As his wife, even though she understood how selfish this was, all she could do was silently pray in her heart that her husband would return safely.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Raadal quietly searched through the forest, found the suitcase he had recently moved into the bushes, and took out two daggers from inside.
"Frieren the Slayer… so she really came. Looks like in the end, only the two of us are left."
Some had been killed by their targets during missions, others had died as time passed. Of the entire squad, only the youngest, him, was still alive now.
Looking at the worn and tattered list in his hand, with only one remaining portrait left uncrossed, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Honestly, if it were just Frieren, he still had some confidence. Even though his body was far from what it used to be in his youth, his rich combat experience could make up for part of it.
After all, the opponent was just a mage. And what he excelled at most was assassination. If he quietly got close, killing a mage was basically no different from killing an ordinary person, but…
"Maybe this time, I'll really fail. How pathetic, to feel uneasy at a time like this."
Thinking back to that single glance earlier, the boy who had made his instincts scream danger, Raadal looked at his slightly trembling hand and could only grip his wrist, forcing himself to calm down.
After taking several deep breaths, he slowly stood up and headed toward his target.
———
Raadal had already prepared himself mentally and planned to take a shortcut through the forest toward the wooden house where the three were staying.
But just as he stood up and took a couple of steps, he suddenly felt something behind him. Instinctively, he raised his dagger, took a stance, and while stepping back, sharply turned around.
Only then did he realize, the boy who had just arrived in the village was already standing where he had been moments ago.
And the suitcase he had just placed back into the bushes had been reopened by Ash, along with the list now in his hands as he flipped through it.
"You weren't originally on the list. The only one I wanted was Frieren's life, but now…"
"Because it's a top-secret mission, anyone who sees this list has to die, right?"
"..."
Raadal said nothing. He simply threw off his black cloak, revealing the signature all-black tight outfit beneath, and silently lowered his stance like a crouching leopard ready to pounce.
But, his legs refused to move.
Because… even though Ash hadn't done anything, just standing there and looking at him calmly, it felt like being stared down by a terrifying beast.
That chilling pressure shook him to his core, making his whole body tremble as if plunged into ice.
It was hard to believe someone so young could be this dangerous, but his instincts told him, the moment he made a move, there would be no chance of survival.
And judging by the blade at Ash's waist, he was clearly a warrior. Facing a warrior head-on wasn't advantageous for an assassin, even though he was also very skilled at "frontal assassination."
"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything? Aren't you a shadow warrior? At least show some courage at a time like this. Those colleagues of yours I had hung at the city gate a while ago didn't say a single word… why are you like this?"
As he spoke, he suddenly seemed to think of something, pausing his page-turning and muttering, "Hmm… come to think of it, maybe it's because the rope was around their necks, so they couldn't speak?"
"What do you want?"
Even though Ash was just casually flipping through the pages while talking to himself, the content of his words gradually filled the air with a suffocating chill. Raadal couldn't help but shrink his neck as cold sweat streamed down his forehead, gripping his dagger tightly and forcing himself not to run.
It wasn't that he didn't want to run. But now that they were enemies, even if he didn't want to admit it, he had to face the truth. If he turned his back, even for a moment, he might never open his eyes again.
Seeing the old man looking cornered with no way out, Ash couldn't help but look baffled.
"Wait… you're the one who came to assassinate someone, right? Why are you talking like I'm the one doing something bad? No matter how you look at it, you're the villains."
"This is… for the Empire."
"Sounds more like the higher-ups messing around."
He directly tore off the binding at the top of the list and tossed it into the air, scattering yellowed pages across the sky.
Familiar faces fluttered in the air, entering the old man's sight one after another.
The targets these shadow warriors were supposed to assassinate weren't criminals at all. On the contrary, many had contributed to humanity and the Empire, while others were simply people who couldn't be dealt with openly.
Or rather… if that weren't the case, there'd be no need for assassination. They could just send the magical special operations unit. Shadow warriors existed to do the kind of dirty work that would ruin reputations if exposed.
Quite a few of the people listed were talents Ash had even heard of, people whose deaths would have been a real loss.
