Episode 9. The First Test (3)
“Why is it a festival map and not a map storage map?”
As the other participants headed to the map storage room, it was Rulfo, the head of the Imperial Order, who questioned Rubin’s actions of obtaining the festival map alone.
Rulfo wondered why this child had chosen a different method. However, the other heads of the household, apart from him, all seemed to have figured out Rubin’s intentions.
Rulfo cast a look at Siren, seeking an answer.
“It’s my child’s will. Do I really need to explain it with my own mouth?”
She was relaxed. And she was secretly satisfied. Even though it was still early in the exam, she knew that Rubin’s actions would be a major turning point.
And the other heads of the household also knew that Rubin’s choice was valid, and it showed in the smiles on their faces.
The Galliotrik family spoke on Siren’s behalf.
“Let me explain. Master Rubin’s decision this time will make a few differences.”
“Huh? Really? How many?”
“If it was a normal infiltration mission or a high-level assassination mission, the level 1 map you get from the map storage would be useful. But this isn’t that kind of mission.”
The explanation of the Galliotrick family continued.
“This time, the target is not a noble, but one of the commoners. There is no way a commoner would approach Trumbel’s controlled area. Rather, it would be natural for him to show up at various events listed on the festival map.”
Rulfo nodded, understanding the explanation.
“It would be much more helpful to see where and what events are taking place.”
“Of course, there will be guards stationed in the map storage room. It will also save you the trouble of having to infiltrate their surveillance network.”
Following the words of the Galliotrick family, the Bondog family also stepped forward.
“Currently, all the other participants except for Master Rubin are heading to the map storage room. There is only one first-class map of the territory. It is inevitable that the participants who encounter each other will clash. If someone has already taken the first-class map, going to the map storage room itself will be a waste of time.”
“The map storage room is probably quite chaotic by now.”
It was a word from the Croquison family that made him feel annoyed. He was angry at his son for not thinking like Rubin. Why did he miss something so easy? He was only nine years old, but a true Croquison shouldn’t have done that.
The other heads of households also felt a mixture of discontent and admiration as they remembered that Rubin was the only child of the main family who had never left the mansion.
A testing ground for intelligence, talent, and instinct.
In this ‘first selection’ to test the talents of an untrained assassin’s progeny, it was surprising that he moved so efficiently.
“Then Siren, may I ask you a question?”
Rulfo opened his mouth. This time, there was an implicit pressure not to avoid answering.
Siren took a sip of her wine and nodded.
“If it were you, where would you start looking on that festival map? I wonder where the best place to find the target would be.”
“That’s an easy question. It’s an outdoor concert venue.”
“Concert hall?”
The other heads nodded in unison. They seemed to agree with Siren’s thoughts. This time, only Rulfo did not understand what she meant.
“Because it’s the best place to check the backs of many people.”
The final victory condition was to find the target and remove the red mark on the back of the collar. Only then did Rulfo understand the meaning.
“That makes sense.”
Then a soldier came in to spread the news.
Rulfo brought a new plate to himself, picked up a chunk of well-cooked meat with his fork, and brought it to his mouth, chewing it.
“Let’s hear it out. Rubin may have acted as Gaju thought.”
But it wasn’t Rubin, it was news from the map storage room. It happened about three minutes ago.
* * *
As everyone expected, the map storage room was occupied by the territory’s guards, who were circulating and standing guard.
Guards stood in pairs in front of the map storage room. Security was literally as tight as iron.
The ones who lured them were the children of two families who were carrying out a joint operation.
A joint operation between the Stone and Bondog families.
Because the two grew up close to each other, there was frequent traffic between their families even before the ‘first selection’ took place.
Stone was the first to arrive at the map room. Instead of forcibly infiltrating like the others, he waited for Bondog.
When Bondog joined the map storage room for the second time, the two divided up their roles and created a gap in the guards.
The most basic method: using bait on one side and infiltrating on the other.
The guards at the map storage room fell for the simple tactic and created a gap in the sentry, allowing Stone to infiltrate.
Stone easily found the first-class map. Then, without hesitation, he left the main market building and planned to wait for Bondog at the meeting place.
But the moment I left the map storage room, I suddenly encountered something blocking my path.
As Stone flies to the corner to dodge, a voice laments the missed attack.
