MSVL 04

Moving quickly and securing at least a basic escape route, Milona climbed over the temple wall. From outside, she mapped out the route a carriage would take if it moved from the exterior into the temple grounds, then chose a spot where she could best observe visitors’ faces and hid herself there.

She could have taken the easier option—resting properly in a bed and sleeping as much as needed—but she didn’t know the exact time Wade would visit the temple.

Fortunately, she at least knew the general visiting hours. But “from sunrise to sunset” was hardly information worth calling precise.

So Milona gave up on a comfortable night’s sleep.

Instead, she had already informed Danilo that she would be taking the next day off. Once she confirmed Wade’s face, she could return home and sleep properly.

“Come before noon.”

Milona murmured softly as she settled herself on a sturdy tree branch. Listening to the sound of insects, she closed her eyes, intending to rest for a short while until the temple gates opened after sunrise.

Several hours passed like that.

When she heard the heavy temple doors opening, Milona opened her eyes and clung tightly to the tree like a cicada larva preparing to shed its skin. Even though it was early spring, she carefully watched through the fresh green leaves toward the temple entrance.

He’s here!

After a little more time passed, she spotted a luxurious carriage approaching the temple from a distance. Milona bit her lower lip.

It bore the flag of the Silver Hawk—the symbol of Duke Wade, the only duke of the Lishius Empire.

…But what is that?

Following the movement of the extravagant carriage, a suspicious figure slipped silently into the temple from another direction.

And, of all places, that suspicious figure chose the exact spot Milona had nearly used as her hiding place.

It was obvious he had ill intentions toward Wade’s carriage.

Watching this, Milona felt a strong sense that things were about to go wrong, and she swallowed her rising irritation.

Where is that guy from?

Staring at the man’s back as he loitered in front of her, Milona was certain he was a colleague from outside the capital.

The reason was simple. If he had been operating within the capital, he would never have chosen the temple as his “working ground.”

For people from the underworld like Milona, the capital’s temple was almost sacred in a different sense. It was where nobles’ donations and sponsorship money were generously distributed to the poor.

Who among the slum dwellers of Roasa had never eaten bread or stew provided by the temple?

It wasn’t just food. The temple gave out clean clothes, treated wounds, and even handled funerals for those returning to the embrace of the gods.

For that reason, even those living day-to-day in poverty never touched the temple.

Both the Thieves’ Guild and the Information Guild—made up largely of such people—classified the temple as the only “untouchable” zone.

Still… something’s strange. Even if he’s from another region, it’s rare for someone insane enough to operate inside a temple… Wait a second.

Then something from Milona’s past life around this time flashed through her mind.

A newcomer in the capital had once stolen from a noble of extremely high rank.

It was never revealed exactly whose pocket had been picked, but rumors spread that the thief was mentally unstable.

In a place like the capital, overflowing with rumors, it quickly faded away—but the problem was that the Thieves’ Guild and the Information Guild had been blamed for it.

No one knew exactly how important that noble had been, but the Capital Guard had gone into chaos. The Thieves’ Guild had to shut down and lay low for a long time.

The Information Guild, which dealt in similar means of obtaining information, also got caught in the fallout and was forced into an indefinite shutdown along with them.

Danilo and Daniela had ground their teeth, cursing that insane bastard for causing all the trouble.

…So the lunatic who stole from royalty inside a temple really was insane.

Milona clicked her tongue. She was now certain that the suspicious man in front of her was that same person.

But why today of all days, and right in front of me? Seriously, God, why are you doing this to me?

It felt like climbing one mountain only to find another behind it. Nothing was resolved, and yet more incidents kept piling up.

After briefly lamenting her situation, Milona shifted her gaze between the suspicious man’s back and the carriage that had entered the temple grounds and stopped.

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t her problem. Her goal was only to confirm Wade’s face.

However, she couldn’t ignore it either—especially considering Danilo and Daniela.

She knew too well how much those two had suffered because of this incident in the past.

Thinking of the twins, stopping this would be the best option…

But still, that guy was reckless too. If you’re going to commit a job, at least pick your target carefully. How could he even think of going after that man?

He’d lose his head before he even moved his hand.

Wade was currently known as someone without any real power—but in two years, the world would realize that was a lie.

He would seize the throne after overthrowing the emperor, and a sword stained with his elder brother’s blood would be in his hands.

After ascending the throne, he would always lead wars himself.

He had hidden himself so thoroughly that no one could perceive his true nature.

Milona stared at the back of the careless colleague preparing his move against such a terrifying man.

How do I deal with that?

But her thoughts didn’t last long.

The moment the carriage door opened, the man who had been hiding his breath suddenly lunged toward it.

And in his hand was a sharply honed dagger.

It was the moment his identity as an assassin was confirmed.

“…Are you kidding me?!”

If killing Wade would prevent the world’s destruction, God would have told Milona to kill him and save the world.

That might even have been the correct answer.

If that “door” was never opened, the apocalypse consuming the world would never happen.

But God had not said that.

He had only said to save the world with love.

What that meant was still unclear—but one thing was certain in this moment.

If that man dies here, everything is doomed. I don’t know how, but it will be ruined!

Having developed the small yet absurd dream of living peacefully in a world that doesn’t end, Milona immediately leapt toward the charging assassin.

“Someone stop him! A knife—he’s got a knife!”

She shouted at the top of her lungs.

She had put all her strength into it—there was no way they hadn’t heard her.

Yet as proof, the suspicious man running ahead of her even turned around in shock.

And yet, for some reason, the knights and attendants meant to protect the royal figure did not move.

Instead, they stepped back, almost as if they had expected the assassin’s arrival—or were waiting for him.

For a moment, Milona wondered if everyone here was in on it, but the tension on their faces suggested otherwise.

Then why aren’t they stopping him?!

“I said stop him!”

With no one moving and the silver-haired man ahead standing calmly without any intention of dodging, Milona gritted her teeth and threw herself forward.

With a dull impact, she slammed into the running man, sending him stumbling to the ground.

It was a perfect body check.

At this rate, she would roll across the floor tangled with him.

But Milona had no intention of sharing a roll with a dangerous man. She quickly pushed herself up, using the momentum of the collision, and kicked off the ground.

“Ghk!”

…It seemed she had stepped on some part of his body, as a strangled scream escaped him—but that wasn’t important right now.

What mattered was her next landing.

If the first jump had been to avoid falling, the next had to be a desperate escape. And the timing of her foot hitting the ground was critical.

If I get caught, it’s over!

From an observer’s perspective, Milona looked just as suspicious as the man writhing on the ground. So she had to escape immediately.

But perhaps because she was panicking, her balance wavered.

She was going to fall—embarrassingly and completely.

Just as she braced for the impending disaster and instinctively shut her eyes—

“You’re rather clumsy at landing, little cat.”

Before her feet even touched the ground, she was lifted up.

Not metaphorically—she was literally scooped up as if being pulled out of water with a net.

A strange warmth wrapped around her knees and back as she was raised into the air.

Startled, Milona looked up.

Golden eyes like the sun met hers.

Long silver hair swayed in the wind, smooth pale skin that didn’t seem real for a man, long lashes casting elegant shadows over those golden eyes, a straight nose, and lips curved faintly in amusement.

Wade Lee Ponti.

Duke Wade, His Grace.

Their first meeting.