Episode 17. The Tower of Light and Rebellion (2)
“… … .”
Rubin now knew who was standing in front of the bed, looking down at him.
‘There’s no way I wouldn’t know.’
I knew it from the moment I came up the stairs.
A rough and unrefined life.
A dark smoke that is full of such murderous intent.
Because it was so openly displayed, Rubin was able to gauge the depth of Maphis’s darkness. As expected, it was below average for his age.
It may not be the lowest of all the female swordsmen, but it would be difficult to call oneself the son of Siren at that level.
“wake up.”
Rubin lay there, staring at the wall, silent.
“How long are you going to play that crazy kid, little brother?”
Mafis had already lost his composure.
Was it because he couldn’t bring his followers back to his side? Or was it because he wanted to repay the insult he received at the dinner table? The shadow of the maple tree cast by the light trembled uneasily.
If you find a sleeping target, it is the assassin’s method to kill them in one breath, but that doesn’t mean you can attack your sleeping brother.
Mafis leaves the room. He hears someone coming down to the first floor.
-I thought a fight was going to break out, but it didn’t.
A word from Haneke, who was watching with his arms crossed. But Rubin knew that it wasn’t over yet.
‘Just wait and see.’
Rubin threw off the covers and sat up.
Mafis will be waiting downstairs.
If you felt the aggressive glare that Rubin gave you instead of an answer, you would understand what I mean.
But I couldn’t accept it. Why did I sense such a deep darkness from a nine-year-old child?
Hot, hot. Hot.
The stairs creaked. Rubin went down to the first floor without bothering to hide the sound of his footsteps. The moment he turned the corner of the first floor hallway.
As expected.
Mafis, who had been hiding on the other side, rushed in and grabbed Rubin by the neck.
bang!
Rubin, who had just crashed into the wall, and Maphis, who had just grabbed his neck and was shaking. The bastard’s skills were secondary, and the gap in strength that had come from the turret was considerable.
“You stupid and worthless little brother.”
Although his breathing was difficult due to the tightness in his throat, Rubin waited a little longer. It was not good to start a fight like this. There had to be a way to clean up the mess.
Mafis, who had been grabbing Rubin’s neck, quickly released his grip and pulled back. Then, he went to the opposite wall.
“You’re still patient.”
I ignored the guy’s laughter and looked around. This place was…
‘A workshop where maps are made.’
On the wall were maps of various districts taped like wallpaper.
A space filled with the musty smell of paper.
“You do know that your guards are watching, right?”
Of course I know. It seems like there’s no one else in the studio besides the two of them, but there must be someone watching from somewhere.
“Know this, little brother. No one is going to interfere in our fight tonight.”
A smiling Maphis. It doesn’t mean that he recruited Rubin’s escorts. They couldn’t be recruited in the first place.
This was a place for ‘discipline’. It was legitimate discipline from a twenty-year-old brother to a nine-year-old brother.
“… … .”
“How long are you going to play the fool? The play is over. And what happens here will be kept secret.”
It’s a secret.
The vassals will soon be able to see and hear the abilities of the two Roinen brothers, but they will not reveal them to anyone else. As long as they are called discipline, their role cannot be more than surveillance.
Reporting to the head of the household is also impossible. Only the child’s royenser can evaluate and report on the children of the family.
“Be grateful. You can think of this hyung as taking on the role of Roynenser in advance.”
Mafis picked up the ink pen that was lying on the work table.
Then he nodded to Rubin as if telling him to listen to anything. He had an arrogant look on his face as if he was just going to watch.
Rubin complied without hesitation.
And then the laughter of the Mafia follows.
“Huh, are you serious?”
Rubin nods instead of answering.
Rubin chose paper. A thin, ordinary piece of paper used for making maps. Rubin rolled it diagonally several times.
So that it becomes a pointed triangle.
“… … .”
A candle burning in silence. The weapons in Rubin and Maphis’ hands were revealed as shadows. A sharp pen tip and a rolled piece of paper.
