Chapter 12: Ah Zhen Falls in Love with Ah Qiang
The blizzard ceased. Without further interference from the elements, Cerydra and the assassination group quickly departed the snowy plains and entered a major city of the Northern tribes.
However, the person heading to rendezvous with the Revolutionary Army was no longer the entire society, but Barbara alone.
"I shall leave the matter of assassinating the King to this old woman. I'm afraid I must trouble you girls to stay here for a while..."
To ensure Barbara acted according to her design, Cerydra kept the remaining three as hostages, temporarily stationed within this city. After all, among the four, only Barbara possessed the caliber for such a mission; the others lacked the necessary standing. For a task like assassinating a monarch, the trio would only serve as a liability. It was more efficient for Barbara to act solo, as she could escape quickly even if the attempt failed.
★ ★ ★
Night fell.
Inside the guest room where they stayed, Esdeath tossed and turned, unable to find sleep. It wasn't just tonight; this had been her routine lately. Whenever she closed her eyes, Cerydra's silhouette flickered in her mind, alongside that speech in the mountain cave.
The final line in particular set Esdeath's blood racing, to the point where she caught herself whispering the words.
"I came, I saw, I conquered..."
With that single sentence, Cerydra had etched a profound impression into Esdeath's heart—one she likely wouldn't forget for a lifetime.
'As expected of Lord Imperator... I will follow you forever.'
The peaceful silence didn't last long. Barely ten minutes after Esdeath finally closed her eyes, a figure quietly approached her bedside.
'So, she finally makes her move?'
To ensure the three hostages didn't flee, Cerydra used the assassins' own funds to rent three rooms. She, Hysilens, and Esdeath each guarded one member of the society.
Cerydra and Chelsea shared a room.
Hysilens and Taeko shared another.
And Esdeath... naturally, she was paired with Merraid.
The shadow standing beside the "sleeping" Esdeath could only be Merraid Oarburgh.
'Is she planning to kill me?'
'No, unlikely. Lord Imperator and Hysilens are right next door. Any commotion here couldn't possibly escape them. Merraid wouldn't dare strike.'
While Esdeath pondered the intent, the shadow looming over the bed finally acted. She lunged at Esdeath with incredible speed, making no effort to hide her movements. What was she trying to achieve?
As a seasoned master hunter, Esdeath could spring from the bed even from a lying position. She used the bedsheets to pin the assailant beneath her, completely neutralizing the other woman's movements.
"Speak. What are you planning?"
At point-blank range, Esdeath stared into Merraid's eyes with a frigid gaze. A faint killing intent permeated the air, like a lurking beast ready to unsheathe its claws at any second.
"What am I planning?"
Despite being pinned, Merraid showed no sign of tension. In fact, she didn't radiate a shred of hostility toward Esdeath.
Faced with such an unexpected situation, even Esdeath frowned. She truly couldn't fathom this person's thoughts.
"I'm planning to have a nice, deep 'conversation' with you, of course~"
From start to finish, Esdeath sensed zero malice. She couldn't predict the girl's actions through intent, but physical movements couldn't deceive her.
The sheets could lock down a body, but they couldn't fully restrict a master like Merraid. In Esdeath's estimation, this girl—roughly her own age—was her equal in raw capability. Had Lord Imperator and Hysilens not been next door, Esdeath wasn't certain she could take her down alone.
Of course, Esdeath was supremely confident in her strength, but her opponent wasn't a warrior; she was an "Assassin." One failed strike, followed by a retreat across a thousand miles—an assassin's escape skills were undoubtedly top-tier.
The restrictive sheets suddenly tore. Before Esdeath knew it, Merraid's hands appeared by her ears.
Approaching with a hidden presence followed by a certain kill was the hallmark of an assassin. As an Oarburgh, Merraid naturally excelled at concealing her breath.
Seeing her hands about to loop around Esdeath's neck, a victorious smile bloomed on Merraid's face. Only...
Esdeath's reaction speed was apparently faster than she anticipated.
The sudden turn of events caught Esdeath off guard, but the physical conditioning and instincts honed from years of fighting Danger Beasts were no less rigorous than an assassin's training. Her extraordinary reflexes gave her the opening she needed. Her free hands found their mark, catching Merraid's wrists and halting her intent.
It happened so fast that even Merraid was stunned. This girl, Esdeath, was truly...
Interesting!
What Merraid loved most in this world were girls! Especially powerful girls!
If you were to ask why she didn't try this with Cerydra or Hysilens, she would simply say she couldn't win. Please, even a lover of girls has to face reality. Seeking out Cerydra or Hysilens? Was she tired of living?
"So, Esdeath, I'll be taking your 'first time'!"
Though Esdeath held her wrists, this actually gave Merraid an opening. She tightened her grip and yanked both arms outward at maximum speed.
Even with Esdeath's power, her reflexes were useless against the laws of physics. Because of Newton, there is a rule in this world called "Universal Gravitation." Even if Esdeath could break free of Merraid's grip, her body would inevitably fall downward.
The distance between their noses was less than ten centimeters. Even if she wanted to block it, she couldn't...
Quick, say thank you to Newton!
A second later, a strange atmosphere filled the room. Esdeath's eyes widened in total disbelief, while Merraid "pressed forward" with a look of slight enjoyment.
Intense!
Too intense!
And in this awkward moment, it was as if a familiar song began to play in the background.
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time...
Footnote:
I've taken the liberty to alter some references in this chapter, so it'd make more sense to our western readers. However, in case you're curious:
Ah Zhen and Ah Qiang (阿珍与阿强): A reference to a popular song by the band Wutiaoren, often used by Chinese to make a joke about "low-brow" romantic spark.