Chapter 23: First Mission (6)

While riding in the carriage, I had a nightmare. Up to that point, it was a usual occurrence.

But the content was different.

Usually, I would toss and turn in a weak nightmare or one I couldn't remember.

But in today's dream, I slit a thug's throat with a dagger.

Over and over again.

The heavy feel of the dagger in my palm and the resistance I felt at the tip of my fingers when slicing the throat were vivid.

Even though I knew it was a dream, I couldn't wake up or stop my actions.

In the midst of that repetition, the thug I had slit suddenly grabbed my wrist.

I was startled awake.

I thought it had passed without much impact, but the fact that I had such a nightmare suggested otherwise.

After all, I was still the same person in reality.

No matter how much this body influenced me, it was impossible to act as if nothing had happened.

'Still, I have changed.'

Apart from the nightmares, there was no significant psychological disturbance when I was awake.

My subconscious was affected, but it seemed that blending with this body had something to do with it.

"Huh."

I exhaled deeply. Despite the nightmare, I felt a bit relieved.

I was still me.

When I entered the game, I was a bit worried that my personality would change against my will.

It wasn't within the realm of what I considered normal.

I even wondered if I had always been like this.

Well, I accepted what I had to for survival, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

But today, after saving Orhen and having the nightmare, I felt confirmed that I was still me.

'Just a bit more...'

My eyelids were heavy and I was tired, but the nightmare left a faint sense of resistance.

I looked around.

Denif was snoring. In contrast, Orhen was frowning and groaning.

Seeing Orhen gave me a sense of comfort.

I wasn't the only one, after all. In fact, Denif was the odd one out even by this world's standards.

Snoring after a first kill, he truly lived up to his future as an imperial terrorist.

I closed my eyes and focused on the Moonlight Technique. Observing the flow of mana within me made me feel calmer.

The carriage's swaying, Denif's snoring, and Orhen's groans faded away.

Meditation in the inner world.

In the midst of the calm, a waning moon appeared. It looked like a fingernail but emitted a bright light.

There was something around the moon.

'What is it?'

On closer inspection, it was wind. A gentle breeze quickly grew into a gale.

The raging gale was swirling around the moon.

Initially startled by this unfamiliar phenomenon, I regained my composure. There was nothing wrong with the Moonlight Technique.

Why did the gale suddenly appear?

It might be due to the actual combat experience or the inner turmoil.

There was an uncomfortable feeling about my actions.

For some reason, I thought the wind represented the latter. Whether it was the demon's blood or the original Kallin.

But I had no intention of changing myself.

'I am who I am.'

If the same situation arose again, I would save Orhen. I was even more certain now.

But I needed to compose myself.

I was tense during my first real combat and had a nightmare right after completing the mission. Things needed to change.

I had to get used to it. I shouldn't dwell on today's events.

In the cold, calm state of mind, I reflected on what had happened.

The feel of the dagger and the resistance at my fingertips were vivid.

In Falhol, where demon worshippers ran rampant and 13-year-olds were made into spies...

It would be difficult and painful, but I had to adapt.

As I thought this, the raging gale gradually subsided and merged into the waning moon.

Was it a harmony of my mind?

The inner waning moon grew slightly larger.

And I realized I had reached the second level of the Moonlight Technique.

* * *

After returning to the mansion and giving a rough report to the Duke, Marhan was lost in thought.

With the report submitted, the planners of this operation would be reprimanded.

They were responsible, even if unintentionally.

Even if the spy from another region had been manipulated, they should have noticed.

Hozhe Dmitri was detained in the basement. He was more tight-lipped than expected.

And the fact that he had received torture resistance training meant he was a formidable opponent.

The interrogation would take some time. Of course, the chances of a captured spy surviving were slim.

Usually, they would receive information in exchange for a quick death to avoid prolonged suffering.

'Thinking about it again, he's quite impressive.'

At the end of his thoughts, Marhan recalled Kallin. The child had uncovered Dmitri's identity during the mission.

That was truly remarkable.

The moment Marhan decided to intervene, Dmitri attacked. Despite running as fast as possible, it was too late.

While regretting his brief hesitation, Kallin took action.

He took the blow meant for Orhen and swung his sword, shouting at Denif to stop.

Marhan was both relieved and amazed at that moment.

The child had uncovered the target's identity.

While Marhan had the experience and knowledge of the target's level, Kallin had no information.

Of course, there were reasons for his judgment.

The immediate recognition of the children's identities, his calm demeanor, and the sudden change in atmosphere...

But for a 13-year-old experiencing his first real combat, making such a judgment was impressive.

Marhan was even more impressed when he heard the details.

'He even thought it might have been intentional on our part.'

