He quietly called his name. Meanwhile, the man leading the knights issued orders to bind all the fleeing assassins. He slowly approached the group that had come to a halt. The rain was weakening again. Without a cloak, he had run through the heavy rain and was now approaching the surviving knights on horseback. And then, he looked at Kasha.

The moment their eyes met, he saw a hint of confusion in his eyes. His gaze was still clear and pure, like that of a good and upright boy. As he looked at his eyes, Kasha couldn’t help but realize how different they were. He understood now why he had been drawn to him. He and him were opposites—one overflowing, the other lacking. They should have been one. From the moment they were born, they should have been together.

“Kasha, are you okay?”

Rodin and Elsen ran toward him, looking at him, drenched in blood. The hook that had been lodged in his shoulder during the ride had fallen out, taking flesh with it, leaving his back covered in blood. Fortunately, he had both hands free, allowing him to still wield her whip.

“I’m fine. What happened?”

His right arm, where the hook had been lodged, was hanging limply. If it wasn’t treated quickly, he might lose his arm. Despite this, Kasha calmly reassured them. Rodin, muttering “What a child…” as he approached, tore a piece of his own clothing and wrapped it around his arm while answering.

“Lord Homan said that Lady Maynon sent the Red Scorpions, so I thought we should check. When I investigated, I sensed their presence in the mountain, so I came to help. We need to treat this quickly. How did you manage to keep fighting like this?”

Rodin complained while tying off the cloth around his wound. Though his hands were rough and clumsy, it was clear he cared for him. Kasha, feeling a bit relieved by his concern, smiled weakly, but his senses sharpened again as he sensed the approach of Rejin.

Rejin, riding a white horse, slowly made his way toward Kasha. At first, Jessie wasn’t sure, but as soon as he saw him, Jessie, called out to him.

“Are you Rejin Maynon?”

At Jessie’s greeting, Rejin’s gaze, which had been on Kasha, shifted to her.

“Yes, that’s correct. I met you last year on Duke Maynon’s birthday. I’m Jessie Errington.”

Only then did Rejin recognize Jessie and nod in acknowledgment.

“Yes, I remember. But what brings the royal family of Karileum here?”

“The Crown Prince is also here. He came on an unofficial visit, but things have escalated.”

When the title of “Crown Prince” was mentioned, tension appeared on Rejin’s face.

“Pardon?”

“The Crown Prince, with his companion, came to visit a friend, but they were attacked by the Red Scorpions. While we delayed them, the Crown Prince went down the mountain first. We need to secure the Prince’s safety. If anything happens to him, it could lead to an international conflict. And, I hear it was Lady Maynon who sent the Red Scorpions… Surely not, right?”

Jessie quickly pieced together the conversation he had overheard between Kasha and Rodin, constructing a plausible explanation. Saying that Ail had come here to find Ruth and had encountered assassins chasing Ruth’s friend wasn’t a good excuse for others to hear. He needed to come up with a more believable story, cleverly spinning it and adding a bit of threat to prevent anyone from thinking too much. That’s why he exaggerated about the Red Scorpions. The assassins sent by Lady Maynon were likely after Kasha, but that could be interpreted differently. Jessie skillfully twisted the story to imply that Duke Maynon might have attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Karileum, and when he said this, Rejin’s face turned pale.

Though Jessie had only seen Rejin Maynon a few times, he had always perceived him as a man of integrity, someone who didn’t know how to play tricks or use underhanded methods. He was exactly the person they needed right now.

Rejin, following Jessie’s lead, replied seriously, his expression unreadable.

“I will mobilize all the knights from Rengetti to ensure the Crown Prince’s safety. I will make sure he is safely escorted back to Karileum.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve captured all the Red Scorpions, so I’ll send the knights to search the mountain.”
Rejin’s voice was low and polite, but Kasha’s sharp voice cut through the air.
“Do you think that will be enough?”

At that moment, all eyes turned to Kasha. Gasping for breath and barely holding himself on the horse, Kasha glanced at a few of the Red Scorpions being captured in the distance and then coldly smiled.
“The Red Scorpions never give up. Not only me, their target, but also Ruth, who was marked as a target along with me, and Ail Linus, who killed their comrades—they won’t stop. They’ll chase us until the end. With their numbers, it’s possible.”

