TSSAH 24

Chapter 24

“……Excuse me?”

“The intuition to sense the unease that something is hidden in the dark place under the lamp, the sharp mind to piece together fragmented information, and above all, the nerve to speak more than one sentence properly in front of His Grace.”

It sounded like a compliment, but.

While I hesitated, unable to find a response, DuPont Clanshire continued.

“There’s still a long way to go in terms of refinement, but I’d say that’s more than enough to be called a raw gem.”

“Th-That’s too generous a compliment. But I truly am satisfied with my life in the Action Division!”

“You needn’t worry about that. You can continue to operate in the Action Division.”

“But you just said I’m now part of the real intelligence division—the Crows—”

“Ah, I see that point is confusing you.”

DuPont Clanshire patted my shoulders a couple of times, then returned to his seat.

Leaving me standing there.

“All Crows operate while maintaining a surface affiliation. Think of it as a kind of cover identity.”

“Cover identity……?”

It was a term I knew well.

After all, I’d lived for the past thirteen years as ‘Helena Morten, executive of Wickers.’

But to have to do that again, now that my revenge was over?

“I don’t know much about it, but it sounds incredibly dangerous and difficult! I think it would be more fitting for me to just keep guarding the outer wall outpost for the rest of my life……”

“But you’ve already learned about the Crows.”

“That’s true, but……”

“Now that you know of the Crows’ existence, you have only two choices. Become a Crow, or die.”

DuPont Clanshire crossed his legs at a leisurely pace, looking at me with that insufferably composed face.

“I believe His Grace the Duke would want you to grow into an excellent Crow.”

……I’m going to lose my mind.

—

***

—

Become a Crow, or die.

Having tossed that kind of choice at me, DuPont Clanshire wrapped things up right there.

He pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, said, “I should be able to get two hours of sleep,” and left.

His attitude made it clear he didn’t need to hear my answer—it was obvious anyway.

Infuriating, but he was right.

Ah, he did say one other thing.

—

“Let’s call it a day for now. Someone will explain the details to you soon.”

—

*Thump!*

I didn’t even have the energy to change clothes—I collapsed onto my bed the moment I returned to my quarters.

“Haaaah.”

The sun was still far from rising.

So much had happened in just a few hours.

The first thing that came to mind was Killian Knox’s handsome face.

And the overwhelming pressure of the man that had pinned me down.

Even after the Eclipse, the monster was still a monster.

*’More than Edward. Definitely.’*

The strongest person I’d known until now was Edward Wickers.

That assessment was based on a comprehensive consideration of various factors—his pure physical strength, his ability to wield that monstrous power, and his instinctive combat sense.

How fortunate it was that my target for revenge was not Edward, but his father, Benedict Wickers.

But even Edward Wickers didn’t seem like he could beat Killian Knox.

I’d spent my formative years alongside him, clashing swords with that bastard countless times.

On the other hand, I’d never properly fought Killian Knox.

But I could tell.

Edward cannot defeat Killian Knox.

Because a person and a monster are different.

*’And that Killian Knox holds my lifeline in his hands.’*

Let’s be glad I survived for now.

The harder the road, the more you have to toast every small victory.

*’Well done, Helena Morten. Well done……’*

I closed my eyes and comforted myself, then eventually pulled my pillow over and buried my face in it.

“Killian Knox, you f***ing! F*******! I’ll f*** you up and f***ing f***!”

I hurled every curse word I knew into the thick cotton pillow, kicking at the air and thrashing about.

I flailed for a good while, but my anger still wasn’t satisfied.

If this kept up, I’d suffocate and die before my resentment even settled.

“Pwah!”

I threw the pillow aside, and my dry blonde hair stuck up in all directions from the static electricity.

“You’re telling me to go through all that again?”

Just when I thought I could finally live a little more comfortably?

Do intelligence work again?

In Knox, of all places?

“Damn it.”

Killian Knox, I hope you step in dog poop with those expensive shoes of yours while walking.

I hope you get caught in a sudden downpour and roll around on a muddy, leaf-covered ground completely drenched.

No, that’s too mild.

I hope you choke and cough disgracefully in an important meeting, and get stung by a wasp while trying to show off in front of a woman you like.

I imagined all sorts of scenarios of Killian Knox suffering and tumbling about in my head, but my boiling insides didn’t cool down one bit.

In all those scenarios, Killian Knox’s annoyingly handsome face would still shine, and that bastard wouldn’t be flustered by unexpected situations—he’d just find it amusing.

And above all, no matter how much I cursed Killian Knox, the one who’d dragged me into this mire, the reality of becoming a Crow in Knox wouldn’t change.

“Argh!”

I scratched my head wildly and sat up with a jolt.

“Whatever, I’ll just do it.”

I can’t run away, and I don’t want to die.

So I have no choice but to accept this miserable reality.

To sort out my turbulent mind, I condensed my goals into three steps.

—

First, maintain a moderate level of usefulness as a Crow.

Second, seize an opportunity to get the dragon’s blood antidote from Killian Knox.

Last, run away.

This time, far, far away—where neither Edward Wickers nor Killian Knox can find me!

—

It’s not like I haven’t done it once before—can’t I do it twice?

Simplifying the situation made me feel a bit more at ease…… or not.

I really hate this.

“Phew.”

I scratched my head one more time and looked out the window.

The night sky was still pitch-black, but in a few hours, that damned round sun would rise again.

Before that, I should at least wash up and get some sleep…….

“The night sky?”

I definitely drew the curtains tightly before I left.

In an instant, every nerve in my body tensed and my mind snapped awake.

*’Someone has been in my room.’*

Moving silently and quickly, I pressed myself flat against the wall next to the window.

*Shling.*

I pulled out the dagger I always kept hidden in my shoe and used its tip to lift the slightly open curtain.

Even with my limited field of vision, I carefully checked my surroundings.

There was no one near the Action Division quarters.

The windowsill was clean.

No footprints left behind.

Instead, something else caught my eye.

“Locking the door is useless, is that it?”

The window’s lock was wide open.

The intruder hadn’t even bothered to erase their traces.

And when I turned my head, I saw an object placed on the table in the corner of my room.

So conspicuously placed that it was almost laughable I hadn’t noticed it until now—a heavy pouch.

At this point, I no longer felt the need to keep my guard up.

“Hah.”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

They hadn’t failed to erase their traces.

They’d deliberately left a sign that they’d been here.

*Thud.*

I stabbed the pouch with my dagger and sliced it open—and out spilled gleaming gold coins, clattering across the table.

An enormous sum—more than I could ever save in a lifetime on an Action Division salary.

There was only one reason such money would be in my quarters.

“A bonus.”

The bonus I’d been promised for blocking the Green Merchant Guild.

“Delivered like this.”

And they’d gone out of their way to enter my room and leave it here.

A tasteless touch befitting Killian Knox.

He wouldn’t have moved personally, but there were plenty of operatives around him who could act on a single word.

The meaning of this bonus pouch left on my table was clear.

*There is no place you can hide.*

“What an irritating bastard.”

*Clatter.*

I tossed the dagger I’d been holding onto the table next to the pouch and leaned against it.

I irritably brushed back my fallen bangs—when my eyes caught something foreign poking up among the scattered gold coins.

“……A note?”

Inside the unfolded slip of paper was a short, scrawled message.

—

[Tomorrow at 9 AM,

In front of the zelkova tree in the annex courtyard.]