While he knew Kallin was exceptional, he didn't expect this level. Marhan nodded unconsciously.

Marhan was confident that the Duke's favor towards Kallin would increase.

Not only for saving Orhen, but for his exceptional abilities.

A smile appeared on Marhan's face.

* * *

"Hey, kids."

While the three of us were writing a detailed mission report, Denif spoke up.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault."

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

After the mission, we returned to the castle, gave a brief report, and even slept.

I wondered why he was acting this way.

"I hesitated a bit when killing the thugs. That's why things turned out this way."

Hesitated? Denif?

Confused, I tilted my head, and Denif scratched his nose.

"If I had killed them immediately, we could have handled both quietly. But I hesitated a little at first. That's when the other guy woke up."

Ah, I see.

I understood what he meant. Denif continued.

"If I had acted faster, we could have captured Dmitri quietly. You wouldn't have been hit by the sword either."

Indeed, Orhen and I had taken some time. The screams came afterward, so Denif was in a similar situation.

Even the imperial terrorist Denif wasn't perfect when he was a rookie.

It was a new feeling for me, knowing the in-game Denif.

I shook my head.

"It's not your fault. We were similar."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And even if we had handled it quietly, there's no guarantee the guy wouldn't have woken up."

"That's... true."

Denif nodded.

"Besides, he might have pretended to be asleep and ambushed us, killing one of us. Anyway, it turned out well."

My words seemed to ease Denif's expression. In contrast, Orhen's face was slightly stiff.

I thought it might be because he received my help during the assassination.

Hmm. If I wrote it in the report, Orhen's evaluation might not be good.

It was also a problem to say it here with Denif present.

"But what about Orhen? If I write that you helped, won't it look like you did the mission alone?"

Denif spoke up while I was thinking.

It seemed they had already talked while I was sleeping, as they were already close.

Well, this makes the conversation easier.

"Just say we handled both together. I didn't do it all for you. I just helped you compose yourself."

"Is that okay?"

Orhen was cautious.

I nodded.

"What's the problem? Do you think you can't do it next time?"

"No."

Orhen shook his head firmly. He had done well in the fight with Dmitri.

I smiled.

"Then it's fine. There's no need to expose each other's weaknesses as brothers."

Orhen nodded in agreement.

"Right. I know that if I can't do it, my brother will get hurt."

Orhen looked me straight in the eye.

My help seemed to have a positive effect in another way. I was a bit worried, but it was a good thing.

"Let's do it that way. Finish the report quickly and get more rest."

Marhan gave us two days off. But it mainly applied to Orhen.

I still needed to focus on recovering from my injuries, and Denif had a deeper cut on his arm than expected.

While almost finishing the report, I remembered something else I needed to tell the Duke.

I added a line to the end of the report.

-While returning in the carriage, I reached the second level of the Moonlight Technique during my practice.

* * *

Five days after I reported to Marhan, the Duke visited the mansion.

Of course, during that time, Marhan and Lena had told us that the Duke was worried about us.

He even sent a handwritten letter expressing his gratitude and apologies.

It was a bit surprising. I didn't expect him to send such a letter for training spies.

It was a moment when my affection for the Duke increased slightly.

I had always felt he was a good person.

Anyway, the Duke gave us gifts, saying they were to express his gratitude.

Orhen received a necklace that would help with magic, Denif got a sword, and I received a windstone.

I was a bit disappointed at first, thinking it was just a rock, but it was said to be a very rare item containing the power of wind.

I could feel a heightened sensitivity to wind.

After giving gifts to Denif and Orhen, the Duke gave me an additional gift.

When I opened the wooden box, I saw a pill.

"Is this a spirit pill?"

"Yes."

"Why only me...?"

"You saved Orhen's life. My disciple saved another disciple's life, so it's only right to reward you."

The Duke smiled and added,

"Also, my disciple reached the second level of the Moonlight Technique."

I was taken aback by the unexpected comment. Still, it was good to have a definite reward.

I felt lucky to be under the Duke. He would have been a true leader even in the modern world.

"Thank you."

"However, you must take it after your injuries have healed. I'll give it to you then."

"Understood."

"After that, I will teach you the Moonlight Technique."

Right. That was what I had been looking forward to.

I could only learn the combat aspects after reaching the second level of the Moonlight Technique.

I was a bit proud. I was faster than the Duke, even without being in my best condition.

Anyway, I needed to focus on recovering from my injuries.

'Oh, by the way.'

I also understood why the Duke gave me the windstone.

It might have been to strengthen my inner energy while recovering from my injuries.

I had even considered betraying the Duke before, but it was a wrong thought.

The treatment was good, and the rewards were excellent. There was no way I would leave. I would continue to benefit from this place.