N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 336
Behind the sturdy gray walls, buildings rose like turrets.
Sturdy walls and tall yet elegant structures. It was the bustling commercial city of Cameloon, one of the busiest on the continent, with over ten thousand people passing through daily.
Raon and Dorian gazed at the walls of Cameloon, just as they had when they first visited five years ago.
"This is our fourth time here, isn't it? We've been here a lot," remarked Dorian, whose hair was dyed brown.
"Yeah," Raon, with black hair and eyes, nodded.
Both had been reported to be returning to Zieghart, so they had changed their hair and eye colors and dressed as ordinary travelers in cloaks to deceive others.
"Let's go," Raon said to Dorian, and they rode their horses towards Cameloon.
"Why are we coming here?" Dorian asked.
"For tourism," Raon replied.
"Tourism?" Dorian was taken aback.
"Yeah, just to relax and enjoy," Raon said.
"Ugh..."
As Dorian hesitated, Raon handed fake identification to the city gate guard.
What kind of tour?
Wrath grumbled while sitting on Raon's shoulder, wrinkling his snout.
There's no way you just came here with your dark heart. You must have something up your sleeve. The weakling has too many secrets.
'Hmm, I was planning to eat a lot of delicious food today…'
Really?
'Yes'
Raon smiled as he watched Wrath, who sprang up like a reflex, and said,
'I'm going to enjoy it.'
Raon nodded and entered Cameloon.
"Welcome! The fruits today are excellent!"
"Hey, you fool! You're supposed to bring them here!"
"Give me a discount. We're both athletes."
"There's nothing left even if I give it to you at that price!"
Cameloon was as lively as ever. The enthusiasm of the people was palpable, and Raon felt like unsheathing his sword and practicing right away.
"Aren't you going?" Dorian asked, having passed the inspection.
"Just a moment."
Raon didn't move immediately, surveying the surroundings with the look of someone who had just arrived in Cameloon for the first time.
After about 30 seconds of scanning, he heard faint footsteps approaching.
"Hello."
"Hmm?"
Raon turned to see a girl with tied-up blue hair and a cheerful voice bowing.
"Is it your first time in Cameloon?"
"Yeah," Raon replied curtly.
"Then shall I guide you? We, the 'Azure Cloud,' specialize in guiding travelers."
The girl pointed to the vest she was wearing, which had clouds painted on it.
"I can provide you with all the information you want about Cameloon's best places, attractions, and symbols!"
"What's your name?" Raon asked, looking at the girl's clear eyes.
"I'm Pine."
The girl smiled brightly and tilted her head slightly.
"Shall I guide you once?"
"Thank you!"
Pine smiled and raised her hand.
"Then where would you like to start? The festival is going on right now, so it's a good idea to start from there!"
"Festival...?"
If there's a festival, there's food! If there's food, it's a festival, right
Wrath tugged at Raon's sleeve, urging him to go to the festival first.
"Alright, let's start with the festival."
"Yes! Follow me this way!"
Raon nodded as he followed Pine, who seemed as fresh as a child, with her clear voice and cheerful demeanor.
"Um...," Dorian began as he followed Pine.
"We've been here four times now. Why..."
He whispered to Raon, wondering what he was thinking.
"That kid needs to eat too," Raon said, pointing to the cloud-shaped symbol on Pine's back.
"That symbol represents that the child works on their own to earn money."
"Ah! I didn't know that," Dorian replied, looking embarrassed.
"Anyway, there's a guide, so why not?"
"That's true!"
Perhaps because they were doing something good, Dorian laughed and nodded his head.
That's right...
Wrath looked at Pine with a frown on his snout.
Pay that kid twice as much later! Isn't it a bit much for someone of that age to be working already?
"Sigh..."
Raon sighed. He couldn't understand why the demon king was so lenient.
As Dorian and Wrath chatted, they soon arrived at the festival grounds.
"Here we are!"
Pine raised her hand and pointed to the festival location. Almost four blocks were being used as the festival area.
