Chapter 47: The Poison Blooming in the Flower (2)

It was a particularly dim night under the moonlight. Kallin and Timang leaped across the dark city rooftops, as cautiously as possible. They kept an eye on their rear, wary of any additional forces, and headed in the direction where the signal flare had burst.

The red light that had glowed in the darkness had long since disappeared, but they remembered its location clearly. Timang's breathing grew more intense, and he tried to calm his excitement, but it was not easy.

‘What the hell. He’s an Inquisitor?’

Despite over ten years as a spy, he had never become an Inquisitor, only a deputy candidate. Therefore, the fact that a kid who had been in the field for just a few months knew about his background was a huge shock.

Refusal was impossible. Unless they were in the same place, the word of an Inquisitor was absolute, as they held the same authority as the head of intelligence.

If an Inquisitor were to die, the head of intelligence would personally assess the situation.

‘This is going to be a disaster...’

Becoming an Inquisitor meant that one's abilities in certain areas were definitely recognized.

A faint sense of inferiority rose from deep within his chest, but he did not deny it. For some reason, that kid had been acknowledged as more capable than him in a specific area.

However, that did not justify the current situation. To Timang, Kallin seemed reckless. He was charging in without any regard for the situation, driven by the crisis his friend was in.

A typical inexperienced rookie.

In such a situation, one should at least share minimal information, while the other should try to gather as much as possible.

‘I saw at least seven.’

They were likely from the Empire. Considering the signal flare, there were probably some from Temerjan as well. Assuming an equal number, that made at least 14.

Damn... What the hell is going on?

Timang muttered to himself. He had not been negligent in his surroundings during the mission. He couldn't understand where these people had suddenly come from.

They had no idea what state the two people ahead were in or how the situation was unfolding. They were moving into a chaotic situation with a rookie.

One of them had to survive.

Timang resolved that if anything went wrong, he would survive on his own.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, Kallin gave a stop signal. He crouched down and quickly scanned the surroundings.

What is it? There were no signs of anyone nearby.

"We'll go around. 450 meters. There are two on the rooftop of the red brick building."

Only then did he realize there were enemies. It was another moment of shock.

How could he have spotted them in such a dark night?

He realized that Kallin wasn't just an Inquisitor for nothing. Sometimes, exceptional geniuses appeared.

Timang bit his lip.

‘Sixteen, he said.’

In fact, he had sensed them through the wind, but it was still astonishing.

A deeper sense of inferiority crept in, and a dilemma arose. Should he ensure the kid's survival no matter what?

He felt a sense of duty as a Haisen spy, but it wasn't just that. The question was whether he could bear the wrath of the duke if he lost the kid.

In any case, Timang's concerns were not entirely unfounded.

Kallin felt anxious about Denif's fate.

Of course, there was no guarantee that Denif and Foden were involved in the current situation. They might have sensed something was wrong and escaped.

But the location was too coincidental.

The signal flare had burst near the residence where Count Aitami was staying.

‘Stay alive.’

Denif's survival in the game was not the main concern. He had to consider the possibility that Denif's arrival could change things.

If another agent had come instead of Kallin, Denif might have been resting.

Denif, with his talent and future, was essential to combat demon worshippers. They had already established a positive relationship.

However, Kallin was not entirely consumed by worry. He was calculating coldly.

First, observe the situation. Help if possible, and escape if not. A simple plan.

While the two were lost in their thoughts, they were getting closer to their destination.

Timang gave a stop signal.

‘Shit.’

The rooftops near Count Aitami's residence were chaotic even from a distance.

A battle between spies.

There were over 40 visible from the dark night, and a silent battle was raging.

It was unnecessary to wonder where so many people had suddenly come from. Timang focused on assessing the situation, but it was difficult to distinguish.

There might be identifying marks among their own, but the distance and darkness made it hard to tell.

Both the Empire and Temerjan wore similar clothing.

Kallin resolved this.

"Left of center, rooftop. Our allies are engaged in battle."

To figure this out so quickly in such chaos? Timang narrowed his eyes. But before he could confirm the allies, another report came.

"Foden has a deep wound on his side, Denif has a wound on his left thigh. Foden looks critical."

Despair filled Timang's heart. Should they just run away?

Then Kallin drew his sword.

"We don't have time. Let's move."

He could see the internal conflict in Timang's eyes. There was no time to argue.

Denif and Foden were under attack from both Temerjan and the Empire.

They had arrived as quickly as possible, but there were already four bodies on the ground.

The attackers must have sensed something was off but attacked anyway, as they were outsiders.

Denif was desperately protecting the fallen Foden.

