1 The Assassin

"Excuse me!"

Yohana tried to move as she was getting squeezed in the crowd.

The square was lined with soldiers, their swords unsheathed and at the ready to quell any potential uprising.

The sky was dark, a storm brewing in the distance, adding to the ominous atmosphere of the event.

"Hang the traitors!"

Tensions among the mass of commoners intensified as jeers filled the air.

Yohana saw a bearded man in tattered clothing. She knew him as the king of Reichwein—former king of Reichwein. Beside the man was his wife, the former queen.

The couple had completely lost the grace they used to carry when they were still on the throne.

Right, today was the day.

The current monarch demonstrated to the people of Reichwein the consequences that awaited those who betrayed the kingdom for their own gain, even if it was the royal family.

Some women whispered in disgust. "I can't believe the king and the queen conspired with the enemy."

"You mean former king and queen. I no longer acknowledge them as the ruler of Reichwein Kingdom," her companion replied.

As the former royal couple was led to the scaffold, the crowd's bloodthirsty cries became deafening, drowning out any other sound in the square.

"Excuse me! Coming through." Yohana's voice was completely muffled.

The former king and queen stood at the edge of the scaffold, their heads held high, even in their final moments. The executioners put the rope around their neck.

With a swift motion, the floor beneath their feet dropped. The former monarchs' bodies dangled in the air before stopping completely.

The crowd erupted into cheers, their bloodlust temporarily sated.

As Yohana was stuck there, she looked around and noticed a woman wearing a hooded cloak who was gazing at her. The woman swiftly turned around and vanished.

Before Yohana could ponder over the woman's identity and her reason for observing her, she finally managed to break free, pushing her way through the crowd.

Her attention shifted back to her intended destination—the dimly lit alley adjacent to the bustling market, shielded by towering walls, and inconspicuous to the multitude.

She struggled to glide through the cramped street in her dress, but she had to blend in. Moreover, no one would suspect a frail lady with a nice dress and hair to be an assassin.

The narrow alley was sandwiched by stone walls. Several steps down the path, there was a small space hidden behind a brick.

Yohana took out that particular brick, showing the recessed area, containing a tiny piece of paper.

After sliding the paper into her pocket dress, she put back the brick and returned to the main road as if nothing had happened.

***

[Target: the exiled prince]

[Location: Ostpreussenthal]

Yohana crumpled the paper after reading and memorizing the information of her new target and threw it into the gutter.

Ostpreussenthal, the southernmost town, was a dull and impoverished place catering to key figures who were exiled for their sins. It was a half-day journey from Grossfeld to Ostpreussenthal.

As an assassin, constant travel was inevitable, so Yohana tried not to get attached to any one place. However, Grossfeld, the capital city of the Reichwein Kingdom, almost felt like home to her, and leaving always brought a certain negative feeling to her heart.

She packed light and entered an inn, immediately locking eyes with the clerk, Sascha. Sascha was a young woman with neat hair and dress, but clearly of no high status. She smiled at the familiar face; after all, who wouldn't remember a beautiful woman with silver hair?

"Miss Yohana! Are you getting more herbs?" she asked politely.

"Yes, I'm almost out of echinacea and yarrow. I need one ticket to Ostpreussenthal," Yohana replied.

"That won't do. I need the yarrow. Ostpreussenthal it is. That would be thirty Kroners, Miss Yohana."

Yohana rummaged in her handbag and drew out three pieces of paper.

Sascha took them in exchange for a ticket for a seat in the coach. "Here you go. It's ready to go, Miss."

She gestured at the glass window, showing a standing wagon. Theodor the coachee was helping women into the coach, while the men waited behind.

"Thank you." Yohana walked out of the inn and joined the other passengers in the queue.

"Ma'am." Theodor removed his hat and bowed.

Yohana returned the greeting before entering the coach. There were seven passengers including herself. Four of whom were ladies, while the other three were men.

In that long of a journey, chatting with other passengers was the most preferred way to pass the time.

But, of course, some people would rather spend their time reading or sleeping, like that man who closed his eyes as soon as the coach departed or the lady who chose the seat by the window and was glued to her book.

