Chapter 5

Nox bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle to him and said:

“Thank you… for saving… my sister…”

As Nox bowed his head, tears reflected in the moonlight fell with a plop.

“Why are you thanking me? I’m the one who separated you two.”

“You did it on purpose… to save my sister… and to save me, didn’t you?”

Though his words were cold, Nox immediately understood his true intentions. In that situation, it was the only way to save both him and his sister. If he had known his sister was alive, he would have done anything to find her. Then it would have been revealed that she hadn’t been killed, and both their lives would surely have ended long ago.

Aster’s expression softened as he said:

“As expected, my eye for people is never wrong. You’re an excellent spy. I’ll forgive your rudeness just now. Who would have thought you’d grab me by the collar?”

He waited for Nox to compose himself. Nox squeezed his eyes shut, covered his ears, and took a deep breath. It was a method Aster had taught him to control himself when he lost his reason and became agitated like a beast.

At last, Aster spoke:

“I made a deal with your sister. About you.”

Nox lifted his head and stared at him with widened eyes. Those eyes were still bloodshot.

“If this mission succeeds, I’ll let you and your sister leave the military.”

Nox’s eyes grew even rounder at this even more surprising news.

“What… do you mean…?”

“I said I’ll let both of you leave the military.”

Aster leaned forward as he spoke.

“However, your sister will also be participating in that mission.”

Nox’s expression immediately hardened.

“But… how can someone as fragile as my sister participate in such a dangerous mission…?”

Nox spoke with genuine concern, but Aster burst into hearty laughter, cutting him off.

As Nox looked at him with a serious face, not understanding what was going on, Aster couldn’t stop laughing and asked:

“Fragile person? My goodness… Have you been apart for so long that siblings don’t know each other anymore? I should arrange a place for you to clear up this misunderstanding.”

Nox still wore an expression of incomprehension. Aster briefly explained to him how Rité had come to join the military and what had happened in the military until now.

Nox asked with a very shocked face:

“Are you saying my sister fought one-on-one with you, Major, and left a scar on your face?”

Aster calmly replied:

“Yes.”

“And she’s a dual ability user, so she made a contract with you and became your partner?”

“Yes.”

“She fought one against many with the trainees, smuggled out a prisoner, fought one against many with soldiers, and successfully escaped from a flooded warehouse and a burning warehouse…?”

“Yes.”

Aster answered with an amused expression. Nox asked carefully with a very confused face:

“Is it really… my sister?”

Aster couldn’t stop smiling.

“Oh my, is my hypothesis that blood relatives instinctively recognize each other wrong? Rité seemed to recognize you right away.”

“…”

Nox vividly recalled his previous encounter with Rité.

He had an excellent sense of smell and remembered all the comforting scents his sister used to have. But he had completely denied the possibility that his sister could be alive in this world, let alone appear before his eyes, to the point of completely ignoring that old memory.

Nox looked down at his trembling hands, shocked. He seemed to finally realize what he had done to his sister.

Seeing him like this, Aster also spoke with a serious face:

“Your sister has been different since your last meeting. To be honest, she’s in a lot of pain. As you know, human pain isn’t just physical.”

Nox raised his trembling gaze to look at him.

“If this continues, she might lose not only her purpose for staying in the military but also her purpose for living. Getting you out of the military – that purpose is almost synonymous with her reason for living.”

Realizing what this meant, Nox’s face quivered. He could immediately guess what state his sister was in. It would be exactly the same as his state when he heard his sister had died. It was very dangerous.

Nox asked him with a desperate face:

“What should I do? How can I save my sister?”

 

“What should I do? How can I meet Nox in a safe place?”

 

Aster, who saw Rité in Nox’s appearance, calmly said:

“To properly carry out the mission, it seems we need to reestablish your relationship first. What do you think? Are you willing to meet your sister again? This time, you won’t be meeting secretly here, but in a park.”

Nox’s head snapped up.

“What do you mean? Why in such a public and dangerous place…?”

“If you keep disappearing, those who are suspicious will strengthen their surveillance. It’s better to deliberately leak information that you’re secretly meeting your sister.”

“But if they suspect why I’m meeting my sister secretly…”

“Then tell them at that time. Say you’re personally looking into a job for your sister. They’ll understand that you have to meet secretly because you’re in an important position.”

Nox nodded seriously, seeming to understand with an “Ah.”

“I understand.”

“And next time you meet, treat her more kindly. She’s your sister. She’s a woman who has lived only for your revenge until now. She values your life more than her own. It’s not easy to have such an ally in life.”

Nox lowered his head at those words. Aster held out something to him.

“Take this.”

In his hand was a steel-colored box. It was the box Rité had been holding last time.

“Now, I’ll be going. I’ll contact you again soon.”

Aster trudged back down the mountain path he had come up without lingering. Nox opened the box, unwrapping the packaging. His eyes reddened when he discovered the overturned chocolates inside.

The inside of the box was a mess because he had knocked it over last time. But even so, the chocolates were still wrapped in pretty gold foil, untarnished.

Nox couldn’t bring himself to eat them at first because they were so precious, but eventually he chose the most misshapen chocolate and put it in his mouth. A sweet taste and aroma filled his mouth.

As he was about to close the box, he belatedly noticed a note stuck to the ceiling and peeled it off to check. But the moment he saw the words, he burst into tears.

 

[I love you. Forever…

-R-]

 

Nox stood there for a long time, unable to move, covering his mouth with one hand as he cried.

 

 

* * *

 

While Aster was meeting with Nox, Benyak was breaking a sweat trying to feed something to Rité.

Khalid stopped in the hallway when he unexpectedly encountered Benyak. Benyak was standing there, sweating profusely with a pitiful and concerned expression, holding a piece of bread smeared with chocolate.

Khalid remained silent for a moment before carefully asking:

“… What’s going on?”

“Ah, Khalid… You see, Rité… she’s not eating…”

Although the two had different ranks, they were the same age and usually got along well. So Benyak comfortably shared his frustrations, but from Khalid’s perspective, it was difficult to understand what he meant.

Benyak explained the whole situation to him. After hearing the story, Khalid’s expression also became serious.

“So… you need to feed her?”

Benyak’s eyes widened slightly, and he replied with a hint of indignation:

“Of course, feeding her is the main part of the mission! But when you put it like that, it sounds so trivial. I’ve been given a very important mission to keep her alive! Asking an assassin to save someone, and to change a woman’s heart – aren’t these two of the most difficult things? And I’ve been ordered to do both at once!”

He added that he had rushed to the kitchen in a hurry, thinking Rité might eat a little bread if he spread chocolate on it.

Although he was reciting the mission content solemnly, his appearance somehow seemed trivial contrary to his words. Khalid sighed and headed towards Rité’s room with him.

He recalled Rité’s state when she was mentally overwhelmed last time. Leaving her in such a condition was indeed dangerous.

Moreover, since Aster was obsessed with anything related to Rité, it could be considered a very important mission, as Benyak said. They didn’t know what would happen if the mission failed.

He knocked politely and said:

“It’s Khalid. I’m coming in.”

Rité was lying on the bed, her hair disheveled on the pillow. Benyak immediately whispered in his ear, as if confiding:

“She’s been like this the whole time. She even overturned her food tray earlier.”

At those words, Khalid looked down at the floor. Indeed, there was an overturned food tray and spilled soup still there.

He approached the bed, seeming to have made a decision, and asked:

“Perhaps, is there a memory related to Eisen that you’d like to see? If you wish, I can show it to you.”

