Eternal Ice
Chap.9 "Secret Mission"

"God...Is Lyberinth really this big?" Alice and Eric stared in amazement at the Lyberinth city crowd as they set foot in the city center. Many people and chariots passed by, most of them were migrants who were resting from the trip, people who just crossed the city to get to the destination, and people who come to do business.

Lyberinth city is famous as a cross-world city since long ago, its location in the middle of the world makes Lyberinth a strategic place as a crossroads between countries.

"Alice, we'd better find some lodging first. Your eye bags as black as storm clouds make your face even uglier." Eric said, while the focus of his gaze was on the gleaming jeweled sword deliberately displayed in front of the weapon shop to attract attention.

"Ck! Did you know that the word 'ugly' really has an impact on a woman's feelings?!" Alice half yelled.

The noise of the city adorned every step of their way down the city streets. Eric kept his eyes focused on the merchandise that seemed interesting to him, while Alice stared at the buildings lined up one by one in search of the right lodging.

Five minutes into the search, Alice found an inn located right next to the downtown fountain.

"Two medium-sized classrooms with bathrooms for three days." Alice said to the woman guarding the service center when they entered and placed a bag of silver coins on the service table.

The woman took the two keys and thrust them to Alice. "The waiter will take you, Miss." Said the brick red-haired woman.

"Go to the room first, Alice. I want to walk around here." Eric whispered to Alice.

"All right." Reply Alice, briefly. A few moments later, he climbed the stairs with two of the servants of the inn.

"Good afternoon. Long time no see, what are you doing here, Eden?" The voice of the woman who suddenly said something shocking made Eric's eyes bully, then squeaked a serious sign.

"Rachelle, long time no see either. After you left the headquarters for over two years, it turns out you're now just standing behind a desk and serving people, huh?" Eric crossed both hands across his chest, this time lowering his voice.

"I'm standing here not to escape my past, two years ago the headquarters gave me the job of replacing Rocellia who was killed by Alpha Minor. What are you doing wandering around Lyberinth with a girl?" The woman named Rachelle replied to Eric.

"That's none of your business. One croissant and a cup of tea." Eric said briefly before switching the conversation by ordering food, before long he placed eight bronze pieces in front of Rachelle.

"It's definitely not my business. But you leaving duty as a Freesia mercenary is one of my business as a senior." Rachelle recorded Eric's order on a small piece of paper, and he immediately finished his sentence before handing the order paper to the kitchen waiter.

"The captain has even given me permission." Eric. "Rachelle, the one sitting at the left end of this inn's restaurant..." He glanced to the left.

"Your instinct is sharp, Eden. Sit there, the man will deliver a mission for you this time." Rachelle took three bronze pieces and gave them to Eric.

"What?"

"For you, I'll price you only five."

Eric nodded, turned around and walked towards the table at the left end of this inn restaurant.

He stared at the three coins on his palm. 'Ukiran password?' He muttered inwardly when he realized that there was something different on the surface of the coins he had gotten from Rachelle.

'The table was occupied by the shadow leader Lyberinth.'

Such was the meaning of the passcode carved on the surface of the bronze coin. Eric grinned and put the coin in his pocket.

"During time not to meet, son. It turns out you've been this big. The last time I met you, you were even still playing around with a small wooden sword." Said a man sitting at Eric's destination table. The man's black hair began to be interspersed with white with red-brown eyes that seemed fake.

"Don't talk as if you were my grandfather, Griffin. I know you're not as old as you look, and what's the color of your eyes? Did Rachelle recommend your style this time? Oh, my God, it's so weird you look." Eric was shifting his chair and sitting opposite the man named Griffin.

"Only disguises, Eden, only limited to disguises. That frontal mouth of yours never changed before, or maybe you're developing it on purpose?" Griffin gulped down the remaining liquid on his glass after finishing his words.

"The way I talk frontally seems to be an instinct. I'm just talking honestly anyway."

Griffin stared lazily at Eric who had just spoken in an arrogant tone. He never thought that the adorable boy he met ten years ago would turn out to be such an annoying narcissist.

"Forget that. Back on the mission, I brought the mission from the headquarters addressed to a talented shadow warrior like you, Eden." Griffin turned the atmosphere between the two of them into a serious one.

"Tell me." Eric.

"One of the headquarters spies who served in the city center found a fairly suspicious person wandering around the Lyberinth library. According to the investigation, the man was a member of the secret organization Trace who began moving in this city for the final year. Your job is to forcibly seize the item that person brought, and kill him immediately. If you let him live, it would be tantamount to igniting a dispute between our Shadow organization and Trace." Griffin explained at length to Eric.

