“Keugh!”
A thick stream of fresh blood poured relentlessly. As my knees gave way, I collapsed to the ground.
“For the past 20 years, you have taught me everything. How to live—and how to kill.”
My one and only junior, and partner.
I never imagined that you, whom I trusted more than anyone, would betray me so utterly.
Step.
He took a step toward me. Light fell on his face, hidden in the darkness, making it even more distinct.
“You told me that when we receive a mission from the organization, it’s our duty to complete it no matter what.”
Tuk.
He tossed a thin sheet of paper onto the blood-splattered floor.
Having received it every week during the past ten years as an assassin, it was familiar to my eyes.
‘Assassination request.’
An order from the organization that drives an assassin into action.
If an assassin refuses a contract they’ve received, they die.
That was the code of the massive assassination organization I belonged to.
The contract in front of me now was more like a specialized assignment to execute a traitor.
In any case, my nickname, “Black,” was clearly inscribed on it.
“I have one question.”
“…”
“Why haven’t you killed the target’s family multiple times?”
“I don’t know. Did I do that?”
Even as blood gushed from me, I let out a smirk, laughing faintly at him and the assassin colleagues surrounding him.
“What are you dawdling for?! Shoot already! Finish this quickly, you idiots!”
I stretched out my trembling hand and wildly hurled shards of broken glass.
A groan escaped, as if one of them had been struck.
A few unsettled ones seemed ready to fire, but he raised his hand to stop them.
“Didn’t I say it? The one who hesitates will die first?”
When I openly feigned a mocking laugh, his eyes flickered with a hint of unease.
Top-tier SS-class agent, Black.
That was me.
For the past ten years as an assassin, I’ve played countless human roles to complete my missions.
That was no different, even in the face of my own death.
By now, I never wanted to show a weak side in front of my junior, not even in death.
Countless red crosshairs were aimed at my body.
I locked eyes with him one last time.
But his dark eyes, staring at me, were strangely moist.
As I pondered this,
“Why…did you…”
His Adam’s apple moved slowly up and down.
Ah, oh my.
Maybe it’s because I’ve lost too much blood. This is truly the limit. All my senses are fading.
“Sen… I… you…”
I wanted to hear his last words clearly.
But my bravado now seemed laughable—I no longer had the strength to hold onto life.
Thud—!
I fell, my head hitting the ground.
And so, I died at the hands of the junior I trusted most and the organization I had served loyally for ten years.
But if there’s a next life…
I hope I can live a life unrelated to assassination.
With that vain wish.
I died.
* * *
“Wu?!”
Yeah. I’m definitely dead, though?
“Her Young Highness the Royal Princess?”
Princess?
Startled by the unfamiliar title, I turned my head to look around.
There were two women standing there, wearing traditional hanbok with a classic design that seemed straight out of the Joseon era.
That wasn’t the only strange thing.
Even the place I was lying was strange.
Everywhere I looked, there were densely arranged jade ornaments and a hanok-style structure that seemed more fitting for a folk village.
More than anything, those tiny hands and feet.
Even when I struggled with all my strength, my insignificant three-foot-tall body felt utterly unfamiliar and harmless.
“Court Lady Choi! Oh, what do we do? Her Young Highness the Royal Princess has woken up!”
“Court Lady Kim, quickly roll her over!”
“B, but…”
The two court ladies in front of me suddenly began bickering.
“Ungg!”
Startled by their fuss, I unconsciously whimpered and then froze in surprise.
Even I, who had always been excellent at controlling my emotions in any situation, unconsciously whimpered?!
Let’s calm down and assess the situation first.
‘I’ve become a baby.’
The most likely reason is that I’ve experienced something called ‘reincarnation.’
‘Strangely, I was born with the memories of my previous life.’
The only memory that lingered like an afterimage was how I had cried until utterly exhausted, so it was clear I hadn’t been born long.
‘Maybe it’s because I’ve become a baby, but I can’t control my emotions or actions very well.’
Even now, I was fiercely battling the urge to cry uncontrollably.
