Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Contract (4)
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Eventually, the woman lifted her head and looked me straight in the eye.
"You're saying you won't fall for tricks like this?"
Her tone changed in an instant. From the soft, coaxing lilt she'd used to entice and soothe,
"Fine, then. What, did you come here because you want to play with me?"
to a cold, cynical drawl.
"You have a wife, don't you? Well, men need someone to have a wild night with once in a while."
Heh heh. The woman's laughter slowly filled the narrow space.
She acted like she'd given up on everything. But I knew that wasn't true at all.
Her blue eyes blazed like torches in the darkness. That was a gaze no one who had abandoned life could ever muster.
"There's no need for that."
I spoke lightly, as if chatting about the weather.
"Because I'm not interested in your body."
"Huh?"
The woman scowled, as if she'd heard utter nonsense.
"Liar. First time I've ever heard something like that."
"Who knows."
I tilted my head and fixed her with a stare. Her body shivered under my emotionless, empty gaze.
"...Ha!"
Finally, the woman looked away.
"As expected of Schmichael. That glare is downright lethal."
She'd only averted her eyes; her tone remained sharp and biting.
"Do you go around killing people with your looks? No wonder your wives stick around—they must have some real grit."
Every word she picked clawed at one's insides. Her rude manner was no different.
But it was all calculated. She was trying to provoke me into slipping up. The more she did, the better her odds of survival.
Knowing her game, I just let out a soft chuckle.
"I haven't tried it yet, though."
"Ha, yeah right."
Realizing her taunts were falling flat, the woman finally sighed deeply. Her voice, somewhat deflated yet still arrogantly poised, pressed on.
"So, Your Excellency Dane Schmichael. What do you want from me? Someone as exalted as you wouldn't come all the way down here for nothing."
The woman was sharp. Sensing no killing intent from me, she'd shifted to real talk. So I cut straight to it, no preamble.
"I need a shadow."
"What did you keep your subordinates around for?"
She snorted in disbelief.
"A bunch of my comrades died just breaking in here. Why pick me over those skilled guys?"
"You were the only one who survived. That's proof enough of your abilities, as far as I'm concerned."
This woman was the leader of the assassins who infiltrated the castle a few weeks back. Plenty had attacked before, but her group had been meticulous and relentless.
She'd nearly buried a blade in my throat because of it. I spared her, impressed.
'Though tossing her in prison was mostly because it was a hassle.'
The original Dane Schmichael never considered putting her to good use. She would've rotted away here alone until Rose ended up imprisoned.
'Poor thing, what a shame.'
Sharing a similar plight, perhaps, she'd been kind to Rose. Even spilled plenty about herself. That made dealing with this assassin a lot easier for me.
"And it's not just about skill. Everyone in my castle is so damn rigid. I don't have anyone like you who throws means and methods out the window."
"...Insult or compliment?"
"Compliment."
In truth, the real kicker was that she operated beyond Joel's watchful eye in this castle. But no need to share that just yet.
First things first: test how capable she was, how useful to me.
"Heh heh, nobles are all the same—such no-ble no-bles."
Unable to hold back, she started sneering, a wretched smile tugging at her lips.
"You despise me, don't you? Pathetic life, spreading my legs just to stay alive a little longer."
"......"
"They all say that... until they sleep with me once and change their tune. What do you say, Your Excellency Schmichael? Want to give it a test drive now?"
She said it like she wanted to wound herself. Slicing into her own flesh before anyone else could condemn her.
"I've never despised you."
She froze at my flat statement.
"Why despise someone for using any means necessary to survive?"
"......"
"Everyone fights tooth and nail against death. Anything less is shirking your duty."
I peeled away from the wall I'd been leaning on. Facing the woman who stared right through me, I asked.
"If that was my reason to condemn you, I wouldn't be here."
A strange emotion bloomed on her face. Her glistening eyes brimmed entirely with my reflection.
"Was I wrong?"
