“Welcome back, Edwin. Did you have a good day?” [Mireille]

Mireille greeted her older brother who came to see her in her room. Like usual, he sat down on a chair while she was sitting on her bed.

“Haha, it wasn’t too bad. But, I did meet the-.” [Edwin]

“‘The weird person’, right?” [Mireille]

Edwin smiled wryly at his teenage sister that giggled softly.

“You’ve been running into him often.” [Mireille]

“It’s part of work.” [Edwin]

“Then, what happened today?” [Mireille]

Edwin told her about his meeting with Ryner. Two days have gone by and he hadn’t reported to the governor that he found the man they were searching for. The reason was because he wanted to keep meeting the sleepy-looking man and tell Mireille about him.

Although Edwin kept some facts secret, he wasn’t lying to her about some fictitious bird. He told Mireille a real story and she laughed from the bottom of her heart.

It was that simple.

“Today, I asked him why he hung around that place.” [Edwin]

“The small forest that we used to play in?” [Mireille]

“Yeah. He said that he had something to do and was being vague about it.” [Edwin]

“I wonder what it is that he has to do.” [Mireille]

“I’m not sure either, but since, frankly, he might anger the soldiers in Jadistro with his personality, I warned him of the danger. They have some scary people that take on any dirty work for money. These guys aren’t particularly strong, but they have managed to kill B ranks in the past by poisoning them or stabbing them in the back. They don’t fight from the front, but use underhanded means and never reveal themselves. Lying, tricking, deceiving, and attacking when the other doesn’t expect it. Because they do such things, they can win.” [Edwin]

“… And then what happened?” [Mireille]

Hearing Mireille’s wavering voice, Edwin snapped out of it. Without realizing it, he was staring at his clenched hands with a grim expression. When he saw the worried look on his little sister’s face, he scolded himself mentally and quickly put on a charming smile.

He was supposed to make her happy, not scare her.

“Just like now, I was absorbed in telling him how dangerous it would be if he angered the soldiers and when I turned my head to look at him, he was munching on a poisonous mushroom that he picked from somewhere.” [Edwin]

“A poisonous mushroom?! Is he okay?!” [Mireille]

“He’s alright. It should have left him paralyze in a few minutes, but he was completely fine. Apparently, his body is resilient to poisonous substances.” [Edwin]

“R-really?” [Mireille]

“Yes. Also, it seemed that he was aware it was poison, but still ate it. When I asked him why, he said ‘I couldn’t help it. I thought eating this red and white mushroom would give me an extra life.’ I didn’t understand him at all and he just looked at me disappointedly, saying ‘How could you not know the classics?’ Afterwards, he told his dog that was sniffing a mushroom not to eat it because it tasted like crap.” [Edwin]

“Pft! Eating poison mushrooms is a classic? And you were even offered one like it was normal? Hahahaha!” [Mireille]

Mireille tried to contain her laughter, but ended up laughing out loud as she imagined her brother’s troubled face in that situation.

“Haha-ack! *Cough cough cough*” [Mireille]

But, the laughter soon turned into coughing. Moreover, she clutched her chest and her expression warped in pain.

“(Already?!)” [Edwin]

Edwin hurriedly gave her the medicine and a glass of water. The blonde-haired girl swallowed two black pills and waited a bit, but the pain didn’t fade away. As such, she swallowed another pill. Soon after, her chest didn’t hurt anymore and she breathed a sigh of relief along with her brother.

“(The symptoms are happening sooner than usual and it now takes three pills…)” [Edwin]

Edwin’s expression was grave as he worriedly watched his little sister. But, he made sure that she wouldn’t notice his feelings and patted her head.

“Let’s call it a day here. Rest up while I go prepare dinner.” [Edwin]

He gently told her with a reassuring smile.

“… Yes.” [Mireille]

Although a bit regretful, Mireille obediently and meekly nodded. After tucking her in bed, he left her room and headed for the kitchen.

“(The attacks are more frequent and the dose went from one to three in five years…)” [Edwin]

Since no one could see him, his face warped in frustration and he hit his forehead with his fist.

“(She’s not getting better at all…!)” [Edwin]

A thought he refused to acknowledge passed through his head.

