Author: greyrani
Genre: romance, angst

DAY 700

“Please don’t fall in love with me.”

Your words echoed in my head even until now. When I asked you why back then, you refused to elaborate your reason. Had I been that obvious? No. I certainly believed in my ability to hide emotions, and I was absolutely sure that I didn’t show my affection but subtle gentleness to you. However…

My thought flew to Kawashima Umika.

She had been released from her status as my concubine. She was a free soul now, living in the town with the parting gifts I granted her. Of all people, I could only be sure that she was the one who could read me. Or perhaps… she told you about my feeling? For this one, I wasn’t sure.

I dismissed the thought about your request. I diverted my attention in the object in my palm. It was a ring which was the private insignia of my father, carved inside was the code used by particular spy of ours. In the most discreet espionage mission, each of spy had their own certain insignia given from my father. And this ring was one of them; owned by the spy we sent to Shida House.

“I would never expect that you’re the one given the final stage mission,” I said a few days ago when the spy came to me at night in my private chamber.

“That’s what I’m supposed to do, my lord, making people never expect that I was sent by your father.”

“Where is your place in there?” I referred to your family.

“I am the assassin.”

My brows knotted tightly. “The invisible sword?”

“Yes,” he said, so composed. “Since more than twelve years ago, I grew up within Shida Household under the guise of an orphan, and has been assigned to be their assassin ever since I mastered swordsmanship.”

“Then what is your purpose coming to the palace? Shouldn’t you be watching them inside the household?”

“This is a mission given by the master of the house; infiltrating the last barrier of your guards, to be as close as possible to your side.”

“And then what? Kill me?”

He shook his head, “No, I am here just for precaution. I am to kill the last weapon when the need comes.”

“Who is the last weapon and what is their plan actually?”

“I am afraid I can’t answer that, my lord. I haven’t figured it out yet. They are too meticulous. But one sure thing is that they indeed aiming for the throne, just how they would do that, I don’t know yet.”

I leaned back, absorbing the information. I had realized that your family's main purpose was the throne, yet how they would get that from me?

“Also, there is one important change in the household, my lord.”

“What is that?”

“Since the palace put tight regulation about weaponry, they has been less using my kind. I heard that now they used poison to do a cleaner annihilation of people who oppose them.”

“I never heard any poison case related to Shida House,” I countered.

“They use a secret poison, my lord, one that would never show effect in the body surface. It’s one kind that has been sought out by many in black market yet I never found one nor the maker.”

I heaved a sigh when your face dangled before my eyes. Suddenly I felt anxious.

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