The next day, R25B provided me with the names of the four barons I was supposed to assassinate. I spent another four days memorizing the city layouts and synchronizing them with my reaper card. After superimposing the noble quarters map with my cartographer tool, I meticulously planned the assassinations. The four families I was supposed to kill were Baron Jack, Baron Don, Baron Kachek, and Baron Heil. The commission required me to kill all their main family members too. Baron Jack had a wife and a twenty-year-old son. Baron Don had three wives and five children. Baron Kachek had a fiancée, so I only needed to kill him. Baron Heil had a four-year-old son.

"Do I have to kill their children too?" I frowned at the request.

"Hm… you can spare Baron Heil's child, but you still need to eliminate the others," R25B said.

"But Baron Don's daughter is only 7 years old."

"I would prefer it if you killed them all, R666. If you don't, these children might be adopted and used against the empire. Killing them serves as a warning to their faction. If we spare them, the warning won't be as effective."

"Is the situation in our empire that dire?"

"We don't know for sure. But the handler who provided the info mentioned that we need to eliminate their families as a warning to the opposing faction. Here, the opposing faction refers to those against the royals and the empire."

"I didn't realize our situation was so critical. Was there any indication of rebellion?"

"No, that's why they hired us. The empire could give death sentences to the traitors. However, the merchant's faction simply redirected their war effort from the northern front to the western front. Such a move could be seen as treasonous, but they weren't truly traitors because some of the military supported them. That's why this assassination is necessary—to send a warning for them to adhere to the war plan outlined by Duke Bron."

Anger surged within me. Were they planning to sacrifice my county for their selfish gain? This plan was formulated because Duke Bron understood the significance of my county as a bulwark. If it falls... Oh, I see. If it falls, the merchant faction would gain numerous customers. Drawing from my knowledge from my previous world, I knew that some companies on Earth, even contracted military providers, would sabotage their own country to prevent a quick victory. This strategy increased their profits as they could sell more weapons at higher prices. Even if the country fell, they would simply flee and restart their dirty business in a foreign land.

"Lady Eli, are you unwell? Your eyes look a bit intense tonight," Alicia asked as I was about to go to bed.

"Don't worry, Alicia. I'm just agitated by something."

"Is it Margareth again?"

"Maybe, but I'll sort things out in a day or two. Sorry for worrying you. I just need some time to calm down." I smiled back at her. However, my smile didn't reach my eyes as my emotions ran wild. I wondered if Alicia knew what I was about to do. I wasn't good at lying, after all. But that didn't matter. Tomorrow, I would take care of them all.

------

"AARGH!!" A knife flew into the screaming woman's throat as Baron Jack lay lifeless on the couch. My first target was Baron Jack's family. His wife was there with him, lounging in the living room. I quickly dispatched him to the next world.

"What's the commotion mo— who are you?" his son came out from his bedroom. As I charged towards him, he screamed and shouted. With my improved strength, I broke down the wooden door and found him running for the window. He never reached it, though, as my tentacle bound him, and then I made him follow his father's footsteps. His scream was muffled through the entwining tentacle.

"That's one down." I breathed a sigh and tried to regulate my breathing. My skills took too much of my stamina. I could break down doors and even overpower an adult in arm wrestling, but I soon found myself gasping for air as weariness rushed in from my muscles like a tsunami. I could faint if I didn't limit myself, and fainting when facing my opponent would cost me my life.

"Alright, next is Baron Kachek, Heil, and Don," R25B said.

"Roger. I am going there now," I said as I jogged through the streets. Twenty minutes later, I found the house of the bachelor baron. As I walked near his house, I saw him locking the door and preparing to get outside.

"Going out in the middle of the night? It is dangerous, you know," I warned him. He looked at me quizzically before widening his eyes as a shock ran through his body. He immediately drew his sword as he looked around for an avenue of escape.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Why? Do you have something to feel guilty about that you immediately drew your sword upon meeting strangers?"

"You. You are Reapers! I knew it! Kharn is my friend. It was you who killed him!"

I tilted my head. "Though you may not believe me, it was not I who killed him. Well, then, please die."

I threw my flashbang, which I had bought a long time ago, together with a throwing knife. I covered my eyes by extending the dark shadow that engulfed me as a ball of magic tool flashed a blinding light. A few seconds later, the victim lay paralyzed on the ground with a knife sticking out of his left arm.

"Two down…" I muttered as I slowly approached him to finish the job. He inched away from me, trying to prolong his pathetic life even for a minute. However, I didn't see his hand that reached for something.

"Die," he muttered as he pulled a gun from his pocket—a short-barrel flintlock. The gun blazed out with a roar like thunder.

I saw him pull out his gun, and as the pistol screamed, I sidestepped the bullet that narrowly missed my temple. Thank goodness there was no automatic weapons in this world. Thanks to my new skill, I saw the bullet fly toward me. If not for my improved agility, I might have died even with beast instinct and kinetic vision.