“So you’re here again.” [Ryner]

Inside the small field of trees outside of Jadistro, Ryner stared at the smiling Edwin with half-closed eyes.

“I hang out here often. What are you doing?” [Edwin]

“What does it look like? I’m painting.” [Ryner]

Towards the handsome man’s question, Ryner bluntly told him while waving his shovel in the air.

“Painting? But, it looks like you’re digging a hole to me.” [Edwin]

Edwin tilted his head and stared at the sleepy-looking man who was knee-deep in a hole that he dug. Next to him was Mi that was imitating him and busily digging a small hole while wagging her tail.

“This is how people call it in my home country.” [Ryner]

“Really?” [Edwin]

“No.” [Ryner]

Ryner bluntly said and pointed at the blonde-haired man with his shovel.

“I’m obviously digging a hole. Got a problem with that? I’ll bury you.” [Ryner]

He declared shamelessly while appearing proud of himself.

“… Haha… You really do like to mess with other people.” [Edwin]

Edwin laughed and smiled wryly. He was starting to get used to his antics.

“You mentioned your home country. Where do you come from?” [Edwin]

“That’s a secret.” [Ryner]

“Isn’t it fine? I mean, you haven’t even told me your name.” [Edwin]

“We all got secrets, like you.” [Ryner]

“… Me?” [Edwin]

For a moment, Edwin’s body went rigid and his heart skipped a beat.

“That fake smile that you always keep plastered on your face. It’s to hide your secrets, right?” [Ryner]

“… Haha, it’s not fa-.” [Edwin]

“That fake laugh too. You’re using them to hide something. Wonder what it is.” [Ryner]

“…” [Edwin]

He grew tense. Cold sweat trickled down his cheek. No word left his mouth. He didn’t know what to say and only kept on smiling.

To be discovered was the same as being killed.

While Edwin was getting ready to throw one of his knives as a distraction and make a run for it,

“Well, whatever.” [Ryner]

Ryner shrugged his shoulders and went back to digging.

“It’s got nothing to do with me.” [Ryner]

He swept the whole question to the side. When he did, Edwin’s shoulders drooped as he felt an invisible tension disappear.

“What’s the matter? You got sore shoulders?” [Ryner]

Ryner didn’t miss that and got out of the hole he was digging. He put his hand on the blonde-haired man’s shoulder and tapped it lightly a few times.

“Is it from overwork? You should take better care of yourself, kid.” [Ryner]

“Hahaha, I’m fine, but I would like it if you didn’t call me a kid.” [Edwin]

“You’re laughing again.” [Ryner]

“Haha… This is just a habit of mine to get along with others better. Please, don’t mind it.” [Edwin]

“If you say so.” [Ryner]

After a lengthy conversation that had a few uncomfortable moments, Edwin left and returned to Jadistro at a quick pace.

“Woof! Woof!” [Mi]

Once he was gone, Mi barked at Ryner as if she had been waiting for the handsome youth to leave.

“Yeah, I got it on him with that shoulder tap. No worries.” [Ryner]

Ryner said as he took out a black earpiece from his pocket and put it on his ear.

“Woof woof! Woof!” [Mi]

“He may seem nice, but he was thinking about killing me the first time we met. So, no, I’m not feeling guilty about spying on him… You are asking me about that and not if it’s time for food, right?” [Ryner]

“Woof!” [Mi]

“… Nope, still don’t know what you’re saying.” [Ryner]

Ryner stopped talking with his dog and went back to digging. But, after shoveling two more times, he discretely looked over his shoulder.

“We need to hide again. I’ll finish digging up this hole later.” [Ryner]

He told Mi after confirming that several men in blue uniforms were stealthily spying on him from afar while hiding behind the trees.

“Wonder if they ever heard about camouflage.” [Ryner]

“Woof?” [Mi]

Mi tilted her head to his murmuring.

Back in Jadistro, when Edwin went passed Bertra’s vegetable stand, he noticed something quite odd.

“Excuse me, but where’s Bertra?” [Edwin]

Both the middle-aged woman and her stand were nowhere to be seen. So, he asked the white-haired old man manning the fruit stand next to hers.

