Chapter 51. The Fall of Leaves and Man

The earthy and vibrant season of autumn was supposed to make you feel warm, but the nights were colder and darker. The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, as some people describe it.

Dead leaves crunched beneath my feet with every step I took. The night is young, so there are still many people gracing the streets of Muehler.

Unlike the peace and serenity of the outdoors at night, the Solstice tavern was full of life, though.

"Kallen!" Ashen, the owner of the tavern, greeted me amicably. "Sheesh, about time you dropped by! I thought you had died in a shithole somewhere."

I went to my usual space. "Well, I'm still alive."

"And that makes me happy!" The ginger winked at me like the wanton man he is. "The usual order?"

"Yes." I replied coldly, ignoring his flirting attempts that have been going on forever.

Well, it's not like he was serious about liking me. Ashen is a whore who would chase after people as long as they wore a skirt. A total casanova, he is.

"Here, my love." He gracefully placed the mug of beer and a plate of chicken breasts on my table.

"Thanks." I eyed him indifferently. "Now, scram."

"Come on, don't be so cold!" He shamelessly sat in front of me. "Just because you're popular lately..."

"Am I?" I asked before chomping on my food.

"Hell yeah!" Ashen answered enthusiastically.

"I guess it's for all the wrong reasons, then."

The tavern owner chuckled at my words. "Yeah, but notoriety is still popularity. You know what they call you these days?" He said, suspenseful.

I blew a long sigh. "Don't say it."

"Executioner!" Ashen exclaimed comically, even raising his fists like a foolish boy picking a fight.

I smacked his head. "I told you not to say it!"

"Y-You don't like it?" The ginger pouted, caressing his head. "I've always wanted to have an alias."

I clicked my tongue. "Don't eject your childish fantasies on me, loser. Now my appetite's gone."

Despite my blatant irritation, Ashen seemed to be enjoying this. Well, he's a man oozing with charisma and a silver-tongued bastard at that.

"Now, don't kick me out just yet." Ashen wiggled his eyebrows. "In fact, I've got a job for you, my forever beautiful and sweet as honey Kallen."

I stared at him coldly. When he got no reaction from me, Ashen faked a cough then continued.

"You're usually picky when it comes to accepting requests, but I bet you'll like this one." He rubbed his hands in excitement. "The pay is damn good, and the person in question is scummy as fuck!"

My face scrunched up. He's so foul-mouthed.

Shortly, Ashen placed a photo on the table. It was a picture of a nobleman in his late forties. I knew nothing about high society, so I didn't know him.

"This is Baron Fletcher. Apparently, he's been raping his three daughters since childhood." Ashen smirked. "Well, ain't he scummy?"

I glanced over the photo with mild interest.

"See? I knew you'd like it. There's no one in Muehler who knows you better than I do."

The ginger spread his arms confidently.

"You should just date me, Kallen!" he asserted.

I gave him a bored look. "You're not my type."

The tavern owner feigned to be hurt. He held his chest dramatically, acting like he had been fatally shot. Jesus, why do I keep meeting guys like this who are so extra? They're dominating the world.

"Mind telling me your type, then?" He curiously probed. "I'd like to know in which department I lost. Is it my muscles? You like them bigger?"

In deep thought, I slumped back on my chair.

"Someone with ebony black hair and purple eyes." I described earnestly. "And talented in magic, too."

Silence ensued on our table. When I lifted my gaze to my company, Ashen looked so dumbfounded, like he didn't expect me to give such a serious answer. A few seconds after, he grinned.

"That's oddly specific." The tavern owner crossed his legs. "Heh, I smell an unforgettable past love."

Before he could even pry further, I chugged down the whole mug of beer in one go. After finishing it straight, I slammed the mug on the table and grabbed the photo of the perverted nobleman.

"I'll take this." I said sharply, changing the subject.

"Go ahead." Ashen smiled from ear to ear.

And so, I left the Solstice with a heavy heart.

It's already been half a year since I woke up in this body, but the memory of his death remains vivid on my mind. It's almost like a thorn on my chest.

There were no clouds tonight, as if they were erased from the skies. If only I could erase you from my mind just like that as well. Good grief.

"Haniel," I whispered sentimentally, clouds forming on the air each time I breathed out.

As I stood rooted to my position, a woman and a child walked on the opposite street hand in hand. My eyes kept following them with a lifeless gaze.

"Mom," The little boy cried. "I'm hungry!"

"Yes, yes. We'll be having dinner at home."

I quietly watched them as they grew smaller from my sight. When they made a turn and disappeared, I gently caressed my tummy.

Little boy, I envy you. I wish I were just hungry, too. My stomach is full, but my heart is so damn empty.

I still haven't come to terms with it. The fact that I lost Haniel and my unborn child in a single night.

I cannot even sleep properly. That day haunts me in my sleep just as it does when I am fully awake.

And every time I am reminded of it all, my resentment towards Alistair grows as well.

