Chapter 27: A Sudden Encounter and a Bold Proposition

“Don’t move, and don’t make a sound.”

Following this clear warning, a sharp object pressed against my face.

A chill ran through me.

“Uh…”

Instinctively, I tried to make a sound, but a hand clamped over my mouth, stifling it completely.

No…

What was happening?

Before I could even comprehend the situation, a forceful pull from behind dragged me backward.

I was quickly concealed in a hidden corner.

My mouth remained sealed, my head pressed against a firm chest.

I was utterly unable to move.

‘This felt terrible…’

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the street below.

“He must have run this way! Quick, we must apprehend the assassin who dared to attempt an attack on Governor Sherlock!”

The footsteps were chaotic, sounding like dozens of people.

‘What a massive display…’

‘Who is Governor Sherlock? And…’

Driven by curiosity, my eyes involuntarily flickered upward. However, from my current angle, I could only glimpse a dark, obscured mask.

‘An assassin?’

‘Was it this person?’

My movement must have been too obvious, for the sharp object that had been against my face pressed tighter, a clear warning.

I immediately froze.

‘Alright, you’re in charge now…’

Thus, I was forced into a stalemate for an unknown duration. Only when the footsteps downstairs gradually faded did the hand covering my mouth slowly withdraw.

“Hah— cough, cough…”

‘Damn it, why did they seal it so tightly? Were they trying to silence me permanently?’

As I gulped in air, I glared with some indignation at the perpetrator of this whole ordeal.

Now, I could finally see the man clearly. He was cloaked in a hooded garment, the brim pulled low, almost entirely obscuring his eyes. Beneath the hood, a dark leather mask covered the lower half of his face. Only when he tilted his head slightly could I vaguely discern a pair of sharp, keen eyes.

His lower body was clad in dark trousers, and his belt was like a veritable treasure trove, adorned with an assortment of weapons and tools. There were various bottles and jars I couldn’t identify, but I recognized a golden short sword—clearly the weapon that had been threatening me moments ago.

After releasing me, the man gave me a faint shushing gesture, then sat down on his own accord. With the short sword, he sliced open the fabric on his left shoulder.

It was then that I noticed a fresh wound there, still oozing blood.

‘That’s a rather serious wound…’

Instinctively, I reached out, wanting to examine it, but he seized my wrist.

“Don’t touch it.”

His hand was icy cold, like a block of ice.

In stark contrast to his cool demeanor and attire, his voice carried a pure, ethereal quality, like the delicate mist of dawn.

“Uh… no, I wasn’t trying to cause trouble.” I explained, keeping my voice as low as possible. “You’re bleeding so much. If you don’t treat it promptly, it will definitely get infected.”

“Hmm?”

The mysterious man let out a soft sound of inquiry, the tip of his blade glinting as he waggled it in my direction. Then, with a hint of mockery, he chuckled.

“Have you forgotten how I just treated you? Forget it. I’ll be thankful if you don’t tell anyone you saw me tonight.”

With that, he released my hand and tore off a strip of his clothing, seemingly intending to use it as a makeshift bandage.

“Wait…”

I quickly pulled a roll of clean cloth from my pocket and offered it to him.

“This is fabric I just boiled in hot water tonight. Take it. Though it’s rudimentary, it’s far better than your germ-ridden clothes. At least it won’t cause a serious infection.”

“Germs?”

The mysterious man paused, puzzled by the unfamiliar word, yet he seemed to grasp my meaning. After a moment of hesitation, he took the cloth from my hand.

However, perhaps because he could only use one hand, or perhaps his bandaging skills were simply crude, I watched him fumble with it for a long time without managing to properly dress his wound.

I truly couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

“Let me, big brother.”

Without waiting for his consent, I took the roll of cloth and began to bandage him myself.

Thanks to past experiences, my bandaging skills, while not professional, were certainly better than the average person’s. In a few swift motions, the wound was completely covered, and a simple knot secured it, signifying completion.

“You seem quite skilled.” The mysterious man gently touched his bandaged wound, appearing rather satisfied.

“Anything you do enough, or for long enough, becomes second nature. My work is very hard, and injuries are common. I’ve grown accustomed to it,” I replied, nodding numbly.

“Must you do it?”

“What?”

I didn’t quite understand his meaning.

“I mean, since you know your work is hard and you often get injured, why not find a different one? Must you do this job?”

“Uh…”

Faced with this question, I was at a loss for how to explain. I couldn’t very well say it was a long story and then pour out my heart to him, could I?

