"Is someone there…?"
It was a voice Miryung thought she recognized.
And mingling with the scent of rain, a familiar smell laced with alcohol brushed past.
She opened her eyes into narrow slits.
"…Rendal?"
A moment of silence.
The man echoed lowly.
"This voice… is it Miryung? Why are you here—"
Miryung tapped Bido’s shoulder.
It was a signal to *stay behind me.*
Slowly, but without dropping her guard, she approached Rendal.
"Yeah. Rendal. Long time no see."
Rendal exhaled sharply and scanned the surroundings once more.
He pulled his hat down lower.
"It’s dangerous outside right now."
He spoke lowly.
"Don’t talk here. Follow me."
Miryung thought for a moment, then turned her head toward Bido.
Bido nodded as well.
The two followed Rendal,
entering a small shop deep in the alley.
From the outside, the shop looked like a general store on a back alley.
But the items on the shelves were all uniformly missing their *pairs*.
An Eunsik scabbard with only the handle remaining,
a ring with its insignia scratched away,
no price tags, no order to the display.
Instead, every item bore faint scratch marks.
Traces of erased names.
Under the counter were scales and coin purses,
and spools of thread with cut lead seals rolled about.
Rendal pressed the bell above the door with his finger to keep it from ringing,
and drew the two inside.
As soon as they entered the shop, Rendal closed the door and slid the bolt.
He listened briefly to the sounds outside,
and peered through the window gap.
Only then did he speak lowly.
"Miryung. What on earth is going on?"
Rendal hurriedly pulled out a bundle of papers hidden under the drawer and unfolded them.
They were wet scraps of wanted posters.
Bido recognized them at a glance.
Eunwoldan.
Reward.
Miryung picked up another paper.
On that paper was a rough portrait of a Haraya.
The hair color had not been inked in.
"…Is this me?"
Bido read the caption beneath it.
"Ringleader of the Assembly bombing."
"…A Haraya distinguished by white hair."
Beside it were portraits that appeared to be of Aseullo and Muryeong.
Miryung gritted her teeth.
"Well then… I’ve become quite the celebrity."
Rendal asked with anxious eyes.
"…Is it true? Did you really bomb the Assembly?"
Miryung snapped back.
"Of course not! The Empire framed us!"
Rendal waved his hand and hastily cut her off.
"A— lower your voice. The constables are crawling all over the back alleys right now."
Bido carefully took off her hood.
"The Eunwoldan didn’t do it…."
Rendal’s gaze fixed on Bido’s ears.
"…Hm?"
"I haven’t seen this kid before…."
Miryung said shortly.
"Bido. Yureuna’s daughter."
Rendal’s eyes widened.
"That Yureuna… had a child…."
He immediately shook his head.
"Ah, now’s not the time for this."
Rendal spoke as if swallowing his breath.
"Siena was captured."
Miryung bit her lip.
"Where to!"
Miryung’s voice rose for a moment,
then, as if realizing it herself, immediately quieted.
"How was she captured."
Rendal shook his head.
"I don’t know the details…."
He scanned the surroundings once more and lowered his voice.
"I only saw the constables dragging her away earlier."
Bido swallowed.
"Siena… that person…."
Miryung answered immediately.
"Yeah. The one we were looking for."
Miryung bit her lip for a moment,
then pressed her thumb knuckle against her teeth as if anxious.
Rendal hastily waved his hand.
"No, Miryung. Don’t even think of going to rescue her."
He took a breath and spoke even lower.
"Right now, that’s suicide."
And as if adding a postscript, he ducked his head close.
"I heard a rumor… the Assembly requested aid from the Empire."
Rendal’s eyes wavered.
"It’s going to get worse. They’ll turn every alley upside down."
Miryung glared at Rendal.
"…They’re dead set on this, aren’t they."
She let out a short breath.
"Hah…."
Bido spoke through gritted teeth.
"Miryung-nim. We have to rescue the one called Siena."
Rendal startled and waved his hands frantically.
"N-no, no. I just told you."
"The constables are everywhere right now. If you’re caught once, it’s over."
Bido kept her head lowered and clenched her hands.
"But… she’s also of the Eunwoldan. We can’t just leave her."
Miryung looked slowly at Bido.
Though Bido’s eyes trembled, she did not back down.
Miryung asked Bido lowly.
"How?"
"I don’t know…."
Bido said through gritted teeth.
"But we have to save her."
Miryung let out a long sigh.
"Hah… you’re completely reckless."
Rendal raised the corner of his mouth.
"Miryung. Reminds me of how you used to be."
"Shut up."
