Chapter 35: Receiving the First Solo Mission
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: Receiving the First Solo Mission
The mission assigned to the Tona brothers was to "attend formal events."
Their task was to attend various functions hosted by the Emperor and the dukes of the Viment Empire, all while maintaining the facade of proper aristocrats.
In truth, calling mere attendance a "mission" was laughable. It was perfectly safe, a task where not a single drop of blood would be shed. All they had to do was kill time while enjoying the empire’s finest cuisine.
"Ugh!"
"An event! And in the Viment Empire, of all places…"
However, the Tona brothers’ faces crumpled the moment they heard the details.
"Event attendance" was a mission reserved exclusively for the direct bloodline of the family. If an invitation had come from some minor kingdom, they could have simply ignored it, but an invitation from the Empire was a different story. Not even the Runcandels could easily refuse.
This meant one of the siblings absolutely had to attend.
Consequently, every time an invitation arrived from the Empire, a fierce battle of wits erupted among the Runcandel siblings. None of them wanted to go to those nauseatingly tedious parties.
"My condolences, nephews. Thanks to you two, the other siblings won't have to suffer through dancing in the imperial ballrooms."
"Sigh."
"You dare sigh? Even if it is just attending an event, it is strictly a mission. If you show that kind of attitude one more time, I’ll make you wish you were dead."
The Tona brothers pressed their lips together and nodded bitterly.
This mission was a form of punishment—a penalty from their older sisters for failing to crush their youngest brother, despite being lent a 5-star faction. For the Tona brothers, who possessed neither eloquence nor a shred of social grace, it was nothing short of torture.
Sisters Myu and Anne certainly have a wicked streak, Jin thought, chuckling to himself.
"Someone has to do it. You’ll likely see powerful figures there for their own amusement, so observe them well."
"We understand, Uncle…"
"And, Youngest."
"Yes, Uncle."
"The mission assigned to you is…"
Zed paused for a moment, and the Tona brothers’ ears perked up. They were curious to see just how hellish a mission their sisters had devised for the youngest.
If possible, they hoped it was a mission where he would be utterly crushed and broken. No, they hoped it was a mission from which he would never return.
"The assassination of a key figure. The target is a toy of Palace Master Talaris. Hmph… It seems you’re to hunt down and kill a certain scoundrel."
The Palace Master.
It was the title given to the master of the "Secret Palace," a massive tower that rose solitarily from the middle of the western sea. Talaris Endorma was the 51st Palace Master, a woman known by the alias "Spider of the Abyss."
The Secret Palace was an independent power that existed outside the influence of both the Runcandels and the Zipples.
"Uncle, when you say a toy of the Palace Master…"
"The lover of the Spider of the Abyss."
The target Jin had to assassinate was her "toy"—in other words, her paramour. Jin had to hunt down and kill one of the many young men Talaris kept for her amusement.
"Good heavens."
The Tona brothers gasped in spite of themselves, quickly covering their mouths. They believed there was no way the youngest could survive after assassinating the lover of the Palace Master.
Even the commoners in the remote corners of the Mitel Kingdom knew of the current Palace Master Talaris’s notoriety. She was particularly famous for being infinitely merciless toward anyone who touched her lovers.
"The target is currently staying in the Mamit Lawless Zone under the protection of Secret Palace members."
"Mamit!"
"The Lawless Zone!" the Tona brothers shouted in unison.
Missions in the Mamit Lawless Zone were originally reserved for Guardian Knights. It was not a task for someone like Jin, who had only just entered the intermediate class.
To kill the Palace Master’s paramour in Mamit.
The mission could be described simply, but the Tona brothers were already convinced their younger brother was as good as dead.
"I have one question, Uncle."
"What is it?"
"Who is the client?"
When Jin asked in a calm voice, a faint smile played on Zed’s lips.
This boy… he surely knows about the Palace Master and Mamit. Is he just accepting it without complaint? I was thinking of speaking to the Flagbearers on his behalf if he protested the unfairness.
Internally, Zed had hoped Jin would look troubled. Lately, his greatest pleasure was watching his youngest nephew’s growth. He didn't particularly like the idea of sending a blade that hadn't even been fully forged into such a dangerous region.
However, Jin showed no sign of distress or displeasure. If the boy intended to do it, it wasn't Zed's place to interfere.
"The Chendler family. The scoundrel's name is Alcaro Chendler. He’s the delinquent son of Count Chendler."
"I see. They must be worried that their runaway son will spill the family’s secrets to the Palace Master."
"Precisely. It seems the Chendlers tried several times to bring him back alive, but in the end, they commissioned us. Apparently, his usual behavior was quite foul as well… Hmph. Can you do it?"
Zed asked with a hint of expectation. Even now, he hoped to hear the words, "I believe this mission should be assigned to the Guardian Knights," from his youngest nephew's mouth.
"I will get it done."
"Why are you so— No, never mind. Ha, I like your decisiveness."
Zed cleared his throat and distributed the mission documents to his nephews.
"All three of you depart in two days. Until then, afternoon training is suspended. Focus on individual training, as long as it doesn't interfere with your mission."
"Yes, Uncle."
Zed was the first to leave the secret training ground.