His eyes widened in astonishment. His mouth was agape. He must have been in shock as he saw the only hope of surviving extinguished. I heard he was a knight and was trained for muskets. His pride must have been torn to tatters when he saw himself miss a point-blank shot.

"Wait! I have a fiancee! We will get married next month! Please! Don't kill me!"

"Bye-bye." I used my dark tentacles to slit his throat. His plea passed me like a wind that carries meaningless leaves as my excitement grew. The shadow seemed delighted as it received the soul of the next victim. I could picture that girl dancing in joy again tonight.

"R666! Are you okay?! I heard a gunshot just now," R25B asked. Panic filled his voice as he kept repeating my name.

"Sorry. He was not quite dead. He is dead now," I replied.

"Whew, I lost several years of my life there. Make sure the target is dead before you report it to me."

"Why? Is it because of the sound?"

"It's YOU! Your life!! Do you know how many elite assassins died because they were caught off guard!?" R25B screamed on my earclip. I giggled in amusement as I continued my kill. I looted him to find several bullets with him, plus his gun. This guy was ready for an assault. I wondered if he loved to pick a fight. This pistol musket was quite rare and expensive.

"Now it's Heil."

"You don't have to kill his son. I know it would be hard for you. I will arrange some orphanage to take him in."

"No. I will kill him too. I need to do it. If not, the merchant faction would use him against us." I said, full of conviction.

After a ten-minute rest, I jogged to Baron Heil's villa. I was already gasping for air when I reached his house. After resting for 10 minutes, I entered the villa through the chimney. The creaking of the antiquated wooden floor was the only noise heard in this house. It made me question if there were a father and a four-year-old son here.

I tiptoed into the room one by one and found a bed with a boy younger than even Daniel sleeping peacefully. His father was sleeping on the couch nearby and was nudging in his sleep. I inched closer with daggers in hand, preparing to sink my blade into his chest.

"Ugh. Daniel…?” He woke up groggily. I never asked R25B about the boy's name. I stopped moving when I heard the name. He immediately jolted awake as he realized the black shadow before him was not Daniel, his son.

"W-who are you?"

"It would be nice if you keep sleeping. It would be painless that way…" I sighed.

"Are you from the empire? Why did you want to kill me?"

"Why did you think the empire wants to kill you?"

"Ridiculous. I was only selling to the highest bidder. It was natural for merchants! Besides, I am just a clerk! I was just following advice from the merchant guild!" I stared at him and the boy.

"You need to understand. If I didn't do this, I would be ostracized by the merchant guild. My son, Daniel, is sick. I need money! Besides, I didn't betray the empire! The Western Front needed the supplies more! You have to understand!" Anger surged again at his selfish words. I raised my dagger and stepped forward.

"Papa?" The boy woke up.

"Daniel!?"

"Who is she?" The kid asked his father as I gripped my throwing knife with my tentacle and shot it toward Daniel in reflex. Baron Heil, somehow faster than my tentacle, jumped toward Daniel as he shielded him with his body.

"Argh!" He groaned.

"Papa!!" Daniel screamed and cried.

"Be silent. Please, Daniel." Baron Heil said. His voice stuttered as he tried to hide his fear. Daniel's cry turned into sobs as he tried his best to follow his father's words. Baron Heil then turned to me. Smiling. "Is this... poison? Am I going to die? I feel numb. Good then. You have accomplished your mission. If I may bother you, please take Daniel to his aunty."

My wrath kept boiling as euphoria filled me. I smiled and giggled. No, wait. Why am I giggling? Let's just finish the job and leave. Kill him and leave the children alone.

"No," Eli spoke with my voice. A tentacle was raised with another throwing knife. Aiming toward the boy. Thoughts then whispered to me. I should kill all of them. Sparing him will lead to more trouble later. This assassination request happened because I failed to kill Baron Kharn. If I killed him in this country, these nobles won't rebel.

"Wh-wh-why? Please! Please! NOOOOOO!" blood splattered as the knife plunged into the neck of a helpless child. As the father cried tears, Eli stared at him.

"You won't get away with this. Damn Reapers! Daniel was only 5 years old!" his curses were met with a smile. My body was no longer in control as the menace within me surged forth. Slowly, my darkness cloak peeled off from my face and body, revealing my real face.

"Then kill me. Like what you did to my mother." She looked at him in the eye. His eyes widened. His body was petrified. Then, slowly, Eli came forward with her stiletto. Still looking at him, she calmly pushed her stiletto into his throat. Our eyes met, and his hatred turned into fear as light seeped out from his eyes. His lifeless corpse then dropped, and Eli giggled at the scenery. Her giggle turned into a laugh.

"Last is Baron Don. Kill the noble, kill the peasants, Kill the king, kill them all." She chanted.