Chapter LIX - Assassin (part 4)

Somehow, I woke up late.

It could be because of the Anaemia from last night. It made me rest a little longer, and I ended with waking up late.

After some minor preparation, I headed straight to the Office. While I was at the inn, I saw the lady that came here last night with that guy. From her expression, it seems like she looked quite pissed.

Oh well. Maybe that will teach her.

The morning breeze shoved my sleepiness away the moment I stepped outside. The sun was already in sight. And since I woke up late, I have no idea what time it is. But judging from the sun's position, it's somewhere around 9 am… I think.

The office is actually very crowded. This is the beginning of the weekday, after all.

Klane and Keila are handling both of the desks right now. In front of them are a long line of adventurers. I guess Mondays are very different from other days.

I headed straight to the desk, so I could talk to Klane.

Klane looked surprised when she saw me. She quickly pointed to the back, at the back arena, so I headed there.

When I arrived, I could see three people in the back arena. They are Hod, Valon, and Jonus.

What's Jonus doing here?

I walked into the area staring at what's in the middle.

It's a big chunk of ice. Inside is the corpse of the assassin from last night. He looked quite scary now that he is frozen inside a block of ice.

"Good morning, Rize. How are you?"

Valon asked me. He looked quite tired, but I guess anyone would be when they are investigating something.

"I feel fine… Overslept, and a slight Anaemia. But fine."

"What's Anaemia?"

Jonus asked. Of course no one here knows about the names of the sicknesses. Everyone else also looked curious, so I answered.

"It's... a medical condition where someone is lacking blood."

"Oh... There's a name for that."

Not in this world, at least. Don't feel bad for not knowing.

I walked forward and kneeled right next to the ice. I studied the body while chatting.

"You guys froze him?"

"So that he won't rot. You should have smelled him before I froze him."

Hod answered. Of course he was the one who froze this guy. I stood up and took out the paper and the ring that belongs to the dead guy.

"This is his space ring and a mission scroll that was inside of his ring. Apparently you and I are his target."

Valon took the paper with a surprised expression.

"Well... We were wondering how he didn't have any space ring."

I coughed awkwardly as he read the mission scroll carefully and looked up. Valon exhaled with a saddened expression.

"They even targeted where I live."

The manor we had a meeting on was his house. Even though it was guarded, the fact that this assassin took the mission means that the assassin is able to get through his house's defences.

I'm actually worried about his family. Had the assassin gone for Valon first, he probably would have succeeded and killed some or maybe all of his family members.

My body shivers at that probability. It was actually great that I actually healed myself and beat this guy.

Otherwise, Valon's family would be in danger.

"Sorry, Valon. I wasn't quick enough."

Jonus suddenly spoke out. Everyone else doesn't seem surprised by his sentence. But then he turned to me with an apologetic expression.

"Rize-"

"What is this?"

Why is he apologizing?

My mind quickly made up reasons as to why he was apologizing. But I know that one possible reason in my thought is actually the real reason.

"I had a mission for coming here. If not, I wouldn't be here."

He took out a mission scroll from his space ring and gave it to me. I took the paper from his hand and read it. My guess was correct.

It was a White ranked secret mission, to investigate the assassins in the kingdom. And if possible, annihilate them all.

And apparently, he didn't do the mission pretty well.

I gave the paper back to him. My face says it all.

"You are lucky the assassin went after me first."

Jonus shrugged the back of his head as I turned my gaze back to Valon.

"What can you tell me about this guy?"

If Jonus had a mission regarding him, then this guy must be pretty famous. And the Office master is supposed to be the know everything kind of guy.

"His name is Evan Klaus. He was known to be a highest ranking assassin. Not just in Mazino, but he is also famous in the other kingdoms."

The master started explaining.

"He was known for his achievements and kill count. So far, he had murdered seven hundred and thirty seven people. One of them, including a crown prince of the southern kingdom, Veldonia.

At the time, the Prince of Veldonia was about to be crowned. But a few days before the coronation, he was assassinated. This guy took all the credit.

In the underground assassins group called the Assassin Federation, he was known to be the highest ranking assassin. No one knows much about him, besides his achievements and fame. And now, he is dead."

Valon continued as he turned his gaze and stared down the frozen corpse next to his feet.

The stiff face of Evan, the assassin, still creeps me out. The way he smiled as he stabbed me with his venomous dagger, it burns itself on my memory.

I almost died, again.

Valon took out the dagger, as if reading my mind.

"It was coated with blue viper's venom, one of the deadliest venoms in the world. It can kill a single grown man in just a few breaths. How you survived from it, is a mystery to me."

He throws the dagger to me. I caught it carefully without having to touch the venom part.

I looked at it for a few minutes, then returned the dagger back to him.

"So what now?"

"Now..."

Valon kneeled down and stared at the corpse a little closer.

"We go to war."