Meanwhile, outside the room, the corridor lay drowned in silence. The faint glow of lanterns flickered against the walls, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The hour was around 10:25—late enough that most of the household had either drifted into slumber or busied themselves in distant corners, preparing for their patriarch's imminent return and the grandeur of the naming ceremony.
Then, without warning, the stillness stirred. Two figures detached themselves from the darkness, their movements fluid and soundless, as if they were born of the shadows themselves. They advanced toward the door with deliberate caution.
The hinges creaked softly—click—and the door opened. A maid stepped out, clutching the edge of her skirt as she eased it shut again, careful not to disturb the slumbering occupant within.
The assassins dissolved instantly back into the gloom, their presence vanishing as though swallowed by the night. Both bore the confidence of seasoned killers, B-rank assassins whose concealment techniques made discovery nearly impossible.
A few more silhouettes lingered further down the corridor, following at a measured distance, their eyes glinting faintly in the dim light.
The leading assassin narrowed his gaze, his voice barely a whisper.
"It appears the target is asleep."
The second tilted his head, muttering low.
"So… what do we do?"
The leader's lips curled faintly, though his expression remained hard.
"We wait. Until the maid is gone. I won't take unnecessary risks."
The other assassin gave a curt nod, raising his hand in a subtle gesture. Behind him, the rest halted in unison, melding into the still corridor like phantoms awaiting their moment.
————————————
I rested quietly in my mother's lap, her soft voice weaving a lullaby around me. Embarrassing as it was to be serenaded like this, there was something strangely soothing about it. The maid had already slipped out, the faint click of the door marking her exit.
My gaze drifted back to the translucent panel shimmering in front of me.
[ Time remaining: 1 hour 6 minutes ]
"Tch… not much left," I muttered in my mind. Then, in a teasing tone, Hmm~ my dear sulking Nyxara, can you sense anything outside?
Her pout was practically audible.
[ I won't tell you. Hmph! ]
I smirked internally. "But then you won't get to find out about my plan."
There was a pause, followed by a resigned grumble.
[ …Fine. There are a few presences outside, playing what they probably think is hide-and-seek. Let me count… okay. Nine in total. About the same number we guessed. ]
"Oho~ perfect. Just as expected." I wriggled slightly in my mother's lap, letting my body relax and eyelids droop. After about five minutes of faking the act, I "fell asleep."
As if fooled by my little performance, my mother pressed a soft kiss against my forehead and carried me over to the cradle. She laid me down with a gentleness that almost made me regret the act, then began rocking the cradle slowly, letting me "drift." Satisfied, she finally turned toward the bathroom.
I peeked through barely open eyes. The assassins lurked, but my mother hadn't reacted at all. "Hey, Nyxara… I know she's strong enough to sense them. Why hasn't she moved yet?"
Nyxara's voice softened, almost pitying.
[ Your mother's mana flow is currently disoriented due to childbirth. Otherwise, she would have already reduced those assassins to paste. After all… her rank is far higher than theirs. ]
I froze. "…Paste, huh?"
[Fufu~ oh yes. Red, squishy, bloody paste.]
I gulped, suddenly unsure if I should be relieved… or more terrified.
"So… what's the difference between my mother's rank and theirs?" I asked, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
Nyxara's tone turned smug, like a teacher about to lecture a particularly clueless student.
[ Your mother sits at Rank AA+. Just a step away from S- Rank. Not many in this world have reached that level—those who do are already considered powerhouses. ]
I blinked. "And the assassins?"
[ The highest among them is B+, with two others at B-, and the rest scurrying around at C-Rank. ]
"…That's basically the difference between a dragon and a house cat."
[ Oh, I almost forgot, host. You don't even know the full ranking system, do you? Tch, tch. Well, here it is. ]
Her voice rang like a schoolteacher rattling off multiplication tables.
[ F, E, D, C, B, A, AA, S, SS, SSS. And in case you're wondering, the little '–' and '+' signs make a huge difference. So yes—your mother could crush them like bugs. Though… given her condition after childbirth, she might struggle for a moment or two. ]
I nodded faintly. "So in short—she's a monster who could still eat these fools for breakfast."
[ Exactly. ]
Minutes crept by. Five of them slid away like sand in an hourglass. Then—creak.
The door opened, ever so slowly, as if afraid of its own sound. At the same time, the windows whispered open, hinges straining against silence. Shadows seeped in, one by one.
Five assassins slipped into the room, moving low and soundless. Their blades glinted faintly in the darkness.
My lips curled upward. A grin. Not the grin of an innocent child, but the devilish curve of someone who had already decided.
"Heh. The game begins."
The assassins lingered in the shadows for five long minutes, waiting. Patience was their weapon, silence their shield.
Their leader, Kaelith the Veil, a B+ rank killer whose reputation thrived on perfect executions, whispered commands that only trained ears could catch. His men nodded, their movements crisp. Four would remain outside as lookouts. Three would slip in through the windows. The rest, with Kaelith at the front, would take the door.
The hinges gave a muted sigh as the door creaked open. The assassins slid inside, their black-clad figures almost merging with the dimly lit nursery. Their eyes scanned every corner—walls, ceiling, shadows. A professional sweep.
Nothing.
No hidden guards. No signs of traps. No glint of steel waiting for them.
The only thing that greeted them was the rhythmic sound of a cradle, swaying gently in the center of the room.
Creak.
Creak.
Creak.
A baby lay inside, bundled in soft blankets, its tiny chest rising and falling in a slow, peaceful rhythm.
Kaelith smirked. Hmph. Easier than cutting grass.
But none of them noticed.
They didn't see how the baby's thumb twitched, almost deliberately.
They didn't notice the faint curve of his lips, as though he were suppressing a laugh.
They didn't sense that beneath the blanket, their "target" was grinning like a devil in disguise.
The assassins thought they were the predators.
But in truth… they had just walked straight into their prey's game.