Chapter 14

After a long stretch of silence, a sudden swish broke the stillness. Another knife, sharp and precise, descended from the shadows, its motion swift and deadly. With a soft, sickening sound, it buried itself deep into his already bloodied body, joining the others in their cruel work.

The force of the strike caused a slight twitch in his form, but there was no reaction—his body now just a lifeless, punctured shell. The blade slid in effortlessly, its path following the others that had come before it.

"Really dead, huh," Cier muttered as he slowly stepped out of the shadows, his form emerging into the faint light.

His eyes were cold and unfeeling, yet beneath that icy exterior lingered the faintest shadow of fear—a fear born from the realization that he had narrowly escaped death. If not for his ability to divert the fatal strike onto his puppet, he would now be the one lying lifeless on the ground.

The thought sent a shiver through him, but he pushed it down, burying it deep.

He had been fortunate to place a puppet in a secure corner beforehand—an extra layer of caution that had, this time, proven to be his salvation.

Stepping toward the assassin's body, Cier's gaze hardened as it fell on the insignia pinned to the man's chest. "Gale Brotherhood," he thought bitterly, his fingers curling into fists. "I won't forget this."

The encounter served as a harsh lesson, one he would not take lightly. He needed to be sharper, more vigilant, more prepared—because men like these wouldn't hesitate to end him, and next time, he might not have a second chance.

Wasting no further time, he swiftly collected the scattered coins and the potion—the same low healing potion the man had mentioned. Tucking everything away, he slipped into the shadows and disappeared, leaving the grim scene behind as silence reclaimed the building.

Coming back to the streets, Cier moved swiftly through the shadows, his steps measured and deliberate. His goal was clear—head to the market, hand over the completed task, and collect his reward. Staying in the area any longer would be a risk. If the Gale Brotherhood discovered he had killed one of their own, the consequences would be severe.

Retracing his path, he noticed that the once-quiet alley where he had eliminated the first two gang members was now bustling with a crowd. The noise of chatter and confusion filled the air as curious onlookers gathered, undoubtedly drawn by the bodies.

Keeping his head low and face obscured, Cier blended into the background and slipped away unnoticed. His movements were silent, his demeanor calm, as if he were just another passerby going around. Blending seamlessly into the flow of the crowd, he quietly slipped away, leaving no trace of his presence.

After another half hour or so, he was back at the market. The entire task—from setting out for the mission to returning—had taken roughly four to five hours.

As he stepped into the bustling market, he quickly moved through the crowd, searching for a replacement puppet for the one that had been destroyed.

After a short while, his eyes landed on a toy vendor, whose stall was brimming with puppets and other assorted toys.

Approaching the vendor, Cier pointed to four of the puppets and asked, "How much for these four?"

"Only 30 copper coins, sir," the vendor replied with a friendly smile.

"Mm," Cier hummed in acknowledgment, slipping the puppets into a bag. As he turned to leave, he suddenly paused and, with a curious tone, asked, "Do you know how to make puppets?"

Noticing the puzzled expression on the vendor's face, Cier quickly rephrased his question, "What I mean is, do you have anything like a book or materials on puppet-making, something I could learn from?"

The vendor blinked a few times, clearly taken aback by the question, but after a moment, he nodded. "Well, I don't have a book,but you check that miscellaneous bookshop over there," he said, pointing towards a nearby shop."They often carry all sorts of books, including some on odd subjects like puppet-making. Not sure how detailed they are, but it's worth a look."

Cier thanked the vendor and walked toward the bookshop.

The reason he asked about books on puppet-making was that he felt it was wrong to always depend on puppets created by others, especially since his powers revolved around controlling them. Now that he had the money and some free time, he thought it would be a good idea to learn how to make his own puppets—maybe even as a hobby.

Who knows, it might even help him control and develop his powers more effectively.

Cier nodded, waiting patiently as the boy disappeared into the back room. The quietness of the shop was almost calming, the faint rustle of paper and the smell of old leather books filling the air. He stood by the shelves, idly browsing through some titles of books to pass time.

After a few minutes of waiting, the boy reappeared, holding an old, dusty book in his hands. The cover was faded, and the edges of the pages looked worn from years of handling. He handed it over to Cier with a smile, and the Cier examined it closely. The title was simple: "The Art of Puppetry: Crafting and Control."

"Grandpa mentioned that this one is a bit dated," the boy said, his tone slightly sheepish, "but it should cover everything you're looking for. If you're after something more up-to-date, I'm afraid we don't have it."

Cier nodded thoughtfully, his fingers tracing the worn cover of the book. He opened it and scanned a few pages. The content seemed thorough, detailing everything from the basics of materials and crafting methods to more advanced techniques, including ways to create puppets that could be controlled remotely. It was exactly what he needed, and more—offering not only the information he was looking for but also things he hadn't even realized he needed to know.

"I'll take it. How much for it?" Cier asked.

"Not much, just 15 copper coins," the boy replied.

Cier nodded, recognizing that books were generally more expensive than other goods. Considering the book's age and condition, the price seemed fair. He reached into his pouch and handed the boy 15 copper coins.

The boy took the coins with a smile, and Cier tucked the book under his arm. As he turned to leave, he gave the boy a quick nod of thanks. The bell above the door chimed as he exited the shop, adjusting the book in his hands as he made his way down the street.