Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Do Me A Favor

Chapter 254 – Do Me A Favor

On the other end of the phone, Meadow Wealth fell into a stunned silence, processing what Cassius had just told her.

She didn’t need to be exceptionally smart to guess what he wanted to achieve with this message.

She sighed under her breath, confirming that someone had indeed angered Mr. Earth.

Now the question was: who?

Because anyone who angered him had angered their entire Sect. They might not be many, or even exceptionally strong, but they could still cause harm if they chose to.

Just like now.

”I’ll make sure to do that.” Meadow’s voice reverberated inside Cassius’s skull, ”Any other requirements?”

”As soon as possible.” He replied, thinking of the deadline on his quest, ”You don’t need to be gentle about it. Send them the message right now, if possible.”

Meadow chuckled, ”That way, they’ll either see it now and probably lose whatever sleep they had left. Or they’ll see it first thing tomorrow morning. Well, what a way to wake up.”

”The perfect way to be desperate.”

”Without a doubt.” She said, ”I’ll do it now. It doesn’t take much time to raise the interest and send the message. Anything else?”

Cassius took a moment to think clearly. Several thoughts flashed through his mind as he tried to form a coherent plan for his new endeavor.

After a couple of seconds, an idea sparked in his mind, ”I might have another favor to ask you, Meadow.” He said, pacing slowly around the chamber, leaving Nafissatou and Natasha to wonder uselessly at what he was doing, ”I want you to request a task.”

”A task?”

”Yes. Say, for example, that you want an alchemical recipe for your company’s upcoming auction. And set the price of that recipe as the exact amount of debt the twins’ parents owe.”

”...oh my.” The young tycoon whispered, sounding slightly stunned.

”Can you do that?” Cassius asked, a bit embarrassed to ask Meadow to spend so much of her money, ”Or is the sum too high?”

”Money isn’t the problem.” Meadow said, brushing off his concern, ”I’m just wondering what the Twins did to deserve this.”

”Nothing.”

”What?”

”They’ve done nothing to me.” He repeated, ”Not yet, at least. But leaving them free to do as they please would cause us problems down the line. So I’m smothering the smoke before the fire breaks out.”

”I understand now.” She said, remembering the attributes of her goddess, ”Praise the Queen.”

Cassius echoed the praise with her and continued, ”But don’t do it tomorrow. Give them a full day to sit and worry about the debt. Do it the day after tomorrow. And once they’ve taken the bait...”

Cassius smiled faintly.

”Call me.”

”Aye, Mr. Earth.” She murmured, ”If this is how you handle someone who’s merely potentially dangerous, what do you do to someone who’s actually wronged you?”

”Good question.” He replied, ”And I have one at the moment. A second-year student named Naomi Holloway. Do you have anything on her for me?”

”What did she do, if I may ask?”

”She killed an innocent girl. A girl who didn’t deserve to die.” Cassius answered truthfully, ”And I knew that girl. Not well, I admit. But well enough to want her killer dead.”

”So, Mr. Earth, you’re not entirely heartless after all.” Meadow said, sounding pleased, ”I’m relieved to know you can care about someone you don’t know that well.”

Cassius said nothing to that.

”I’ll look into Naomi Holloway for you and tell you everything I find. I’ll use my family’s spies.”

”Thanks.” He murmured gratefully, ”You can do it tomorrow, I don’t want to take up your whole night.”

”It’s fine. Aren’t I a member of the Sect? I’m happy to be of use. But hey, heheh, will I get some kind of reward?” She added the last part jokingly, not really expecting anything.

”As a matter of fact, yes.” Cassius chuckled softly, ”I obtained an interesting pen just before the Entrance Test. It never runs out, you only need to channel your essence into it, and it writes indefinitely. I heard it was created by MasterofPaths.”

There was a sharp silence after his words, during which all Cassius could hear was Meadow’s breathing.

Then, snapping out of her audible daze,

”...you must be joking?” Meadow whispered.

”I’m actually not.”

”How do you keep coming across so many rare artifacts?! From MasterofPaths? Cassius, do you know how many relics we have from him? Seven! Only seven, I tell you! And they’re all heavily guarded inside the Museum of Legends!”

She was shouting excitedly now, and Cassius could hear her bouncing around.

”Is that so? Then you’ll get the eighth one. Cool, right?”

”Stop being so nonchalant about it!!”

”Hahah. Alright, I understand, it’s a big deal. But it’s still just a pen at the end of the day. Anyway, do you want it?”

”Of course I do! Can I come get it now?”

”Meadow, calm down.”

”I am calm!! Very calm!!”

”You’re not.” Cassius shook his head, smiling wryly, ”I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

”Tomorrow?! That’s so many hours away!”

