Unlike the land, the sea had not yet been greatly worked by human hands.Among its waters, the Merk Sea—abandoned by many nations to lawlessness ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) under rampant piracy—was a treasure trove of natural bounty.DON of Ouroboros had his eye on it. With luck, he might find the stronghold of a clan that had preserved a pure beastfolk bloodline untainted by human blood.Breeding must continue, all the same. Those with a little human blood mixed in are sturdier than humans and more useful.DON called the mid- to low-grade slaves owned by Ouroboros “strays.”And among them, the few who survived several years of being ground underfoot were called “hunting dogs,” given the organization’s brand as a special mark.Because it was the first operation in which such a raised dog had finally been deployed, he’d expected some measure of results. The man sighed."For all the effort we put into raising them, I’d hoped they’d at least match the level of the crows the prince commands."The flock commanded by Crown Prince Joshua was tightening Ouroboros’s windpipe by the day. The serpent still held the advantage, for now, but there was no room for complacency.It seemed he would have to make promotion standards for the hunting dogs he was raising even stricter and harsher.The game can’t end already.An ominous smile tugged at the man’s lips as he draped a black cloth over the crystal sphere."It would be nice if we could find them. Preferably…"Crown Prince Joshua’s crows—those he had gathered and raised.Among them, one that, by luck, had been born with great white wings."Strong children who obey well."***Three days earlier. When Aquila lay at death’s door, in the Kingdom of Leandro.The crown prince’s secret office.A window where bright afternoon sun spilled in.A large white-winged eagle sat on a perch, smoothing its feathers with its beak.Watching the eagle with fond eyes, the blue-eyed prince heard a heavy voice from behind him."Your Highness Joshua."A young man with black hair and a scar on one cheek bowed low before him."As you commanded, all the officers have assembled."A dozen or so men and women bowed their heads behind him.They varied not only in sex and age, but from those ragged as beggars off the street to dining-hall waiters to people dressed in the fine attire of nobles.These were the secret intelligence unit Joshua commanded—the Crows.Among them, the captain of the Assault Unit, also called the Black Crow, added in a loyal voice."Our lord and master. Please, give the order.""…Thank you, Nero. But you don’t need to stand on such ceremony."With a gentle smile, Joshua gestured to the long table."Everyone, please take your seats."When they sat with humbled faces, several empty chairs stood out.Among them, all eyes stopped at the places opposite Nero and nearest to Joshua.They were the seats that should have been occupied by the White Crow, Aquila—an assassination-unit officer."…Based on the intelligence Aquila delivered, we identified the locations of Ouroboros’s black markets and succeeded in a raid. You all know we rescued many slaves."Joshua, taking the seat of honor, looked at the vacant place with a pained expression, then spoke with a set, resolute face."In that sense, I have a request to make of you.""Command us.""Help me find Aquila.""…!"At those words, Nero and several officers snapped their heads up."Something about her disappearance sits wrong with me. And the Mostro pirates who attacked just then—suspicious as well."The timing was too perfect to be called coincidence. Moreover, that stretch of coast was quite far from the Merk Sea, where the Mostro Family habitually roamed.At Joshua’s words, the officers nodded in agreement."We’ll dispatch a search party and investigate, focusing on the coast where her trail went cold. If necessary…"Joshua set what he’d been holding on the table."Even into the Merk Sea."A red pendant necklace caught the sunlight and gleamed.***A birdsong-filled greenhouse.From a finely set tea table, a silver-haired lady who had been drinking alone smiled softly at the maid hurrying toward her with short steps."Thank you for going, Lina. His Highness is still in conference, isn’t he?""Yes, my lady. His Highness instructed the attendants to convey his apologies in advance…""I thought as much. Given the matter at hand, a tea-time is hardly worth fretting over."The lady—Federica—set down her teacup with grace and sighed with gentle regret."One of the crows His Highness prized has lost their life. Such a lamentable thing.""Yes…""My heart aches as it is; how much deeper must his, so kind as he is, be rent. All we can do is pray that child has gone to a better place."With her eyes lowered in a sorrowful curve, she truly looked as though she was grieving from the heart. The maid Lina and those around them wore melancholy expressions at her tender words and plaintive voice.As expected of Lady Federica, the white-silver