Chapter 153

Volume 7 Chapter 153 – Yona Runcandel (2)

Jin met Yona’s eyes.

‘So she’s the one… who always visited me.’

He struggled to remember when exactly he started receiving the weaved roses. When he was 20, maybe 22?

Since then, someone kept leaving weaved roses in his room. 

‘There was a time I really wondered who left them in my room…’

However, it didn’t take long for his curiosity to disappear. The hellish training ended with no progress, and the days of hopelessness continued.

The curiosity couldn’t halt all of the misery in his past life, where he had to train several times more than others to attain merely one star. 

For several years, he couldn’t even have the time to think about who left the present in his room. Sometimes, on bad days, he even shredded the roses into pieces. 

Jin didn’t feel a glimpse of appreciation from the flowers.

And on the day he was excommunicated, when he mindlessly shoved his hands into his pockets, he had a pair of green roses in there too.

He remembered the hopeless laughter it brought about. He wanted to keep that green rose forever, but he lost it while roaming the lands. Possibly when he got mugged, or when he went on a short adventure with his master. 

Jin took the green roses with quaking hands.

“Tying it together like this… It’s truly beautiful, just as you said.”

“Right? It’s something I give to people I especially like. Heehee~”

He wanted to thank her, but his throat was too hot and clogged.

‘For so many years, without a word…’

There was only one reason as to why she did it. If she openly paid him attention, then the other siblings wouldn’t leave Jin alone.

Yona always stalked Jin in his past life. Whether it was for her own entertainment or due to genuine love, she always offered a rose to him.

Other than Gilly, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t neglect Jin. None. 

Those were his darkest times.

“What’s wrong?”

Jin shook his head, suppressing his emotions.

“I take back what I said. About having no memories together, I take it all back.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. And this time, I should give you more attention.”

Yona was no longer an ambivalent person.

“Hah!”

They shared stories with their legs dangling off the cliff’s edge.

Just as a conversation between normal siblings would, their stories continued until morning.

“…So you even tried to kill the leader?? Just because he kinda insulted you? My goodness.”

“Yeah. It was when I was 14. I got caught, so I got locked in a room and was forced to write a self-reflection. After that, I tried two more times, but still failed.”

“He lives up to his name as the Leader of Nameless. His asssasination ability falls off of you, though.”

“I think I can do it if I try a lot harder. Heehee. Anyways… how the hell did you get a silver dragon’s claw?”

“Before that, if I didn’t have it, would you have killed me?”

“Hmm… Fifty-fifty chance!”

“How unfortunate. If you just answered ‘yes’, then I would’ve introduced you to the silver dragon.”

“Huh? You can’t do that. I wanna meet the dragon. Are you two close?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll kill it. I’ll harvest all the claws and use it all.”

“I said it multiple times before, but please spare my companions and allies. They could all become your friends too.”

“Hehehehe. But Jin, you aren’t scared of me at all. Other than Father and Leader Owal, it’s the first time I had a relaxed conversation like this.”

“You’re more like a flower shop owner than an assassin. It should be your career after retiring.”

“Wow, a flower shop?”

“You won’t make much. Well, I can just fund you every now and then… It wouldn’t be too bad as a hobby. When you get the chance, I suggest you study about flowers. I’m sure you have lots of time.”

“A flower shop!”

“Of course, you can’t kill the customers.”

“Yeah.”

“Anyways, we should go to the leader. I need to leave Samil tomorrow, so I have to claim my prize.”

Yona’s expression instantly darkened.

“Where are you going? I’m gonna kill—”

“Please, please stop.”

“Heeeh…”

“Instead, I’ll give you a special address. Send a letter. If you promise to not kill any of my allies, I’ll invite you too. If you give the address to anyone else…”

“I would never. Yeah, never. Oh! I forgot, I had a mission today!”

“A mission? The best executioner forgets those? Go deal with it.”

“Laters!”

Yona skipped down the hill, and Jin smiled as she sprinted away. 

After spending some time weaving roses, he walked towards the Nameless Manor.

Compared to the previous night, the streets were filled with cadets. If there was anything different, it was that they bowed to Jin whenever they were near him.

It was because the leader deemed him as ‘Nameless’s Ten-Year Savior’. If he wanted to, he could set up a house and live in the area.

Jin took a carriage to the manor. The executioners at the manor bowed to him as well. No one stood in his way. 

“You’re here.”

As soon as he entered, Owal greeted him. The executioners beside him disappeared without a sound.

