The Villain's Sister - Chapter 111

― …If interference from the central government increases, we request that Your Grace personally step in to protect Mist Island’s rights….

Johan shoved the letter from Maggie Giomatti into a drawer.

If the situation was bad enough that even the central army had to be deployed just to capture a few villains, then it was right to secure the citizens’ safety, even if that meant selling off existing rights.

“Where’s Giselle?”

“She’s sleeping.”

Tristan was disassembling a gun.

After checking the ammunition, Johan asked indifferently, “Tranquilizer rounds. Planning to follow the transport tomorrow?”

“Liam Fabian, Sunshine, or Big Bear. I’ll probably run into one of the three.”

“Even with the army deployed, you’re still going. Is it to stop Sunshine from being killed?”

“Probably.”

The reason Johan had joined hands with Raphael to lock Sunshine up was because there was a high chance the man would kill her.

Big Bear held leverage over those in power, and Raphael held weapons.

In a civilized society, Big Bear would be the greater threat, but the underworld was a wilderness.

In the wild, the one with sharper claws survives.

“So that’s why you’ve been half-hearted about dealing with villains. There was an unavoidable reason.”

“I’ve told you again and again, don’t kill people. I’m not saying this just because Sunshine is your brother. I’m genuinely worried about you.”

“I don’t get it. How effective can it be to subdue villains with your precious tranquilizer gun?”

“Did you skip ethics class? Get some conscience into that head of yours.”

“Chasing ideals could make you lose everything.”

“It’s worth losing everything for.”

The man who pursued lofty ideals and became Red Shadow chose methods so cruel they went beyond practicality.

The police officer who became the Black Pistols because of filthy guilt chased lofty ideals.

They were like torn pieces of paper.

Each held what the other lacked, and if fitted together, they would make a perfect pair.

That was exactly why they didn’t mesh at all.

“You think I can’t arrest you when I know your face and identity?”

“I’m not sure you even have the power to arrest me.”

“Why don’t you try finding out?”

Pazjik—

Mana crackled in Johan’s hand.

Tristan looked ready to throw a punch at any moment.

As a well-known figure who stirred up Mist Island’s nights, just being angry made the air sharpen.

In an atmosphere where it wouldn’t have been strange for claws to come out and for him to lunge, the one who held back until the end was Tristan.

Letting out a deep sigh, he changed the subject, his tone noticeably softer.

“If you’re following Giselle, are you quitting being Red Shadow?”

“I suppose so.”

A glance.

After sizing Johan up, Tristan started reassembling the gun.

There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in his fingertips.

He looked like someone who had handled guns since the day he was born.

“Normally, I should arrest you, but Giselle’s life is at stake right now, so I’ll let it slide. But—”

Tristan raised the fully assembled gun and took aim.

The muzzle was pointed squarely at the center of Johan’s forehead.

“If you put that mask on again and hunt villains, I’ll arrest you immediately. I don’t care if my identity gets exposed.”

So, Your Grace, keep living as an ordinary civilian from now on.

“Alright.”

As long as Giselle stayed by his side, he could throw everything else away.

***

D-Day.

The day Raphael was escorted away and I ran came at last.

I was so anxious and restless that my palms kept sweating.

I was so tense that I woke up before sunrise.

“Whew.”

I tightly tied my hair back and put on thick black-rimmed glasses, a dowdy skirt, and a mask.

After even drawing my eyebrows differently than usual, I looked like a completely different person, even to myself.

― Three hours before Raphael’s transfer, an air of impending conflict hangs over Monte Prison.

Listening to the news on the radio made my stomach churn.

Raphael was a villain so notorious that even his trial was skipped.

That was why the entire city was focused on this transfer operation.

― The underground prison where Raphael Moltke will be incarcerated is known to have undergone new renovations and heightened security measures after Sunshine’s escape.

The hand holding the cup started shaking violently. Unable to watch any longer, Tristan took the glass from me.

“Want to take a sedative?”

“Ah, no. I’m fine.”

I scrubbed my face repeatedly, then complained in distress.

“How do you do this kind of thing twice? You’re really something.”

“You do it when you have no choice.”