Act quickly. And escape with them before the chaos subsides.

Kallin made his decision as he leaped over a building. The situation could be assessed later.

Timang, a beat behind, hurried to follow.

‘Speed is of the essence.’

Kallin focused solely on Denif's survival. The dim moonlight was a fortunate help for their escape.

Kallin's cape fluttered slightly as he ran across the rooftops. He avoided the approaching enemies, focusing on evading. The distance closed.

‘What... What?’

Timang was amazed by the speed. The use of mystic powers was beyond imagination.

Kallin, leaping from the edge of a roof, drew a dagger from his cloak and threw it.

Simultaneously, the wind he controlled enveloped the four targeting Denif, visibly restricting their movements.

Kallin had refrained from direct use until now, but it was unavoidable.

He would kill them all, so it wouldn't be a big problem. Kallin moved like the wind.

Denif dealt with one of the frozen enemies, and sharp daggers pierced the necks of the other two.

The last one fell to Kallin's sword as he landed.

Four more enemies rushed in from the surrounding area. Kallin confirmed that Timang was handling two of them.

He took two steps forward. The gap closed. One enemy fell to a single, decisive strike.

“Gah!”

Moonlight Style.

Despite the cloudy night, Kallin's sword glinted as if reflecting the moonlight.

Kallin turned and stabbed behind him, piercing the chest of an enemy.

The dying scream was clear in his ears. He met Denif's eyes.

“...!”

Unable to speak, Denif conveyed his overwhelming emotion through his eyes. It was a silent cheer.

Kallin sheathed his sword and looked around.

“Are you okay?”

“Moving will be difficult.”

“Stop the bleeding first!”

Denif nodded and applied a hemostatic agent to his thigh, which was soaked in blood. The sensation was returning as the tension eased.

Timang, while fighting the enemies, asked Denif.

“What happened?”

“I don't know!”

There was no great expectation. If he had known, he would have escaped. Timang concluded that Denif had been caught up in the situation.

In fact, Haisen's involvement was also a surprise to both Temerjan and the Empire.

The Empire had long-term plans to recruit Count Aitami.

The marriage proposal was part of this. However, Temerjan saw it differently.

Unlike Haisen, which suspected treason, Temerjan believed that Haisen and the Empire were colluding to contain Temerjan.

This was due to recent conflicts with the Empire and the proximity of Count Aitami's territory to Temerjan.

So, they planned to kill Aitami to disrupt this agreement.

The Empire, belatedly realizing Temerjan's secret move, rushed to intervene, leading to the current situation.

In other words, Haisen, which was monitoring the situation, got caught up in the fight to kill and save Count Aitami.

Kallin, while fending off the attacking enemies, moved towards Timang. They needed to escape quickly.

More would only make it harder.

“Foden...”

“No!”

Hearing Denif's scream, Kallin understood the situation without turning around.

The wound was too severe. Realizing escape was impossible, Foden had taken his own life.

‘Damn.’

He had known this would happen as soon as he saw the situation.

But knowing it intellectually and acting on it were different. Even experienced spies made mistakes in the face of loyalty.

Thus, Foden's quick decision was both admirable and tragic.

Timang let out a short groan, a brief moment of mourning in his heart.

“We’re moving.”

He said this while scanning the surroundings.

In such a situation, he believed he was the only one capable of clear thinking.

But unlike the flustered Denif, Kallin's face was calm.

He is different. As the faint sense of inferiority turned to respect, Kallin spoke first.

“Take Denif. I’ll clear the way.”

He was handing over command.

Timang grumbled internally but nodded. Kallin's actions had earned his trust.

Moreover, he was better suited to calm the excited Denif than his friend.

Timang quickly supported Denif.

“Denif, we’re moving. It’s an order.”

“...”

Fortunately, Denif quickly regained his composure.

Suddenly, Timang felt a wind envelop them, making his body feel lighter.

Could it be...

He finally understood why Kallin had become an Inquisitor. Of course, it wasn't just because of his mystic powers.

“We’ll head to the first rendezvous point.”

It was where they had agreed to meet in case of an emergency. Timang quickly nodded.

They had come to rescue a comrade in the midst of chaos.

One was saved, one was lost, but even this was close to a miracle. But the real challenge was just beginning.

Kallin had suddenly appeared and killed nearly ten people. They wouldn't let them go easily, even in the midst of their own battle.

Especially since they were on Empire territory.

How many agents were rushing to this location? It would be a tough fight.

‘Maybe I’ll have to leave Denif behind.’

Timang thought. In contrast, Kallin's mind was focused on one thing: clearing the way and reaching a safe place. The rest could be dealt with later.