암살자의 길

"확실한 죽음을: 칼날과 여러 수단."의 일부다. 에어의 저술 중 한 단락이 유독 눈에 띈다.

그대는 "은밀함"의 의미를 잘못 이해하고 있다. 그들은 당연히 내가 거기 있었던 걸 안다. 내가 그들 중 하나를 죽였으니 말이다. 하지만 내 목적은 그들이 내 존재나 목적을 눈치채지 못하게 하는 것이 아니다. 죽음이라는 것은 실상 일종의 전언이고, 전언이란 받아야만 하는 것이다. 결과가 아니라, 과정이 비밀스러워야 한다. 모두가 죽음이 오리라는 것을 알지만, 그게 언제일지는 모른다. 그 답이 "지금" 이고, 그 전언을 받아들일 수밖에 없는 상황에 부닥치기 전까지는.

신체를 절단하는 방법에 관한 전문적인 지식과 여러 약점 공략법에 관한 내용이 이어진다.

 

From "Of Granting Death: Blades and Other Means." Heir's words make one passage stand out:

 

You misunderstand the point of secrecy. Of course they knew that I was there—one of their number was dead. It is never the aim that they are ignorant to my purpose or presence. Death is, after all, a message, and messages are meant to be received. It is paramount that the arrival remain secret, not the result. They know what may come, but never when—until the answer is "now" and there is naught they can do but receive.

 

A treatise on cutting edges and other debilitating elements follows.