Chapter 154: Chapter 24 - The Pieces Are Moving (3)

"Can you handle it?" Gaspard inquired.

"Of course," I replied confidently. "Taking out two brats is a walk in the park. But, I won't be the one doing the dirty work directly. I'll assign someone."

Gaspard raised an eyebrow. "Is this person trustworthy?"

"Trustworthiness isn't her strong suit. A few scraps of meat, and she'll do whatever you ask. She'd even betray her own kin for a morsel. You've probably encountered her before, in the royal throne room."

Gaspard pondered for a moment, trying to recall who I was referring to.

"I'm considering Sword Saint Whitlock, but I doubt someone as righteous as him would agree to kill two skillless brats at your behest. It's unlikely to be someone from the Magic Knights either... The only person I can think of is the King's executioner," Gaspard pondered aloud.

I grinned, and Gaspard's eyes widened in shock.

"Seriously? You've managed to tame that mentally deranged woman?" he exclaimed.

As soon as Gaspard uttered those words, a voice erupted from behind us, followed by a sudden blur of movement heading straight for Gaspard, blade aimed at his neck. Reacting swiftly, I used my skill to halt the attack just in time.

"Who are you calling a deranged woman?" came the sharp retort.

Gaspard barely glanced back and sighed. "See? This woman is so unpredictable. She'll just come at you with a knife."

"Well, she's been behaving herself lately," I interjected, looking at Miss Sara. "Miss Sara, please put away your blade."

"Grrr..." Miss Sara grumbled but complied. She was like a wild beast, easily tamed with the right approach.

"Did you catch what we were discussing? I need you to take care of two individuals for me," I informed her.

"And what's in it for me?" Miss Sara demanded.

"I'll arrange a reward for you from the Black Market," I promised.

Miss Sara grinned eerily from ear to ear, her smile reminiscent of a serial killer fresh from a kill.

"I understand. I'll take care of whoever you want me to," she declared with a chilling confidence.

***

Robyn's POV

"You don't need to fret. I'm quite skilled at giving orders, you know? Who knows, I might have even ordered you to kill yourself," she quipped with a smile, though her words hardly warranted one. She chuckled gracefully. "Just kidding. Like I said, I'd rather not see any of my own subordinates perish.

I don't wish for any of you to meet such a fate. I'll do my utmost to issue orders that ensure everyone's safety."

I could sense the sincerity behind the commander's words. It provided some measure of reassurance, at least.

"Well, if that's all you need from me, Angelica, then I'll be on my way. I need to make preparations for this operation," she concluded before departing.

Commander Lilia strode past us, with Vice Commander Veronica trailing behind. Captain kept her gaze fixed on them until they disappeared down the corridor. Then, with a growl, she punched the wall.

"That woman!" she spat.

The rest of our unit remained silent, as did I. I couldn't comprehend why the captain would resort to such language toward the commander. Nothing in their conversation warranted such hostility.

"Why are you reacting this way, captain?" I inquired. "Didn't the commander already assure us that she'll do everything in her power to ensure no one gets killed during this operation?"

"Don't believe a word that woman says," she growled. "Have you not figured out why they've assigned us, the lowest of all units, to this operation?"

We were clueless. I simply assumed it was because we were the only available unit, given that all the others were occupied with maintaining public order.

When we remained silent, she continued, "They're trying to purge us."

"What...?"

"P-Purge?"

"T-That's insane. Why would they want to purge us?"

Restlessness spread among the members of our unit. Indeed, this revelation was deeply unsettling. Why would they even consider purging us? What possible reason could there be?

"A-Are you absolutely sure you're not jumping to conclusions, Captain?" I ventured, seeking to gauge her certainty. Personally, I hadn't sensed any impending doom looming over us.

"I'm not mistaken, Robyn. That woman and the King are plotting our demise. As for the reason behind it, I'm clueless," Captain asserted.

Captain possessed a keen intuition. She had a knack for sensing things before they unfolded. While she was often right, occasionally she missed the mark. That was only natural. Her intuition wasn't some form of clairvoyance; it stemmed from her instincts as a woman. I couldn't predict the outcome of this situation.

Would it merely be a case of her jumping to conclusions, or were we truly in danger during this operation?

Honestly, I hoped it was the former, because regardless of the reason, we were still obligated to go.