"Okay. Now all I have to do is wait for my brother.

　After tying Aria to the chair, the man sat down at his desk to catch his breath.
　The desk was quite battered, but it seemed to be strong enough to support the man's weight.

　The only decent furniture in the room was already used for the aria.

(Hey, hey, hey, ......, don't tell me I have to wait until you come home ......?)

But I didn't know this kid was after my brother. If you raise him as an assassin, I think he'll turn out pretty well. ...... Is that too much to ask?

　Aria felt a simple sense of discomfort as the man spoke to himself.
　One of the main reasons was that she would have to endure this condition for a long time.

　If she wanted to, she could escape this level of restraint in an instant.
　And it would be done the moment the man who seemed to be the assassin appeared.

"Are you still sleeping, little girl?

...... just woke up.

Wow, you're awake fast. That's unbelievably fast, unless you've been training.

　Aria gulped down the words, "I didn't pass out from the start.
　The man seems to have mistaken Aria for a peer.
　He seemed to have mistaken Aria for a peer, and his face showed more goodwill than when they first met.

Is it possible that you were born to be an assassin?

"...... Mm.

　Aria dared to take the man's offer as a gamble.
　She didn't know how it would turn out, but from the way the man was acting, this answer seemed like a strange move.

　The fact that the man went to the trouble of asking me a question, it is highly possible that somewhere in his heart he wants me to do so.
　Aria couldn't predict the feelings of humans at all, but this psychology was the same for both humans and demons.

"I see!　That's what I thought. A normal woman can't come into a back alley like this. So the guy who raised the little girl is pretty good.

"......

Oh, they call me Pete. Who's your daughter?

Aria.

　Pete, who had obviously become more talkative.
　As Aria had read, he was happy to be a peer.
　I don't know what it is to be an assassin, but apparently it's a profession of high camaraderie.

"Aria, right. Would you like to tell me the name of your master?

(No, I don't have one, and I guess I should just answer ...... appropriately.)


(No, I don't, and I'm not sure if I should just answer .) "Well, I'm not supposed to answer that. You seem to have a good grasp of the basics.

　Pete sat back down at his desk as if impressed.
　Pete sat back down at his desk, his mind filled with thoughts of Aria.

　The uses for a child assassin are endless.
　Basically, they can't be bought, so they can only be taken or raised by themselves.

　It would be a miracle if they came to me, as they did this time.

"Young lady. If you continue like this, you might be killed. You know that, right?

"Mm.

But I'll help you if you'll be my friend. Be smart.

All right.

　Aria was untroubled.
　She went along with Pete's story to the end.
　Her ultimate goal now was to kill the original assassin and protect Bern.

　If I can make it easier for you in the process, I have no hesitation at all.

"Well, that's interesting. All that's left is my brother.

(......The two of you. You seemed pretty confident that the two of you could take on the queen alone. Unlucky bastards.)

　Aria gives Pete a pitying look.
　Wanting to get out of this pain as quickly as possible, she adds a question.

"When will this brother of yours return?

"You'll have to ask him that. Just don't be rude.

...... Huh.

　Aria's battle was to continue for a little while longer.