= Unnamed POV =

  Where were we? Ah, right. I was standing in the very pce only the truly insane would choose for this suicide mission. I mean, why insist on obeying King Rowan’s orders just for a pile of gold coins we’re not even sure actually exists?

  Wouldn’t it be better to hunt down King Rowan himself and take over his vast kingdom? If this organization had even a fraction of common sense, maybe we’d have had a permanent pce to stay ages ago.

  Oh, right, I forgot— the only human left here who still has a functioning brain is me— ouchhh.

  “Hey, why are you ughing by yourself? We’re in a situation that’s going to decide each of our futures, you should be aware of that.”

  “Ahh, yes! Sorry-sorry!”

  He hit my head so hard that if anything spilled out, what would the brainless ones think, huh? Ahahahahaha.

  “Listen to me. Sometimes life tests us with very difficult choices. And so, this is the time for you to choose, kid.”

  A difficult choice? It’s clearly their way of thinking that makes everything feel difficult! If I were the leader up there, I’d just dissolve this whole group and tell them to go back to their own jobs.

  But it feels rude to keep ignoring the person right in front of me, I’m starting to feel sorry for him…

  “Additional information!!”

  Oh? And what exactly is he about to say now…

  “Because this mission is considered high-level with a very high reward, I’ve changed its status to ‘suicide mission.’ Anyone who has followed this directive from the beginning must participate and is not allowed to go home!”

  “Wait, what?! You can’t just decide that on your own!!”

  “Who dares interrupt me, huh?!”

  Oh crap, my mouth just blurted that out on its own. See what you did?! Now I’m in big trouble, this is really, really bad!

  “S-sorry!”

  What?! Why is that muscur guy suddenly raising his right hand? Don’t tell me he’s going to sacrifice himself for me by admitting he was the one who spoke and taking all the punishment? Wow, what a kindhearted savior you are!

  “The one who cut off your speech is this kid right next to me, sir!”

  Alright, that was shocking. Truly shattered my heart into tiny pieces. I thought you’d bravely save this pathetic kid beside you. But no— you threw me straight into the lion’s den…

  “Oh, so this is… the mute one without even a hint of magic ability, hmph?”

  He jumped down from a rock and walked slowly toward me.

  “Don’t worry, your limitations still have some use. Come with us, who knows, you might learn a lot since you’re still an amateur.”

  He returned after saying something that sent chills down my spine. Who knew a leader’s aura could be this terrifying.

  Well, what can I do. My skills are limited, but I’m not ashamed to sharpen them until they’re razor-sharp like he said. And if we actually get paid today, maybe I can just run away with the money.

  “Well, it seems this mission really isn’t suited for you—”

  “No.”

  I answered the muscur man beside me with a pounding heart.

  “I will witness everything, from start to finish, even if it kills me.”

  For the first time in my life, saying something like that felt like shifting Earth’s orbit closer to the sun. I decided to join this insane mission with full awareness, and it turns out I’m just as hypocritical as everyone else here, haha.

  “Well then… if you’re that sure. This journey will take an hour. We’re not using horses, since they still haven’t returned from the raid mission.”

  It’s been so long since I felt adrenaline flooding my scrawny body— I don’t even remember the st time a mission revived that sensation. In the end, I was allowed to go back and prepare the items I’d need, though with strict orders not to tell anyone where I was going.

  Click!

  Alright! Everything’s packed inside this old backpack. With my skills right now, I don’t even know what use I am to them. Especially with that warning about keeping our distance from the target. Ah whatever, I should head to the next meeting point now.

  “Look! The mute kid is finally leaving! Hahaha!”

  “Where? Where?? Ahhh look at that eager face hahahaha!”

  “Well I hope he never comes back, his presence is just eating into our supplies that are already running low.”

  Tch, bold of them to talk like that. Their behavior ruins the intimidating impression this organization is supposed to have. Their bodies may be adult, but their heads sure aren’t.

  As usual, I spent the whole walk cursing at anyone who dared belittle me. It’s fine as long as I’m not bothering anyone, but that was way too much. Besides, I didn’t expect the long journey would be this silent. No one’s chatting at all. It’s just me muttering under my breath in a voice only I can hear.

  The sun peeked shyly behind the morning clouds. Honestly, it’d be nicer to just sleep in the tent instead of traveling this far, but oh well.

  Around fifty minutes passed, and from a distance the silhouette of the white pace gleamed under the sunlight. We had to take a detour because of the countless traps scattered through the forest, but our rapid pace made the time feel meaningless.

  My ever-curious brain was more interested in the history of Altheria itself— not just its beautiful pace, but the borders of the kingdom too. Even its southern area felt guarded by lifeless traps left behind ages ago. As far as I could see, there were no walls or patrolling soldiers.

  Looks like this journey will be easier than I thought—

  “Arghhhhhh!”

  “Everyone, halt!”

  I was wrong— completely wrong— when one of our members suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs… the scream didn’t st long. I looked back, and the disgusting scene that followed began haunting my eyes.

