The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 383: Chapter 378 — Madness

After an awkward moment of silence, Zephyrion turned and continued down the tunnel, with the town head hesitantly trailing behind.

The passage was wide enough to accommodate six people standing shoulder to shoulder, with a ceiling nearly twice a man’s height. The air was damp and carried a musty smell, and even as they ventured deeper, there was still no trace of light.

Instead, Zephyrion relied on the faint vibrations thrumming through the tunnel to guide his steps. They all seemed to be coming from the same direction anyway.

Eventually, the town head broke the silence.

”...I know how this must sound, my lord, but are you really sure about this? I mean, we’re practically walking to our deaths here. A Gravemaw lair could have a dozen of those bastards, maybe more, and there’s only three of us. Don’t you think we should, you know, head back and get some reinforcements first befor—”

”By then, the soldiers would already be dead. Including my colleague, who went ahead to rescue them. Is that what you want?”

The town head immediately fell silent, and Zephyrion could practically imagine the look on his face.

Having reinforcements arrive now would only mean more witnesses he’d have to deal with. Zephyrion wouldn’t lie, learning that the man had a pair of five-year-old daughters had thrown him off a little, but that was something he’d rather die than admit to the ancestor.

Still, this was the best opportunity he was likely to get during this mission. Once they left this lair, word of what they’d discovered would spread, and all eyes would be on them. Disappearing under such circumstances would be next to impossible.

Of course, he could simply bide his time and wait for another opportunity, perhaps during a different mission, but Zephyrion was tired of waiting. Tired of remaining idle while Frost continued making his moves. Void was doing the same, and possibly several other powers scattered across the continent.

He was done being a reactive pawn in their chess game, a mere piece to be moved around and played with as they pleased. He wanted to take the initiative for once, to strike back and inflict the same pain they had inflicted on him. He wanted to make them mourn someone they loved, to watch them suffer the same helplessness he had endured.

He wanted them to weep.

And if achieving that goal meant killing an innocent father, then so be it.

The town head suddenly gave a wry smile.

”I know what you’re thinking, my lord. Heralds are supposed to be weapons of mass destruction, capable of leveling entire towns. So what kind of Herald goes around trembling like a frightened child, right?”

”...”

”Haa, your silence says it all. But honestly, my lord, you don’t have to worry about offending me. I’ve made peace with it a long time ago. You see, I spent most of my life chasing danger. Compared to ordinary commoners, my talent practically made me a king, and believe me, I enjoyed every bit of it. I’d throw myself into all sorts of dangerous situations just to show off, never once stopping to think I might actually get myself killed. But, well... that was before I had something worth living for.”

At that, Zephyrion finally spoke.

”Your family.”

The town head chuckled. ”Married the love of my life seven years ago, and now I’ve got two beautiful little girls. I tell you, my lord, holding those tiny things in your arms for the first time does something to a man. One moment, I was ready to fight the whole world, and the next, I was suddenly thinking about how nice it would be to grow old.”

He fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before letting out a sigh.

”I suppose what I’m trying to say is... if things get too dangerous down here, I’m going to run.”

Zephyrion glanced over his shoulder. He couldn’t make out the man’s expression in the darkness, but he didn’t particularly need to. It wasn’t every day someone would so openly admit to such a thing, especially a Herald.

”I know it sounds cowardly, especially coming from a Herald, but I have no intention of dying in some beast-infested hole and leaving my girls to grow up without a father. And if it ever comes down to it, my lord, I hope you’ll choose to save yourself too.”

With that, the town head fell silent, leaving Zephyrion alone with his thoughts. Well, not entirely alone.

’Heh...’

Demorian didn’t say anything else, but Zephyrion could practically feel the ancestor’s smugness through their connection. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

’Why are you so hellbent on getting me to admit this?’

’Because I’m curious about that little thing you call morality, my protégé. We’re going after that bastard Frost, after all, and I’d very much like to know just how far you’re willing to go to get your revenge. Besides, I think I deserve to know whether the little weapon I’ve spent all this time nurturing is going to turn out to be a homicidal maniac.’

Zephyrion didn’t miss the slight hesitation towards the end.

’So you don’t want me to kill him.’

’Of course I don’t! The man has two five-year-old girls waiting for him at home! What kind of monster do you take me for? Listen, protégé, there’s nothing wrong with being ruthless, but save that ruthlessness for your enemies, the bastards who actually deserve it.

’Everyone you see wandering around this world has a life of their own, you know. Their own problems, their own worries, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with you. Some have siblings they love and hate, just like you. Some have wives, children, people waiting for them to come home. People who would spend the rest of their lives mourning them if they never did. Killing innocent people just because they happen to be in the way of your precious goal? That’s not ruthlessness, protégé. That’s madness.’