Dilemma of the Phantom

"Huft... Huft..."

'You've made me use up 5% of my power, Impressive.'

*Finn was almost died here.

Still gasping for my breath out of the fatigue, I took out a Mana Potion from my Shadow Pocket and gulp it down.

"Huft... Haahh..."

I turn my eyes to Ethan and Emma. After being held down by a Mental Attack on that level, it's no wonder why they're almost passing out.

"Drink this."

Throwing a couple of vials of Stamina Potion to the twin, I make my way to the end of the corridor to meet our last client.

After the hard against that Old Man, I've been itching to kick some easy ass. I need to regain my honour after all, and the only way to do that is to destroy enemies weaker than me.

Wait, what if the scientist is as strong as the old man here? I legit have to run away when that happens. But, I can't just do something so pathetic when these two are watching-,

Should I kill them just in case?

I tried to raise my blade and yet my arm was barely able to move, blocking Santiago's attack all those times must've worn me out... tch, never mind then.

You're lucky I'm feeling generous.

Ethan is helping up Emma who was still sobbing.

"Hiks... I'm scared, Onii-chan~"

"...It's okay, everything's okay."

While comforting her and patting her on the back, Ethan takes a look at Santiago's corpse.

Making his way toward me with Emma still in his arm, he asks me a question;

"...I believe you know who this old man is?"

"Of course I do."

He just introduced himself after all.

"...How do you know all this information anyway?"

"Haven't I told you? I've been hunting these cultists down for a while, I heard some big names here and there."

"...I see."

I bust open the door where the scientist most likely hiding, and sure enough, he was there trying to hide in the dark corner of the room.

'Haaah~, Thank god he hides from me. I'm screwed if this dude is a fighter too.'

"Come out, coward. Stop your useless hiding and face me."

'Actually don't. If you really pull out some hidden card to face me, I'll have to delete these children here. Don't you care for them? Have more sympathy!'

"W-who are you? Did Santiago actually lose?"

"Greetings; My Name is Phantom, The One who Dance Under the Moonlight, Hidden Away From the Sun."

"P-Phantom? I never heard of you!! Who the hell are you, where've you been hiding all this time??"

"Ssshhh, I'm the one asking the question here."

"I-I don't know anything!!"

"That's what they all said at first."

Moving closer to him step by step, the scientist starts trembling more and more.

"I-I swear!! Please, believe me!! If I have known anything I would have told you!!"

Usually handling things like this is very easy since I have Inflict Fear, but I have to use the last remaining drop of my Mana before and even though I've drunk some Potion, there's still a chance I'll pass out in the spot.

"I'll count to three."

"NO!! STOP!!"

"One..."

"I don't know anything, I swear!!"

"Two..."

"Please!! They will kill me if I say a word!!"

"Three."

"OKAY!!! I'll answer, I'll answer everything you ask, so-"

"Too late."

"Aggh-"

...

"...Is it fine to kill him?

"Don't worry, he can't say anything anyway."

I tore down his scientist robe and reveal a small purplish octopus mark painted on his chest.

"A Demonic Print. To ensure no one leaks anything from the cult, as soon as the mark sense a betrayal, it stopped the cultist heart instantly."

Scanning the room, I can see a lot of paper piling with what I think is the research data.

"Demonic Languange, I guess I'll need some time to decipher it."

Putting all the file that looks important on my Shadow Pocket, I start looking for other things of value.

"...Why there's so many Medicine here?"

"Ah, you see... the man I just killed before was a renowned physician of the Kingdom."

"What?"

"He served the King as one of the Royal Physicians even, the Cult influence reach is much further than the masses ever know."

Finally found the Monocle these two used to measure something in me before, I have no use for this place anymore.

"For now, go back to your place and stay low. Pretend as if you just got kidnapped by a random person and you managed to get out because of the Knight. We'll meet again at your Orphanage front yard two days from now around this time, there's a lot to talk about."

"...Got it. We live in the Eden Orphan."

"All right. Make sure Emma got some rest, She went through a long night."

They both start making their exit before Emma who keeps quiet all this time says something.

"U-umm... T-thank you!!"

"You're wel-"

"I meant it, T-thank you so so much!!"

'W-wait, if you thank me that much even I would feel guilty you know? I'm seriously considering to delete you 5 minutes ago, after all."

While her head still looking down, I can see the redness on her cheek. Bowing her head even lower, all of a sudden she burst into tears and cries loudly. She must've been holding it back all this time.

"U-uwaaaa!! I was so scared!! Onii-chan!! Hiks...Hiks..."

Ethan patted her head over and over again until she calmed down.

