The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 337: Chapter 332 — Test

’...what is this?’

It was odd that they would remain silent while Cassian was literally threatening him. He knew for a fact the academy would already have been destroyed beneath Garrick’s rampage if the threat were genuine. So why...

’A test. They’re testing me. In that case...’

Fortunately, this was bloodlust, not Aura. Cassian’s full aura might have crushed him, but bloodlust acted on the mind, and resisting it depended on how strong that mind was.

With the number of deaths he’d witnessed and the torture he’d endured in the Order, his mind had hardened to something far beyond that of any ordinary eighteen-year-old.

Zephyrion slowly exhaled, memories of the Order’s training and missions surging through him. His trembling limbs gradually stilled, and his thumping heart slowly returned to its normal rhythm. Then, he lifted his gaze and met Cassian’s eyes directly.

The king’s eyes widened instantly, and he murmured in disbelief, ” ”...he actually withstood it? What the hell?”

”Bwahahaha!” Garrick burst into laughter, pushing himself off the wall and approaching Zephyrion. ”The royal suckerness strikes again! I told you, didn’t I? I fucking told you it wouldn’t work!”

”...and how the hell was I supposed to know an eighteen-year-old could withstand my bloodlust?” Cassian said, shaking his head, then added in a mutter, ”Not even my Arcturus can withstand it.”

”Well, no shit. My nephew’s clearly built differently.” Garrick laughed. ”Anyways, enough excuses. A wager’s a wager, pay up.”

Cassian’s expression grew ugly. He grumbled something under his breath before waving his arm, and a large sack landed before Garrick.

”Thirty thousand gold. Try not to waste it all in one place.” Cassian said.

Grinning, Garrick pulled the sack slightly open, revealing the gold coins packed inside. The golden light reflected across his face as he stared down at them.

”Beautiful...”

’Of course, he’s responsible for this.’ Zephyrion wasn’t the least bit surprised his uncle had placed this sort of bet on him.

Garrick was about to pick up the sack when it suddenly flew towards Kastor, hovering silently beside him.

”I’ll hold it.”

Garrick scowled, giving Kastor a look that said this wasn’t over. Then, he turned towards Zephyrion, his expression softening.

”You beautiful piece of shit.” Garrick closed the distance and pulled Zephyrion into an embrace before he could react. ”I fucking love you, you know that? You made this uncle of yours so damn proud.”

Zephyrion tried to pull away, but his uncle’s grip was iron strong. He eventually sighed and resigned himself to waiting it out. Fortunately, Garaxe came to his rescue some moments later.

”Stop smothering the poor boy, Garrick. At least give the rest of us a chance.”

Garrick reluctantly released him, but he still stared at him with teary eyes. ”It’s not my fault. I just love the little bastard so much.”

”So we’ve heard,” Garaxe said, then turned towards Zephyrion and smiled. ”You did our house proud, Zephyrion. Good job.”

Zephyrion bowed towards Garaxe. ”Thank you.”

Then, Garaxe glanced over at Kastor, looking slightly expectant. Zephyrion followed his gaze and found his father silently staring at him.

’Does he want to say something?’

Kastor’s eyes were intense, and his somewhat stern expression made it clear there was indeed something he wanted to say.

”Good job,” he finally said after a moment.

Zephyrion waited for more, but nothing came. He held back a frown, wondering if he’d heard correctly. It was shocking enough that Kastor had complimented him in the first place. Still, he could see no trace of warmth on Kastor’s face. Only indifference.

’He doesn’t care.’ Zephyrion inwardly scoffed..

Garaxe and Garrick exchanged a look he couldn’t understand before smiling wryly.

”Brat, why don’t you tell me how the hell you withstood my bloodlust?”

Cassian’s words reminded him that there were others in the hall. He turned and found four pairs of eyes staring at him with varying expressions. Cassian still looked disbelieving, his eyes slightly trembling.

”No one with half a brain would answer that question, especially not him.” Severin finally spoke, staring straight at him. ”Am I correct?”

His eyes were the sharpest of everyone present. And Zephyrion had long since known that he had to be careful around someone like Severin. Any weakness he found would be used without hesitation. It was clear he’d been silent all this while, observing like a hawk.

Zephyrion gave no response, simply meeting his gaze. Valdris’ eyes immediately turned hostile. To think Zephyrion would dare hold the gaze of a dynasty head. However, he remained rooted in place, waiting for Severin’s words.

Severin himself was also staring into Zephyrion’s eyes without blinking. The two of them remained locked in a silent contest, and a heavy tension gradually settled over the room.

Even Garrick watched them with interest, curious to see where it would lead.

Eventually, Severin was the one who broke the silence. ”I’m curious about something. I’m certain you discovered Malach’s arrangement with his house commander, and I’m equally certain you eventually uncovered the spy in your own house. What I want to know is why. Why resort to strategies and tactics against Malach when you had no need for them?”

”Because I can,” Zephyrion said.

”Hm? So it was merely confidence?” Severin shook his head. ”Disappointing. A thousand things could have gone wrong, and you chose to risk the cadets under your charge for something as vain as proving a point.”

’He’s trying to provoke a reaction.’

Targeting his moral judgment was a good way to make him stumble over his words and overcompensate, in essence, losing their silent battle. Clearly, this was another test, but Severin’s.

Though Zephyrion wouldn’t normally care about his image, especially before an enemy, this was different. He was in the presence of the other dynasty heads. How he dealt with this would determine how they perceived him in the future.

After a moment, Zephyrion finally spoke.

”You can give a goat a sword, but it’s still a goat. Before a dragon, it’s worthless.”

Severin’s eyes narrowed. ”...are you referring to my son as a goat?”

”It’s a metaphor,” Zephyrion calmly answered. ”You can give a weakling every advantage in the world, but he’ll still be a weakling. Before someone better, those advantages mean nothing.”

”...and you believe you’re better than Malach?”

”I believe the result of our battle is answer enough.”

”....”

Severin’s eyes had gone dark, and the air around him had grown cold. Clearly, he’d lost the exchange.

It didn’t take the perception of a dynasty head to realize he was pissed.