*Clank*

Only the clash of blades fell on the ears of the fallen courtesan, who instinctively shut her eyes out of fear.

''Get up.''

A familiar voice fell on her ears and her shut eyes peeked open, only to have the familiar sight of her master's back.

''Don't make me repeat myself.'' The deep yet annoyed voice of her master snapped herself out of stupor. The courtesan knew this was not the time to be in daze just because of her master's act of saving her life.

Exactly as her master wanted, the courtesan stood alongside with the daggers on both hands of hers. Now that she was standing, she got the full sight on what was happening in front of her master.

The blades of her master and the enemy were in a battle of dominance, each trying to overwhelm one another.

In the corner of her eyes, the courtesan noticed a small movement, and her gaze was taken away in that direction. At the sight of the small figure with the face underneath the hood of the black robe, the courtesan gripped the handles of her daggers, about to commence another battle but with a different opponent.

Since her master was busy with this enemy, then she should move to the other.

Her little movement did not escape the eyes of Kieran struggling with his sword against his opponent. With a sudden withdrawal and strike of his own to which was countered, his figure drew backward, rushing to the side of his master.

Upon getting to her spot, he stood with a defensive posture with his gaze fixated on the two people in his front.

''....it appears I can't underestimate your partner...'' A voice came from the unknown person with the courtesan as his eyes briefly stayed on the taller hooded figure which was Kieran shielding the smaller figure away from his sight.

''I never ask you to estimate him.'' Raven's voice followed as she walked out from behind Kieran's back, only stand to by his side. Her blood-like eyes which were in disguise of a pale brown color glinted with some thoughts.

Indeed, her Kieran was not one to underestimate, especially those glass-like eyes of his. How they got out peacefully out of the Grand duchy without any rise in commotion was certainly thanks to those eyes.

Following the battle between the elite slaves, the knights of the Langston family, and the fainted courtesan on the side, Raven managed to deduce how Kieran used his eyes.

One of them was if his opponent met his gaze, which was how he used them against the knights of the Langston family.

'His lineage must be something special...' She thought, knowing that the world inside the novel was a place of outwardly and unrealistic abilities. Kieran was certainly one with one of those abilities. As for which, she had no idea as only the abilities of main characters were mentioned in the novel.

'Anyway...it is a plus for me...' Raven thought smugly, pleased to know Kieran was definitely more than her expectations. Her goal of making him an almost perfect elite slave was certainly not a dream.

''The eyes of your partner...'' A familiar voice drew Raven back to the present. Her gaze focused on the man who had not yet introduced himself as Damon.

Even if he hasn't said so, Raven knew that he was certainly Damon, given the multiple evidences surrounding them.

''...is he a noirus?'' His question arched an eyebrow on Raven's face. At the same time, she noticed the momentary stiffness of Kieran at her side.

Looks like her search of Kieran's abilities was already narrowed, thanks to that question.

''I don't know what you're talking about...'' She replied, noting the name 'noirus' in the back of her mind.

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''Even if you deny it, his eyes are a deep proof of his kind.''

''......'' Now Raven was a little speechless. It seems her previous words made it out to be as if she did not want to expose Kieran's lineage.

When she said she did not know, she was truly speaking the truth.

''Seeing that you're speaking amicably and not trying end our lives, I take it that you're ready to listen what I have to say.'' Raven returned the subject of the conversation back to her goal for the night.

To take over an assassin organization, even if it was a branch.

''...Let's hear what you have to say then.'' Damon who had yet to introduced himself agreed, inserting the blade of his sword back to its sheath in his grip. He returned back to his couch with the courtesan vigilantly looking out for him. ''Judging from how you got to this place, it appears that you do not have anyone to kill.'' Stating his observation, he settled his bottom on the old cushions with his gaze focused on the pair od hooded figures in his front. The sheathed sword was dropped by his side on the couch.

Once again, another set of words arched an eyebrow on Raven. It appeared there were a handful of people who knew the true face of the brothel.

''And if I had one?''

''Depends on your target.''

''What if my target was the young lady of a noble family like the Langston family?'' Now Raven used this little opportunity presented before her, to know if her killer came from here.

The words from the old man in that shop disturbed her quite a bit. If this brothel was truly a branch, then perhaps the assassin that was supposed to kill her, did not necessarily come from here.

The assassin could have come from any other branch of the organization.

''Then you will have to leave this place as my courtesans will not put their lives on line for a family like that.''

''...I see...'' Seems like her thoughts were not for naught. If Damon was telling the truth, then that assassin might not have come from this place.

''Do you mean to say that you have no male killer amongst yourselves?'' Raven caught another meaning behind the words from Damon. For him to say 'my courtesans', the assassins around him could only be women since they all came from a brothel.

''As far as I know, I am the only male killer.''

'Then this is not the place...' Raven thought to herself. The assassin that was sent to kill her did not come from here according to Damon if he was telling the truth.

''If you're looking for a male killer to do the job, then you'll have to visit Rufus.'' Raven received a suggestion from Damon which was unexpected, but she wasn't one to deny free information.

''Is he the same as you?''

''That's for you to find out.''

'...Stingy...' Raven remarked with a subtle frown. Though she understood that information was obviously not for free. Besides, she already had a name.

Rufus.

Another name to note down in the back of her mind.

''You haven't stated what you seek from me.''

''Ah...yes.'' Raven inwardly appreciated Damon for jogging her memory. It seemed she got a little carried away with the new discoveries and information from him.

''You haven't answered my question from before, but I will take it that you are the one that I seek, Damon from the Nightwolves.''

''......''

In response to his silence, Raven finally stated the actual goal of her night trip to this brothel.

''Your brothel...your courtesans...this organization and you, Damon...I want them all for myself.'' Her words were bold and straight to the point, all with a sly grin on her lips underneath her hood.

''......''

''......''

There was a deafening silence in the room. A pin-drop one to the point that the sound of breathing could be heard amongst them.

Until....

''Pfft...''

''Pfft...hahaha...''

Laughter broke the quiet atmosphere, and that came from the one and only Damon who apparently found the words from Raven very funny.

'Is this funny?' Puzzled with the laughter, she tilted her head, asking herself if her words were indeed funny.

The amusing thing here was that they weren't. It was even more amusing that Damon who wanted to take hers and kieran's lives moments ago was now laughing in her presence

He was the one who asked what she wanted and she truthfully told him. He should even be grateful that someone as cunning as herself did not tell him a lie.

''May I ask what amuses you?''

''Ha...*cough* *cough* It seems you were serious about that...pfft!'' As though noticing that she was truly serious, Damon covered his lips, trying the hold back the laughter threatening to escape from his lips.

''Yes I am serious.'' was Raven's reply.

''Hmm....you are a child right?'' Putting down his fingers, he suddenly asked with additional words. ''I mean...from your voice and your small figure, you are definitely a child....a female one....perhaps 10 or less.''

'He's quite perceptive...' Raven thought, arching eyebrow, wordlessly asking why he was talking about age. Though her face was hidden behind the hood, so Damon had no way of knowing her questioning gesture.

''A child claiming to be the new master of my brothel and my courtesans. Quite bold yet greedy of you, young lady.''

''You seem not take my words seriously.'' Raven pointed out.

''No, I am not.'' Damon was very blunt in reply.

''But...I appreciate your boldness to come here and even overpower my head-courtesan.'' He continued, glancing at the quiet Kieran still in a defensive position at the side. ''As a gift to reward your efforts, why don't we make a bet, young lady?'' His light blue eyes flickered with a calculating light.