Mission 44 (
Summary[]
The Shopkeeper tests Yor's instincts
The Thorn Princess and her colleague arrive at a garden maintained by the Shopkeeper. While she takes a moment to smell the flowers and admire the garden, the Shopkeeper decides to test her instincts by suddenly thrusting his garden shears at her. After Yor successfully dodges it, the Shopkeeper apologizes for his sudden attack but is satisfied that her reflexes have not been dulled by her family life. Shopkeeper proceeds to brief Yor on her latest assignment, which this time is not an assassination but the protection of mafia family members, Olka Gretcher and her son, aboard a passenger ship.
After the Shopkeeper explains the background and what the assignment entails, the Thorn Princess hesitates to take on the job as she worries about her cover at work and home. However, Garden has already prepared a cover story that she is on the ship as part of her work. With her mind at ease, the Thorn Princess gladly accepts the assignment.
Yor begins having doubts about her assassin job
On her way back home through the subway, Yor runs into Yuri, who is dozing off in his seat. She approaches him and asks why he is on a route he usually does not ride, and Yuri explains that he was on his way back from a work trip (but was actually arresting a dissident). She invites him over for dinner, but he declines. Yor asks Yuri if he is taking care of himself at home, but he reassures her that he is not a child anymore and can also be relied on. The siblings bid goodbye as Yuri gets off his stop, but he runs after the train in tears as soon as it moves away. Yor thinks about how Yuri is all grown-up now and contemplates why she is keeping her assassin job as he no longer needs her support.
Anya determined to go on the cruise trip
Meanwhile, Central Mall is hosting their biannual mega raffle, with the grand prize being a pair of tickets for a voyage on the cruise ship Princess Lorelei. Having completed their shopping, Anya notices the raffle and asks Loid for the raffle ticket they have earned to try her luck. As Anya queues for the raffle, she discovers through her telepathy that the person in charge of the event has rigged it after sticking the winning ticket to the top of the raffle box so he and his partner can go. With this information in mind, Anya pulls out the winning ticket.
At home, Anya happily parades the tickets she won as Yor arrives home. Loid suggests Yor go with Anya because he has work, but after seeing the tickets, Yor reveals that Princess Lorelei is the same ship she will also be boarding at the same time as part of her work trip. Reading Yor's thoughts that the family's presence there might complicate her assassin job, Anya contemplates going on the trip. Reasoning to herself that she can help Yor with her job, Anya decides that she wants to go and starts throwing a tantrum.
Loid's expectations of Sylvia's reaction to his request for time off
Loid reluctantly agrees to ask if he can get time off his work. When he does, he is surprised that Sylvia, instead of getting angry and threatening, accepts his request and makes arrangements to get him time off from the hospital as well. She then tells him to consider the vacation as part of Anya's care and education for Operation Strix and tells him to treat it like any other mission.
The Forgers head to the port
The big day arrives, and the Forgers make their way to the port by train, leaving Bond at home with Franky. While Anya is ecstatic about the trip, Yor feels she would enjoy it if she was not there for her assassin work and ponders making this the Thorn Princess's final job. The Forgers arrive at the port, and Anya is amazed by the size of Princess Lorelei. Before meeting with her colleagues, Yor says farewell to Loid and Anya, promising to contact them when she can.
The chapter closes as passengers board the boat with shadowy figures among them.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
Leonardo's original design
- This chapter is the first official introduction to the Shopkeeper, who, until this chapter, has been mentioned by Yor and only interacted with her through phone calls.
- In the original digital release of this chapter, Leonardo Hapoon had a different hairstyle. For the release of Volume 7, his hair was made longer.
References[]