At those words, Rité’s body showed a slight reaction for the first time.

Although Aster had advised not to disclose anything about Nox to others if possible, in fact, Khalid had known about the relationship between her, Nox, and Aster from the beginning by seeing their memories.

However, he hadn’t disclosed this fact to anyone. He was a trustworthy person.

Benyak, watching carefully, whispered to Khalid again:

“Show her my memory. The scene where Eisen happily eats chocolate. Then she might want to eat this chocolate bread I brought.”

It was a very simple but desperate suggestion. Rité, who had overheard his words, slowly turned her head.

Although her eyes were dark-rimmed and haggard, she seemed interested.

Khalid said:

“As you know, Major, I use my ability carefully on Awakened. It could cause them to go berserk if not done properly.”

At those words, Benyak grinned and said:

“She won’t go berserk. It’s a pleasant memory for me too, why would I go berserk?”

Rité felt a slight tug at her heart seeing him speak like that. Khalid seemed to understand and said to Rité:

“Please place one hand on the Major’s shoulder.”

Rité painfully raised herself and reached out to touch Benyak’s shoulder as he sat in the chair. Khalid nodded, covered Benyak’s eyes with his hand, and touched his temple. At that moment, the three of them were pulled into his memory.

In the memory, Nox, who had just joined the military, was crouched in a corner. The small boy, not talking to anyone and staying alone, looked as if he hadn’t adapted to the new environment at all.

Rité reached out a trembling hand towards her brother.

But in the memory, Benyak’s hand passed through hers and offered chocolate to Nox.

“Try this. It has a magic spell that will make you feel better.”

Nox lifted his head and looked at him warily with watery blue eyes, then quickly snatched the chocolate from his palm.

As soon as he put the chocolate in his mouth, Nox’s eyes widened. The sound of Benyak’s laughter could be heard.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Nox ate the chocolate he had given him diligently, getting it all over his mouth. Benyak asked kindly:

“Is it that delicious?”

Nox, as if he had never been wary, dropped his guard and smiled, his eyes crinkling. His small, cute teeth, covered in chocolate, were visible through his open mouth. Benyak said:

“Oh no, my eyes! Someone might think you’re eating poop!”

At those words, Nox opened his mouth wider and laughed innocently. It was typical of children to burst into laughter at the mention of poop.

“If you laugh after crying, hair will grow on your butt!”

The younger Benyak in the past ruffled Nox’s hair vigorously with his large gloved hand. As his hair became a mess, Nox hunched his neck but still laughed hysterically at the butt joke.

The entire dormitory was filled with Nox’s giggling laughter. Seeing Nox like this, Rité unconsciously broke into a broad smile.

However, as Nox was laughing and savoring the chocolate, he didn’t eat the last piece. Instead, he stared at it and mumbled:

“My sister would have liked this too…”

At those words, the smile slowly faded from Rité’s face. Nox’s eyes were welling up with tears again.

“A man shouldn’t cry at the drop of a hat! Next time, let’s go to your sister’s grave together and leave it there.”

Nox nodded once at Benyak’s words, sniffling with his reddened nose. Large teardrops hung precariously on his delicate eyelashes.

Nox carefully wrapped the remaining piece of chocolate in its wrapper and stored it inside his footlocker. He was saving it, not eating it, to take to his sister’s grave when he visited.

With that scene, the three returned to reality.

Khalid and Benyak silently watched Rité, who was covering her mouth with both hands, shaking and silently shedding tears.

Benyak sighed softly and said:

“…We should have stopped before that scene. The operation failed.”

“How could I know where to stop in your memory, Major? This was my first time seeing it too.”

Benyak held out the plate of chocolate bread he had brought in front of Rité, who was hanging her head, and said:

“Please, could you eat just one bite? Nox wanted so badly for his sister to taste chocolate.”

At those words, Rité, while sobbing, grabbed the chocolate bread and stuffed it into her mouth all at once. She chewed one bite and cried with a contorted face, then chewed another bite and cried again, as if she was eating to deliberately stifle her tears.

Realizing that his last line had worked, Benyak turned to Khalid with a serious face and gave a thumbs up.

It meant ‘Mission Success’.

Khalid shook his head and left.

 

 

 

* * *

 

Like Rité, Nox, overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of the chocolates, returned later than scheduled.

Carefully setting aside the chocolate box he had carried in his mouth to avoid damaging it, Nox neatly adjusted his uniform near the washbasin.

Just then, someone appeared beside him and picked up the box. Nox turned to him, startled. A man with brown hair slicked back examined the box and asked casually:

“Eisen, where have you been at this late hour?”

Nox bowed his head slightly.

“Ah… I’m sorry, Assistant Hubert. I should have stayed at my post, but I went out on my own…”

“No one reported seeing you leave the building. If you had reported it, we would have allowed you to go out. Was there a reason you had to sneak out?”

Though his tone was casual, his eyes were sharp. This was understandable, as everyone was on high alert for internal spies these days.

Nox couldn’t answer immediately as Rité’s face flashed through his mind at the question. Normally, he would have smoothly composed his expression and made an excuse right away, but having only recently learned that his sister was alive, he was still reeling from the shock.

He wasn’t prepared to lie using the word ‘sister,’ something he had never imagined uttering. Nox felt his heart racing with tension.

Noticing this reaction, Assistant Hubert’s gaze became even more suspicious as he untied the ribbon on the steel-colored box that looked highly suspicious.

Its color, similar to his hair, made it look like some sort of instruction box sent to him. Spies communicated with each other in various subtle ways. The fact that he had sneaked out in the middle of the night without anyone noticing only doubled the suspicion.

However, when he opened the box, his expression became subtle. Inside, alongside the chocolates neatly rearranged minus the one Nox had eaten, was a heart-shaped note on top.

 

[I love you, forever…

-R-]

 

Nox, his body stiff with tension, glanced at Hubert’s reaction. At that moment, Assistant Hubert lowered his head and chuckled, then turned back to Nox and asked:

“Did you sneak out to meet your lover?”

Having never dated anyone before, Nox’s face instantly flushed red at the misunderstanding that his sister was his lover. This reaction only lent more credence to Hubert’s assumption.

Unbeknownst to Nox, Aster’s prediction had come true, and Rité’s note had become the perfect cover. Her note was a sentimental message that anyone would assume came from a lover.

“You’re not very good at lying. I like that.”

The assistant smiled slightly as Nox, who usually maintained his composure, showed a youthful, innocent side for the first time. Nox quickly collected himself, bowed his head, and said:

“I’m sorry, sir… With night duties lately, I rarely have free time… I sneaked out briefly to meet her… Please forgive me just this once. Next time, I’ll be sure to report before going out.”

Nox’s neck and ears were red as he bowed his head. The assistant glanced at him and said:

“I understand. It’s natural to worry about your lover in these times, but remember, you’re part of the Royal Guard. Your primary concern should be His Majesty’s safety.”

“Yes… I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’ll let it slide this once. But I’m taking this as a fee.”

He took out a chocolate from the box, put it in his mouth, and returned the box to Nox. Nox’s expression changed slightly at this. As luck would have it, the chocolate Hubert had chosen was the prettiest one, which Nox had been saving to eat last.

Glancing at Nox’s dumbfounded expression, the assistant chuckled, patted Nox’s shoulder a couple of times, and left the bathroom.

“Ah, to be young and passionate. It’s truly a sad thing when war separates tender lovers… A sorrowful affair indeed.”

Despite being the youngest entry, Nox was the most skilled bodyguard there. Assistant Hubert left, satisfied to have discovered that even Nox had a cute side.

