I was having the sweetest dream—hugging big, soft, warm boobs… who were even larger than me.
Then that wonderful softness suddenly started crushing me with its weight.
I jolted awake.
Something heavy was on top of me… and before I could even register what, Roxanne's warm lips pressed against mine. Our tongues tangled in a sloppy morning kiss.
"Good morning, Master," she whispered sweetly as she broke the kiss.
"Good morning, Roxanne," I replied with a smile.
Then I looked down.
"Huh? How did Setsuna get here…?" The wolf girl was sprawled completely on top of me, hugging my torso like a full-body pillow. "Wasn't she sleeping beside you?" I whispered.
"I don't know either, Master," Roxanne said with a little chuckle. "When I woke up she was already like this… maybe she wanted to be even closer to you."
I gently stroked Setsuna's blue hair and soft wolf ears. After everything she went through yesterday, she must be feeling really lonely.
She stirred at my touch and suddenly sat up with a little gasp.
"Huh?" Her blue eyes blinked at me in surprise.
I cupped her cheeks and kissed her before she could panic. She softened instantly, melting into my arms and hugging me back.
"Good morning, Master," she murmured with a shy smile.
I wished her the same and didn't bother asking how or why she had ended up on top of me.
Because of our little commotion, the other girls began waking up as well.
Their reactions to the morning kiss were adorable—Vesta and Kunou being the shyest. While Yasaka was practically fawning over me.
The usual order this morning was completely scrambled, as Anastasia ended up being the last one to wake up.
"We woke up pretty late today, didn't we?" I said, glancing at the morning light spilling through the windows.
"Yes, Master. It's already close to morning meal," Roxanne said as she brought over my clothes. "Since you said we weren't going to the labyrinth early in the morning, I didn't wake you. Though… many of the girls have already been awake for some time."
"Well, we all slept really late last night," I sighed as Roxanne helped me dress. "It's fine to take a slow morning for once."
I stretched my arms and let out a yawn.
"After a hearty meal, we'll head into the labyrinth. Today's going to be… a busy one."
When we stepped out, Sherry was the first to greet me with a kiss, informing me that Erina, Ram, and Rem were already preparing breakfast.
I told the others to freshen up and help once they were ready. I washed up as well, and by the time I stepped out of the washroom, most of the girls were already awake.
Walking down the stairs, I couldn't hold back a yawn. It felt like one of those typical Monday mornings—too tired to start the day—but seeing all these beautiful faces moving about had brightened my mood quite a bit.
"It smells great in here," I muttered as I entered the kitchen. The girls were bustling around, busy with preparations. A quick look told me we were low on fresh bread. Erina offered to cut the remaining loaf thinner, but I shook my head.
"Let's just go buy some fresh bread. Roxanne?" I called.
"Yes, Master," she said with a cheerful smile.
We Warped straight to the Explorer's Guild.
I brought Roxanne along because I wanted to discuss how we would be testing and sorting the girls today—and if there was anything else we needed for breakfast. As expected, she ended up buying plenty of additional ingredients from the morning market.
The whole errand didn't even take half an hour. Roxanne kept a bright smile the entire time—guess she really enjoyed getting some alone time with me. I really should make time for the others too, so no one feels neglected.
Well, since we would be spending the whole day in the market and the labyrinth already, I decided that today wasn't the right time… but maybe sometime this week I would try spending time with each of them individually.
With fresh bread and several extra loaves in the bag, our morning run was officially complete.
As we stepped back into the kitchen, Roxanne suddenly froze.
"Master… someone is in the dining room. And this smell—it's completely new," she whispered, eyes narrowing towards the direction.
"Oh? Did someone arrive while we stepped out?" I asked the girls.
They all shook their heads.
"Alright, let's see who it is," I murmured, lowering my voice as I immediately added Vesta, Roxanne, and Sherry into my party.
I adjusted my job settings to my strongest setup and mentally prepared to draw Durandal if needed.
Voices reached me from inside the dining hall—light chatter.
