The Knight of Clingy Young Ladies

105.

There were quite a number of the assassin’s companions hiding in the alley.

Had they all attacked at once, things could have become rather troublesome.

Of course, the only one who managed to dodge Kalen’s ice spears while using the invisibility magic earlier was the assassin. Even if they all came at him now, there was no way Kalen would lose.

After all, he had experience fighting against multiple opponents in the North.

Most of them couldn’t use magic. Even the strongest among them was only a first-tier magician, so defeating Kalen was an impossible task from the start.

This was a given fact for Kalen, but in reality, things weren’t quite so simple.

In times of peace, few people use magic for combat purposes. The noble-born with magical talents tend to appreciate it as an art form.

Therefore, in Kalen’s view, although Nadil was merely a first-tier magician, Nadil, who had trained first-tier magic for lethal combat, could be considered a fairly high-level expert.

Moreover, Kalen was an exceptional case, unlike anyone else.

His unique constitution and spirit were so special that he casually regarded a first-tier magician as “just that.”

“Huuuuh… Ugh…”

“…Besmi. Don’t cry.”

Anyway, Kalen had brought back everyone who had been pierced by ice spears and collapsed in the alley. Though there were quite a few, since Kalen had a rough idea of their locations, it didn’t take long.

When the assassins were gathered in one place, things began to become clear.

In particular, Besmi, who was called by that name, appeared younger than Kalen himself. Another girl was consoling her.

Most of these people were young. Had they not been assassins, they would have been preparing to debut in high society at the right age.

Moreover, these individuals were much like the previous assassin—far too gentle to have been mistaken as captives.

Especially that girl, Besmi, was on the verge of bursting into tears.

Were they not assassins?

But then again, their posture was certainly that of trained assassins, dangerous enough to kill someone.

After pondering for a moment, Kalen approached the sobbing girl. Upon seeing this, the other teenagers, who appeared to be older, quickly shielded Besmi while their hands were still bound behind their backs.

“I just have one question.”

“…We have nothing to tell a monster like you.”

“Monster?”

“…Yeah. You’re the monster I’m talking about.”

Confused by the remark, Kalen tilted his head and asked,

“Why am I a monster?”

“How should I know? You’re about our age but incredibly strong. Casting magic from places we can’t even see…!”

The glare directed at Kalen wasn’t filled with hatred or disdain but with pure resentment.

At the same time, it was intended to protect the girls whom the boys shielded behind them.

Kalen stared impassively at the glaring eyes and nodded after a moment of contemplation.

“Then let me ask you all.”

“…What?”

“All I need is for anyone to answer my question.”

“…”

Kalen crouched down to be at eye level with the teenagers.

“Why are you crying?”

So calm was the question.

The person Kalen pointed to with his finger was Besmi, who was crying.

*

Belun, Besmi’s older sibling, was momentarily stunned.

He knew all too well what fate awaited prisoners, having heard about it ad nauseam during Flabber Rial’s “training.” They were taught to take their own lives before enduring the terrible torture and revealing the truth.

But,

Belun didn’t want to die.

Neither did Nadil, older brother, Besmi, younger sister, or any of their siblings who had survived that “training” together.

If they were destined to die, they would have given up long ago, when they were abandoned by their parents and left starving on the streets.

Perhaps having found a new family made it all the more reason to cling to life.

Being picked up by Flabber Rial and enduring the arduous and painful training together had made these “children” a family for each other.

Even if it meant returning to a life of hunger when someday they might leave Flabber Rial’s domain, as long as they were together, it didn’t seem as desperate as before.

Thus, they wanted to survive.

As assassins-in-training, they’d realized what was truly precious, and survival became the most important thing.

For that reason, Belun didn’t quite understand why a fellow teenager had asked him such a question.

“Are you crying?”

It wasn’t a question one would ask a prisoner.

Things like “Who are you?” or “What is your purpose?” or threats such as “If you don’t answer, your fingers will be cut off one by one” were what came to mind when questioning captives.

However, this boy, the one named Kalen who was their target, only asked with genuine curiosity why his younger sister Besmi was crying.

Belun, a bit baffled, unconsciously echoed the question.

“…Why, are you asking why I’m crying? Shouldn’t you be asking who we are…?”

“Hmm.”

Kalen rested his arms on his crouched knees and propped his chin on his palm. Repeating the same question was quite bothersome.

“I have a rough idea. There’s someone over there who can explain further as needed.”

“…”

“Are you all assassins?”

Belun felt a chill down his spine.

Though the question was nonchalant, it had an undeniable quality to it. It was as if Kalen’s dark eyes could see through him.

As Belun swallowed nervously under Kalen’s gaze, Kalen continued.

“Never mind. It was just out of curiosity, and it’s not something I absolutely must know anyway.”

Kalen casually shook his head.

Belun watched this and found Kalen even harder to understand.

This boy had the power.

Before their assassination attempt had even begun, they had been made combat-ineffective. Judging from Kalen’s successful arrival here, Nadil must have fallen as well.

With what they desired, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for Kalen to take it by force.

