Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 437: A Bit Too Handsome [Bonus Chapter]

Finch’s arm wrapped around his little sister’s small body as he spoke warmly, ”You cute rascal, I’ve missed you so much. I know you couldn’t talk properly because Father and Mother were here.”

Rachael’s hands were wrapped around his neck as she replied, ”Yeah, I had to maintain my noble demeanor, but now that they aren’t here, I don’t have to anymore.” She spoke cheerfully as she climbed down from Finch’s body, her small legs landing atop the glass dining table. Standing there boldly, she stared straight into her brother’s black eyes with her own bright blue ones, completely unbothered by the impropriety of her actions.

Finch let out a sigh, shaking his head in mock resignation. ”If only Father and Mother knew you weren’t serious at all,” he spoke playfully. Rachael merely stuck out her tongue in a childish, teasing manner, clearly unconcerned.

Her gaze then shifted toward William. ”Brother William, you didn’t come visit me for over a year. Did you forget about me?” she asked, staring straight at him with feigned indignation.

William laughed lightly as he reached out and gently played with her cheeks. ”I didn’t forget,” he replied warmly. ”I was preparing to enter the Star Academy, so I had to train a lot, you know.”

”Hmph!” she snorted playfully, crossing her arms over her chest. ”No matter how much you train, you can never be stronger than my big brother. He is the strongest,” she declared with utter confidence.

William’s black eyes shifted toward Finch as he gazed at him with a teasing, mocking expression. Finch’s lips twitched in embarrassment as he averted his gaze. In the past, whenever his adorable little sister proclaimed him to be the strongest, Finch would bask proudly in the praise. Now, however, standing in front of William and Asher, both of whom could quite literally slap him to death, the title felt more humiliating than flattering.

William chose not to refute the little girl’s claim. Instead, he simply smiled and gently patted her head. He had never had a sibling of his own, and over time, he had grown genuinely fond of the girl before him.

Rachael’s eyes widened slightly as her attention shifted once more, this time settling on Asher, who sat calmly and quietly to the side, observing everything with composed ease.

”Tenth Sun, are you really a Wargrave?” she asked curiously. She wasn’t entirely sure, but she could piece together enough information to arrive at such a conclusion.

”I am,” Asher replied calmly. ”My name is Asher Wargrave.” A faint smile finally appeared on his lips.

”In the lessons I’ve been taught,” Rachael continued thoughtfully, ”I was told that the Wargraves are among the strongest families within the Empire. Is that true, Brother Asher?” She tilted her head slightly to the side as she spoke, her curiosity genuine.

Asher paused briefly before answering, his tone gentle and reassuring. ”It is.”

”Then is Brother Asher stronger than my brother?” she asked, clearly eager to know. After all, if the Wargraves truly stood among the strongest, how did her own brother compare to one of them?

Asher’s purple eyes shifted toward Finch, who sat stiffly to the side. Finch immediately turned his gaze away, refusing to meet Asher’s eyes. Amused, Asher smiled before replying, ”I haven’t fought your brother, so we can’t determine who is stronger.”

Technically, he wasn’t lying. He and Finch had never sparred in any way. Though Asher could have easily stated the obvious, that he was stronger, there was no reason to crush a little girl’s big belief in her elder brother. She would come to understand the truth in due time as she grew up.

Upon hearing his answer, Rachael giggled happily and struck another dramatic pose atop the glass table. This time, she mimicked a sprinter’s stance, much like Usain Bolt who has just won a race. ”It doesn’t matter,” she declared confidently. ”Big brother is the strongest.” She paused briefly before continuing, her voice brimming with excitement. ”He will become the Baron, and I will be his right hand and stand by his side. Together, we will be the strongest siblings.”

She spoke with such certainty, as though her future had already been fully planned and set in stone.

It was a shame that such a future would never come to pass under the shadow of the Wargrave family, where all the Suns and Moons were monsters in their own right, beings of overwhelming talent and power, far beyond normal measure.

’Cute,’ Asher thought to himself as he watched her unwavering belief in her brother.

’A shame I don’t have a cute little sister,’ he mused silently as he continued to observe Rachael speaking enthusiastically. If Baron Whale and Lady Vie were present, she would undoubtedly be on her best behavior. In truth, they didn’t even need to be here for her to behave properly.

The only reason she could act so freely, standing atop the dining table despite her noble etiquette training, was because she was already comfortable with Finch and William. There was no need to maintain her refined demeanor around them. As for Asher, though he was technically a guest, she had already categorized him as her big brother’s friend, which placed him firmly within her circle of trust.

”Brother Asher,” Rachael called out once again.

Had Baron Whale and Lady Vie been present, they would have likely choked on their wine upon hearing their daughter address Asher so casually, and with the prefix ”brother,” no less. Thankfully, the stars had spared them that shock.

”Yes?” Asher replied, his gaze soft as he looked at the girl before him, his heart strangely warmed. ’Maybe I should kidnap her and erase Finch’s presence and replace it with images of me,’ he joked internally. Of course, it was nothing more than a fleeting, humorous thought. He had no intention of kidnapping such an adorable child.

”You’re a bit too handsome,” Rachael said bluntly as she examined him from head to toe. ”Is there any product you use for your face and skin?”

Asher inwardly laughed as he caught the way her eyes traced his features, his flawless skin, sharp jawline, and perfectly arranged hair.

’At the end of the day, women are women, no matter their age,’ Asher thought wryly. The idea of a girl who couldn’t be more than ten years old asking about skincare and beauty products was strangely amusing.

”I don’t use anything,” Asher replied calmly. ”I’m just naturally handsome, just as you are naturally beautiful.” He reached out and gently patted her head.

Rachael giggled brightly, a radiant smile spreading across her face. She already knew she was beautiful, people told her that every single day, but that didn’t mean she would ever grow tired of hearing it.

”You might want to slow down,” William joked from the side, ”or you might end up becoming the big brother here.” Asher and Finch both chuckled lightly at William’s words, neither of them bothering to respond as the moment settled into comfortable warmth.