Getting a little angry and other points of view (part 3)

--- Ilona's POV ---

Today, I finally got a full eight hours of sleep! But honestly, it felt like eight minutes, and it did absolutely nothing to erase the heavy bags under my eyes.

Unfortunately, my job is far more demanding than Nicole's.

Countless people depend on me to keep things running smoothly. Unlike her, who just dumps all the annoying paperwork on others. I curse the day I agreed to work for this shady, overly secretive department, but... the Dark Brotherhood is mostly filled with three specific kinds of idiots.

The most common are the ones who think they're chosen heroes.

They truly believe the fate of the country, and sometimes the world, rests solely in their hands. Why do they get that idea into their heads? We are basically the kingdom's equivalent of glorified, whiny shareholders. Get off your high horses, you insufferable morons.

The second type thinks they are above the law.

They act like the royal family and the nobility only exist because they allow it. Where do they get that kind of confidence? We rely heavily on protocols and the collective work of the entire department. Even if a noble is actively harming the kingdom, it takes years to gather enough support and evidence to bring them down.

And then there is the third type. The one that unfortunately overshadows the first two and is the sole reason the Dark Brotherhood remains the ultimate power in the kingdom, despite being full of idiots.

Gehrman.

A monster of the worst kind, guilty of everything from kidnapping to poorly disguised slavery. He doesn't mind crossing any line as long as it serves his goals. But his crimes aren't what make him truly terrifying; it's the absolute futility of trying to stop him.

Decades ago, a coalition of rivals executed a flawless master plan to take him down. They isolated him from his allies, neutralized his impressive collection of magical artifacts, and trapped him in an anti-magic field... Every single step of their elaborate strategy worked perfectly. Yet, it didn't matter in the slightest. They learned the hard way that when faced with an insurmountable gap in sheer power, the best strategy in the world is completely useless. Gehrman simply brute-forced his way out of the trap and slaughtered them all.

That thing is a monster over four hundred years old. A high elf and lycanthrope hybrid with the largest mana reserves recorded in the country's history. To top it all off, he's a master assassin and an archmage.

There are two main reasons why a man like that hasn't been executed yet. First, his primary interests align with the kingdom's growth. No matter how bloody his methods are, the results are still considered 'worth it' by most politicians. Plus, he carries immense political weight as the only living direct descendant of one of the country's founders.

Second, and much more importantly... fighting him head-on would be suicide. Sure, there are many powerful people in Ciren, and we could ask Carian for help too, but Gehrman would see it coming and strike first. Even in the most optimistic scenarios, taking him down would mean sacrificing a massive chunk of the entire kingdom's military force.

What a massive headache.

"What are you thinking about?" Nicole asks.

"The old fool is taking more and more liberties," I reply, without taking my eyes off the scenic view from the castle balcony.

"Huh. Same old, same old?"

"I never thought it was worth the risk before, but at this point, not even the most heartless noble in the court would give it a second thought. I'm going to try to convince everyone to fight him at last."

"Even if it paralyzes the kingdom? What did he do this time?"

"What hasn't he done? Over the last few months, he hasn't even bothered to hide his crimes."

"Well, if that's what you think, count me in. I refuse to live in the same universe as that guy."

I sigh. This country would be so much better off without him, even if he were a saint. Sure, he produces results, but those results could improve greatly if he allowed studies, expansions, and vital reforms to proceed.

"I won't bore you with the awful details, but he just conspired with a nobleman to massacre an entire village just to keep a cave full of ebony to themselves."

"When do we kill him?"

Ah. She actually looks unusually serious. If it weren't for the gravity of the situation, I would have enjoyed seeing her unusual, focused face a bit more.

"We need more firepower. Carian's sword would be a huge asset right now. I never received it officially, but I heard she tracked someone important who was kidnapped and brought here."

"Hm. I guess being in debt to Carian is better than putting up with the old man."

"Given our relationship, I highly doubt they'd even consider it a debt."

"Right? Weren't you really close to that redheaded princess? Hmm?" Oh, does she sound annoyed?

"We only had two classes together. I didn't talk to her much," and why am I making excuses? 

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," what's going on? Weren't we talking about Gehrman? "Anyway, focus. We could use someone strong, or we'll have to keep cleaning up after him forever."

"Someone strong—huh?"

We both freeze, staring out into the distance. A sudden, suffocating murderous intent crashes over the city, so dense you can almost physically see it.

"What the hell—"

Faster than my eyes can register, the sun vanishes.

Everything goes pitch black.

... Huh. Unexpectedly, I feel incredibly comfortable. It's as if this dark energy recognizes me, greeting me with a warm, curious friendliness. Nicole seems fine too, though she's just staring off into the void with wide eyes.

Wait... I can't move. I don't feel trapped, exactly, but trying to lift my arm feels like trying to push through a mountain of heavy, immovable debris.

Nicole, however, moves effortlessly to the edge of the balcony. Not that I can see much more than her faint silhouette in this absolute darkness.

"FALL."

A familiar voice echoes from every direction at once.

Then, I watch as Nicole slaps her own forehead. There's no sound, but I can clearly see her exaggerated sigh. After a brief moment of reflection, she turns and walks right up to me. I can just barely make out her mischievous, wicked smile.

What are you doing, woman? Go see your cousin or try to get me out of here or something!

She unbuttons the top of my shirt, slips her hand inside, and pokes my bare stomach with her index finger. I shudder instantly.

'Are you seriously taking advantage of my paralysis to harass me?! Don't you think there are more important things going on right now!?'

I scream at her furiously in my head. Even though no sound comes out, I mouth the words, knowing she can read my lips perfectly.

She completely ignores my glare and uses her index and middle fingers to 'walk' up my stomach like little legs.

"It's Seina. Oh, hey, I can talk! Great. Looks like I'm her favorite, hehe," Nicole says cheerfully, wiggling the fingers of her other hand right in front of my face in an incredibly vulgar way.

'I am going to rip your tail off, you absolute menace.'

"I'd like to see you try."

...

A few agonizing minutes later, the suffocating darkness vanishes just as quickly as it appeared.

I definitely do not stumble embarrassingly. I absolutely recover my balance with perfect grace, and Nicole is definitely not laughing at me.

One of these days...

Anyway, I'll take her word that Seina is the cause of all this. It makes sense, considering several of the people we run into in the halls are huddled on the ground, shivering in fear.

After rushing to silence the panicked guards stationed at the emergency bells, we finally take a moment to breathe and figure out our next move.

Looking through one of the clear glass windows overlooking the courtyard, we spot Seina. She leaps up from the ground in one of the castle gardens, surrounded by a swirling aura of shadows that dissipates the moment her boots hit the grass.

Trailing right behind her, tied up and dangling in the air, is a group of completely naked, middle-aged men.

"..."

"..."

"... Did you see her pink—"

"Yes. I saw," I interrupt her flatly. "We'd better follow her."

"Yeah."