I really don't understand her. I was mean to her on purpose when I snapped at her about her reckless behavior, falling asleep in her atelier. Of course, I really was furious, but normally I wouldn't show it.

  This time, I thought it would be better to just let it out, so I could push her away. I wanted to hurt her so she would keep her distance from me. And it was clear from her reaction that I did exactly that. I was pleased.

  So I was honestly shocked when, just a moment ter, she came to apologize to me. I don't get it. What do I have to do to make her stop fluttering around me? Why is she so stubborn?

  I wasn't excited for our trip to her home either. But I have business to take care of here, so I had to come.

  I’m currently waiting in a dark alley for my target to leave the bar. When he does, I follow him.

  He is some baron’s bastard child. I don't even know who wants him dead or why. I don't care. It’s part of the work as an assassin. I don't ask questions. With the right amount of money, I get the job done.

  When there is no one else around us, I draw a magic circle under him, and soon we are in the nearby forest.

  “What? What happened?” He panics slightly.

  He's wasted, which makes this way too boring. He hasn't even noticed me behind him.

  I take my bo staff from my back and let my mana flow into it, making it longer. I hit him in the head, and he falls to the ground. I just stare at him, waiting for him to get up. But he doesn't.

  Really? That's it? How disappointing.

  I pce the end of my bo staff on the back of his neck. I focus my mana, letting a hidden needle inside the staff spring out, and the poison slides into his veins.

  At least it was a clean kill. The messy part is just coming.

  I create an ice wall between me and the body, then let the head of my staff turn into a bde. I sink it into his neck and cut his head off. My ice wall prevents the spilling blood from hitting me. I hate things that get messy like this. It’s disgusting. The client requested his head as proof, so it has to be done.

  I surround the severed head with ice and take a box from my dimensional pocket, pcing the head inside. I put the box on the ground and draw a magic circle underneath it, teleporting it to where it was ordered to be sent.

  I look down at the body. This is the part I hate. Disposing of a body is a pain in the ass. But it can’t be helped.

  When finished, I walk back to the Trephor mansion. When I arrive at the yard, I spot that Elena’s room lights are still on. She’s been painting nonstop since we arrived. Lucky for me, I don’t need to worry about her while we are here. That's her parents' job now.

  I sleep the night like I always do, sitting in the corner in the guest room, a bo staff in my hands. When I go to eat breakfast, Elena is not there. It shouldn't be surprising since she was awake so te, so she is probably still sleeping.

  After eating, I head back to my room.

  “Rin! Wait up!”

  I knew it was too good to be true to have a nice, quiet morning. I keep walking, pretending I didn't hear her.

  “Rin! I want to show you something!”

  I have always hated when everyone calls me Myrin, but Elena’s ridiculous nickname for me is even more infuriating. It makes my blood boil. I guess there is no escaping her. I stop and turn toward her.

  “I’ve got something to do. Show your parents.”

  “It won't take long! I promise. Just come quickly.”

  “I’m not interested. A little butterfly like you should flutter somewhere else.”

  I start walking, and she keeps silent. Good. Message received.

  But then she suddenly jumps in front of me, smiling annoyingly.

  “No! This butterfly will annoy you for as long as it takes for you to join me. I really, really want you to see something.”

  “I said I’m not interested.”

  “Ugh.” She rolls her eyes.

  I hate when she does that. It makes me want to grab her throat and shove her against the wall so she will stop.

  She looks around as if searching for something, then finally grabs a rge pillow from one of the drawing room couches. It’s so rge that her small figure practically vanishes behind it. Then the pillow hits me on the back, and she suddenly starts to push me with it. Of course, it does not affect me.

  “What are you doing?”

  She grunts, trying to get me to move.

  “I’m… trying to… get you… to move.”

  “Why?”

  “I already… told you… I need to… show you something.”

  “Why the pillow?”

  She exhales heavily and gives up trying to push me.

  “Well, I want to force you to move. But I know how much you hate it when people touch you, so I thought using a pillow would be more comfortable for you.”

  I have never told her, or anyone else, that I despise being touched.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “Why? Isn't that quite obvious? You always wear gloves. I know you think you’re some mysterious person. And honestly, you are. But of course, there are some things I know about you. I’m not that stupid.”

  I turn to face her.

  “You are stupid for trying to force me to move.”

  She smiles smugly, which annoys me. “I’m not going to give up unless you come see what I want to show you. I'm sure you know how stubborn I can be.”

  Unfortunately, I do know. But now that I look at her, she seems extremely tired. There are very clear bags under her eyes. How te did she paint st night? Did she even sleep at all? She shouldn’t skip sleeping. It's not healthy.

  “So, Rin, will you come see?”

  I exhale heavily. I guess I’ll get rid of her more quickly if I just py along.

  “Fine.”

  Her smile widens, and she spins around. I follow her. She leads me to her room. Her room here is just like her room at the Tower, colorful and full of paintings on the walls.

  “Look. I finished it. What do you think?”

  I look to where she is standing. I spot her drawing of me from the carriage ride, and next to it is her new painting, still resting on an easel.

  I stand there, frozen. She painted… me? Is that what she has been painting all this time? I get why she drew me, but I surely didn’t expect her to paint me.

