The Law of the Silent Gentleman

At dusk, two steeds and their owners galloped across the intersection of the Rorjan-Mukanya border road. As far as the eye can see, the wild grass is desolate, and a wooden sign engraved with "Ponto City to this direction" stands at the intersection. When the two riders galloped past, the dust they raised fell on the wooden sign. Another gust of wind blew past, wiping away the floating dust above. Looking far away, the surrounding grass is desolate, and the silhouette of a city standing in the setting sun can be vaguely seen in the distance.

That is Ponto City. It prospered by relying on border trade. Although it was not as good as Vanessa, Dorosinia and other city-states, it was also a well-known city with developed commerce and trade in Lorran. There was an endless stream of caravans from Yod, Muchania, and Nidal, rushing to close the city gate at sunset and pass through the city gate with a white lily banner on a red background. Those merchants who did not have time to enter the city had to stay in post hotels outside the city.

The "Romantic Exile" tavern is located outside Ponto, and it provides food, drink and accommodation for travelers who can't make it to the city in time. A white lily shield with a red background hung on the door of the tavern. The pattern was exactly the same as the flag on the city gate, which meant that the tavern paid the rent and tax to the local lord Viscount de Ranchocourt on time and in volume, and therefore was also protected by the Viscount.

Two travelers on horseback slowed down not far from the tavern. It was late, and they didn't plan to rush into the city, but they didn't look like they were going to move in. The two rode avoided the front door of the tavern and passed through a mulberry forest. They left their horses in the forest and walked out to the back of the tavern.

Both were dressed as travelers, wearing dark green cloaks and hoods, with weapons hidden under the cloaks. If you look closely, you will find that one of them is carrying two swords. He took off his hood, revealing a handsome face. He is Enzo the Reticent.

Enzo took out two pairs of silver masks with exquisite patterns etched from under his cloak, put on one for himself, and gave the other to his companion—Giuliano Sacon.

"Can't we go in through the main entrance?" Giuliano took the mask and put it over his face.

"You and me, two suspicious people wearing masks? Stop joking."

"Isn't it enough to take off the mask? We can go in openly. We are in Lorran, and Vanessa's arrest warrant can't control here."

"Before finding out the true intention of the client, I don't want too many people to see my true face."

Enzo gave Giuliano a push, telling him not to ask questions, but to just do what he told him. Then he pointed to the second floor of the tavern guest room. Giuliano got his point. The mysterious client lives in the westernmost room on the second floor. Since they couldn't get in through the main entrance, they had to climb the wall. Fortunately, there is a big tree growing in front of the guest room, and its slanting branches just face the balcony of the guest room on the second floor. After several months of training, Giuliano can easily climb the branches or walk freely between the eaves and houses.

Enzo leads the way, followed by Giuliano. They climbed up the book lightly, followed the branches and landed on a balcony in the center of the guest room, and then jumped to the balcony next door. In the central room, a female guest was doing her makeup in front of the mirror. Suddenly, two swift black shadows flashed in the mirror. The female guest exclaimed and looked back to the balcony—there was nothing. "Probably a flying bird." The female guest thought to herself.

Enzo and Giuliano jumped onto the balcony of the westernmost room. The door was open, but a light blue gauze curtain hung over the door. Enzo raised the gauze curtain and dodged in, so fast that even Giuliano could hardly catch his movement, as if a gust of wind had blown the gauze curtain fluttering, and the person had disappeared.

Giuliano is as clumsy as a toddler compared to a seasoned assassin. He jumped off the balcony railing, and the sheer curtain caught the cloak as he entered the room, and he had to wrestle with the flimsy material to free himself. In Enzo's eyes, he must be extremely stupid. He couldn't help but be grateful that the mask on his face shielded him from embarrassment.

There is an armchair in the middle of the room, and a man dressed as a businessman is sitting on the armchair smoking a pipe. The room is full of smoke and smells strange. The man had brown hair and brown eyes, and his appearance was unremarkable. He belonged to the kind who wouldn't remember even after seeing it. Giuliano wondered if he would recognize the man the next time he saw him.

The two uninvited guests came in from the balcony, but the man didn't take it as a surprise, he calmly exhaled smoke rings, and examined the two of them through the misty smoke. His eyes are small, with drooping eyelids, and there is almost only a slit left, but from that slit, a cold and stern light bursts out from time to time. Enzo was not polite to him either, he pulled another chair in the room and sat down. Giuliano had nowhere to sit, and it was not easy to sit on the bed, so he could only stand beside Enzo.

"Welcome, silent gentlemen. This place is far away from your homeland, and I am surprised that you have come from afar." The man spoke the Imperial language with a Ravina accent, which is the common language with a standard accent. His voice is also featureless, neither high-pitched nor low-pitched, making it forgettable once you hear it.

Enzo opened his hands, shook his arms, and made a greeting ceremony for the city-states of Yoder. "The courtesies are over, client. Tell me what you want."

The client put down his pipe and raised the corners of his mouth with a half-smile. "I like your straightforwardness. I don't like to waste time, so let's get straight to the point. I came here on my master's behalf to select the right assassin for his special mission."

"Can you speak for your master?"

"Of course. From now on, everything I say and do will represent his will."

It seems that this "client" is just a mouthpiece, and the real employer is a big figure behind the scenes, perhaps a nobleman or lord of a certain country? thought Giuliano. Heh, it's understandable, big shots must not want to reveal their identities, let alone get their hands dirty. He couldn't help comparing this behind-the-scenes employer with the hateful Boniwell and Fernando. Before accepting the entrustment, he felt a bit of hatred in his heart.

"I heard that no one in the city-state of Akdon dares to accept your commission. What exactly does your master want?"

