Volume 3 Chapter 59: Goodbye, then【Assassination Organization Arc】

“This time, it didn’t work out so well.”

“Well, we’re still alive, and there’ll be a next one. Just take it from them.”

Two men talking in a back alley.

They were the men who harassed children, intimidated Balor, and were repelled by Number 2.

They don’t hide in the shadows, but out in the open they’re unquestionably villains.

Number 2 regarded them as nothing more than a bunch of half-assed guys.

“Yeah. By the way, that one…”

“Who cares about someone who’s already dead?”

“It’s just a matter of hassle.”

“Then, shall we recruit him?”

“Next time, we’ll have to do it properly.”

They never learn from their mistakes.

They will never repent, nor do they ever plan on doing honest work.

After all, honest work is inefficient.

Human trafficking is incredibly efficient.

Children can be easily abducted, and with little effort, one can earn a fortune.

Having savored that sweet reward, there was no way they could ever do honest work.

However…

“There will be no next time for you.”

“…………”

A voice reached them.

It was the beautiful voice of a woman.

Looking over, they saw a beautiful woman standing there, as lovely as her voice.

Her tanned skin and long silver hair made it unmistakably clear that she was of a different race.

For a moment the men frowned, but once they realized—by their own estimation—that she was high-caliber, they immediately donned a mask of smiles.

Though it was an astonishingly shallow, artificial smile.

“What’s the matter, being here? Are you a maid?”

“Are you alright? Lost your way? We’ll escort you to a proper place.”

The ability to suddenly change one’s attitude might be considered a talent, in a way.

They closed in, looming over her as they spoke.

Just by their sheer size, those who were big exuded intimidation merely by approaching.

And then, while their target was overwhelmed, they forcefully asserted their dominance.

But they did not know.

That the foreign maid standing there was nothing like the woman they had imagined.

“No, my purpose is you.”

“…Eh? Like some sort of public authority?”

The first thing that came to mind was the police.

Of course, there are agencies tasked with maintaining public order.

Their actions are downright wicked.

If they were reported, their guilt would be all but assured.

Even so, they played dumb.

“We haven’t done anything wrong, have we?”

“You did. Yes, you did.”

“Selling kids? Is that really such a terrible thing?”

They became openly defiant, largely because they believed themselves to be the stronger side.

They never imagined they would be bested by a maid.

“No, that’s irrelevant. It’s truly just a trivial matter.”

“…Huh?”

It wasn’t a bluff. It was clear that the maid genuinely believed it.

They knew they were the bad guys.

Kidnapping children is, by any measure, an act that should be abhorred.

Yet the maid dismissed it as trivial.

Even the men were left dumbfounded by that.

“You have directed harmful intent toward my dear, dear… my very, very, very, very dear Balor-sama, haven’t you?”

The maid smiled.

Yet her enigmatic presence sent shivers down the men’s spines, as if icy spikes were being driven straight into them.

“Crap.”

They immediately turned and bolted.

Their situational awareness and knack for sensing danger were truly remarkable.

That’s precisely why, even as they intruded into the underworld, they had managed to survive until now.

But…

“Izun’s angry too, you know!”

On the opposite side of the foreign maid stood a maid with pure white skin—the 【Cursed Child】—puffing out her cheeks.

She too exuded an aura of otherworldliness.

Upon seeing this, they finally understood that they were completely screwed.

“Whoa… Eh? Is this the end for us?”

“Yes. Goodbye.”

After that brilliant smile, their consciousness was engulfed by darkness.

◆

Number 2 was in a very foul mood.

However, as unthinkable as it is now, not long ago she had been in quite high spirits.

After all, she had been swinging her legs and even humming a tune.

Clearly, her stroll with Balor had put her in that mood, but of course, no one in the organization knew that.

Even though the organization had an extensive intelligence network, if anyone were giving off such probing vibes, Number 2 would have known.

However, the reason for her extreme discontent was something everyone knew.

It was the man standing by her side, glaring as if to interrogate her—Lubucera—who was to blame.

“Hey, listen. I ordered you to assassinate Balor Apophis, right? Am I mistaken?”

“Uh, I don’t really know.”

Her direct superior, the head of the assassination organization, had spoken.

Even toward him, Number 2 maintained her usual attitude.

Her reply showed not the slightest bit of respect.

Her brief answer only served to visibly irritate him.

If it weren’t for Number 2, it wouldn’t have been surprising if his head had already been blown off.

However, the fact that such behavior was tolerated was largely due to Number 2’s impressive track record.