Left alone, Nox breathed a sigh of relief. He noticed cold sweat had formed on his forehead without him realizing.

Although he had lost one precious chocolate given by his sister, it was a small price to pay for his life.

Nox quickly washed his face with water, recalling the countless training sessions he had undergone to regain his composure. When he raised his head again, the expression reflected in the mirror was perfectly cool and collected, as usual.

Nox took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the water from his face and left the bathroom. Though his expression was cool, he carefully placed the chocolate box inside his uniform and even wrapped his arm around it, as if determined not to let anyone else take it.

 

* * *

 

A few days passed. Aster came to the room and woke Rité, who was lying weakly on the bed.

“Get up. We have somewhere to go.”

When Rité didn’t respond, he placed new clothes on the edge of the bed and said:

“Don’t you want to meet your brother?”

Rité turned her head slightly at those words. On the bed, as before, lay ordinary civilian clothes.

“What… do you mean?”

“Nox wants to meet you.”

Light returned to Rité’s eyes. But unlike before, she lacked confidence and could only move her lips wordlessly. Aster looked away and said calmly:

“Go and clear up the misunderstanding. I’ve roughly explained things to him.”

Rité got up from the bed and quickly changed her clothes. Somehow, she felt that if she didn’t seize this opportunity now, she might never have another chance. Thinking this might be the last opportunity to clear things up with Nox, she steeled herself.

This time, they agreed to meet in a park in broad daylight. Standing on a flat, grassy field with trees sparsely scattered about, Rité anxiously waited for Nox and asked:

“Why are we meeting in such an open place this time?”

“It’s actually less conspicuous here. Most importantly, there aren’t many trees, so it’s not easy for someone to approach and spy on us.”

Rité nodded once. Soon, Nox appeared in the distance, walking steadily towards them in a suit. Rité watched him approach, her trembling hands clasped over her chest.

The time it took for her brother to walk towards her felt excruciatingly slow. As she had noticed the last time she saw him, Nox in a suit looked very different from how she had imagined him.

‘You’ve really… grown up well.’

Rité’s eyes softened as she looked at the man Nox had become. Seeing how he had grown, when she thought she might never see him again, made her feel unexpectedly emotional.

Nox stood at a distance from Rité. His expressionless face made it impossible to know what he was thinking.

This made Rité afraid.

A strong wind blew between them. Amid the silence, the rustling of leaves sounded desolate.

This time, Rité didn’t approach first, but watched Nox with trembling eyes. Then, carefully, with a shaky voice, she called his name.

“Nox…”

“…”

There was no answer from Nox. A tear rolled down Rité’s cheek.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry for leaving you alone, Nox…”

Nox’s eyes widened slightly.

“I’m sorry… Your sister is sorry…”

Suddenly, the voice of his sister whispering in his ear as she hugged him for the last time before being shot and dragged away overlapped in his mind. Even in his dazed state, he couldn’t forget that voice.

Because those were his sister’s last words. Because after that, he had been told his sister was dead…

 

Seeing Nox standing stiffly like a mannequin without any reaction, Rité bowed her head deeply. It seemed hopeless. Even though her brother now knew she was alive, it seemed he had no intention of forgiving the sister who had abandoned him that day.

Thinking this might be their last meeting, Rité decided to let him go if Nox didn’t change his mind. Maybe it would be better for him not to be involved with her anymore.

Living without any emotions, like a toy robot, might be a way to keep his heart from being hurt and to survive. In fact, it seemed that Nox had been living like that until now.

It was then, as Rité was quietly coming to terms with this, that Nox spoke:

“…You told me… to wait.”

Rité’s body flinched at the tearful voice, her head still bowed.

“You told me… that you would definitely come to find me someday… so I should wait…”

Rité slowly raised her head and her eyes widened when she saw Nox’s face. Nox’s face was contorted, tears streaming down his cheeks. The cold expression he had maintained throughout their first reunion had completely crumbled.

Seeing this, Rité’s eyes crinkled as she burst into tears.

“Someday, your sister will definitely come to find you, Nox. So you have to wait until then, okay?”

“Really? You’ll really come, sis?”

“Yes, I promise. Your sister won’t die and leave you alone, Nox.”

The conversation they had in the ruins back then came back to both of them as vividly as if it had happened yesterday. Nox spoke in a choked voice:

“I… kept waiting. I waited… but I’m sorry… for forgetting you first…”

Without hesitation, they ran towards each other. They embraced tightly, as if they would never let go again.

It was their first hug in over ten years.

Nox’s body had completely changed from back then, even in its bone structure, but his unique comforting scent remained the same. Hugging her brother’s sturdy back, Rité burst into tears.

“I’m too late, aren’t I? I’m sorry… I’m sorry for finding you so late…”

Nox also hugged Rité tightly, burying his face in her shoulder. Now he was taller than her and his body was bigger than hers. The sister’s embrace that had felt so reassuring when he was young now felt so delicate and fragile.

No, perhaps it was he who had changed, and she remained the same as back then. He hadn’t known his sister from that time.

The sister who had to become the head of the family at the age of ten to protect her young brother after losing both parents. The sister who had to be as strong and unbending as a tree branch, despite being just as young…

Feeling like he was truly seeing his sister properly for the first time, Nox couldn’t bring himself to lift his head. The days when he had resented his sister for not keeping her promise, when he had howled like a beast remembering the sister he thought had gone to heaven, flashed before his eyes like a kaleidoscope.

And finally, he remembered the moment when he had tried to completely erase her from his memory.

The one who had broken the promise… wasn’t his sister, but himself.

It was he who had turned away from his sister who had been desperately searching for him, who had arbitrarily killed her in his world, thinking it was fortunate she had died early.

While his sister was searching for him with all her might, he had erased her first in order to survive. Even if he were to be punished, he had no right to resent her even a tiny bit.

Rité felt Nox’s body grow cold and tremble slightly. She patted his broad back, and then, cupping his face with both hands, lifted his head.

Nox’s eyes were bloodshot, and his face was wet with tears. He still couldn’t look at her, averting his gaze. Rité looked straight into his eyes and said:

“Nox, look at me.”

Only then did Nox fix his gaze on Rité’s eyes. Two sky-blue eyes that still hadn’t lost their purity even in this hellish world met. Rité smiled sadly, caressing his cheek and wiping the tears from his eyes with her thumb as she said:

“Don’t cry. Our Nox is brave, right?”

At those words, Nox’s blue eyes were once again submerged in tears.

He remembered his sister’s last words, which he had thought were her dying words.

“You can escape alone, can’t you? Our Nox is brave.”

“Say you can. We’ve picked berries in the forest, gathered herbs, and caught fish together. You can survive well on your own while your sister is gone, right?”

Those words had allowed Nox to stay alive. He had been able to survive tenaciously to keep what he thought was his sister’s last wish.

Even after all these years, his sister was still his sister. Even though she had been brought to this harsh and terrible place that even men found hard to endure, she was still focused on comforting him. At his sister’s strong words and warm gesture, Nox completely broke down.

 

Aster was watching the poignant scene between the two from a distance. His dark eyes were once again filled with an indescribable emotion. It was the emptiness of someone who had no one in this world more precious than life itself. In fact, he didn’t even value his own life. To his eyes, the tenderness between the two went beyond an incomprehensible emotion to an even greater void.

While Aster kept watch, Rité and Nox sat on a bench under a secluded tree to talk. After the initial storm of emotions, an awkward atmosphere settled in.