When we entered, I saw Remu, Shera, Shea, Setsuna, Viviana, and Miria setting the table and chatting casually.
No stranger in sight.
But Roxanne's sense of smell had never failed me.
I trusted it completely.
So I quietly used Appraisal.
Except for the girls, the dining table, the chairs, and the plates… there was one thing that didn't belong:
An inconspicuous status window, floating in what appeared to be an empty corner of the room.
[Victoria Gilen
Assassin Level 15
Bonus Job: Witch Level 30
Equipment: Steel Dagger, Leather Jacket, Leather Boots, Leather Gloves, Sacrificial Misanga]
The moment I saw it, my Opportunity Sense started tingling inside my mind. And I instinctively activated Overwhelming.
The very first thing I did was control my fascial expression and casually shift my gaze toward Miria, pretending nothing was wrong.
Because I had understood instantly:
There was someone in that corner.
Someone invisible.
Someone very skilled.
A shocking revelation—yet showing that I had spotted the person would have been the worst possible mistake.
With Overwhelming active, my thoughts raced. I looked again at the familiar name, and that's when everything clicked:
Victoria Gilen.
A female name.
A Witch bonus job.
An Assassin.
I knew exactly who she really was.
As an avid reader of Release That Witch, I knew her better by her other name:
Nightingale.
Roland's shadow.
The second female lead of the story.
The assassin witch whose primary ability was to wrap herself in mist and become invisible… She had even learned to slip through solid matter by stepping into that strange "mist world."
I had literally been thinking about her yesterday—and now she was here, hiding in my dining room.
My Opportunity Sense was telling me that the best move here was not to fight her.
And it made perfect sense—trying to battle someone who could vanish at will, slide through solid matter, and strike from any angle?
That was just asking for trouble.
But why was she here?
Was she still working as an assassin for her uncle?
Had someone already placed a hit on me?
Why would anyone target me this early?
Because of the Auction yesterday?
No… wait.
If the Royal Selection had already begun, then according to the RTW timeline, she should be with the Witch Cooperation Association, not stalking a random adventurer.
So why was she in my dining room? Her presence here really didn't make any sense.
Questions spiraled through my mind, but I focused on what needed to be done first.
Using the party link, I sent a mental message to Roxanne, Sherry, and Vesta:
'There's a female witch in the corner. Don't attack. She might become an ally.'
'Understood, Master.'
Roxanne sounded startled but obedient.
The others also agreed just as Overwhelming faded.
"Master, the meal will be served soon," Viviana said gently, pulling out the main chair for me. "Please sit until everything is ready."
"Thank you, Viviana." I nodded, then added, "But we should be polite hosts first… and invite our guest to join us."
I walked to the opposite side of the table and pulled out a chair.
"Won't you have a meal with us, Miss Nightingale?" I said calmly, smiling at the seemingly empty corner beside me.
"Why is Master talking to a wall…?" Shea muttered, confused. The others exchanged the same bewildered look—except Roxanne, Sherry, and Vesta, who all tensed up instantly.
Even I couldn't see her—not a shadow, not a shimmer. Only the floating status bar from Appraisal marked her position, like an invisible nameplate hovering above her head.
Then—
In the split second the status bar shot toward me, I reactivated Overwhelming, ready to defend myself if necessary.
She was undoubtedly moving fast—but in my heightened perception, the status bar drifted slowly, clearly circling behind me.
For a moment I considered intercepting her…
but my Opportunity Sense kept insisting that I don't attack.
So I let her move behind me.
The next second, a chilling touch pressed against my neck.
A dagger.
"How did you find me?" a soft, icy voice whispered against my ear. "And how do you know me?"
Her breath brushed my skin—calm but lethal.
"And before you think of lying, I have a dagger at your throat. So don't do anything stupid. Answer my questions."
"Get away from Master!" Roxanne shouted, fury exploding in her eyes as she sprinted toward me.
"Wait, Roxanne." I raised my hand to halt her.