“Hey, so does that mean the one we sent to carry out the order failed? Looks like we’ll have to beat him up as well.”

“That’s right. Do your best, do your best ♡”

“…Hey, let’s have a proper conversation already. I’m already holding back quite a bit.”

In a fawning tone, when Number 2 acted cute, even overtly cutesy behavior became irresistibly charming—but it didn’t work on Lubucera.

She nearly wanted to slit his throat immediately, but managed to restrain herself.

To summarily dispose of him would have been too great a waste of talent.

“Why did you ignore the assassination order for Balor Apophis?”

“…Isn’t it simply because you failed?”

After a long pause, Number 2 offered that excuse.

But it was an utterly feeble excuse.

Lubucera snorted with laughter.

“Don’t lie. As if you’d ever fail. I recognize your ability more than anyone. That’s why I’ve overlooked your freewheeling actions to a certain extent.”

Your abilities are exceptional. An assassin who never fails.

It is precisely because of that that Number 2 has been able to live with a certain degree of freedom.

Otherwise, she would have been completely under their control like those from other organizations.

“In terms of ability, there’s no way to fail. He’s not even a high-ranking noble, nor were his guards overwhelmingly strong. So, the only possibility is…”

Lubucera’s eyes narrowed sharply.

His gaze conveyed that he would not tolerate lies.

“It means you, on your own volition, spared Balor.”

Number 2 said nothing.

She simply fixed her golden eyes on Lubucera.

“You weren’t an idiot, were you? Then surely you must know what happens when you do something like this, right?”

She questioned him. Even as they spoke, Lubucera’s irritation mounted.

“We operate behind the scenes, undertaking even illegal assassinations. That’s why trust is more important than appearances. Once a commission is given, information never leaks. It always succeeds. That trust is what makes our organization rock-solid.”

When you commission an assassination from Lubucera’s organization, it is always executed flawlessly and confidentially. It is precisely that trust which brings assassination contracts to him, cementing his position in the underworld.

And yet…

“You have undermined that trust. It would have been better if you had simply failed, because you never even went through with it.”

It was nothing but a whim; you didn’t feel like carrying out the assassination. Imagine if the client found out.

Not just the client, but if a third party learned of it…

The trust in Lubucera’s organization would crash in an instant.

Their position in the underworld would crumble easily, and who knows how much effort it would take to rebuild it.

“Hey, why? Won’t you tell this clueless idiot what happened?”

Answer wrong, and you’ll be killed. He exuded such an overwhelming murderous aura that it was unmistakably clear he meant business.

In response, Number 2…

“It was just a whim, you know?”

“…Huh?”

She went all in without flinching.

Even as blue veins pulsed on Lubucera’s forehead, she didn’t care.

“So, I said it was just a whim. I didn’t feel like killing, so I let him off. Got a problem with that?”

Such brazen words left Lubucera, incensed, speechless, unable to contain his magma-like fury.

“After all, you know I’ve always been like that, right? And I’ve contributed so much to the organization and to you that I don’t deserve to be yelled at even once.”

Number 2 laughed lightly—offering no excuses or pleas, even provoking him.

It was clearly a suicidal act, yet she laughed with genuine delight.

(“It might just be my imagination, but if I had gone through with the assassination right then, I had a really bad feeling about it…”)

Suppose she had tried to kill Balor then.

Perhaps she could have killed him.

Even the guards, being so far away, would have been no match for Number 2’s nimbleness.

Yet, an instinct akin to a sixth sense held her back.

Even though the information said that Balor had no strength to fight, a warning bell was ringing within him.

“Well, I suppose there’s no need to say it.”

Though she thought so, Number 2 saw no reason to be foolishly honest and tell Lubucera.

“What do you mean there’s no need to explain? Tell me everything, from A to Z, or else…”

Naturally, Lubucera was not satisfied.

He no longer concealed his intense murderous intent.

“I can’t kill you if I’m not convinced.”

“Eh, if I were going to kill you anyway, I wouldn’t bother explaining every little detail.”

Number 2 laughed lightly.

For anyone else, Lubucera would have already attacked.

Yet he restrained himself because she was truly competent.

“If it were a reason I could accept, I’d consider it—but anyway…”

I mean…

However, even Lubucera has his limits.

“Can’t you beat Myah?”

“Hold on, Number 2, you’re getting way too cocky!”

At Number 2’s mocking words, delivered with a smile full of derision, he finally lost his temper.

Lubucera, seething with anger, lunged at her.