Besides, this fellow didn’t seem like the trustworthy sort…

I simply brushed him off with a casual remark:

“Many things in this world must be done, just like a mother must care for her children. Even if it’s hard and exhausting, she has to endure it.”

The mysterious man fell silent, then quietly stood up, seemingly preparing to leave.

After being stirred up by this sudden intruder, I, who had initially felt wide awake, now felt a wave of exhaustion.

I couldn’t help but yawn, unconsciously saying, “Ah… well then, good night, Mr. Assassin.”

Perhaps it was because of those words, but the man’s figure suddenly stiffened. He turned, looking directly at me with an intense gaze.

“Mm—”

I quickly clapped a hand over my mouth, my heart pounding. I wondered if I had gotten myself into trouble again.

‘Did they have some rule in their world that if their identity was known, they had to kill to silence?’

‘It couldn’t be, could it? I hadn’t even seen his face!’

But to my surprise, Mr. Assassin didn’t dwell on the matter. Instead, he pointed to my neck and asked, “That thing, do you want me to help you take it off?”

“Ah… this?”

Faced with such an unrealistic suggestion, I had to force a very helpless smile.

“I can take this off anytime, thank you.”

“Then take it off.”

Mr. Assassin said this to me, his tone sounding somewhat stern.

“Ah?”

“I told you to take it off.”

He repeated himself, his voice carrying an undeniable force.

“Uh…”

Perhaps it was the long-standing habit, or perhaps my mind had grown sluggish after becoming a woman.

In this situation, I felt my brain simply couldn’t process, my body sluggish. I just stared blankly at the man before me, unsure how to act.

My inaction seemed to further motivate the man in front of me. He returned, standing very close.

*Swish…*

One of his hands climbed onto my slender neck, while the other grasped the chain’s end, slowly pulling it closer.

“Eh—!”

Under this force, I lost my balance and was compelled to stumble forward.

In desperation, I had to brace my hands against his chest.

“You—”

Just as I was about to demand what he intended to do, I felt the pressure on my neck suddenly release, and my breathing became much freer.

‘Wait, breathing…’

Sure enough, in the next moment, I saw the collar I had been forced to wear appear in the man’s hand.

Although the release of the long-worn shackles brought back a long-lost sense of ease, the accompanying panic made it difficult for me to remain calm.

I thought of the Young Lady, I thought of the mission, I thought of so many things. In short, I realized I couldn’t take this thing off yet…

“Give it back!”

I reached out for the collar, as if hoping to replace my unease with pain.

“Heh—”

Mr. Assassin let out a cold laugh, then actually tossed the collar far away.

The object that had confined me for so long vanished into the vast darkness, falling into some unknown corner.

“You—you bastard, you’re going to get me killed!”

Seeing this, I could no longer remain calm, and I punched him squarely in the chest.

But I had forgotten that my body was now that of a woman. Despite putting all my strength into it, the punch felt as powerless as hitting cotton.

“What? Afraid your master will punish you?”

As he spoke, Mr. Assassin slowly took hold of my wrist, pulling it back until his hand completely covered mine.

“Didn’t you just say you were used to it? It seems you were just pretending.”

His hand was large, much larger than mine, so much so that when he grabbed me, I felt like a child with nowhere to escape.

“You—don’t spout such cynical nonsense! You’re not the one who’ll be punished!”

I gritted my teeth, glaring at him with a ferocious expression, as if I wanted to devour him.

In truth, I desperately wanted to shout right then and there, to have the guards from earlier apprehend him and bring him to justice.

‘Yes, I could do that!’

‘Then I would have a reason to explain to the Young Lady, and I might even get some reward!’

I was about to call out, but when I saw the short sword at his waist, I hesitated.

This guy had a dangerous weapon on him. What if he acted violently?

Just as I was hesitating, the assassin suddenly said something unexpected:

“Your master is the Young Lady of the Coldwind Territory, isn’t she?”

My eyes widened in shock.

“It seems I’m right…”

Mr. Assassin’s other hand suddenly wrapped around my waist. His grip was incredibly strong, a stance that allowed for no resistance.

I also had no strength to resist.

“You… what are you doing?”

His words, one after another, shocked me, and I was panicking a little.

“Nothing much. I just thought that since you’re afraid of being punished by her, why not let me help you find a new master now? For example—”

Before I could react, I heard him utter even more shocking words,

“Me!”