I spoke leisurely, caressing the scabbard at my waist.
"If you're refusing, say so now. I'll make it quick."
Killing intent bloomed as languidly as my voice, slowly saturating the prison cell. Amid the choking fog of malice, the woman suddenly laughed.
"Ahaha!"
Even as the suffocating aura squeezed her breath, she laughed like it was the funniest thing. Proof she was no stranger to murder-thick air.
"Talk about a wake-up call."
Finally reining in her laughter, she grinned ear to ear.
"When I took the contract, I figured you'd be some uptight noble prick. But oh wow, you're actually..."
Her tongue traced her lips with deliberate slowness.
"...way more fun than I thought."
I ignored the obvious ploy and asked.
"Your answer?"
"One question first."
She fired it off without waiting for permission, all innocent-like.
"What if I betray you? Once I'm free, I could just waltz back to the guild."
Plain curiosity—and interest—lit her eyes.
Sensing it, I replied indifferently.
"An assassin's code is suicide on mission failure, right? The guild thinks you're dead."
"......"
"Imagine: a guild member presumed dead shows up saying the target hired her, so take her back. They'd love that."
No sarcasm needed. Just laying out a highly likely future. Spot on, apparently—she giggled.
"Yep, they'd be thrilled. Guild master's reaction? So happy he'd snap my neck right then."
"Answer."
"Such an impatient master."
She shrugged like she'd thrown in the towel. The answer was already there, but
"I'll do it."
She beamed, her tone unwavering.
"When you ask like that, reeking of killing intent, the answer's obvious."
She whined like it scared her—complete with a little whimper—but kept talking just fine.
"Oh, right—should it be 'I'll do it, sir'? You're my master now, after all."
"Whatever."
Polite words wouldn't conjure respect where there was none.
She hated rules and rigidity anyway. As long as she nailed the assignments, the trivia didn't matter to me.
"So generous."
Right on cue, her lips curved in satisfaction.
"But you don't expect me to pull this off in these, right?"
Clang.
She rattled her arms, testing the restraints. The cuffs on her wrists were chained solidly to the wall.
"Can't spring you officially."
Thud.
I grabbed her chin as I closed in; her eyes flew wide. Savoring that look of thrilled anticipation for what came next,
clink.
I slipped a key between her teeth.
"Picked it up on the way. Hand must've slipped."
The key I'd nicked from the guard earlier.
"Find me in three days. That'll be your skill test."
"Mm."
She rolled her tongue, snatching the key into her mouth.
"Tried seducing ten guards for a breakout. Thanks to Master, that fell through."
"Rescuing's a pain. Cut it out."
"Sigh, my fault? What can I do about how I look?"
She angled her body just so, showing off. She knew exactly the pose that made her most alluring.
"Master, you sure your eyes are okay? How do you look at someone like me and do nothing?"
"......"
Good that I'd hooked her interest—but damn if it wasn't skewing weird. The original only mentioned her in prison with Rose; no hint of this personality.
'Tiring...'
She'd keep testing and tempting me like this from here on. But I knew better than to bite.
It was the key to her long-term loyalty.
"Hmm."
I stayed silent; she pivoted topics.
"Got it anyway. Bedroom in three days, then? Night's perfect for secretive chats."
"No."
Blade-sharp and final.
"You remember where they caught you, right?"
"The bedroom. Easy to slip in again."
"No repeats. Rendezvous somewhere else—not the bedroom."
Especially since I no longer slept alone there. Sharing the marital chamber with Rose meant no surprise visits.
Technically not a surprise attack, but still.
"...Master must really like his new wife, huh?"
Her eyes narrowed snakelike. Behind brimming intrigue, something dangerous flicked its tongue.
"Enough impertinence."
"Hmm. Gotcha, so that's the deal."
She nodded halfheartedly, like she had the gist. Piecing together new-wife intel from a few exchanges—classic ex-assassin sharpness.