I looked around frantically, trying to locate the flower bouquets, and finally found them stacked against the wall of the corridor. I grabbed one—the most vibrant of the bunch—and turned to head back downstairs when muffled voices reached my ears.
I quickly pressed myself against the wall, listening intently. Two figures were silhouetted in the dim light, the window behind them casting shadows over their faces.
"I hope it’ll go well," a man said, his voice tinged with nervous anticipation as he held a glass of wine.
"I’m sure it will. They’re the best rcenary group after all," a woman replied, her tone calm and collected.
Are they the Agrena twins? Aranea Agrena and Lucien Agrena. If so, they’re dangerous to confront head-on.
"No... I think we provided too little paynt. What if they do things half-heartedly?" Lucien said, his voice low but unmistakably tense.
They were discussing the infamous Talon rcenary. Killing a mber of the Caballeni Mafia was undoubtedly a primary objective for them, but Lucien’s hesitation spoke volus. He seed angry, almost paranoid, about the situation.
Of course, Aranea and Lucien considered taking the matter into their own hands, but they quickly changed their mind when they realized how big of a risk it entailed.
To the mafia, killing a mber of one’s own family was the most heinous cri. It was looked down upon even if it was through proper procedures, and Feliciano was even an individual who gained the trust of the branch head.
"What does even uncle Alessio find in that greedy pig?" Lucien muttered through clenched teeth, eyes narrowed as they skimd the garden below.
Just then, Feliciano caught his eye through the window and flashed a smug smirk that radiated arrogance. That threw Lucien over the edge.
"I hope they can ruthlessly end his life," he declared vehently before abruptly leaving the window, visibly agitated.
Aranea followed him, glancing back over her shoulder with a final, chilling remark, "May he burn in hell."
I waited patiently until their footsteps faded away before I continued down the hallway, the bouquet clutched in my hand. They must have a lot of hatred towards my target.
As I reached the garden doors, I can hear a voice of a man who was shouting orders at the maids with impatience. "Move it faster, you lot! The guests will be here any minute, and this garden needs to look perfect!"
I set the bouquet down on the stage, its vibrant colors a stark contrast to the dark purpose of my mission.
With a quick glance around, I could see the frenzy of the servants bustling about, ensuring everything was perfect for the upcoming guests.
I went to the side where there are maids standing still while holding a platter filled with appetizers so I grabbed one and lined up with them.
I closed my eyes for just a mont and focused on Macaron, perched on a branch nearby. I mind-linked with him. ’Alter all the security caras,’ I thought to him, ’make sure they see nothing unusual.’
As I scanned the periter, I noticed the guards patrolling the exits, their eyes roving over the eager guests slowly entering into the garden. The chaos created by excited chatter and laughter provided the perfect distraction.
In this mont, I moved resolutely into the crowd, locking my eyes on my target. There he was, still barking orders at the maids, his impatience palpable. I held the plate of appetizers to make myself appear hospitable, casual, blending in seamlessly with the other servants.
I began to maneuver through the crowd, using the distraction of the arriving guests to close the distance towards my target. The man continued barking orders, oblivious as his focus remained on the chaos around him.
I quickened my pace, the crowd providing perfect cover. Just as I approached him from behind, I drew my arcanum which imdiately transford as a karambit with precision.
In a quick motion, I reached out, swiftly slashing his neck—so quick that he barely felt the pressure before the blade found its mark. Ti seed to freeze for a brief, exhilarating mont; his eyes widened in shock, but no sound escaped his mouth.
I continued walking normally, moving away from him and never looked back. The blood began to seep from the wound, but he didn’t comprehend what had happened at first. That was until a nearby guest turned and scread, pointing at him, "Blood!" Panic rippled through the crowd.
Feliciano swayed unsteadily, his hand clawing at his neck as the blood flowed freely, staining the crisp white of his collar. He finally gasped for air as he tried to shout for help.
I blended into a group of guests who had gathered around, wide-eyed and rooted to the spot, their curiosity piqued by the sudden violence that shattered the joyous atmosphere. I subtly adjusted my grip on the plate of wine as I imdiately approached one of the guards who was stationed near my escape route. "Please help! Signor Feliciano was suddenly bleeding!" I feigned distress, adopting a wide-eyed look of horror to sell the act.
The guard’s eyes darted towards the chaos unfolding behind , tension evident in his posture. Underneath the commotion, I could hear the crackle of the radio as he called for assistance. "Ergency! We need backup here at the garden—there’s been an incident!" His voice was urgent, and I could see the alertness spread across his face.
As the guard rushed towards the unfolding disaster, I slipped through the sea of people panicking, my heart was racing but outwardly composed. I spotted another guard directing guests to evacuate the area and seized my mont.
With the guard at my side distracted by the screams behind him, I slipped past the barricade and jumped back into the forest. I ran as fast as I could and mind linked with Macaron. ’Now, disrupt the electricity,’ I commanded.
Almost imdiately, the lights flickered and plunged the garden into darkness, heightening the hysteria as guests scread, confusion reigning supre in the blackened night.
With the mansion now in lockdown and all security focused on the chaos, I quickly removed my outfit and stuffed it all into my expansion pouch.
I then activated my bracelet, which transford into my big bike. Its engine roared to life, and without a second thought, I revved the throttle and sped away, the rush of wind against my face exhilarating.
As I navigated the winding forest paths, I called out ntally to Macaron. "Co back! Our job is done!’
The sound of shouting echoed in the distance, growing louder as I raced away from the chaos of the mansion.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
anwhile, Kairos opened the tablet and watched Remillia’s location, a smile creeping onto his face as he noted the small blinking dot on the screen. He had secretly planted a tracking device in her hair, scared that she might end up in trouble.
She was currently in the middle of running away. As he observed her on the screen, she reached the city streets and slowed down at a certain point, seemingly dismounting her bike.
Kairos began to run toward her location, his chest tightening with a mix of curiosity and concern. It took her quite so ti to complete the mission, and he had to admit, he’d been anxious about how she’d handle it.
When he arrived, he spotted her sitting on the terrace, casually sipping coffee as if nothing had happened. But beside her was an owl, pecking at a piece of cinnamon bread resting on her table. Kairos raised an eyebrow. How can an owl be so at ho in a cafe filled with people was beyond him. Shaking his head, he felt a twinge of pride; was this calm deanor the mark of soone who had just taken a life?
Yet, as he drew closer, he noticed the truth. Her hands were shaking, her forehead glistening with cold sweat. This wasn’t the picture of an untroubled killer; it was a façade she was struggling to maintain.
"Hey, newbie," he called out, watching her shoulders shake at the sound of his voice. He sat down across from her, searching her face for signs of how she was handling the aftermath.
Her gaze remained fixed on the owl, avoiding his.
"You did well," he said, trying to reassure her.
"...Did I?" she responded, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," he affird, eting her eyes.
Remillia stared at him without a word for what seed like an eternity before finally responding, "That’s... good to hear then." She took another sip of her drink, seeking comfort in the warm liquid.
"People say there’s a first ti for everything. That was it," he added, trying to put a positive spin on the situation.
"Right, it’s not easy to make money," she replied, her voice steadier now.
"You know that money is the only thing you can trust, especially for people like us," he said, leaning forward, watching her closely.
"...Us?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion, a hint of warmth in her eyes despite the grim context.
"We don’t have families. We grew up without ever knowing what that feels like," he elaborated, his tone more serious now.
"..." For a mont, she fell into thought, processing his words. Then, a grin broke across her face. "Well, I guess so."
Kairos smiled at her response, grateful to see her perk up.
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