“Junior, whatever happens afterward, I’m not taking responsibility.”

Anna looked up at Muen from below.

The high, unhidden curves pressing against his chest, the faintly visible collarbone, the flawless arc extending down, and the swan-like neck—all of it from this angle was especially captivating.

She tilted her head slightly, eyes clear, crescent-shaped smile in her gaze. The tear mole at the corner of her eye carried a unique, seductive charm. Her lips curled in a mischievous smile, red and tempting like ripe cherries.

Breathing in the familiar scent, Muen’s eyes fell to Anna’s lips, and his breath suddenly grew heavy.

The sun had only just risen, the city still asleep. The surroundings were utterly quiet. Even though he’d just spoken such words a moment ago, now Muen could hear nothing but the pounding of his own heartbeat.

It was as if Anna sensed something, but she didn’t step away from his chest. She kept her head tilted up, eyelids trembling slightly as they lowered.

Muen’s mouth went dry. He began to regret not bathing before coming, not rinsing his mouth, not chewing a few extra mints—and that he had spent too long with those Rats, reeking of sweat.

But now wasn’t the time to chicken out.

Muen reached out, gently {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} wrapping an arm around Anna’s waist, then slowly leaned down.

Just when they were close enough to feel each other’s breath—

Zheng—

From the roadside at the end of the alley, a food stall began business, striking its welcoming gong and drum.

The tender atmosphere shattered instantly.

Anna opened her eyes, a trace of both irritation and alarm in them.

Muen’s movements changed abruptly. The arm that had only been lightly holding her suddenly tightened, pulling her into a firm embrace and dragging her into a patch of shadow cast by the morning sun.

Ignoring the stiffness in the girl’s body, Muen poked his head out from a gap in the wall, scanning the street in the distance.

Figures in trench coats were weaving through the alley, rapidly closing in.

“It’s the Silent Bureau. They’ve found us.”

“So fast?”

In Muen’s arms, Anna’s cheeks were faintly flushed.

“If I could track us down, naturally they could too. It was only a matter of time.”

Muen lowered his eyes calmly.

“Fortunately, I made preparations in advance.”

“Preparations?”

Anna pinched his arm, breaking free from his strong hold, and leaned to look out through the same gap.

Her beautiful eyes widened slowly.

The sun was just rising, a faint mist still clinging to the street in front of the Academy’s open square.

This place was normally deserted, a grim corner even vagrants avoided. Yet now, as if summoned by a silent trumpet, the entire street had suddenly come alive.

Beggars, prostitutes, vagrants, boatmen, coachmen, peddlers... countless ordinary people appeared from nowhere. Most wore shabby clothes, their expressions vacant, yet all of them stepped onto this street they had never trodden before.

Bustling, flowing, like any ordinary lively market street—calls of vendors and noisy chatter filled the air, vibrant and teeming with life.

The trench-coated figures were quickly swallowed by the surging crowd—stopped by overfriendly vendors offering steaming breakfasts, or pulled into dark alleys by scantily dressed prostitutes clinging to their arms.

Those fearsome Silent Bureau operatives were, astonishingly, slowed by the throng of ordinary people.

“This is...”

“A little trick. It should hold them for a while.”

Muen let out a self-mocking laugh. “Though it’s a bit underhanded, isn’t it?”

He turned back, ready to face the possible anger of his senior.

But it never came.

Instead, he met a pair of gentle eyes.

“Junior.”

Anna suddenly reached out, cupping Muen’s face in her hands, carefully studying his startled expression, a trace of heartache in her gaze.

“I haven’t even had the chance to really look at you. You seem to have changed quite a bit during this time.”

“Have I?”

Muen rubbed his chin. “Maybe I forgot to shave, so I look older.”

“Liar.”

Anna pulled his head into her arms.

She gently stroked his hair, her brows and eyes soft.

“Liar.”

Muen’s body trembled slightly, then he indulged himself in that granted softness and warmth.

But time was short.

Reluctantly, he lifted his head from that sacred, beautiful plateau. “We should go.”

