"Tsk. I really wanted to go on a trip with you, especially since this one has a mystery theme. Guess I'm stuck with Sota again." Alas let out a regretful sigh, shaking his head as he shot Sota a look of pure disgust.
"Stop acting like I'm dying to be with you. I'm already sick of seeing your face every time we cross paths at the company." Sota shot back, returning the look with equal disdain.
Kenzii watched them, his expression unreadable. "Alas, why haven't you left the company yet? I thought you were resigning because it conflicted with your duties at the CIDG?"
Alas scratched his head awkwardly. "Don Hidalgo won't let me. He insists I stay involved with the company, though I only show up when I'm absolutely needed. I do get it since he wants a puppet grandson to report about my work in the CIDG or if there is something off, as if I wouldn't protect the family in my own will. If only I can leave this clan behind but I guess I can't leave the rest to our little prince Sota." Alas smirk. "I don't really care about the Monteriel Group, I don't give a fuck. Besides, everyone knows Sota is the next head."
"We don't actually need you, you just keep insisting." Sota rolled his eyes. "And where exactly did you get that of me being the next head, huh?" Sota sneered.
"It's obvious, isn't it? Our grandfather will choose an heir based on the lineage of the eldest. Your father is the eldest among the uncles, but the Dons don't see any potential in him because of his gambling. It's not like my father could take it—he's dead, and honestly, he deserved it. And it certainly won't be Kenzii's father; he ran away a long time ago."
Alas spoke with a bluntness that made Kenzii look away, his gaze falling to the tarmac. The mention of his uncle and father was a phantom pain he didn't care to revisit.
"I need to go. It's a long journey." Kenzii cleared his throat, breaking the tension as he began walking toward Sota's private jet.
The moment Kenzii's back was turned, Sota elbowed Alas hard in the ribs and glared at him. "Idiot," he hissed under his breath.
They followed Kenzii to the boarding stairs, where Sota handed over a thick manila envelope.
"Here's the intel Alas and I gathered on your target."
Kenzii tucked the envelope under his arm, his fingers tightening around the paper.
"Anastaliya Petrovna Novikova," Sota began, his voice dropping into a professional chill. "CEO of a major construction firm. She's ruthless—she fires people the moment they stop being useful. More importantly, she's known to eliminate anyone in her way, even her own family."
Kenzii nodded silently as Alas took over the briefing. "For transportation, once you land in Heihe, take the bus to Blagoveshchensk, Russia. From there, you'll travel overland to Moscow where the target is located. It'll take you a full day from the moment you leave here."
"Keep a low profile. You have one week for this mission, so rest first when you arrive. We've given you everything we know about her whereabouts in that envelope so just read it. The rest is up to you. Just… make sure you come back alive, like you always do." Sota patted Kenzii's shoulder, followed by Alas.
"Yeah. I will."
"Make sure your location is always on. Keep that new watch—since you ruined your old one, Sota installed a tracker as usual so we know exactly where you are. We'll keep you updated when we leave for the Czech Republic tomorrow. We'll make sure our trip there is productive and safe, so don't worry about us." Alas gave a playful smirk the moment a flicker of worry crossed Kenzii's face.
Kenzii just scoffed. "I'm not worried." He turned his back on them, but as he turned his back on his two cousins, only then did a small smile play across his lips.
He heard the two of them snickering behind him, but he ignored them and continued his walk toward the private jet. He waved over his shoulder one last time before disappearing into the cabin.
.
The journey was a grueling 25-hour blur of changing climates and shifting time zones. After landing in the border city of Heihe and crossing into the frozen expanse of Russia via Blagoveshchensk, the final leg to Moscow felt like a descent into a grey, concrete abyss.
By the time Kenzii reached his hotel room—a nondescript, mid-range establishment in the Arbat District—his bones ached with fatigue. He didn't sleep immediately. Instead, he locked the door, drew the heavy curtains, and dumped the contents of Sota's envelope onto the bed.
Target Profile:
Name: Anastaliya Petronva Novikova.
Age: 31 Years Old.
Occupation: CEO.
Ethnicity: Russian.
Transgressions: Fraud, Embezzlement, Money Laundering, Murder, Serial Rape.
Other Information: The individual's record includes the sexual assault of over 30 men and women and the homicide of more than 40 people, alongside extensive involvement in systemic fraud, grand embezzlement, and complex money laundering operations.
"A tragic waste," Kenzii whispered, tracing the sharp lines of her face in the photo that came with the document. She had everything—a major construction firm, beauty, and power—but her hunger for more had turned her into a monster. To Kenzii, she wasn't a person anymore. She was a "Heart to be Harvested"—a cold transaction toward the 1068 Lives he owed the Devil.