  Someone was being crushed and wrapped by thick tree roots until they couldn’t make a sound. I stopped looking when the red liquid started pouring out in a heavy stream… honestly, I’m not sleeping tonight…

  “Misfortune has taken one of us, but that won’t hinder this mission. Hey, mute kid!”

  While I was busy trying to erase that scene from my memory, the mission leader suddenly ordered me to open the path, since the trap only reacts to those with mana in their bodies. What a cruel decision…

  I spent the rest of the journey guiding them so they wouldn’t step on the tiny green flowers that were actually trap triggers. As usual, no one appreciated me each time I prevented their bodies from being torn apart by those pnts. Ugh, whatever. I don’t even feel like joking after knowing one of us died…

  “Wait,” ordered the leader, while my companion with the scarred face seemed to grow more passive as the mission went on.

  “We’re standing right in front of the magic boundary the target set beforehand,” he added, smiling the moment he looked at me.

  “You see that rge flower on the hill?” he pointed.

  “Only you can cross this boundary without being detected. Your job is to cut that flower up there using the dagger you brought. After that, we’ll spread out as we enter the operation zone.”

  “Sir, understood!”

  I answered with all seriousness I had—this is the first time I’ve been used like an actual human being. Turns out, having fws isn’t entirely bad…

  I pushed aside whatever thoughts might distract me ter. A dagger was already in my hand, and with slow steps I entered the assault area. The path was smooth, I only needed to climb the not-so-high hill.

  Being trained in the art of slicing throats made me feel a bit proud, since my valuable skill was being wasted on cutting a flower. After making sure there were no arms or anything that could cause trouble, I slowly returned to where they were still waiting for me.

  My eyes caught small movements from the surrounding flowers—they reacted as the big one was cut, but thankfully they only wilted.

  “The target is most likely still inside the house. The Aeromancy squad will spread to the right and left sides. Meanwhile, we’ll find a suitable spot for reconnaissance.”

  “And you, kid. Stay here. Your job is done, you’ll be safer here since the chance of the target appearing is far lower in this area.”

  “What? That’s it? Oh come on, I didn’t come all the way here just to be used once and thrown away!”

  “Ugh… fine. Your extra task is to stop anyone trying to escape through the back door of the house. Understood?”

  “Perfectly understood!”

  With just one nod, everyone rushed to their designated positions. Sometimes I dream of becoming someone who can influence others with just a single gesture—maybe my life would be far better—

  “I’ll stay here with you.”

  What the… why is this foul-mouthed guy not going with the others? Don’t tell me I have to wait here with him… with someone whose way of caring is unnecessarily rough.

  “I know this is te, but I want to tell you my name. I figured… if one day you get mad and want to bme me, you can shout it loudly…”

  “Oh come on, this isn’t the time for that…”

  “It is the time. Because I can’t guarantee your safety if the enemy manages to defeat the others.” He smiled at me, the same smile as before…

  From afar, the sound of wind slicing rapidly through the air could be heard, faint but unmistakable—Silthroat had begun the assault. But the two of us couldn’t be sure whether they had taken the target down or not, because the order was to stay put.

  The man beside me, who still hadn’t told me his name, even grinned with excitement, thinking the mission had succeeded spectacurly. At least that’s what I thought too.

  After the first strike, more followed—over and over. I assumed the target could still fight back, forcing them to subdue her further.

  Even without magic, my ears were blessed with above-average sharpness since birth. I could focus all of my ability into my hearing—there, I heard the rising heartbeats of the Aeromancy squad. Oh, maybe they were just experiencing adrenaline.

  But on the other side, I sensed the mission leader’s heartbeat pounding violently. That one truly worried me—it sounded eerily simir to mine whenever I experienced absolute terror.

  No, I can’t show concern, or the man beside me will start worrying too… wait, what? Why do I even care about him—

  “Hey kid, don’t you think this is taking way longer than pnned?” he muttered, sounding like a soldier whose will to fight had vanished.

  “Even the leader hasn’t sent me a wind-message confirming the target’s been taken down.”

  He had a point. Logically, this mission shouldn't take long aside from the travel itself. The target was just some woman I didn’t know—or even they didn’t know.

  As my mouth tried to calm him down, my ears caught another strike. But this time, it sounded like their attacks hit solid metal. After that came the sound—

  “What in God’s name was THAT?!”

  I jumped in shock too—the roar was earth-shaking, followed by a blinding fsh. He could feel it. I felt it. And I was certain that bst wasn’t from Silthroat—none of us wielded lightning magic…

  “Tell me, chief! What’s going on—”

  His attempt to contact the leader via wind-message was cut short when another bolt of lightning struck another part of the forest. The moment my eyes processed it, I realized that the fsh wasn’t a single bolt—more like thousands of lightning strikes stacked into one…

  After that deafening rumble faded, my ears caught the leader’s words, faint and trembling. I was certain I heard him repeat someone’s name as his heartbeat grew weaker.

  Ugh… if I’m not mistaken, he said the name

  Mi… Ra…?