"My lord's request is very simple: just kill people. It's just that what you want to kill is not ordinary people, but dignitaries with great influence. You may die, and you may implicate all your companions and friends, and even implicate a city or a country. .Of course, once you succeed, you will enjoy endless prosperity and wealth in the future. How about it, do you dare to accept it?"

"Who are you going to kill?"

"You say first or not, and I'll tell you later."

Enzo was silent. Giuliano looked down at him and saw a smile in the silver-gray eyes peeking out of the holes in the assassin's mask. There must be his trademark mean smile on that handsome face hidden under the mask.

"My lord," Enzo said, "you come from Muchania, and you don't know much about the rules of the Yod cities. Let me explain it to you."

Hearing the words "Mukaniya", the client's body shook, and a crack was cracked in the originally calm and indifferent shell, revealing a trace of fear from the crack.

"In our Yoder, the client must first explain the name and characteristics of the target, and the two sides agree on the conditions and rewards, and then the silent person will consider whether to accept the commission. You don't have to worry about the silent person revealing your mission, because we never betray The employer will not do anything that may harm other companions. If you are sincere, please follow the rules, otherwise I will leave."

The client's rift was quickly healed as new. "But this is not Yoder. We are in Lorran, so there is no need to be strict, right?" He looked at the two silent ones with a smile.

Enzo got up and left.

"Wait a minute!" The client hurriedly stopped him, "Well, I have a compromise plan, why don't you listen to it?"

"Speaking."

"The Silent One doesn't accept all missions, and my master doesn't refuse all comers. In order to reduce the risk, he only cooperates with the most capable assassins. Can you show your ability first?"

"You want me to try to kill someone first?" Enzo folded his hands and leaned against the balcony door.

"Do you know the lord of this place?"

Enzo thought about it. "Lord of Ponto... de Ranchocourt?"

"That's right." The client nodded, "Viscount Guy de Ranchocourt. He can be regarded as a relative of my master, but some recent misbehavior has greatly offended the master and made him very troubled. Could you be kind? How about solving a troublesome matter for me?"

"How much will I receive in return for my 'kindness'?"

"Eight hundred gold luces, all of the best quality, just check."

Then, the client pulled out an emerald from his sleeve as if by magic, and threw it to Enzo: "This is not a deposit, but just a small respect from my lord, I hope you will accept it."

The assassin glanced at the gem, and tucked it under his cloak. "How much time do you give me?"

"One month. One month at most." The client raised a finger, "Within one month, if there is no good news, I will not see you again. If there is good news... I have an eyeliner in Ponto City, listen After telling the news of Viscount de Ranchocourt's death, he will come to this tavern to open a room—this is the room. We will meet here after you complete the task. At that time, if you are satisfied with the reward, you are willing to believe How about my lord's financial resources and sincerity, let's talk about 'that' entrustment?"

"make a deal."

The client stood up and shook hands with Enzo. "Then I shall take my leave. My master and I are eagerly awaiting your good news."

He didn't have any luggage, he just took out a hat from his arms, put it on his head, and walked towards the main door of the room. He held the doorknob, suddenly remembered something, turned around and asked, "By the way, how do you know I'm from Muchania?"

"Tobacco," the assassin replied.

"Tobacco?" The client touched the pipe with him, "I admit that this tobacco is produced in Muchania, but I bought both it and the pipe in Ponto City. It's nothing unusual, anyone can buy it. This It doesn't explain anything."

"I don't mean the tobacco you just smoked," Enzo said, "meaning that you have the smell of 'Sati'. It is a special product of Muchania. It is very precious. It is forbidden to be trafficked abroad. You have the right to enjoy it. You deliberately bought other types of tobacco from Ponto City, and smoked heavily in the house, in order to cover up the smell of 'Sati' smoke on your body. It's a pity that the silencer's nose is smarter than you imagine."

"What a well-informed assassin! I underestimated you." The client took off his hat and saluted him. "If possible, I really want to buy you a drink, but unfortunately the timing is not right now."

He pushed the door out. When his footsteps disappeared in the corridor outside, Giuliano turned to Enzo: "Is he really a Muchanian nobleman?"

"It's true. His status is not low, and his master will only be more honorable."

"Are you going to take on this mission?"

"There is money to be made, why not do it?" The assassin took out the emerald given to him by the client from under the cloak, and observed it for a moment against the sinking sun, "The color is really good. The employer behind the scenes must be quite rich. It's such a shame the last one."

This guy fell into the eyes of money! Giuliano thought angrily. Know money, money, money all day long! The same is true for him, just open his mouth and ask for money! He has no money, and he has to pay back with his body! How unreasonable!

The assassin held up the emerald to the young apprentice for comparison: "And I like this gem, and I would like to accept it. If this mission is successful, the gold coin will be mine and the gemstone will be yours. It matches your eyes very well. Do It would look great as a necklace."

Giuliano's breath was stagnant, and his face blushed uncontrollably. "You, what are you talking about, I don't need a necklace!" But he couldn't help but imagine that this gemstone was inlaid in a silver bracket, strung up by an exquisite chain, and then put on his neck by Enzo himself. Situation... wait! Why did he have such a strange association? What jewelry has he not seen? What is not more expensive in mother's jewelry box than some emerald necklace? Why did his face burn terribly and his heart pound when he thought that Enzo might put the necklace on him with his own hands?

"As a reticent, how can you not have one or two pieces of suitable jewelry? If you dress too shabby, you will be looked down upon by your employer." Enzo put away the gems, "Let's go, have a drink in the tavern, and check on De Ranchocourt by the way. The viscount's reality. Let's go in one after another, so as not to attract attention."

The two jumped off the balcony, returned to the mulberry forest, led their horses, and made a long circle to the main entrance of the tavern. Then they took off their masks and entered as ordinary guests.