Chapter 11
Katarina was radiating a vicious bloodlust, and Si-Yeon was calmly receiving it as they faced each other in a volatile standoff.
[Seriously, what is wrong with them!]
And I was watching them.
Caught like a shrimp in a whale fight, I was sweating profusely.
I wondered why they were acting like this, but a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
[…Ah. From Katarina’s perspective, she might feel a bit hurt.]
It made sense.
I had suddenly accepted one of the bad guys who tried to chop my head off as a retainer, after all.
They were definitely enemies just a moment ago, but now they are family under one roof.
No matter how much I explained the situation, it was understandable for the first retainer to feel upset.
But I couldn’t just treat the newly-born newbie, Si-Yeon, coldly either.
We were going to keep living together from now on, so I had to help them get along.
I let out a light, fake cough and stepped in to mediate.
“Both of you, that is enough.”
At my single word, their gazes turned to me simultaneously.
“Katarina is the First Familiar who was born first, and you, Si-Yeon, are the Second Familiar. Refrain from unnecessary friction and build a sisterly bond from now on.”
Wasn’t establishing a hierarchy an essential step when introducing new pets to each other?
I sorted out their senior-junior hierarchy as sternly and arrogantly as possible.
Thanks to the [Exalted Dignity] Skill, the line came out feeling like the unapproachable royal decree of a Monarch.
Hmm. It actually helps at times like this?
“I will keep that in mind, Master.”
Si-Yeon immediately bowed her head, taking a submissive stance.
“Your will.”
Katarina also seemed to soften up a bit after having her status as the First Familiar officially recognized.
However, Katarina glanced at Si-Yeon before timidly opening her mouth.
“M-Master. If I may be so bold, may I also… request something?”
“A request?”
“Yes. Though I am lacking, may I serve and call you “Liege Lord” from now on?”
Ah.
Was she secretly jealous of Si-Yeon’s calling me 'Master' in such a special way?
[No, both Master and Liege Lord are incredibly burdensome to hear on a daily basis!]
To think that Master would end up being the less burdensome title.
I sighed inwardly, but I couldn’t bring myself to ignore those earnest eyes.
After everything Katarina had done for me, I couldn’t be petty over a mere title.
“Very well. I permit it.”
“Thank you! A-And perhaps, just one more thing… would that be alright?”
“…What is it this time.”
Katarina blushed slightly and continued carefully.
“C-Could you… bestow your noble surname upon me as well, Liege Lord?”
[Wait, is that what you were jealous of?]
Giving Si-Yeon my surname must have secretly bothered her.
But there was one problem.
[Yoo Katarina sounds way too weird…!]
It wasn’t even a proper East-meets-West hybrid; it just sounded awful.
But looking at those sparkling eyes full of anticipation, I couldn’t say no.
“Very well… I shall bestow the True Ancestor’s surname upon you as well.”
I skipped actually attaching the surname to the front of her name and just glossed over it implying I fully accepted her as a member of the Family.
“Ah! Your grace is boundless, Liege Lord!”
Overcome with emotion, Katarina prostrated herself on the floor.
A strange sense of competitiveness flashed in Si-Yeon’s eyes as she watched.
Then, she abruptly threw herself down and bowed to me as well.
It seemed a loyalty competition had ignited between my two Retainers.
[Haa. Well, it’s better than their fighting.]
Anyway, this issue has been roughly sorted out now.
I turned my gaze to look at the four corpses sprawled on the floor.
The most important, practical problem remained.
[But these bastards, how did they know my home address to come here?]
Katarina had definitely said she took care of the CCTVs and hid herself well on the way back, so how did they track her?
Just as I harbored that doubt,
Si-Yeon quickly caught on and gave a report.
“Master. A 'Sorcerer' is undoubtedly the reason they were able to pinpoint this location.”
“A Sorcerer?”
“Yes. He is the organization’s Chief Sorcerer, and he uses special spells. He is also the one who placed the Brainwashing Curse on me.”
“Hmm…”
“He looks like a sycophantic Executive on the outside, but he is actually the true Mastermind who brainwashes assassins like me and controls the organization from behind the scenes.”
Si-Yeon said.
Her face was still expressionless, but the hostility toward him was clearly revealed in her tightly clenched, white knuckles.
She then asked sharply.
“Master, do you happen to have any of their belongings?”
“I do.”
I pointed to the bag containing cash and gold bars shoved in the corner of the room.
“That was likely the problem. I suspect there is an item inside with a Tracking Spell placed on it.”
[Ah…]
So there was a location Tracker inside the money bag.
Katarina probably did a thorough physical inspection, but since it was a special spell, she must not have been able to find it.
She had strong combat power, not knowledge in sorcery.
Katarina immediately dropped to her knees.
“Liege Lord…! I failed to see through the rats' shallow tricks and dared to let them leave their filthy footprints in your Territory. Please, strike off my head!”
Katarina hung her head low.
