Let’s go to work, partner! (1)

Aurora~~ Friday morning, 10:20 AM – Living Room.

Sometimes, I wondered just how narcissistic the prince really was. He had monopolized the bathroom for so long that I had stopped glancing at the clock. Good grief, what could he possibly be doing in there? Admiring himself in the mirror? Even noble ladies didn’t take this much time to put on a ball gown!

Usually, I would have kicked the door down to drag him out, but Justine had asked me to leave him alone. According to her, he needed time to recover after the courage test. The Fauvir had indeed shaken him up a bit, but to the point of disappearing for the rest of the day? He had even skipped two meals!

With no idea what to do with a morning without Edwoyn, I dove into the stack of request files we had been accumulating for the past week. Justine had come by to lend a hand, and then I had found the perfect mission to get us back in the saddle without too much commitment. One noble to eliminate and a forty-thousand-fif bounty funded by a group of over two hundred clients. Very profitable, rather unusual, and even better: I could take Edwoyn along without any real risk. Our clients were actually some of the citizens of Cerem, backed by a very reputable merchant guild that had placed their seal on the paperwork.

Our target was Marquis De Ritella, also known as “the King of Cerem.” On his own, he had wrecked several commercial districts in the city and controlled it through fear. Whenever he felt like it, he would seize entire stocks of artifacts without paying a single coin. Among the plundered merchants were members of the Afiona Guild, and these organizations were known for hiring mercenaries when it came to protecting their interests. Their request was clear: no more marquis, no more deficits and humiliations. If possible, they also wanted their stolen goods recovered, and all of this, as soon as possible.

However, this man fell into the category of volatile and untouchable targets. “Volatile” because he traveled a lot for business, and “untouchable” because he was always surrounded by bodyguards. We couldn’t tarnish his reputation by exposing scandals either, as the marquis had covered all his bases. His influence on the magic market was such that he controlled three-quarters of the businesses and land in the city.

Every product or piece of information that left Cerem passed through his hands. Such a monopoly was only possible with the help of a network of high-ranking officials in the government, who conveniently turned a blind eye. In short, he had bought himself judicial immunity.

The challenge of this mission was intercepting the target, then isolating him from his guards. Fortunately, our clients were aware of this problem, and to make it to the top of the waiting list, they had conducted their own investigation beforehand. The file contained all his addresses, his schedule, and even the time slots when he wasn’t under close protection.

When the people turn against you... it’s always quite something!

Since I had finished all the paperwork, I was comfortably sunk into one of the sofas, playing with my butterfly knife. I twirled the blade between my fingers, switching hands whenever boredom set in. This weapon, with its silver coating, was an exceptional piece: the blade guard had been molded into the shape of a wing. So, when the knife unfolded, a beautiful bird seemed to take flight. I wasn’t usually one for art, but this masterpiece had captivated me, and since then, I never went anywhere without it.

When Edwoyn finally decided to show up, it was to rush towards the leftovers the chef had set aside for him. I called out to him from my sofa, not even bothering to get up, “You think you're clever, hiding in your room like some teenager in crisis?”

“I’m the one in crisis? You poisoned me, for crying out loud! Maybe you found it funny, but I had a terrible time!”

“If you stop living at every little misfortune, what will you do with the years to come?” I laughed. “Get over it, Edwoyn, we didn’t have a choice. It won’t be your first, and certainly not your last rough moment, so don’t waste your energy over something so trivial.”
“Are you really that attached to your ‘mercenary rituals’?”

“I’m not, but Justine holds them in high regard. Now, eat and join me at the workshop quickly, your first mission is waiting for you.”

