Black Wind 1
The moon slipped behind a cloud, and darkness quickly enveloped the area. The gaunt man with the pale, sickly complexion had completely erased his presence, merging seamlessly with the shadows.
“You’re already here, Kokoefuki?”
The voice came from Tenner, who had addressed the skeletal man. The man called Kokoefuki looked at him with an expression of indifference and responded in a sullen tone, "Right on the specified time." Tenner chuckled deep in his throat and shrugged.
“You’re as inflexible as ever. But that’s what makes you who you are.”
Kokoefuki didn’t respond, his silent gaze fixed on Tenner. This lack of reaction was typical of him, so Tenner didn’t mind. Since there was no point in engaging in small talk, he decided to get straight to the point. He mentioned a certain name and place, adding that it would be a long-term job.
"This is your next assignment. Whether you decide to stay on afterward is up to you. I’ve been paid a broker's fee, but if you refuse, you won’t see a dime."
"Understood."
Kokoefuki nodded as he listened to Tenner’s explanation. Normally, this would be the point where Kokoefuki would disappear. He was a notorious assassin known for not seeking or sharing unnecessary information. However, today was different; he lingered in the shadows, still blending with the darkness. Sensing something was amiss, Tenner became slightly more alert and glanced at Kokoefuki.
"What’s the matter? Something on your mind?"
Kokoefuki didn’t answer right away. A silence, almost hesitant, fell between them—a rarity for him. While Tenner judged that Kokoefuki had no intent to attack, he didn’t lower his guard. The tension between them grew. After what felt like an eternity, Kokoefuki finally spoke.
“I heard you originally intended to offer this job to Death Worm.”
Tenner barely managed to hold back a curse. Who the hell told him that? He wanted to shout. It was true that he had first considered handing this job to Death Worm. But for one reason or another, Death Worm hadn’t given a clear answer. It seemed there was a particular target that had caught his interest, but Tenner hadn’t bothered to find out who it was. Eventually, Death Worm left for the Yunatian Empire on a different job. The only thing Tenner knew was that the prey who had piqued Death Worm’s interest was somewhere in the Kingdom of Slibegrad, which Tenner found laughably foolish. Death Worm had chosen to pursue a target to the point of skipping out on a long-term job in the kingdom.
Given the situation, Tenner couldn’t introduce Death Worm to the client. As a result, he decided to approach Kokoefuki instead. Of course, he hadn’t mentioned that he had initially contacted Death Worm. While Kokoefuki didn't consider the mention of Death Worm taboo, it was a different story for Kokoefuki. Kokoefuki despised Death Worm with a passion. So, keeping his cool, Tenner raised an eyebrow and feigned ignorance.
“Really? Not a chance. The client requested an ‘exceptional assassin,’ and you fit the bill.”
“Death Worm fits that description too.”
With uncharacteristic irritation, Kokoefuki spat out, "By your standards, Death Worm is also an ‘exceptional assassin.’" Both Kokoefuki and Death Worm were indeed highly skilled assassins, some of the best in the underworld. Stories that stoked the rivalry between them frequently surfaced. In reality, their assassination styles were polar opposites.
The flamboyant Death Worm and the silent Kokoefuki—according to Death Worm, Kokoefuki’s methods were dull and unremarkable, while Kokoefuki regarded Death Worm’s techniques as mere slaughter, not assassination. The two were as incompatible as they were famous, yet neither was any less skilled. Both were assassins who completed their assignments flawlessly.
Hiding his smirk, Tenner shrugged again.
“Sorry, but I’m not interested in all that. As long as the client is satisfied, that’s all that matters. And you, you never fail to meet their expectations.”
Tenner’s words seemed to appease Kokoefuki’s pride. Although the pale man let out a displeased snort, he didn’t say anything further.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
With that, Kokoefuki vanished from sight in an instant. His speed, without the use of magic, made Tenner’s expression finally show a hint of amazement.
“—As quick as ever.”
Kokoefuki’s prowess as a top-tier assassin lay not only in his physical abilities, which didn’t rely on magic or Curses but also in his knowledge of poisons, surpassing even his master, Kamakiri.
