Episode 2 – An assassin called the Grim Reaper

Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16816927863045760906/episodes/16816927863046976095

“Seti, here is your job. Take the place of Alta the hero, prince of the Holy Land of Grateka, for a while, and defeat the Demon King Galvoron.”

“The Demon King Galvoron? The nine-headed dragon that has been making the ‘Sacred Deep Forest’ its home for a year now, right? He is said to have the ability to brainwash other wild dragons into following him.”

“That’s right. The mission is to slaughter the Demon King and return to the castle. The only time you can take the place of the client is during battle and when the heroes request it. Normally, the client wants you to stay in the vicinity. It’s a little awkward, but I’m sure with your already high level of stealth skills, it won’t be a problem.”

“I understand, boss. Is the client the hero Alta himself or the king? Or the king?”

“It’s the hero himself. He showed up at a black market guild on a whim. …… he said he was visiting the ‘Handyman’s Guild’.”

“Do you think he didn’t know we were an assassin’s guild?”

“Maybe. But it doesn’t matter. We are “Hades” to carry out any request. Not only assassination business, but we also kill adventurers, precisely and accurately according to the client’s request. Therefore, once we accept a request, it is absolute. Failure is not an option.”

“Boss, I understand. I will definitely carry out the mission.”

Thus, I accepted the request and disguised myself as the hero Alta.

As requested, I replaced him in battle, and together with my party, we defeated demons as heroes.

At night, I spent my time together, disguised as him, acting as an alibi for his frequent visits to brothels and nightlife.

Of course, things didn’t get weird with the girls. That was also a condition from the hero.

I have always treated them in a natural and gentlemanly manner.

I’m not just talking about the top, but all the girls were so nice on the inside that …… they were too dazzling for me.

Yes, I know.

They say it’s all for the sake of deceiving the eyes of the fiancées who are at the party.

I don’t know the details of why. I don’t need to know.

But I do know that these girls, who knew nothing about it, trusted such a hero and were made to do what he wanted until they got married …….

I honestly feel sad when I think about it.

“…… sad feelings, huh? It’s all thanks to these girls that I’m able to be this sentimental.”

Karina, Fiala, Miriel, and Manisa.

Please, I want them all to be happy. …… I don’t think that’s going to happen in that Alta.

As I was pensive and looking up at the night sky, a raven came towards me.

[Kaaaah, Grim Reaper Seti! What happened to the mission? Get back to your mission, kaah!]

It was a high-pitched cry, appealing to me.

This is a secret spy raven for mission transmission and surveillance.

“I was dismissed by the hero. Tell the boss I’ll explain when I get back to the guild headquarters.”

[No way, kaah! Definitely a mission! Definitely a mission! Failure is not an option!]

“Shut up or I’ll kill you.”

[Kaaah! I remembered something to do! When the crow crows, I’ll go home!]

The spy raven flew off somewhere, uttering a strange remark.

When the raven crows,…… you’re the one cawing.

…… mission failure, huh?

Even though it was a unilateral unfair dismissal from the hero, it seems like that would be the rationale for an organization.

I could just disappear like that,…….

“Well enough. I should at least get it over with.”

I said simply and set out for the royal capital of the Holy Land of Graeca.

A few days later, I arrived in the royal capital.

I entered the backstreets from the downtown area and proceeded deeper and deeper into the city, and there we found a black market.

Even if it is a sacred country, there are always places like this where people live.

Human society is like light and darkness, two sides of the same coin.

I entered a certain pavilion.

It is the headquarters of the assassin guild of the Grateka branch, and the house where the assassination organization I belong to, Hades, is in charge.

Hades is a huge assassination organization that has infiltrated the Grand Line continent.

They respond to the requests of their clients and perform everything from assassinations to infiltration, and from time to time, from defeating demons to charitable activities.

In this respect, it is not surprising that they can be compared to a “handyman guild,” as Alta the hero said.

However, because they receive a large amount of compensation, the percentage of requests completed is 100%. Not even the slightest failure is tolerated. Failure means death.

We assassins must take on our missions with the utmost solemnity.

On the other hand, this is also true for the client. Once an assignment has been agreed upon, no changes are allowed.

And even unfair dismissal is worthy of death.

Perhaps Alta, the hero, signed the contract without reading it carefully, even though it was supposed to be so in the contract.

Sooner or later, he will be targeted by another assassin and will lose his life.

It doesn’t matter if he’s a hero or a royal.

The organization’s reputation is its life, and if it is underestimated, it’s over.

I opened the door to find a man sitting in a chair at a desk by the window in a dimly lit room.

He is a large, muscular man. His head is bald and he has not a single hair on his head, dazzling and divine in a way.

His appearance is that of a strong warrior, and his exposed skin shows many old scars.

The distorted two-handed sword in the scabbard by his desk is his beloved sword, the “Magic Sword Ansalar” (The One Who Responds).

“Boss, I’m back.”

He is the boss of the organization, and his name is “Mors”.

“I heard …… from the spy raven. It seems you failed in your mission. Seti, I’d like to say …… it’s unlike you, but I suppose it’s unavoidable with that hero.”

“Then my failure is unquestionable?”

“Yes. You are the top assassin, the most powerful and feared “reaper” in the organization, and your career will not be damaged for such a trivial reason. Your client, Alta the Hero, will be punished for breach of contract, though.”

“Thank you for your generosity, boss.”

“Mm-hmm. In any case, I have another assignment for you. Seti, this is a job that only you can do. It’s…….”

“—-I quit.”

“Haa?”

“I said I’m quitting. I’m out of the organization as of right now.”

“No, what are you talking about, you …… know what you are saying?”

“I know what I mean. I’m going to quit being an assassin and live out the rest of my life freely. I am grateful to you, boss, for bringing me this far.”

“…… Are you out of your mind? Leaving the organization means ‘betrayal’. No one as good as you does not know what happens to a traitor.”

“If that’s more than enough ……, then I won’t show any mercy either. I will fight to the death in the name of the assassin who is known as the strongest “god of death” in the organization.”

“…… Well, that’s a shame…”

Mors, the boss, picked up the “Magic Sword Ansalar” and tried to draw it with a quick movement.

At that moment

Gusa

“Too late, boss ……, that won’t kill me.”

My dagger was already deeply thrust into Mors’ throat.

“Gghh …… Seti, you!?”

“This is my own way of getting rid of it. Goodbye.”

While Mors was coughing up blood, I used the blade of the dagger to gouge it all the way around and kill him with certainty.

When I pulled out the dagger, Mors fell to the desk with a spray of blood and died.

The dagger was in his hand, but the “magic sword” was missing, and I frowned when I noticed it.

“…The magic sword Ansalar has disappeared? I guess this one was a fake after all…Well, it doesn’t really matter.”