The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 50: Chapter 48 — ...Yeah

”T-thank you, young lord!”

Zephyrion acknowledged her with a nod but didn’t turn back.

As he began ascending the stairs, he finally unclenched his fists.

His palms were bloodied, his nails having dug into them under Garrick’s pressure.

’It’s getting better.’

When he had first started training with the Relic, he could barely move without feeling like his world was spinning. Now, not only had he overpowered Kaiden, he had also endured Garrick’s pressure.

’But there was something unexpected.’

He had already anticipated that Garrick would step in to stop the fight between him and Kaiden.

As someone who valued fairness, he wouldn’t allow a spar while Zephyrion was being heavily restricted by the Relic.

However, the decision to schedule a duel between them during the evaluation had not been something he expected.

Even so, the thought stirred a faint excitement within him.

’I can kill two birds with one stone.’

Aside from Fiona, he would also be able to make progress with Kaiden.

’The evaluation.’

Zephyrion’s gaze turned cold as his thoughts began to settle into place.

...

With a deep frown, Garrick stepped into the grand Calderalth throne room.

Seated at the top of the grand stairs was Kastor, his mere presence pressing down on the entire hall. Standing just behind him was the Grand Marshal, Garaxe.

Reaching just below the stairs, Garrick let out a slow breath and looked up at Kastor with an unbothered expression.

”Well? What do you want?”

The Grand Marshal frowned.

”You’re standing before the Head of House, Garrick. Show some respect.”

Garrick scoffed.

”Don’t lump me in with your little gay circle. If you two want to play pretend, go ahead.”

”You—!”

Kastor raised a hand, stopping Garaxe mid-step. Seeing the look on Kastor’s face, Garaxe paused, then bowed and stepped back.

”Is the Relic effective?”

Garrick raised a brow.

”Huh? Does the esteemed Head of House not know where his own son is? Ask him yourself.”

Boom!

An overwhelming pressure crashed down on Garrick, forcing him to his knees. He tried to resist, but it was absolute.

Kastor’s gaze bore down on him.

”I asked you.”

However, Garrick burst into laughter.

”Hahaha! What a joke. You can’t even talk to your own son, huh? The one you failed—”

Bam!

The pressure surged, slamming Garrick into the ground and cracking it beneath him. Yet the man didn’t lose his smile. He slowly lifted his head, his grin widening.

”Member of the Ten Thrones, my ass. You were a coward then, and you’re still a coward now.”

Kastor’s purple eyes glowed, and the entire throne room trembled under the weight of his presence. Garrick was driven further into the ground, yet his laughter continued, unrestrained.

Just as it seemed he would be crushed completely, the pressure vanished.

Garrick slowly pushed himself up, lifting his head to find Kastor staring at him in silence.

He scoffed, shaking his head.

”Fine. I’m only saying this because you gave me the Relic in the first place. The boy’s responding well, too well, actually. Ever since I gave it to him, he hasn’t taken it off.”

Garaxe’s eyes widened slightly.

”Are you certain?”

”As certain as a drunk man and a prostitute.”

”...there’s no need for such vulgar comparisons.”

Garrick let out a short laugh.

”Haha, the boy just makes me that excited. You know he didn’t even faint at the start? He was already moving around with it on the same day.”

”...that’s impossible.”

Garaxe’s gaze wavered with disbelief, but Garrick’s grin only widened.

”I thought the same. That little monster is something else.”

”...”

Sensing the subtle shift in the air, both men turned toward Kastor. Though his expression hadn’t changed, his fists had clenched tightly.

Garrick scoffed and turned away.

”If that’s all, I’ll be taking my leave.”

He paused at the doorway, glancing back as though recalling something.

”Ah, before I forget... there’ll be a spar between Zephyrion and the top trainee of the Iron division at the next evaluation. Let’s see if the Head of House shows up this time.”

With a low chuckle, he stepped out of the grand hall.

Garaxe let out a quiet breath.

”That sounds like good news, brother. If Zephyrion is responding that well to the Relic, his comprehension may improve. He could still advance. With his extraordinary resonance, he can compete with the other geniuses.”

”....”

Garaxe frowned, then turned to Kastor, who was still staring silently at the spot Garrick had occupied.

”Don’t let him get to you. You know how Garrick is. He was spoiled growing up. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

Kastor didn’t respond. He remained silent for several moments, his fingers tightened at his sides.

A moment later, he slowly exhaled.

”...Yeah.”

...

Wham!

A surge of biting cold spread through Zephyrion’s body, but he clenched his fists and endured the excruciating pain.

He had experienced this before, the first time he freed a mark, and he knew exactly what it meant.

The pain began to fade a moment later. His heart was pounding, but he exhaled slowly, steadying himself.

Soon after, he entered his mindscape and fixed his gaze on the Metal Rune. A faint smile formed on his face.

’Finally.’

After more than a week, the small portion of fog obscuring the third Mark had finally cleared. He could now advance to Mark Three.

Zephyrion kept his eyes on the pressure beam still striking the rune, steadily clearing away the remaining fog, and gave a slight nod.

It had been invaluable. Without it, he would never have progressed this quickly.

’It should be done by tonight.’

If he took off the Relic and focused fully, he should complete the comprehension by tonight.

Zephyrion suppressed the rise of excitement and returned his focus to the rune.

”Y-young lord.”

The sudden voice drew a slight frown from him.

He withdrew from his mental space and lifted his gaze to the figure standing before him.

Of average height, with strands of hair partially obscuring her face.

It was none other than Fiona.