We returned to the mainland on Gilbert’s ship and hurried back to Khalkha. Our carriage blitzed ahead, the horse gasping for breath. We practically stormed through Khalkha’s gates, jumped out of the carriage, and hurried into the hospital where Lysa was resting.
“We have the antidote!” I said.
“Did you really go all the way to the Nabreej archipelago?!” the doctor asked, shocked.
“Forget that. Hurry up and treat Lysa already!” I beseeched him, my shoulders trembling. “We did what we had to; now it’s your turn. Please!”
“Right, leave it to me. So long as we have the antidote, I can treat her.”
The doctor took the antidote’s bottle and injected it into Lysa’s IV drip.
“How long will it take before the antidote kicks in?” I asked.
“She should recover within two or three days. It might take longer, though, given how long she’s been under the influence of the Witch’s Blow.”
Please, Lysa... Wake up...
“Your Ma—I mean, my lady. What do we do next?” Sérignan asked.
“We find the people who did this to Lysa.”
That was the only thing on my mind. The ones who’d subjected Lysa to this suffering had to pay.
“Apparently, there’s some kind of assassins’ guild. We’ll choke them out...thoroughly. We do not need mercy. The only thing we need is the desire to crush the enemy.”
I’d already decided. We’d bury this assassin guild and find out who hired them too.
“But how will we find them?” Sérignan asked.
“I was their original target, and they never killed me, so they’re bound to try again. We’ll use that to our advantage.”
Lysa had only been poisoned because she’d protected me. So if I went around in the open, it should spur the assassins to act.
“You can’t do that!” Sérignan cried. “It’s too dangerous! There must be another way!”
“They tried to get me once, meaning they ought to reveal themselves soon. I planned for this already—I figured I’d serve as a decoy once they figured out they didn’t get me the first time.”
I could understand why Sérignan was against it, but it was the only solution. I’d already made my play, and they were bound to counterattack. All that remained was to take advantage of the situation and beat the enemy to the punch.
“Sérignan, I need you to protect me with all you’ve got and capture the ones who did this to Lysa. All right?”
“If you say so, milady...”
Our plan was set. By the time Lysa woke up, we would catch the ones who hurt her and make them pay dearly for what they did.
Everything was fine. I still hadn’t forgotten my human heart.
♱
The operation began.
Sérignan and I walked around Khalkha. We delayed our exchange with Honnoson Alphtel for his own sake. Ventura arranged the delay so as to not get Honnoson caught up in any possible assassination attempts aimed at me.
And so we meandered around Khalkha, through the eateries, commercial district, bazaars, and pleasure districts. I had Masquerade Swarms spread out, ready to protect me from any direction, while I walked around openly like I was begging to be attacked.
The enemy didn’t bite, though. They probably assumed they shouldn’t launch an attack on me so soon after their initial failure. I purposely went into crowded areas, expecting an assassin to strike there. But the enemy didn’t attack at all, making me wonder if they’d possibly given up.
That would be bad.
Eventually, I made my way back to the high-class hotel room prepared for me in Khalkha. “Nothing today, huh?” I murmured to myself.
“The enemy is exercising caution,” Sérignan noted.
Days of wasted effort were beginning to grind on my nerves. I bid Sérignan good night and got into my bed.
It was only after I went to sleep that I noticed the disturbance. I jolted awake and sat up in surprise.
“Stay quiet,” a voice told me as a dagger was held against my throat.
“Members of the assassins’ guild, huh?” I whispered.
I could see my assailants. The one holding the dagger against my throat was a young woman. The dagger was probably laced with Witch’s Blow. Even if it wasn’t, she only needed to drive it into my throat to kill me.
There was also a middle-aged man warily holding a dagger and keeping watch over the area. I could see one of the hotel’s porters lying dead on the floor. They’d probably taken his key and used it to enter my room.
“Don’t think foul of us. This is just work,” the female assassin told me.
“Who hired you?” I asked sharply.
“We can’t tell you that.”
“I’m dead either way. The least you could do is tell me,” I said, trying to buy time.
“Fine,” he sighed, folding with surprising ease. “I suppose I should listen to your last request. From what I know, it was some higher-up in the Senate. We’re talking way high up. But that’s all I know. Ready to die now?”
“There’s one more thing I want to know,” I said. “How much did your client pay you?”
Buy more time. Even a second longer.
“They paid the guild 500,000 rupinas, I believe. Not to us specifically, though. The two of us are just the ones sent to kill you.”
“Is that right? Then what if I offer you a million rupinas to call off this hit, then?”
I could only hope buying them off would get me out of this.
“Sorry, but no. Breaking a contract would sully our guild’s reputation. I do feel bad for you, but you’re gonna have to die.”
“I see. Well, that’s a pity.” I smirked. “A pity for you, that is, since you’re the ones who’ll be dying here.”
The assassin woman eyed me suspiciously for a moment but tore her eyes away as a battle cry echoed throughout the room.
“Haaaaah!”
The male assassin’s head went flying.
“What?!”
“Get your filthy hands off Her Majesty, you vulgar assassin!” boomed a familiar voice.