Chapter 118
Since there was nothing new to report, the next set of orders were equally uneventful. I was still debating whether I should feel relieved or anxious about this uneasy peace, when Bali handed something to me as I absentmindedly nodded along.
“Here, take this.”
“Huh, wait… this is…”
My eyes widened at the sudden sight of the Hahoe mask in my hand.
“It’s Hawk’s, isn’t it?”
“It’s not just Hawk’s. Any agent who works at night has one of these.”
I hadn’t needed a mask for my previous assignments—they were all tasks I could do openly, as a noble lady. So, apparently, a disguise hadn’t been necessary until now.
I ran my fingers over the mask, taking in its distinctly oriental design. The inside was smoothly lacquered, but the outside still had the rough feel of wood.
A mix of pride and anxiety—born from that odd sense of belonging—rose in my chest. Then, it struck me that Bali hadn’t told me why she was giving this to me in the first place.
Lowering the mask to my lap, I quietly looked at Bali and carefully asked,
“You want me to do something, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And it’s dangerous, isn’t it?”
“…Yeah.”
Her expected answer made me tense up. I glanced nervously between Ailrose and Bali. Ailrose, quietly watching from the sidelines and sucking on a lime, had eyes wide with curiosity, waiting for Bali to spill whatever news she had.
Bali spun the wine in her glass, perched on the edge of the sofa. After a moment’s hesitation, staring into her drink as she gathered her determination, she downed it in one go and finally spoke up.
“There’s a new possessor.”
“Oh—has their identity been confirmed?”
“No, not yet. Just like you, they’re pretending to be sick and refusing to come out. We need someone to sneak in and find out.”
“What? Isn’t that usually Hawk’s job?”
Even though I’d only just started private lessons with Ailrose, I’d only had two so far. I was barely capable of using a few artifacts, so breaking into someone’s home was way out of my league.
“Hawk can’t go. The target isn’t an ordinary person this time.”
“Who is it, then?”
When Bali finally revealed their status, it was shocking.
“They’re with the Public Security Bureau.”
“…What?”
“One of the investigators who specialize in possession cases. One we all know.”
Clatter. Ailrose’s glass slipped from her hand, scattering liquor and fruit across the thick rug. At least there was no broken glass, but her face looked as wrecked as the mess on the floor.
“Bali, are you serious? That’s obviously a trap.”
“It could be.”
“And you still want to send our kid in? Are you crazy?”
Calling me ‘kid’ was a bit much, considering I was only six years younger than her and even taller, but after we’d become friends, she sometimes used that nickname—maybe she liked having a new recruit around.
After all, with Hongik Ingan’s rules, agents usually didn’t know each other’s real identities unless it was absolutely necessary.
“So what, are you going to go? Looking like that?”
“Would you have sent me even if I wasn’t? Same for the other wizards.”
And she had a point—Ailrose was currently bandaged in one leg and arm. Simple fractures can be healed with magic but more serious fractures are more difficult.
She’d shown up tonight just because she craved a drink, not because she should have been out and about. I shook my head, watching her.
Birds of a feather, I guess. No wonder she and Bali get along so well.
I’d rather not be lumped in as their ‘type’, but now that I was part of Hongik Ingan, I didn’t have much choice.
Survival came before image. Besides, based on their conversation, it sounded like there was more to the story.
“Tell me the rest. There must be a reason for this.”
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