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Mistral. Cultural center of Remnant, capital of arts of all kinds, fashion, architecture, theater, the largest group of celebrities and rich owners after Atlas…

But this luxury did not extend over the whole Kingdom, or even over the whole city. The more you descend the mountain, the more you plunge into the darkness of the criminal world. Indeed, if the top was the perfect embodiment of the city's reputation, the lowlands of Mistral hided the largest black market in Remnant. As long as you have the means, and the courage to venture there, you will find everything you are looking for, object or service, legal or not.

In an alleyway, the door of an inn opened, and a small figure quickly came in before closing behind her. It was pouring outside, and the wind wasn't much friendlier. Everyone in the room turned their heads towards the newcomer, while the latter removed the hood of her long black rain coat, releasing a large mass of golden curls. Without paying attention to the looks of the various hired killers, traffickers and mafiosi of all kinds, the little girl walked to the counter with a calm step, a little shy, and tapped her finger against the counter to get the attention of the brunette girl with long hair, a little too much make up, with a neckline so large that a bra would surely hide more surface, who was waiting by filing her nails.

The receptionist didn't even look up from her task to look at her client.

-It's not kindergarten here, you're in the wrong place kid.

-I just want to take a room for the night.

-You've got money?

-Uh… A few…

The girl ignored her and put her nail file in a pocket of her dress, then pulled out a dark red nail polish. As she put her hand on the wood to keep it motionless, she heard the little girl's steps move away from the counter, and sighed at the child's naivety. Oh and after all, it was none of her business, she had to make herself look pretty for her night job clients.

Most of the inn's guests had gone back to their activities, dinners, poker games, and questionable business negotiations, but several still looked suspiciously at the little blonde girl. For a child who couldn't be more than eleven, she was far too comfortable in a place like this, she walked innocently in the room looking around, as if she was walking in a candy shop. Her big red eyes stopped on a group of four people, a woman in a richly decorated red and white dress was sitting in front of a businessman in an expensive black suit with a top hat, behind the woman stood a tall, strong man with a club attached to his hip, while the bodyguard of the man was of normal size, wore several layers of drab clothing, and had a large green scarf covering his head and lower face, leaving only his eyes uncovered, with no apparent weapon.

The little girl walked over to them and stopped right outside their table, cutting them off from their discussion. And as they stared at her suspiciously, she displayed a lost and desperate look that would melt the hearts of any parent in the Kingdoms.

-Hi…

The two adults looked at each other for a moment, then the woman turned her head disdainfully while fanning herself, while the man leaned towards the child with a fake friendly smile.

-Can I do something for you girl?

-I'm looking for a job.

The receptionist behind her counter stifled a laugh. Her boss had a lot of work for someone like her, but the poor girl had no idea what she was getting into. So cute.

-Oh. Well I have something to offer you-…

-Oh really?!

-Yes, but first I would like you to let me finish talking with my partner, we are discussing very important things.

-Oooooh! Okay !

And she left, frolicking to sit at a table a little further on, completely oblivious to the unhealthy looks and mocking laughter directed at her. She even took out a dilapidated porcelain doll from her coat to play with.

Seeing this, the man motioned to the receptionist to bring the little girl a dish to make her wait. Having girls in excellent health was part of his reputation after all. Of course, this one was still a little too young, but he would have all the time to train her, he lacked blondes anyway, and the customers would fight for bright red eyes like hers. He could even take the opportunity to have a little fun with her too…

-Well, excuse me dear, where were we?

-I was saying, you still owe me two-million-three-hundred-thousand Lien, and I'm seriously losing patience.

The brothel director felt a drop of sweat run down his forehead. The woman known as Lady Red was not someone you could take the threats lightly.

-I'll reimburse you, don't worry, I just need a little more time, I'm on a good deal.

-By adding an extra salary to pay?

Lady Red nodded to the little girl who seemed to be enjoying a vegetable soup.

-S-She won't work before a year or two, you'll have your money by then.

-You've already had more time than you needed. This is your last chance, you pay here and now, or your head rolls on the floor.

The man swallowed loudly when he saw the large bodyguard approaching. At the same time, his own protector stood between them. He didn't look like much, but the Green Rook was known in the criminal world for never having failed in a single one of his missions. And his current mission was to protect his client during this interview, as well as until the next morning.

After a tense moment, Lady Red sighed and motioned for her gorilla to come back in his place.

-Well, you're lucky, I have another meeting that prevents me from wasting my time here with you. But know that I warned you.

The man nodded, and held his breath until she left the inn. He couldn't afford to pay her without shutting it down, and he didn't know what he had done to deserve to be so lucky tonight.

Anyway, now he had to take care of the kid.

-And there you are, welcome to my office. Please come in.

A little shyly, the little girl entered the room with the man, and heard the sound of the door being locked behind her. The boy with the hidden face had stayed outside to stand guard, and there was no window, no way out, especially since they were in the basement.

-Okay, that could be a problem…

-Don't be afraid, sit down.

The little girl nodded and did as she was asked. The man sits behind his desk, smiling a little too much to her taste.

