Chapter 9 - Maybe She Wasn't That Bad

"Mika!" 

"Ah! Geez…" Mika ruffled his short dirty blonde hair and patted his own sweaty face. "I guess someone tried an ȧssassination attempt on school grounds, but rest ȧssured, both of them had safely escaped." 

"Aren't they too fearless?" Zeke questioned, crossing his arms. 

"Who? The ȧssassins?" 

Zeke shrugged. 

"I wonder how the Zeros Family managed to anger their enemies for them to do these drastic measures," Mika sighed. "The Zeros are lucky enough to have hired a bodyguard or they might be losing an heir."

"Does the Queen know about these ȧssassinations?" 

Mika hummed. "From what I gathered, only the people in Zariya know about it, actually you don't even know at first, is that true? The Zeros are bloody good at suppressing rumors from spreading. Moreover, I don't think the Queen or Royal Family would trouble themselves with such trivial matters." 

"You are right, even though we are one of the biggest towns in Asterin, they wouldn't even bat an eye," Zeke sighed deeply. 

"Are you worried about your wives?" 

"Wives? Why are you using plural?" 

"Because you got t-- akh!" Before Mika could finish his sentences, a thick textbook flew across and hit him directly on the face. 

XXX

"Another ȧssassination?!" 

The Head of Zero, Malakhi Zero, Lady Clement's father shrieked. He wore the typical white western-style shirt with a light brown vest over it. He had a worried look over his wrinkly face, Jian Yu ȧssumed he was in his fifties. 

"How's my daughter?! You protected her, didn't you?!" 

"Of course, My Lord. Not a single scratch adorned her face," Jian Yu did a deep bow and it somehow strained the wound on his bicep, making him hissed quietly. 

Malakhi breathed out a sigh of relief. He slipped his hand into his short grayish hair and clenched his finger, huffing out in frustration next. 

The next day after the incident, after Jian Yu had fully bandaged up his entirely not-life-threatening arm, he was called out to the office, a huge room occupying the corner of the mansion with floor-to-ceiling windows giving views in two directions: roses garden to the east, entrance to the mansion just a few blocks north, probably to check out whoever that came. 

The two remaining walls contained a door, floor to ceiling bookshelf, books leaning against one another in different directions, and a single oil painting - a portrait of a young girl, Jian Yu ȧssumed it was Lady Clement by the face structure and hair color. 

This was the second time he entered this office of Malakhi Zero, the first time being his first working day. 

BAM! 

Jian Yu jumped. 'Holy, that was too sudden,' Jian Yu nursed his beating heart. 

White knuckles from clenching his fist too hard, and gritted teeth from the effort to remain silent. His face was red with suppressed rage and when his personal butler even set a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down, he swung around and mentally snapped. 

"What more did they want?! Haven't I given enough?!" He growled through gritted teeth.  

'What?' 

Jian Yu paused. He was currently standing in front of the mahogany desk, trying to maintain himself from the fury of an Alpha, holding himself together. But what was that…

So he knew from the start who had been behind all of this, who had sent these ȧssassins. Searching in his memories, Jian Yu recalled there was nothing mentioned in the documents, there were no details and no request to do an investigation, he was just asked to guard, nothing more. Normally the client would request a private investigator as well. 

Not only that, when Jian Yu tried to figure out who ordered these ȧssassins himself, he was always met with a dead-end. Sure, he had signed that he won't interfere with any affairs…

Damn!

After putting the puzzles together, it all made sense now and it was no wonder. All because Malakhi Zero precisely knew who it was and planned to settle it himself? 

Now the question was, who threatened him? Who had blackmailed him? 

Jian Yu glanced at the oily painting and silently praised whoever that was. This man loved his daughter to the moon and back, Jian Yu wouldn't be surprised if he had developed a daddy complex. 

But… Why did it stop for a month? 

Was it due to Lord Zero fulfilling what they asked before?

"Dismissed." 

Jian Yu pulled himself together from his thoughts, mentally reminding himself to send a letter to his adoptive father for the update before giving another deep bow to Lord Zero, he excused himself. Closing the door to the office, he walked straight back to his room, only to be stopped by Lady Clement. 

Speak of the devil. 

Instead of the hard demeanor she usually supported, she looked pretty unsure of herself. Both of her hands that were adorned with jewelry clasped tightly in front of her. Her eyes flickered back and forth as if trying to look at everywhere but him. 

Jian Yu took a moment to examine her. She looked gorgeous and elegant but the confidence she usually carried wasn't there. She wore a light blueish gown, a semicircular, high collar made of silk-like materials headed the ankle-length robe. 

Black curls fell so naturally on her face, while the rest were tied up in a high bun. Light makeup with rosy lips. The stare she held on her piercing eyes were intense as always. If Jian Yu hadn't known her and saw her on the streets, he would halt whatever he was doing to admire for a while. 

"Ehem…"

"Yes, My lady?"

Jian Yu asked, dipping his upper body forward to bow. 

"How's your injury?" 

Stunned, Jian Yu rose from his bow and looked at his client. Did he hear wrong? His face must have shown disbelief as Lady Clement blushed a deep red. 

"D— Don't get me wrong, it's not that I am worried about you. Who else would I be able to torment but you?" She stuttered out, her hands fanning her heated face, struggling to cool it down. 

"It's totally fine, thank you for your concern, My Lady," Jian Yu answered, chuckling to himself. To be honest, he was actually quite surprised, but he wouldn't want to ruin the moment by teasing her. 

"A—and…"

Jian Yu raised his eyebrows, there were more?

"I… I am sorry about before!!" She struggled to get that out. The moment she finished her sentence, she whirled around, flapping her gown like she was attempting to comfort herself, and ran towards her study room, only to stop again. 

She turned around and stomped back to him. "One last thing, don't even think of showing your face in my study room today. You are dismissed for today!"

This time, Jian Yu couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling up his mouth. He covered his mouth with his gloved hands to cover the smile on his face. 

Maybe.

Maybe she wasn't that bad.