Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods-Chapter 45. Partner Cute Assassin

"Partner?" Alan muttered, pulling out his combat knife. His body still buzzed with leftover adrenaline. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

Zoe sighed, clearly unbothered by the blade. "Not as much as the guy who’s always talking about my thighs."

Alan snorted, stepping back a little with mock offense. "Can you blame me for that? You’re the one who sandwiched my neck between them."

But even as he bantered, something clicked in his mind.

Wait...

His blue eyes narrowed as he took a better look at her beautiful, out of the world face now without the mask.

He pointed. "Hold on. Aren’t you Duke Danel’s knight? I saw you in the meeting hall today."

She smiled slyly. "Also his secret assassin," she said casually. "Name’s Zoe."

"So that’s why you tried to kill Anna in the tavern. But why did you follow and saved my ass now?"

She didn’t answer. Just took a small step back, tilting her head.

"Relax, Alane Fitzgerald," she said with maddening calm. "I’m not planning anything against you right now."

Alan’s entire body tensed. His grip on the knife tightened.

Wait.

She knew his name, his real name that he abaonded, his eyes widened in panic. "How the hell—"

He lunged, ready to silence her. But she was faster as an experienced assassin, she caught his wrist mid-air, twisted, and swept his legs out from under him. In a second, Alan hit the rooftop with a thud.

Zoe dropped onto him, straddling his chest with both knees and locked his wrists against the floor with her hands.

Her weight pressed down on him and her hips shifting slightly as she settled into his hip. Her face hovered inches from his, it’s close enough that her breath grazed his lips. A faint knowing smirk curled her, almost playful.

"I said," she whispered slowly, staring into his furious eyes, "I’m not planning anything against you, Alane."

She leaned closer, voice soft like a secret. "If I wanted to expose you... I’d already have told Duke Danel you’re the one who wrecked his Gravion mines."

Alan’s breath caught.

Her tone wasn’t threatening, it was just... truth and that was somehow worse. He couldn’t figure out what the hell she was really after—but one thing was clear, If she were going to snitch, she would’ve done it already.

Zoe didn’t even blink. "Exactly."

"Then tell me straight." His voice was low, sharp. "What do you want?"

The black-haired girl didn’t move from her position. Her icy blue eyes still locked on his blue eyes.

"The same thing you want," she said quietly. "A place where unblessed people can live... without fear."

Alan’s brow twitched. "That’s not my goal."

Zoe just smiled slightly. "Maybe not. But you’re heading in that direction."

Alan glanced at her again. "You don’t look unblessed to me."

"I’m not," she said simply. "But my little brother is."

"Is he executed?"

"No," she said, her voice tightening. "Not executed. He’s in a deep sleep... sealed by one of the Duke’s binding spells. They didn’t want to kill him yet. But in exchange, I became their disposal tool."

"...An assassin," Alan continued.

She nodded. "Exactly."

"Great." He laughed hollowly. "Another fucked-up life story? Like I needed one more on my list, I’ve suffered enough already."

Zoe leaned closer, her chest pressing slightly against his as her breath brushed his cheek. "Then don’t suffer more," she whispered. "Let me help. You want to dig into the Church’s secrets, right? You want revenge and I want my brother’s freedom. We are going in the same direction, Alan. Just different goals."

He stared up at her with an unreadable expression.

"And how do I trust you?" he asked. "You could be feeding me lies right now."

"That’s why I told you who I am. Nobody knows I’m the K’Night Queen assassin. Not even most of the Duke’s court."

Alan still didn’t trust her.

But...

She was strong, fast, and capable. Not champion level but she’s damn close. Definitely enough to put up against champions. She’d be useful.

He sighed and looked with a deadpan expression.

"Now please," he grumbled, "get your damn face off mine. I’m a guy."

Zoe blinked as she felt something where she sat.

"You tried to stab me," she whispered and lifted herself off him, standing with quiet grace while Alan sat up.

Alan adjusted his cloak while watching Zoe carefully. "How do you even know about my real name?"

Zoe didn’t answer immediately, her gaze turned back toward the glowing festival, her expression softened for a second.

"...Hey," he added. "You ran away that day too, didn’t you?"

She still didn’t answer. For a moment, she stood motionless, remembering the nightmare trap that had backfired and how her own spell had imprisoned her inside a dream version of Alan’s mind.

There she met future Alan and negotiated with her.

But she couldn’t say that to present Alan. She’d promised to that Alan.

Instead, she simply said, "I saw your memories... when I tried to trap you in the nightmare....Alane."

"Don’t call me that."

Zoe looked at him again with a teasing grin. "Fine. Then I’ll call you thighs pervert instead."

He clicked his tongue. "Honestly? Less insulting than Alane."

She chuckled under her breath.

But then her eyes went back to the festival again, scanning the streets and glowing lanterns. "You know? you’re already seven minutes late."

Alan blinked. "Huh?"

"Your innocent noble lady... and your clingy cat-lady." She smirked. "They might be starting to worry."

Alan’s eyes widened slightly. "Shit..."

Zoe turned toward him one last time, wind lifting strands of her black hair as her fingers poised to snap. "Let’s continue our talk again sometime, thighs pervert."

Before he could reply she snapped her fingers.

A ripple of shadow bloomed beneath his feet and in an instant, he vanished in a swirl of black mist.

Zoe stood there alone on the rooftop with her mask in her hand.

"...Is he really that much of a pervert?" she muttered to herself.

But her mind drifted again, remembering the way the future Alan had shared every detail about her body like he’d memorized her. Every scar, Every mark. Every—

She blushed faintly.

"...Of course he is. A total pervert," she muttered, slipping her mask back on with a small smile.

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Meanwhile, near the festival mask stall, Anna turned one of the ornate feathered masks in her hand, distracted, her brows slightly furrowed.

"...He’s still not back," she murmured.

Moriko’s voice suddenly shouted from behind. "Hey, noble lady! What do you think of this?"

Anna turned and frowned. The cat-girl was proudly posing with a sleek white cat mask that matched her ears too perfectly.

"You’re really enjoying this?" Anna muttered. "Alan hasn’t even returned."

Moriko tilted her head. "You think he got lost? Maybe he’s spying on us from a roof somewhere like a weirdo—"

Before she could finish, a smug male voice cut in from the side.

"Well, if he’s late..." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"...maybe we can keep you ladies company until he shows up?"

Anna turned swiftly to see a group of four thuggish-looking men stood there, all wearing lazy grins and half-drunk confidence.