”Sleep, and you won’t even notice.”

”Fine, fine.” She sighed, reining in her excitement, ”Anyway, I’ll get started on your task right away. I might have something for you tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for that pen.”

”The pen isn’t going anywhere, don’t worry.”

”It better be. And oh, Cassius,” Meadow called out suddenly, catching him off guard.

”Yes?”

”Are you okay?”

Cassius froze at the question. His mind stalled for a moment, completely at a loss for words, not expecting it at all.

It was a simple question. But in that moment, it was anything but simple.

Eventually he smiled gratefully, thinking of Coco, then whispered,

”I’m doing perfectly.” He said, lifting his head to look at the dark ceiling, his heart a bit lighter, ”Thanks for asking, Meadow. Truly, thank you.”

She hummed in acknowledgment, ”Don’t mention it. In case you forgot, I’m your writer. Just as you help me, I can help you too. Now I’ll get going. I miss Isolde, by the way. I’ll send her a message. Well, see you tomorrow...with my pen!!!”

She shouted the last words excitedly before hanging up, leaving Cassius standing there alone.

He slowly lowered his hand, looking at the phone, at Meadow’s contact info, for a while before shaking his head, lips curling upward.

”My writer.” He whispered, ”I suppose you’re similar to Kaden in that respect. I hope, though, you’ll write better than his trash. Ah, damn that bastard. I’m getting annoyed just thinking about it again.”

He teased his dear friend, one he couldn’t help but miss.

Then Cassius lifted his head again, watching the ceiling in deep, profound silence, trying to reset himself.

The only sound breaking it was Natasha’s small groan of pain.

After a moment, Cassius composed himself, his mind tired yet oddly sharp.

’One more call.’ He thought, then browsed his phone and pressed the call button on a contact.

This time, it was instantaneous.

”Lord Seraph?” Sarah answered.

”That’s I. Am I calling at a bad time?”

”Oh, no! You’re calling at the perfect time. Always.” She said hurriedly, ”Do you need me?”

”Yes. I remember you mentioned, in a message, that you met someone at the library yesterday.” Cassius tilted his head, ”A second-year student, if I recall correctly?”

”Oh, yes, he was!” Sarah nodded, ”He’s the second-ranked student in the second year.”

”Second ranker, huh? What’s his name?”

”Zakaria, I believe.” Sarah said, her tone thoughtful, as if unsure, ”hm, yes, that must be it. Is there...something about him?”

”I just want you to get close to him, if you can.” Cassius said, ”I’m not asking you to use your body, Sarah. Uncle would certainly kill me, and you’re no longer the woman who uses her body to get what she wants. You’re someone else now.”

”I am, Lord Seraph.”

”Then act like it. Secrecy, Sarah. Secrecy. Remember that when you get close to him.”

”Yes.” She replied.

”Keep me updated on how it goes.” Cassius said at last, then, ”and, well, I haven’t had the chance to ask you...but, hm, are you doing okay at this Academy?”

”Oh? Yes, yes! I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine, hahah.” She chuckled, ”I have the Prince with me almost all the time.”

”Oh? Is that alright? No men trying to approach you, then?” Cassius joked lightly.

”Hahah. I don’t need other men, Lord Seraph. You know that already. I’m unable to love, or even be interested in, another man.”

”That makes me want to ask how things are going with him. But I think that’s a conversation for another time.”

”Yes. I’ll tell you when you have time.”

”Alright. But if something happens and you can’t tell Uncle about it, know that I’ll listen.”

”I know you will.” Her voice was soft, sweet even, ”Thanks for everything.”

”Aye. Well, have a good night. Don’t forget the task. And if you get the chance to get close to any other second-years, take it.”

”We’re going up against them?” She guessed easily.

”We are.”

”By your will, Lord Seraph.”

”Good night, Sarah. And thanks again.”

The call ended swiftly after that. Cassius exhaled, calming himself.

He checked the time and noticed it was getting very late.

His eyes drifted next to Coco’s corpse, still shrouded in the white cloth he’d gotten from Nafissatou.

His face darkened slightly before he turned, facing Natasha and Nafissatou. He walked toward them, his steps making no sound at all.

Close enough now, he stopped and knelt in front of the shaking, trembling Natasha, her eyes still streaming from the pain of having her fingers broken one by one by Nafissatou,

”Last question for tonight.” Cassius said, ”You lie, you die. Understood?”

”A-Ahhh...ahhh...” Natasha moaned in pain and sheer terror, looking at Cassius with trembling eyes, nodding furiously.

”So tell me,” he began, looking deep into her eyes, ”where does Naomi live?”

—End of Chapter 254—