"I don't need to know the reason, we only need to obey orders."
"If you act against others, you should be prepared to be killed. That's how I was raised, how I've lived. So…"
Ash slowly raised his hand. Raadal swallowed, his body tensing as he prepared to bolt at any moment, but then Ash suddenly looked past him.
"Frieren and Fern, what do you think?"
"?", Hearing that, Raadal spun around sharply. Only then did he realize he had been so focused on Ash that he hadn't guarded his surroundings at all. Someone had already reached behind him, and he hadn't noticed a thing.
Realizing their tailing had already been discovered, Frieren walked out with a tired expression, sighing.
"Why are you pushing this onto me?"
"Because the one he wants to kill is you, and I'm just an innocent bystander who got dragged into this and accidentally saw a secret," Ash spread his hands, cleanly removing himself from the situation.
Fern quickly moved around Raadal to stand behind Ash, tugging at his clothes anxiously, "Lord Ash… what are you supposed to do in a situation like this?"
"According to typical story logic, if you discover a powerful faction's dirty secrets and let them go out of sympathy, it triggers a plot where you get hunted down endlessly."
"Lady Frieren is going to… kill him?", Fern's face stiffened instantly. The way she looked at Frieren became complicated, making Frieren feel a bit hurt, "Why are you dumping troublesome things on me? And I never said I'd kill him."
"Isn't this trouble something you brought?"
"Even so! Didn't you confidently say you'd handle it?"
"Actually, if you two hadn't followed, I'd already be done dealing with it," He looked genuinely innocent in the face of the complaint.
This time, it really wasn't him shirking responsibility. If they hadn't come along, he would've finished things after a bit of teasing.
Who knew he'd talk a bit too much, drag things out, and end up with people who shouldn't be here showing up, making it harder to act.
After all… Fern and Frieren weren't like him. They weren't the kind of people who could easily accept death.
Because of that, even now, he couldn't bring himself to say what he was really doing.
There was no helping it. Peace built on death wasn't something everyone could accept. Even if they could, or didn't say anything, there would definitely be a heavy burden in their hearts.
Frieren didn't understand his inner conflict. She simply moved closer to him out of habit and asked, "Let me ask, how were you planning to deal with this originally?"
"Kill him directly. Clean and simple. Someone like him has killed who knows how many people already. Even if he dies, it's nothing to feel sorry about."
He gave what he thought was the most appropriate answer without hesitation, but Fern frowned, "Even if that's true… the people in this village respect him, right? And his son, daughter, grandchildren… if someone finds out, we…"
"You're not about to say we should wipe out the entire family, are you?", Frieren narrowed her eyes, looking up at him critically. [T/N: Lmao!]
"Of course not. What kind of man do you take me for?", Ash shook his head with a helpless smile and turned his gaze back to the old man still standing there.
While the three discussed how to deal with him, Raadal hadn't moved at all, but his mind had been racing.
When Frieren and Fern passed by him earlier, he had repeatedly considered taking one of them hostage in a surprise attack to secure his escape, but…
He had no confidence at all.
'Why? Against just a child, why do I feel so powerless?', Raadal wanted to act several times, but in the end, he couldn't overcome the fear in his heart.
He wasn't just worried about dying himself. He was also worried about his son and grandson seeking revenge for him.
Even though Ash said he wouldn't wipe out his family, he didn't believe Ash would show mercy to anyone who came for revenge.
"What do you say, Village Chief?", Ash asked lightly as he walked toward him step by step.
Raadal let out a long breath, dropped his dagger, and suddenly knelt on the ground, "I don't want to die… can you spare me?"
"Uh, that's sudden. But, the people you killed probably all felt the same way, right? What was your choice back then?"
"I…", Raadal couldn't answer.
Frieren, however, picked up some of the papers on the ground, glanced through a few, and let out a soft sigh before stepping forward and grabbing Ash's hand.
"Forget it, Ash. This killing has no meaning at all. How many years ago are these records anyway? He's probably already been forgotten by the people above. He's just a tool that was used."
"Even so, he's still clinging to his mission."
