Chapter 191 - Who Ordered My Assassination?
Nathan Evenhart:
"You did what?!" the cat shouted at me.
"I explained it… twice…" I tried to say, but Cylla was too angry to listen.
I recalled the trap my family and I set up to handle the assassins. They had shown interest in me throughout the week, so we created a scenario where I appeared alone and vulnerable.
The plan was for me to be captured by the assassins. My family kept watch from a distance through a bird-golem created by Chloe, hidden among the trees and rooftops. They had to act naturally, pretending to be just wandering around town while I went about my tasks, in case anyone was observing them. Once I was 'captured,' the next phase of our plan would kick in.
We knew that if they took me out of the city, they'd likely choose one of the less-traveled roads, considered dangerous due to the monsters that inhabit the surrounding forests. Roads like these are avoided by ordinary people, making them ideal for those who don't want to be seen. Ever vigilant about the possibility of kidnappings, my family had mapped the entire region since we moved here, anticipating scenarios like this.
We were prepared for various outcomes. If the assassins attempted to kill me within the city, I'd deal with the situation there and then. The commotion would surely draw the soldiers' attention, forcing the attackers to flee. Another possibility was my 'abduction,' where they could take me to a hideout and torture me for days while drugged. In that case, they would have to leave the city, because if I were reported missing, the city would be locked down, preventing any entry or exit.
They could also try to stage my death in various ways. One scenario was to make me appear in public, heavily drugged, while a lethal poison worked silently. They might arrange for me to be seen in a bar or brothel, where a sudden death could mask the fact that it was actually an assassination. After all, a noble dying of a drug overdose isn't uncommon.
Another possibility was their interest in my special eyes. Since awakening this power, my family has been extremely cautious whenever we leave the duchy for ceremonies or social events.
There were other, more mundane scenarios we ruled out. For instance, they could try to abduct me, and while I was drugged, have a woman 'engage' with me to conceive a child without anyone knowing. As a noble with valuable bloodline and a long lineage of mages, any child of mine would be a mage, serving as a powerful asset for someone seeking an heir. However, such mundane possibilities were unlikely.
Harming a high-ranking noble is punishable by death in all three kingdoms, condemning the perpetrator to a life of constant evasion. Therefore, these more mundane options didn't pass my analysis. It had to be for a far stronger reason.
Once I was finally kidnapped and taken outside the city, it became clear that they were planning to fake my death.
My family watched from afar as the assassins proceeded down the deserted road. They allowed them to continue, knowing that the forest road had only one route, and I would be the one to handle them once we were far enough from the city.
My instructions were clear: I wanted to face the assassins alone to determine whether they were aware of my elemental power derived from my special eyes or if they only had access to my royal records. When I revealed my thunder element to Eliza, she feigned surprise without any sign of caution, indicating that while they didn’t have full knowledge of my abilities, they knew about my thunder element, as there was no hesitation in their plan. The only way to obtain such detailed information would be through a noble with political standing or someone from an influential family.
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The contractor who wants me dead is clearly a noble...
My list of suspects is long. Over the years, I've actively served as an enforcer within my duchy, eliminating those guilty of heinous crimes and purging gangs. Many nobles have connections to the underworld, not just from my own duchy but from others as well, and they've seen their profits drastically slashed as their illegal enterprises—drug trafficking, slave trade—were cut off from our lands.
The list of those who’d benefit from my death is extensive…
Of course, most of my actions were attributed to the military and commanders of our army. I’ve received no public credit or recognition. To the people, I’m just a 'spoiled' noble living in a castle; to nobles outside the duchy, I’m seen as nothing more than a very wealthy farmer.
After we captured the assassin, we placed him in the carriage that Martha, my mother, and Chloe had used to travel here. I had left the Cursed Blade with Martha, as the blade's effect immobilizes anyone in constant contact with the cursed metal. I entrusted it to her for my family’s safety in case more assassins showed up or one managed to escape. No matter how powerful a mage may be, if pierced by that blade, they're done for. This metal even managed to contain a raging phoenix—humans stand no chance against it.
I wanted to use my most powerful spell, one I’d only ever used once in a remote area, which led to a strict ban on its use. But Martha stopped me, interrupting the fight.
All I intended to do was evaporate the river water… nothing more.
We made sure to act far from the city, allowing the assassins to take me to a designated battleground. I could have used my Celestial Eyes to end the situation quickly, but overusing that ability carries significant risks, given the immense strain it causes, and I wasn’t certain if there were more assassins nearby. Still, I used it once—to retrieve my storage bracelet. Attempting to use the Aspect of Time to escape wouldn't have taken me far and would have drained my mana.
My battle with the mage assassins was observed from a distance by my family, who maintained a safe watch over the area in case more adversaries appeared. In the end, I killed one of the assassins for precautionary reasons. Capturing two mages would have been too risky, given that we only had one cursed sword to incapacitate them.
I sighed, pondering my next steps. During the battle, I even revealed my true identity as a high half-elf, hoping that this might be one of the reasons behind the attack. After all, I’m a diplomatic anomaly. Perhaps someone wanted to eliminate me for that reason alone, but it seemed too far-fetched. The reality is that there are many reasons someone might want me dead, only deepening the feeling of being lost in this sea of uncertainties.
Harming a high noble is a severe incident, especially in Apsalon. The most logical course of action would be to involve the authorities and the royal family. A crime like this would not be forgiven in any of the three kingdoms, and the perpetrator would face execution without hesitation. However, the severity of such a crime brings even greater complications.
The perpetrator weighed the risks and concluded it was worth it.
That's exactly why we decided not to alert the authorities. There is someone out there, hidden in the shadows, who assessed the risk of attacking a high noble and planned everything so that my death would appear to be an accident. Facing an unknown enemy is complicated because I still don’t know exactly how my death could benefit anyone.
I touched my eyes. Maybe they were the reason.
We need to determine whether the pair of assassins knew about my Special Eyes, even if they were unaware of their full power. They wanted to deliver me to someone, complicating matters. It could be someone who discovered my eyes’ existence—nobles are obsessed with them. It makes sense that the assassin had access to a healing potion and my royal records; a noble must have provided these resources. Damn... there are so many possibilities that I don’t know what to do anymore.
I let out another sigh.
It seems I have a more immediate danger to deal with…
I looked at the cat glaring at me.
The scolding of a dragon…
“Don’t ignore me!” Cylla snapped.