“Mhm.”

Anna gave a light nod, then rose first, stepping out of the shadows.

She spun once in place, gathering up all her darker emotions, then extended a hand toward Muen—just as he had earlier—offering an invitation.

“Let’s go.”

Muen blinked. “Where?”

“Didn’t you tell me to win you over, Junior?”

Bathed in gentle sunlight, Senior Anna’s lips curved into a smile, dazzling:

“Let’s go on a date.”

...

...

“Sir, please have mercy, I haven’t eaten in three days.”

In the bustling crowd, a ragged beggar clutched the hem of a middle-aged man’s trench coat, holding out a chipped bowl and pleading pitifully.

“Damn it!”

The pale-skinned man, as if he hadn’t seen sunlight in years, glared at the beggar, veins bulging on his forehead, his fist clenching tighter and tighter.

To interfere with the Silent Bureau’s duties... you worthless peasants...

The man pulled a few bills from his coat, shoved them into the beggar’s bowl, and growled impatiently, “Scram!”

“Yes, yes.”

The beggar hobbled away in a hurry.

“I thought you’d just kill him.”

Beside him came a cool voice.

The middle-aged man turned his head to the stunning silver-white figure leaning against the wall. “Your Highness jests. No matter how cold-blooded the Silent Bureau may be, we wouldn’t kill ordinary civilians.”

“Oh? Even if they interfere with your mission?”

“That depends. And right now, our main focus is still those cultists hiding deep in Belrand, isn’t it?”

“Fair point.”

Celicia lifted her gaze, calmly looking toward a distant building.

At the gap near its top floor, two familiar—but indistinct—figures seemed to flash past.

“Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name.”

“Jin Ze,” the man said after a moment’s silence.

“Jin Ze... a fine name, completely at odds with your temperament.”

“Is Your Highness praising me, or mocking me?”

“Of course it’s praise.”

Celicia turned back, continuing,

“Since you’ve told me your name, why not be generous and tell me the Silent Bureau’s next plan as well?”

“...”

“Even as the temporary inspector, I’m not entitled to know?” Celicia asked coolly.

With the palace’s tacit approval, the Silent Bureau had nearly unlimited authority when dealing with Evil God forces.

But to balance that power, whenever there was a major operation, the palace would send an inspector to monitor their actions.

As the only bystander at that meeting, Celicia naturally became the inspector for this mission.

“For matters like that, Your Highness will have to ask him yourself.” Jin Ze clearly didn’t appreciate her role.

Him?

Celicia turned her head toward the black carriage at the end of the street, her eyes glinting.

Indeed, while the inspector had royal-sanctioned authority, in front of that old man... it seemed all but meaningless.

...

Inside the carriage.

An old man, looking as though he had one foot in the grave, liver spots covering his skin, lifted his clouded eyes toward the deferential Jin Ze before him.

“How is it?”

“She got away.”

“Is that so?”

The old man showed neither joy nor anger, closing his eyes again, drifting as if half-asleep.

Jin Ze’s hand kept scratching at his knee, restless.

“Something wrong?” the old man asked.

“My lord, I can’t understand. We had so many chances to catch Anna Kaplin—why deliberately let her go? She’s clearly a key figure in the Evil God’s plan.”

“....”

After a long silence, the old man suddenly sighed.

“Jin Ze, do you believe in miracles?”

“Miracles?”

Jin Ze was stunned. He hadn’t expected such words from this famed, cold-blooded Swordbearer.

After a moment’s thought, he answered, “I don’t believe in miracles. I only believe in things I can touch.”

“... I don’t believe much either. But when you get old, you start having some far-fetched dreams.”

As he spoke, the old man tapped the table lightly.

A half-man-tall silver sealed chest appeared before Jin Ze.

“This is...”

“This is your new assignment. On the Night of the Eclipse, you won’t follow the main force to exterminate the cultists. Instead...”

The old man shifted into a more comfortable position, speaking almost like in a dream:

“With this, before it’s all over, kill Anna Kaplin.”