"Can you give it up?", Frieren turned to look at Raadal expressionlessly and warned, "If you don't give a clear answer, this guy will probably… no, he really will kill you."
"What you said is true. But if I just give up like this, what meaning does my life even have? I thought I would think like that, but… is it really okay? You'll spare me?", Even with Frieren backing it up, Raadal still instinctively looked at Ash.
"Weren't you all raised as death soldiers from childhood?", Ash looked at him as if he were something novel.
"Even though we're called warriors who don't fear death," Raadal lowered his head awkwardly, unable to explain his own retreat, "maybe it's because I've lived in peace for too long. When it comes to actually dying… I can't help but..."
"I see. Letting you go isn't impossible. The people you killed aren't my friends or family anyway. But, Raadal, this world is full of cause and effect. Since you've offended Frieren, don't expect to walk away easily. After all…"
He deliberately paused midway. Frieren lifted her chin smugly, waiting for him to praise her importance, "Hm!"
"...she's petty and holds grudges."
"Hey!"
"Isn't it true?", He ignored Frieren leaning toward him, pressed her head down with one hand, and turned back to the shadow warrior who had actually surrendered.
"As punishment, go to the Kingdom of Oisast tomorrow."
"The Kingdom of Oisast?"
"Go back for now. I'll tell you tomorrow."
With that, he left the stunned old man behind, ignored Frieren glaring at him, and disappeared into the forest with Fern.
"They really left…", Looking at the direction the three disappeared, a sense of having survived a disaster welled up in Raadal's chest.
But after that brief relief, a bitter smile spread across his face.
"As expected… I'm no longer a warrior who fears no death… being spared and knowing I can go home, instead of feeling humiliated, I actually feel relieved."
———
Raadal didn't run away overnight, nor did he have the chance… in the middle of the night, Ash infiltrated his home and erased certain sensitive parts of his memory.
He also gave this retired old man a new job. Not killing, but going to the Kingdom and, under supervision, helping train shadow warriors.
After all, a shadow warrior who would surrender, so far, Raadal was the only one. As for the exact contents of his atonement, he would only find out after arriving there.
Raadal could bring his family if he wanted, but if he didn't leave, the entire village would face destruction.
Even though he wasn't sure whether Ash would really do that, he didn't dare gamble. So early the next morning, he began packing.
"What's wrong, Raadal?", His wife, just waking up, rubbed her eyes and sat up, only to be startled by him packing, "You're… leaving? So suddenly?"
"I'm sorry… I have to go."
"Where?"
"The Kingdom of Oisast."
"The reason?"
"I can't say right now."
Bound by strict secrecy, Raadal could only shake his head.
Even though he trusted his wife, she was an ordinary person. If someone skilled in mental magic read her memories, the truth could easily be exposed.
"I see. Is it about those things from before? Or something new?"
"Those things from before? You… did you already know?", Raadal looked up in surprise. The old woman just smiled without answering, leaving him to lower his head guiltily, "Those… are already over."
"Is that so? That's good. In that case, can I come with you?"
"That… should be fine?"
Looking at his elderly wife, Raadal hesitated a little, but seeing that she seemed quite happy, he could only nod.
The two elderly people quietly said goodbye to their children and grandchildren and left their home together. Guided by Kingdom agents who had arrived overnight, they departed from the village they had lived in for most of their lives.
Though they were already in their later years, they had to part from their family and leave their homeland. It was somewhat inhumane. But considering what Raadal had done, from Ash's perspective, this was already a lenient, mutually beneficial outcome. Especially since Frieren and Fern were present and he didn't want to be seen as bloodthirsty.
Frieren and Fern likely felt that sending him off to another country like that would make it hard to face the villagers, so after Frieren woke up, they quickly left the village and continued toward the Imperial Capital.
Along the way, thinking back on what happened last night, Frieren felt more and more that something was off. She stared at his back and suddenly called out, "Something's definitely not right!"
"What is it this time?", Ash didn't even turn his head, nor did he slow his steps.
"You definitely just used my name as an excuse to mess around and even insulted me, didn't you?"
"Frieren, you… have really gotten sharper."
"Of course!"
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