Miryung shot back with a look of disgust.
She pondered briefly, then spoke lowly.
"First… if we don’t know where she was taken, there’s nothing we can do."
Miryung brushed her wet cloak with her fingertips.
"The rain washed all the scent away."
Bido bit her lip.
"But—"
Seeing Bido’s face, Rendal finally opened his mouth.
"…Hm."
He lowered his voice even further.
"This isn’t certain."
Rendal hesitated briefly.
As if speaking itself were a loss,
he closed his eyes once and opened them.
He lowered his voice even further.
"The truth is… the blast destroyed the detention center."
Miryung opened her eyes into narrow slits.
"So?"
"So I heard they moved the people they captured immediately."
Rendal continued.
Bido swallowed.
"Then… they might have taken Siena there too."
Rendal looked at Bido with an expression that said, *Exactly.*
Miryung cut in sharply.
"Then where is it? You just said you didn’t know."
Rendal waved his hand.
"I really don’t know."
He hesitated briefly,
then cautiously added.
"However… I saw a place the constables frequent strangely often."
"It’s unnatural for a checkpoint."
Bido and Miryung’s gazes fixed on Rendal.
Miryung asked lowly.
"Where is it."
—
Bido and Miryung hid their bodies in the shadows near the warehouse building.
An alley not far from the Assembly building.
It was a building they thought had been abandoned,
but now it was being used as a temporary detention center.
The sound of rain striking the metal roof rang out harshly.
Miryung spoke lowly.
"Here. The place Rendal spoke of."
About four or five constables could be seen in front of the building,
with three of them waiting around the door.
One was scanning the surroundings near the wall,
and two were standing under the eaves in front of the door, sheltering from the rain.
Soon the warehouse door opened.
The constable who came out grumbled.
"…Stubborn one. She really didn’t say a word."
The constable standing in front of the door snorted.
"What she had on her wasn’t much either. Is she really an Eunwoldan member?"
Another constable shrugged.
"Who knows. If not, why would she keep her mouth shut like that?"
He shook off the rain and added.
"Doesn’t matter. The interrogator is coming tomorrow, they say."
Miryung’s jaw tightened.
Afraid the sound of her teeth clicking would escape,
she only swallowed.
The constable who had just come out pointed at one.
"Yeah, good work. You go inside and rest a bit."
The indicated constable nodded and went inside the building.
As the door closed again,
three constables remained outside.
Bido asked quietly.
"What do we do, Miryung-nim…?"
Miryung thought only briefly.
"Bido. I’ll draw them away."
"You go in and get Siena out."
Bido swallowed.
"Huh? By myself…?"
"You’re the one who said it."
Miryung said lowly.
"That you’d rescue her no matter what."
She looked straight at Bido.
"She won’t be hard to find. Like you, she has black hair…."
Miryung paused briefly.
"She has a striking look. You’ll know right away."
Miryung added before Bido could speak.
"Bring Siena and meet me in front of the sewer we came in through."
And she walked straight out into the rain.
—
Two constables caught sight of Miryung approaching through the rain.
"Hm?"
One raised his chin.
"Kid, what are you doing here?"
Miryung meekly clasped her hands.
"Ah… I got lost."
She slowly removed her hood.
Rough white hair.
And unmistakable Haraya nose and ears.
A momentary silence froze.
"You…."
The constable’s face hardened.
The constable beside him gritted his teeth.
"That’s right. That Haraya!"
Miryung grinned.
"Would you show me the way?"
In that instant,
Miryung slashed out with the edge of her hand.
Wind mixed with raindrops lashed the constables’ faces.
Water and wind erupted simultaneously, tearing through their vision.
"Urk—!"
"You little…!"
The two constables drew their blades and charged.
"Guard the door!"
Another cried out belatedly.
Miryung had already turned and started running into the darkness.
"Well, suit yourself."
The two constables chased Miryung straight into the other side of the alley.
—
Only one constable remained in front of the building.
Bido moved, holding her breath.
The sound of rain swallowed all other sounds.
Footsteps, hems, heartbeat.
Bido gathered her cloak and carefully drew her sword.
The instant the constable turned toward the door—
Bido raised Ideurin in a brief, sharp motion.
Her breath settled once.
And she quickly closed in behind the constable.
Short and precise,
Bido’s sword hilt struck below the nape of his neck.
"Keurk…."
The constable’s body folded.
Bido caught the falling body,
and slowly lowered it so it wouldn’t hit the ground.
Rain poured over it, covering the traces.
Bido shifted her gaze to the door.
Inside.
Bido took one steadying breath—
and slowly opened the door.