Chapter 47 : Kim Siyeon rips out the brakes (7)

“Please go ahead. You need to re-sign the contract with AS.”

Sua said with a smile.

It was certainly time to revive AS once again. But for some reason, I felt sorry and couldn’t move easily.

“I’m fine. I’ll contact you again. The PD is a good person. I envy you.”

Sua stood up from her seat, laughing softly.

Even now, there were traces of tears near her eyes.

I don’t know when we’ll meet again, but she kindly left first, considering me.

I turned my steps in the opposite direction she left.

Towards the shabby office in a corner of Yeongdeungpo-gu.

I had told him not to be in the office, but I’m sure Jaeyoung would still be there.

“It’s been a while. This feeling.”

For some reason, old memories came to mind.

On my way to report after completing a difficult mission successfully.

Having dealt with the giant corporation TM, the sense of accomplishment was also great.

As Nameless, when I was an assassin, I probably wouldn’t have felt joy, but my steps might have been lighter.

“Hu…”

The most difficult mission was probably that time.

Out of all the long years as an assassin, it was the one I completed with great difficulty.

Excluding the last failed mission, it was probably the closest I’ve come to disaster.

There were other missions that were more difficult, but the reason this one remained so vividly in my memory was probably because of that guy.

• “Captain! The Dark Elf’s encirclement is getting closer!”
• “Damn, those useless mages…”

That mission was to steal the sacred artifact of the Dark Elves.

The sacred artifact of the Dark Elves was something we needed to complete the Empire’s ultimate weapon.

At the time, the Dark Elves were at war with humans, and especially the Empire, their relations were worse. In order to dominate the continent, we absolutely needed the Dark Elf’s sacred artifact.

We paid a large sum to the mages’ tower and borrowed their strength, but in that operation, the mages only did foolish things and instead pushed us into a pit.

• “Roy. Take it.”
• “Deputy?”

Without any other options, we were running away from the Dark Elf city, the Dark Forest Dhelrium.
My second-in-command and team leader, Gilhim, handed the stolen sacred artifact to another member.

At that time, the formation was such that the remaining team members surrounded Gilhim, who was holding the sacred artifact, in a diamond shape.

It was to protect the artifact, and despite maintaining that formation while running, Gilhim was hit by Dark Elf arrows several times.

• “I’ll take over for Roy. Captain.”
• “Why?”
• “The Dark Elf’s curse is spreading all over my body. If I lose strength in my hands, I can’t afford to drop the artifact, can I?”

Even in that situation, Gilhim smiled brightly.

His cheerful personality contrasted with mine and always helped maintain the team’s morale.

…Wait. Gilhim. What are you doing?

But at that moment, that cheerful attitude didn’t last.

Gilhim suddenly drew his weapon and moved to the rear of the formation.

• “If we continue like this, we’ll fail the mission. The mages have already failed and fled, and escaping from the Dark Elf’s city while being pursued isn’t easy.”
• “So?”
• “I’ll stall for time. Who are we? Even if it’s just for a short while, don’t you think we can stop them and still complete the mission?”
• “So now you’re going to stall for time?”
  He foolishly smiled.

At the time, I thought it was just his usual smile. But now that I think about it, that smile was different.

• “Anyway, the Dark Elf’s curse is already spreading through my body. Honestly, it’s a much more sinister curse than I expected.”
• “If we put in our best effort, even those guys will be momentarily hindered.”

I couldn’t immediately respond to Gilhim’s words.

Even now, the Dark Elves were attacking us from the black ancient trees of Dhelrium.

…That’s not possible. I still don’t know.

• “No. The mission must succeed. You know that, Captain. And we’ve had team members sacrifice themselves before, right? We all came prepared for this, didn’t we?”

He was right.

But for some reason, the choice to abandon Gilhim wasn’t easy.

He was the best second-in-command.

However, at the same time, because he was the best second-in-command, he made the choice to sacrifice himself.

“…Go ahead, Captain. Isn’t that what you, or rather Nameless, would do…?”

• “…Gilhim!”