“You said you’re following the transport, right? When do you leave?”

“Counting the time to track down a bike, ten. I’ll wait nearby, and if there’s no trouble, I’ll just come back.”

“So two hours left. After that, you said we’d stay at your family home?”

“It’s the best place to lie low. Did you pack everything?”

“There wasn’t much to pack.”

I’d already slung a small crossbody bag over my shoulder with all the important things inside.

The duffel bag only held a few changes of clothes.

“But where did Johan run off to?”

“He had something urgent to write, so he went to the post office.”

“A letter? In this day and age, not even a call…. Really like a great-grandfather. When we leave—”

Tristan, who had been joking to ease the tension, suddenly grabbed my wrist and shoved me behind him.

From the way the atmosphere shifted so quickly, there was clearly an intruder.

He pulled a gun from behind his waist and signaled for me to go find Johan.

“I should ask Johan for some sedatives.”

“Yeah. That’d be good.”

My hand gripping the bag strap scraped against the leather.

I tried to retreat inside as calmly as possible, but….

Bang! Bang! Crash!

The hallway window shattered, and bullets thudded into the elaborately decorated wall.

“Ah!”

“Run, now!”

I dropped flat to the floor before I could even take two steps and crawled away.

“Run—!”

“Capture the woman alive! Capture the woman alive!”

“Kill the man only!”

“Cowards, ganging up like this.”

Bang bang bang bang bang!

As gunfire erupted from Tristan, screams burst out somewhere in the distance.

Of all times, an attack when Johan wasn’t here. We didn’t have a single means of escape.

“Damn it.”

At the far end of the corridor, the gang members charged toward us.

Guns were clutched in their hands, without exception.

But since only three rushed in from the front, Tristan could still handle them.

Then, from behind, a man with a knife lunged straight at Tristan.

I fired without hesitation.

Bang! Tick!

The bullet struck the floor, sending marble chips flying.

The man’s head snapped toward me. I pulled the trigger again.

This time, it hit his calf.

At the same moment, Tristan aimed his gun at me.

Bang! Bang!

Before I could even react, bullets grazed past my neck and hit the gang members’ arms.

Thud. Thud.

Judging by the sound of bodies collapsing behind us, they must’ve been tranquilizer rounds.

“Let’s go!”

A hand smelling of gunpowder grabbed my wrist and yanked me along.

I was glad I’d memorized the location of the back door, just in case.

We cut across the first-floor banquet hall. Five gang members chased after us.

Bang bang!

Tristan fired at the ceiling.

The chandelier crashed down and shattered spectacularly.

“Damn it!”

We ran into the forest that stretched behind the duke’s residence.

Ratatatatang!

From far away came sounds no handgun could make.

Big Bear? Death Adder?

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

“Keep running straight.”

“What about you?”

“It’s harder to fight while protecting you. I’ll catch up soon, so go.”

Tristan shoved me toward the other direction. I hesitated for a moment, then said to him.

“Don’t die. I’ll fix everything.”

“Don’t jinx it.”

I ran through the forest. My legs trembled, and my mouth went completely dry.

Bang! Bang!

I kept running until the gunshots faded into a hollow ringing sound, and my chest felt like it was about to burst.

Boom!

I even heard an explosion.

What the hell was happening?

“Huff. Huff. Huff.”

I hid behind a tree and dragged in rough breaths.

Was Tristan okay?

Since I was supposed to head to the train station, he’d planned to stop by the warehouse for a bike, so he wasn’t carrying as many weapons as usual.

So Johan needed to come back quickly….

“Damn it.”

There was never a day when I was useful.

Damn it.

Just as I was forcing myself to stand, determined to at least run away properly, I sensed movement nearby.

Tristan? A gang member? Or Johan?

I rested my finger on the trigger.

I held my breath, but my heartbeat thundered like a drum.

Crunch. Crunch.

Footsteps drew closer. Leaves crunched behind me.

Crunch. Crunch.

They didn’t stop.

It didn’t seem like they planned to just take a quick look and leave.

My chest tightened. I felt like I was going to throw up from the tension.

Crunch.

The moment I sensed someone right beside me, I aimed the gun at their temple.