Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 927: Joke [Magic Castle Bonus Chapter]

As Asher remained invisible, he heard familiar footsteps and sensed a familiar presence approaching from behind him. He didn’t bother turning around, as he already knew who it was. A figure stopped beside him, pulled a chair close to his own, and sat down with calm ease as she crossed one leg over the other.

She possessed caramel skin, long black hair, and amber-gold eyes. She wore a whitish-gold gown with embroidery and intricate detailing that seemed to perfectly complement her own skin tone.

It seemed as though Asher’s invisibility skill didn’t work on this person, and needless to say, it was Arianna Haellight.

“It seems you were having a lot of fun,” Arianna stated the moment she sat down, her demeanor calm.

“I was,” Asher replied with a smile. “Nobles need to let loose once in a while and enjoy things while they still can before they die,” his tone calm as he watched the people before him.

“Well, that is a bit true, but I didn’t know you knew how to dance,” Arianna replied with a shake of her head. It was a rather surprising sight for her.

Asher arched an eyebrow as he undid his invisibility and spoke, “Well, we only just met a few days ago. It would be weird if you already knew I could dance,” his tone almost amused.

“True,” Arianna replied, “but I guess I was just thinking that the Wargraves wouldn’t be able to do such… normal things, given your family’s records and history,” Arianna stated as she shook her head.

Asher sighed as he asked, “Why does everyone say this?” clearly exhausted by the thought that Wargraves couldn’t do normal things.

Arianna smirked as she replied, “Well, since I wasn’t the first to say it, that means I’m not the only one thinking it,” her tone filled with amusement. “Besides, who was the person that said it?” she asked.

“A friend of mine, Ryaen Silvershade. She challenged me to a knitting challenge, and if she won, she would get to keep one of the four rewards,” Asher replied without hiding anything, as he had nothing to hide.

Arianna shook her head and spoke, “Sigh… it seems you already have a girlfriend, and here I was, walking over like a swan descending from the stars to confess my feelings to you after losing so helplessly,” her tone almost serious. If one didn’t possess the ability to distinguish between jokes and serious conversations, they would have easily taken Arianna’s words at face value.

“Pffffttt…. HAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Asher immediately burst into laughter as he bent forward, clutching his stomach with both hands, not even trying to hold himself back. His laughter became so uncontrollable that he ended up falling off his chair.

A few seconds passed before Asher got back to his feet, pulled his chair upright, and sat down once more as he wiped the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

“I didn’t take you for the type who joked this well or this much. I thought you were the calm, reserved, and hardly-speaking type,” Asher spoke the moment he sat down, a small chuckle still escaping his lips.

“Well, I joke a lot, and the attitude you saw earlier is more of a surface-level one I show to unfamiliar people. After all, I can’t exactly go around cracking jokes with everyone, can I?” Arianna replied with a shake of her head. “Besides, you laugh like you are black. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve asked whether you’re mixed like me,” she added.

Asher simply shook his head, not replying to either the first or the second statement Arianna had made. Although, back on Earth, he had quite a few black friends, as there were many in both his department and Jennifer’s.

“Well, firstly, Ryaen isn’t my girlfriend. A guy and a girl can just be friends. Secondly, I gave all my friends the same opportunity. They could all challenge me to something they felt confident in, provided it wasn’t an ability or anything related to Astra. But sadly, they all lost, so it seems I get to keep all four rewards,” Asher explained as he shook his head, as though taking pity on William, Ryaen, Finch, and Vaelric.

Arianna didn’t ask who Asher’s friends were. She already had a few ideas. Well, she practically knew all of them, as they had all survived until the fourth day of the Qualifier Round, and she had seen them sitting together and talking while they waited for the healers.

“Hooo!!!” Arianna exclaimed with visible interest. “Can I challenge you to something I feel confident in too?” she asked, a small but dangerous smile appearing on her lips.

Asher wasn’t about to accept such a challenge. He had no idea what someone of Arianna’s caliber could suddenly pull out. After all, unlike other people who could barely drive, Arianna had driven like an F1 driver the very first time they met. Who knew what other ordinary things she could perform at an absurdly extreme level?

“Sigh… unfortunately, those challenges are only for my friends, and we aren’t exactly friends. Truly a pity,” Asher replied as he sighed and shook his head.

Arianna arched an eyebrow as she asked in an amused tone, “Are you afraid you would lose?”

Asher simply shrugged, spreading his hands apart as he replied indifferently, “You have the right to believe whatever you want. It’s your own mind and your own thoughts, after all,” he stated, expertly dodging the question.

Arianna remained silent for a moment before shaking her head, having no reply to that. Besides, she had only been joking. She wasn’t greedy enough to challenge Asher for a share of his reward. Even if Asher accepted and she somehow won, she had already planned to refuse the reward should Asher offer it according to the terms of the challenge.

She was simply that type of person.

With that, the two of them sat in silence as they watched the dancing commoners, who seemed to be having the time of their lives. After all, this was likely both the first and the only Noble event they would ever attend, so it was only natural for them to make the most of it.

“So, did you have any sudden visitors these past two days? Anyone cloaked with knives and daggers… or maybe poison?” Asher asked as he broke the silence between them.

Arianna’s reply came instantly.

“Just one. Although a second person tried making a move with a lethal poison mixed into a glass of juice I was served. But I guess when I said on the livestream that I’m immune to poison, they either weren’t listening or simply didn’t take notes. So I enjoyed my juice and even asked for more without giving a second thought to suddenly dying from poison,” she replied.

“What about you?” she asked, already guessing Asher had also been attacked for him to bring it up.

“Same, just one. But no one has made a move during this event yet, maybe because I’m not really eating or drinking anything,” Asher replied.

Just as Arianna was about to speak again, a clear ringing sound echoed throughout the hall, as though someone was gently tapping a spoon against the side of a wine glass in preparation for a toast.

But no one was.

The next moment, the massive doors slowly opened, and various powerhouses stepped inside as the atmosphere instantly turned heavy, and almost oppressive from nothing more than their mere existence alone.

_____

Bonus Chapter sponsored by RibeyeSteaks

Also, this is our greatest chance to get the 3rd rank on the Golden Tickets ranking, as we’ve seemed to stabilize at 4th rank, so we need your golden tickets.

Thanks for reading and supporting Asher and me this far.