"It's much bigger than I thought!"
Dorian's eyes widened.
"It's a festival to celebrate the founding of the city! There are a lot of people, events, and food!"
Pine gestured up and down with her hands while laughing. It was a smile that only someone of her age could display.
"I see."
Dorian patted Pine's head and smiled.
From the left, there's the smell of chicken skewers. They have both salt and soy sauce! From the right, the scent of roasted pig is spreading! In the center! Ice cream!
Wrath quickly located the food, as if identifying the enemy's positions. He instantly recognized where and what kind of food was available. He was better than a radar when it came to identifying food types and locations.
"Ugh..."
Raon grumbled inwardly. He was definitely the Food King.
"Where would you like to see first?"
"Humph..."
Raon sighed briefly and looked at Wrath, then raised his head.
"Food first."
"Yes!"
Pine smiled brightly and gestured.
"This way!"
* * *
Evening has arrived in Cameloon.
Though the sky was gradually darkening, the festival's excitement kept the darkness at bay in Cameloon.
"I'm sorry."
Pine nodded to the two travelers whom Pine had guided today.
"Our facility can only work until 6 o'clock sharp, you see. I think it's time to leave now."
"6 o'clock?"
A kindly looking man with dusky brown hair chuckled.
"Yes. Our director believes that children need to rest well and sleep from the evening onwards, so we can't work past that time."
"He seems like a good person."
"Oh, absolutely! I don't know how lucky we are!"
Pine nodded with a smile.
"Alright. Thanks for today."
A tall, black-haired man handed her the fare. It wasn't just one coin; there were two.
"This is too much. You bought us dinner today..."
"It's fine, take it. It's a little extra for doing a good job."
"Thank you!"
Pine smiled broadly, bowed her head, and headed for the exit.
"They're such nice people."
The two travelers who seemed like tourists had been kind and courteous even to her young self. With the snacks they gave her at the street stall, she could fill her stomach for the first time in a while. And they even packed some cookies to give to her friend.
"If only there were more customers like them..."
Thinking about the pleasant events of the day, Pine left Cameloon, walking for quite a while.
After about an hour of walking, she stopped at a place called "Cloud's House," which was an orphanage.
"Here I am."
In front of the orphanage entrance sat an elderly man holding a lantern. He was the director of Cloud's House, and a gentle smile adorned his kind face.
"How was your day today?"
"It was fun."
Pine replied brightly, and the moment she entered Cloud's House, her pupils dilated. It was as if her eyes froze, as if she were not a person but a doll with fixed eyeballs.
"That's right, that's right. You did well."
The orphanage director patted her back, and Pine, her feet trembling slightly, walked into the orphanage building.
The lively stride she had shown in Cameloon had disappeared, replaced by a stiff, mechanical movement.
"Ah..."
Pine's lips trembled.
"Here we go again."
A feeling she experienced every day, but one she could never get used to. The sensation of her body being controlled by someone else, as if her very mind was being molded by an external force.
Without any will of her own, Pine entered the director's office at the orphanage. When she pressed the button on the right wall, a hole appeared under the desk, and she descended into it without hesitation.
Below the deep stairs was a vast chamber, and children her age, wearing cloud vests, stood in line. Their faces looked as if they could burst into tears any moment, sinking into sadness.
Behind and in front of the children were figures dressed in black masks. Among them, a man from the back pointed his finger at Pine.
"Number 45, come this way."
"Yes."
Pine responded in a hushed tone as she approached him. 45호. Pine was not her real name; 45호 was her actual name.
"Ching."
45호 placed the money she had earned today as a guide in front of the man.
"Any more left?"
She took out snacks from her pocket, which she had received from the travelers.
Crunch!
The masked man crushed the snacks with his boot and looked at 45호.
"Tell me."
"Black hair, black eyes. Height 187, weight 88, right-handed, warrior, several flaws. Brown hair, blue eyes. Height 178, weight 79, right-handed, inspector, flawless."
