Chapter 47: The Stench Is Quite Similar, Is It Not?

Chapter 47: The Stench Is Quite Similar, Is It Not?

So Father noticed it as well.

His remarkable elegance was not something that could be hidden by will. Starting with myself, Id felt that something was strange about Cassadin the first day I brought him here.

How would Father react if he learned that Cassadin is the Crown Prince of the Hyran Kingdom? Would he feel sympathy for him or immediately try to kick him out?

Mustering up a smile, I acted oblivious to his speculations.

Im not sure either.

So not even my daughter knows about him.

Father looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

To be truthful, every single thing that Cassadin had done since the day you brought him here has been bothering. Hes a slave born, after all. If it had been possible, I wanted to throw him out immediately.

But these days, Ive been having the question of whether Cassadin was actually a slave. Not only does he know how to read and write, but hes thoroughly reviewed and revised the documents as well. He finished work that even nobles like me struggle to finish in several days in a single day.

I massaged my arm, hoping to rub away the chills that had crawled up my skin. Was assisting Fathers work also a part of his brilliant plan? What about causing Father to suspect him? Was all of it planned?

I didnt know.

I thought I had gotten somewhat of an idea who Cassadin was, but I didnt know anymore.

Cassadin also came to my office yesterday and said this to me.

This I hadnt heard of. For what reason did he come to visit Father?

He requested to be exiled from the family.

I felt my heart drop hearing what he said.

What? Cassadin asked you to exile him?

Yes. He claimed that he should no longer burden the family after the news article went public.

As he said that, Father took out a newspaper from his desk drawer and handed it to me. It was a newspaper that I knew all too well.

The paper with the article anonymously targeting Cassadin with his past as a gladiator slave.

So what did you say to him?

I asked him why he made such a decision all of a sudden.

Father paused and looked out of the window. Following his gaze, I could see that the skies were dark even though it was morning.

Possibly due to the soggy weather, a white bird that had been preening its feathers on a tree branch hurriedly flew away elsewhere.

I was staring up at the white bird flying into the distance when Fathers voice gently landed at my ears.

He said He wanted to repay the kindness you had given him.

He claimed that because he was the cause of this, he had to be the one to end it, and promised me he would return once its over.

So, did you accept Cassadins request to be exiled?

Cassadin seemed to have made this decision after much thought.

So

He is no longer here.

Just how much did you get paid every time you sold that almighty body of yours? I knew you were a slave, but thats absolutely pitiful.

Damian brought up his hand to cover his nose as if there were a putrid smell. It would have been enough for others to start shouting in anger, but Cassadin remained still, not moving an inch.

He thought that the man had been pretending to be alright to cover up his anxiety.

That was, until Cassadin opened his mouth.

Whether its a man who leeches off the blood of commoners to decrease the pain of his heart disease, or one whos sold their body in order to survive, I would think that the stench is quite similar, is it not?

The corner of Cassadins lip curled up slightly, almost looking like he was smirking at Damian.

Just how much did this man know about him? It was at this point that Damian realized Cassadin was not just an ordinary slave.

How did this man figure out the secret that he had been concealing for the past several years?

No. He may just be trying to see my reaction with information that isnt proven. There is no possible way that Kindel would have confessed that I drink blood to him.

The only person in this entire empire who knew he suppressed the pain of his heart condition by drinking the blood of the commoners was Kindel.

A few years ago, when he had been scouring the empire for every single doctor to exist in order to cure his heart disease, he met a man who visibly decreased the pain in his heart.

But the man never revealed what it had been that improved his condition. The man who hesitated to tell him the reason only answered Damian with a pale expression when he pushed a blade against the mans throat.

IIll say it! So please, please spare me!

My patience doesnt last long.

Blood, drinking blood will help.

Blood?

Y-yes! Blood. Though it will not cure the heart disease, drinking the blood of a human will alleviate the pain.

Then I shall test it with yours.

Wh-what? Aaahhh!

The unnamed commoner was the first sacrifice to decrease the pain of Damians heart disease.

That had already been several years ago. The only ones who knew of this were Damian and Kindel, just the two of them.

So what Cassadin is saying right now must just be a baseless assumption.

Completing his analysis, Damian folded his arms and put on a mask of confidence as he opened his mouth.

Im not sure I understand what youre saying.

Do you think Im saying this without any proof?

What you have just declared is slander against my name. So there will be no one who blames me for slaying you right here and now.

After quietly listening to Damian, Cassadin took out something from his robe and placed it on the table again.

With a solid clack, the object in his hand revealed itself. The object was a medicine bottle small enough to be held in one hand.

Inside the bottle with a black stopper was a bright, crimson-red liquid.

Damian also knew very well what Cassadin had just taken out of his robe.

How could he not know? It was the medicine bottle containing the blood of the commoners that his butler always carried around in case of an emergency.

Your butler has already confessed everything to me.