Chapter 1
For five hundred years, the Arsenia Empire had ruled the continent.
The brilliance of the imperial family was only possible because of the “Shadows” who worked behind them.
Those shadows were the Empire’s secret intelligence organization, a fiercely loyal group known as Shad.
Shad took orphaned children and forged them into Black Agents through brutal training. Among those elite agents, one person stood above all the rest.
She had a 99% mission success rate and was known as the “Grim Reaper with Purple Eyes.”
She was undoubtedly one of Shad’s greatest assets.
Yet she had no name.
“Number 413. Are you crazy? How can you go on a mission in this condition?”
Even someone as capable as her couldn’t escape the scolding of Leah, the organization’s talented medic.
“Would sewing a few more stitches make any difference? Just tell me.”
At those words, deeper wrinkles formed between Leah’s brows.
“…Did you already know?”
Instead of answering, the small pale-faced woman with messy bangs and scattered freckles looked calmly at Leah with unwavering purple eyes.
“…Hah.”
Leah opened her mouth, but Number 413 continued staring at her.
“And you only called me in now?”
Leah finally lost her patience.
“I knew this was exactly how you’d react!”
Leah was the only person inside Shad that Number 413 could call a friend. She hadn’t wanted to trouble her.
Apparently, Leah felt differently.
“Do you even hear yourself? What are you, a cat with nine lives? Just because everyone in Shad praises you as the undefeated elite agent, you’ve gotten completely full of yourself!”
The medical file in Leah’s hand fluttered like the Empire’s flag as she shouted.
Number 413 stared blankly at it before quietly interrupting.
There was one rumor she wanted to correct.
“Not undefeated. I failed my first mission. And if you keep shouting, you’ll hurt your throat.”
“You!”
Leah jumped to her feet, glaring as if she wanted to devour a tiger.
Why is she so angry? She’s not the one who’s dying. Even if someone dies, it’ll be me. I’m the one who should be upset.
But Leah only shouted louder.
“Is that really what’s important right now? At this rate, you’re going to die!”
“I know.”
Number 413 looked at her expressionlessly.
“How long do I have?”
Faced with such calm acceptance, Leah bit her lip.
The truth was…
Number 413 had already known her body had reached its limit.
Every so often, her lungs forced out thick clumps of blood.
Sometimes she coughed up so much dark blood that it interfered with her missions.
She didn’t need a diagnosis to know something was terribly wrong.
“…At most, six months.”
Looking miserable, Leah pulled a numbered file from her drawer and placed it on the desk.
〔No. 413〕
“I see.”
The person who had just been sentenced to death answered in an almost indifferent voice.
Leah’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean, ‘I see’?! Stop talking like it’s someone else’s problem! You’re definitely one of those damned Shad agents! You’re impossible!”
“…Doctor.”
“What?”
“Are you crying?”
“S-Shut up!”
Leah quickly wiped her eyes before opening the file.
At the top was the diagnosis.
〔Sombrosia: An ancient disease. Currently incurable.〕
Number 413 silently read the paper.
Leah ran a hand through her hair before sitting back down.
“This disease only exists in ancient records. It progresses slowly, but its fatality rate is one hundred percent.”
“Medicine? A cure?”
“The history books mention one… but it requires ingredients that are either extinct or only exist in myths now.”
She lowered her head.
“So… there’s no way to obtain them. Do you understand what that means?”
Number 413 quietly watched Leah’s trembling lips.
So… I’m really going to die.
She had been sold from an orphanage into Shad’s training facility as a child.
The training had been hell.
Anyone who fell behind was recorded as dead.
Those who ranked too low weren’t even treated when they were injured.
Number 413 survived.
But after spending over ten years carrying out impossible missions, her emotions had nearly dried up.
Even so…
The fear of death still remained.
The fingertips resting on the desk trembled slightly.
She quickly lowered her hand.
“I understand.”
Leah sighed.
“That’s all? You’re dying! Aren’t you scared?”
“When I think about all the terrible things I’ve done…”
She answered quietly.
“My death probably balances things out.”
“And whether I live or die… it was never my choice anyway.”
Leah couldn’t respond.
Unlike the Black Agents, Leah came from a fallen noble family.
She belonged to Shad’s special support unit as a White Medic.
Every year, countless Black Agents died in this clinic with nothing but identification numbers.
The Empire’s shadows were simply tools.
Tools that died quietly…
Without even leaving behind a name.
Still… I wanted to survive until the end.
Just one single day… living as myself.
Black Agents had no retirement.
There was only one exception.
Anyone who successfully completed one hundred high-risk missions would be granted Special Retirement.
That’s why I kept forcing myself through those impossible missions!
Only ten more remained.
In a few more years, she would have earned her freedom.
Instead…
She had been given a death sentence.
It was unfair.
Meaningless.
But even despair was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
Then there’s only one thing left for me to do.
