章節 7: The city purge. Before the rescue mission
Night Owl's mansion
[3rd person POV]
" Damn it! How could this happen?"
Gathered in front of the yard were all members of the Night Owls. Everyone was fully armed. This was the first time they saw the impatient and anger on their captain's face.
" Lily, you didn't do anything, did you?"
" No, captain."
Haruki gritted his teeth knowing full well that Lily would never do such a silly thing. He scanned all the members of the Night Owls but no one seemed to know anything about Alex's escape. That means Alex hid his abilities from him.
" To think a normal child can just disappear from the layout of first-class assassins without anyone even noticing. Such an amusement." - Musui smiled sarcastically.
" What are you trying to imply, vice-captain?"
" I'm just reminding you of what's happened. Captain, if I remember correctly, the superiors did say something about how to handle a situation like this."
Haruki looked at Musui as if he were looking at his sworn enemy. The killing intent was intense on both sides.
" A-Anou captain, vice-captain Alex kun should still be somewhere in our patrol area. If that's the case, it can't be concluded that he escaped, right?" - Mia
The attention of four eyes suddenly turned to Mia made her heart jump a bit.
" Yes, if Alex is still out in the area, it means he has never escaped. Well done, Mia."
Her face flushed red as Haruki's face pressed close to hers while his hands wrapped around her shoulders.
" But captain, you haven't forgotten that we have an urgent mission right? Don't tell me you're going to organize a search for a lost child instead of a mission?" - Musui
" … I didn't forget that, vice-captain. However, finding Alex is also one of the important tasks. We'll split up into different directions and go down the mountain, if anyone meets Alex on the way, catch him and bring him to the meeting point."
" What if no one could find him?" - Shana
" Captain, do you remember what you promised us?" - Musui
The Night Owls' entire focus was on Haruki. Although some of them have feelings for Alex, this place was still an assassin organization itself. They are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the organization's secret even if that means killing their own comrades. Haruki took a deep breath, scanning each member's eyes and then making his decision.
" If he won't appear in the meeting, after this mission Alex will become our next target.'
Shiranami mountain, somewhere near Night Owl Mansion.
[Alex POV]
" @5%!!@$$!!!!"
It's been four hours since I planned to escape and here I was, struggling in the mud like a worm. I tried to use the last bit of my sanity to get the pain reliever from the toolbox. I couldn't take it continuously, I have to wait for at least 3 hours or the pain killer would become a deadly poison. A few minutes later the drug had taken effect, I was finally able to get up. All of my clothes are dirty with mud. Brushing off the mud from my swollen ankle, I tried to rub it, but it stiffened, and small crackling sounds could be heard. Looks like my ankle is sprained. Using duck tape to secure my foot, I clung to a nearby tree and looked down at the landscape below. The whistling of the wind seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. Sharp rocks jutted out everywhere.
' Impossible.'
That's what's on my mind right now. I somehow understood the reason why Haruki and the others built an entire mansion up here because no sane person wants to climb up and down this area.
" What now?"
I looked up, at the slope that I had slipped down. It's about the height of a building. It's a miracle that a sprain was all I got. Alone in the middle of the cliff, I can't climb up nor climb down and most importantly this place seems to have dangerous beasts. I could hear inhuman footsteps from nearby. I didn't know whether to thank god for the good fortune since only until now after four hours of writing I ran into one or to curse him for letting me meet one right now.
I clutched my little knife. Based on the sound of footsteps, heartbeat, and breathing, That thing must be very big. I have heard of this species, it was not a carnivore but was extremely aggressive and would attack anything in its territory. It wouldn't make much difference to me being eaten or being kicked down a cliff. Nestled against the cliff, I held my breath and prayed for that thing to leave quickly, but for some reason, it just kept circling around.
' Oh sh*t! Oh sh*t! Oh sh*t!'
I felt a stench rising above my head and two beastly eyes were staring at me. I can't run nor fight in this position, my only option is to shrink like a ball and hope the thing wouldn't attack me. It seemed to work, the beast's footsteps were fading away. But before I could breathe a sigh of relief. The sound of something sprinted in my direction.
" Alex-kun!!!! Where are you??"
' Fck!'
Ryuu's voice made the beast turn its head and rush towards me, it landed where I was hiding but its body was so heavy that the place I was standing on collapsed. I was lucky to find a grip to hold on in time before I shared the same fate with that stupid animal.
" Alex kunn!"
I was hanging from the cliff with sweat pouring out like a fountain. From above, the idiot Ryuu still didn't realize what he had just done, he continued to wander around calling my name. I couldn't climb to the top, it was too high and I couldn't maintain this position, even though I couldn't feel anything but I thought my hands were starting to get tired. Before Ryuu ran away I decided to call for help.
A while later. I gasped while Ryuu stared at me with a strange look, I could see smoke rising above his head. I took off my mud-stained shirt and luckily I had a spare one. For some reason, Ryuu turned his face away, as a slight smell of blood spread in the air.
' He's wounded?'
I felt guilty, he must have been hurt while looking for me. I checked my toolbox and got some antiseptic with some patches.
" Ryuu san, let me check the wound."
" N-Nothing please don't come near for at least 1 minute! No, 2 minutes!"
I don't understand why he was squatting on the ground. Was something wrong with his knees? I remembered his foot hitting the rock while carrying me up. Maybe that was the reason. It took 10 minutes for Ryuu to finally let me come close.