In a way, this whole mess happened because of the loot she brought back, so she seemed overwhelmed with guilt.
I immediately stopped her.
“Enough. It is not your fault, so raise your head.”
“Liege Lord. But…”
“Ahem. Katarina, do you dare disobey my command?”
“N-No! I shall… raise my head.”
“Good, good.”
After soothing the sulking Katarina whose melodramatic tendencies had flared up, I fell deep into thought.
My address had been discovered.
On top of that, once they found out that the Assassination Squad they went out of their way to send had been annihilated, the Black Cow bastards would definitely flip their lids.
Since the address was already pinpointed anyway, hastily moving out didn’t seem like it would solve the problem.
If so, an all-out war was now inevitable.
Phew, somehow I ended up having to fight one of Seoul’s Top 3 Dark Guilds.
[But of course I don’t want to go out and fight them myself…]
While I was agonizing over what to do, Si-Yeon stepped forward with a resolute voice.
“Master. I will go.”
“Si-Yeon, you?”
“Yes. I know the location of their Headquarters, as well as the residences of the boss and the key executives. One night will be enough.”
[Ooh?]
Right. Si-Yeon was originally part of Black Cow, so she’d have a lot of information, wouldn’t she?
If she handled everything for me, I’d be grateful.
However, there was just one thing bothering me -
“Si-Yeon, will you be able to do it?”
It was Si-Yeon’s capabilities.
“It would be better for me, the stronger one, to handle it. Give the information to me.”
Katarina’s cold remark.
She was right.
When I checked Si-Yeon with [Appraisal Eye] earlier, her level and stats were indeed high. Was it about the level of a decent A-rank Hunter?
But I had never seen her in a proper fight.
Other than her getting subdued by Katarina in one hit earlier.
[What if I send her alone and she ends up dying?]
It would be a problem if I immediately lost the precious retainer I just gained today.
I used Appraisal Eye to check her stats one more time.
But then.
Ding!
[The level difference is too great.]
[Appraisal has been blocked.]
A red Message Window popped up, and the numbers didn’t appear.
[Huh? This is…]
This had happened when I used Appraisal Eye on Katarina too.
It seemed to be a system where appraisal was blocked for opponents who were too strong.
Did Si-Yeon perhaps get much stronger when she became a Vampire then?
There wasn’t anything in the Embrace Skill tooltip specifically saying they would get stronger, but if their race itself mutated into a Vampire, their level or stats could go up.
Even in novels and anime, it was an unwritten rule that becoming a Vampire ridiculously enhanced physical abilities and granted superpowers.
[Though I don’t know why I’m still a weakling…]
Just as I was about to get depressed over the fact that we were all vampires but I was the only squishy one.
Hwaaaa -
An extraordinary aura erupted from Si-Yeon’s body.
It was a tremendous presence, on par with the bloodlust Katarina had emitted earlier.
She met Katarina’s sharp gaze proudly.
This time, it didn’t feel like they were growling and having a battle of nerves like before, but rather an attitude purely trying to prove her resolve and qualifications.
The gazes of the two Retainers clashed in the air.
After a brief, silent conversation passed between them, Si-Yeon opened her mouth with a quiet but firm voice.
“The ill-fated ties from my human days… I wish to sever them with my own hands. Please permit me, Lady Katarina.”
A resolute and determined look in her eyes.
Was it her will to break free from the shackles of the past and take her first step as a Retainer on her own two feet?
“…Very well.”
At that unwavering attitude, Katarina fell silent for a moment before faintly nodding her head to show her acknowledgment.
“Then, Liege Lord, I shall go with her and assist Si-Yeon.”
[What? Katarina, what if you go? What if they attack the empty house again? You have to be my Escort!]
I wanted to stop her right then and there, but making such a fuss was naturally not a noble thing to do.
…What do I do?
Ah, this should work.
I tilted my chin up and spoke in the most arrogant and relaxed tone possible.
“Hehe. Katarina. Should we not give Si-Yeon a chance as well?”
I looked at Si-Yeon.
“My Second Familiar, you have been reborn with the Great Blood, so go test your strength and enjoy yourself.”
When I decided to give the opportunity entirely to Si-Yeon, Katarina stepped back without further objection.
Si-Yeon bowed deeply to me, seemingly moved.
“Thank you, Master. Then… I will be on my way. I will return before the morning sun rises.”
After bowing politely to me, she lightly leaped out the open window.
Of course, I had given my permission, but I was also a bit worried about sending Si-Yeon, who had just become family, into Enemy Lines alone.
I was looking out the window with an anxious heart.
Ding!
[You have successfully Cast the Vampiric Embrace Skill for the first time and acquired experience points.]
[Your level has increased by 2.]
[You have reached Level 15.]
[A new Skill has been unlocked!]
Along with the level-up notification, a new Skill window popped up before my eyes.
[You have acquired the Skill “Sight Sharing”.]
Huh…? Sight Sharing?