Chapter 1539: Your efforts will not be in vain

[SHORT FLASHBACK]

Slater stood under a tree, far from the burial ceremony. Half of his face was hidden beneath the hood of his hoodie as he quietly observed the gathering crowd.

That day, it felt as if the world itself mourned a great loss. The clouds slowly turned gray, and soon, soft droplets of rain began to fall, quickly escalating into a heavy downpour.

Yet the air remained still. Silent.

Until a man’s cry suddenly pierced the air. Slater couldn’t see who it was through the circle of people surrounding him, but he could tell from their body language that they were trying to console the grieving man.

"I told you! I told you!" the cry rang out. "I told you!"

I told you.

Those were the only words that were heard, but the pain in them was undeniable—regret, grief, rage, all woven into each syllable.

Slater pressed his lips into a thin line, pulled his hood further down, and turned away.

I’m sorry, his heart screamed. It’s wrong... but I didn’t want to lose my family either.

Taking a life to save another — no matter the circumstance — was wrong from every angle. Slater knew this. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. He just didn’t have a choice.

No one would be happy about what he’d done. Not even Penny, if she knew. But standing in his shoes, he had been just as desperate. And so, no matter how bitter the cries were—how heavy they sat on his chest like a boulder no man should bear alone—he carried on.

Even so, as he walked away, Slater clung to a promise.

My cousin... he really likes this strawberry cake. Will you... send him one? He’ll cry ugly once he finds out.

Those were her final words.

The last words of the woman he killed.

That’s why Slater didn’t need to see who was crying. He already knew. It was her cousin—the last person Mint thought of before she died.

—

Even after the burial ceremony, after the final handfuls of soil were laid over the grave, Benjamin remained. One by one, people had left—some offering condolences, others words of comfort.

If he heard correctly, someone even told him: life goes on.

Life goes on.

"Hah," Benjamin let out a bitter laugh, his swollen eyes stinging from all the tears. "Life goes on."

Somehow, those three words enraged him in a way they shouldn’t have. He clenched his fists and stared at the freshly covered grave with fury and grief.

How could anyone say that to someone in mourning?

How?

Of course, life went on for them. But what about Mint? What about him?

This wasn’t life continuing. This was a life forever altered.

"Damn it, Mint," he muttered, raising an arm to cover his eyes as his lips trembled. "Damn it!"

He had warned her. Told her what she was doing would get her killed. But she didn’t listen. She laughed, boasted about her skills, her capability. She reassured him that nothing bad would happen.

She even smiled and told him that after this, she might finally resign.

That’s what she said.

And what he said in return was: "What if... there’s no after this?"

Had Benjamin known it would be their last conversation, he wouldn’t have walked out. He would have begged her to stop. He would have held her, pleaded with her. If he knew those would be his final words to her, he would’ve chosen better ones.

He would’ve hugged her instead.

And that was what hurt the most. Knowing that even if he apologized, she would never hear it. He would never hear her again, either.

The rain masked his tears as they fell freely.

But through the blur of grief, Benjamin caught movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head — and there stood Zoren, dressed entirely in black. Suit. Tie. Coat. Everything black, making his pale complexion look almost ghostlike.

Benjamin’s tears halted for a moment, replaced by anger.

"What are you doing here?" he asked under his breath. "I already resigned. There’s no reason for you to be here."

"Condolences, Ben."

Benjamin’s breath caught, his fists trembling. His burning eyes locked on Zoren’s unreadable face.

"Condolences?" Benjamin repeated, voice dripping with mockery as he stormed forward.

Before he could reach Zoren, Mark stepped between them, grabbing Benjamin’s arm and shaking his head.

"Ben," Mark whispered, "don’t."

Benjamin clenched his jaw and glared at Mark.

"Mark," Zoren said, "it’s alright."

"But Master—"

"Let him go," Zoren said calmly, never looking away from Benjamin.

Mark hesitated, then reluctantly released Benjamin’s arm. Benjamin yanked it away and hissed.

"Puppet without a brain," he snapped. "That’s all you are, Mark."

He turned his fury back on Zoren and pushed him hard in the chest.

"Condolences?!" Benjamin laughed bitterly, shoving him again. "How dare you? You! Of all people! You don’t get to show up and act like you care!"

He pushed again, and again—each shove harder than the last. Finally, overcome by rage, he raised his fist and struck Zoren.

The punch wasn’t powerful—Benjamin had no training—but it was enough to knock Zoren off balance and send him falling to the ground.

Benjamin stood over him, chest heaving, eyes swimming with tears.

"She’s dead because of you," he breathed. "You’re the one who put her in that situation. If you hadn’t dragged her into your obsession to clear this person’s name, which you didn’t even know, Mint would still be here."

His voice cracked as he stared down at the man he once admired. "Zoren Pierson, working for you... was the worst decision I ever made. Don’t ever show your face to me again."

"Or I’ll kill you."

With that, Benjamin cast him one last glare before shifting his glare at Mark and walking away.

Mark quickly approached Zoren, offering him a hand. "Master." His eyes swirled with concern.

"I’m alright," Zoren pushed himself up without Mark’s help, not bothering to dust off the mud that clung to his coat. Instead, he kept his eyes on Benjamin’s retreating figure.

"You should’ve told him," Mark whispered, lowering his head. "That Mint had been on to this case way before you tipped her off."

"It’s alright," Zoren whispered, eyes still on Benjamin. "It’s better that he doesn’t know anything and is far away from me. It’s the last thing I could do for Mint... as I will be the next."

His eyes then fell on Mint’s grave, his eyes softening just a little bit. "Your efforts will not be in vain," he whispered as he turned around to leave.

Thank you for your service, Mint.