-So, young girl, what if you started by telling me a little more about you. How old are you ?

-Ten years old sir.

-I see. Oh, you can take off your coat you know.

-Eh? Oh yes, I forgot.

He smiled as she fidgeted to open her wet rain coat, which was way too big, took out a sheet, and leaned over it to write down the age and the physical description of his future new employee. When done, he looked up, smiling.

-Well, and your name now-…

Before stopping dead in his sentence. Without moving an iota, he slowly, very slowly looked down at the long Lightning Dust blade whose tip rested against the location of his heart. Looking again in front of him, he again met the little girl's red eyes, now cold and calculating, on her equally serious face, her large coat was placed on the back of the chair, no longer hiding the Dust blades scabbard she had on her right hip, her sleeve on the same side was empty, while her left arm was stretched forward, the handle of pro Huntsman weapon firmly held in her hand, without the slightest trace of pity or hesitation.

The man was terrified by her gaze, so much so that he was unable to shout to call his bodyguard just behind the door.

-If I have to do a not very clean job, I prefer not to be the one who suffers.

And on these words, a slight electric noise was heard in the room, before the man fell dead on his desk, eyes wide and mouth open drooling on the table. The girl sheathed her blade, and drew the sheet from under the corpse without the slightest trace of disgust. There was only her age and physical description, stating that she had red eyes, but she wouldn't take the risk. The leaf burned in her hand, turning into ash before it even reached the floor. She then grabbed her coat and tied it like a cape with the sleeves, so that the hood covered her hair and part of her face, while leaving her good capacity of movement and access to her weapon. She quickly evaporated the water that had dripped on the floor, and pulled out her Scroll to take a picture of the man, clearly showing his dead face.

Now where did he store his money?

Rook had been waiting outside the door for a few minutes now. She disliked protection missions, partly because it was often boring, but also because she had to keep alive the most disgusting people in Remnant, men and women full of money who thought they were the center of the world, who saw people as worthless insects that they enjoyed crushing, or at best as pawns to use. She preferred assassination missions, it didn't always pay as well, but she still preferred to have blood on her hands than to have to protect garbage that deserved to die in excruciating pain!

But hey, she wasn't really in a good position to judge them, after all, even if it was for a "good cause", her job consisted mostly of cold-blooded killing for nothing but money.

An explosion sound echoed inside the room, making the floor and the walls tremble. Rook didn't waste a second before kicking the door down and taking out her weapon. Her green scarf covering almost her entire face saved her from being too bothered by the dust that flew through the air. The sound of a wire being taut reached her, just before a shelf fell from the left wall, several decorative trinkets broke as they fell. After a second or two, the room became more or less visible, and the assassin noticed several things.

First, her client was dead.

Second, the explosion was against the floor, creating a large crater still hot on the ground, but no exit since they were in the basement.

Third, the little blonde girl was no longer in.

Rook turned to the only exit in the room, the door behind her she just knocked on, and which was now wide open.

-Dammit !

Without wasting time, she ran towards the stairs at the end of the corridor, and heard the sound of a door being locked up there when she put her foot on the first step. She stopped, and let her arms hang over her body, staring at the door in dismay.

The Green Rook, one of the best assassins in Mistral, perhaps even in Remnant, known for never having failed on a mission, no matter how difficult… had just been fooled by a ten-year-old blonde girl. Worse, the girl just successfully completed an assassination mission right under her nose.

She had to find her.

-Wow… Well, I must admit, I am impressed, I honestly didn't expect you to succeed, especially after seeing the Green Rook with him.

Sitting royally on her throne with a glass of champagne in one hand, Lady Red gave the Scroll to one of her minions, who in turn gave it to the little blonde girl in front of her. She really didn't expected such success, even after seeing the kid's excellent acting. She knew that the girl was entering the profession, she would have heard of a murderous prodigy with eyes bright red like the flames of death, and yet so cold. She had a great career as a killer, in a few years, she would be the kind of person you don't want to get in trouble with.

-And thinking that it was I who unearthed such a pearl. What a shame that she works independently.

The woman snapped her fingers, and a man in a suit brought the child a small wooden box on a silver tray.

-I always keep my word. Eighty thousand Lien, as promised.

Compared to the two million three hundred thousand that the girl had recovered from the hideout of this perverse asshole, it was nothing, and it was well worth the work she had done. The little girl took her booty and stuffed it into a pocket of her big coat. She had no apparent weapon, but Lady Red now knew it shouldn't be trusted.

The blonde turned to go without a word, and headed for the door.

-By the way, young girl, you didn't tell me your name. Who do I contact if I need your services again?

The girl didn't move for a few seconds, then turned so that her bloody gaze came into contact with her first client's, etching it forever in her memory due to its intensity and coldness, despite its burning color.

-Falcon.

And here I am again!

No, I'm not putting a whole chapter, just a prologue, just to file you in.

Thank you again for your support throughout Part I, we saw Yang growing up together and it's not over, far from it.

I'm not telling you too much here, I'll let you make your own theories on this Part II and see you next week!

Kiss!

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PS: I decided to base the Lien on the Yen so we are all on the same base.