Torn between curiosity and worry, the recruit gazed at me with wide, doe-like eyes. But instead of answering him, I snapped my butterfly knife shut and left the room without giving him a second glance.

~~~~

"Around five o’clock, the target regularly goes to this property at 12 Méliandre Street. We’re in luck, it’s the quietest residential area in the city. Nothing but summer villas, most of them unoccupied. The plan is to set up an ambush before he enters the garden. I’ll take him by surprise and kill him. That’s it."

Edwoyn was staring at my finger on the map with seriousness, though he didn’t seem very convinced by the attack plan, "What if he doesn’t let you? Or worse, if he surprises you?"

"Without his bodyguards, he’s no threat. I’ll neutralize him. It’ll be over in seconds, nothing to worry about."

The workshop fell into an eerie silence that I didn’t dare to break.

What’s the problem now?

"I can see where this is going, Aurora. I’m not going to kill that poor man for you."

"Poor man?" I let out a sarcastic laugh. "It’s obvious you’re not ready to kill anyone! I’m not foolish enough to delegate such an important task to you. No, your role is passive; you’ll watch me from a hiding spot and learn from my movements. We’ll need to arrive early to scout the area."

Edwoyn lowered his gaze, looking disheartened. Being humiliated was the price he had to pay if he wanted to avoid having to intervene during the mission.

"Can’t we postpone it to another day so that Justine can join us? The stable work will be done soon..."

Justine would be tied up at the estate until the stable renovations were completed. Take your eyes off a bunch of multi-skilled workers, and you’re guaranteed unpleasant surprises!

"No way. The pay doesn’t wait! If we ignore client requests for too long, it’ll ruin our reputation. Jobs don’t last forever, and deadlines are often tight. De Ritella only visits this property during the week, and most importantly, he comes alone. After that, he’ll be busy elsewhere and won’t return to the city for a while. This is an opportunity that won’t come again."

Timing is the most important parameter when planning a mission. You always have to strike at the most opportune moment, meaning when the target is vulnerable.

"What will it take for you to see reason?" the boy sighed, never satisfied with the options he was given.

"I understand it’s not in your nature to obey ‘commoners,’ but now that you’re officially dead, I’m your guardian. You don’t get to question my orders; that’s the deal. Now, meeting’s over. Be ready at three in front of the workshop with your horse."

The boy abandoned any hope of spending the day lounging in the sun. There was nothing that could change my mind once I had committed to a cause.

Here’s your revised text with a smoother flow and subtle adjustments for clarity:

Edwoyn ~~ Friday Afternoon, 2:50 PM – Stables.

“You’re early,” noted Aurora, leading her ebony horse by the halter.

“Any noble worth their salt arrives at least fifteen minutes ahead of time!”

“Good, that gives us time to sort out a few details.”

The mercenary couldn’t help but eye the workers suspiciously as they passed too close to us.

“What kind of details?” I asked, feeling a pang of concern.

Aurora glanced toward the door leading to the workshop. We tied our horses to the post outside and entered the room that never ceased to fascinate me. From what I’d gathered, most of Killer Wind’s illegal dealings took place within these walls. The heavy atmosphere, devoid of natural light, the sheer concentration of weapons… It always felt like I was stepping into enemy territory, plotting some grim conspiracy. Aurora moved toward a dressmaker’s dummy that bore several layers of satchels. I instantly grasped what she was thinking.

If you’re going to act as a vigilante, you need a vigilante’s costume!

The Killer Wind was a title far more subtle than it sounded. It had neither body nor form, slipping through barriers unnoticed, untouchable. With a name like that, the group felt both invincible and terrifying.

I feel like I’m in a knight’s tale!

Excitement surged through me as I stood before the table covered with gear and tailor-made uniforms from the wardrobe. The only sounds came from zippers, belt buckles, and the rustle of fabric. The shoulder cloaks were made of dragon scales, darker than night, capable of stopping bullets and blades.

“Everything’s here. Change quickly.”

Without hesitation, my mentor swiftly stripped off her clothes, as if accustomed to such routine on mission days.

“W-What? You’re not planning to undress while I’m right here, are you?”

“Oh, turn around if a bit of skin scares you. Who knows, you might go blind!”

The teen cast me an exaggerated glance, showing just how little she cared about modesty, then continued undressing as if it were nothing. Outraged, I felt foolish as I realized she still wore a tank top beneath her shirt and black jacket. Her discarded clothes landed in an empty basket, likely reserved for moments like these. Swallowing my pride, I turned my back to her and forced myself to remove my own garments.

As a noble, it was customary to have servants dress you, though I’d always rejected their help, too embarrassed to allow anyone into my private space. And here this ill-mannered girl was putting me in a most awkward situation! When there was nothing left to put on, Aurora placed her crossbody bag in the middle of the table.

“We limit the gear to the bare essentials and distribute the weight across the body. It’s the foundation for staying agile in the field. Since I haven’t taught you how to use our equipment yet, you won’t need to carry any for now.”

Suddenly, she pulled an miniature arrow from the bag, gently running her thumb over it.

“Whenever you use one, make sure to recover it if possible. Authorities mustn’t be able to trace the model of our weapons. The less they know about us, the better.”

The saying was loaded with meaning, though I couldn’t quite buy into its values. I had no grasp of the experience a mercenary gathered in the field. Maybe you had to live it to understand it. After going through the inventory, we focused on the belts. The leather straps hung from my hips, ending in multiple garters fastened to my legs. The first was a bandolier holding small vials of incantation sand, while the other three carried various sheaths and pouches. Aurora explained the function of each one.

Of all their gadgets, the most astonishing were the knee-high boots. They had a hidden compartment for daggers. Aurora had used that one when we were harassed at Luleath’s tavern, and I hoped I wouldn’t witness it again anytime soon. Exhausted by her continuous stream of explanations, I tugged at the scarf around my neck, seeking cooler air. I wasn’t feeling comfortable in this uniform, despite it being custom-made for me.

“No citizen should see this uniform, or they could track us. With my illusion spell, we’ll appear to be wearing ordinary clothes to the world. Avoid physical contact with the illusion to keep the spell intact and avoid compromising our cover.”

“Why not just do the mission in regular clothes?”

“Oh, for crying out loud... I’m not even going to answer that stupid question. Stop fidgeting, please.”

Uncertain, I froze as Aurora stepped closer, her hands reaching toward my chest. Without uttering a single incantation or using any green sand, my uniform became cloaked in a phantom fabric. I could see my shoulder cloak blend into a burgundy shirt and a sleeveless doublet. When I touched the illusion, it flickered for a second, too briefly for an untrained eye to notice.

“And here’s your weapon. Don’t even think about using it without my permission.”

Far more intimidating in uniform than in her usual country dress with a bib collar, Aurora handed me a long knife with a matte black blade. She gave it a slight shake, urging me to take it.

“What’s the point of giving me this? I don’t even know how to use it. A sword would be more appropriate.”

“It’s just like a sword, but lighter. You’ll get used to it, because a sword takes up far too much space, and you’re not ready for weapons with magical hilts.”

Annoyed, I grabbed the weapon, fully aware it would be utterly useless to me. All I could do now was hope that this ordeal wouldn’t drag on...

Stick to the plan if you want to survive...