The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 180: Chapter 177 — Now

The air became several levels tenser.

The city lords stared between Zephyrion and Selmira, then at Zephyrion again before sighing inwardly. She couldn’t keep it in anymore and had finally burst. However, despite the tension hanging over the exchange, there was also a subtle hint of anticipation within their eyes as they watched Zephyrion. How he handled this situation would reveal a great deal about his character, something they each desperately needed.

But a moment later, despite Selmira’s literal glare, Zephyrion smiled.

”City Lord Selmira, of course.” He said. ”I can understand why you’d think I tortured your daughter.”

”That’s because you did.”

”Unfortunately...” Zephyrion shook his head. ”That isn’t quite what happened.”

A more somber expression settled over his face as he raised a hand. The air shimmered before a small screen materialized above his palm, displaying a scene. Within it, Zephyrion sat calmly on one side of a training room while Nedra Heno stood before him with a furious expression.

The expressions of the city lords shifted. A memory footage art?

Such an art did not only require an absurd amount of comprehension to learn, but also an incredible memory recall. With the level of detail displayed within the recording, the city lords found themselves struggling to comprehend just how terrifying Zephyrion’s memory truly was. It was... perfect.

They stared at him in shock. When would this boy stop surprising them?

”What is this?” Selmira asked with a slight frown.

”A recording from one of our training sessions the day before the Proving.” Zephyrion replied. ”As you can see, I was sitting here minding my own business when your daughter decided to pay me a visit. I did my best to keep the peace by ignoring her, but...”

The footage did not require sound. Someone of their level could read lips with ease, especially given how detailed the recording was. They knew exactly what was being discussed.

City Lord Selmira’s eyes darkened slightly. Leave it to her daughter to do something so stupid.

Still, the coldness in her gaze did not fade.

”...even if that’s true, it still doesn’t explain why you thought torturing her was appropriate—”

”Continue watching.”

Selmira frowned but fell silent. As the scene continued, Nedra eventually left after receiving no response from Zephyrion. Selmira felt herself relax slightly. Then the footage shifted to her daughter approaching Draven and proposing the game.

The relief instantly vanished, and a faint pounding began behind her temples.

As the game unfolded, she watched Nedra repeatedly glance toward Zephyrion. Then, without warning, the projectile shot directly toward him. The footage froze at that exact moment.

Silence fell. By then, deep frowns rested on the city lords’ faces as their gazes slowly drifted toward Selmira. The woman looked utterly mortified.

”...Nedra did that?”

”Unfortunately, yes.” Zephyrion nodded, his expression now serious. A faint coldness entered his voice, one that made him seem less like a boy and more like a veteran warrior standing before them.

”Her actions were a direct insult to both myself and House Calderalth. That wasn’t something I could simply pretend not happened.”

Selmira gritted her teeth. She shot a cold glance toward her daughter, countless punishments already flashing through her mind. Then her gaze returned to Zephyrion, and some of the tension in her expression eased.

In truth, the torture he had inflicted upon Nedra was probably the best outcome she could have hoped for. If Zephyrion had truly wished to pursue the matter, such an offense was more than enough to cost her daughter her life.

”I see... then I was mistaken. Thank you for—”

”It’s alright.” Zephyrion smiled. ”Water under the bridge.”

Before she could finish, Zephyrion stepped forward and gently took her hand, lowering his head to place a light kiss against the back of it.

Selmira froze. A faint blush immediately crept across her cheeks.

”This is...”

”It can’t have been easy.” Zephyrion said softly. ”Raising a daughter that stubborn while looking this beautiful at the same time.”

”Haha...” Selmira laughed awkwardly, heat rising into her cheeks. ”You’re laying it on a little thick, don’t you think?”

”Am I?” Zephyrion tilted his head slightly. ”I thought I was being rather restrained.”

”Haa...”

The city lords watched the exchange with rapidly blinking eyes, utterly speechless.

What the hell just happened?

The same woman who had looked ready to tear Zephyrion apart moments ago was now standing there with flushed cheeks? What the hell!?

A moment later, Zephyrion released her hand.

”It’s good to see some things haven’t changed.” Zephyrion said as he turned toward the others. ”Though judging by tonight, I suspect I have quite a lot to catch up on.”

Soft smiles appeared on the city lords’ faces as Zephyrion soon departed. A moment later, they glanced at one another, noticed the expressions on each other’s faces, then froze.

The smiles vanished instantly.

Moments ago, they had practically been cursing the boy. Why in the world were they smiling!?

”...he’s just like his mother.” Ociden muttered.

The others visibly shivered. The thought of another Senerith walking among them was genuinely terrifying.

...

The discussion with the city lords made up half of his objective for the night.

After leaving them behind, Zephyrion made his way toward the outer balcony, where Lumi was leaning against the railing, enjoying the evening breeze as it swept through her hair.