"I'm going to Siegstein to visit my sister. She had just given birth to a girl. I couldn't wait to see my niece," one woman said. She took up the most space in the coach with her body.

Also, she put her accessories beside her, which wasted more space. But she looked like she held the highest status among everyone in this coach.

"I am sure she will be as beautiful as you, ma'am," another lady chimed in.

She was a rather thin lady with long legs. She must have had insecurities about her teeth as she hid them with her fan.

"Oh, thank you. What about you, dear? Where are you headed to?" The plump lady turned to Yohana.

Not only her silver hair but her exceptional beauty was bound to attract attention.

While her employer had provided enough money for her to hire a private coach, doing so would raise suspicions from Sascha, who only knew her as a herbalist. She also couldn't afford to disclose her exact destination to others.

Taking the train would be a better option, as Yohana disliked mindless interactions like the one she was having with her fellow passengers.

However, the train was filled with nobles, and gossip could be a dangerous weapon. Once a noblewoman set her sights on someone, it was difficult to escape their scrutiny.

To maintain discretion, Yohana had opted for the public coach, where passengers came from all social classes.

By dressing like a middle-to-upper-class lady, commoners would mistake her for a noblewoman, while noblewomen would view her as a commoner trying to appear wealthy.

"Ostpreussenthal," Yohana replied politely, keeping her face neutral. She didn't want to reveal too much about herself or her purpose for traveling.

The plump lady nodded. "Ah, Ostpreussenthal. Not the most exciting place, but I'm sure you have your reasons for going there."

"Actually, it will be my first time there. Have you perhaps ever visited the town? You see, I am an apprentice of the church. I will be attending a Holy Sermon led by the Archbishop himself." Yohana said, clasping her hands in front of her chest—a gesture widely used by the members of Sanctus.

The Reichwein Kingdom was heavily dominated by Sanctus, mostly the Orthodox branch. However, even the Reformed branch viewed the Orthodox church with respect.

It was always a good idea to include it in her identity as people would warm up immediately without any suspicions.

"Oh my, you are from the church! May the Saints guide you and your path," the plump lady responded with a genuine smile. "Siegstein is close to Ostpreussenthal, so I had a few chances to visit. Also, my sister's husband is a merchant who often travels to Greifswaldia for trade. Ostpreussenthal is rather rural, so you don't find many bandits around, making it a safe pass-through."

Yohana noted that the town was not densely populated, which was better for her.

"However, that's all there is to it. Visiting for a few days or weeks might be refreshing, especially if you're from the city. Ostpreussenthal will be a welcome change of pace. Since you'll be there only for the Holy Sermon, you might consider this trip rather fortunate."

"I am grateful for your kind words, and I hope to enjoy the change of air in Ostpreussenthal," Yohana said. Then she steered the conversation to the one point that interested her. "I hear that the former prince is imprisoned there."

The sole mention of him was enough to dampen the whole atmosphere in the coach.

The plump lady still looked at Yohana fondly, perhaps taking her as an oblivious person who only fixated on the holy matters of the church. "Yes, dear, he is kept at the exile home by the grace of King Georg."

She ensured to include the current monarch, showing Yohana that she too hated the previous monarch for their startling betrayal to the people of Reichwein.

At least Yohana was able to fish out what she wanted to know. The former prince was not in jail; instead, he was most likely kept at a private home.

Yohana was surprised to see the extent of King Georg's generosity toward the Schauenstein family. It was uncommon for monarchs to spare the lives of former royals upon the ascension of a new ruler.

Although the prince was a prince in name only—all through the Schauenstein reign, the prince rarely appeared in social events—he still posed a threat as a member of the previous monarchy.

Moreover, the former heir apparent, the crown princess, had escaped and was at large.

"I see that I may have brought up an uncomfortable topic. Please enjoy your rest, ma'am. Don't let my denseness ruin your journey."

Yohana pulled out a religious book from her bag and began to read, using it as a way to end the interaction.

The journey passed without much incident. One by one the passengers disembarked the coach, and soon Yohana arrived at Ostpreussenthal, the farthest destination of the coach.

As she stepped out of the coach, Yohana made mental notes of her surroundings, taking in the sights and sounds of the town. She knew that in order to carry out her mission successfully, she would need to be familiar with the area and its people.