Chapter 75: Assassin’s Greed

She’s leaving?

For several seconds, that was the only thought he had.

Ripley was the only person Rhos had known the longest here in Elderwood.

They practically grew up together. She had been there when they were children, back when both of them first arrived in an enormous and unfamiliar place.

Even though they were close, years passed and their lives diverged dramatically, particularly after he started attending the academy and her becoming whatever the hell she was now.

But she still remained as one of the few constants in his life here. Now she was saying goodbye.

What exactly did she mean by that?

Was she moving somewhere else in Elderwood? Leaving the lower ring? Joining some other… wait.

Actually, why was he thinking this hard about it?

He shook his head, turned to the rooftop door and casually raised one hand over his shoulder.

“Alright. So long, Rip. Good luck with wherever you’re going, try not to murder too many people on the way there, and have fun”

This was probably the best possible outcome.

Rhos genuinely liked her, but she was just too troublesome to have around. Now Morri was living with him, which introduced an entirely new problem considering Ripley’s first instinct upon meeting the little girl was attempted murder.

Keeping them anywhere near each other seemed like an invitation for disaster.

With her leaving, his life was simplifying itself for once.

Honestly, this was a good thing. He should be happy for her.

Rhos almost reached the door with a smile on his face. However, something slammed into his back.

“Darling!”

Two arms wrapped around his shoulders while two legs locked around his waist. He staggered forward and immediately grabbed one of her arms.

“What the hell are you doing? Get off me!”

“No! I don’t want to! What kind of reaction was that?!”

Ripley screamed like an annoyingly loud parasite while pressing her cheek against the back of his head.

“When the love of your life tells you she’s leaving, you’re supposed to freeze in disbelief, grab my wrist before I can walk away and desperately confess that you’ve secretly loved me all these years!”

Rhos tried peeling her arm away, but she was hanging on way too tightly.

“This isn’t some cheesy rom-com. You’re the one who said goodbye. If you want to leave, then leave. Don’t let me stop you!”

“You’re supposed to want to stop me!”

“I don’t wanna!”

“You didn’t ask where I’m going!”

“I’m sure it’s a lovely place!”

After several back and forth, the argument ended with both of them sitting on the edge of the building. Their legs hung over the lower ring.

From this height and time of the night, the Elderwood Biome seemed almost peaceful

Sitting side by side, neither of them said anything for a while. It was unusual enough that when Rhos peeked at her, she was staring at Yggdrasil.

“So, where are you going?”

“I’m leaving Elderwood”

So said Ripley, swinging one leg lazily over the edge.

That changed things.

Leaving one’s district or even a ring was one matter. Leaving a Biome was something else entirely.

Ordinary civilians couldn’t simply walk through the World Shell whenever they pleased. Only authorized Rangers were routinely permitted through because their work required them to venture beyond the barrier.

Everyone else needed specific clearance, and that was rarely, if not at all, granted.

There were the illegal routes black market smugglers used, but that only solved the first problem. The difficulty wasn’t just circumventing the World Shell barrier…

It was surviving what came afterward.

Beyond the protection of the Biomes were territories where humanity no longer controlled the food chain.

The area in which Rhos and Nimra had ended up was nothing compared to what lurked in the deep.

“Leaving Elderwood to go where? You aren’t seriously planning to live outside, are you”

She laughed softly.

“Nothing that stupid. I’ve got somewhere specific to be. I received an interesting job offer from a man calling himself Baal. He wants me to make my way all the way to the Glacial Biome and carry out an assassination there”

Rhos frowned.

“Glacial?”

“Crazy, right?”

Crazy was an understatement.

Much like the Elderwood Biome, the Glacial Biome was one of the six great sanctuaries established through the efforts of the Thirteen Legendary Figures after humanity had been driven toward extinction.

The similarities ended there.

Elderwood’s surrounding territories were dominated by colossal forests, wetlands, rivers and dense vegetation.

Glacial was merciless in a way you could die simply by just existing.

Freezing winds, endless snowfields, hollow mountain ranges, ice, predators adapted to temperatures that would kill an unprepared human.

Wraths were part of the horror, naturally.

Rhos knew enough about himself to admit that if someone dumped him into Glacial’s territories without preparation, there was a decent chance the environment would kill him before its wildlife got the opportunity.

Ripley laughed again, but it sounded weaker this time.

“The funny part is, I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this. Client confidentiality and all that professional nonsense. An assassin who tells everyone about her clients doesn’t remain employed for very long, you know”

While keeping her pale blue eye on Yggdrasil, her voice was somber.

“But… I wanted you to know where I was going. Just in case it all goes sideways”

The wind passed between them.

Rhos stared at her. Something about her seemed smaller beneath the bandages and black coat.

‘Is she scared?’

It was ridiculous to even entertain the thought. He wasn’t sure if he had ever seen Ripley genuinely afraid.

Of course, he felt the urge to tease her about it but quickly suppressed it.

The fact that she was scared meant whatever waited in Glacial was not an ordinary contract.

Rhos rested his forearms against his thighs asked:

“Why accept it, then? You know how dangerous travel between Biomes is, and you’re not stupid enough to disregard your own life. So why take a job you feel like you’re going to die in?”

Was money the driving force?

No, that couldn’t be it. Rhos dismissed that explanation.

A professional understood something obvious: no amount of money matters if you’re dead.

Ripley turned her gaze to him, her somber expression vanishing immediately.

“Money”

Wait, what?

“A lot of money! Do you understand how much Baal’s offering me? I could buy a house somewhere respectable, replace my entire wardrobe and eat at those ridiculously expensive restaurants in the inner rings. Maybe something for you too if you finally learn to appreciate me properly”

Rhos covered his face with one hand.

There went the moment.

He almost believed they were having a serious conversation for a moment.

“You’re an idiot”

Ripley bumped her shoulder against his.

“Aww. You should’ve seen your face! You looked so concerned. Were you worried about me, darling?”

“Shut up”

“How sweet. I guess you do care. Knowing that makes my heart race”

Rhos lowered his hand and stared somewhere in the distance.

“You could go and die in Glacial. It wouldn’t move me in the slightest”

Ripley giggled and raised her hands.

“I’m kidding about the money. The actual payment is…”

Blue light gathered around her fingers as two knives materialized within her grasp.

“…an Otherworldly Treasure”