"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 25

One of the Empire’s covert factions, Ashes of Oblivion, was steadily advancing their plan to assassinate Eve. In a modest inn room, as usual, their leader, Cinder, was conversing with his subordinate, Noir.
________________________________________

“Noir. Have you finished gathering the intel?”

“Yes. Here’s the report.”

“Hmm.”

Cinder skimmed through the documents Noir had compiled on Eve.

________________________________________

“She’s strong.”

“Indeed. She’s definitely in the genius category. Earning an A-rank as an adventurer at her age in this kingdom is no small feat.”

“A surprise attack under the cover of night won’t work.”

“Right. She possesses a skill that allows her to sense presences. It appears to be active at all times, so getting too close would immediately give us away.”

“That means an immediate assassination is out of the question… but we can still set the stage. You know what I mean?”

“Yes. I anticipated that, so I’ve already scouted a suitable location within the dungeon.”

“As expected.”

As the two spoke, another member abruptly stepped out from the shadows.

________________________________________

“How’s it going?”

“You’re late, Echo.”

“Heh, overslept a bit.”

In contrast to the composed demeanor of the other two, Echo was far more casual and unpredictable. Cinder handed him the dossier. Echo glanced through it, then grinned darkly.

________________________________________

“Cinder, mind if I take care of this one? If we’re going to kill someone, it’s gotta be a woman, right? Heh… I can’t wait to see the twisted expression on that cold, emotionless face when I end her.”

“…”

Cinder placed a hand on his chin, contemplating. Typically, Cinder himself handled these assignments. Echo had to know that. So, his offer was more provocation than anything. Yet, Cinder’s reply was unexpected.

________________________________________

“Fine. She’s yours.”

“Seriously? You sure?”

“Yeah. Eve—she’s your target.”

“Hah! Now we’re talking! Didn’t expect that from you, Cinder! You really get me!”

“…”

Of course, Cinder hadn’t handed the task over because he trusted Echo. On the contrary, he suspected that something larger—an unseen force—was entwined with the attempt on Eve’s life. Echo was being used as bait. Naturally, Cinder had no intention of telling him that.

________________________________________

“By the way, Cinder-sama… just to be thorough, there’s another adventurer who’s recently been making waves. Here’s her file.”

The report contained detailed information on a girl named Ria. Cinder read it and quickly concluded she wasn’t a significant threat.

________________________________________

“Hmm… Ah, the former Saint candidate. And?”

“No particular reason, sir. Just wondering what we should do about her.”

“Kill her. If she’s likely to become an obstacle later, better to eliminate her now.”

“Understood. One more thing—regarding an adventurer named Yuri. He’s not a threat, but he’s often seen with Eve and frankly… he’s becoming an eyesore.”

“Kill him too. Eliminate all three.”

“Oho! Now that’s what I’m talking about. Been a while since we’ve had a real job.”

“…Right.”

Noir bowed respectfully, but a twinge of unease lingered in his heart. Something about Ria didn’t sit right with his. It was just a gut feeling, but he chose not to voice it.

________________________________________

“Alright, let me explain the operation once more.”

The Empire’s covert faction—Ashes of Oblivion—was finally making its move against Yuri and his companions.

________________________________________

†

________________________________________

That morning, as Yuri sat down to eat with Ria like usual, she brought something up.

________________________________________

“Yuri, do you mind if I borrow Eve for the day?”

“You need her for something?”

“Well, we happened to run into each other the day you took her shopping. We got to talking and hit it off. I just want to chat with her a bit more. Is that okay?”

“Hmm. In that case, I’ll head into the dungeon solo today.”

“Great! I’ll let Eve know for you.”

“Thanks.”

________________________________________

So, the plan to delve into the dungeon with Eve was off for the day. But to be honest, there wasn’t much more he needed to teach her. With her natural talent and diligent work ethic, she’d continue to grow on her own just fine.

Just as Yuri was about to head out for solo training in the dungeon, someone tapped his shoulder.

________________________________________

“Yo, Yuri.”

“Baldo, huh?”

“Yeah. You going solo today?”

“That’s the plan.”