In other words, I concluded that I had to be careful, as I might act unintentionally without meaning to.
“I’ll do it myself, so come out!”
Just then, the palace official called Court Lady Choi suddenly approached and, without a single warning, lifted my body high into the air.
“?”
I landed gently on the soft blankets inside the crib.
“Puh?!”
Huh? Isn’t this position a little weird?
“Puh? Puh!”
What is this?
My nose and mouth are buried in the blankets—how am I supposed to breathe?
The crib was piled high with overly soft blankets, and I was buried in them, unable to move.
“Ugh… uuh… puh!”
No matter how violently I flailed my arms and legs with all my strength, it was useless.
“Good. A baby can easily die just from being left on its stomach. There’s no need for us to even lift a finger.”
As I desperately tried to lift my head to breathe, I heard the wretched court lady’s voice.
‘What the…? Were these guys assassins?’
It was then that I realized they were trying to kill me.
‘I… die this easily?’
After dying and then waking up as a child again, I suddenly… without any reason?
‘And on my stomach, too?’
Not by a gun or a knife, but someone managed to take out me, the top assassin, in such a ridiculous way…
‘Do you think I’d just die…!’
My eyes widened as I felt a sudden surge of consciousness.
‘Stay calm. I need to think of a way to survive.’
On average, babies can start rolling over at around three months old.
In other words, it’s absolutely impossible for me to roll over on my own in this body right now.
Then there was only one other option.
‘I have to make it so I can breathe, even for a moment…!’
For now, I focused all my strength on my heavy head and turned it as far to the side as I could.
“Keung…!”
Then I fidgeted my tiny hands and pressed down on the blanket covering my airway with all the strength I could muster.
“Phew! Hoo!”
Thankfully, one side of my nose was briefly exposed, briefly clearing my breathing.
If the blanket had been just a little softer and thicker, it wouldn’t have been possible.
Keugh-!
Once I got the hang of it, the rest wasn’t difficult.
Next, in the life-or-death struggle, I pressed down on a spot of the blanket beneath my lips, which had become damp with saliva.
“Ugh, puh! Ugh, huff, ugh-ahh!”
As soon as my blocked mouth opened, I let out a loud, all-out cry.
“No, how…!”
“Someone’s going to hear us if we keep this up!”
The shocked Court Lady Choi rushed over and scooped me up in her arms.
‘Yeah. You fell for it perfectly.’
I was already furious about being betrayed and killed in my previous life, but now, having nearly met my end again the moment I opened my eyes, my anger surged to the very top of my head.
How dare you try to kill an assassin?
The moment Court Lady Choi’s face drew closer,
I sharpened my gaze and quickly began devising my assassination plan.
My arm is roughly 15cm long.
Vital spots within 15cm identified.
Assassination route design complete. Execute!
“Bu! (Die!)”
I stretched out my hand, index finger fully extended, with all my strength.
“Ack!”
“Court Lady Choi!”
Startled by the sudden attack, the court lady nearly lost her grip on me, so Court Lady Kim quickly snatched me up.
Damn, I couldn’t get in deep enough.
Alright. Target changed. Execute again!
“Abu?”
But what I hadn’t expected was that Court Lady Kim’s arms were longer than Chief Lady Choi’s.
The tip of my fully outstretched finger narrowly missed Court Lady Kim’s eyes.
‘Damn it. As expected, this is not working.’
Operation failed. Changed assassination route.
I was about to quickly devise my next plan when I scanned the court lady.
“His Majesty the King has arrived!”
Through the commotion, the miraculous announcement of the royal procession rang out.
“Heuk?!”
Caught off guard by the sudden emergency, the two court ladies couldn’t even think of calming me and simply tossed me back into the crib.
Drrrk—!
At the perfect moment, the door opened, and a man entered the room.
A tall man with an intimidating aura.
Above all, a crimson dragon robe vividly adorned with a five-clawed dragon.
I recognized him immediately.
‘So he’s the boss here.’
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