Chapter 2: Let's live for now (2)

Chapter 2: Let's live for now (2)

I used three circumstances to my advantage to control the situation to my favour.

For one, Cassion knows that I have an unknown illness. Second is that Ruel, who was stupid till now, had changed. And finally, Cassion’s willingness to drop his superiority when it suited him.

Cassion seemed almost feverish with the intensity of his thinking, especially with the current situation.

‘Hmm, that’s a very satisfying face.’

I opened my mouth, holding back my desire to smile. “I’ll give it to you.”

Cassion pursued his lips. He must be upset since he was fooled by my cousin.

“Because I’m ill, it’ll be of no use to me anyway.”

“... How do you guarantee that?”

“We’ll sign a contract.”

I patted myself on the chest.

Everyone in the world of ‘SSS-class Knight’ had mana and establishing contracts using the mana were a common occurrence.

“The conditions?”

Ho... Not only was the fishing rod bent greatly, but it was also winning the fight.

Just a little bit more.

“Be a loyal butler until I die.”

Cassion later became the main character’s loyal feet and ears. I must be a fool to let a fish already on the cutting board go, afterall I have to do my best to live.

There was a shiny glimmer in Cassion’s greedy eyes. This request was far simpler than he thought. It was easy to guess what’s on his mind as he had been watching Ruel for half a year.

‘Ruel is about to die. Wouldn’t he be free after that?’

Cassion didn’t bother to hide his expression this time. Joy was exposed on the surface.

“Cough, Cough!”

I coughed loudly on purpose.

At the same time, the pain that I felt in my chest made me frown. Eventually, the fake cough became a real cough and something hot flowed down my throat.

At the moment, I wondered if I really was going to die.

‘Ha.’

However, when I looked up I saw Cassion’s face mixed with joy and embarrassment, I burst into laughter.

“Even like this...”

I wiped the blood off my mouth and clasped my trembling hands.

“I want to protect the Setiria.”

I said once more.

Cassion, He was the head of the assassin guild. Whether you belong to a family or a guild; as a leader or member, you will have the desire to protect.

His delicate expression was erased and he sat as the head of a guild.

“Please drink.”

Cassion held out a paper packet containing medicine.

“Shouldn’t we sign a contract?”

‘The fish is caught...’

I coughed and hid my smile.

My first step on the path of survival, catching a valuable piece named Cassion in my palm was almost a done deal.

***

The contract was concluded smoothly.

The sword Turbulent Day would go to Cassion and in return Cassion would be a loyal butler until Ruel died.

“I didn’t say the deadline on purpose. I’d like you to think that we’ll be together for at least half a year more.”

“Yes.”

Would I die after that? I don’t know. I would sacrifice as much as I could, even such as a seemingly fine sword for a glimmer of hope.

And I obviously will not let myself die.

For that sliver of hope, I need the power left by the Hero. It was the power held by a Hero just like his name. It was known to have been scattered all over the world before he died, and if I had all his power, I could become a real hero. But currently I didn’t know if I had a chance to be one.

Even the main character, who had acquired this power, could not gather all the scattered power and tried to figure out it’s origin, but the ending of the ‘SSS-class Knight’ was never clear, so even he couldn’t discover who the Hero was or what he did.

“Isn’t that funny?”

“What?”

Skrr, skrr.

It was interesting to see the assassin sitting next to him peeling an apple.

“I am an assassin who came to kill you. I didn’t expect to peel an apple like this.”

“But, now I’m a butler.” Cassion smiled awkwardly.

“What date is it today?”

“It’s September 11th.”

So it’s next week. Unlike the date Cassion promised my cousin to kill me, I was due to die a week later. My cousin changed his plan and tried to kill me by sending another assassin besides Cassion, but amusingly, Cassion killed Ruel first.

Cassion doesn’t like anyone else snatching his prey.

After that, the main character appeared and solved the Setiria situation.

‘Oh, right. There was the protagonist. The Hero.’

The sound of peeling stopped.

“Do you have a headache?”

“No.”

I want to avoid meeting the protagonist no matter what. Just by stepping on the same land as him, for sure troublesome things would shortly follow.

It wouldn’t be bad to live prosperous and comfortable with the fortune I have at the moment.

Of course, before that...

‘First of all, I have to live.’

“Here is it.”

“Aside from you...” Ruel asked, eating an apple piece handed by Cassion. “Who else is here?”

“What are you talking about?”

“People watching me.”

“It’s just me.”

“Ha.” Ruel smiled lightly.