Now, beyond a mere contractual relationship, Ail and Ruth had become enemies the Red Scorpions needed to avenge. There had been significant losses on their side, but the Red Scorpions had suffered, too. Losing dozens of assassins, they were not the kind of people who would sit idly by. Knowing their strength in unity and mobility, Kasha couldn’t afford to feel safe even with the Rengetti army’s protection.

“Really… you picked the wrong person to mess with. If you had left it alone, I would’ve died quietly… But now, I can’t do that. I’ve grown hatred, and I can’t die like this.”

Kasha muttered in a voice that was almost gritted between his teeth, and then she stared at Rejin with a murderous gaze. Rejin met her wild blue eyes with his cold, unwavering stare. He knew better than anyone how relentless Kasha could be. Once he set his mind to something, he would see it through, no matter the cost. Especially when it came to those who had wronged him, he showed no mercy.

He knew it all too well—how he had been abandoned by him, even though their memories had once been happy. Those moments had been brutally crushed when he was discarded. Despite his hatred, he couldn’t forget him. His desire for revenge consumed his life, and he was like an obsession, an absolute faith that kept him going. That was why he forced himself to remain calm. If he got swept up in him, his emotions would overpower his reason, dragging him into madness. He always remained composed, while he alone boiled with rage.

“Then, we need to find them faster. We’ve brought mercenaries as well…”

As Elsen mumbled beside him with a pale face, assassins captured by the knights were brought in. Kasha dismounted from his horse and staggered in front of the desert people.

One of the assassins, kneeling with his arms bound behind him, spat as he looked up at Kasha. The spit landed on his clothes, and without hesitation, Kasha grabbed a sword from a nearby knight and shoved it into the assassin’s mouth.

“Did this mouth spit on me? Then I’ll have to remove it.”

The moment he finished speaking, Kasha twisted the sword inside his mouth. The man, unable to scream, vomited blood and stared in horror. Kasha smiled as he watched. Pieces of his tongue fell out of his mouth. Those watching were horrified, but Kasha remained unfazed. His demeanor was calm, and despite him barely standing, the fierce aura he emanated silenced everyone around him.

“You must have your own communication network, right? Then send word to your leader. I know who your employer is. If such a large number of people were mobilized, the money must be considerable. But you chose the wrong person. You shouldn’t have touched me.”

Kasha pressed harder with his left hand on the sword, which was still in the man’s mouth, causing him to choke and gag.

“Starting today, the hunt begins. Rodin, tell the knights from Clozium, Vera, and all the assassins and mercenaries in the desert. For every Red Scorpion assassin with the symbol on their right arm, there will be one gold coin. And for anyone who reveals their base, I will reward them with ten gold coins. Their base is somewhere in the desert. Search the entire desert like you’re hunting rats and burn every last man, woman, and child who remains at the base. Burn them alive—leave no one behind. Not even a newborn or a mother. Eradicate the Red Scorpions to the last of their kind.”

Kasha’s brutal declaration left Rodin in shock.
“Kasha! That’s…”

“These were the ones chasing me, so I’ll take them with me. Cut off their ears, their tongues, pull out their eyes, and cut off their arms and legs. Then lock them in a pigsty and feed them scraps. I’m not kind enough to kill them for you.”
“Kasha!”
“Shut up and do as I say.”

Having spoken this far, Kasha pulled the sword out of the trembling man’s mouth and pressed his head to the ground. With his foot, he crushed the back of his head, and Kasha smiled, as if finding it amusing. The assassins who had been caught along with the man were trembling at his vicious expression and cruel declaration.

Kasha’s words were neither bluffs nor threats. He was serious. One gold coin for each Red Scorpion’s right arm. This was a very tempting offer for the assassins and mercenaries across the continent. And if that much money was offered, finding their base would be quick. The base would only contain elderly people, women, and children. They would be burned alive, unable to resist, just as Kasha had said. It felt like he would surely do just that. Kasha’s eyes were filled with a fury that could not even be called madness.

“Do you want to live?”

The rain had stopped. But the sun was setting. In the dimming light of the mountains, Kasha spoke, and one of the desert men, who had been listening, shouted.

“If you’re going to die, just kill yourself! I won’t beg my prey!”

At the bold man’s cry, Kasha smiled, curling his lips.

“Who said I’d kill you? You’ll kneel, bow your head, lick the ground, and beg for mercy before I kill you. I’m not that kind of person.”

With a slight smile, Kasha lifted his foot off the man’s head and turned to look at the man who had shouted. He examined his face closely before murmuring.

“I don’t like your eyes. I think I’ll start by pulling them out.”

