The capital of the kingdom was where various races and species mingled. It was a lively place, brimming with glimmering excitement, but it also held its fair share of shadows. Inevitably, there would be something blocking out a part of the light, and shadows would form behind it.
Some people were forced to live in the shadows, either due to the unfortunate nature of their circumstances or perhaps because they chose to tread a path of darkness. All sorts of people from various walks of life mingled, and they were rowdier at night.
In a corner of the capital stood a half-dilapidated building. But one could hardly guess what the interior of this structure looked like: It was absolutely normal, in every sense of the word. Any shred of unique charm had been stripped away, leaving only the most basic of furniture and walls. In fact, the furniture didn’t look uniquely dirty or weathered by the years, in stark contrast to the exterior of this building; they didn’t look brand-new either. If one were to inquire about who lived in this building, everyone would nod in agreement and say that a normal person made it their humble abode. And yet, within this place, two unique individuals sat across from each other, sitting in perfectly normal, plain chairs.
“Juliet, did you manage to get your hands on that weapon?” someone asked.
“Of course,” Juliet replied with a nod.
“Hmm... And how does it feel?”
“Very good,” Juliet said, her tone containing a hint of ecstasy. “It’s much easier to use than I thought, and look, I can hide it with no issue.”
She stretched out her arms, and it seemed almost impossible to imagine that she concealed a blade somewhere on her body.
“I can do my job without anyone noticing,” Juliet added.
“I see. Then we judged him correctly.”
“Indeed.”
The two nodded at each other.
“Then here’s your next bit of work,” the person said.
“All right,” Juliet said. “This person had better actually be evil.”
“Our client is also quite proper, I’ll have you know.”
“Huh...?” She raised an eyebrow.
The other person laughed. “It’s a request from a duke of this nation, after all.”
“Ah, then I’ve got nothing to worry about.”
Juliet smiled and stood up, ready to leave.
“Oh, I’d like to ask one more thing,” the person called out to her back.
“What is it?” Juliet asked.
“How were the people of the Black Forest?” the person inquired with a sunny smile.
“They were kind and very fun to be around. Oh, and...”
“And?”
Juliet flashed a forlorn smile. “I’d never want to cross them. Not in a million years.”