There’s Something Special About Her Chapter 7

I quickly entered the checkpoint.

Whenever a visitor was brought into the checkpoint building, it usually meant there was some kind of problem.

“Senior, what’s going on?”

“Ah, this man says he has an appointment, but his name isn’t on the visitor list.”

Jake scratched his forehead awkwardly as he answered.

“They said the list was wrong. Apparently, the appointment was made more than a month ago. What a pain. He’s the head of the Green Merchant Guild.”

The man called the Guild Master repeatedly pressed Jake, clearly displeased.

“Who did you say you had an appointment with?”

“Master Deacon Gold.”

“Khmm.”

At the mention of Deacon Gold, one of the Seven Executives, Jake’s expression became even more troubled.

Deacon Gold and the members of House Gold were the people who controlled Knox’s money, just as their name suggested.

Deacon Gold was also the head of the Knox Merchant Guild.

Like all the executives, he was influential within Knox, but he was especially powerful.

“I even have a letter from Master Gold right here.”

The man proudly pulled a letter from inside his coat and showed it to us.

When I took it, I saw that it really did have Deacon Gold’s signature and seal.

“Even so, you’re not on the visitor list. Normally, one of our Action Squad members would have to accompany you to Master Gold’s office and confirm everything, but…”

Jake pointed toward the empty checkpoint and continued.

“As you can see, we’re short-handed today, so you’ll have to wait a little.”

“No, but my appointment is almost here. How long am I supposed to wait? If Master Gold gets angry and cancels the deal, are you going to take responsibility?”

“It’s our regulations. What else can we do? If you explain the situation, Master Gold will surely understand…”

“I’ll go, Senior.”

Jake frowned at me.

“Can you handle it?”

Normally, escorting an outsider into the main estate was something handled by more experienced seniors.

New recruits didn’t know the enormous ducal estate well enough, to say nothing of their ability to deal with unexpected situations.

“We don’t have much choice.”

“That’s true, but…”

After thinking for a moment, Jake nodded.

“You went there yesterday, so you roughly know where the main building is, right?”

Just the main building?

I’d memorized the maze-like layout of Knox Castle long before I even joined Knox.

More importantly, there was something I absolutely needed to confirm about this so-called “Green Merchant Guild Master.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

I answered while looking at the man’s shoes.

 

 

****

 

 

 

“I’ve been waiting for you, Master Green.”

A handsome blond man with blue eyes greeted the Guild Master of the Green Merchant Guild.

“Master Deacon Gold.”

For the first time since we’d left the checkpoint, the Guild Master smiled brightly and shook Deacon Gold’s hand.

Then he suddenly turned toward me and angrily complained.

“How dare you treat me like that!”

“Yes, I’m sorry for the trouble.”

I lowered my head slightly and apologized as politely as I could.

But my eyes remained fixed on the man’s shoes.

Back when I was working as an assassin for Wickers, I created all kinds of assassination tools.

There were limits to simply waiting until night and sneaking in with a dagger to cut someone’s throat.

One of the weapons I created was a pair of shoes with a blade coated in deadly poison hidden inside one sole.

Eventually, I developed the design to include blades on both sides.

After that, Wickers’ assassins began using the same method.

The shoes didn’t require particularly advanced skills to make, but they were still one of our important trade secrets.

Other than Wickers’ assassins, hardly anyone knew about them.

“Then why is this Guild Master wearing them?”

And not only that.

He was wearing one of the early models, with a blade hidden on only one side.

Could he be targeting me?

On the way here, he’d deliberately chosen quiet paths where only the two of us were around.

There had been several perfect opportunities to attempt an assassination.

But all the man did was urge me to walk faster.

I carefully scanned the Guild Master for anything else suspicious.

Then—

“Ah.”

My eyes met Deacon Gold’s.

I casually looked away.

Apparently, it hadn’t meant anything. Deacon Gold simply turned to the Guild Master.

“Let’s go meet His Grace the Duke now.”

What?

I froze for a moment.

We’re going to meet Killian Knox?

Until then, I’d thought that as long as the Guild Master wasn’t targeting me, it would be fine.

But if this appointment was actually with Killian Knox…

And if those shoes really were the ones I’d created…

And if this man was targeting Killian Knox…

Then things were completely different.

“Tsk.”

I quietly clicked my tongue.

If things went wrong, I could get caught in the middle too.

After all, I was the one who had escorted the Green Merchant Guild Master into the estate.

They would obviously kill the low-ranking Action Squad member who had led the culprit inside and then start investigating.

Of course, I could escape before that happened.

But what if, by some unbelievably tiny chance, Killian Knox actually died…?

I’d chosen to hide inside Knox because as long as Killian Knox was here, Edward couldn’t touch me.

But if something happened to Killian Knox, that protection would disappear.

In other words, no matter what happened, my peaceful life would be over.

No. Maybe they’re just self-defense shoes?

But the bad feeling prickling the back of my neck told me otherwise.

Damn it.

I wanted to watch him a little longer, but what excuse could I use to follow them?

As I was thinking, my eyes met Deacon Gold’s again.

“Follow us to the Duke’s office. You can see our guest out afterward.”

“…Yes, understood.”

At Deacon Gold’s unexpected suggestion, I quickly followed them.

As I listened to their conversation while walking, it really did seem as though the Guild Master had something important to discuss.

“At last, I’ll be meeting His Grace the Duke!”

The Guild Master smiled brightly.

Maybe I’m being too sensitive.

I couldn’t afford to let my guard down when it came to Wickers.

No one else knew about my circumstances, so I bit my lip, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Your Grace.”

Deacon Gold knocked on the Duke’s office door, which was already wide open.

Beyond the doorway was a desk so large that it was almost magnificent.

Killian Knox and Dupont Clansher were standing in front of it.

Killian Knox gave us only a brief glance before returning his attention to the documents in his hands.

Dupont Clansher, standing beside him, gestured for us to enter.

“Come in.”

Deacon Gold led the Green Merchant Guild Master inside.

Step.

Step.

I listened carefully to the man’s irritating footsteps when something caught my attention.

Killian Knox’s desk.

Have I seen that desk before?

A powerful sense of déjà vu washed over me.

In particular, the moon and raven inside the Knox crest, whose colors had been created by lightly scorching the wood, looked strangely familiar.

I frowned slightly, bothered by the feeling that I almost remembered something.

Then Deacon Gold turned to me.

“Wait here.”

“Yes? But…”

As I answered, I caught sight of the Green Merchant Guild Master’s back through the gap in my view.

He continued walking toward Killian Knox alone, subtly stamping his right foot in a strange manner.

Then—

Click.

A small blade slid into view.

He’s an assassin after all!

I quickly scanned the room.

But Deacon Gold was still looking at me.

Killian Knox was reading his documents.

Dupont Clansher was also focused on the situation.

Even the guards standing watch in the hallway hadn’t noticed the assassination attempt.

I clenched my fists and held myself back.

Don’t get involved.

Surely someone would notice soon.

The Green Merchant Guild Master took another step.

Nothing had changed.

I saw one of the guards standing near the door tilt his head, but he didn’t seem certain of anything.

The Green Merchant Guild Master—

No.

The assassin took another step.

What kind of monster is Killian Knox? He’ll dodge it himself.

But the Duke’s Dragon Eyes, which could detect even the most carefully hidden spies, were busy reading the document in his hands.

Just look up already!

Step.

Step.

Killian Knox had entered the assassin’s striking range.

Please! Just look up!

I swallowed back every curse that was about to burst from my mouth and waited until the very last moment.

But the moment the assassin finally raised one foot—

“Ah, seriously!”

I shoved Deacon Gold aside and started running.