******
About a month had passed since the birth celebration of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Slibegrad, and Lilliana found herself visiting Ben Draco's private residence in the royal capital. She had heard that after the celebration, Belastar and Tania had stayed for a while but had returned to their family home once the roads were cleared. Only Ben, Petra, and Paul remained at the mansion.
"It's good to see you. You look well," Ben greeted her.
"It's been a while," Lilliana replied with her usual politeness, taking advantage of Paul’s absence to speak more freely.
Although Petra had recovered from the injuries she sustained during the monster stampede, she still didn’t seem to be back to full strength. In front of the three of them was a mountain of sweets, which Paul had apparently been baking in large quantities recently. It seemed he was dealing with a lot of stress.
“Petra, have you recovered?” Lilliana asked.
“Yes, I’m feeling much better now,” Petra responded.
“No, she’s not,” Ben contradicted, speaking at the same time. Lilliana couldn’t help but smile at the conflicting responses. Ben was overly protective of Petra. During the monster stampede, Lilliana had used healing magic on the unconscious Petra and transported her to this mansion. While Lilliana hadn’t been able to check on her condition afterward, it was clear Petra had been gravely injured. Lilliana still regretted not being able to provide more thorough treatment due to prioritizing the battle against the monsters. However, she was relieved to hear that Petra seemed to have no lasting aftereffects.
“You used healing magic on Muirulainen and brought her here, didn’t you? Thank you. I recognized the traces of magic; the signature was similar to yours,” Ben said, smiling as he bit into a macaron. Lilliana shook her head.
“I didn’t do much. There were so many monsters at the time that I could only manage first aid. I would have liked to heal her more thoroughly.”
“It was more than enough. If you hadn’t been there, I would’ve died there along with the twins. Even if I had escaped, I would’ve suffered from the aftereffects,” Petra added.
Lilliana, not used to receiving such gratitude, showed a slightly troubled expression but eventually accepted the thanks with a simple, “You’re welcome.”
Petra took a sip of her tea.
“And you were the one who suppressed the monsters, weren’t you? Tania told me she handed you the bag I was carrying. If it weren’t for you, things could have gone very badly. I think it was a good call,” Petra continued.
“Yes, I recognized the formation right away and was able to use it,” Lilliana replied with a smile, which Petra mirrored. The formation Petra had carried was one the three of them—Ben, Petra, and Lilliana—had been researching together, designed to purify a monster stampede without relying on light magic. This was the first time they had used it in actual combat, and it had worked just as they had hoped.
“However, it’s concerning that the formation has to be physically transported and set up. If the caster is incapacitated, like this time, the purification won’t work,” Lilliana noted.
“That’s exactly right. I failed because I had the twins with me—” Petra’s voice trailed off. It was hard enough fighting off monsters while moving around to set up the formation, let alone doing so with two children in tow. Plus, the order in which the formation was placed was crucial for its effectiveness. Realizing her words might be interpreted as blaming Belastar and Tania for being burdensome, Petra glanced at Ben, trying to soften her statement. But Ben didn’t seem bothered at all. After a moment’s thought, Lilliana spoke up.
“In that case, what if we combined the formation with a teleportation array to automatically place it at the desired location?”
“A teleportation array?” Petra and Ben exchanged surprised glances, their similar reactions going unnoticed by themselves. As geniuses in magic and Curses, they quickly grasped what Lilliana was suggesting.
“You’re right. That could work. Though combining techniques like that would make it more difficult to use,” Petra mused.
“Yeah, it would depend on the user’s ability to control their magic. But to make it more accessible, we could incorporate magic stones,” Ben added.
“But Ben, if we make it too complicated and add more tools, some people might avoid using it, especially in rural areas where magic stones might not be well-known,” Petra countered.
The two became engrossed in the discussion, but Ben soon gave a wry smile and shrugged.
“It’s an interesting idea, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon.”
“Ah… that’s true,” Petra agreed, her expression turning dejected. Lilliana tilted her head in confusion. Seeing her puzzled expression, Ben raised both his hands, revealing that they were shackled.