45호 recited the information of the two travelers she had met today as is. She wasn't saying or investigating because she wanted to. She was simply reporting what she had seen, just as she had been trained to do.
"Can they be eliminated?"
At the man's question, 45호's head turned naturally.
"If I guide them to Gabriel's Tavern with the high staircase and ambush the man with brown hair from behind, cutting his Achilles tendon before the black-haired man can react, then it should be possible to eliminate him."
45호 answered after running a simulation in her head.
"Good job."
The masked man nodded, and 45호 moved to the center like the other children. Despite having finished her job happily, she had a strained expression on her face.
It was a natural expression of someone who had experienced something sad, one that anyone could tell.
"Number 2."
When the masked figure in front called out "Number 2," all the children who had been crying just a while ago suddenly raised the corners of their mouths and smiled brightly.
It was the same happy smile that 45호 had displayed all day while guiding.
45호, with an unblemished smile, swallowed her dry saliva.
"How long do I have to live like this?"
Her only freedom was during the day, but even then, there was no escape.
No, the thought of escaping didn't even come to mind. Such a choice didn't exist.
"I want to die..."
45호 smiled like the sun and wished for her own life to end.
* * *
After completing both her facial expression training and assassination training, 45호 entered her room only when it was dawn. The room was tiny, with only two old beds.
Sitting on the squeaky bed, the door opened, and a red-haired girl entered.
"Number 86."
45호 called out to the incoming girl softly and gestured for her to come closer.
"Why?"
86호 approached hesitantly with unsteady steps.
Expressionless, 45호 put her hand into her waistband and pulled out a piece of snack. It was a snack she had hidden before it could be smashed by the masked figures.
"Take this."
She cut the snack in half and handed it to 86호.
"Is it okay to eat this?"
"Yes."
45호 nodded. With trembling hands, 86호 accepted the snack and put it in her mouth.
"Mmm..."
Even though the sweet snack filled her mouth, 86호's expression remained unchanged. It was because of the emotion control that prevented her from smiling properly on her own.
"Eat this too."
"But…"
"It's okay."
Pine smiled gently. The red-haired girl hesitated for a moment, then took the second cookie from Pine and put it in her mouth.
"Thank you, Pine."
The red-haired girl smiled weakly.
"You're welcome."
Pine smiled back.
86 was the only one who had comforted her since she first came to this place. If it wasn't for her, she would never have been able to survive this life.
"Thank you."
A tear fell from 86's eyes, which had stopped moving.
The two children hugged each other and fell asleep.
* * *
Raon licked his lips as he looked down at the orphanage from a high hill.
'Still the same.'
Using his perception and rage mana, he checked all the facilities in the basement. Robert's men were training the children with even more brutal training than he had 20 years ago
"Sigh..."
That damn Derus Robert.
Just seeing his face brought back memories of his past life, and his heart clenched.
Those wretched bastards!
Wrath shouted at the orphanage, emanating a strong aura of anger.
Even in the demon realm, young demons should be left alone! Are they treating those young and weak ones like this?
"That's what I've been saying. The real villains are elsewhere."
Raon patted Wrath gently and clenched his teeth.
"Right. It's not an orphanage..."
Dorian bit his lip as he looked at the orphanage.
"Exactly. It's a facility for raising young assassins."
He couldn't call it Derus' facility, so he simply referred to it as an assassin training facility.
Ugh...
Wrath exhaled heavily. He couldn't believe that the cute child who had guided them during the festival was now undergoing assassin training.
"It's not their will."
"T-then…"
"They brainwash and manipulate them. During the day, they enhance their observation skills, and at night, they teach them assassination techniques using despicable methods."
Raon smiled with a chilling coldness.
"So, how did you find out about this young master?"
"Remember when we went with the Heavenly Blade division to find the Saint Doctor with Lady Encia?"
Raon sat down on the ground and looked at the orphanage.
"Of course I remember! That's where you got the title of Frostfire Sword of Valor!".