" Ryuu san Haruki told you to find me?"
" Not really. The situation, how can I say it…"
After listening to Ryuu my mouth was wide-opened. My body trembled in fear.
" I-I will become an assassination target?"
" Only if no one can find you Alex kun but that is impossible in the first place hahaha."
" H-Haruki, is that idiot really intended to kill me? Why didn't he say anything about this?"
" Hm? He didn't say anything?"
After thinking for a while I remembered Haruki saying something about this when he and Lily tied me up.
"…He did seem to mention it, just a little…"
" A little?"
" I-I thought he was joking!"
" Hahaha. You're the only one who thinks that guy can joke. And no one thinks you could just sneak out without anyone knowing, maybe it was really a joke."
Ryuu looked at me from head to toe and shook his head slightly while I was lost in my thought. Just a little more I could have become an assassination target. A complicated feeling enveloped me, I don't know how to describe it. Scare? Sadness? Or anger?
" So what's your plan now Alex kun? Will you continue to hide?"
" Won't you stop me?"
" Nah the decision is up to you."
He smiled sarcastically as he looked at my feet. I didn't even need him to say it, I sighed.
" No, please take me to Haruki. "
" My pleasure."
And so my great escape had come to an end, I ran away 200m in 4 hours.
In the suburbs 2 miles from Onobu. In a normal-looking house.
Haruki was looking like he could eat people. His tinkling hand seems like it could slap at my face at any moment.
" Do you even know what could happen if we couldn't find you?"
" I-I'm sorry."
I nodded rapidly. From the experience of an employee in the old world, in times like these, it was best to lie down and take all the blame on yourself.
" Haha, it's okay. Youth is always full of terrible decisions."
Sitting in the middle of the room was a strange blond man wearing a black fur jacket over his shoulder, on his left hand were 3 rings 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 black, his face was handsome and was extremely well taken care of, which was common in aristocracy. His eyes looked at me like a child finally found his missing toy.
" Is this the person you told me about, Haruki? Alex-kun right?"
" Right."
The man stood up, walked over to me, and held out his right hand.
" Nice to meet you Alex kun, I'm William Ginellon, the current commander in charge of the Northern revolutionary army."
When William said that, surprise was formed on the faces of the Night Owls' members.
" N-Nice to meet you. I'm Haruki's younger brother, Alex."
" Alex kun, I have heard many things about you, but when met you in person, it was unexpected that such horrible poison was created by a young cute girl."
"…"
I turned to Haruki and he was equally surprised. He promised to keep the fact that I made the poison a secret. I didn't want them to be mass-produced on either side.
" Oh, he hasn't told me about that. It's just strange that after so many times he let the enemy escape, not a single word of us got out. I had his targets tracked, but found them all dead from a terrifying toxin. Haruki was so young. Even though he was a genius, I doubt he could create things like that. But now that I look at you, I feel that suspicion from then was even more believable."
Haruki looked at me, his face changed from anger to guilty. I shook my head and patted him on the shoulder, in the first place I didn't think I could hide this forever.
" Are you going to make me join the insurgents?"
Contrary to my worries, William just smiled and shook his head.
" Alex kun, it's true that we had a lot of bad rumors so it's not strange that you think so but don't even compare us with the empire. After all, our goal is to change this corrupted country. But yes, I hope you will join the army."
" I decline."
" Can you tell me the reason?"
I can't trust the insurgents at least at this point, there are so many shady things about their activities lately.
" I am still a child, I may have some knowledge of toxins but other than that I am not confident in my judgment about good and evil."
" Oh, you think we're the bad guys?"
" I still don't know for sure, but aren't there a lot of bad rumors about the "White Cross" in the north as you said?"
The people around me raised their eyebrows at hearing that word but William only laughed. Before Shana and Ryuu were about to say anything, he raised his hand, signaled them to stop.
" Hahaha. It's ok. It was due to my incompetence as commander. I underestimated Alan Gurrag. I used to think someone with great pride like him would be an easier target. Unfortunately, his brainwashing with Onobu had become too serious. However, Alex kun, don't you trust the organization your brother joined?"
" I don't care about Haruki Nii's decision, after all, he joined the army and never said anything to me."
I looked over at Haruki, who looked at me with apologetic eyes. I puffed my cheeks and pretended to be angry. Although I never intended to prevent him from joining the rebel army, it would still be better if this guy gave me a word about it.
" Sorry William san, I still can't trust the revolutionary army." - I answer honestly.
William looked at me in silence for a moment, then continued.
" It's a pity, but I understand that. You're young, if it were me, I wouldn't want to join an organization I don't know well, but believe me, joining us is the best decision you could make ."
" This… can you explain more?"
William said nothing but "I believe when the time comes when you will understand what I am saying", he still pretended to be a mysterious figure, which annoyed me somewhat.
" And Alex kun, there's one more thing. I'm still wondering, what made you risk your life trying to get to Onobu?"
" I wasn't trying to risk my life. I was—"
Haruki's cold hand pressed against my neck. I sighed, I guess I owe him an explanation.
" There's someone I have to save at all cost."
創作者的想法 
AngryBamboo
AngryBamboo Lazy Author here. Finally I'm free this week but I'm still lazy. The next chapter would be release in at most 1-2 days. It gonna be a big one. I hope you enjoy this smol chapter first. The next week I'll try to write everyday.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票