After organizing her thoughts, Number 413 spoke calmly.
“Doctor.”
“Keep this a secret from headquarters.”
“If they learn I’m sick, they’ll immediately send me to a war zone.”
“Or…”
“They’ll simply send another agent to dispose of me.”
Leah froze.
“…You’re not planning to run away, are you?”
Running away meant betrayal.
Traitors were hunted by Shad’s agents…
Until they were dead.
“It won’t be easy.”
“But the longer I can delay being discarded, the better.”
“You saved my life before.”
“So I’m asking you.”
“413! How can you even say that?!”
“It’s the truth.”
Leah, who had been furious only moments ago, suddenly looked pale.
She pressed a hand against her forehead before staring silently at Number 413.
After hesitating for a long while, she carefully spoke.
“…This is a secret.”
“What?”
“Did you drug someone again and squeeze information out of them?”
Someone must have started talking while still under anesthesia.
That was one of Doctor Leah’s favorite tricks.
“…Hey.”
Leah glared at her before answering.
“Princess Camilla received another prophecy.”
For the first time…
Number 413’s purple eyes shook.
“What did Her Highness say?”
“According to my source, a few days ago she requested an agent skilled in infiltration and stealth.”
That meant only one thing.
The princess had found a target.
“So…”
“I might be chosen.”
Princess Camilla could not walk.
But she possessed the gift of prophecy.
She had foreseen the enemy kingdom Gautrant’s guerrilla attacks.
She had predicted the discovery of a massive gold mine that greatly enriched the Empire.
She had even foretold the great flood that devastated the continent, allowing only the Empire to escape unharmed.
Unfortunately…
Her prophecies came unpredictably.
She hadn’t foreseen the sudden death of the late Emperor.
Nor the death of the Crown Prince.
As a result…
The imperial throne now stood empty.
A secret known only to the imperial family and Shad.
Princess Camilla probably wants to find someone who can inherit the throne in her place.
Because of her poor health, Empress Isabel opposed Camilla’s succession.
Instead, she wanted the seven-year-old young prince to become Emperor after the Crown Prince’s death.
Who becomes Emperor doesn’t matter to me anymore.
She had done enough.
She had sacrificed herself for the imperial family until she became terminally ill.
Now…
She wanted to retire.
To finally live for herself.
But will Shad ever let me go?
Just then, Leah’s firm voice interrupted her thoughts.
“If things have come to this…”
“Take this mission.”
“And leave the capital.”
“At least while you’re on a mission, they won’t send people to hunt you.”
Number 413 let out a long sigh.
“Doctor.”
“Be realistic.”
“How do you know where they’ll send me?”
“Or…”
“Did you hear something else?”
“No.”
“I just mean…”
“No matter where they send you…”
“Think of it as retirement.”
“At least spend whatever time you have left in peace.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“…Honestly.”
“Then…”
Number 413 immediately turned to leave.
She had never learned how to say goodbye.
Watching her back, Leah forced the words out.
“…413.”
“…I’m sorry.”
The small figure in the perfectly fitted agent’s uniform stopped.
After a long hesitation, she slowly turned around.
Then…
She gave Leah an awkward smile.
“My name is Celine.”
“…What?”
“Until the day I die…”
“I’m going to live as Celine.”
“Please remember it.”
Celine.
Out of all the code names she had ever been given…
It was the one she liked the most.
She had never been allowed to choose anything in her life.
At least…
She wanted to choose her own name.
“Thank you.”
“For everything.”
“…”
Unable to hold back her tears, Leah quietly cried as Celine closed the door behind her.
Goodbye… Doctor Leah.
In the hellish training facility, where she had always been alone…
Leah had been the only person who ever cared for her.
She had no memories of her parents.
But she had Leah.
I don’t care where I go…
As long as it isn’t the capital.
Celine took a pill from her pocket and chewed it.
The polluted air of the imperial city constantly gave her severe indigestion.
Leah believed it was an immune system overreaction common among some city residents, and had been making medicine for her ever since their training days.
Hiding her exhaustion, Celine stared blankly down the hallway.
Someone was approaching.
“Number 413.”
It was the Director’s secretary.
* * *
Only the Empire’s hidden shadows were allowed inside the Director’s office.
If Leah’s clinic smelled of medicine…
This room was filled with expensive cigar smoke.
“Number 413.”
Sitting behind an ebony desk with a giant map of the Empire behind him was the silver-haired Director,
Heinrich Walter.
“Yes, Director.”
Leaning comfortably back in his chair, Heinrich spoke.
“A glorious mission requiring immediate action has come up, Number 413.”
Glorious?
Celine’s eyes turned cold.
“Where am I being sent?”
Most of her assignments involved infiltration or assassination.
She had always completed them without hesitation.
But now that death was approaching…
Everything felt meaningless.
Then Heinrich said something she never expected.
“Go live in the countryside.”
“…Pardon?”
