Target

By trees waiting silently watching, Kali is wearing black outfit underneath the black cape hoodie she always wears during her hidden activities. She is also wearing her cheap looking white mask.

"Master." Ana appeared on the thick branch beside where Kali is standing.

'This is outright creepy.' Kali thought as she faced the masked Ana. Her footsteps are quiet and also her presence was masked. Kali almost reflexibly jumped away after a split second of feeling another's presence.

"The guards will change shifts in 2 minutes."

"I see. Let's go."

Kali looked from afar and saw the huge gate with Peonies insignia engraved on it. There are total of four guards stationed to guard in front gate alone

"If only we could jump through the fence." Kali muttered. The fence is as huge as the gate but it was attended by the guards.

"If the master wishes to announce our presence, we can do that." Ana replied.

Kali ignored Ana and looked at the fence. The reason why they cannot cross over that fence is because it was covered by an invisible barrier as an effect from a mana item. It will alert the residence if some intruder will pass through it.

'Duke is a different class of noble. One class is lower than loyalty and followed by a Marquis, but the difference between them is huge.' Kali thought as she kept staring at the Duke's wide and strong gate.

"Master. It's time."

"Okay. What should I do?" Kali stares at Ana.

Ana is uncomfortable and awkward to answer. She is used at Kali giving instructions without consulting.

"Do I have to hop on your back?"

"I will carry master in my arms." Ana politely answered.

Kali silently looks at Ana's arms,though it was covered in black cloth, she knows Ana's body is the same around hers.

' . . . she had no problem handling tough looking men back in the casino, I guess she can carry me.' Kali thought as she moved closer to Ana.

"Okay."

"Excuse me then master." Ana sweeps in Kali easily like she is picking some groceries then Ana steps down the branch of the tree. Both of them fall straight down.

Everything went so fast like Kali only spent 2 seconds in total darkness and the next thing she knew the both of them were already inside the residence hiding behind in the tall bushes not far from the gate.

'What just happened?' Kali was bewildered. She looked towards the gate and saw the knights had changed shifts.

They successfully infiltrate the Duke Residence.

Kali cleared her throat and Ana let her down.

"That was. . . nice. . ability " Kali looked at Ana like she was looking for the right term she was feeling.

Awkward silence.

"Thank you Master."

"Ah. yeah. Let's go."

Kali and Ana stealthily run their way into the main residence mansion. The front garden was vast and enormous than the mansion of the Alexanders in the capital.

"South wing Main Residence." Kali mentioned before she and Ana separated and began their search.

Kali frowned after 20minutes of looking from window to window from outside. There are numerous windows and rooms to check plus searching while hanging and suspended in the air is difficult enough.

"Master." Ana appeared beside her, she too is hanging and holding on the railings.

"I've checked all the floors from this side, but I didn't see the eldest young master." Ana reported

"Ah. Damn." Kali cursed in irritation. Not only that they failed to locate their target but Kali felt a little inferior to Ana's skill. Ana manages to check all floors in under 20 minutes while she is still in the middle of checking the 3rd floor rooms.

"Go check the other wings."

"Yes Master." Ana let go of her hold and disappeared while falling down.

Kali jumped up to the fourth floor. It's a room with a terrace. She walks towards the terrace door and looks inside. There is nothing again. It was a luxurious room from its walls down to its carpets but it was empty. The bed is well kept and unoccupied.

Kali is about to leave when she hears a groan.

"Ughh" it was a small but painful groan. She stopped to listen again.

"Ughhh"

'There is no mistake, someone is here.' She immediately turned her head back at the terrace door and opened her eyes wide.

The room is still the same. No movements from the inside but she can hear the faint groans are louder now.

She holds the door handle and an itching feeling travels in her palms.

"Huh?" Kali wondered and looked at her palm. She had the urge to remove her gloves and scratch the itching palm.

"Ughh. ughh." The groan continued and again Kali reached for the knob and opened the door with ease.

After Kali opened the door, the room is still the same but there are things that are inside that she didn't see from the outside.

Like the sweating man lying down in the bed, who seems to be in pain and groaning like he is having a nightmare. A very bad one.

His room was dark but thanks to some lights near the bed, Kali can see some of his features when she approaches. The young man is wearing a painted expression but nevertheless his features are the same as the profile she saw from the information .

"Ren Iason Cartisson."

Kali swipes her fingers up in the air and summons the inventory. Her hands reached inside the inventory and went for a small tube of transparent liquid inside.

Kali touched Ren's lower lip and slightly pressed it down open. She pops off the lid on the bottle she is holding and pours it down to Ren's mouth.

*Cough* Cough*

"Argh." Kali groaned as Ren choked on the liquid she just poured in.

'He can't even swallow this.' Kali looks at the dripping wet surface around Ren's mouth.

She took a seat on Ren's side while thinking.

"Should I try that?" Kali remembers reading a similar situation in a book.

The female protagonist was unconscious and couldn't swallow the pills she had to take, so the male protagonist put the pill inside his mouth and drank water. He pulls the girl into his embrace and tilts her mouth. He then transfers the pill and water through his mouth.

"Push the pill using the tongue?" Kali was seriously contemplating.

After a few seconds she made her decision, She took a closer view of the pale face of the man lying beneath her.

"You will understand, I have to do this, right?"

Kali reaches for another similar tube and pops off the lid again then pinches Ren's nose while she pour in the liquid into his mouth and she disregards the tube before forcefully closing his mouth. He choked and spilled some water that traveled in Kali's hand but she still didn't let go. Ren starts convulsing due to lack of air.

Eventually, Ren painfully swallowed all the liquid in his mouth.

Kali's eyes twitch seeing her gloves. It was a combination of Ren's saliva and the liquid.

"Egh." She removed the glove and placed it on the side table while she watched Ren's pale color slowly easing up and the groaning stopped.

'Success.'

****

Duke Ricardo is briskly walking in the wide corridor followed by a butler and several knights. His face is crumpled angrily.

*Bang

The Duke opened the door loudly and his eyes opened wide.

A man wearing a loose white shirt is standing by the terrace window and his light pink hair shone under the morning light.

"Son!" The grim expression of the Duke slowly softens.

"Father." The young man speaks up as the Duke reaches for his arms and checks his condition.

"What happened? How are you feeling?"

". . ."

The butler and the knights are shocked at the condition of the young master. Just yesterday, he is bedridden and in constant pain but now, he is standing on his own with ease.

"What happened? Are you aching somewhere?"

The Duke stopped inspecting his son's body and he started to frown more after seeing his still pale face. He immediately turned to face the knights behind him.

"Go Grab the doctor now!"

"It's alright." Ren said in a calm voice.

"What do you mean by fine? You are still white as a sheet."

"Father, I am fine. . . for now." Ren's voice was already low and he said "for now" almost in whisper.

"What do you ---" The duke faced Ren and Ren bit his lips while shaking his head a little. Anger dissipated slowly from the duke and immediately dismissed everyone from the room.

"Ren, tell me what happened and don't miss a single thing."

Ren told his father he woke up before dawn feeling light and refreshed like just had a long nice sleep, found two empty bottles by his bed, and a note was placed together with the glove at his study table.

Ren gave the note to his father and they both sat in silence for a while.

"I have what you need. -Anwir"

The duke crumpled the note and looked at his son. He was leaning by the window basking in sunlight.

"I'll go find what the intruder needs from me." Contrary to the soft and frail look of Ren, the glint in his olive color eyes show no softness.