Gods, I wanted to see a fight between Nightingale and Roxanne—but Roxanne would be at a horrible disadvantage fighting someone who was literally invisible.
'I have the Sacrificial Misanga and the Alchemist Plating. Don't worry.'
I sent the reassurance through the party link.
She stopped, but only reluctantly, her eyes still trained behind me.
Around the table, the rest of the girls froze as realization hit.
Setsuna, Remu, Miria, and Vesta all stepped forward, ready to rush to my defense.
"You have very loyal slaves," Nightingale noted sharply, voice closer now—right at my shoulder. "But I could slice your throat before any of them reach you. You made the smart choice telling them to stay back."
Her tone tightened with urgency.
"Now… answer my questions. Quickly."
"You're mistaken, Nightingale. I don't need them to save me at all," I replied calmly as I dumped points into Strength and caught the invisible hand at my neck.
Still under Overwhelming, I spun around and cast Water Wall right in front of me.
A sheet of water surged downward, and through its rippling surface I finally saw the faint silhouette of a woman.
Suddenly, a dagger materialized in midair. Her free hand snatched it through the water, angling to press it against my neck again.
She must have dropped the blade from the hand I was holding and tried to gain the advantage with her other.
She was quite clever and fast.
But with Overwhelming boosting me, I was faster.
I caught her second wrist too.
"If you want answers," I sighed, holding both her hands easily, "then why don't you just ask like a civilized person instead of waving knives around?"
She struggled, trying to wrench her arms free, but I didn't tighten my grip—just held her firmly.
"I really don't wish to hurt you, Veronica."
Her movements stopped.
As the Water Wall faded, the silhouette solidified—she dropped her invisibility, revealing herself fully.
A soaked black hood clung to her head, water running down its edges. Beneath it was a mature, strikingly beautiful face framed by blonde hair. Her violet eyes were sharp, wary, and fixed on me with open suspicion.
"…How do you know that name?" she asked quietly.
"I'll tell you everything," I said with a small smile, "but I'm starving. How about sitting down and having a meal with us first?"
Her expression frosted over. "Just answer the question."
"You barged into my house and even held a dagger to my neck," I said in an exasperated but sincere tone. "And in return, I'm offering you food and a chance to talk peacefully. Can't you see I'm not trying to fight you here?"
My Initial Movement Sense buzzed—she was about to kick me with both legs—so I quickly added:
"Can you please drop your hostility and try to be reasonable?"
She halted, lowering her head slightly.
"…It's not your house," she muttered under her breath, sounding indignant.
"Oh? You mean it's yours? That's news to me," I said, blinking in surprise when she didn't attack.
"No, I'm not the owner either," she grumbled. "But you're just renting this place—you haven't bought it. So you're not the owner." Her violet eyes narrowed slightly, as if she had scored a point.
"You're… correct," I admitted, giving her a strange look. "Anyway, I'm letting you go now. Don't attack me or the others. I'm putting a lot of trust in you, and I don't want us to end up enemies. So please… behave."
I released her wrists.
"Ugh—" She stepped back quickly, massaging her hands and watching me warily.
"Master, are you alright?" Roxanne rushed over, checking me from head to toe.
"He's fine. My blade didn't touch him," Nightingale said, rubbing her wrists. Under her breath, barely audible, she muttered, "How is his grip so damn strong…?"
"Because he is Master," Roxanne replied sharply, glaring at her.
"I'm fine, see?" I said, brushing myself off. "Girls, clean up this water and offer a towel to our guest. And tell Erina we'll have one more person for the meal."
The girls reluctantly moved to obey, still tense and throwing suspicious glances at the soaked assassin. Roxanne, Sherry, and Setsuna stayed close as I took my seat at the head of the table.
Meanwhile, Veronica—Nightingale—stood completely still, her violet eyes fixed on me without blinking, studying me as if trying to unravel the greatest mystery she had ever encountered.
I studied her too.
The first assassin I encountered in this world turned out to be a beautiful woman.
A cliché isekai trope—
but one I was very, very grateful for.