“Do you know what these are?”
“They look like shackles…” Lilliana replied, still unsure.
“That’s right. They’re magical control restraints,” Ben explained.
Lilliana's eyes widened in surprise, but her sharp mind quickly recalled the conversation she had overheard using a distant listening spell. Indeed, right after the monster stampede had occurred, suspicions had arisen that Ben had tampered with the teleportation array, leading to orders for him to be fitted with magical control restraints. It seemed those restraints had not yet been removed.
Ben, in a matter-of-fact tone, informed her of his indefinite suspension and demotion.
“Suspended indefinitely, and I’m still wearing these magical control restraints. I’m prohibited from practicing or researching magic.”
“That’s… terrible…”
This meant that the improvements to the formation they had just been discussing couldn’t be made. Although the Magic Ministry’s surveillance didn’t extend into the mansion, the magical control restraints were extremely effective. They didn’t just prevent the use of magic; they could also detect any magical research attempts nearby. In other words, no magic research could currently be conducted at Ben’s residence.
“I never thought my own brilliance would come back to bite me. I never imagined I’d end up wearing something I designed. I should have built in a loophole,” Ben said with a slight hint of regret.
“Did you… design them yourself?” Lilliana asked.
“Yes,” Ben replied.
The young genius who had become the youngest Vice Director of the Magic Ministry let out a statement tinged with regret. Lilliana was at a loss for words. But it wasn’t just the magical control restraints that concerned her.
“You mentioned a demotion… what does that entail?”
“It means I’m no longer the Vice Director. Just a regular mage now. But since I’m on indefinite suspension, it’s effectively a dismissal. I think the only reason I wasn’t officially fired was so they could keep me under close watch.”
“So… you’re being monitored.”
“Exactly.”
The magical control restraints were likely part of that surveillance. It was thorough, but it also indicated just how much the Magic Ministry viewed Ben Draco as a potential threat.
“By the way, who replaced you as Vice Director?”
“I think it was Thorn Greed.”
“Oh, that incompetent fool who’s been gunning for Ben’s position for ages. Since becoming Vice Director, he’s been strutting around like he owns the place,” Petra added, contributing additional information. She sneered, “If his ego gets any bigger, he won’t even be able to fit through the Ministry’s doors.”
Lilliana understood. If the Vice Director’s office now belonged to this Thorn Greed, there was no way the formation’s development could continue at the Magic Ministry. With Ben suspended and the Ministry out of the question, there was no way to continue developing or analyzing the formation with Ben and Petra.
“Petra, are you planning to return to the Magic Ministry?” Lilliana asked, curious about something else. Petra’s expression became complicated. The smile that had been on Ben’s face earlier disappeared, replaced by a scowl. Lilliana tilted her head in confusion. It was Petra who spoke first.
“I’m feeling better now, so I could return whenever I want, but…”
“No.”
“But there’s someone who won’t let me,” Petra finished with a resigned tone.
Ben’s blunt rejection of Petra’s return left Lilliana blinking in surprise. Seeing her confusion, Ben explained, “It’s too dangerous for Muirulainen to return right now.”
“Dangerous? How so?” Lilliana asked.
“Ben’s just being overprotective,” Petra interjected.
“No, I’m not,” Ben shot back, his expression sour and frustrated. Despite Petra’s attempt to downplay the situation with a vague smile, Ben’s face remained tense, as if he were sulking. He continued speaking.
"They’ve been dumping reckless work on you for a while now. This whole ordeal made me realize that those idiots at the Magic Ministry don’t just see me as a nuisance—they think the same of you, Muirulainen. They might even be hoping you’ll die," Ben said, his voice edged with bitterness.
Petra shrugged, as if to say it wasn’t far from the truth. For the past few months, her work assignments had been utterly unreasonable. She had been sent to exterminate monsters with insufficient preparation, ordered to craft a large number of magical tools on impossibly tight deadlines, and forced to undertake tasks that drained not just her magical energy but her very life force. It was no surprise that Petra had been seriously injured during the recent monster stampede, partly due to the exhaustion from her excessive workload. While Ben had been able to shield Petra from some of it as Vice Director, now that he was no longer at the Magic Ministry, her situation was likely to deteriorate further.