Sitting on the wooden bench, Rité fidgeted with her hands and asked:

“How… have you been in the military all this time? In such a place…”

Even as she asked, Rité felt sorry and couldn’t finish her words. But Nox’s response surprised her.

Nox, also looking down at his clasped hands, said:

“It would be a lie to say I’ve been well, but thanks to the Major taking care of me, I’ve managed to endure.”

“…Taking care of you? What did that person do for you to say he took care of you?”

Rité reflexively referred to Aster as ‘that person’ and questioned defensively.

“Ah… sorry. I’m not angry. I just… want to know.”

Rité mumbled, becoming timid. She had thought Benyak’s words were just empty talk, but hearing her brother say the same thing made her curious to know more.

Nox smiled slightly and said:

“It might sound funny, but he became someone I could trust in the military. He became… like family to me.”

Rité’s face turned ghostly pale at this unbelievable story.

“Nox, wake up! That person separated us and even lied to you that I was dead. Don’t you really understand why? He called you a military dog. He cut off all your ties, family and everything, to completely tame you for the military!”

Nox lowered his eyelids.

“…I know. That’s why when I met him alone last time, I grabbed him by the collar out of a sense of betrayal.”

Rité’s eyes widened at the mention of Nox grabbing Aster’s collar.

“But thinking about it, I came to understand a little why the Major did what he did. He couldn’t have told the truth even to me. There are many eyes and ears in the military. If he had told young me that he had saved you, he must have considered the possibility of me letting it slip or running away. Then neither I, nor the Major who disobeyed orders to save you, nor you who survived would have been safe.”

Rité was surprised once again to see Nox understanding Aster’s position. He really seemed to have been thoroughly indoctrinated in the military after 10 years.

But rationally speaking, Nox’s words made sense. Regardless of his intentions, it was true that Aster had kept that day’s events secret from everyone for security reasons. Now, only Aster, herself, and Khalid from the Intelligence Division knew about it.

Rité furrowed her brows and asked:

“Aster put me through various cruel training sessions. And you said you went through similar training in the covert unit. He also said you never managed to escape from him. Are you saying he really treated you well?”

“I was a troublemaker when I first entered the military.”

 

“What?”

As Rité asked in disbelief, Nox smiled slightly.

“I acted like a mad dog. Whenever I got the chance, I’d transform into a dog and try to escape, saying I had to go find my sister. I couldn’t believe you were dead, so I was determined to confirm it with my own eyes.”

His face turned bitter as he continued.

“But every time, the Major would catch me and bring me back. As this kept happening, even the people in my unit started to dislike me. The Major helped me when I couldn’t adapt to the unit and kept being an outsider. I hated him so much that I bit him many times, even drawing blood, but he still looked after me like an older brother. Of course, the training in the covert unit wasn’t easy or pleasant, but he was the one who kept me mentally strong so I wouldn’t go crazy.”

Crying was taboo in the military as it lowered morale.

But Nox was still just a child, too immature to control his emotions. So, to avoid getting scolded, he would transform into a small dog every night and cry silently in a corner, remembering his dead family.

That’s when Aster came to him. With an expressionless face, he would wait until Nox stopped crying, then sit on the floor and hold the dog-transformed Nox in his arms, stroking his fur.

Nox would struggle in his arms, scratching his face and biting his body, but Aster would hold him firmly like a solid rock.

He even made a small gravestone near the headquarters where Nox could honor his dead sister. Although they couldn’t retrieve his sister’s body, Nox was finally able to give his favorite chocolate to his sister.

That day, he buried his sister in his heart and received a new name.

“From now on, your name is Eisen. Become hot steel that doesn’t crumble under anything and change.”

The cold wind blew their hair as they faced each other. Nox could never forget the smell, atmosphere, warmth, and humidity of that moment.

It was the moment he was born anew.

Nox told Rité about how Aster would quietly call him out every night to drink cocoa together, and how he would sometimes take him out for walks to see the green mountains and the sea, knowing Nox liked to take walks.

Surprised by this unexpectedly caring side of Aster, Rité lost her words and quietly listened to the story. She was so intrigued by his story that she listened attentively without interrupting.

But the more she listened, the more she doubted if this was really the same person she knew. Perhaps he had treated Nox well out of lingering guilt for separating the siblings.

‘Did Aster actually feel something like guilt?’

Rité let out a bitter laugh. It was hard to believe, but considering how he had manifested weapons from emotional wounds, it seemed there might be another side to him that she didn’t know.

Without Aster, Nox’s military life would have been truly harsh. Given that Nox had been a problematic soldier who had repeatedly attempted to desert, without Aster, he might have been executed or died from continuous severe punishments like herself. It was because Aster, an influential figure in the military, was behind him that all of this could be covered up.

For the first time, Rité felt somewhat grateful to him. Thinking about it, even though they had met in the worst circumstances, it was all thanks to him that she could reunite with her brother.

Just then, Aster’s voice came through the tiny communicator in her ear.

– Let’s head back now.

Rité suddenly realized how much time had passed and quickly stood up from the wooden bench. She wanted to talk more with Nox, but staying here for too long might put him in danger.

Rité looked at Nox intently and said:

“I’ll come soon. Until then, you have to stay safe. Okay?”

Nox’s eyes trembled slightly at these words, so similar to those from before. But he soon answered seriously:

“Okay.”

Nox held out his pinky finger first. He believed that just as his sister had kept her promise in the end, she would keep this promise too. He had to trust his sister to the end, never betraying her again. The pinky promise was a symbol of this resolution.

Rité also swallowed hard and linked her pinky with his. Then, she hugged Nox tightly one last time before slowly running away.

Even as she ran, she kept looking back at Nox standing there. His face looked very sad and desperate.

Nox stood there, watching until she disappeared from sight, until her scent faded away. Then, after neatly arranging his face and clothes, he turned back the way he had come.

 

* * *

 

On the way back to the military base, Rité and Aster rode in silence. Looking out the window, Rité quietly asked:

“…Where are we going?”

Realizing she had keenly noticed they weren’t heading back to the base, Aster smiled slightly and answered:

“It’s been a while since we’ve been out. There’s no need to rush back.”

“So, where are we going?”

“To train.”

“…”

Of course.

Wondering if he planned to do some outdoor training while they were out, Rité glanced at him and looked back out the window. After a while, she quietly said:

“…I heard you treated Nox well.”

“Did he say that?”

Aster asked casually.

“Yes. To be honest, over 90% of our conversation was about you. We just talked about you today.”

“I’m honored.”

Aster rested his chin on his hand, looking out the window with a smirk.

“Why waste precious time? You two must have had so much to talk about, why only talk about me?”

Though his tone was slightly mischievous, Rité answered seriously:

“We didn’t have a shared history. We’ve been apart for 10 years, each believing the other was dead. We didn’t have much to talk about. The only common thread for both of us is you. Everything started with you.”

Aster didn’t respond to this. Rité also stopped talking and looked out the window.

Today’s meeting had once again made them realize that he was the most important figure between them, the bridge connecting them.

Eventually, the car stopped in front of a building. It was a clothing store with an elegant and ornate sign. Although he had mentioned training, Rité was confused about why they were at a clothing store. However, she didn’t ask anything and followed him out of the car.

The store was filled with glamorous clothes she had never worn before. Rité looked at the clothes with an unconsciously excited expression.

She had never seen clothes made of such fine fabric in her life. Just looking at them seemed to lift her spirits, and she found herself smiling without realizing it.

Aster watched her intently from the side. Noticing his gaze belatedly, Rité flinched slightly and blushed.