It’s a showdown between a twenty-year-old and a nine-year-old. However, even if the opponent is a younger sibling, Maphis does not show any composure. If nothing else, Maphis is an assassin who is as ruthless as anyone else.
Jiiing.
The dark smoke of the Mafis exploded. It was the maximum output without any hand-holding. It was a dark smoke that would crush any opponent with a significant difference.
But Rubin did not budge. Instead, he went so far as to reveal his dark side.
Okay then.
“… … ?”
“… … !”
It wasn’t just Mafis who was surprised. All the vassals who had scattered around to observe the situation were thrown into confusion.
“how?”
This one line from Mafis’ mouth was also the same as the thoughts of the vassals.
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Thick dark smoke.
This was definitely not something a nine-year-old could have spouted off. Mafis realized right away. This was at least a three-star level of darkness.
Considering that the average person would be one or two stars by the age of eleven, this was ridiculous.
‘You’re only nine years old, and you’re a three-star?’
Is this possible?
Has there ever been such a person?
But Rubin just does his job, whether everyone is surprised or not. A thick cloud of smoke rises from beneath his feet.
“So, you’re saying that everyone promised to remain silent?”
Well then, we need to create a secret that suits him.
These were the first words uttered by Rubin, who had been acting aphasic ever since leaving the Roinen mansion.
“… … !”
Rubin took just one step forward, and the bewildered Mafis dashed forward.
Tadadada.
A dash aimed at Rubin with the sharp end of the pen. The subsequent stabbing attack was fierce.
Swish. Swish.
Several years have already passed since I began my life as an assassin in earnest.
The targets that Mafis eliminated so far were those of a similar level to his. That doesn’t mean they were helpless opponents.
Among them were some tough and tricky targets. Mafis, who felt himself growing rapidly while dealing with them.
But why?
‘Why do all my attacks miss?’
It was humiliating. I couldn’t keep up with the movements of my younger brother who was nearly ten years younger than me.
No matter how hard I concentrated, the nib of the pen only cut through the air. The dozens of combat techniques I had been specially trained in by Roynenser were of no use.
‘You wouldn’t have been able to receive any education before you became a monk! Did your mother give this kid special treatment and teach him something? No, there’s no way your mother would do that.’
Even if I pulled up the darkness to the max and increased my reflexes, I couldn’t keep up. Even if I tried to predict his movements, it seemed like even those predictions were being read, and he would get away a beat faster.
Mafis also achieved 3 stars. I can’t admit it, but even if Rubin really was a 3 star, the difference in skill shouldn’t be this big.
‘It’s the same 3 stars? Why on earth!’
Even though they are the same 3-star, Maphis did not know that there could be a world of difference depending on the skill of using the dark smoke.
A flushed face. The heat of battle gushing out.
Rubin’s smile is revealed between the round beads of sweat jumping up between the two people.
‘… Are you laughing?’
It was a disaster.
He came out to warn us not to compare ourselves to the weak Rubin, but ended up proving exactly the opposite.
“It’s something I’ve imagined at least once.”
A low word came out of Rubin’s mouth.
“This is how it is accomplished.”
At that moment, Rubin, who had been avoiding attacks until now, started to attack. He moved based entirely on Roinenga’s swordsmanship.
Although it was very fast, Maphis was able to block it somehow because he was familiar with swordsmanship.
however.
“… … ?”
In an instant, Rubin’s movements changed.
The sword began to move in a trajectory I had never seen before. The movements of the lower body were also completely unfamiliar. This new sword technique that Rubin was showing off completely eluded Maphis’ defense.
Helpless.
Rubin’s paper sword reached Maphis’ wrists, ankles, thighs, and calves in an instant.
But the moment the paper touched the skin, the power suddenly decreased as if the wind was escaping. It meant that it would only make light contact and would not actually cut or stab.
From the Maphis’ point of view, this was a clear joke.
A humiliating trick to make you feel the difference in skill without any pain.
‘…What kind of swordsmanship?’
Everyone watching was surprised.
I couldn’t help but be surprised.
