After that, it was child's play.
I waited for a few hours until the coast was clear and entered the target's room, glancing inside and seeing he was sleeping in a chair, I entered, prowling in the darkness.
Glancing at him, all I saw was a young adult, who was way over his head. I always hated this part of the job, and, especially, how easy it became after the first ten missions.
With quick, precise movements, I began to choke him. He woke up, flailing his arms as I used my ESP to snap his neck. The sound was low, but definitive.
No one could survive after that.
Nodding, I took the rope I brought, tied around his neck, and began the second part, making it look like a suicide.
That required a little more of control and finesse. There were those who were sleeping in the other rooms, after all. After doing the deed, I proceeded to go for my second mission, this one for me.
I need to know more about Fallabrek sect, and this person apparently knew a lot about it. With that desire, I began to search for something, anything useful.
There were a few documents inside a chest below the bed, and, by taking them, I saw potential. There were multiple things, such as shady deals that the sect's made with other kingdoms, and sacrifices that they apparently made on a constant basis.
Other than that, apparently, the sect was also deeply involved with the murdering and end of, at least, five noble lines.
With this much dirt on them, it's no wonder Drott wanted me to take this guy out.
With that in mind, I stashed them into my cloak and was about to finish things here, before a strange… feeling entered my mind.
Glancing back to his working table, I quickly sleight the lock and opened the drawers, resisting the urge to release a sigh.
Not even a second lock?
Picking some papers, I searched for something about this man's investigation, but there wasn't anything useful. There were a few documents that Drott would be very interested in, however…
It wasn't this that caught my attention. No, that was another thing entirely. Almost like moths to a flame, all the Ether I could see was concentrated in a single spot.
So much it glowed that I could hardly see what it was… A book, one without anything in its cover and that clearly brought something… primal within me. Its cover was a deep blue and there were no signs of it being remotely worn out. It was pristine instead.
Gulping, I placed my hand in it, slowly, as if waiting for a trap to go off…
No such thing.
Smiling, I picked it up and jumped out the window, using the darkness to cover my escape.
After that, I focused on going back to Cadensis as quickly as possible, holding the book tightly in my hands.
…
After that cryptic question, Bernard found himself alone with the Major, his sad eyes telling more stories than he could count.
They stayed in silence for half an hour, with the Major trying to gauge his young charge's, trying to see what the Dark Monarch saw in him and desperately trying to deny it.
That would not protect him, it never would, but he would try regardless.
"The Dark Monarch is someone who… asked for your presence." He began, trying to find the words to describe such being. "He's a mage-model homunculus, and an old one at that."
"What could he possibly want with me? And what is a Dark Monarch anyway?" He tried to make sense of what he was hearing, of what he was feeling. Something about that title made alarms blare in his mind, almost as if he was being warned.
"He's the shadow ruler of this land. The only noble that can dispute the king's right to the throne, the most dangerous homunculus in Myrka's border. That title carries respect, instills fear, and holds power unlike any other you ever saw. Power to move the world according to his desire, to force others to do his bidding, to serve him."
"I thought Homunculus could only establish minor Noble houses? Is he a son of another noble?"
"No… he's not. If he was, trust me, he wouldn't hold all that power. Instead, it would go for his house…"
"Then how? How does one amass all that power?"
The Major smirked cryptically, the answer obvious to anyone who lived in the Sun realm. "The same way as always. Military accomplishments. Through that and cunningness. He doesn't play fair, he's a monster unlike anything in this land, one who can appear spotless, but, to anyone who risks looking closely enough, have a lot of dirt under his pristine robes."
Gulping, he eyed the haunted look major had, his mind swirling as one question remained.
"Why are you telling me any of this?"
"Consider it a warning… That man was invested in V1NC-3T. Doubtlessly, he'll want to know who's the prodigy that was nominated as his replacement."
"Replacement?" He rose an eyebrow, not expecting that out of all possible answers.
While he definitely wanted a promotion to the point of feeling envious of Vincent, he didn't want it that badly. At least, not this way.
"I can't be the team leader! I'm too weak for that!"
"You can and you will…"
"No! Can't you see? I'm the reason Vincent died, I…" He was hyperventilating at that point, but, frankly, he just didn't care. He didn't want to win, not like this.
Furthermore, he wanted to earn it, not for it to be handed to him in a silver plater.
"Do you think your brother sacrifice was useless? A waste?"
"What?"
"You heard me. Let me tell you something, young man. When a man does something, he has to live with the consequences, no matter what. However, your brother can no longer do so. Instead, he chose you to take his place. It wasn't me, it wasn't Lady Lenna!"
Vincent chose… me?
"You may not know this, but all officials from field operations must elect someone who they deem capable to lead in case they fall. He put your name in that paper."
Sighing, the young homunculus eyed his hands, feeling something in his chest he couldn't quite place it.
Almost like reassurance, but there was also doubt. It was a curious thing, but, in the end, he decided to put his fears away. He might be inadequate, he might fall…
But he would at least try.