The Tona brothers lingered near Jin for a moment, hesitating. The thought of their youngest brother dying soon excited them, but for some reason, they also felt a lingering, unpleasant sensation. The brothers did not yet realize that this emotion was a form of love-hate.
"What is it?"
"No, well. Just… do a good job."
"Yeah. It's not like you'll actually die, right? If things get desperate, just reveal you're a Runcandel. No one will dare touch you then."
"Haha, what’s this? Are you two worried about me? You brothers have a cute side after all."
"It's not worry!"
"Until I get back—"
Jin cut off Daytona’s words and drew Bradamante, coating it in aura. The Tona brothers flinched at their brother's sudden draw.
Swish!
Before they could even ask what he was doing, Jin swung his sword, striking the Blue-Eye Stone behind them.
Clang—!
A beautiful ringing sound echoed off the arched ceiling of the secret space. Jin smiled, looking satisfied.
He’d had a sudden feeling that if he struck it right then, he would succeed in a single blow—and that premonition had just become reality.
It had been only one month since he began the Blue-Eye Stone training. Jin was unaware of what kind of record this achievement represented.
"You two should make a choice as well. Whether you like our sisters… or whether you like me."
Gulping, the Tona brothers nodded awkwardly.
"…What do we do?"
"I don't know. The ones above us are crazy, and the one below us is crazy, too. Seriously. I think the youngest might be scarier than our sisters."
"I agree."
The Tona brothers were depressed in more ways than one.
Stepping outside, Jin’s thoughts turned from the mission he had just been saddled with. There was something far more concerning.
What was that sensation earlier?
He thought back to the iron ball that had shot out from the Blue-Eye Stone Haytona had broken. After being hit by it, he'd experienced a strange sensation, as if a precise trajectory was being drawn in his mind. Along with it came the certainty that if an iron ball flew from that direction again, he would be able to dodge it.
I should ask Sister Luna after the mission. I wonder if this sensation is related to the training I've received from her.
*
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Those who had received missions had finished their preparations the day before. Now, they only needed to head to the Huphester Teleport Gate and depart for their respective destinations.
"Phew, Young Master."
Just before boarding the steel carriage, the members of the Youngest's Division sought Jin out.
Every single one of them wore a dark, gloomy expression. They looked like cattle being led to the slaughter, largely because none of them knew how many would die on the missions they were about to begin.
But that wasn't the only thing making them feel so stifled.
"We heard you are going to the Mamit Lawless Zone."
"That's right. Since mine is an assassination mission, I have to use a separate teleport gate. I even have to go through proper entry procedures. It’s a bit of a hassle."
"…We came to say goodbye before you leave."
The reason the Youngest's Division had come to see him off was simple. They feared this meeting might be their last. The cadets were uncertain how many of them would survive their missions, and they believed Jin faced a more than eighty percent chance of death.
Everyone in the intermediate class, except for Jin himself, thought so.
"What's with the long faces? You think this is the end?"
When Jin spoke in a playful tone, Mesa let out a deep sigh. The rest of the cadets couldn't even bring themselves to look up.
"Well, things don't always go as planned. Some of us might die, if we're unlucky."
"We'll be fine, but the mission you've been given, Young Master…"
"What do you mean you'll be fine, you idiots? Don't worry about me; just focus on your own missions. Understood?"
"Yes…"
"Then get going. I'll see you when I get back."
The Youngest's Division hesitated for a while before finally, reluctantly, leaving the corridor. Jin watched their retreating backs and let out a light chuckle.
"Cute rascals. Murakan, keep a good eye on them."
"Meow."
"I've said it several times, but you must never get caught. Got it?"
"Meoooow."
Murakan, transformed into a cat, flicked his front paw. It was his way of saying, Kid, worry about yourself.
"With both you and Lord Murakan gone, this nanny will be lonely for a while."
"Think of it as a vacation, Gilly. Should I bring you a souvenir from Mamit?"
"I am well aware that you are far beyond the level of an intermediate cadet, Young Master. But Mamit is still a dangerous place. And of all things, assassinating the Palace Master’s paramour… Please, return safely."
"Right, I'll be back!"
Jin traveled on horseback rather than in a steel carriage. He had already dyed his hair brown the day before and dressed like an ordinary traveler.
He still had Bradamante, but like his hair, he had coated the blade to make it look like common steel. In this state, no one would be able to recognize Jin as a Runcandel.
His second mission, and his first solo mission.
As Gilly said, even considering Jin's current strength, it was a fairly dangerous task. However, Jin felt no fear. He was simply delighted by the fact that he could use his spirit energy and magic to his heart's content.
I've wanted to visit Mamit since my past life.
Before his regression, Jin’s magic teacher used to describe Mamit as a "more romantic city than you'd think." Having spent two years there, the teacher often shared memories of the place—memories infused with all sorts of valuable information.
He said the taverns in the center of the city are where Mamit’s low-level informants hang out, right? And if I want to buy high-end information, I have to go to the underground black market…
To think the stories he had heard until he was sick of them would be helpful now. Of course, there would be discrepancies due to the time difference, but the major structures of power in Mamit would surely remain unchanged.
Feeling a renewed sense of gratitude toward his teacher, Jin pulled on the reins.
Just leaving the Garden of Swords brought a refreshing sense of liberation.