The cold tone in his voice made the man feel an overwhelming sense of fear like never before. His expression looked as though he might shove the sword into his eye sockets at any moment. Instead of anger or laughter, the vacant curiosity in his eyes was so chilling that it struck him with even more terror.

He had been hunting madmen, but this was a madman.

At this point, the man wisely decided to change his approach. The idea of having his limbs cut off and his tongue severed, leaving him unable to commit suicide while being fed scraps, was no empty threat.

“What do you want from me?”

“I told you. Revenge, and venting my anger.”

“Speak up if you want something.”
“Now we’re talking. I’m glad you’re not as dumb as you look.”
Finally, Kasha threw his sword aside, flipping his wet hair back, and stood before him to begin the negotiation.

“I know there’s a way for you to send a message. Tell your leader this: recall everyone you’re chasing and cancel this contract. If you don’t, I will do as I said. If I don’t hear back by midnight, I will proceed with my plan.”

“Then, let me go. If you do, I’ll deliver the message.”
“That’s not possible. If your leader refuses my request and tries to assassinate me again, you’ll be my shield. I’ll tie you all up by my room and in front of my door. When the door opens, an axe will fall on your neck. How does that sound? Or should I wrap a chain around your neck and tie it to the door? You choose.”

The man trembled with humiliation at Kasha’s words. Watching him, Kasha continued in an amused tone.
“By the way, you’ve messed with the Emperor of Karileum, haven’t you? I should send a letter to Karileum. Apparently, Lord Maynon of the Rengetti region of Clozium called the Red Scorpions to assassinate the Emperor of Karileum. It would be quite a spectacle if the massive imperial army from Karileum marched into the desert. Ah, and I should inform the Karileum royal family as well. To avoid war with Karileum, they’ll likely expel the desert people and even their mixed-bloods. That will make it impossible for them to survive in this country… Sounds nice. I’ll drive out the Maynon family, and with this, I can expel all the desert people. Meanwhile, the Karileum army will march into the desert, so your end is not too far off.”

At this point, the man could no longer remain indifferent, his face turning pale. If the elite armies of the two great powers of the Leman continent swept through the desert, his people might be wiped out. Not just the Red Scorpions, but his entire race could be destroyed.

The man began to suspect Kasha’s true identity. All he knew was that she was the owner of a large brothel in Vera, but he didn’t understand why he was spending so much money hiring so many assassins to kill them.

“Who… who are you? You’re not an ordinary person.”
“It’s very unpleasant to hear that from a Red Scorpion. Or should I be pleased?”

Kasha, never forgetting to mock him, turned and looked at Rejin. The moment their eyes met, Rejin stared at Kasha with a look of disgust. At that, Kasha felt a little sorrowful. He had always been this kind of person, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He was always burdened by the pressure of feeling inadequate. No matter how much he dressed up the exterior, he was the villain. Knowing that, he probably clung to him, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he could be like him, look at the world with kind eyes. But that was pointless now. The balance between them had collapsed. He tore his gaze away from Rejin and looked toward Rodin, who was dismounting from his horse.

“Rodin, where is my mother?”
“She said she was going to Makan.”
“…I see. Go bring her back. There’s no need to go all the way to Makan. I’ll go directly to the Clozium royal palace. And Kamiel, right?”

Kasha called out the name of Kamiel, who had been on horseback, and he nodded.

“Take Elsen and lead the mercenaries to find Ruth and the kid. We need to find them tonight. They haven’t gone far. If they’re lucky and went down the mountain, the trackers will be on them, so it’s dangerous. And Rejin, take your knights and search the mountains. And everyone else, kill every desert person you find near this mountain.”

Kamiel objected to Kasha’s command.

“That’s not acceptable. We can’t kill innocent people because of them.”
“Did the mercenaries I hired deserve to die? They died just because they were with me. The mercenaries and knights who came with you are the same. If traveling together is a crime, being from the same race is also a crime. Kill them all.”

“Kasha, that’s not right.”
Elsen shook his head, and everyone else was of the same mind. Seeing their innocent faces expressing they couldn’t kill innocent people made Kasha click his tongue.

“This is why you can’t work with good people.”

“Ruth wouldn’t want that either.”
At those words, Kasha flinched. The rest of the group, who had seen no sign of change in him until now, sighed in relief. It seemed that Ruth was the only one who could sway Kasha’s heart. But Kasha shot Elsen a furious glare, as if insulted.

“You, we’ll talk once everything is settled.”