Chapter 196 - The Smartest Woman in the World
I was in my room, reflecting on everything that had happened, while Cylla remained downstairs, eager to find out who had ordered my death. She even mentioned wanting to join the torture, which, oddly enough, reassured me—at least it showed she wasn't mad at me anymore. I went up to my room to try and organize my thoughts.
“What are you doing, idiot? I was still having dinner!” Athena suddenly complained, appearing out of nowhere.
I decided to ignore the goddess.
“Martha had made my favorite dish!” she continued, but I kept my focus, paying her no mind.
“The bounty for my head is 35,000 gold coins...” I murmured, still struggling to process the absurd amount. I used the mental exercise my family had taught Chloe and me to keep our perspective on money, despite our wealth. The technique involved comparing any large sum to how long it would take a peasant family to accumulate it.
"A farming family earns, on average, 5 gold coins per year," I calculated softly.
It would take 10 years to save up 50 gold coins, assuming they spent nothing and ignored all expenses.
I let out a small laugh of disbelief, continuing my calculations.
"It would take 100 years to save 500 gold coins... 35,000 gold coins is..." I began to calculate quickly, but was interrupted.
"Icarus," Athena's voice chimed in, always calculated, "that would be exactly 7,000 years. That's how long it would take a peasant family to accumulate the price on your head."
I glanced at the goddess, sitting in the armchair, and sighed.
"Thank you for stating the obvious…"
It’s an enormous amount of money...
I resumed pacing back and forth, trying to comprehend my situation. A massive fortune had been placed on my life. Even so, I knew that few would dare to accept such a job, given that the penalty for attacking a high-ranking noble was death, and the criminal's face, if discovered, would be known throughout the continent. Additionally, the assassin himself would likely have a similar bounty placed on his head, making him a target for everyone.
I began analyzing what I knew.
The 35,000 gold coins were intended for the three mages. The third assassin, named Quinn, who knew the contractor’s identity, would probably receive a significant share, perhaps half, to ensure his silence. The other two assassins would likely divide the remainder.
I weighed my options.
I doubt there are even 10 assassins on this entire continent who would dare target a high noble. Any assassin would avoid taking a contract to kill a high noble just to avoid the risk of involvement. The person who wants me dead must have gone directly to hire for my death, and they must be someone trustworthy enough that the assassins were willing to take on this crime.
I returned to contemplating the fortune.
My family generates an annual profit of around 40,000 gold coins from businesses and taxes within the duchy. Even so, any unnecessary expenditure would impact the territory’s entire infrastructure: schools, security, military pensions, investments, and many others. This is because my aunt reinvests much of the profit to ensure the continuity of the duchy's activities, given the financial crisis caused by the shortage of mages after the war.
The contractor was genuinely willing to spend an amount so enormous that even I, a high-ranking noble, was shocked.
Athena stood up, walking towards me with that keen gaze of hers.
“And I bet they had to pool together the fortune of an entire group along with illicit funds from the underworld to reach that sum,” she said.
“‘Group’?” I asked, intrigued. Knowing the Goddess of Strategy, when she says something like that, there’s always a deeper meaning.
Stolen story; please report.
“Icarus, Icarus… Icarus,” Athena repeated my name, pacing slowly beside me until she sat on my bed with that irritating smile plastered on her face.
“I really don’t have time for your games. We’ve already had dinner, and I even let you have the meal Martha made, your favorite. So why are you still here? Go away,” I said, waving her off.
“Today’s meal was my favorite! I wanted more! I don’t have a stomach to limit me, you idiot,” she complained, but I kept ignoring her.
“You’re walking in circles,” she taunted. “All of you are. I understand your situation...”
I glared at the blonde woman haunting me. “I don’t have the headspace to deal with your taunts right now. There’s a third assassin mage who wants to kill me, putting everyone at risk. I need to plan my next steps, figure out the motive, who the client is, and why… I can’t deal with you now, so disappear!”
I closed my eyes, trying to dismiss her, but when I opened them, she was still there, smiling, sitting on my bed.
“We haven’t finished our conversation, Icarus,” she said nonchalantly, inspecting her nails.
I sighed, resigned. “Just say what you need to... insult me, taunt me, have your fun, and then leave.”