“… Bertra’s gone.” [Old man]

He answered grimly.

“Gone…?” [Edwin]

Edwin repeated in a trembling voice.

“A couple of soldiers showed up and raised a ruckus. She opposed them, insulted them and they took her away… I don’t think you’ll see her again.” [Old man]

“… Is that so…” [Edwin]

He suddenly got the urge to puke. He did his best to keep his faltering smile from falling as he clenched his fists until they turned white. The old man shook his head, as if telling him that there was no need for false pretense.

“She told me about you from time to time.” [Old man]

“She, she did?” [Edwin]

“She said that you had a fourteen year old little sister and that you’ve been taking care of her since your parents passed away. So, I don’t blame you for it. No one in this town does. We all do it.” [Old man]

“Excuse me?” [Edwin]

“Keep our head down and suck up to the governor and his men.” [Old man]

The old man plainly stated in a calm voice, yet one could feel the silent outrage it contained.

“We’re a border town, too far away for the emperor in the capital to take notice of us. Earl Tenneb’s doing whatever the hell he wants. Things aren’t getting better. So, we need to do what we can to survive.” [Old man]

He lightly hit Edwin on the shoulder.

“Get out of here and go home. Keep your head down, boy.” [Old man]

Since he had nothing to say nor did he feel like talking, Edwin nodded and silently left while feeling a bit dizzy.

Bertra was gone. Someone he knew for years was gone. His insides were writhing.

There were soldiers on the streets. He saw some soldiers ordering a man to bark like a dog as they laughed at him.

It took Edwin everything he had to not pull out his knife and jump them.

“Brother, welcome back.” [Mireille]

After getting home, Edwin went to Mireille’s room.

“Is something the matter?” [Mireille]

From her bed, she stared at his face and tilted her head.

“… It’s nothing.” [Edwin]

Edwin replied to her question full of worry with a lie and a bitter laugh.

“… Okay.” [Mireille]

His little sister opened her mouth to say something, but closed it after some hesitation and nodded.

Afterwards, Edwin talked to Mireille and told her what he did during the day. Of course, he didn’t mention a word about Bertra. But, his little sister got another seizure during their conversation and she swallowed three pills to suppress it. Then, he let her rest since she looked pale and went to make something easy to digest for dinner all while keeping his violent emotions bottled up.

Later at night, he tossed and turned in his bed. He was having a dream that he hadn’t seen in a while.

His younger self was quietly sobbing at his parents’ deaths. His little sister was in his arms, crying her heart out.

The day when Mireille fell ill and the money he earned at his job wasn’t enough for them anymore.

The doctor took a look and prescribed something that was too expensive. Edwin needed a new job and he found a place that would pay him in coins and in medicine. So, he chose to work for the lord of the town.

Then came the day when he was forced to learn how to wield a weapon. He had a knack for using short blades and learned to hide several knives on his person.

Afterwards was a string of cold-blooded murders that he was ashamed of.

He called out to a man walking down an alley at night. He didn’t suspect anything. How could he when he got friendly with him and showed him a harmless smile? That gave Edwin the opening he needed to quickly slash his throat and reap his life.

He invited a girl to the small forest outside of town. She thought it was a date. When she wasn’t looking, he stabbed her in the back.

After many days of working to earn his trust, Edwin was finally invited to his target’s house. There, the two drank together. The man that was chugging down his beer and laughing died while foaming at the mouth. He didn’t think at all that his new friend would poison him.

Such scenes were being played before Edwin’s eyes as if condemning him.

It didn’t matter if they spoke out against Earl Tenneb and Governor Isecke, disrespected the soldiers or planned an insurrection.

It didn’t matter if they were guilty, innocent or travelers passing through Jadistro.

It didn’t matter if he knew them.

So long as he was told to kill, he would do so heartlessly.

Edwin endured the shame of working as Governor Isacke’s, as Earl Tenneb’s hitman. He endured it whenever those ruffians dressed like soldiers did whatever they wanted to his town. That was all to keep his sister safe.

It was to protect his only family from harm, to heal her illness and to always keep her happy.

Still, sometimes, he wondered what the hell he was doing.