Chapter 36

In the deep night of Silventrium, the capital of the Silver Empire, half of the people were asleep. Winter had come, marking the end of the year, so one would expect only silence during such a late hour. However, it was also the perfect time for those who didn’t blend into the daytime hustle to come out.

Among them were those who could not make ends meet through honest means and waited for the night to fall. There were also those whose existence had been hidden until now, revealed only in the absence of human activity. Some might even have been non-human entities.

Squeak! Squeak!

During the day, street rats couldn’t freely roam due to the bustling crowds. They had to scavenge the streets and alleys for food. This industriousness, while seemingly inevitable, brought them an unexpected misfortune.

“Damn rat! Where did you have to go!”

Squish! Squish!

There were cruel individuals who would crush the rats underfoot without mercy, even though these tiny creatures could evade danger with nimble movements.

The street rat couldn’t even think of escaping as its body was crushed under the man’s foot. It could only watch helplessly as it turned into a bloody mess.

Crunch! Squish!

Seeing this, the other rats fled into the sewers immediately. They had seen their companion suffer the same fate, making survival their top priority, even more than finding food.

As the rats disappeared in chaos, the figure who turned one of them into a bloody mess spat out the bile from his mouth, then wiped his dirty shoe on the ground before walking away.

Despite the shadow concealing him, his large, robust form unmistakably portrayed a ruthless outlaw, far from the noble efforts of the Imperial Security Forces who worked day and night to protect the empire’s nights.

However.

“Hmm…”

With a faint, somewhat contemptuous smile, the man continued his relentless march, leaving no trace of his presence despite his rough movements.

How was this possible? If anyone had witnessed this scene from afar, they would have been astonished by such an incredible feat.

“Damn old fools. If they hadn’t declared me the loser before the fight was over, I could have taken both the mad woman with golden eyes and that scrawny man’s head with this sword.”

Khalid, the man who performed this incredible act, showed no pride but rather frustration about having to travel such a long distance on heavy feet.

Mission failure. That was why Khalid, known for his brutal behavior, had been sent on this task he despised—theft.

Just days ago, he had been given a mission to assassinate the successor of the most influential house in the northern Central Continent.

The target was no easy mark. Despite being hailed as a hero who extinguished the flames of war and restored peace to the continent, he had been weakened by constant attacks from demons.

Even though Khalid believed he could easily accomplish the assassination, unforeseen interference led to the mission’s failure. This shook Khalid’s reputation, which he had maintained through numerous successful missions.

This theft mission was just another consequence of his tarnished reputation. He had to undertake this task to regain lost trust.

Given the typical consequences for a failed assassin in the League based in the Western Continent, being reassigned to another mission was almost miraculous.

“Damn, if only they hadn’t prematurely called me the loser, I could have harvested both the madwoman’s and the scrawny man’s heads with this sword.”

Khalid’s words showed no remorse for his failure, only blame.

If the League officials had seen this, they would have surely sighed in disappointment. But still, as an assassin, he felt obliged to carry out his assigned duties faithfully.

Even as his awe-inspiring, silent movements spread unease across the entire Blood Haven, his brutish demeanor contrasted sharply with his invisible presence.

As he approached the place where he was supposed to commit the theft, the disturbances gradually ceased, and upon reaching his destination, his movements halted completely, leaving no trace of his presence.

It was as if he had melted into the night.

—

The night had deepened, signaling the right time to move.

“Let’s go.”

Following Asulin’s enthusiastic voice, we quickly left the manor, managing to slip past the greetings of the servants managing the Caladborg Duke’s estate.

We aimed to escape any potential surveillance. It wasn’t surprising, given that some reporters were already keeping an eye on Asulin’s unofficial visit to the capital. We needed to be cautious.

The reporters might have blinked when the manor gates opened, but we moved so swiftly that they barely noticed.

Whatever happens, I am here to do my job.

“How fitting.”

As we successfully exited the manor, Asulin’s proud voice broke my thoughts.

She commented on my masked appearance, which I wore at her insistence. She too had put on a mask to conceal her altered appearance, thanks to a brooch that caused cognitive dissonance.

