Pritzenkaya
In the center of the central garden stand monuments and statues commissioned directly by Ivan the Great.
They are the [Statue of the Departing Hero], [Statue of the Goddess of Victory], and [Statue of the Nameless Hero].
One day, after the Demon King died and the war ended, there was an incident where a statue disappeared from Pritzenkaya's central garden.
The [Statue of the Nameless Hero]. It's said that a small sign was placed where the statue once stood.
-Mourning them is my right.
-Enrique.
Crown Prince Alexandr was furious, calling it an insult to the royal family, but Princess Elizabeta reportedly acknowledged Enrique's right and gave up on recovering the statue.
Of course, the truth remains unknown.
There was no need to antagonize the legendary thief who had managed to steal a statue from the middle of the capital, right near the palace, overnight—a member of the Hero Party who had slain the Demon King.
Elizabeta had handled it perfectly. She neither upset Enrique nor damaged the royal dignity.
"I didn't know there was such an inscription."
Ivan was looking at the [Statue of the Nameless Hero] in a corner of the underground waterway.
It had taken him three hours of searching with only the information that Enrique's "dungeon" was somewhere in the southern Pritzenkaya underground waterways.
-Even when your names are forgotten.
-Your glory shall be immortal.
-On behalf of all those who are not here.
-For all those who are not here.
-Elizabeta Kirillovna Krasilov.
-Enrique Sergeyevika.
Ivan removed his hat, placed it over his heart, and gave a brief bow.
When he had only heard about this statue being erected, he felt too embarrassed to even think about approaching it.
And by the time he happened to visit the central garden, Enrique had already removed the statue.
Just as he finished his bow, an amused voice echoed through the underground waterway.
"Do not mourn those who departed first."
"For I stand in the same ranks as they do."
"You still remember. Good, welcome, 'Little' Ivan."
With a screech, the base of the statue twisted with the sound of grinding metal, and soon the stone wall split open to reveal a passage.
It led to an elegantly decorated reception hall corridor, completely different from the smelly, musty underground waterway where he had been standing.
Walking down the luxurious corridor with silk-covered walls, Ivan slowly composed himself.
Like most members of the Hero Party, Great Teacher Enrique was insane.
Of course, at that moment, Enrique was thinking the same about Ivan.
Like most members of the Annihilation Squad, "Little" Ivan was insane.
"It's been seven years since we've met face to face, hasn't it? Well, how have you been, my disciple?"
"So-so."
Ivan sat in the reception room, sipping his coffee.
The first sip was very small, rolling it slowly in his mouth.
It was a kind of etiquette. Like most etiquette, it was a precaution against assassination.
No poison in this. Ivan nodded lightly and savored the coffee—
"Ah, modern chemical poisons can't be detected by taste."
"Hmm."
He spat it back into the cup and placed it on the table.
"I'm joking, joking! Should I bring you a fresh one?"
"No need. I didn't come here for tea anyway."
"Always so stiff. Such a young man."
Enrique smiled with her eyes and sprawled across the luxurious sofa.
A glimpse of her pale leg showed through the side slit of her silk dress. Of course, that wasn't enough to catch Ivan's attention. The monster before him was an old beast who had lived well over a hundred years.
How many elixirs and vital essences had she consumed?
Ivan couldn't help but imagine a viper staring at him, flicking its tongue.
It made sense, as this was a vampire's nest.
Elder Vampire, the Shadow Sword, the Dark Fang. And "Betrayer" Enrique.
A century ago, she betrayed the Elder Vampire who had bitten her, drained its blood, and ended the "vampire rampage" that had spread throughout Pritzenkaya.
For the century since, this woman had taken countless lives under the pretext of "assassination requests." If the Demon King hadn't emerged, would the Hero have eliminated this woman?
Ivan stroked the handle of his axe carefully under the table as he pondered.
"Well, you found me faster than I expected. That's rather professional of you, isn't it? Though... being 'professional' isn't exactly a compliment between us, is it?"
"Where is Priscilla?"
"Ah, straight to the point! You've always been like that!"
Enrique chuckled and interlaced her fingers.