"Yes, my job here is to wait for one of the soldiers and deliver the mission. Move fast, Eden. Estimates of the item being used are today, your time is only until the sun sets in the western horizon." Griffin left, he lifted the hat he was wearing and returned it to its original position.

"................ " Eric stared flat at Griffin's back that was moving away.

"Your order, sir." A waitress carrying Eric's order jolted him.

"Yes." Yeah." Eric

'Even at times like this, I have to keep on the mission?' His inner.

...----------------...

'That person has a terrible disguise ability, even among the hundreds of visitors in this library, he really looks suspicious.' Eric muttered in his mind while pretending to read a thick book in the Lyberinth Library. Faintly his eyes observed a thin-bearded man who was pacing around carrying a bag near the towering upper bookshelf until it touched the sky of this room.

'Rachelle...... Is he crazy? He could have put a small roll of enemy sketch paper into the croissant I ordered. But it helped me to find the target.' He turned the books over without intending to read them.

The bell on the city clock tower has rung, a sign of midday time. 'Is it noon again? I'm less than six hours away.' Eric looked at the suspicious man.

Ten minutes passed, and he grew tired of seeing his mission target just walking around like he was struck by anxiety. 'Wait, who is he talking to? Is that woman his ally?' Eric reacted quickly when he found the man talking to the woman dressed as a noble.

"I've contacted the chairman, and the building must be blown up just at sunset."

"I understand. Then I'll go to my destination and prepare everything."

Eric was surprised when he sharpened his hearing on the conversation of the two targets. He closed the book, got up, and headed for the top shelf. His steps seemed rushed, to attract the attention of a number of people, it did not take long for him to realize, Eric slowed his pace.

'Almost, I should be more careful.' Eric pulled his hair to the right side.

The suspicious man immediately ran towards the back door when he realized Eric was watching him closely.

'Currently, I have to follow him.' Eric walked over quickly, breaking through the crowd without taking his eyes off.

......................

The man dropped the bag he was carrying when he reached the left outer passageway, and searched for something in his clothing pocket, looking for spell paper to move around.

"Excuse me, sir." A male voice that suddenly rang out behind him made cold sweat splash out on his temples.

"Are you Xav, one of the Trace organization members assigned to blow up City Hall right at sunset?" Eric said with condescending intonation, he was happy to see the frantic face of his target.

"W-what?" The man named Xav stepped back slowly, following up with Eric who advanced to approach him step by step.

"If so...." Eric pulled out his sword, causing fear to burst forth instantly within Xav.

"I'll finish you now!"

The sword-holder darted towards Xav, and the target stepped away.

Wrong move, Xav is not a great runner, he lost in this.

And.....

JLEB

Eric's sword had stuck into Xav's chest, piercing until the tip of the sword pierced through his back. Blood began to pour, soiling the ground on his foot, his narrowed eyes festering to react to the excruciating pain he felt.

"You! Uh-uhuk!" Xav growled then spewed out a red liquid from within his mouth.

"It's too easy for me to take the life of someone like you." Eric whispered softly at Xav's dying ear.

Eric pulled his sword from Xav's chest, letting the body fall on the ground. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned the bloodstains on his sword, then put it back into the sheath.

"It looks like you have an interesting item here......" Eric opened the bag that Xav had brought. The bag contained several bags of explosive powder and fire spell paper that could be used remotely.

He glanced at Xav who had closed his eyes with the tail of his eyes. "Is it better if I bury this thing with him?"

...----------------...

On the other side

*Good afternoon my uncle Griffin with his fake eyes! I want to report that the mission you gave me has been done well, am I not too great?

As a surprise gift, I helped you by blowing up your long mission destination, Port Sryce, you don't have to thank me uncle!

- Eric*

"What's? Bratty boy, even though I wanted to snatch a sack of gold in that port!" Griffin squeezes the letter paper sent by Eric with a shadow crow intermediary.

"Leave it, Griffin. The more you advise him, he'll keep fighting until you're caught off guard." Rachelle who was enjoying a cup of tea beside him said. He already knew very well how Eric behaved when advised.

"And he called me uncle? That old look of mine?" Griffin turned on Rachelle.

"That's because of your disguise appearance. Never mind, he always sucks like that, lucky Eric didn't call you grandpa." Rachelle smiled and sipped her tea.

"Jeez, that kid......" Griffins

...----------------...

"Hatchoo!!" Eric scratched his itchy nose. "Who's talking about me in the back?!"

The sky had already changed color, the sun had sunk in the west, he had to immediately return to the inn before Alice showered her with various questions.

To be continued.....