She stepped back, avoiding his gaze, and said:

“…I was just looking because the clothes are pretty.”

“If you like something, buy it.”

“What?”

Rité stared at him with wide eyes, wondering if she had heard wrong. But Aster calmly said:

“We came to buy clothes. If there’s something you like, buy it.”

The store owner, who had been discreetly observing them, quickly approached with a friendly demeanor after overhearing their conversation.

“My, what a handsome couple we have here! Would you like to choose some designs you like?”

 

Unfamiliar with such hospitality, Rité unconsciously hunched her shoulders. She felt very uncomfortable, having never received such attention in her life. Seeing this, Aster gently pulled her towards him, lightly putting an arm around her shoulder, and said:

“She’s quite shy by nature.”

Rité looked up at Aster with wide eyes at his escort. The corner of his mouth, as he looked straight ahead, was slightly upturned.

Charmed by Aster’s kind behavior, the owner looked at Rité with an enamored expression and said:

“Your boyfriend is so charming.”

“B-boyfriend…?”

Rité stammered in confusion, but Aster maintained a relaxed, gentle smile.

Suddenly finding herself coupled with him…

Rité, either angry or embarrassed, wore a very blank expression as she halfheartedly browsed through the clothes. It was a stark contrast to her earlier excitement. With her flushed face and furrowed brow, she looked like a bulldog that might bite if touched.

Thinking that she was indeed Nox’s sister, Aster smiled subtly. Unable to bear it any longer, he pulled out a hanger himself.

“I think this would suit you well.”

Rité’s eyes widened at the dress he had chosen. It was a form-fitting dress with a deep back, in a seductive mix of red and black.

“You… you want me to wear something like this…?”

“Why not? I think it would look pretty.”

Aster leaned in closer, tilting his head slightly. Rité’s eyes widened again in bewilderment, her earlobes turning red.

She turned away abruptly, saying:

“You don’t know. I don’t look good in such sexy clothes.”

“How do you know? You’ve never worn them.”

“…”

Rité glared at him, annoyed by his factual violence. Aster said with a smile:

“It’s good to get used to clothes like this. Today’s training objective is to completely hide the fact that you’re an assassin and become a different person, regardless of what you’re wearing. It’s a kind of role-play.”

So it was training after all, and in his typical fashion, he had considered even this aspect. Certainly, many spies were masters of transformation. Rité had no choice but to reluctantly accept the dress.

However, Aster also picked out the clothes she had been eyeing and handed them to the owner along with the dress. Realizing that he had completely caught onto her gaze, Rité’s face flushed again.

The clothes she had chosen were mostly neat and tidy, far from glamorous. They were suitable for office wear.

The total came to an enormous amount, but Aster paid without batting an eye. The owner exclaimed excitedly:

“You both have such good taste! Men usually like sexy clothes like that, but women have an uncanny ability to pick out practical clothes.”

As the owner spoke teasingly, Aster played along good-naturedly:

“Is that so?”

Encouraged, the owner whispered to Rité:

“But it’s not a bad idea to have a special event for your boyfriend once in a while.”

She winked, and Rité could only open and close her mouth, unable to tell the truth. Aster chuckled softly at her flustered expression.

“Now, try it on. I’ll wait here.”

“Try it on? But we’re going back to headquarters soon…”

“We’re not going back right away, so don’t worry. I’ve taken care of the schedule, so you just focus on changing clothes.”

Aster’s words were close to an order, but to an outsider, it sounded like he was saying, “I’ve planned the whole date course, so just follow my lead,” with charisma.

The owner was delighted, letting her imagination run wild. It was pleasant enough to see a young and beautiful couple, but having two model-like individuals wear clothes from her store was a joy for her. Rité didn’t realize it, but to others, she was quite beautiful.

Rité awkwardly followed an employee into the fitting room. While she was changing, the owner guided Aster to a sofa and brought out some black tea.

Aster crossed his legs leisurely, sipping the tea as he waited for Rité. The owner admired his long, model-like legs and gave some instructions to her staff.

Finally, Rité emerged from behind the curtain, wearing the red and black dress. Aster’s hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air at the sight of her.

The seductive dress clung to her body, accentuating her slender figure and highlighting her leg line. The contrast of black and red against her pale skin and mint-colored hair created a striking effect.

It was a complete 180-degree change from her usual appearance. She could have passed for a different person.

Meanwhile, Rité, wearing such a revealing dress for the first time, didn’t know where to look and mumbled awkwardly:

“I think the dress is too low-cut… I can feel the breeze on my back. This kind of dress really isn’t for me…”

“It suits you well.”

“What?”

As Rité looked at him, Aster stared at her intently and continued:

“You look beautiful.”

Rité could only move her lips silently, while the owner watched the two with a pleased expression and said:

“It’s not just flattery, it really does suit you! It’s as if that dress has finally found its owner. Your boyfriend has excellent taste.”

Rité looked at herself in the full-length mirror with a somewhat dazed expression. It was strange enough to see the unfamiliar woman in the mirror as herself, but being called beautiful felt even more unfamiliar.

She had never been called pretty by anyone in her life. She had been so focused on survival that she had forgotten she was even a woman.

This feeling was truly a first for her. It felt like she had briefly stepped into a different world amidst the war.

The owner discreetly said to Aster:

“By the way, isn’t the boyfriend going to buy any clothes? We have many men’s ready-to-wear items as well.”

Aster seemed to consider for a moment before saying:

“Then I’ll buy an outfit for myself too. It would be nice to match with my partner.”

“I’ll guide you right away!”

The owner’s face lit up instantly. From the moment they entered the store, she had intuited that Aster was from a wealthy family based on his attire.

As they moved to the men’s suit section, neatly arranged clothes came into view. While Aster briefly scanned a few meticulously crafted suits, the owner whispered to Rité, who was standing behind:

“Now it’s the girlfriend’s turn to choose clothes for her boyfriend.”

“What?”

As Rité looked at her in surprise, the owner said with a beaming face:

“Go on.”

Rité swallowed hard and cautiously approached Aster’s side. Having never chosen a men’s suit before, she was at a loss, her eyes darting around, when suddenly a particular suit caught her eye.

It was an all-white suit.

“This one.”

Aster turned around at Rité’s words. He smiled slightly and asked:

“A white suit?”

“Yes. You always wear gloomy black, so try something new. It’ll suit you well.”

Aster closed his mouth, then nodded in agreement.

“Alright. You wore the clothes I chose, so I should do the same.”

 

He went into the fitting room to change. The owner, seeing the couple choose such unique suits that ordinary people rarely picked, once again praised their taste, flattering them enthusiastically. Usually, people who chose such unusual clothes were not ordinary individuals, but truly noble young masters or models.

When he reappeared, Rité unconsciously froze in place, her eyes widening.

Honestly, she had chosen the white suit, which was quite the opposite of his image, out of curiosity and a bit of revenge, thinking it might be too much. But it suited him far beyond her expectations.

With his ash-white hair, the white suit made him look so beautiful and noble that he could have passed for a knight in white armor. His firm physique seemed to show through the perfectly fitted suit. At a glance, he could have been mistaken for a naval officer in uniform.

Aster smiled gentlemanly and asked:

“How is it?”

Rité, who had been staring at him with wide eyes, finally averted her gaze and said:

“…Well, it suits you.”

“But why do you look disappointed? As if you were hoping it wouldn’t suit me.”

As Rité flinched, Aster laughed and said:

“Shall we move on to the next location then?”

Rité nodded awkwardly.

