The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 335: Chapter 330 — Awakening

Zephyrion lowered his gaze to his empty plate, still trying to make sense of the strange feeling Horus had given him, when a small hand suddenly reached over and placed something on it.

He turned with a slight frown and found Lumi staring at him with a small smile. She pointed at the piece of steak she had placed on his plate, then motioned for him to eat.

Zephyrion glanced at her own plate and paused when he realized it was empty.

’...Her last piece.’

It might not have seemed like much to anyone else, but then they didn’t know Lumi that well. Someone who would go as far as causing chaos over food had willingly given him her last bite.

The corner of his lips was about to rise when thoughts of his plan to separate from her came rushing back, and the faint warmth in his chest quickly gave way to a knot in his stomach.

’...Right. I still have to tell her.’

At the very least, with this many people around, perhaps their presence would somehow lessen the severity of her reaction once he broke the news.

’Better now than when we’re alone.’

Lumi’s smile gradually faded as she noticed the change in his expression. She frowned and quickly signed, asking what was wrong.

Zephyrion cleared his throat and steeled himself.

”Lumi, I—”

He froze as a sudden jolt ran through him.

Zephyrion abruptly shot to his feet, causing the conversations around the table to die almost instantly. Lumi was on her feet a moment later, her expression turning alert as she stared at him.

”I need to take care of something. I’ll be back.”

Lumi immediately signed, asking what, but Zephyrion shook his head and gave her a reassuring look.

”It’s nothing serious. I won’t be long.”

With a brief nod towards the others, he turned and left the room without another word.

...

The moment Zephyrion entered his newly assigned room, he locked the door, thoroughly checked for any listening devices, then set the rod down on the table.

He stared at it intently for a moment before saying,

”Come out.”

The rod remained completely still.

After waiting a few seconds, Zephyrion spoke again, louder this time.

”I know you can hear me. You spoke directly into my head. Stop fucking around and come out.”

Still nothing.

Zephyrion let out an irritated breath and reached for the rod, only for runic lights to suddenly flare across its surface. He instinctively shielded his eyes, and by the time the light faded, a figure was standing before him.

He was shirtless, with a dirty, hairy chest, a thick, dusty beard, and familiar emerald eyes. The only thing covering his body was a loincloth that barely concealed his crown jewel. One hand rested lazily on his waist while the other was buried deep inside the loincloth, absentmindedly scratching his ass as he looked around the room with growing interest.

”Woah... wait, wait...” Demorian’s expression slowly turned horrified. ”Don’t tell me we’re fucking broke. What the hell is this room?”

His eyes darted around the small, musty room as though each new detail only confirmed his worst fears.

”Oh, this is bad. This is really fucking bad. How are we supposed to bring women back here? Look at this place! We don’t even have proper ventilation! And women can smell poverty, Zephyrion. They have a sixth sense for that shit. How the hell did you let this happen?”

Demorian looked at him almost accusingly.

”These are our formative years! You’ll be eighteen soon! Eighteen! Do you understand what that means!? You can legally bang any woman you want, and somehow you’ve managed to become so poor we can’t even afford a hooker. Gods... where did I go wrong?”

By the end, Demorian looked so stricken with grief that he genuinely seemed on the verge of tears.

Zephyrion could only stare at him, struggling to comprehend this ancestor of his.

”...You disappear for over a year, and that’s the first thing you have to say?”

”Because it’s the most important thing!” Demorian stared back at him as though Zephyrion was somehow the crazy one. Then, just as quickly, his expression turned serious.

”Listen to me, Zephyrion. I don’t know what the fuck you did while I was gone, but we need to fix this immediately. What happened? Killed someone? Pissed off daddy?”

Zephyrion’s brow twitched.

”Ah! Daddy.” Demorian caught the reaction immediately, his expression turning thoughtful. ”Then we’re fine. Kastor doesn’t seem unreasonable. You just have to swallow your pride, get on your knees, shed a few tears, maybe hug his leg if things get desperate. Fathers love that shit. If that doesn’t work, we pull the ancestor card. He can’t say no to me.” Demorian nodded firmly, apparently satisfied with his plan. ”Yes. Good. We can still save our fortune.”

Demorian turned towards him, only to flinch at the cold, deadpan stare waiting for him.

”My protégé... what’s with that look? I’m trying to save our future here. A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt.”

He wanted gratitude?

Zephyrion slowly breathed out, forcing himself to calm down. Then, after staring at Demorian for another moment, he finally said,

”We’re in the academy.”

”...Academy?”

Zephyrion nodded.

Demorian glanced around the room again, his confusion lasting only a moment before his eyes suddenly widened.

”YES!” He threw his arms up in excitement. ”We’re still rich! Hahaha! I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me! We’re still in the game, baby!”

”If you’re done celebrating my nonexistent poverty,” Zephyrion said through gritted teeth, ”shut up and tell me why you’ve been inactive for more than a year.”

”...A year?” Demorian blinked. ”Damn. That’s a long nap.”

”Now do you understand why I’m taking this seriously?”

”Hm? When do you not take something seriously?” Demorian gave him a strange look. ”More importantly, since when did you give a fuck whether I was around? You spent half our time together ignoring my sagely wisdom.”

Zephyrion sighed and remained silent.

The truth was, he had felt the ancestor’s absence far more than he expected. One simply didn’t go from being constantly pestered by someone to complete silence without feeling their absence.

’It was... quieter than I expected.’

”Wait...” Demorian suddenly narrowed his eyes, somehow catching the slight softening in his expression.

Zephyrion immediately hardened his face, but it was already too late.

Demorian was grinning from ear to ear.