Nighttime assassins (1)

"There is nothing much I can tell you about. I joined the army when I was 12, and I have been fighting since then…"

12?! What's wrong with this world's common sense? To let such a child risk its life, isn't the kingdom ashamed?!

"That's…" Suin was unsure, of what to say. If she pities him, he might think she is looking down on him. "What is the battlefield like?" She asked instead. Being a modern-age person, who only saw the war in movies, she was curious to ask the veteran soldier.

Luan was reminded of the scenes he witnessed almost every day. The fields are covered in red and black blood, poisoning the land so that nothing will grow in it for decades. Bodies, belonging to both humans and demons, were piled like chopped wood by the bonfire. It was the nightmare, that he got used to.

"It's bloody and dark there… Not really a place for a weak girl like you…"

"What are you saying? I might be really strong, you know?!"

"Sure…" Luan slightly chuckled hearing her remarks.

"Hey, mister…"

"Mmm."

"Thank you for taking me with you. You helped me really a lot back there…" Suin said in all seriousness.

"Don't need to thank me…" Because if he left her alone, count Randel would curse him till death.

"No…! It's really important to me," she protested. "I don't know how and when, but I will surely repay you!"

"Sure…" he said lightly, but she was clear, that he was making fun of her. She was a runaway maid having nothing, and her real identity as an illegitimate daughter was even worse. Except for some money, she really has nothing to offer him.

"I mean it! The most precious treasure in the world, I will give it to you one day!"

"I will be waiting…" Luan huffed, as he tried to hold back a light laughter.

"But what can be the most precious thing in the world? What do you think?" She asked curious.

"Probably… The Tear of Noir."

The legendary herb, that could cure any sickness in the world. It was so rare that it appeared only twice in recorded human history, a mysterious item found in the defeated demon's body. The medicine, that all kings coveted. If it was the Tear of Noir, she had no chance of getting it!

A distant barking could be heard from afar, but as the area was isolated, it was hard to miss.

"Dogs? You don't think it could be wolves, right?" Suin asked worryingly. There was a forest behind the barn, and wild animals were not a rare occurrence. But what sounded like a simple barking to her, was a more complex sound caught by Luan's enhanced senses.

"Stay here," he stood up, taking a sword into hand.

"Mister, where are you going?"

"Don't leave the barn and stay with Ash," he repeated again before closing the large door behind.

"Neigh!" Ash vigorously waved his tail, when they were left alone, reminding her to not try anything weird.

"I get it, I get it… But what if it's a pack of wolves? Will he be okay?"

"Neiiigh!" The horse let out a snort as if she just said something very funny. Wolves? Even if it was Ash alone, he could scare a whole pack away!

But after waiting for a long time, Luan still hasn't returned. Just sitting in the barn and watching horses feeding was no longer enough for her. When the black stallion was focused on its food, she tried to sneak out.

There was nothing much to see outside, either. Since it was dark with the moon and stars hiding behind the cloud, she could recognize the dim lights from the main building afar, but Luan was nowhere to be seen.

Beside the barn and the fields around, there was also a simple open-air shelter, where farming tools, as well as old and used kitchenware, were left. Suin casually rummaged through the discarded items, when something caught her attention.

"Oh! It's a frying pan!"

Her fingers traced the worn-out bottom, it was old but still usable. She wondered if she could borrow the ware, as all images of delicious dishes filled her mind. The cheese they ate before was too salty on its own, but what if she makes some pan-fried sandwich in the morning? The cheese will melt between the slices and the bread will absorb all the saltiness and also soften after being grilled on the pan!

"I'm sure mister will like it, too… But where did he go?"

Suin waited with the newly found pan in hand, but no one came back for a long time. Finally, the clouds dispersed a bit, revealing the almost perfectly round white moon in the sky. Thanks to its shine, the visibility of the surroundings became much better.

"Mister?"

A soft cracking sound like someone slowly stepped on the dried branches startled Suin, who was sitting on one of the stumps. She wasn't sure if she wasn't imagining the sound, as nothing could be heard again.

"Is that you? Are you back, Luan?" She called towards the forest, but no answer came back. Suin slowly left her place and entered the wood.

"Halo?"

The forest wasn't very dense, and the moonlight was illuminating it enough for her to not bump into anything dangerous. When she thought about giving up and returning to the barn, a single blade shined in the darkness. Not far from her, the man dressed all in black was holding a knife as he charged against Luan, who stood there unmoving.

"WATCH OUT!" Suin yelled, surprising both the knight and the night intruder. But before any of them could make a move, the girl ran towards the enemy and hit him with a pan that she was holding all this time.

BANG!

The black stranger was frozen for a moment, and then his body fell to the ground, hitting his head for the second time.