The tracker on his watch pulsed with a faint green light, a silent tether back to his cousins. He had remaining six days to find an opening, take her heart, and disappear.
Houska Castle
While Kenzii prepared for a bloody mission in Russia, Sota and Alas began their own journey toward the heart of Europe. Unlike Kenzii's private transport, they opted for commercial flights to maintain a different kind of shadow, enduring 28 hours of layovers and security checks before finally landing in Prague.
Upon landing, they checked into a hotel near the airport for the night. At lunch, they set off for Houska Castle.
"I still don't like this place," Alas muttered as their rental car wound through the thick, suffocating forests of North Bohemia. "Why build a castle in a place with no water, no trade routes, and no strategic value?"
"Because it wasn't built for people to stay and live here." Sota replied, looking out at the fortress that had no external fortifications. "It was built to keep something in."
Legend claimed the castle was constructed over a bottomless pit—a "Gate to Hell" from which demonic creatures crawled. The chapel of the castle was positioned directly over the hole to seal it shut.
As they stepped onto the flat grounds, the air grew unnaturally still. They weren't here for a target, but for information regarding their family's original pact. Even though they had accepted the reality of Kenzii paying the debt, they were still holding out hope for answers in that place—especially regarding the independent movements of his left hand. They couldn't stomach the fact that he was already a killer; it was even harder to accept that a demon was now hijacking his body against his will. They needed answers, and more importantly, they needed a solution.
"Check your gear," Sota commanded, his hand resting on the tracker that linked him to Kenzii, thousands of miles away. "If the legends are true, we aren't the only ones looking for a way to open the gate."
"Hey, what are you young men doing in a place like this?" A voice suddenly boomed from behind them. It was deep and resonant, he sounded not good at English, sending a visible shiver through Sota and Alas.
So devils are not multilingual? Alas thought.
"Well, boys?" the man pressed. Even Alas, who was typically unshakable due to his physical training and high-stakes experience with the CIDG, felt his heart hammer against his ribs. His hand instinctively twitched toward where he'd usually carry his service firearm but of course there's none. He was used to staring down hardened criminals, but here, in the shadow of a castle built to "keep something in," he felt like he was dealing with the devil rather than a person.
Both men nearly jumped out of their skins when a pair of heavy hands dropped onto their shoulders. "Ahhhhh!" they yelped in unison, spinning around to face a man whose eyes were wide with surprise at their extreme reaction.
"What is wrong with you two?!" grumbled the man, who appeared to be in his early 40s. "I've been calling out to you for a while now, but you wouldn't even turn your heads." He furrowed his brow, looking them over with suspicion.
"Ah…" Sota let out a nervous, breathless laugh, awkwardly patting Alas on the shoulder to steady them both. "We thought you were… well, a demon. Since, you know, there's usually no one out here, right? Ha ha," he added, his voice trailing off into a forced chuckle.
"I'm the caretaker of this estate, especially when it's not tourist season," the man explained, his gaze traveling up and down the two cousins. "So, what brings you here at this hour, boys? It's not a visiting day. Don't tell me you were planning to sneak inside?" His eyes sharpened, clearly doubting their intentions.
"O-oh, definitely not! Haha," Alas forced another laugh, trying to play off his nerves. "Actually, we missed the official booking window for the guided heritage tours. We tried to secure a slot through the regional tourism portal, but the transport shuttles and pre-booked passes were all sold out, so we just decided to drive up here ourselves." Sota nodded rapidly in agreement.
"Is that so? Well, that's probably right," the caretaker replied, his expression softening slightly. "The next public opening isn't until next month."
"Oh, is that so?" Sota asked, trying to sound disappointed.
"Yes, so you'd best just head back and return next month."
"But we've come such a long way," Alas added, spinning a desperate lie on the spot. "We're just really fascinated by the supernatural history of this place. We've always been drawn to these kinds of mysteries."
"Ah, so you're demonologists? Or just paranormal enthusiasts?" the man asked, recognizing the type.
"Exactly! Yes, yes," Alas chirped, nodding vigorously while pretending to be deeply saddened by the missed opportunity. "We actually document our findings in our personal journals. It's just sad that we will wait that long for a story like this."
"Well then," the man sighed, gesturing for them to follow him. "Come with me. I'll share some stories with you. Let's head to our village; before it starts to get dark, and it's not safe to stay around here after sunset. You know how it is."
The man began walking away, and the two cousins exchanged a quick, relieved look before following him with eager smiles, their mission to uncover the truth about the family pact still burning in their minds.