  It looks like me, but somehow I still don't recognize myself in it. She has somehow managed to paint me like… I don't even know how to finish that sentence. My face is cold as always, my eyes narrow as I focus on the book I’m holding. But the atmosphere of the painting feels warm. Like she somehow made me look like some kind of hero or a good person. I’m not sure why or how, but it seems like she somehow imbued her emotions toward me into the painting. Watching her painting of me feels oddly strange. I don’t like the feeling.

  Then it hits me. I don't recognize myself cause she painted Myrin, not me.

  “Rin! Say something. Is it that bad?”

  “It looks weird.”

  “Weird? I think it looks just like you.”

  “If you see me like that, it’s proof that you don't know me.”

  I turn toward the door. I came to see what she wanted me to see, so I'm done.

  “You do realize that it’s impossible to know you when you don't tell anything about yourself. But even so, as I said downstairs, I know something about you.”

  I take her stupid bait, just to prove her wrong. I turn to face her.

  “Like what?”

  “Like the fact that you’re a germaphobe. You dislike sweets. You prefer coffee over tea. When you’re anxious, your nose twitches. You clench your fists when you agree to do something you don't want to, just like you did while coming up here. You—”

  “Okay, that's enough. That just proves you pay attention to details.”

  “Yes. I pay attention to details when I want to know them. And those details tell something about you.”

  “Those details mean nothing.”

  “Probably not to you. I know it’s just a scrape of your surface. I would prefer to dig deeper, but you make it impossible.”

  “There is no reason to dig deeper. We are not friends. You are just Enred’s annoying little sister. An annoying little butterfly that doesn’t take the hint to leave me alone.”

  I see the tiny shift in her expression. I know how much she hates that I think of her as Enred’s little sister and nothing else. But that’s the truth. If she weren’t his sister, I would never waste my time talking to her.

  She furrows her brows, her expression turning gloomier. “You don’t consider me a friend?”

  “No.”

  “Oh… Sorry. I didn’t know. I thought we were friends. We have been colleagues for years.”

  “Colleagues don’t equal friends.”

  “Right…”

  She turns to look at the painting next to her, longing in her gaze.

  “Are we done here?” I ask, ready to leave this annoying conversation behind.

  “Yes. Sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you. Sorry.”

  I turn to leave. It’s absurd how she is usually a little firecracker or a brat, but when I say something mean to her, she turns submissive. Always apologizing. I don’t get her at all. Maybe this time she really got the hint and will leave me alone. I know I can’t escape my duty to protect her. But I would much rather protect her from a distance.

  I spent the rest of the day doing my other duties. Doing assassination jobs during daylight is riskier. But I would rather spend my day figuring out a silent way to kill someone than spend my time at Trephor’s mansion.

  Two kills and one information letter ter, my job here is done. All that is left is to suffer an hour-long carriage ride back to the Tower with that annoying little butterfly.

  But this trip should be easier. I’m sure she has the decency to stay quiet this time.

  I carry my bag to the carriage and spot the Count and Countess Trephor approaching me.

  “I’m happy you visited, Myrin. Remember, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask.”

  “Thank you for your hospitality once again.”

  The Countess hugs me. I hate her habit of doing that, but I do my best to pretend I’m not disgusted.

  I need a longer shower today.

  “I’m coming!” Elena yells while running toward us. “Sorry, I did some st-minute packing. But I’m all good to go!”

  While she hugs her parents, I climb into the carriage. I take out my book and start reading.

  Elena settles opposite me.

  “Hi, Rin! I haven't seen you since this morning. Were you visiting old friends or what?”

  Why is she in such a good mood? Where did her sad, defeated look go? I enjoyed that much more.

  “Not your business.”

  She rolls her eyes, and I squeeze my book a little tighter.

  “No surprises there. Have you ever considered being anything other than ice?”

  I lift my gaze to look at her. She yawns and still looks extremely tired, more than this morning.

  “No.”

  ‘’Have you ever thought that are you cold because of your ice magic, or do you wield ice magic because you are cold?’’

  ‘’No.’’

  “I do wonder what Enred did to make you melt.”

  “He didn't melt me. He just didn't annoy me.”

  “Right…” She yawns again. “You know, Rin, even if you don't think of me as a friend, I consider you as one. And I will melt you eventually.”

  She looked so defeated this morning. Where does she dig up this stubbornness? Why can’t she just give up?

  “Don't.”

  ‘’You can’t stop me.’’

  She just smiles as her eyes slowly close. Is she falling asleep?

  Good. Silence.

  I return to my book, but I can’t help noticing her wobbling head as she drifts to sleep. Every time it dips too low, she nudges it back up. It becomes distracting. I can't focus on reading.

  Once again, her head starts to fall to the right. Just as it dips too low, I lean over and catch it with my hand. She keeps sleeping.

  Great. Why did I do that? I can't read while holding her head.

  She really is a pain in my ass. I just wish Enred would get back already. I’m sick of this. I stay there for a moment, weighing my options. The only thing I know is that I want her to sleep so she doesn't bother me. I guess sacrifices must be made to achieve peace.

  I get up and sit next to her, pcing her head against my shoulder.

  I expect my whole body to shiver from the contact, but it doesn't. That's odd. I guess her being silent really is the greater good, since my body agrees with me.

  I open my book and return to reading.