noble lady. A heart as silken as her beauty.How perfectly she suits the gentle Prince Joshua.But contrary to their thoughts, Federica was grinding her teeth inside.That damned wench. She makes my prince fuss over her even in death?As the very one who had plotted Aquila’s assassination, she could not but seethe.On top of that, for a single lowborn girl of uncertain standing to die—and yet the Crow officers had been summoned in full. It was proof of how absolute Joshua’s favor for that girl was.Irritating—alive or dead.The assassination guild cost an astronomical sum but earned its price, and would never reveal a client’s identity, so Federica had little to fear. Even so, her bile would not settle.Federica, though not publicly known, was herself one of the Crows. Not an officer, but as Joshua’s fiancée she had access to commensurate information. Thus she knew the meeting was to locate Aquila’s whereabouts—and that Joshua did not believe in her death.I should have erased her sooner…Federica had never liked Aquila.Long before she herself bested countless rivals to become Joshua’s betrothed, that white-haired girl had been at Joshua’s side.Unlike Federica—who had labored desperately to become a lady among ladies, fit for Joshua—the girl had taken her prince’s side far too easily.Because her plight was pitiable, she had received Joshua’s compassion and kind attention.At first, Federica tried not to mind, but the special treatment that girl received rivaled her own."Oh my, what a beautiful bird.""A goldcrest, my lady. Normally, the Crows are each granted a bird personally raised by His Highness and receive secret directives through it. As His Highness’s betrothed, you can meet him at any time and do not particularly require a clandestine contact, but even so it could not be overlooked—thus His Highness sent you this bird he had cherished.""Ah, how very kind he is. I must go to see His Highness. I’ll thank him in person—and ask him to give it a pretty name."But that day, Federica ended up seeing it. Aquila receiving a bird even more special and beautiful than the one she herself had been given."A chick that fell from the nest and broke its wing. I worried whether it would have any chance even with treatment, but it has grown so strong. I want to give this bird to you, Aquila.""That… is an honor. But as a contact, won’t it stand out too much? I am in the assassination unit…""But you are Aquila—an eagle, aren’t you? Doesn’t it suit you perfectly?""For that reason…""Mm. For that reason.""…I’ll accept it, gratefully.""Heh, good. And I’ve already chosen this child’s name.""What is it?""Because the tasks entrusted to you will all be dangerous. With the wish that you always return safely…"Leben.Unlike Aquila, who tilted her head, not knowing the meaning, Federica—who had diligently cultivated a noblewoman’s learning—knew it at once.In the ancient tongue it meant “life,” or “something priceless beyond exchange.”In short, to Joshua, that woman was such a being.How foolish she had been, giddy over an unnamed goldcrest.Remembering it made Federica’s gut twist all over again.No matter. She’s already dead—what more can she do? Now the only woman who can be at his side is me alone.She washed away her foul mood, savoring the scent of black tea.And as she watched, the maid Lina’s gaze cooled for an instant.But only for a moment; as soon as Federica looked her way, Lina’s face returned to that of a maid who admired her lady."…Don’t just stand there—sit in front. Your legs must ache.""H-how could I dare…""Heh, it’s fine. Sit. Keep me company until His Highness arrives.""Then…"Flustered yet pleased, Lina sat opposite, cheeks reddening.Conscious of the warm looks from the knights and palace maids standing at a remove, Federica wore an even kinder smile.Yes, keep thinking it. That the woman who suits His Highness best in this country is me.But Federica did not realize there were eyes that saw through such pretense and observed her.***A dim, damp place. The sounds of screams and weeping—and the hideous smell of flesh searing.And……Ah, what a pretty child. Very rare. I’ll brand you myself."U-uurgh, mmmph…!""Shh, hush, be good. You’ll be branded prettily if you hold still…""Hhh—aaaugh…!"A serpent tightening around her neck.***"—hah!"Aquila opened her eyes, cold sweat on her brow.A familiar ceiling. A familiar cabin.Mostro… pirates… Noce Mostro…Aquila realized she was still in his cabin.Did I… have a nightmare…?It happened sometimes. And every time, as ever, she could not recall the exact details.Only the sense of sheer terror and horror lingered faintly, leaving her hands and feet tingling.Gradually, Aquila steadied her breathing and calmed.I definitely… bled too much and blacked out. But if I’ve awakened like this, that man must have treated me ag—CLANK!At the sudden rasp of metal, Aquila’s eyes flew wide. Her arm wouldn’t move as she wished.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.