“Yes.”

“It seems you cleared things up with Yona. Knowing damn well that I was waiting.”

He wasn’t asking for an excuse. In fact, there was a light smile on Owal’s face.

It was true that he relied on Yona as the Leader of Nameless. He was fond of her as her teacher.

He could only be proud of Jin who spent time with her all night. On top of the fact that he brought a silver dragon’s claw to him.

“Although you are insolent and caused great damage to the city, I’ve grown fond of you.”

“I will say this ahead of time, but I have no intention to enter Nameless after becoming a flag-bearer.”

“Hoho, it already seems like the Master of the Hidden Palace took a liking to you. I have no thought to interfere. Weren’t you going for something bigger from the beginning.”

The bigger reward.

Becoming the patriarch of Runcandel.

No one would expect the youngest son of Runcandel, a newly appointed flag-bearer, to become the patriarch. Especially since there were twelve competent siblings older and more experienced than him.

However, Luna, Owal, and Talaris thought it was definitely possible. It was something only few could conclude after meeting Jin.

“…The thing you requested four days ago. It’s ready.”

When Owal first caught Jin, the young Runcandel requested something in return for ‘keeping Beradin and Dante safe’.

—However, I believe that I should also have a reward for risking my life. At least, in the case where I successfully execute your orders.

“You didn’t really follow my orders exactly, but the two ultimately survived and you brought the claw, so I decided to compensate. Seriously, when I saw the three of you together, I felt a strain on the back of my neck.”

“I didn’t know you liked suspense.”

“Are you talking back to me just because you and Yona got close?”

“I’m just trying stuff to get to know you as well. I told my sister to open a flower shop instead of returning to the main house.”

Owal’s eyes glimmered.

Other Runcandels would use Yona’s weakness to use Nameless. However, Jin was different.

Not only that, there was no nuance of using Yona at all. Owal grew curious whether Jin’s words were genuine.

“That’s something that she’d definitely appreciate. However, there’s no way your clan would let her go like that.”

“I will create an excuse for her immediate return.”

“Hmm, so you’ll take responsibility? A mere provisional flag-bearer?”

“Definitely. I can delay her return by at least five years.”

Although he didn’t get it this time, Jin thought of requesting the Thousand-Poison Antidote from Yona. He could also offer her a wonderful present in return. Enough love and genuineness to not feel that he used her.

If Jin received the antidote, then Owal could go complain to Cyron. A pureblood Runcandel essentially stole from him, so Owal could then ask for Yona’s delayed return.

“At least five years… It seems you heard something from her.”

“Instead, just once, please offer me help when I need it. Not to Jin Runcandel, but to Jin Grey.”

“Alright. If you keep your word, then I shall. You already played with me twice, so I’m sure you have something up your sleeve again.”

“Then I’m thinking of leaving Samil now. I’ll take Dante and Beradin, so we will not be of any interference now.”

Jin bowed and turned. Owal bit on a cigar before asking.

“But is that really okay? Your request, I mean.”

“Definitely.”

“It may be more than you expect. It may have an aftershock. It may harm you.”

Jin smiled with certainty.

“There’s no way. I was just lucky to have a nice catch after mindlessly throwing a net.”

Snoooooore, hoo… snoooooore, hoo!

Dante and Beradin continued to snore on the bed.

In fact, Beradin scratched his bare stomach.

‘They’re sleeping obliviously.’

Jin shrugged and put his hands into his pockets. He put his shoddily woven roses onto their faces.

However, his hands touched an unidentified object in his pocket. 

‘A stick?’

A black stick. Staring at the object for a few seconds, Jin’s eyes almost left its sockets. 

‘It’s the Thousand-Poison Antidote!’

Yona left it there.

‘But when?’

His question was answered when he sifted through his other pocket. 

A letter.

(It was your birthday a few days ago, so this is your birthday present. If you relax just because you opened your Mind’s Eye, you’ll lose to me without anyone knowing. 

If you drink this and perfect your Mind’s Eye, there won’t be a single assassin who could kill you with poison. It’s hard to poison me too.

Since I kinda threatened your life a few times… I mean several times, I might as well give you another life.

Although it’s late, happy birthday, my precious brother.

Oh, and I never had a mission! Teehee~)

Yona lied about a mission in order to secretly take the leader’s precious antidote.

At the same time…

“Wh… What in the—?!”

Joshua’s knights—who had been watching Jin—couldn’t hide their shock.

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Translator – jhei

Proofreader – yukitokata

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