As they left the store, the sunset was already painting the sky. Rité realized she had lost track of time, completely absorbed in shopping. It was the first leisure time she had enjoyed without worrying about survival. And not alone, but with a man.

Noticing the slight change in her expression, Aster headed to the next location.

The car finally arrived in front of a restaurant that exuded luxury from its exterior. Rité’s eyes widened and her mouth slightly opened as she slowly got out of the car, taking in the magnificent medieval-style building.

Even in the night view, it was truly a spectacular sight.

Aster, who had gotten out after her, smiled and stood beside Rité, who was still fixated on the building, saying:

“Since we’re all dressed up, let’s have dinner at a nice place before we go.”

“I thought… we were training.”

Rité looked at him with a dumbfounded expression as she asked this. After all, she had never imagined she would be on a date with him, wearing fancy clothes in such an elegant place.

At her reaction, Aster burst into a childlike, innocent laugh.

“This is training too. Training for undercover missions as ordinary people. Normal women think about how to cut steak with a fork and knife, not which part to stab like you do.”

Rité blushed and glared at him.

“Then shall we start teaching you slowly? Let’s begin with how to be escorted.”

Aster extended one arm to her. It meant for her to take his arm. As Rité turned her head away and started walking ahead briskly, he said from behind:

“It looks cheap for a woman to enter a restaurant alone when she comes with a man, without being escorted.”

At those words, Rité stopped in her tracks.

“Think about how others see you. From now on, you’re a young noblewoman having dinner with your lover. Gently take my arm.”

Rité frowned, then came back with big steps and placed her hand on his arm with a thud. Aster’s smile never left his face at her pouting expression.

She was indeed a woman with honest emotions and diverse expressions. It didn’t suit an assassin, but he didn’t dislike it. He preferred it much more than the dead fish eyes she had shown at headquarters.

Aster entered the restaurant arm in arm with her, looking every bit the gentleman. The waiter at the counter greeted them with a slight bow, one hand on his stomach, as they entered. They were clearly upper class from their attire, and it showed in their behavior as well.

Aster handed his business card to the waiter and was guided with a familiarity and ease that seemed second nature to him. Beside him, Rité was a bit tense but tried not to show it as she walked with clicking heels.

As they entered the hall, they were greeted by the dazzling golden light and the brilliance of chandeliers. Rité’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open.

She had never set foot in such a place before. Her body stiffened as she tensed up in the unfamiliar setting.

Aster smiled and lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, saying:

“Don’t be nervous. We’re just here to eat.”

He walked, his arm around her shoulders as if embracing her. Even though his touch met her bare skin on her shoulder, Rité felt neither discomfort nor any strangeness. She just walked, dazed, letting him guide her.

When they reached the table the waiter had guided them to, a stylish table and a night view of the river outside the window came into view. It was the best VIP seat in the restaurant.

Aster had secured this seat immediately just by presenting his business card.

Rité, who had been absently admiring the night view outside the window after sitting down, suddenly felt his gaze and turned her head. He seemed to have no interest in the night view at all, only staring intently at her.

Rité blushed and quickly lowered her head. Somehow, today she found herself letting her guard down in front of him several times.

As she quietly looked down at the beautiful tableware, Rité’s expression softened and she asked quietly:

“Why did you bring me here?”

As Aster was about to speak, Rité interrupted him, saying:

“Don’t say it’s for training. I know that’s not the real purpose.”

Aster closed his mouth for a moment, then said calmly:

“To comfort you a bit.”

“What?”

“You’ve been through a lot. Both physically and mentally. It’s good to manage stress regularly so it doesn’t build up excessively.”

Surprised by his unexpectedly honest answer, Rité raised her eyes cautiously and asked:

“…With food?”

“Of course.”

As Aster grinned, Rité frowned one eyebrow and said:

“Do you think I’m such a simple woman? That I go crazy at the sight of food?”

However, soon those words became a self-fulfilling prophecy…

As the food started to arrive, Rité was busy hastily grabbing and eating. Her earlier indignant attitude about not being crazy about food was nowhere to be seen.

When Rité belatedly noticed Aster trying to suppress his laughter while touching his mouth across from her, she frowned and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

He elegantly picked up his knife and fork, looking at Rité as he spoke:

“The women I know tend to feel better when you put food in their mouths when they’re in a bad mood.”

“…”

“Especially meat or sweet foods.”

“…”

“So simple.”

As he threw her own words back at her, Rité’s face turned as red as a hot sweet potato, and she couldn’t retort anymore.

Aster chuckled and lightly cut a piece of meat with his knife before putting it in his mouth. Unlike her, his movements were exceptionally elegant.

Rité observed him closely. Having never experienced such a meal before, she didn’t even know how to properly use the utensils.

Feeling her gaze, Aster spoke without taking his eyes off the steak:

“Since you seem to want training, let’s begin.”

“What?”

“Each piece of cutlery has its own order and use. Like weapons. Watch what I do and follow along.”

Aster picked up the outermost utensil as he spoke. Rité watched him use the cutlery in order to eat, then moved her hands like a baby bird following its mother.

Suddenly, the romantic atmosphere turned serious, as if they were on a mission.

 

As Rité stared intently at her own hands with a hunting-like expression, Aster put down his utensils for a moment.

“It’s strange for a young couple to eat at a restaurant without any conversation.”

“I have nothing to talk about with you.”

When Rité, now full, replied bluntly, Aster said:

“Listen carefully. Your role isn’t to speak first. It’s to listen to what I say.”

“What?”

“Practice agreeing naturally. Men like women who listen attentively and agree with them. If you listen intently and laugh even at boring stories, you can create affection where there was none.”

“What nonsense is that? Are you telling me to just please men?”

Aster chuckled at her blunt words.

“Yes. You need to make them lower their guard and suspicions so you can kill them easily.”

Rité’s eyes widened even more at his words.

“Are you telling me to have a jolly dinner with the man I’m supposed to kill?”

“Such situations could certainly arise. With looks like yours.”

Rité’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. He had just casually complimented her appearance.

Rité narrowed her eyes and asked:

“…Was that also a technique? To make the other person lower their guard?”

“Whether it’s a technique, a move, or sincerity, it doesn’t matter.”

Aster leaned forward slightly and said seriously:

“You were flattered by my words even while being suspicious, weren’t you?”

Rité was struck dumb. Aster softened his gaze and said:

“So learn it well. You might have to dine with the king and please him someday.”

Rité swallowed hard and looked down at her empty plate. Aster glanced at it and asked nonchalantly:

“Was the meal not enough?”

Before Rité could answer, he elegantly raised one hand to call the waiter. He ordered several desserts with names Rité had never heard before.

After the waiter left, Aster smiled slightly and said:

“We can’t make a lady say embarrassing things directly.”

“…Being hungry isn’t embarrassing.”

Rité glared at him fiercely, as if she hadn’t just been caught out.

“You’re right. Begging for food is what’s embarrassing.”

Aster retorted without blinking an eye.

“…What do you know about hunger?”

Rité suddenly felt heat rising in her body as she spoke.

“Have you ever searched enemy corpses for even a single coin to buy food, or dug through trash cans to eat rotten food someone else threw away, or stuffed unknown tree leaves into your mouth when you felt like your stomach was about to tear apart, only to retch at the grassy smell?”

Rité blurted out words in excitement and then took a breath.

The atmosphere between the two suddenly turned cold.

Having lost even Nox, her only family, she had survived tenaciously, unable to die, looking only towards revenge. For him to talk about hunger in front of her like this. She despised him for speaking that way when he had only ever eaten warm meals provided by the military.