"Let's go, Emma, we're going home."

"U-um."

...

Well, I'm glad that they have each other. Seriously, what are those cultist thinking to hurt such a good girl like her? They truly have no heart.

◆

I wake up in the morning by the sound of barging door.

"Wake up, Finn!"

It's my Sister. Yup, She's as annoying as ever, can't you let your cute little brother sleep a little longer for god sake, I almost got killed last night you know? No, of course you don't know.

"Onee-chan~, I'm still sleepy~"

"The day has started! If you keep lazing around like that you'll never reach your sister, you know?"

"Ehh~, Onee-chan is just too strong~"

"That's an excuse for the weak! Now wake up before I drag you to the dining room, Father and Mother is waiting!"

"Ehh~"

"Huft... You really need to stop lazing around. For now, you're still a child so it's fine, but if you can't control your sleeping hour, you'll be in trouble when you enter the academy, you know?"

"Yes~"

Ah, The Academy. The place where I'll meet the Main Character that got surrounded by his harem. I guess I do look forward to that, everytime I watch a school Isekai Anime, I always Imagine myself in the place of a background mob who actually very powerful, while laughing at the Protagonist for how ignorant he is. Not even knowing someone much stronger than him exist in the class, moving in the Shadow.

I can't wait... Maybe I should plant another harem in the MC group, one of my Spy.

Yes, the MC will think he got all the girls, while not knowing one of them was a spy working for a mob character that he marked unimportant and ignores on daily basis. He would look like a fool and I would feel like a god!

*Finn isn't exactly a nice person

"Come on, Let's go!"

"Onee-chan, You're walking too fast~"

Arrive at the dining room, I was greeted by both of my parents.

There sits my Dad with his usual fierce blue eyes just like mine, while my Mum still sitting daintily with her usual charming smile. Actually, I never saw her stop smiling. I wonder if Mum is one of my people who moves in the shadow and when she's serious only her smile vanishes.

I've seen that archetype a couple of times before.

She has long black hair like my Sis, wearing a dress that is surprisingly light for a noblewoman.

But, I guess if you're one of my people, wearing a dress that is easier to move will give you an advantage. You won't know when you'll get ambushed after all.

As expected of Mum, I won't be surprised if she's turned out to be a former Assassin or something.

More importantly, She has Red Colored Iris! That's hella cool, truly a fitting color for an Assassin. My Sis has the same eyes too, how envious.

Dad, why your eyes must be blue? Why it can't be red too? I want to be red.

"Valentina, Finn, come sit."

"Yes, Father."

"Yes~~"

"I will be busy for the next week, you both be a good kids and listen to your Mother."

"Yes, Father!"

"Ehh~, where're you going dad?"

"Father will be busy Investigating some problems. Also, don't get out of the mansion after the sun is down."

"Understood, Father."

"I don't really get it but okay~"

"Don't worry dear, I'll keep our children safe."

"I'll leave them to you. Valentina, make sure to take care of your brother."

"I will, Father. Finn will be safe with me around!"

'Oh no, I have a bad feeling about this.'

"I-I can take care of my own just fine!"

"No! Onee-chan will accompany you for the rest of the day!"

"Ehh~"

"Why do you look so disappointed? You should say thank you at times like this!"

"Ehh~"

"Fufufu, Valentina is really liking her brother huh?"

"Of course!"

◆

"No sight is more provocative of awe than is the night sky." (1)

With a glass of grape juice in my hand, and the full moon shining beautifully tonight, I say the line with a deep face looking through my window.

"The Advent of Chaos shall unfold soon, I can't wait to be a part of Stars that will dance around the Moon."

Now then, I already dropped the Cultist research on my Father's office this morning, he should be able to decipher it quickly.

What? Do you actually think I have the intelligence to crack the code myself?

Bitch, I'm eight.

Also, Father is one of the King's most trusted Knight anyway, I'm sure he will do the right thing with it. Now I just need to wait and reap the result, like a true Shadow.

Wait-, I introduced myself as Phantom before, so will it be more right to say 'like a true Phantom'?

Hmm... it doesn't feel kinda right though.

"My Name is Phantom, The One who Dance Under the Moonlight, Hidden Away From the Sun."

It sounds really cool, but now that I think about it; Isn't Moonlight exist because of the Sun?

I mean, how could I be hidden from the Sun if I'm dancing under the Moon? Moon lightens up because of the Sun, after all.

So basically, I'm unliterally dancing under the Sun?

'This is quite a dilemma....'

And with that, I keep thinking about it over and over again until morning arrives.

Overthinking? No, I'm just being analytical.