The rage in my heart seems impossible to melt.

---

After that, I just needed to blow off some steam.

I've been in this body for six months. Since then, I have faithfully committed to the role that was given to me. At first it was difficult, but I had no choice but to adapt into this sordid way of life.

I was so tired of trying to change the novel.

And I lost any desire to meddle with the plot.

So I simply focused on committing to my role.

"Found you." I mumbled to myself when I saw Baron Fletcher entering a private casino, who seemed to have no company with him, luckily.

I spent the last few days studying his daily routine.

As per Ashen's description of him, he was scummy as fuck. After secretly following him around for days, I've seen him coercing women into sex.

He mostly targeted commoner women who didn't have the courage to speak up about his repulsive deeds. A typical nobleman who flaunts his status around and totally acts like a spawn of the devil.

To think that he also raped his own daughters.

The world would be a better place without him.

As Baron Fletcher indulged with gambling inside the grandiose building, I headed into the carriage that brought him to the casino. There, I found the coachman taking a nap while awaiting his master.

"Sorry." I whispered to him. "Nothing personal."

I swiped against his neck to make sure that he doesn't wake up for a while. Shortly, I stripped him naked and stole his clothes, completely disguising myself as the baron's coachman.

It was dark and the night was deep, so I was confident the baron wouldn't notice that his coachman had changed. He's a foolish man.

After hiding the unconscious coachman somewhere far, I stayed on the carriage.

While waiting for the baron, I was alarmed to see a few imperial knights arriving at the vicinity. As soon as one of them spotted me, they questioned me. Shit, looks like I got the end of the stick.

"You there!" The ironclad knight marched towards my spot. "Which noble house do you work for?"

I pretended to be afraid. "I-I work for the House of Fletcher. Please spare me, good sir." I stammered.

"Baron Fletcher? Tch! Why am I not surprised?" The knight shook his head in dismay. "We will be raiding this casino now. If you don't want to get hurt, leave this place! You're all on your own!"

As soon as the man turned his back from me and regrouped with his fellow knights, I bit my nails agitatedly. These guys are about to steal my prey!

I was trying to think of another way when another carriage arrived. The knights lined up and greeted the man. "Greetings to the shield of the empire!"

I flinched and my mouth froze in shock.

"You may rise." His baritone voice spoke. "Stick to the plan. Kill anyone who refuses to cooperate."

Silver hair that stands out at night and golden eyes that look like the sun. It was him, without a doubt.

The main subject of my contempt.

Alistair Kirsten de Averill.

If I'm not mistaken, two years have passed since the second arc when I first woke up in this body.

It's been six months since my possession.

All in all, the time that passed since the day he betrayed me was two and a half years. I don't know what he's been up to, and I don't care.

I carefully lowered my cap to hide my face. Good thing that it was dark. I'm sure he won't see me.

True enough, the grand duke didn't even spare a glance to my direction. After going over their plans for the last time, the imperial knights with Alistair on the lead barged into the private casino.

I clenched my jaw. As much as I want to pick a fight with him, I'm in the middle of a job now. Moreover, my plans are about to get thwarted!

Just when I was about to lose hope, I saw a figure coming out of the building from the back door. To my surprise, it was Baron Fletcher, who was scurrying out of the casino like some kind of rat.

"Drats!" His face reddened in anger. "The imperial knights just had to raid the casino when I'm here!"

He hurriedly boarded the carriage.

"Quick, let's go!" Baron Fletcher ordered.

While mounting the horse, I failed to hide the triumphant smile on my face. Piece of shit, you should've just stayed and got yourself arrested.

Thankfully, the imperial knights were preoccupied inside the casino so no one noticed the baron slip away at the very first minute. And so, our carriage managed to leave the place without getting caught.

However, instead of taking Baron Fletcher home, I navigated the carriage to a more desolate route. Of course, he didn't notice our detour, and he only realized that something was amiss when I stopped the carriage and carelessly opened the door.

"Huh?" He was startled. "You're not my coachman! Who on earth are you? Identify yourself, lowlife!"

"No need to know, my lord." I smirked then took out my twin daggers. "The dead has no business with the living. Nothing personal, by the way."

Without any hesitation, I swiped one of my twin daggers across his neck and thrusted the other one on his chest, before cutting it down to his stomach. His blood squirted out and splat across my cheeks.

As my blades cut through his bones and flesh, the lurid and perverse nobleman died instantly, with his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Who am I?" I stared at his corpse lying on his own bloodbath. "You're better off not knowing."

And so, the fall of leaves and man begins.

The novel gave me this role, so I committed to it. If the plot requires me to turn into a crazed murderer, then so be it. I'll gladly fulfill my role.

I have no reason to live as myself anymore.

I already lost everything, after all.

To all the people who lost their lives to me, blame the novel. Blame the plot that set me loose. Blame the story that broke my soul and drove me insane.

Yes. My fourth role in the novel was a hitman.

Kallen, the executioner, at your service.

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