013. The Ghost of the Divine Tree (6)
Numerous experiences had honed the assassin's instincts, and now they screamed that the man who had appeared before them felt far too contrived and suspicious.
As one assassin pondered how to respond while observing the situation, the man showed up, and about five seconds passed in tense standoff.
Soon, the assassin gripping a dagger made up his mind and charged at Eunhyeon.
He figured the magical barrier enveloping the girl behind him couldn't last forever—it would naturally dissipate with time.
The man's arrival, who seemed the more immediate threat, had simply shifted their priorities.
Eunhyeon reacted to the assassin's rush by stepping forward himself.
The moment their distance closed, the assassin's form spun through the air, his vision flipping upside down.
What?
The assassin panicked as his view inverted in an instant, making everything appear upside down.
He had tried to seize the advantage with a preemptive strike before the man who had taken down four comrades could act.
His legs pointed skyward, head toward the ground.
His mind registered that his body was floating in midair, but he couldn't comprehend what had happened.
Pain shot through his legs belatedly, and glancing down, he saw his left leg twisted outward and snapped.
Only then did he realize the man had kicked his leg, filling him with horror.
He hadn't even seen the attack—how fast and powerful must it have been to shatter his leg like that?
Eunhyeon reached out, grabbed the assassin's face as he hung there in shock, and slammed him into the ground with force.
"Kahhh!"
The assassin screamed as his head hit the floor, but his body soon went limp and still.
The other assassins watching were certain their comrade, who had charged dagger in hand, had been knocked out in a single blow.
Even they, deliberating from afar, hadn't perceived Eunhyeon's attack at all—it had taken mere seconds to subdue him.
They realized attempting an attack themselves would only get them killed.
With five of their six team members down, the magical barrier around the girl remained intact.
It was impossible to kill her now; they'd have to brace for capture.
Concluding this commission was doomed to fail took less than ten seconds.
That left the surviving assassin with only one option.
"Stop."
A chilling voice pierced the ear of the assassin climbing the building to escape, searing into his brain.
Just a simple phrase, yet it carried an irresistible compulsion, binding the last assassin's body in place.
Eunhyeon confirmed the man had frozen, then approached slowly.
He addressed the assassin standing rigid like a stone statue.
"Tell your boss to inform the client who commissioned the hit on that girl: we've found Erin Hersha. We'll be waiting for the client at Gleor Warehouse No. 3 in three hours. Here's the advance payment. Send 100 gold coins once the job's done."
"……!"
The assassin gulped in shock.
The man spoke as if he knew their identities, then placed ten gold coins directly into the assassin's hand.
As Eunhyeon released him with an enigmatic smile, unease washed over the assassin.
"Go on, hurry."
Watching Eunhyeon shoo him away like a fly, the assassin stood frozen.
Noticing his gaze flick to his fallen comrades, Eunhyeon chuckled again.
"Worried about your friends? Don't be. I'll hide them well. They'll make their way back once they wake up. Funny how a guy who kills for a living still cares about his buddies. Pathetic."
"Kuh…."
The assassin's face was masked, showing only his eyes.
It was easy to tell he was scowling from the narrowed gaze and faint groan.
"Get going before I change my mind and kill you all. You took the money, so do the job. Isn't that your creed?"
Grinding his teeth in frustration, the assassin fled the scene.
Eunhyeon sensed him retreating into the distance before turning to help Eira, still slumped on the ground, to her feet.
"You did well."
It was praise for her efforts so far, but the intensity of the assassination threat left Eira with a bitter smile.
"Once I join the knights, there'll be even greater dangers than this, right?"
"Of course. Riod handed you to me precisely because he wanted you to understand that."
"I see…."
Her body still lacked strength, but Eira didn't seem too downhearted.
Though she trembled slightly, remnants of fear lingering, Riod's hope of dissuading her from knighthood by facing reality appeared unlikely to come true.
"Hmm…."
"What's the next plan?"
"We've caught the small fry and cast a bigger lure."
Eunhyeon grinned as he spoke.
"Time to reel in a real prize."
Eira was convinced Eunhyeon was enjoying this hunt.
Watching him visibly thrilled made it hard to believe he was old enough to have fought alongside her father on the battlefield.
Eunhyeon pondered the bait he'd laid and decided to relocate.
"I'll come with you."
"The job's done. It could be dangerous."
"I just… want to see how this ends. And you'll protect me, right?"
Eunhyeon thought her stubborn persistence in such matters was just like her father's.
She'd probably make a complicated face if he said it aloud.
"No extra pay?"
"What I got this time is plenty."
Eira wasn't one to splurge even with money in hand.
Still, having it as emergency funds brought a sense of security.
"Alright, then. Let's go."
Eunhyeon smiled and accepted her request.
The two headed straight to the warehouse Eunhyeon had mentioned to the assassin.
"This place…."
Kiririk!
Eunhyeon forced open the rusted iron door, unyielding from years of neglect.