The movement Rubin showed was like an assassin’s sword, but it was also a movement that completely departed from the assassin’s sword.
None of the escorts could detect the true nature of the swordsmanship, but one person watching inside Rubin knew the true nature of the swordsmanship.
-It’s Brion’s sword technique 2. And it’s a perfectly transformed one… … .
As he said, Rubin’s 2nd form had evolved into a completely new form that was impossible to find in the original form. Even Haneke, who values uniqueness, was amazed.
It was the moment when Rubin’s efforts, which he had practiced thousands of times over, shone through.
-If that was a real sword… … .
There was no need to use all 2 forms. The opponent would have already finished within 3 sets. That was the overwhelming difference in skill.
And finally, Rubin puts an end to this fight.
Rubin deliberately slowed down his movements and skipped the attack. Instead, he used the gap as a defensive technique. Rubin infiltrated behind Maphis in the blink of an eye and stabbed him hard in the knee.
thud.
Maphis fell to his knees helplessly, rolling on the floor. The sharp ballpoint pen he was holding rolled away.
“Haa, haa… … .”
“As everyone promised, what happened here now cannot come out of anyone’s mouth.”
It was a warning not only to the Mafia, but also to the escorts.
Today’s work will completely change the perception of myself as someone who has always been quiet, but on the other hand, it was absolutely necessary.
Rubin knows that Mafis will control his retainers and aim for succession in the future.
What you do today will help you in the future.
“… … ”
Maphis, who just takes in heavy breaths without saying a word.
Leaving him behind, Rubin left the studio and climbed the creaking stairs.
Hot, hot. Hot.
The sound of footsteps echoing clearly in the quiet house. While going up to the second floor, Rubin did not bother to hide the sound of his footsteps.
* * *
After the commotion of dawn, the day broke.
Rubin returned to the gloomy Master Miguel, his former glory nowhere to be seen.
“I think the landlord is suffering from drinking too much all night.”
There was no host in the hall, only guests. Mafis locked himself in the room and skipped even the final greetings with Rubin and his party.
Rubin, who was staring at the tightly closed door, silently packed his bags and left the house.
“Then let’s go, Master Miguel.”
Instead of answering, Rubin scratched the inside of the carriage with his fingernails. It meant that it was okay to leave. Soon, the carriage carrying Rubin left the front of Maphis’ house.
Rubin’s party moved diligently. By sunset, they had arrived at the fourth annex and were able to spend the night.
The three escorts made no mention of the incredible abilities Rubin had displayed. As Rubin had warned, the events of that day would remain a secret forever.
It’s been five days since we started our journey.
“You should be able to reach the Tower of Light and Rebellion around afternoon.”
The vassal who was riding in front approached the carriage and shouted. When Rubin did not answer, he added:
“Master Rubin?”
For the first time in my journey, I broke the role I was given.
There must be a reason for this. Rubin scratched the inside of the carriage with his fingernails, indicating that he was listening. It meant to tell me.
“That night, Master Mafis sat us down and talked about something, and there’s something I need to tell you.”
I scratched the inside of the carriage again.
What is that?
The voice of the deceased became even lower.
“I heard that the young master might have to use a disguised annex like the Cheoksaljo. There was an order from the main family to be prepared.”
Slaughterhouse. Rubin tried to pronounce the word in his mind again, as he had not heard it in a long time. It was a name he had not heard in the nine years he had been a child.
‘Why the sudden assassination?’
The Assassination Squad is an organization that organizes internal affairs within the Assassination Sword Faction. The vassals personally selected by Siren are tasked with tracking down and eliminating internal enemies.
“Even Master Mafis said he didn’t know who he was chasing.”
Of course it has to be that way. Only the head of the household knows that.
If I had to guess, it would probably be one of three.
Or abandoned the given assassination mission.
Or rebelled against the Roinen or the Emperor.
Or, you may have come across information you shouldn’t have known.
“There’s nothing good that comes from running into the assassination squad. I’ll try to avoid them as much as possible.”