The masks, reminiscent of butterfly wings, obscured our faces, blurring our features.

Not only did the masks obscure our appearances, but the brooch also changed the color of our eyes, making us unrecognizable.

My brown eyes now appeared gold, and surprisingly, they suited me well.

“Your green eyes looked great, but now your brown ones suit you too,” I said.

“They do?”

“Still, I think golden eyes would shine like stars even in the darkest night.”

Our disguises were effective, making me feel relieved that our identities remained hidden.

As if reading my thoughts, Asulin confidently offered, “Now that there’s no worry, I’ll guide us through the backstreets. It’s a twenty-minute walk from Dignity Zone, so let’s hurry.”

Her voice was unusually cheerful, perhaps because she felt grateful for helping me.

“Thanks for escorting me.”

“Of course, leave it to me.”

Seeing her happy, I couldn’t help but feel the same.

—

Every step changed the scenery around us.

Leaving behind the luxurious mansions of Dignity Zone, we passed through the deserted streets where only the sleeping residents remained. Then, entering Blood Haven, which felt eerie enough to make one wonder if it was really Silventrium.

“Why call it the Place of Blood Rest? It reeks of blood, like a battlefield.”

Without waiting for Asulin’s sarcastic comment, I realized I had returned to my true home.

My keen senses told me exactly where I stood.

While not a battlefield, the smell of blood filled my nostrils. The stench of decay and waste from the poorly maintained roads, untouched by the empire’s administration, added to the discomfort.

Most importantly…

“Damn, what’s wrong with you? You can’t pay me? Why is my money yours? If you took someone else’s money, you should return it, right? What do you mean, ‘That’s all I have’? Fine, then we die together today.”

“If you think I’d cower because you look tough? No, today you’ve met your match.”

The two men brawling in the middle of the night spoke loudly enough to forget they were in the middle of a confrontation.

My senses confirmed that I stood in Blood Haven.

It had been so long since I last walked these streets. In the past, I used to observe the city from below, feeling despondent about not having anything.

But now, equipped with a few tools, I wandered the night streets, feeling a sense of freedom I hadn’t experienced in years.

Four years, maybe? Before being dragged south of the Zakarat Mountains by my father, the nights were my own time and domain.

Back then, I used to sympathize with the street rats who couldn’t venture onto the streets during the day, and I helped the thugs who lived in the alleys by redistributing what they stole.

“Though it’s been a long time since I set foot here, there’s a vibrant energy to this place.”

Laughing playfully, Asulin added, “Sure, compared to a battlefield, this is still a place where people live.”

I smiled bitterly in agreement.

Ironically, even after spending so much time elsewhere, returning to this place felt strangely comforting. While the battlefield was a chaotic mess of steel and blood, the mere presence of life made Blood Haven seem more peaceful.

Hmm, judging by the lively chatter even at this late hour, it seems we’ve truly entered Blood Haven.

—

But there was something odd.

Asulin had been here before.

Did I misunderstand?

“Asulin?”

“Yes?”

“It feels like you visit here often.”

“…Did I say that?”

“I meant, it’s been a while since I’ve been here.”

“…I’ll tell you everything after we finish our investigation.”

“Looking forward to it.”

…I hadn’t misunderstood.

Could it be that the harsh words Asulin sometimes used, which seemed so out of place for her beautiful appearance, originated from this place?

No, it couldn’t be.

Even if she had used a charm to alter her perception, her natural beauty wouldn’t allow her to wander these dark alleys unprotected.

I was sure I would have noticed her if she had.

Regardless, Asulin’s voice, now steady, announced our arrival.

“There it is, Shaten.”

The entrance to Shaten, with its red lights evoking the warmth of the end of the year, attracted visitors with its grandeur and lavish lighting.

Entering Shaten felt like stepping into a temple of sin, a place where twisted desires and egos were realized.

This was the first step towards reclaiming the Paleord.

“Let’s go in.”

“Alright.”

I stepped inside, ready to face the sins I once only observed from afar.

But I entered with a clear mind, unshaken by the chaos around me.