As her voice rose and the atmosphere turned sour, people around them paused their meals to glance at the two. Aster looked straight at Rité and said:

“Drawing attention isn’t good. It’s a bad habit, so fix it.”

“Don’t order me around. I’m not an idiot.”

“Hide your emotions. And being fooled by appearances is just as foolish.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You just ranted, making assumptions about my life based solely on my appearance. That’s why appearance is important, and why disguise is important. But you know what? Everything you mentioned, I’ve experienced all of it, without exception.”

Rité was at a loss for words. Aster continued calmly:

“Many situations arise during war. You might experience even more miserable situations than what you described. It’s not something to brag about, but I don’t think your childhood was more miserable than mine. At least, unlike me, you have some memories of your parents, and you’ve experienced that noble love of parents sacrificing themselves to protect you and your brother. That’s better than being sold off by parents blinded by money, like me.”

Rité’s eyes widened. Aster, who had inadvertently revealed a bit about his childhood, paused briefly before continuing:

“You’re right, being hungry isn’t embarrassing. Begging for food is. It’s embarrassing to only think about asking others for help when you’re hungry, to sell out or use others to fill your stomach without any pangs of conscience, to not think about finding food for yourself by any means, Rité.”

The two stared at each other intensely for a moment. His black eyes were as fierce and sharp as a beast’s. It was a look that said he would never back down from his opinion.

Rité averted her gaze first, as if admitting defeat. The story he had just told her was more shocking than she had expected, leaving her speechless.

She had thought he hadn’t lived like that, that he must have lived like a young master, but it seemed she had misunderstood. This time, it was clearly her mistake.

She had been puzzled when told that he also had emotional wounds, but could it be that those wounds were related to his childhood…? Perhaps he too was putting on a facade in front of people. She became curious about what was beneath his surface.

Just then, the ordered desserts arrived. Aster’s expression softened as if nothing had happened, and he said:

“They’re here.”

Rité’s eyes widened at the sight of the elaborate desserts that looked as if they were studded with jewels, and she unconsciously asked:

“Is this… dessert? These pretty little mouse-dropping-sized pastries?”

The desserts were small and placed in the center of large plates, but it was clear that great care had been taken in plating them. Her eyes seemed to sparkle in reflection of the chandelier light. Despite her words, she appeared to like them.

Immediately, a soft chuckle was heard. When she looked up, Aster had his head slightly bowed, covering his mouth. It seemed he was now openly laughing at her.

Rité frowned and opened the menu to check the prices, but quickly closed her mouth. She couldn’t even count how many zeros there were.

As Rité’s face turned pale while quickly scanning the menu with her eyes, Aster said:

“Memorize the shapes and names of the desserts listed on the menu. Ah, it might be good to try them all and remember which ones you like.”

Aster pushed all the desserts towards Rité, who glared at him intermittently while tasting each one. Rité, who had been looking disapprovingly at the tiny teaspoon, soon realized why the spoon was so small.

This was truly a heavenly taste that needed to be savored in small amounts.

Rité furrowed her brow as she diligently savored the desserts, mumbling:

“Is this how all rich bastards indulge…?”

Although her expression seemed very angry, her spoon continued to move between her mouth and the desserts without stopping. It was truly a scene of actions contradicting words.

Aster watched her with interest. He had attended many such banquets with high-ranking guests before, but never had anyone been as intriguing as the woman before him. Just watching her eat at a high-class restaurant for the first time and seeing her reactions was so enjoyable that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Seeing you today, I think there’s a lot I need to teach you.”

At his sudden words, Rité paused with her spoon and blushed, but boldly raised her eyes and said:

“Of course it’s awkward the first time. I can do well if I learn.”

“Yes. You need a complete image makeover.”

“…Why do you keep talking like that?”

As Rité frowned, her pride hurt, Aster lowered his gaze, chuckling, and elegantly lifted his wine glass to take a sip.

 

Even in the middle of eating dessert, her role was to immediately mimic his actions. Rité carefully watched his hand holding the wine glass and tried to drink her wine the same way, but ended up coughing and spitting it out.

Aster immediately handed her a napkin gentlemanly and said:

“Zero points. No, minus ten points.”

Rité’s glare at him became even more fierce. Aster seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

Even while teasing Rité, he meticulously corrected her posture, down to how she held her fork and knife. Eventually, Rité began to look quite presentable.

“Always maintain a proper posture. Keep your shoulders from curving inward, straighten your back naturally, and be mindful not to lower your chin. Raising it too high can look arrogant, but lowering it makes you look insecure. It’s better to err on the side of arrogance. A woman with high self-esteem is attractive. Always move slowly and elegantly, as if gliding.”

Rité diligently learned according to Aster’s instructions.

“It wouldn’t be bad to memorize wine types too. You should be able to answer if asked what kind of wine you like.”

Aster called the waiter and mentioned a few types of wine. When the waiter brought the wine, Aster told Rité the names of the wines as he poured them into glasses and handed them to her. Rité tried to memorize them diligently.

“Taste each one and remember the flavors. Choose the one you like best too.”

Rité gently swirled the wine glass as he had taught her, mixing the contents, and carefully tasted each one. Her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn’t spit out the wine uncouthly like before.

Finally, she put down her glass and spoke calmly.

“This is my favorite.”

Aster’s expression changed subtly as he looked at the wine she pointed to.

“It seems we have more in common than I thought.”

“What?”

“That wine, it’s my favorite too.”

Aster smiled. His face looked so genuinely fond that Rité blinked in surprise.

“You were probably intrigued by what I said earlier, even though you were skeptical. Weren’t you?”

Suddenly, Rité recalled what Aster had said before.

Whether it was due to the alcohol or nervousness, Rité suddenly felt a wave of heat coursing through her body. It was a different kind of heat than when they were arguing earlier.

As she was gulping down cold water, Aster pulled something out of his pocket. It was a small red box tied with a pink ribbon.

Rité lowered her glass slightly and glanced at him, asking,

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

Aster smiled.

“Open it.”

“It’s not a ring or anything, right? We don’t need to act that far.”

Rité said mockingly and gruffly on purpose, but Aster just smiled silently. That subtle smile with unreadable intentions somehow irritated her, so Rité frowned and quickly untied the ribbon on the box.

But what came out was ‘perfume’.

“Why perfume?”

“It’s a gift from me.”

“A gift…?”

Rité was a bit taken aback, not expecting to receive a gift from him. And perfume, of all things. Isn’t perfume a typical gift received when becoming an adult?

Aster spoke gently.

“Think of it as a gift for surviving safely until you’re twenty. I wanted to congratulate you at least. No one would have congratulated you as if becoming an adult was a given.”

“…”

Rité’s eyes unconsciously turned red, feeling a lump in her throat. She had turned twenty this year, but as he said, no one had given her perfume as a gift.

All this time, every day had been like a war, and she hadn’t had the leisure to feel the passing of years or growing older… Now, she finally felt the reality of becoming an adult.

The perfume he gave seemed to truly comfort her for safely reaching adulthood, and Rité couldn’t take her eyes off the bottle for a long time.

“Try it on.”

At his words, Rité lightly sprayed the perfume on her wrist and carefully smelled it. It had a truly lovely floral scent, as if flowers had bloomed on her wrist. It was a lively yet gentle fragrance that seemed to soothe wounded hearts.

Rité’s eyes widened slightly as she asked,

“The scent… is really nice. Where did you find this?”

