The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 311: Chapter 306 — NOON

”I’m guessing you told them a slightly different version of what happened.” Zephyrion said calmly. ”Something about the evil southerners torturing your poor, innocent cadets?”

”Do you honestly think anyone here is stupid enough to believe this shit?” Malach said. ”They know me! They know I would never do something like that to my own people!”

”Hm? But you just did.”

Zephyrion glanced pointedly towards the golden barrier surrounding the fortress.

”You locked your own people outside the barrier while they were right in front of you. You could have opened the gates. You could have gone out and fought beside them. Instead, you locked yourself safely inside and left them to us.” His gaze returned to Malach. ”So tell me, Malach. Which part am I supposed to be lying about?”

”That’s not true!”

Malach clenched his fists as he noticed the dark looks several of his cadets were now giving him.

His expression immediately shifted, the anger giving way to something far more pained.

”It was a difficult decision! Everything we’ve fought for would’ve been wasted if I let the fortress fall. And they aren’t going to die! That’s the only reason I could make that decision. If their lives were actually at risk, I would’ve gone out there and died beside them!”

”Really?” Zephyrion asked.

”Of course.”

”Then let’s ask someone who knows you better than I do.”

Zephyrion turned towards Gordon.

”Gordon, correct? What do you think? Is your Prime telling the truth?”

The remaining panic in Malach’s chest immediately eased, and a faint smile crept onto his face.

Gordon was a loyal servant of the Sarakhel main line. If there was anyone here whose loyalty Malach didn’t have to question, it was him.

He would never betray him.

Gordon, however, wore a complicated expression. His left fist slowly clenched, the movement sending a phantom throb through his mangled hand.

’I should defend him. I have to. He’s my Prime. I’ve always defended him.’

He had already been preparing to speak in Malach’s defense when his eyes met Zephyrion’s.

The southern Prime’s gaze was calm. Strangely calm.

And for some reason, seeing that calmness brought everything rushing back at once. The hammer smashing into his fists. The insults. The humiliation. Every order he had followed, every excuse he had made, and everything Malach had done.

’Why... why the fuck am I still trying to defend this bastard?’

A scalding anger surged through Gordon’s chest. Before he could even reconsider his words, they were already leaving his mouth.

”It’s true! The southern Prime is telling the truth! Malach planted those runes on them himself. He blew them up, then blamed the southern house so he could use their condition to rile everyone up!” Gordon’s expression twisted bitterly. ”I thought he was a good person too, but he’s... fuck, he’s actually just a terrible fucking person!”

”YOU DISGUSTING BASTARD!” Malach thundered, glaring murderously at Gordon.

”The Prime really did that?”

”So all that shit was an act?”

”What the hell... is he actually a fucking psycho?”

Malach’s eyes widened as whispers rapidly spread among the northern cadets.

”What!? No, no, don’t fucking listen to him!” His gaze darted around before suddenly hardening. ”Gordon is the spy! It’s obvious! That bastard has been working with the southerners from the beginning! That’s how they knew everything! That’s how they kept fucking tricking me!”

But the northern cadets only stared at him skeptically.

Gordon was practically the most loyal man in the entire fortress. If there was anyone they couldn’t imagine secretly working for the south, it was him.

Seeing the doubt spreading across their faces, Zephyrion calmly fanned the flames.

”At this point, Malach, I think admitting it would be less embarrassing.”

Malach’s expression turned even uglier, but Zephyrion wasn’t finished.

”You’re pathetic. You’ve spent this entire exercise pretending you care about your people when the only person you’ve ever cared about is yourself.” Zephyrion regarded him calmly. ”Even now, you’re not angry because they discovered what you did. You’re angry because, after all that boasting, you finally realized you’re not as smart as you thought you were.

”So now you’re doing the only thing you know how to do. Lying, blaming everyone else, pretending none of this is your fault.

Zephyrion chuckled.

”It’s unfortunate, really. If only your words were as tall as you are.”

”SHUT THE FUCK UP! You don’t know a fucking thing about me!”

Malach was practically boiling.

’No. No, he doesn’t get to fucking stand there like he’s won. He hasn’t won. I’m still inside the fortress. The barrier is still up. I just need something... anything...’

Everything he had spent so long building, his reputation, the loyalty of his cadets, the image he had carefully crafted, was crumbling right in front of him.

”What about you, eh!?” Malach suddenly said. ”You’ve been standing there running your fucking mouth, but your words are just as worthless!”

He jabbed a finger towards the sun, a triumphant smirk finally creeping onto his face.

”Look at the time, Lightning Prince. Go on. Look.” A brief pause. ”It’s noon. You said you’d take my fortress by noon, didn’t you? Well, look at me. I’m still fucking standing here, and you’re still standing out there. So congratulations, Zephyrion. Turns out you’re a fucking liar too.”

Malach laughed, as though he had finally found something to cling to.

”Actually, you know what? Let’s see just how different you really are from me. You sent that little rat to sneak into my fortress, didn’t you? Well, the idiot got caught.”

He turned sharply towards a nearby cadet.

”Hey! Go bring me the prisoner.”

The cadet hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, but one look at Malach’s expression immediately sent him moving.

Malach turned back towards Zephyrion, his smirk widening.

”You like pretending you care so much? Fine. Let’s see it. Get on your fucking knees and bow to me, Lightning Prince.” His eyes gleamed viciously. ”Every second you refuse, I pull out one of Kaiden’s teeth.”

”You—”

Zephyrion raised a hand, stopping the furious Kaelion before he could say anything more.

”You’re right about one thing.”

Despite the blatant threat against Kaiden, Zephyrion remained perfectly calm, smiling even.

Malach frowned. ”What the fuck are you talking about now?”

”It’s noon.”

Zephyrion glanced at his rune tab, calmly confirming that it was twelve on the dot. Malach’s expression slowly twisted in confusion, unable to understand what the hell he was getting at.

’Why the fuck is he smiling? No. There’s nothing he can do. The barrier is active. He’s outside. I’m inside. He lost.’

Suddenly, Zephyrion slowly raised a hand. A moment passed, then he snapped his fingers and muttered;

”Boom.”

Malach’s heart clenched.

’...Oh, fuck.’

He barely had time to process the sudden sense of dread before a violent explosion rocked the fortress behind him, the ground shuddering beneath his feet.

He snapped back, eyes slowly widening. He knew exactly where it had come from.

”T-the Bastion Core...”

Almost immediately, the golden barrier surrounding the fortress flickered violently. Then it vanished. Just like that, the entire northern fortress was left completely exposed.

Malach stood frozen. Then, slowly, he turned back towards Zephyrion.

Every trace of color had drained from his face.

”W-what the fuck...?”