Her dress rippled softly, revealing her seductive figure. (Of course, Ivan wasn't swayed by someone 70 years his senior. His range only extended 10 years in either direction.)
"I wonder, did I bite her? Or didn't I?"
"You didn't."
"Oh? How can you be so sure?"
"If you had, you would have attacked me rather than invited me."
Ivan stared at her with cold eyes and continued.
"The most important principle you taught me was revenge."
"Hmm? Is that filthy little girl even within your 'revenge' category?"
"I took her in."
He remembered the day he took in Priscilla. She was an orphan despised even among the refugees gathered in front of the military camp.
Being parentless at a young age is terrible. You have only yourself for protection. Realizing this, the child always acted boldly.
The world already had too many sad and depressed people to help another sorrowful child.
To sympathize with someone, one must have emotional reserves. The United Kingdom at that time had no such luxury.
Therefore, Ivan remembered Priscilla and several other children. He decided to take them in, retired, and established an orphanage, so those children were like his own.
Naturally, if his child was hurt, revenge was necessary.
"Don't be so intense. It makes you look amateurish."
Enrique smiled and put down her teacup.
The still-full tea, not a sip taken, rippled slightly on the table.
"Didn't I teach you? Intensity is the privilege of victims. Painting yourself in bright colors while emphasizing revenge and self-defense is just the struggle of the weak."
"Your answer?"
"She's still alive. I didn't bite her. She's fine. I bathed her, dressed her in pretty clothes, and fed her delicious food. Now, you answer me."
Enrique slowly placed her snow-white fingers on the table and said:
"What are you plotting?"
"...Hmm?"
"What are you plotting at your 'orphanage'?"
Enrique was serious. When he said he was taking in orphans, she had laughed it off, thinking he was compassionate because he was an orphan himself. It was pitiful. She had been quite willing to take in her cute disciple as family if he had come to her.
Two years passed. Then an "orphanage graduate" appeared who surprisingly knew perfect ambush techniques.
Honestly, she felt blindsided. It wasn't like this was some grand technique to complain about being leaked. It wasn't some exclusive martial art, so she could have taught it freely.
But what was this about sending an agent to compete in the same territory as his teacher?
She felt wronged. She hadn't even visited him after he retired, erased his identity, and pretended to be dead. Despite being so close, she never even invited him for a drink!
And now what?
He's sending agents to operate in her front yard, making some kind of statement?
Wasn't this a declaration of war?
Honestly, she had captured that impudent kid without killing him, politely invited him, and even showed her willingness to say, "Let's not fight, we have many memories together, do we need to quarrel?"
And this stone-faced man was basically saying, "Touch her and you die."
It really hurt her feelings.
And what was with that beard? It was maddening. Why was he sporting a style that went out of fashion a century ago? Surely he didn't think that was a disguise? She hadn't taught him that.
Despite these countless thoughts racing through her mind,
Enrique maintained a "sly smile" befitting her status as a legendary vampire who had lived for a century and a great member of the Hero Party, as she looked at Ivan.
'What am I plotting? How much should I tell him?'
Ivan couldn't get his bearings.
The reason Elizabeta used him was because he was undercover. His past had been cleanly erased, his name was ordinary so he wouldn't arouse suspicion, his appearance had changed (considerably, by his standards).
Additionally, the former "Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Petrovich" had been processed as deceased and was even buried in the national cemetery.
So, according to Elizabeta's wishes, his identity and mission were confidential.
Could he tell Enrique about this?
But wait, didn't Enrique and Elizabeta have some kind of connection?
After all, Enrique had established the Annihilation Squad, and Elizabeta had been its commander?
The two suffered from headaches due to lack of information, yet both maintained the composure and caution of thoroughly trained agents as they smiled.
'What is this crazy bastard thinking, really.'
'What is this crazy woman thinking.'
These were their thoughts.
'This is betrayal, how could you do this to me?'
'Is this betrayal? Has she switched allegiance from Elizabeta to Alexandr?'
The teacher and student were strengthening their bond with one heart and mind, as always.
It was a winter night in mid-January.