Dorian nodded his head quickly.
"We caught Temas then, right?"
Temas was a doctor who secretly followed Derus Robert. He had attempted to take over the house Yonaan by pretending to treat Encia, but after his plan failed, he had chased Raon and even attacked him.
"Ah!"
"That's when I got the information."
He had heard about this when he tortured him. That there was a new cradle of assassins here.
"Now, the opportunity has come."
He had wanted to save the children ever since he heard the story, but he had to wait until now because he didn't know where Derus was.
"But..."
Raon's eyes narrowed as he thought about the obstacles ahead.
"I can do it now."
Currently, Derus is on his way with the house Robert members towards Balkar. It's quite a distance away, and he can't move recklessly, so now was the time to break this place apart.
"There's a space below the room on the left at the entrance of the orphanage that connects to the underground."
Raon pointed to the orphanage director's office, which had stairs leading down to the basement.
"You go down there to protect the children."
"What about you, young master?"
"I'll be outside, dealing with the trash."
There are those responsible for education inside and those responsible for protection outside. Since there's a Master-level individual responsible for protection, he had to handle it himself.
"Use only the swordsmanship that anyone would know. Don't let your identity be revealed."
"Why?"
Dorian tilted his head.
"We're hiding our identities now, right? If we move openly, we could be attacked by other homages again."
"Oh, that's true."
Dorian nodded his head, stroking his brown hair.
Raon operated the mana of anger once again, scanning the orphanage.
"There are more children than I expected."
Despite their exceptional emotional control and assassination skills, the number of children was higher than anticipated. Given the circumstances, it seemed like 'that training' might be happening soon.
"I might have to do it as soon as tomorrow."
Once 'that training' was completed, Derus Robert's brainwashing would completely consume the children's minds. They had to destroy this place before that happened.
"When will you attack it?"
"In two days."
Raon lowered his gaze with determination.
"I need to gather information."
Raon needed to ascertain the total number of people here, the level of strength among the powerful individuals, and find a secure way to protect the children.
"I also need to confirm Derus's location."
Derus is heading towards Balkar. In two days, he will definitely reach Balkar, allowing them to strike safely.
"Sigh..."
Dorian exhaled deeply, seemingly feeling the tension.
"I'm really nervous about rescuing the children from those assassins."
"Then go to our accommodation and take some rest."
"What? But what about you, young master?"
"I'll gather more information before joining you."
"I... I'll stay and help."
"No."
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
"One person is enough to stay behind. You should go and rest; it will be helpful."
He waved his hand, urging Dorian to leave.
"Uh, don't push yourself too hard, and please come back safely."
"Of course."
Dorian reluctantly nodded and returned to their accommodation.
After Dorian left, Raon continued to observe the orphanage with the mana of anger and anticipation.
"The shift changes every 12 hours, it seems. It's just like before."
Although it was a new location, the operational pattern hadn't changed. The guard hours, shift changes, and movements were all as predicted.
"Everything else seems as expected. However..."
How should he handle the children?
"Fortunately, the children have survived because 'that training' hasn't ended yet, but I don't know where to send them after dealing with this place."
"What's the best course of action?"
I can't take them with me.
These children are not completely brainwashed yet. They have promising futures, so they need to be entrusted to someone trustworthy.
"Someone trustworthy..."
There are only the two of them here.
With a determined heart, Raon turned around.
"You there?"
Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the bushes behind the hill.
"Merlin." (holy fu***** s***, she is every fu***** where always watching Raon :goosebumps:)
"Yes!"
With a cheerful voice, a yellow rabbit that blended with the ground popped out.
"Hmm..."
Raon covered his eyes and sighed. He had called, half expecting it, but it still gave him chills.
Oh dear...
Wrath shivered and muttered.
You don't seriously intend to entrust those kids to that crazy lady, do you?
'It's not like that.'
Raon shook his head and approached Merlin, who was wrinkling her nose.
"I have one favor to ask."