She let out a laugh that echoed through the room.
“You’re stuck, trapped in your own problems,” Athena began. “You’re like horses with blinders, focused in a single direction. The issue of you being a noble elf from another kingdom, your Special Eyes coveted by everyone, your silver hair… too many things are happening, and it’s blinding you.”
She stood and approached me.
“Let’s play a bit with the basics, my dear Icarus. Set aside all assumptions and start from scratch.”
“From scratch?” I asked, intrigued.
“Yes. Why would someone want Nathan Evenhart dead? Something quite specific, right? You even stumbled upon a possibility yesterday.”
“It could be because of my Special Eyes…” I murmured, trying to piece things together.
“Maybe. Now, recount what you learned during the fight with those assassins. Say it out loud,” Athena instructed.
I focused, recalling the details. “They had connections to nobility, so they knew my element was thunder.”
Athena nodded, encouraging me to continue.
“What else?” she pressed.
“The assassin had a healing potion, something only nobles can acquire.”
“Now go back and organize the reasons they might want you dead. What could they be?” Athena asked, observing each of my words.
I paused to reflect. “The main reason could be my Special Eyes… Or it could be someone from the underworld, since I disrupted their operations in my duchy. But there’s no way they could know it was me.”
“But the underworld connection still exists, after all, assassins were hired. Now, organize the information, without focusing on the motive. Just follow the trail of clues,” she advised.
I let the information flow through my mind, focusing less on the ‘why’ and more on the ‘how’ and ‘who’.
"Without a doubt, a noble is involved; that much is clear,” I said, still processing the information.
"Yes, there’s definitely nobility involved,” Athena replied, her eyes shining with satisfaction. “Remember, a higher-ranking noble doesn't get corrupted by the underworld. They already receive passive income from the taxes of their territory and thus wouldn’t have a strong reason to be deeply involved in criminal activities. After all, they’re the ones who create the laws, and participating in such activities would be counterproductive. Additionally, they aren’t chasing political positions, as they’re already at the top.”
I pondered her words. “So, it’s a lower-ranking noble, someone beneath me, connected to the underworld, who hired an assassin. To target me, even if the goal is my eyes… it has to be someone from my duchy. Killing me would be a very specific act and would need a clear benefit.”
“Let’s isolate the two main motivations,” Athena suggested, her voice now more serious. “First, your special eyes.”
“You think that’s nonsense?” I asked, suspicious.
She laughed, as if she knew something I hadn’t considered. “Let’s keep analyzing. If the motivation were your eyes, it would mean that information about their capabilities had leaked. The contractor would have informed the assassins, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, that would make sense.”
“Everyone who has seen you use your powers is dead, except your family. So, the contractor doesn’t know what your eyes can do. Even if they knew you had the Special Eyes, they wouldn’t be certain they’re worth the risk. It’s illogical to think someone would go to such extremes just for knowing you have them, without knowing their true power.”
She was right. The reasoning was sound.
“That brings us to the second motivation: the underworld,” I concluded.
“Correct,” Athena agreed, leaning forward. “A lower-ranking noble with strong ties to the underworld, within your own duchy… And it’s not just one noble. There are many. Do you know why I reached this conclusion, Icarus?”
I thought for a moment. “The offered fortune… it’s 35,000 gold coins.”
“Exactly. It’s too large an amount for a single noble to move; it’s a significant sum. Lower-ranking nobles don’t have that kind of money readily available. So, it has to be an influential noble capable of rallying other nobles and convincing them that your death would be beneficial enough for them to pool such a huge sum together. It has to be profitable, in a way that justifies the risk of killing a higher-ranking noble. Therefore, the motive isn’t your Special Eyes. A personal gain wouldn’t be profitable for all the individuals involved.”
She then sat back in the armchair, assuming a posture that reminded me of the days I’d seen her on her throne. “It’s a faction of nobles, allied with a powerful leader, within your duchy. Someone with enough influence in the underworld and who stands to profit immensely from your death, reaping rewards from both nobility and organized crime. Who’s the only noble that fits this description?”
“Nikolaus Wolves…” I replied.
“Exactly, Icarus. He’s the son of a bitch who, if he kills you, will stop me from enjoying Martha’s delicious meals,” Athena added.