Those were his last words before he swiftly broke away from the formation.

But my steps didn’t stop. I continued running, maintaining the formation.

Because I thought that’s the only way to complete the mission.

Behind me, I felt Gilhim’s immense strength.

Using his blood technique, which harnessed the power of his blood, Gilhim held off the Dark Elves with all his might.

As Gilhim drained his life force to fight, his blood covered every corner of the black forest.

I only realized much later that I hadn’t even said my last goodbye to Gilhim.

Perhaps I had left that burden in my heart, unconsciously.

He was smiling cheerfully even in his final moments.

I might have thought everything was okay without a second thought.

Maybe there was another way at that time. Perhaps I could have saved Gilhim, and in doing so, miraculously completed the mission.

“Hu… Hu…”

As I ran, I was getting closer to the AS Entertainment office.

The noise was gone, so it seemed the people who had been protesting below the office were no longer there.

Was it such an easily changed attitude? The people who had been incited by the media, cursing Jaeyoung.

“Uh…?”

While running, I suddenly felt a strange tension in my muscles.

It wasn’t the muscles used for leaping, arms and torso rotation for propulsion.

It was a muscle I didn’t use much, except when acting.

The muscle located at the front of my face, near my cheekbones, was oddly contracted.

“…Why am I smiling?”

For some reason, the muscles around my cheeks were bulging out.

My eyes were slightly curved downward, and the corners of my mouth were upturned.

I was just running to the office, just going back, but for some reason, I was smiling.

Why am I smiling while running toward the office?

The only person waiting there is a bearded man.

Why am I feeling this way, happily running there?

“Everyone stop. We’re turning back.”

As I ran, I suddenly had this thought.

What if I had turned back to save Gilhim back then?

“I’m going to save my subordinate, Gilhim.”

My team would have followed me, despite my irrational choice, running against the flow of the battlefield.

They trusted me.

Without a doubt, they would have fought.

“Captain? Why, why did you turn back?”

Gilhim would have asked that.

While using blood magic that drained his life, he would shout in resentment.

What would I have answered?

Unfortunately, I don’t remember. I know I wouldn’t have made that choice back then.

But now, perhaps I would.

“I told you to stay by my side until the end, Gilhim.”

…Because I felt uncomfortable without him.

And I would have fought with all my might.

Gilhim would have fought beside me as well.

“CH…!”

In my imagination, Gilhim’s cheerful smile slowly distorted.

As he wildly swung his sword at the Dark Elves, his vision blurred with tears, making foolish mistakes he wouldn’t have made, and small wounds accumulated.

The battlefield situation gradually improved.

We assassinated the Dark Elves’ main forces and could escape again.

It was a low possibility, but I thought I could have done it somehow.

“CH…”

“Yeah.”

And as we escaped again, Gilhim would have said.

Perhaps, with his unattractive old face, he would have shed tears that didn’t match him.

Still,

“Honestly… I wanted to complete the mission too. I wanted to come back with you, Captain… I wanted to see it through!”

“Even while fighting those guys alone, I secretly hoped you would come to save me. I thought maybe you would, no, because you’re the Captain, you wouldn’t come back. I thought like a fool…”

He would have shouted like a fool.

Now, it’s all just a futile imagination.

Though I had abandoned him back then, that fact hasn’t changed.

Still, if I had saved him at that moment,

The sound of the door creaking—

“I told you not to come to the office when I’m not around. Why are you here, sulking alone? Boss.”

“Siyeon…?”

“And please shave, for once.”

Gilhim might have said the same thing.

With that expression, smiling foolishly, crying with tears that didn’t fit him.

• “Thank you, Captain…!”

“Thank you…”

Even with such futile imaginings.

Yeah. It’s done.

“Huu… Huhuhu…”

From Jaeyoung, who was crying and holding me,

For some reason, it felt like I could hear his voice.

“Smile, Captain. Just because we’re killers, it doesn’t mean we can’t act like humans, right? Hahaha!”

“Sorry… No. Thank you, Gilhim.”

Jaeyoung’s unshaven beard scratched against me.