Arya stepped out of the experiment site, his eyes gazing at the sky that wasn’t completely dark yet.
“Not even midnight and it’s already done…” he murmured. “Hm… should I meet Dina? But earlier I told her to execute the target alone. Well then, I’ll just contact her.”
He lifted his communication device.
Beep! Beep!
On the other end, a panicked voice was heard immediately. “Arya called? What’s going on?!” asked Dina while activating her communicator. “Hello, Ar! Why?”
“My task here is already finished. Do you need help with your execution?”
“Already done? That quick!” Dina’s voice sounded surprised. “I’ve always wanted to execute the ruler by myself for a change. But what if you watch from afar?”
“I used the Search skill earlier, so I found it right away,” Arya replied lightly. “Where are you now?”
“Your skill is so unfair! Alright then, meet at the city center, okay!”
“Alright.”
Arya ended the communication and moved toward the city center. Shortly after, he found Dina standing in the midst of the bleak crowd.
“So, what information did you get about this city’s ruler?” Arya asked directly.
“Hehehe!” Dina chuckled softly, but her face looked embarrassed. “None at all! I was busy looking for food stalls, but there wasn’t anything that looked good.”
Arya stared at her sharply. “You… looking for food stalls in a city that’s suffering? The people are starving, how could there be food sellers?!”
“Y-yeah, that’s true!” Dina slapped her forehead. “Why didn’t I think of that, hahaha!”
Arya sighed deeply. “Has your brain stopped working?” he murmured softly. “Oh well… let’s continue. Should we execute now?”
“Usually at midnight…”
“If done while the citizens are still active, it’ll be more dramatic. Besides, this is the last city, right?”
Dina nodded firmly. “That’s true. Let’s go!”
They headed to the ruler’s mansion. When they reached the gate, Dina drew two daggers from her sheath.
“Don’t interfere, okay? Promise!” she said, glancing at Arya.
“Yeah, yeah…” Arya replied lazily.
Dina stepped toward the guard standing in front of the door.
“Excuse me, sir. May I ask you something?”
The guard glared. “A kid?! Why are you carrying weapons?! Drop those!” He aimed his weapon at Dina.
“May I take your life?” Dina replied flatly. In an instant, slash!—the guard’s head was severed from his body.
“W-what?!” another guard murmured, unable to react as his companion collapsed.
Arya clasped his hands. “My condolences,” he replied calmly.
“Mwehehehe!” Dina chuckled before pushing open the mansion’s front door. Creak…
“Who’s there?!”
“An intruder!”
“Draw weapons?! Is it Exone?!”
“Exone is attacking! EVERYONE!”
Dina looked annoyed. “So noisy.”
In an instant, she dashed forward. Slash echoes rang out, accompanied only by brief screams before the guards’ bodies were chopped and lay scattered on the floor. Limbs, heads, and torsos strewn across.
Arya watched calmly. Her speed had increased… he thought. Almost invisible. And she wasn’t using wind magic... Like the Swap skill. Did she train in secret?
Screams came from inside the house.
“Kyaaaah!”
“N-no!”
Dina responded, “Go away, madam. I will not harm you. Tell the other servants to leave here!”
“O-okay! Th-thank you!”
The servants immediately ran out.
“The guards were this few?” Dina murmured.
“Hey, Dina. You’ve been training secretly, haven’t you? Your speed is incredible.”
“Really?” Dina smiled proudly. “Maybe because I’m used to moving fast, so I got faster.”
“So you didn’t train in secret?”
“Who had the time? We’ve been traveling constantly.”
Arya shook his head. “You still need to train. Especially since you eat a lot. If you get fatter, your speed will slow.”
“You called me FAT?! I’m not fat!”
“No, forget it…”
“Hmph!”
They entered the corridor, checking floor by floor.
“Can you use the Search skill, Ar? The ruler isn’t visible.”
“Oh right, I forgot.” Arya closed his eyes. “Search! Hmm… third floor, second room on the right. Two people... piled on one bed?”
“Piled?!” Dina’s face turned bright red.
Dina went up to the third floor, and without hesitation—screech! She slashed open the door.
“W-what is that?!”
“Kyaahh!”
Dina’s face reddened even more. “What are you doing?! PERVERTS! Even when you die you still have time to do perverted things!”
“Oh…” Arya turned his face away and covered Dina’s eyes with his hand. “You mustn’t look! You’re still young!”
“W-who are you?! What do you want?!”
