HIFH | Chapter 12

Episode 12

“I missed you.”

As always, Adrian embraced me the moment he saw me.

The refreshing scent emanating from his chest, where my cheek pressed against, was so distinct that it erased the lingering stench of blood.

No, no.

I quickly pushed Adrian away and steadied myself.

“This isn’t the time to celebrate a reunion. What the hell? Why did you suddenly kill Themis?”

At my question, Adrian blinked several times.

Tilting his head slightly, his silvery hair cascaded down his pale cheek.

Looking at his starlit hair brought a strange sense of calm to a corner of my heart.

Yet, in contrast, his pitch-black eyes, like the darkness of the night, unsettled me.

Light and darkness.

Adrian paradoxically possessed both at once.

“Seems like you didn’t miss me, Charles. Going straight to business like this.”

I frowned instinctively.

Adrian always felt like someone with a screw loose.

Otherwise, how could he be talking about missing me while standing in front of a corpse? I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

“If we had met in a café, I would have greeted you too. But right now, you just killed someone right before my eyes. Shouldn’t we talk about that first?”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“It’s not like this is the first time. Are you still not used to it, or have you gone soft after spending time in the Holy Kingdom?”

“…Forget it. No point in talking.”

Whenever I continued a conversation with Adrian, I ended up feeling like I was the strange one.

As if Adrian had done nothing wrong, and I was the one at fault for pointing it out.

Not wanting to be swept up in this absurd atmosphere any longer, I quickly spoke.

“Why did you kill him?”

“Hm?”

“He might have had information on the relic. Why did you kill him?”

“The Guardian said that? That Themis had information on the relic?”

Adrian covered his mouth and let out a chuckle.

“I’m glad the Guardian side thinks that. That was exactly what I was hoping for.”

Then, he nudged Themis’s lifeless body with the tip of his shoe.

The corpse, now devoid of life, rolled over powerlessly.

I had seen plenty of dead bodies while carrying out missions, but I could never get used to it. Grimacing, I turned my head away.

“This guy knew nothing about the relic or anything else.”

Luckily, Adrian didn’t seem to notice my physical reaction and continued speaking.

“I was just setting a trap to see who was secretly digging for the relic behind my father’s back. I fed different information to each of the sub-commanders, and if it was Themis…”

Adrian’s black eyes suddenly darkened, sinking deep like a bottomless abyss.

“It must be Henry, huh?”

“…….”

“What? You already knew?”

I had, in fact, noticed that Sub-Commander Henry was disobeying orders.

But there was no need to confirm it.

If I admitted it, he would start questioning why I hadn’t reported it, and that would be a hassle.

“I’ve barely been back in the Empire for a week. How could I have known?”

“Hmm. I see.”

Adrian looked slightly doubtful, but soon shrugged, seeming convinced.

I kept my gaze fixed on Adrian, trying not to look at Themis.

“So, it was a trap. Fine. I get it. Themis didn’t know anything about the relic and was just being used.”

I lifted my gaze slightly and spoke.

“But then, there was no reason to kill him.”

I hate death.

I hate the idea of dying, and I hate the idea of others dying. I wish no one had to die at the hands of others.

Even though I’m an elite agent of Catacle—a group that commits all kinds of atrocities—I still wish people could live.

That’s why, in all my years as an undercover agent, I had never once been discovered.

If my identity were exposed, I’d either have to die or kill. So I always made concealing my identity my top priority.

However—

That was just my resolve.

Catacle, like any organization driven by profit, accepted murder as a necessity.

Just like now.

With Adrian’s nonchalant attitude, I let out a deep sigh and retorted.

“There’s no such thing as someone who must die.”

“That might be true. But—”

Adrian took a step closer and cupped my cheek.

“He was killed under my father’s orders.”

“…….”

“Are you planning to defy my father?”

I swallowed dryly.

Adrian’s father—Baylor, the leader of Catacle—was the only person who had ever saved me.

And the only one who ever acknowledged me.

Yet, I had killed his daughter.

“…I…”

Since that incident, I no longer followed Baylor out of respect or loyalty.

No—I couldn’t.

The only thing I felt toward him was guilt.

And that was why I had to obey his orders.

Because I had taken away someone precious to him, I couldn’t bring myself to defy him.

“If it was an order from the leader… then there’s nothing I can do. I understand.”

“Good girl, Charles.”

Adrian smirked and ruffled my hair.

“And this is just between us.”

He locked eyes with me and spoke firmly.

“Don’t interfere with our work.”

I tilted my head in confusion. Of all people, I wouldn’t get in Catacle’s way.

“What do you mean by—”

“Wasps.”

The moment I heard his answer, my eyes widened in shock.

He must be referring to the giant hornets that invaded the Floria Count’s estate.

I had found it strange that giant hornets had suddenly appeared in a place they didn’t naturally inhabit, but to think it was Catacle’s doing…

Without realizing it, my eyelids trembled.

“That was Catacle’s doing?”

“To be precise, it was my doing.”

“No, no. Why? Why did you do that?”

Adrian simply smiled.

“I can’t tell you that.”

He leaned in slightly and whispered,

“There will be a lot more of this in the future. So, Charles, you mustn’t interfere.”

His breath, brushing against my earlobe, was as cold and chilling as ever.

“Just pretend you don’t know.”

What the hell…!

I was about to press him further when I sensed movement nearby. One, two… no, several people.

“Damn. Was the gunshot too loud?”

It was probably the marquis’s soldiers and Lu, rushing over after hearing the shot.

I glanced between Adrian and the fallen Themis.

Adrian soon pulled out a dagger and flashed a bright smile.

“You know what to do, right?”

He tilted his head, pointing the tip of the blade at me. Resigned, I lowered my gaze.

“See you soon. Love you.”

He whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

Still keeping the blade pointed at me.

“Intruder!”

“Capture them alive at all costs!”

Lu dashed into the forest alongside the marquis’s soldiers.

When Sharan first took Themis into the woods, he hadn’t been worried at all.

The Sharan he knew would be more than capable of staying hidden while protecting Themis.

But then—

Bang!

Not long after, another gunshot rang out. The scent of blood spread through the air.

Had something happened to Sharan?

The thought alone made his hands damp with sweat. His grip on his gun was slipping—it was hard to even hold it.

He had never felt this tense in his entire life.

So the moment the marquis’s soldiers arrived, he didn’t hesitate. Without looking back, he sprinted into the forest.

To find Sharan.

To see her safe.

Then—

“Ugh…”

A faint groan reached his ears.

Lu instinctively turned and ran toward the sound.

And there, collapsed on the ground—

“Sharan!”