin."

Was it my imagination?

There was a shadow in the mage's words, so I looked at the mage's face.

But the mage's expression was still the same as when we first met.

Upon thinking, I realized we hadn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exchanged names yet.

I extended my hand belatedly.

"I'm Ban Jisu."

The mage smiled faintly and lightly grabbed my finger, pulling it up.

Then kissed the back of my hand.

It was incredibly embarrassing, but in this world, greetings are like that, I guess, because I'm an adult.

After the back-of-hand kiss, the mage placed her right hand on her chest.

"Elijah. Call me Elijah. The Assassin's Master in this world."

After exchanging names, there was a brief awkward silence.

...So what now.

It was a question that popped up like an orangutan with two band-aids on its head, but thankfully, the mage Elijah opened her mouth first.

"So, why did you summon me, our assassin master? It looks like all the conditions were blank..."

Ah.

Big problem.

I left all the conditions blank saying I'd eat the Assassin Coins, and even left the target blank.

What happens now?

"...Up to where is it possible?"

The dimensional mage, Elijah, heard my question and gave a mischievous smile.

I know what she's thinking.

I wish she hadn't.

I realized it only after speaking.

"Anything? If it pleases my heart."

Hearing that answer, I started forcing my non-working head to spin.

What should I do?

How can I make it so that summoning a mage with one Assassin Coin and using her frugally makes a rumor spread....

After thinking, I recalled one thing.

"Then, for today, will you protect me? I have something I need to do outside. It won't be a bad story for the mage either, right?"

"Jisu goes out to do business, and I'm sightseeing in this unfamiliar dimension, and you want me to protect you? It's a good idea that benefits both sides~."

Elijah clapped her hands with a snap.

"...My name is Jisu."

"Yeah, Jisu. Then I'll accept your request."

Elijah picked up the staff she had set aside.

Soon, an ominous aura began to rise around her.

Is this... mana?

I couldn't see it, but I definitely felt an enormous power.

No, now I could see it.

Red light particles floating around her body.

...What?

Did I mishear?

My heart is tearing apart or something?

While I was startled by Elijah's sudden chant, the chant ended.

Elijah's appearance had returned to normal.

Rather, I was more anxious.

"Um... Elijah?"

"You can call me unnie. Elijah unnie."

Ah, that's a bit...

Even though I look like this, I was a man after all.

"Um... Elijah noona?"

"Unnie."

Ah.

"...Elijah unnie?"

"Yeah?"

"Um... the oath you just said..."

"Ah, why?"

"Do I really need to have my heart torn?"

"It's nothing. Normally, mercenary contracts are like this as a basic requirement."

"Really?"

Amazing.

Even so, people might fail.

Do I have to risk my life for the request?

"The requester becoming a slave or even having their soul mortgaged often happens."

That's too harsh.

"Why? Will I do that too?"

"No no! You don't have to! Really."

What is she trying to do!

She should know her own body is precious.

It had only been an hour since we met.

But already, entrusting a request to Elijah who seems a bit strange makes me regret it a little....

Ah, right.

I forgot in the conversation.

"So, why are you an assassin, Elijah unnie? You look like a mage no matter who looks."

"What is assassination? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠If you don't leave any witnesses, that's assassination."

A crazy answer came back.

***

Around 1 PM.

Jisu and Elijah were heading to Seoul for registration as Awakeners.

We solved lunch at a place called Delicious Gimbap Shop that we passed.

It wasn't just a short tongue click; the name is really Delicious Gimbap Shop.

I ate half a line of ham gimbap and Elijah ate rabokki.

Wow. Eating just half a line of gimbap made me full.

I, who could eat ramen with gimbap in one meal, couldn't even finish one line of gimbap.

There was another shock.

When I tried a little of the rabokki Elijah gave, one bite and it was too spicy, so I did a double take.

"Hik."

"Ahahaha! Jisu can't eat spicy things well?"

"Ah... no, I usually eat a lot... why is this..."

And I was surprised that Elijah ate spicy things much better than I thought.

Rabokki was objectively spicy.

It wasn't that I did a double take because it was spicy, but couples next to us were saying it was spicy too.

It turns out Elijah has a taste for spicy things originally.

So, spicy and sweet rabokki suits her.

"The seasonings in this world are amazing. Can humans achieve such technological progress without magic?"

"Amazing, right?"

"Yeah, really."

After eating, while enthusiastically cheering at Elijah's words, we walked earnestly and arrived at the entrance of the Awakener Association.

The Awakener Association was crowded with people around the entrance.

It was unexpected and made me anxious.

I didn't expect we would have to wait at the Awakener Association.

"What should we do? We must have come too late."

"Too late? What?"

"Those people all seem to be coming to do business at the Awakener Association. We'll wait until it's over..."

"Why?"

"Because the association closes at 5 PM...?"

"Really?"

Elijah scanned the surroundings and, after a while, found something and tapped my shoulder.

"What is that? That side is quiet with people?"

The place Elijah pointed was marked 'Awakener Only Window'.

The Awakener Only Window looks quiet, except for a few people with flashy clothes or weapons.

"Should we go there?"

"It's a bit... That is the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Awakener Only Window..."

"What is an Awakener?"

"Um... people like me?"

"Ah~ Then Jisu is also an Awakener?"

"Yeah?"

I'm an SSS-rank assassin, but...

"Then we can go there."

It's true, but... there are reasons.

"It's too noticeable. No need to stand out saying 'I awakened~'."

I'm a seed that starves for the attention of others, but I don't want to buy attention I don't need.

"Hmm."

Elijah made a small snort because my answer didn't please her.

She shook her head as if she knew a lot more, flicking her index finger.

"Jisu, you don't know anything yet. The debut of a girl is only once in a lifetime, so it should be done in a very flashy way. So, let's go there."

"Ah, wait a minute!"

I chased after Elijah who had arrived at the window as if using teleportation, belatedly stopping her.