The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 334: Chapter 329 — Light

The eyes of everyone had shifted from caution to gratitude. The plain fact was that, given everything, Zephyrion had actually done them a huge favor by holding back.

Kaiden, who had practically been on the verge of challenging Zephyrion moments ago, turned away in embarrassment and murmured,

”...Sorry.”

”...Woah... Kaiden’s blushing,” Tobias remarked.

Kaiden stiffened and glanced around, only to find everyone staring at him. He immediately straightened in his seat and forced a serious look onto his face, though not before shooting Tobias a death glare.

Tobias wisely avoided looking his way and continued,

”Actually, now that I think about it, he’s always been like this. Glares at everyone like he wants them dead, but my lord says one nice thing to him and suddenly he’s a tomato.”

Several of them paused with thoughtful looks, as though genuinely considering it, before almost immediately nodding with small smiles.

”What? That’s bullshit!” Kaiden hastily protested. ”When the hell have I ever blushed?”

”Right now. You’re literally red.”

”It’s the food! It’s fucking hot!”

”Right...” Tobias’ grin widened. ”Then let’s test that. My lord.” He turned towards Zephyrion. ”Please say something nice about him.”

Every eye at the table shifted towards him, suddenly expectant.

Zephyrion looked at Kaiden and found the boy staring back at him with such a hard, focused expression that he looked like he was bracing himself for a punch.

Zephyrion cleared his throat.

”You look good.”

Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, every eye snapped back to Kaiden.

Kaiden had gone completely still, seemingly unaffected. But as the seconds passed, the corner of his lips began to twitch. Then one side of his face followed, trembling slightly before the rest of him gradually joined in, as though his entire body was fighting desperately to keep something contained.

”...Is he okay?” Tobias asked, his grin fading into genuine concern.

”Looks like he’s trying to take a shit,” Draven added with a chuckle.

The others gave Kaiden increasingly strange looks, wondering if he was actually on the verge of bursting.

Then, very slowly, Kaiden turned his head towards Tobias.

Tobias immediately leaned back.

”...I’m going to fucking kill you.”

”W-what!? Why me?!”

Tobias panicked and shot from his seat as Kaiden lunged after him with a murderous look. What followed quickly dissolved into a ridiculous game of cat and mouse, with Tobias weaving between tables while Kaiden chased after him.

The sight drew laughter from the others, several of them throwing jokes at the pair’s expense. Before long, the tension that had gripped the group was completely gone, replaced by easy smiles and laughter.

Zephyrion glanced around at each of the head cadets, barely holding back a frown.

’They’re already back to normal...’

From the start, he hadn’t wanted to lead them through pure strength, which was why he’d gone through so much trouble in the first place. After revealing this much power, he had expected them to treat him with some fear and caution, at least for a while until things eventually settled back into place.

Instead, they were already smiling at him again, casually throwing questions his way about his power. Some, like Kaelion, were even asking whether he was stronger than what he had shown.

Whatever fear had been there earlier was gone, and somehow, everything had already returned to the way it was before.

’Is this what camaraderie feels like?’

Then again, was he even right to think of it that way? He had been manipulating each of them from the moment they met. Their feelings towards him might have been genuine, but what about his?

For some reason, sitting amongst them now, Zephyrion suddenly felt like a liar.

’...What right do I have to think that?’

Sniff. Sniff.

’...Crying?’

Zephyrion frowned and searched for the source, only to find the giant, shirtless Draven wiping tears from his eyes while sniffling like a little child. It didn’t take long for the others to notice as well, their conversations gradually dying as one after another turned to stare at him.

”...Who the hell stepped on your toes?” Nedra asked, giving him a strange look.

Somehow, seeing a literal giant of a man sitting there crying like a child was about as strange as it got. Even Tobias and Kaiden had stopped their chase, apparently deciding that whatever was happening with Draven was far more interesting.

”It’s just... it’s just...” Draven sniffed, wiping at his eyes again. ”Draven has had a good year. A really good year. Draven got to fight with all of you, eat with all of you, become a better man with all of you... and now it’s ending.” His lips trembled. ”You’re all good people. Draven is going to miss you.”

Expressions softened at his words, several of them now smiling. Draven talked about what it meant to be a man far too often, yet who would have thought the big guy was actually this soft?

Then, slowly, the meaning behind his words began to dawn on everyone.

This exercise marked the end of the academy year, which meant everyone at this table would probably be sent to different parts of the empire for their apprenticeships.

After spending nearly an entire year together, training, fighting, and practically living alongside one another, this might actually be the last time they all sat around the same table and shared a meal.

The realization quickly dampened the mood.

”And Draven knows you’ll all miss each other too.”

They glanced around at one another, exchanging small, bittersweet smiles. However, the moment Nedra and Kaelith’s eyes met, both of their expressions immediately hardened, eyes narrowing as the air between them practically turned murderous.

Draven laughed.

”Well... maybe not everyone.”

The others burst into laughter as well, causing Nedra and Kaelith to scoff before turning away from each other.

”It was an honor fighting alongside all of you,” Kaelion said, looking around the table and giving each of them a solemn nod.

One after another, they returned the gesture before lowering their eyes towards their food. For a while, the table fell into a gloomy silence, until Zephyrion unexpectedly broke it.

”We’ll see each other again.”

The cadets looked towards him, seemingly surprised that those sorts of words had come from Zephyrion of all people. Then, one by one, their expressions softened into warm smiles.

”How do you know?”

Horus’ voice suddenly broke through the moment, drawing everyone’s attention towards him.

The boy was staring directly at Zephyrion.

”That we’ll see each other again.”

Zephyrion met Horus’ eyes and caught a strange glint within them, causing his brows to furrow slightly. The others seemed to find the question strange as well, several of them now looking at Horus.

Perhaps Horus noticed the sudden attention, or perhaps he realized how odd his question had sounded. Zephyrion couldn’t tell, but the boy quickly let out an awkward laugh.

”Ah, I didn’t mean it like that, Prime. I was just wondering if you knew something we didn’t. We’ll all be scattered across the empire soon, and who knows how many years it’ll be before any of us cross paths again. So... how can you be so sure?”

Horus wore an awkward smile as he spoke, yet for some reason, the sight unsettled Zephyrion.

The boy had never given him any reason to doubt him. He was hardworking, endearing, and innocent, so why couldn’t Zephyrion shake the feeling that something about him was off?

Was he missing something?

All eyes were on him now, but Zephyrion decided this wasn’t the time to dwell on the matter.

”I just am,” he said, meeting Horus’ gaze and studying him intently.

Horus smiled brightly and nodded before raising his cup.

”Well, I think we’ve known our Prime long enough to know better than to doubt him. To meeting again!”

The others joined in, raising their cups with smiles and grins before gulping down their drinks. Soon, conversations picked up around the table again, the mood noticeably lighter than before.