“Perhaps you’ve heard the name Exone?” Arya smiled coldly. “Hey, Dina. Do you still want to kill them? Or should I handle it?”
“I WILL KILL BOTH OF THESE PERVERT BASTARDS!” Dina shouted. “When the people are starving because of high taxes, you’re enjoying yourselves in bed?!”
“How will you kill them? I’m covering your eyes,” Arya teased.
“Let go of your hand! I can kill with my eyes closed!”
“Haaa... Hey, perv! Quickly get dressed! Don’t dirty Dina’s eyes with your bodies!”
“O-okay!”
After they had dressed, Arya released his hand.
Dina stepped forward, daggers in hand. “I will kill you!”
“F-forgive me!” the ruler cried.
“I-I’m innocent!” the woman beside him sobbed.
“Innocent?” Dina narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?”
“I-I’m just a servant…”
Dina whispered to Arya, “Hey Ar, should we kill her too?”
Arya replied softly, “Up to you. But if she’s a servant and seemed to enjoy it without refusing… that means there’s … a relationship.”
“That’s true…”
“Forgive me!”
“Please don’t kill me!”
“You won’t.”
Slash!—Both their heads fell at the same time.
“But what about his wife and child?” Dina asked. “We haven’t seen them.”
Arya closed his eyes. “Search! Next room over.”
Dina held her breath. “He had sex with a servant… next to his wife’s room?!” Her face reddened with anger.
They went to the next room. Dina opened the door with a single slash.
“Who is it?” came a faint voice.
“Who is it, ma’am?”
“Hey, Ar… his wife looks like a good person. Her face is bruised. The child is still small.”
“Domestic violence victim,” Arya murmured. “And the child is still innocent.”
“Should we kill them too?” Dina whispered. “I don’t have the heart…”
“No need. They’re also suffering. There’s no pleasure in their lives either.”
“Who are you?” the mother’s voice still trembled. “Ma’am… I’m scared…” whispered the child.
Dina crouched, trying to smile. “We’re nobody… You’re safe.”
Arya stepped forward. “Hello, Ma’am. Son. We are from Exone. Have you heard of us?”
“Y-yes… Exone… the group that kills corrupt rulers…” the woman said softly. “So my husband was also…”
“…killed,” Arya continued. The child began to cry. The mother immediately hugged him.
“Will we be killed too?” asked the mother.
“No,” Arya answered gently. “You’re victims too. Forgive us for killing your husband. And… Heal!”
A warm light healed the wounds on her face.
“What?! These wounds… healed?! Really?! But I am his wife!”
“You seem like a good person,” Arya said. “And if you don’t want to leave, may I ask one favor?”
“A favor?” her tears began flowing again. “Is it… my life?”
Arya chuckled softly. “No. I’d like you to take your husband’s place, to lead this city.”
“I can’t! The citizens won’t accept me!”
“Don’t worry. We’ll vouch for you. And I can help restore this city. How is that? Not a bad offer, right?”
Charlotte sobbed. “I… always tried to warn him, but I was beaten… I can’t…”
Arya held her hand. “I believe you can.”
Dina watched from behind. “Arya…”
“This city needs a leader like you. It’s not about status, not about gender—but about compassion. So… will you accept my request?”
“…alright,” she said softly. “If I can help…”
“May I know your name?”
“Charlotte Yana. Yana is my family name. And this is my son, Christopher.”
“Charlotte and Christopher. Nice names. Nice to meet you. I’m Arya Setya, and that beautiful woman is named Dina.”
“B-beautiful?” Dina looked down, her face flushed. “Nice to meet… my name is Dina.”
“Nice to meet you… and please cooperate.”
“You’re so pretty!” exclaimed innocent Christopher.
Dina blushed even more. “Pra-praised by a child… doesn’t make me happy!”
Arya laughed. “She’s really shy.”
“Shut up!” Dina snapped.
Charlotte smiled faintly. “Hehehe…”
The execution in Zerio City ended successfully. The next objective was only one: the royal capital.
Inside the palace, Sekius looked out the window.
“So… there’s a spy in Seven Eclipse?”
Noctis lowered his head. “Yes, Your Majesty. Since he joined, Exone’s movements have been too smooth…”
“Let it be,” said Sekius softly, a faint smile on his lips. “That way, my plan will be easier to carry out.”
“As you wish.”
Gamma had already been suspected… and what plan was King Sekius truly plotting?