Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Heads or Tails
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A few days later, I found myself at the Central Branch.
‘Using my precious vacation time on a mission…’
The destination was relatively close, but not close enough to make it a weekend trip.
So I had no choice but to use the vacation days I'd received as a reward for my first mission.
How could I not be bitter, pouring vacation time meant for fun into a mission?
"It's been a while. Is this our first joint mission?"
Mitra, who had just arrived at the branch, greeted me with a deadpan expression.
"Yes."
I answered perfunctorily, giving a lazy wave with my right hand.
Her short-cropped white hair, red eyes, cold aura, and beauty were all the same.
A woman whose appearance was the spitting image of Kairam.
She was my eldest sister, six years my senior, but we had so little contact that our relationship was awkward.
If I hadn't started making a name for myself recently, a day like today would never have happened.
Soon, the senior members of the Empire's Central Branch entered the conference room and took their seats.
*Click!*
"It seems everyone is here. Let's begin the mission briefing."
Faceless, the last to enter, broke the tense atmosphere.
This mission had the support of high-ranking agents.
Given its massive scale, a joint operation was unavoidable.
"This mission's target is the Gray Tower Master's staff, the Grandmagia."
When it came to magic, the Everfilt family was the first name that came to mind.
They were the family that had built the most powerful force on the continent.
But not all mages came from the Everfilt family.
The vast continent was teeming with talent, after all.
The Gray Magic Tower was a group of mages who used a unique form of illusion magic.
Situated near the Caliburn Duchy, they, like Wolf Fang, exerted influence throughout the Veldam States Union.
"The Grandmagia is a sacred object symbolizing the Gray Magic Tower. It's always in the Tower Master's laboratory, so we'll have to aim for a time when he is away."
"How many personnel will be deployed?"
"Since the target is the symbol of the Gray Tower, we must be fully prepared. The plan is to deploy the five Special-Grade agents here, along with twenty 1st-Grade agents."
The three senior members who entered after Mitra must have been the other Special-Grade agents.
‘What about Bluebird?’
Wendy, the so-called mascot of the Central Branch, suddenly came to mind.
But I quickly dismissed the thought of her.
Bluebird had likely lost some credibility due to the failed assassination of Marquis Pennant.
They probably wouldn't assign her to a major operation like this for a while.
While I was momentarily distracted, Faceless continued with the mission briefing.
"The Gray Tower has a five-layered structure. Breaching the first three layers of defense won't be too difficult. You just need to get in while the 1st-Grade agents create a diversion."
"The problem is what comes after, then?"
"The fourth layer of security will be handled by our branch's Special-Grade agents. The two of you will enter the Tower Master's laboratory and retrieve the Grandmagia."
Somehow, the briefing had turned into a conversation between me and the Central Branch Head.
Faceless had chosen me as the leader for this mission.
‘He's backing Wendy, so he probably doesn't want Mitra to get the credit.’
Since the Central Branch Head was the overall commander of the operation, there were no objections to his choice of leader.
It was typical of the Rantzverger Assassination Guild, with its strong top-down command structure.
No, it just seemed like Mitra didn't care who was appointed leader.
Was it a display of confidence that she could achieve results no matter the situation?
I couldn't read her thoughts from her expressionless face.
But that was my general assessment.
‘How can they all be so stoic? Just like Kairam. Well, except for Isabel.’
Thinking of my third sister, who was probably having a thrilling weekend in Troven, I shook my head slightly.
I really hoped she wouldn't find out who I was until I graduated from Venderford.
Otherwise, things would get incredibly noisy.
"The mission begins immediately. We need to depart today to make it in time for the operation. Any questions?"
When no one answered, I looked around, and the senior members of the Central Branch gave a slight nod.
It seemed they, like Faceless, considered me the head of the operation.
Ah, this is getting uncomfortable.
In joint missions, it's best to just focus on getting results.
But Mitra seemed to have no thoughts on the matter.
I had no choice but to answer Faceless's question.
"...None."
"Then, move out."
"Yessir."
I replied listlessly, gathered my essential items, and left the conference room.
Having to do a job that didn't even pay extra, my body felt as heavy as lead.
‘Still, this is practically a Transcendent-level mission. They'll give me good credit for it, right?’
If they don't even give me that, I'll flip the table on the Head's orders and everything else.
Of course, that would never happen.
If I actually did that, I'd be the only one getting screwed.
***
Traveling from the Imperial Capital of Troven to the Caliburn Duchy was an excruciatingly boring affair.
Watching the passing scenery from a carriage is fine for a day or two.
By the third day, even that had become tiresome.
So, Mitra spent her time observing her half-brother.
‘Every time I see him, I'm reminded of what a peculiar child he is.’
She stealthily watched the one with the code name Crow, Ray Rantzverger.
No matter how she looked at it, he was a kid who didn't fit in with the assassination guild or the family at all.
He was said to have achieved considerable results as an assassin and been promoted rapidly, yet the aura he exuded was completely different from theirs.
Not a dagger hidden in the shadows, but more like a greatsword swung openly?
It was hard to describe precisely, but that was the feeling she got.
‘It must be because of his tendency to favor direct confrontation. I heard he was like that during the ten-year ordeal, too.’