Yuri nodded, and Baldo paused for a moment before speaking again.

________________________________________

“Mind if I tag along?”

“I’m not taking on any quests—just a normal dive.”

“That’s fine. I just want to see your skills firsthand.”

“Hmm… well, I suppose I can show you. I’d rather keep things under wraps, but you’re an ally, after all.”

“Nice. Shall we get going? How deep are you aiming to go today?”

“Let’s say… floor fifty?”

“…Excuse me?”

________________________________________

Yuri and Baldo ventured deep into the dungeon together. As Yuri pushed further, unleashing his full power, he remained cautious—checking to ensure no one was tailing him. He doubted he was being tracked, but better safe than sorry.

________________________________________

“Haa… Haa… You’ve gotta be kidding me… Thirty floors in just a few hours? Without even using teleportation arrays? I never doubted you, but seeing it for myself is something else.”

“You’d heard stories?”

“Yeah. From Ria. You two are partners, right? She’s told me a fair bit.”

“Makes sense. She has a decent grasp of my abilities.”

“Still, hearing and seeing are two different things. I mean, who’d expect someone to create light magic by colliding dark magic elements? That technique alone could make you rich if you published it.”

Yuri shook his head.

________________________________________

“Impossible. You’d need an immense magic computation field to pull it off. Even if someone had that, executing the formula would require massive mana reserves. I doubt anyone else could replicate it. And if the

Empire got wind of it… they’d conduct inhumane experiments trying to recreate it artificially.”

“…You’re right. That was reckless of me to suggest. Forgive me.”

Baldo bowed his head deeply, though Yuri knew he hadn’t meant anything by it.

________________________________________

“It’s fine. Just remember what showing you this means, alright?”

“Of course. You trust me. Trust isn’t built just by me feeding you intel. This is your way of reciprocating.”

“So, you picked up on that, huh?”

“Heh, I’ve been in the adventuring game a while.”

________________________________________

Once again, Yuri was glad he’d met Baldo back in that village. Even with knowledge of the original timeline, he wasn’t all-knowing. Some events had likely changed because of his actions.

________________________________________

“By the way, there’s something I wanted to update you on too.”

“Progress on that investigation?”

“Yeah. Apparently, illegal magic tool trafficking isn’t limited to the kingdom. It’s happening across borders. A merchant told me. The knight order seems to be suppressing the information, though.”

“Naturally. Spreading fear among civilians serves no purpose. Information control makes sense. But I’m glad I looped you in—your merchant contacts are invaluable. I wouldn’t have that reach.”

“Exactly! I may be humble, but I’m kind of perfect for this role, right?”

“No argument here.”

Baldo laughed, slightly bashful.

________________________________________

“That’s all I’ve got for now. If I find anything else, I’ll let you know—but honestly, I bet Ria already knows way more.”

“Huh? Why do you say that?”

“Yuri, Ria’s a monster. You know that, right?”

“A monster…?”

“She’s climbing the adventurer ranks faster than anyone in history. At this rate, she’ll hit A-rank in no time.”

“What?! That fast?!”

________________________________________

Had things progressed that much while he wasn’t watching?

________________________________________

“And her investigation into the Empire is next-level. She’s already got a network as vast as mine—maybe bigger. She’s beautiful, charming, great with adventurers and merchants. It’s natural for people to open up to her. I wouldn’t be surprised if you heard something big from her soon.”

“I-I see. That’s… something to look forward to.”

________________________________________

After some more dungeon hunting, the two parted ways. Yuri had fine-tuned his senses, and his relationship with Baldo had grown stronger.

When he returned to the inn, Ria was already waiting. She greeted him with a bright smile.
________________________________________

“Welcome back!”

“Yeah. How was Eve?”

“She’s a sweet girl. And… well, never mind.”

“Hmm?”

As Yuri began eating the dinner Ria had prepared, she spoke up again.

________________________________________

“Hey, Yuri.”

“What’s up? Is this about that?”

“As expected of you! You really do understand everything.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

(Though Baldo did say you’d probably have news.)

________________________________________

“So, here’s the real deal—I think I’ve found the Empire’s dark faction.”

“…What?”