But Kalen didn’t do that.

His demeanor somehow gave Belun a lot to think about.

The first thing that came to Belun’s mind as he watched Kalen stand up was his little sister Besmi, being harshly disciplined by Flabber Rial. Her frail constitution couldn’t keep pace with training, and if Belun hadn’t helped her, she probably wouldn’t have completed the training like those others who didn’t make it…

And that’s what would have happened, he imagined.

In that fleeting thought, without realizing it, Belun muttered,

“Ah, if you let us tell you…”

The voice was so soft that Belun himself hadn’t realized until it escaped his lips.

But in the quiet alleyway, it carried well enough for Kalen to hear.

“Could you… Could you help us?”

A captured assassin questioning back.

It was an absurd situation.

Assassins are those who attack to eliminate their target. Having targeted this person’s life, when captured, they should accept the same fate in reverse.

Thus, by all rights, Belun had no standing to make any offers or suggestions.

What he relied on was what Kalen had shown them.

Kalen didn’t use his overwhelming power to intimidate his siblings. The ice spears had avoided vital points, and binding their hands was considerate treatment for captives.

Above all, that piercing gaze.

If Kalen could see through to their true intentions…

“What?”

“…We’re assassins trained under Flabber Rial.”

“…”

“Flabber Rial takes in orphans and turns them into his puppets. The ‘training’ is almost torture. Only those who endure it are allowed to live.”

Flabber Rial was a horrifying person. Someone devoid of compassion, using even blood relatives for his own gain. That Flabber had built the powerful current Rial syndicate was beside the point for these children — his methods were the stuff of nightmares.

“…”

“…We don’t deny that we were after you. But… if we didn’t do this, we would have all been abandoned.”

Kalen could vaguely understand the weight of what abandonment meant here.

“There’s no one among us who genuinely serves Flabber Rial. We’re all just scared. If we don’t do this, we’re sure to die.”

Flabber Rial doesn’t let those who fail their missions live in peace. Even those who return unscathed from failure may be eliminated.

He trusts no one. Even if Belun hadn’t revealed anything, Flabber would likely not trust him.

If they returned, they would only have a quiet execution awaiting them. In that case, putting their faith in this new possibility might not be such a bad move.

That seemed like a valid reason to Belun, who took a deep breath and said seriously,

“The reason Besmi was crying… was out of fear. Right now, Flabber Rial is probably gathering up other orphans. Our value to him is that of tools to be used until they break. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Once you’re replaced, that’s that.

Always replaceable consumables. Nadil wouldn’t be much different.

“Which is why… please help us. We beseech you.”

Belun bowed his head with his hands still tied behind him. Although the position didn’t allow his forehead to touch the ground, it was apparent that if his hands were free, he would have done so.

“Be…Belun.”

“Dieeta… We have no choice. We’ll die if we return anyway. You know this.”

Then, the boys watching from the side spoke, visibly surprised by Belun’s actions. They had all known him to be the one who rebelled the most against Flabber Rial out of all the siblings. In terms of determination, perhaps even more steadfast than Nadil.

For that determined Belun to bow… was astonishing.

“…”

The bowed Belun, the boys calling out to him yet not stopping him as if they trusted his judgment, those girls leaning on them…

Kalen quietly observed this scene.

For some reason, it didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.

Was it because they were both orphans? Was it because he empathized with their desire to live on despite everything?

They hadn’t met a mentor figure like theirs.

It was almost miraculous, and they had only encountered Flabber instead of someone like Blamia.

Kalen was similar to them yet fundamentally different. Had his fortune been worse, one of them could have been Kalen’s future self.

Closing his eyes like this…

Just as someone among them swallowed nervously, Kalen opened his eyes and stood up.

An ice spear formed in one of his hands.

Everyone looked curiously at him as Kalen released Belun’s bindings and handed him the ice spear, saying,

“Prove it.”

“Prove…?”

“I understand your situation. I understand that you have a painful past. You’re not alone in that. The noble young lady over there, me… everyone carries their own painful memories.”

As Belun took the ice spear, Kalen continued with an emotionless expression,

“I am missing one thing: proof that this isn’t a trap.”

“I’ll help you. But it begins with you. You need to throw this ice spear at Flabber yourself. If you don’t take that first step, I’ll simply walk away and take care of my own business.”

The ice spear was cold but also somehow warm.

Was this the mystique of magic? Being someone Belun had never learned magic from, he couldn’t tell.

“If you can’t do it, anyone among you can. By you attacking Flabber, it will show that you aren’t allies. Do you understand? Stand up.”

“…”

Belun stared at the ice spear in his hands for a long time.

He had never actively rebelled against Flabber beyond being defiant and giving curt answers.

Directly attacking Flabber was something he had never conceived of doing.

But Kalen was asking him to do exactly that.

Whether he attacked or didn’t, the outcome would likely be the same. Thus, it made sense that Belun, who had spoken up, had to take responsibility.

Belun stood up with the ice spear in his hands.

“Thank you, truly.”

Kalen’s nodding face remained as stoic as before.

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