Isabel always described Ray as a 'brute'.
After the mission to assassinate Count Alexei, their third sister's harsh evaluation reached its peak.
The reason being that his reckless actions had endangered everyone.
However, an analysis of the mission report from that time told a completely different story from Isabel's.
Though a bit radical, Ray's actions had not only led to the mission's success but had also saved the team from a crisis.
His methods were just too extreme.
‘He's not going to do something like that this time, is he?’
There were rumors that he caused trouble on every joint mission, which was bound to make her anxious.
Furthermore, he'd been distinguishing himself lately, which drew even more attention.
Since the Central Branch Head had appointed him leader, she intended to follow his lead.
Of course, she wasn't happy with the decision.
Anyone could see she was more skilled, so this was likely a move made with Wendy's poor performance in mind.
‘Even if she resorts to such tricks, she'll never catch up to me.’
It was obvious that her second sister was desperately trying to surpass her.
Isabel, on the other hand, had no interest in the family's internal power struggles.
But her fourth, her half-brother, was a complete enigma.
He'd lived as quietly as a mouse, but at some point, he had become a rival, chasing her down with frightening speed.
That's how she felt, yet seeing him in person, he was just a mischievous youngest brother.
Wasn't he up on the carriage roof doing something strange right now?
"What in the world is he doing?"
A Special-Grade assassin from the Central Branch, riding in the carriage with her, wore a dumbfounded expression.
Ray was currently on the roof of the carriage ahead, doing a handstand while lost in meditation.
She had no idea why he was doing such a thing, but it was an amusing sight.
She could say with certainty that there wasn't a single other assassin in the family like him.
A faint smile touched Mitra's lips as she watched Ray's eccentric behavior.
"I don't know either. He's a real enigma."
***
‘Wow! I'm bored to death. If I don't do something like this, time just won't pass.’
I was on top of the carriage, training while doing a handstand.
It was a method to increase concentration for my energy arts by intentionally creating an extreme situation with the shaking ground.
Of course, it was a completely useless exercise.
I was just doing something crazy because I was so damn bored.
‘What are you looking at? First time seeing me do this?’
I calmly met the questioning gazes of the other assassins.
After traveling for about three days, we finally reached the border of the Caliburn Duchy.
Fortunately, the Gray Magic Tower was located on the border between the duchy and Baron Kerodin's territory.
Coincidentally, our party passed through the forest where I had shared drinks with Raul.
‘I never thought I'd come back here.’
The feeling was nostalgic, but there was no time to get lost in thought.
The operation was set to begin as soon as we reached our destination.
"How should we decide on the time for the operation?"
One of the Special-Grade assassins approached me and gently asked for my opinion.
Having been acknowledged as the leader, the decision of when to infiltrate was mine to make.
Typically, infiltrating at night when there are fewer people would be safer.
‘But the tower's security isn't about the number of people. The problem is the location of the Tower Master…’
I sifted through the directive, my expression hardening.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, the other assassins began to watch me cautiously.
They had completely misunderstood, thinking something had gone wrong.
I, on the other hand, was just getting incredibly annoyed.
‘Ah, damn it! It's so long this time, too. I told them to shorten it, those bastards!’
The reason for my serious expression was the way the guys from the Owl Strike Division handled their work.
It was so full of unnecessary details that I felt like I was going crazy every time I read it.
‘Sigh! I'll be the bigger person and endure. Now, back to the mission…’
As expected of a magic tower that specialized in illusion magic, the Tower Master's schedule was completely unpredictable.
It seemed he was active across multiple locations, likely using teleportation circles.
But even within his complex, tangled schedule, there was a certain degree of regularity.
It was just so convoluted that pinpointing the right time was difficult.
"Heh heh! There's a useful method for times like this."
"Oh... It seems you have some clever trick up your sleeve?"
Since I was from the main family and had been appointed leader, he used honorifics despite us being of the same rank.
I grinned at the Special-Grade assassins and tossed something high into the air.
*Ting!*
"And that is... to pick one at random! Heads for day, tails for night!"
"..."
The senior members of the Central Branch stared dumbfounded at the falling gold coin.
*Ching!*
The coin that landed on the ground spun round and round, building the suspense.
Finally, one side caught the sunlight and revealed itself.
What appeared with a brilliant gleam was the face of the Empire's founding emperor.
"G-Good heavens!"
As the operation was set for broad daylight, the faces of the Special-Grade assassins turned pale.
It was a natural reaction, as it seemed much more difficult than a nighttime operation.
They began to stammer in troubled voices.
"Sir Crow, with all due respect, this is a bit..."
"Perhaps we could compromise on a time around dusk, when it's getting dark?"
But I shook my head firmly and replied.
"Nope. Not happening."
At that, the senior members from the Central Branch looked to Mitra, pleading for help.
But Mitra seemed to have no intention of interfering with my decision.
She simply averted her gaze, her face expressionless.
‘Breaching a magic tower might actually be better during the day, you know?’
The magical security gets even tighter at night.
They don't know a thing.
I'm much more of an expert on magic than you guys.
I gloated inwardly as I picked up the gold coin from the ground.
"Alright, shall we go rob the Tower Master?"