The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 343: Chapter 338 — Good Husband

”Babe, I’m telling you, I was shocked. Right there in the meeting, in front of every dynasty head, the boy suddenly started performing our Eryndor art like he was possessed! That child is a demon, I tell you! I’m starting to suspect he’s not even from this planet!”

King Cassian stood before a large screen, his expression stern and unusually serious.

Displayed on the screen was a woman of striking, regal beauty. Dressed in elaborate black ceremonial robes, with full lips painted pitch-black and several golden ornaments woven into her hair and adorning her attire, the Queen of the Ferran Empire, Genova Aur Eryndor, stared at her husband with deeply furrowed brows.

”...how did he get a hold of it?”

”I have absolutely no idea!” Cassian vehemently shook his head. ”I’ve thought of every explanation I can think of, and none of them make any damn sense. Honestly, I think... I think he somehow copied it from Arcturus during their battle.”

”From... Arcturus?”

Cassian immediately nodded, his expression turning solemn. ”I’ve heard it’s not the first time the kid’s pulled something like that, but a dynasty art? Just like that? It’s insane, babe. I literally had goosebumps.”

He suddenly sighed.

”But please don’t be too hard on Arcturus. The boy did nothing wrong. I mean, who the hell would’ve known that using the art in front of him was apparently the same thing as handing him the damn thing?”

”...using it in front of him?”

Cassian’s expression stiffened for the briefest moment before he quickly cleared his throat. ”You know... during the fight. Arcturus used it, Zephyrion saw it. Technically, that counts as showing him...”

”...”

Genova simply stared at her husband for several long seconds. Though she was more than a thousand miles away, Cassian could practically feel the chill contained in those bright golden irises.

’Please... please... please...’

Beads of sweat slowly formed on Cassian’s forehead as he prayed to whatever god was willing to listen that his wife wouldn’t suspect a thing. The consequences were not something he wanted to deal with.

”...you’re sweating, Cassian. What’s wrong?”

’Oh shit... Cassian. She called me Cassian.’

That only happened when she was absolutely serious!

Cassian forced out a laugh. ”Haha, sweating? Me? Babe, the room’s just unreasonably hot. Honestly, with all the money being pumped into this academy, you’d think they could afford some decent ventilation...”

Genova’s stare lingered on him for several tense seconds before, for the first time since the call started, she blinked and looked past him.

”Where’s Arcturus?”

Cassian barely held himself back from dropping to his knees and praising the gods.

’Thank you! Thank you! I promise I’ll be religious for at least a month!’

”Haa, he’s right here, babe.” Cassian expanded the screen to encompass the rest of the room.

In one corner, Arcturus Aur Eryndor was busy performing rapid pushups with a massive, metal-like boulder balanced on his back.

His shirtless frame revealed a hard, toned body slick with sweat, and despite the devastating loss he’d suffered earlier today, there was a wide, excited smile on his face.

For the first time, Genova’s cold expression softened.

”Arcturus, you shouldn’t be moving around already. You should be resting.”

”I’ve rested enough, Mom.” Arcturus said without stopping. ”I need to get my strength back quickly. I can’t show up looking weak when I meet my new best friend tomorrow.”

”...new best friend?”

”Yes.” Arcturus grinned. ”Zephyrion and I became besties this morning.”

”...I see.”

Though she said that, Genova’s eyes immediately shifted to Cassian, narrowing slightly.

Cassian swallowed.

’Wait, why the hell are you looking at me?! How is this my fault?!’

He wanted to scream, but wisely kept his mouth shut.

”Thanks, Mom. By the way, are you okay?”

Genova quickly fixed a smile on her face as Arcturus turned towards the screen.

”...yes, son. Why?”

”You look a little pale. You’ve actually been resting like I told you, right? Don’t overwork yourself again.”

Genova smiled. ”Of course. I’m getting plenty of rest, so don’t worry about me.”

’Rest my ass!’ Cassian scoffed inwardly. ’She doesn’t even know what the word means. Always working, working, working. Your poor father can barely get any action these days.’

Cassian slowly shook his head, only to instantly stiffen when Genova’s eyes snapped towards him.

He cleared his throat and straightened.

”I, for one, think you look absolutely ravishing, baby.”

Genova did not smile. Instead, she tilted her head slightly towards the door.

Cassian’s smile immediately faded.

He glanced hesitantly at Arcturus. Leaving the boy behind when she was clearly in a mood did not seem like the wisest idea. However, after a moment, he could only sigh before vanishing from the room and reappearing in the sky above the academy.

”Seal the space,” Genova said.

Cassian immediately did as she asked, sealing the space around him.

”...and now we’re alone, baby.”

”Tell me what you think about the child.”

Cassian’s expression turned thoughtful.

”Honestly? I don’t know what to make of him. You watched the fight. His physique is somehow stronger than Arcturus’s, his strength makes absolutely no sense for his age, and then there’s the fact that he took one look at our art and apparently decided it belonged to him too.”

Genova’s eyes darkened, and though he wasn’t there with her, Cassian could almost feel the air around her growing colder. Seeing someone outside their lineage use an art the Eryndors had spent generations perfecting was not something she would take lightly.

A moment later, Genova finally spoke. ”We went as far as utilizing Ferravry’s sperm for one reason: to ensure our house produced the greatest genius of this generation. Yet Arcturus has now lost to someone his own age, before the entire empire...”

A calculating look flickered through her eyes.

”Arcturus, I understand. His existence has an explanation. Zephyrion Calderalth does not. I want to know why.”

”...and how exactly do we figure that out?”

”There are several possibilities. He could have cheated, perhaps utilizing a relic he wasn’t supposed to possess. He could be the heir of some powerful master we know nothing about. Or, however ridiculous it may seem, he could simply be that talented. Either way, before we do anything else, we need to determine which it is.”

”...and how do we do that?”

Genova stared at him as though wondering why she had to think of everything herself.

Cassian gave her a wry smile.

She scoffed.

”Fetch Selia.”

Seconds later, Selia Eryndor, the House Commander of the Eastern House, appeared in the sky and knelt before the image of her queen.

”You summoned me, Your Grace.”

”What is the current situation in the academy?”

”The final exercise has concluded, and all cadets have been returned to the main area. They’re currently awaiting the results.”

”Good. Before the academy ends, I want you watching Zephyrion Calderalth. Get close to him, observe him, and find out exactly where that power of his comes from.”

Selia’s brows furrowed slightly. She glanced towards Cassian, who merely shrugged, then, after a brief pause, bowed her head deeply.

”...as you command, Your Grace.”