“Tch.”
It was Kun Crokison.
Kun tilted his head as he watched Stone disappear into the dark shadows.
“It’s not Rubin, is it?”
“Rubin?”
“That snobby little Roynenga!”
Before he could even hear the answer, Kun charged at Stone, with a ferocity that no nine-year-old could ever hope to display.
Stone could neither dodge nor block Kun’s attacks. Kun’s movements were on a level Stone had never experienced before.
thud!
Kun rummaged through Stone’s clothes, which had fallen out helplessly, and found a first-class map.
“You said Bonedog? That skinny guy you teamed up with. He’s down like you right now.”
Kun unfolded the first-class map and memorized it in its entirety. Then he stepped on Stone’s fingers with his foot and applied force.
“Ugh… … !”
Stone shut his mouth so as not to scream. Kun’s laughter flowed over him.
“Weaklings.”
Kun lit a match and burned the first-class map, then pressed himself against the wall and said.
“Just one more person to wait here.”
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The less competition there is, the better. Stone, who was holding his broken finger and shedding tears, was already out of sight.
“Coming.”
Footsteps could be heard approaching the map storage room from afar. Kun grinned as he took an attack stance in the shadows.
“I wish it was Rubin.”
This situation was relayed to the heads of households without fail.
When the Stone family heard the report that their son’s finger was probably broken, they put down the fork they were holding. Then, they suppressed their anger and glared at the Croquison family, but Croquison only shrugged.
“As expected, the first decision is made in the map storage room.”
The witty remark made the competitive spirit burn even more.
The clashes between the participants were expected. No, the heads of the households hoped that the clashes would make their children sharper swords.
The children, too, instinctively knew that they had to eliminate the other contestants.
Either way is fine.
Traps and surprise attacks are both allowed.
Because every strategy used in this test is recognized as talent.
“I like the way the Croquis kid does it.”
The head of the royal family expressed his satisfaction with Kuhn’s manner. He smiled and lifted his wine glass, looking across the table. The Croquis family, who had been offered a toast, also raised their glass.
“That is the right way. To rush in and eliminate them. To nip the danger in the bud. If you have a strong force, it is right to reveal it and use it.”
As he continued to drink wine, Rulfo’s face soon turned red.
“What did that kid say his name was?”
“This is Kun.”
The Croquis family answered.
“Kun. That’s a good name. If Kun kills all the participants, won’t the test end like this? No matter the target.”
“That is correct.”
This time, the Croquis family head steps forward and answers. He was enjoying the situation where the head of the imperial office continued to praise his son.
The Croquison family took it for granted that their son Kun would win the ‘first selection’. They were equally proud of their child.
In fact, as soon as he left his infancy, he was trained harshly. To become more brutal, to become stronger.
I had poured my heart and soul into my son’s early education, even breaking the unspoken rules of the Assassin’s Sword Family, and now I thought I was finally seeing the light of day.
It may not be long before the day comes when the branch of the Roinen family will emerge from its shadow and overwhelm the main family.
“It would be fun. How neat would it be if there was a kid who eliminated all the other contestants? It would also be easy for me to report to His Majesty.”
Rulfo’s laughter continues.
“One solid sword is more valuable than ten mediocre swords. Ah, Siren. Has there ever been a case like this before? A case where one person eliminated all the other contestants and won.”
Siren answered in a low voice.
“It’s not like there weren’t any.”
“It wasn’t like there wasn’t one? Then I guess I won’t be the first. Well, it’s a test with a long history.”
Rulfo didn’t ask who first set the record.
However, the other heads of the household who knew the answer all looked at Siren with subtle eyes.
The person who won by eliminating all the contestants was none other than Seiren Roinen.
The other lords remembered that the method was incomparably cruel and merciless to Kun.
It was a legendary story that half of the children who went through the first selection with Siren were forgotten forever because they were unable to work as assassins.
Siren was the object of awe from the other heads of households, but right now, all she could think about was her son.
‘Rubin, how will you prove it?’
Just then, a soldier came into the hall to update the testing situation. Everyone’s eyes were focused on him.
“Let me tell you about the new situation at the testing site. Right now, contestant Rubin is exploring the theater where people have gathered to watch the play. Before arriving at the theater, there was an incident… … .”
It was the news Siren had been waiting for.