’She seems happy.’

The corners of Zephyrion’s lips instinctively twitched upward, but he immediately suppressed them. Maintaining his usual indifference, he glanced around the balcony.

He was honestly grateful it was here. It had given Lumi somewhere to remain occupied while he dealt with the nobles. If she had been present when Selmira first spoke, there was a very real possibility she would have attacked the woman on the spot.

The image almost drew a laugh from him, but Zephyrion quickly suppressed that too. Just as he was about to walk over, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

”Hey.”

Zephyrion turned. Ingrid stood there. She was impeccably dressed, carrying herself with the same regal confidence she always did. Beneath the banquet lights, she looked every bit as beautiful as the stories claimed.

”Hey.”

A brief silence settled between them. Then Ingrid gestured lightly toward his attire.

”It looks good.” She said. ”Looks like I got it right.”

”You did.”

”...”

”...”

Another stretch of silence followed. For some reason, neither seemed particularly eager to fill it. Eventually, Ingrid spoke again.

”...any trouble wearing it?”

”No.”

”Hm...” Ingrid nodded. ”Good.”

Then after another pause, she added,

”The quality should be excellent too. I had to go to Lavare Bon personally to get it done this quickly. Convincing him wasn’t exactly easy.” She glanced away. ”I even ended up paying twice his normal rate because it was rush work.”

Lavare was rather famous, a direct descendant of House Bon, a non-ascendant House that specialized in sewing. They were known for producing some of the greatest tailors in the South, and though they weren’t ascendants, they remained highly regarded.

Lavare in particular was known for being notoriously difficult to deal with. He chose his clients personally and would turn down even powerful and influential Houses if he felt like it. As far as Zephyrion knew, neither he nor the other members of House Bon accepted rush work.

So if Lavare had truly been the one to make this... then Ingrid had definitely gone through some trouble.

Regardless, what Zephyrion was finding difficult to understand was what exactly she wanted. Why was she telling him all this?

”I see.” He said simply.

”...”

Another stretch of silence followed, with Ingrid’s frown deepening ever so slightly.

”Yes...” Ingrid said slowly. ”So I got it for you.”

”I gathered that.”

”...”

”...”

”In case it wasn’t obvious, getting it wasn’t particularly easy.”

”I see.”

”...”

Ingrid stared at him. Zephyrion could practically feel her growing frustration. Just when it seemed as though she was reaching her limit, he blinked, then said;

”...thank you.”

Ingrid froze. She stared at him for a moment before letting out a slow breath. The corners of her lips began to twitch, as though she was fighting back a smile.

”It’s nothing.”

If it was nothing, then why had she spent the last several minutes explaining every step of the process? Though the thought crossed his mind, Zephyrion kept it to himself.

Ingrid gave a quick nod before turning away and leaving with noticeably more speed than she had arrived with.

Zephyrion watched her retreating figure for a moment.

Clearly, she had been fishing for a thank you. What he couldn’t understand was why.

Since when did Ingrid care whether he appreciated something she did? As far as he was concerned, the relationship between them consisted almost entirely of tension.

Zephyrion considered it for another moment. Stepping toward the railing, he allowed the cool night breeze to wash over him.

Lumi was still having the time of her life, completely absorbed in her own little world. His thoughts returned to Ingrid. Was she trying to gain his trust by being nice to him?

If that was the case, it was a pretty stupid strategy. Not something he would have expected from Ingrid, or anyone born from the same mother.

It was something else...

”Nice night, isn’t it, Prime Zephyrion?”

Zephyrion glanced to the side.

Kaelith Korrath had joined him by the railing, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon while a faint smile rested on his face.

”Is it?”

”It has to be, right? I mean...” He gestured toward the banquet behind them. ”Look at all this. The celebration, the admiration, the endless praise. It’s all for you.”

He sighed.

”Haa... it must feel nice.” A faint coldness crept into his eyes, a trace of longing bleeding into his voice. ”The glory. The recognition. Having everyone look at you like you’re something special. It feels good, doesn’t it, Prime Zephyrion?”

He finally turned and looked at him. Zephyrion met his gaze, his entire being unfolding in his eyes.

A moment later, he nodded.

”...I suppose.”

”Haa...” Kaelith laughed again. ”Of course that’s your answer.”

He shook his head with a smile.

”It was an honor fighting you at the Proving.” He finally said. ”And for what it’s worth, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the title than you.”

Zephyrion glanced at the offered hand, then at Kaelith. A moment later, he smiled and accepted the handshake.

Then suddenly, a cold light flashed through Kaelith’s eyes.

’Now!’

’I’ll teach this brat a lesson, student!’

The next moment, though invisible to the outside world, countless runes left Kaelith and surged toward Zephyrion’s mind.