Having come to recuperate, he did not plan to change his position as the head of Setiria.

‘Somehow, only Cassion appeared in the novel. Was he just not sitting there?’

He didn’t seem to know what he was talking about. Cassion sighed lightly, and spoke in a serious tone.

“Ruel-nim.”

“Why?”

“Nevertheless, don’t rush your short life and lie down nicely.”

The look Ruel showed today was pretty good. Over all the time they had spent together in the last 6 months, Cassion liked the Ruel he saw today the most, so he sincerely advised him.

“Cassion.”

I smiled superciliously.

“I’m not dying.”

The eyes revealed on the pale face were filled with flames.

“So I will go out.”

Cassion was speechless. How are you suddenly so resolute today? How come your eyes are so determined now? Ruel, who originally had given in to death, the Ruel he knew, was not here.

“Ruel-nim.”

“Don’t say anymore.”

What the hell is this about?

Cassion knew how bad his condition was and how painful he looked earlier. What in the world made him change today.

Even if it’s like this. I want to protect the Setiria.

The words spoken with conviction that shook one’s heart, suddenly echoed in Cassion. Cassion clenched his fist.

“Is it because of Setiria that you are so stubborn? Are you doing this because you are dying?”

Ruel looked at Cassion without saying a word. Cassion thought Ruel looked like a fading flame, blooming brighter and grander than ever before dying out, maybe that was the case here.

“Okay. I’ll get ready.”

Still, as a person who served, it was the butler’s duty to grant his or her masters last wish.

Cassion bowed his head.

“Have a good rest.”

There was no sound of footsteps. I couldn’t hear the door closing. Soon I realised that Cassion had left.

I looked at the door with an absurd face.

‘What is he saying now?’

He brought up Setiria this or whatever by himself, and he made up his mind and left.

‘Ah, I don’t know. I just want to go out.’

l couldn’t think of other things to do for fun activities.

My head throbbed. My skin felt as if they were being sliced. I struggled with unfamiliar pain and suffering. After groaning for a long time, I couldn’t win over the pain and my eyes finally closed.

***

The night soon arrived and the sound of torches outside crackling could be heard.

Cassion hummed as he walked back silently. He was on the way back from checking on Ruel who had fallen asleep. Today, Ruel’s face was full of pain, from which he soon fainted.

Such a pitiful fellow.

The assassin disguised as a butler for a mission, but Cassion now thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be a real butler for a short time since he already signed a contract.

Cassion turned the dagger in both hands.

The Lord ordered me to kill the flies, so I’ll have to act on them.

Back then, he showed his killing intent on purpose.

Hehe.

Cassion grinned at the thought.

‘Five hunters, three more. You guys missed a lot, will have to punish you later.’

Cassion took a step after unbuttoning his collar.

Cassion stood in the shadows, and his hands raised caught all the lingering memories.

His purple eyes flash for an instant.

All the memories in the surroundings were caught, they were then pulverized and scattered into dust.

Weapon tracking.

Cassion walked among the shadows. He moved stealthily like a panther until reappearing behind the enemy hiding behind the flower bed.

With a flash, the sound of the heartbeat disappeared. The dark scent of blood lingered on the dagger, which had stolen a life with a single swing.

‘I caught one.’

Cassion sunk back into the shadows again.

He soon caught all five people he had seen with memorisation without causing a disturbance. Then Cassion walked back to the initial place.

‘There are three left.’

There was news that the former employer (Ruel’s cousin) had squandered his assets, and it seemed to be true. Otherwise, he could not have sent such sloppy people against him.

In a blink of an eye, three people dressed in black appeared.

Cassion laughed.

“Why did you come here in such a hurry?”

He didn’t hear the answer.

Since their necks had already been cut off.

Blood burst from the cut, and Cassion stood among them with not a single drop on him.

Cassion raised his hand.

His guild member, who was ambushed outside the mansion, appeared.

“Sir.”

His voice was quieter than usual because he had done something wrong.

“You missed eight people and made me come out to do your job.” Looking at the subordinate he said “Begin the clean up.”

It wasn’t because the cleanup was bothersome. It would now be the punishment to guild members who had become negligent.

“I’ll take your orders, sir.”

“One more thing.”

Cassion wiped the blood off the dagger and tidied up his uniform.

“Tomorrow the Lord is going out. It’s been a while since I have gone out as well so don’t cause any mistakes.”

“Yes sir.”

“Yeah, I’m heading back, put everything back neatly.”

As for what he’d say to his former employer, Cassion thought about it.

Let’s say they fought each other.