"I honestly think you’d be better off quitting. You could live here, and continue your research without any of their interference."
When Ben directed his question to Lilliana, asking for her opinion, she nodded in agreement. While she believed Petra’s wishes should be respected, there didn’t seem to be any reason for her to stay at the Magic Ministry after all she had been put through. However, Petra simply shook her head, her expression ambiguous.
“Why are you so against it, Muirulainen? It’s not like you have any attachment to the Magic Ministry,” Ben pressed.
“I don’t. But that’s beside the point,” Petra replied firmly.
Petra was unyielding. Though Ben seemed unconvinced, Lilliana, observing from the side, felt she understood Petra’s reasoning. Most likely, Petra wanted to be there when Ben’s suspension was lifted and he returned to the Ministry. Both Ben and Petra had few allies there, and even having a companion with little authority could be a source of comfort. Petra was probably trying to keep her position at the Ministry for Ben’s sake. On the other hand, Lilliana also understood Ben’s concerns. With no certainty of when he would return, he must have felt uneasy about leaving Petra alone in what had essentially become enemy territory for both of them.
"Fine. I’ll concede for now. But you have to take a leave of absence for a while. Going back immediately is out of the question. I’ll get a doctor’s note, and you’ll take a year off."
"A year? That’s too long."
"If anything, it’s too short."
Seeing Petra’s resolve, Ben made a concession. Petra pursed her lips, but now that the length of her leave was up for discussion, Lilliana decided to change the subject.
"That reminds me, I found five magic stones in the bag you lent me. I suspect they’re what triggered the monster stampede. I thought we could analyze them together..."
“Oh, right. Those magic stones were something I found at the scene. They had a self-destruct spell on them, but I managed to dispel it,” Ben explained.
Lilliana took the five magic stones out of her bag and showed them to Ben. Without touching them, Ben leaned in to examine the stones in her palm. He studied the engraved symbols carefully and nodded with a serious expression.
"Yes, this is some kind of summoning spell. Not magic, but rather a curse magic… which means it falls under Muirulainen area of expertise."
“Exactly, my specialty,” Petra said with a grin, though she quickly shrugged.
"I’d love to analyze them myself, but it’s impossible to do that here or at the Ministry. And besides..."
Petra trailed off, lowering her voice. It was likely that she, too, was now under the Ministry’s surveillance. Lilliana blinked in surprise as Petra’s bitter smile confirmed her suspicions.
"The higher-ups have always seen Ben and me as a package deal. We’ve been working together for so long, and Ben’s often stuck his neck out to protect me. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re watching me now too."
"Unfortunately, I can’t argue with that," Ben agreed.
Lilliana held back a sigh.
"So, inviting you to my estate is also out of the question."
"That’s right," Petra nodded. If Petra were to visit Lilliana’s estate, it would certainly arouse the Ministry’s suspicions, something Lilliana wanted to avoid. The current Magic Ministry was almost entirely under the control of Director Nicholas Bergson, who was closely allied with Duke Clark—one of Lilliana’s adversaries. Even if mere suspicion wasn’t a problem, an investigation into her activities would be troublesome. Considering this, it might be best for Lilliana to make this her last visit to Ben’s private residence as well.
Seeing Lilliana’s troubled expression, Petra offered a reassuring smile.
"Don’t worry. I agree that the sooner we analyze the stones, the better, to prevent any further incidents. I’ll teach you how, and I’ll give you the necessary tools. You’ll have to do it on your own, but I’m sure you can handle it."
"…I’ve never analyzed a spell before," Lilliana confessed.
"Everyone’s a beginner at some point."
With that, Petra laughed and stood up, heading towards a door that only those with magic, and Ben’s permission, could see. Beyond it was a hidden room containing the necessary books and tools. Lilliana followed Petra as she was called to the room.
–