He stepped inside, but Eira hesitated outside, face uneasy.
Eunhyeon glanced back, tilting his head.
"It's kinda creepy."
"Scared?"
"N-no way."
Having boldly followed only to shrink from the atmosphere—her father Riod would have scolded her, saying such nerves made knighthood impossible.
Eira slapped her cheeks to steel herself and stepped into the warehouse.
The dark interior, dust-choked air, and chill wind made her shiver even more.
"We're waiting for someone here?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know who's coming, Lord Eunhyeon?"
"Not really."
"Huh? Then…."
"Anyone's fine. Just testing the waters. Small fry or big catch, doesn't matter much, but I had some expectations. Hope they bite."
Eira couldn't follow Eunhyeon's mumbling.
But as if granting his wish, the iron door they had entered through creaked open again.
Kiririk!
"They're here."
Eira tensed at the two figures entering.
Shadows obscured their faces at first, but moonlight revealed them, widening her eyes in shock.
A tall man with a ornate sword at his waist.
And a noblewoman in a modest yet bright silver dress of simple design.
Her golden hair brighter than Eira's, porcelain skin, and refined features made her a stunning beauty.
"Lady Elenoa Armitas…?"
"Miss Eira Olivion?"
The women recognized each other, both flustered by the unexpected encounter.
"Why is the lady here…?"
"Why are you here?"
"Allow me to explain."
As their confused exchange stalled, Eunhyeon interjected.
"And who might you be?"
"I'm Eunhyeon. I'm here on orders from Iliana, director of the Merbiss Magic Library."
To be precise, she'd never given any such order, but Eunhyeon invoked her name with brazen confidence.
"Merbiss… the Black Witch's…? You're him?"
Elenoa, clearly familiar with rumors of Eunhyeon, raised an eyebrow at him.
She scanned the empty warehouse, noting nothing but Eunhyeon and Eira.
"You lied to me?"
"Perish the thought. I do know Erin Hersha's whereabouts. She's just… not here."
"Insolent cur! You dare mock Lady Elenoa?!"
The red-haired man beside her, apparently her guard, drew his sword from his waist, face flushed with rage as he glared murderously at Eunhyeon.
Ah, it didn't go exactly as planned. Well, I expected this much.
"Reno…!"
Before Elenoa could stop her guard's outburst, Reno's blade swung down toward Eunhyeon's head.
Eunhyeon simply stepped back, evading effortlessly.
Reno faltered momentarily at the close miss but kept his composure, glaring for his next strike.
Eunhyeon dodged each assault by a hair's breadth, moving fluidly.
"See that, Eira?"
"Y-yes…?"
"This is self-defense from here on out."
"Ha…?"
Paling, Eira caught on and frantically shook her head, trying to stop him.
Reno's swing hesitated in confusion at Eunhyeon's casual remark to Eira, fueling his fury further.
He raised his sword high and brought it down with full force, aiming to cleave Eunhyeon in two.
But Eunhyeon twisted sideways, dodging the vertical slash, and drove his fist into Reno's exposed abdomen.
"Kuhk…!"
Even in plain clothes for stealth—not his knightly armor—and despite losing his cool, the clean counter from this unknown commoner-like man stunned Reno.
He groaned from the precise abdominal blow exploiting his opening.
Forcing down the bile rising in his throat, he realized his misjudgment.
This wasn't an ordinary civilian; using mana against one would bruise a knight's pride, so he'd planned to kill with sword alone.
Now convinced he needed to enhance his body with mana and fight seriously—
"Should've gone all out from the start. Too late now."
Even then, he wouldn't have won.
Sensing Reno's mana flow as he belatedly tried to reinforce himself, Eunhyeon taunted.
His fist already slammed into Reno's solar plexus for a second hit.
"Gahk!"
Reno reeled with a guttural groan, pain from the vital point crippling his thoughts.
Seizing the stagger, Eunhyeon palm-struck Reno's jaw with all his might.
Reno's pupils dilated, eyes rolling back as he crumpled before Eunhyeon.
Elenoa clenched her fists, trembling.
With her guard down, what should she do?
Cold sweat beaded as she desperately thought.
The moment she opened her mouth to speak—
"Kuh… hngh!"
Something black slithered up Elenoa's clothes, coiling around her throat and squeezing.
She writhed, but her body was bound tight, immobile.
As her airway blocked and consciousness faded—
"This… I didn't see coming."
Eunhyeon muttered in genuine surprise.
"Two big catches."
"Shadows…?"
Eira double-checked, disbelieving.
The lady's shadow, cast by moonlight, writhed alive, trying to devour her.
Watching, Eunhyeon felt certain.
Combining info from Erin and scattered clues, one conclusion emerged.
"Elvin Hersha."
The shadow strangling Elenoa froze.
"So that's where you were hiding—in the shadows of the duke's people."
No one replied.
Undeterred, he continued.
"Let's make a deal."