Chapter 21: Two sisters (yen)
"Huff... huff..."
At this moment, a beautiful young woman dressed entirely in black was breathing heavily, her back pressed against a wall.
She was hiding in complete darkness in the corner of one of the abandoned houses in the city.
Although she had long black hair, beautiful dark-brown eyes, and small red lips, her beauty was almost completely obscured by the blood covering her body. She looked absolutely horrendous.
Not only was her face stained with blood, but her entire body was as well. Every breath she took was filled with pain.
She had used her ability so many times that she feared another use might turn her body into ash.
She had pushed herself to her limits, surpassed those limits, and somehow found even newer ones, all for the sake of escaping and staying alive a little longer.
Her name was Yen.
And the reason she had attempted to assassinate the Duke’s son was because of something that had happened ten years ago.
Back then, she and her elder sister had been nothing more than teenagers. Yet their beauty was already known beyond their small town. Passing merchants couldn’t help but compliment them, sometimes even leaving them a gift or two.
At first, the two orphans were excited.
As word of their beauty spread, their lives gradually improved. They began receiving invitations from wealthy families in neighboring towns and cities. Gifts and money followed, and for the first time, they felt as though their lives were finally getting better.
Unknown to them...
It would soon become the most traumatizing period of their lives.
Just as a person could have their treasure stolen if they weren’t strong enough to protect it, their beauty had attracted people far more powerful than they were.
Yen’s elder sister was more beautiful.
She was nearly eighteen and had already fully matured. She became the dream of countless men.
And for a woman like that, conquering her became a matter of pride.
Any man who could claim her would not only prove that he was capable...
He would prove that he could obtain the woman every other man could only dream of.
Unfortunately for Yen’s sister...
She caught the attention of Bama.
As the son of the Duke—a family powerful enough to stand on equal footing with the royal family of the Destal Kingdom—all it took was a single command.
Yen’s sister was taken to the capital the very next day.
Remembering the horrible things those men proudly claimed Bama had done to her sister, Yen clenched her fists helplessly.
But perhaps the worst part was that the experience had been so traumatizing that, after Bama eventually grew tired of her, he simply discarded her.
Not long afterward...
News of her death spread throughout the kingdom.
How devastated had Yen been?
She had wished she could have been taken with her sister.
But perhaps it was luck...
Or perhaps it was fate.
Her sister’s beauty had simply been far greater than hers at the time, so barely anyone had paid attention to Yen.
The worst part was that even after hearing what had happened, no one...not a single person stood up to condemn Bama.
Instead...
He was praised as the king of men.
With no one willing to help her, and knowing that she would eventually become the next target, Yen ran.
She ran as far as her little legs could carry her.
For ten years, her hatred and desire for revenge kept her alive.
During those years, she awakened a Trait.
She developed it, honed it, and eventually returned to human cities, disguising herself as she began tracking Bama.
But after ten years, she discovered a terrifying truth.
Some people were simply untouchable.
At the capital, someone like Bama was nearly impossible to assassinate.
Transcendent Realm experts were everywhere.
Sovereign Realm experts were commonplace.
Even King Realm experts protected the capital.
And above them all stood Supreme Realm experts like Bama’s father, the Duke himself.
For someone like Yen, who had only recently reached the Two-Star Transcendent Realm, successfully assassinating Bama seemed almost impossible.
But she never gave up.
She continued monitoring him.
And eventually...
She found an opportunity.
Bama had come to this city with only his personal guard, Selak.
Although Selak was a Peak Sovereign Realm expert, far beyond her own strength, Yen only needed one opportunity.
Even a single attempt against Bama, who had only one Sovereign Realm expert protecting him, was better than trying to assassinate him in the capital while surrounded by King Realm experts.
Fate seemed to be helping her.
Selak had even left Bama’s side to guard the gateway, preventing Abyssal creatures from sneaking into the city.
Yen had been ecstatic.
Finally...
She could avenge her sister.
She didn’t care whether she survived after killing Bama.
All she wanted was to kill him and accomplish her goal.
She had gone into the assassination fully prepared to die.
But who could have expected...
Thinking of the Crimson-Eyed Maiden, Yen gritted her teeth.
"Damn it..."
Yen muttered bitterly.
"Over there!"
Suddenly, she heard a man’s voice.
Her expression changed.
She sensed several Peak Transcendent Realm experts passing by the house she was hiding in as heavy footsteps echoed outside.
Shortly after they left, Yen felt more than three terrifying auras sweep across the area.
Sovereign Realm experts.
They were flying through the city, searching for her.
Yen’s heart began pounding violently.
She knew that tonight, she might die without ever seeing another sunrise.
She could accept that.
But only if she had already gotten her revenge.
Even though her body was screaming that she had reached her limit, she had continued pushing herself.
She had already used her Trait five times.
Yet she had still forced herself to keep moving, even as blood poured from her body and multiple internal injuries accumulated.
"Sister..."
Yen couldn’t help but whisper.
She rested her head against the wall as her eyelids grew heavier.
She couldn’t hold on anymore.
Slowly...
Her eyes closed.
And Yen finally succumbed to the darkness.