“To be honest, I asked the perfume shop staff about popular fragrances among women and chose this. I don’t really like artificial scents like perfume, so I don’t know much about them.”

Aster answered with a smile. Admitting so frankly that he didn’t know much while smiling made Rité feel strange. Though he spoke casually, she saw him differently now for preparing such an event despite his busy schedule.

Was it because she drank too much alcohol when she usually didn’t? Countless indescribable emotions welled up, and suddenly her vision seemed to blur.

Just as Rité clutched one side of her head, looking slightly drunk, Aster’s eyes suddenly widened, and he leaped across the table towards her without warning.

He embraced her and turned his body towards the long sofa. As the two of them fell onto the red sofa with a thud, a gunshot rang out and the glass window shattered.

It all happened in an instant.

Rité lay on the sofa, unable to breathe properly, with her eyes wide open. Aster was lying on top of her, and shards of broken glass rained down on his sturdy back like hailstones.

At the sudden gunfire, other guests in the restaurant began to scream and flee the building. Aster lifted his face from her body and said,

“Looks like we’re under attack. We need to get out of here quickly.”

His face was cold and fierce, as if nothing had happened before. Rité felt like she was sobering up instantly. This wasn’t training; it was a real situation.

As she struggled to get up, fighting her trembling body, Aster immediately pulled her under the table and crouched down with her. His face was right in front of hers.

Aster looked into her eyes and asked seriously,

“Can you walk out on your own?”

Rité swallowed hard and nodded once.

“Good. As soon as we leave the building, get in the car immediately. The driver should be waiting at the door, having heard the gunshots.”

“What about you?”

When Rité asked in confusion, Aster calmly replied,

“I’ll identify who it is and come right after. Run. Unless you want to get shot.”

As Aster lightly pushed her back, Rité got up from under the table and started running awkwardly in her uncomfortable dress. Looking back as she ran, she saw Aster drawing his gun and keenly watching out the window.

Another gunshot rang out soon after. Rité flinched, squeezing her eyes shut, and headed towards the exit.

As she left the building, the driver was waiting as Aster had said. He spoke as he helped her into the car,

“Please lie down on the floor of the car, ma’am.”

 

He addressed her formally, subconsciously treating her like a lady in her dress. Seeing this, Rité was surprised to realize that her current appearance must look like a perfect upper-class noble to others. Inwardly, she thought about how important outward appearances could be.

As Rité flattened herself completely on the car floor, the driver roughly drove the car towards the back door. Just then, Aster burst nimbly through the shattered back door.

He fired bullets incessantly towards somewhere until he got into the car. The driver floored the accelerator and sped away from the place at full speed, while Aster kept a sharp eye out the bulletproof window and fired a few more shots.

The car carrying them made screeching sounds as it took sharp turns frantically. Lying on the floor, Rité felt her body swaying back and forth and her heart pounding madly.

Finally, as they left the danger zone, Aster lowered his gun and helped Rité up from the floor with his other hand.

“It’s safe now.”

Hearing his voice, Rité finally felt relieved and let out a deep sigh of relief. Then suddenly, she felt strange. She couldn’t understand why his safe return, his presence right beside her, felt so reassuring.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Rité slowly raised her head and looked at Aster, who was watching her, with a complicated gaze. His expression was calm, but he too seemed a bit shaken by today’s events. His gaze revealed concern as he examined her.

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

Rité quickly got up and sat properly in her seat. Aster roughly wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned his body slightly sideways, buttoning up his suit jacket completely.

He looked out the window carefully once more and said,

“It seems someone was watching us. This is serious.”

Rité’s eyes widened at his words.

“What do you mean? Someone was watching us? Does that mean they saw us meeting Nox too?”

“I’m not sure how long they’ve been watching, but it’s not impossible.”

“What?”

“But it’s okay. The bullet I fired hit him. Our people will catch him before he escapes, since I’ve contacted them. Don’t worry, we’ll destroy the evidence. Nox will be safe.”

Aster immediately reassured her, understanding what she was worried about. Although she was relieved to hear that he was handling the situation swiftly, Rité still fidgeted anxiously.

It seemed that meeting Nox in a hurry had indeed caused some problems. Perhaps calling Nox out three times to clear up misunderstandings with her was the issue.

The thought that she might have put Nox in danger made her feel like crying. She kept her head down, staring at the floor for the entire return journey. Aster glanced at her occasionally.

As soon as they arrived at headquarters, subordinates who had heard the news flocked to him.

“Are you alright, Major?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, report to me as soon as any information comes in.”

“Yes, sir!”

Aster strode quickly towards his office. Seeing how busy he looked due to today’s attack, Rité didn’t disturb him and quietly returned to her room.

Upon reaching his office, Aster locked the door and leaned against it, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Beads of cold sweat had formed on his forehead and neck.

Aster slowly opened his eyes and took off his suit jacket. Normally, he would have neatly folded it and placed it on a chair, hung it on a hanger, or given it to a subordinate to press, but now he just let it fall to the floor like a shed skin.

Slowly moving his feet, he reached the sofa and sat down heavily, spreading his legs. As he caught his breath, he lowered his gaze slightly to check the wound on his side.

His white shirt was punctured and soaked with blood. It was a wound from being shot while shielding Rité at the restaurant.

‘To let my guard down…’

Had he unconsciously relaxed while enjoying the date with her? He had noticed too late that someone was aiming a gun at Rité.

It could have been really dangerous. The thought of what could have happened if she had been shot right in front of him was terrifying.

Aster slowly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. His muscular, toned body, now stained with blood, was revealed.

He brought a first aid kit, put on surgical gloves, and applied disinfectant. After taking a deep breath, he poured the disinfectant directly onto the wound. His brow furrowed slightly at the terrible pain, but he proceeded to use tweezers to probe the wound and extract the bullet lodged in his abdomen.

Fortunately, the bullet hadn’t penetrated too deeply, making it relatively easy to remove. All his movements during the treatment were precise and calm.

Aster confirmed there was no damage to his internal organs, then wrapped a bandage around his side.

After completing the hasty first aid, he stared at the ceiling for a moment, exhaling deeply with an expressionless face. Sweat poured down his body like rain, and his breathing was rough.

Aster slumped back against the sofa, his tension dissipating as he steadied his breathing. He let out a hot breath and ran his hand through his sweat-soaked hair, pushing it back.

Normally, he could have brought Rité to his office and asked for her help with treatment. But Aster didn’t want to. No, he couldn’t.

He had failed to notice the surveillance earlier, endangering Nox, and his carelessness had almost gotten her shot. He couldn’t bring himself to shamelessly ask for her help in front of her.

Not utilizing the skills of his contracted partner – it was an uncharacteristically inefficient choice for him, but for today’s incident, he truly felt too ashamed.

As he smirked self-deprecatingly at his own patheticness, a knock came from outside, followed by a subordinate’s voice.

“Major, are you in there?”

Aster heavily lifted his closed eyelids at the sound.

“What is it?”

He struggled to get up and took out a fresh shirt hanging on the coat rack, putting it on.

“We’ve received word from Captain Benyak. They’ve arrested one suspect and are in pursuit of another.”

Aster felt slightly relieved at those words and said,

“I see. Keep me updated on the situation, and tell Benyak to let me know if he needs any support.”

“Yes, sir.”

Fortunately, the subordinate left without entering the room, but Aster couldn’t let his guard down. If Darren were to come looking for him, he would have no choice but to unlock the door.

Aster buttoned up his shirt completely and neatly tied his tie as he waited. Even in his own office, he couldn’t relax.