The moment Cerydra's voice fell, the surrounding air turned frigid. It wasn't just the elder named Barbara; even the other three girls froze mid-motion.
Our old acquaintance, Chelsea, who had been blissfully enjoying her lollipop, stiffened in place. The scene became excruciatingly awkward.
"Hahaha! I am merely a common old woman, bringing three disciples to help my family deliver cargo. How could I possibly be an assassin?"
As the only elder in the four-person team, the power of decision naturally rested with Barbara. She wore a playful, feigned smile while spreading her hands to show she posed no threat.
But this was merely a surface gesture. In the shadows, Barbara prepared herself completely, ready to take down the three individuals before her with maximum speed. Although she judged two of the three to be powerful, was she not a powerhouse herself?
Most strong individuals are conceited. She could exploit their underestimation to kill them directly. Of course, unless absolutely necessary, Barbara preferred not to act. As an assassination clan, they needed income.
'If I kill them and there's no money in it, haven't I wasted my effort?'
However, Cerydra chose to persist, ignoring Barbara's silent warning. Instead, she spoke the name aloud.
"The Oarburgh Assassination Clan... correct?"
If the previous remark about assassins was a probe, Barbara might have remained uncertain if they were friend or foe. But once the four syllables of Oarburgh were uttered, it was an explicit declaration.
Cerydra knew their identities. Furthermore, she had likely been waiting here for quite some time.
It was a trap!
"Run!"
Barbara did not hesitate to stay behind as a rearguard, signaling the three behind her to escape immediately. In her view, since the opponent knew they were coming, they must have prepared countermeasures!
Any rational person knows that, barring necessity, one should never fight on the enemy's home turf. Otherwise, the end is miserable. To put it another way: never accept a duel with Batman when he has prep time.
Actually, it wasn't just Batman; it was best to avoid scheduled fights with anyone, as they would be fully prepared to counter you. Barbara believed they had to leave this cave instantly. Having undergone assassin training, her body could resist over 600 types of poison—she was the perfect rearguard.
"Teacher, be careful!"
The black-haired girl behind her called out a warning before leading Chelsea and the other girl away at top speed. A blizzard raged outside; if they couldn't be found in a short time, there wouldn't be a second chance for the pursuers.
Blocking the entrance, Barbara drew her daggers, preventing Cerydra and Hysilens from giving chase.
"Don't let my status as an assassin fool you; my combat methods aren't sloppy in the slightest!"
Facing a high-strung Barbara ready to unleash her full power, Cerydra simply snapped her fingers.
"Dux Gladiorium..."
What followed, entering Barbara's vision, was a sword light the likes of which she had never seen in her life.
★ ★ ★
Three minutes later.
Not just Barbara, but all three girls—including Chelsea—were tied up like cocoons with rope, tossed carelessly onto the cave floor.
Cerydra hadn't possessed any rope initially, but Hysilens happened to find plenty in Barbara's own luggage. It was quite convenient.
'It's over! Everything is over!'
Panic was written all over Chelsea's face, a sentiment shared by the girl next to her. Among the four, the only ones capable of remaining calm were the elder Barbara and the girl who appeared to be roughly Esdeath's age.
"Teacher, it seems we've truly met with calamity this time."
The girl's face showed no trace of panic; instead, she chatted with the now-conscious Barbara.
"A pity, Merraid. I won't get to see you grow up."
The casual exchange between Merraid and Barbara triggered Chelsea's intense dissatisfaction.
"Hey, hey, hey! What time do you think it is? How are you still talking like that? We're about to be killed!"
One had to admit, a nervous Chelsea was quite amusing to watch, but the joke ended there.
"When did I ever say I was going to kill you?"
Cerydra's voice drifted over, instantly drawing the attention of the four captives.
"Eh? You're not killing us?"
"Isn't that obvious? Since we were tied up, these three haven't emitted even a shred of killing intent... Chelsea, your perception of bloodlust is still lacking."
Barbara sighed. "Furthermore, if they wanted us dead, they could have just done it. There's no need to go through the extra trouble of binding us, is there?"
Looking at the dazed Chelsea, Barbara felt helpless. Her new apprentice certainly had talent—she had been acknowledged by a Teigu and learned assassination techniques quickly. But things like intuition cannot be mastered instantly; Chelsea lacked experience.
"Since the three of you have no intention of killing us, I assume there is something you need our help with?"
"Tell me, who do you want us to kill so that you'll let us go?"
With Merraid not yet fully grown, Barbara was the leader of the Oarburgh guild and its most powerful assassin. Yet even she hadn't lasted a single round against Hysilens. The opponent's ability as a warrior was undoubtedly top-tier, but she clearly possessed no assassination skills.
Barbara realized this, leading her to conclude that they needed their identities as professional killers. She looked directly at Cerydra while speaking; it was clear that despite her height, Cerydra was the one in charge.
"Very good. Dealing with smart people is convenient; it saves so much time."
"I need you to kill someone for me..."
Cerydra brandished her scepter, walking toward Barbara step by step. Everyone watched tensely. No one knew what kind of demand this ornately dressed girl would make. Since these three weren't known among the continent's powerhouses, Cerydra's request shouldn't be too outrageous, right?
Then, Cerydra's face broke into a smile. It was a warm smile, but her words were bone-chilling.
"Help me assassinate the King of the Northern Kingdom!"