As the others sleep, Kyle remains alert, his gaze scanning the dense fog that surrounds them.
The mist swirls lazily, thick and impenetrable, but silent.
Nothing moves inside it.
Just as he suspected, it acts as a protective barrier, keeping the dangers outside at bay.
He glances at the young assassin, who is lying still on the ground, pretending to be asleep. Kyle smirks.
'He's not fooling anyone.'
"Stop pretending. Sit up and talk."
Kyle says casually, not even looking at the kid.
For a moment, the assassin doesn't move. Then, realizing he's been caught, the boy sighs and sits up, his expression neutral.
Kyle leans back against a broken wall.
"Tell me about the fog."
The assassin stays quiet, his lips pressed into a thin line. Kyle doesn't push him, letting the silence stretch between them.
The heavy atmosphere, mixed with exhaustion, seems to wear the boy down. Finally, he speaks.
"This technique used to belong to my family. We trained in it for generations."
The assassin says. His voice is low, almost hesitant.
Kyle raises an eyebrow.
'So it's a technique that has been in their blood? The mana protection must have passed over when the previous head passed away. He must have activated the latent mana in this kid. It's why I cannot feel his mana either.'
That explains why the fog felt so controlled, unlike ordinary magic.
"We used to be a loyal noble house who helped take care of this region for the previous Grand Duke. But, because of a single mistake, the Grand Duchess and her retainers decided we were better off dead."
The boy continues, his tone darkening.
Kyle watches him carefully.
"A mistake, huh? Let me guess… your family's 'mistake' was attempting to eliminate someone in power."
He taps his fingers against his knee, thinking.
The assassin's expression sharpens instantly, his eyes narrowing.
It was easy enough for Kyle to guess what happened. The thorough extermination of a family likely meant that someone was trying to bury some secrets.
'Looks child's family fell victim to some ambitious fools are were not able to escape.'
The kid continued to speak, not stopping to see the thoughtful look on Kyle's face.
"There was no attempt. It was a successful mission. My family rooted out corruption. We eliminated those who used their power to trample over the weak."
'I see… So that's how it was. So it was as much about revenge as it was about self-preservation. No wonder the officials went far and beyond to exterminate a threat to their lives.'
The boy doesn't notice the flicker of understanding in Kyle's eyes and continues speaking, his voice laced with bitterness.
"But instead of thanking us, the Grand Duchess and her people wiped us out. They couldn't stand the thought of someone powerful enough to challenge them."
The assassin's family was a threat—too skilled, too dangerous. So the people in power destroyed them before they could become a problem.
Kyle meets the boy's eyes.
"It's a shame. Losing an asset like that… your family must have been quite formidable."
Kyle smiles slightly.
"Because you're useful. Why don't you come work for me? You have no family, so you will need a way to earn money to stay alive."
The assassin stiffens. Then he glares at Kyle, full of hatred.
"All nobles are the same. Corrupt, power-hungry. You just want to use me."
The kid blinks, caught off guard.
"I am interested in your fog technique. In fact, I've already figured most of it out."
The assassin's expression twists into disbelief.
Just then, a familiar chime echoes in Kyle's mind. A translucent system window appears in front of him.
[System Notification: Your understanding of 'Fog Concealment' has reached 90%.]
"I don't need you to believe me."
The boy clenches his fists.
"That's impossible. My family spent years mastering this technique. You can't just learn it in one night!"
"Believe what you want."
The assassin glares at him but doesn't argue further.
The night stretches on in silence, but Kyle doesn't bother waking the others for their shifts.
He doesn't feel tired. His mind is still processing what he's learned—about the fog, about the assassin, about the power struggles that have left behind nothing but destruction.
When the first hints of dawn creep through the fog, Kyle finally moves. He stretches, then nudges Bruce and Melissa awake.
Melissa rubs her eyes and yawns.
"Did anything happen?"
Kyle shakes his head.
"No. Everything was quiet."
The head knight stands and adjusts her armor.
"Good. Then we leave immediately."
Kyle glances at the young assassin, who is still sitting silently.
"And you? Coming with us?"
The kid glares at him and turns away.
"I don't take orders from nobles."
With that, the group prepares to move. The fog still lingers around them, but Kyle now understands it.
'This village held secrets. It's a shame I will need to leave before I get to the bottom of what happened here.'
As they prepare to leave, Kyle turns to the head knight, who is sitting quietly beside him. He studies her for a moment before speaking.
"So, what are you going to do about this situation?"
The head knight blinks, feigning confusion.
Kyle gives her a knowing look.
"There's no point in pretending. I know you were awake for most of my conversation with the kid. You heard everything, didn't you?"
The head knight stiffens slightly, her back straightening. A faint blush creeps onto her face as she realizes she's been caught.
She had tried to stay still and keep her breathing even, hoping to fool Kyle into thinking she was asleep. But, of course, he had noticed.
Her heart flutters at the thought.
'He was paying attention to me…'
A warm, tingling feeling spreads through her chest, but she quickly suppresses it, forcing herself to focus.
She clears her throat.
"Yes, I heard everything."
She admits, keeping her voice steady.
Kyle nods, as if he expected nothing less.
She crosses her arms, expression firm.
"I'll take care of it on my own. I have a plan."
Kyle raises an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what exactly is this plan of yours?"
The head knight hesitates for a split second before shaking her head.
"It's better if you don't know."
"That dangerous, huh?"
"Just trust me. This is something I need to handle myself."
Kyle studies her face for a moment, then shrugs.
"Fine. But don't get yourself killed."
The head knight feels another warmth spread through her at his words, but she quickly tamps it down.
With that, the conversation ends, and the group begins their departure. But the head knight's mind is already working, formulating her next move.
She had heard everything the assassin said. And now, she had a decision to make.