I returned to the office when my break ended and just as I was starting to work, there was a knock on the door.
"Co in." I spoke and the doors opened.
Asher walked in and Roan looked at him at once.
"I want to talk to you," Asher said and I humd not moving my gaze from the docunts at hand.
"In private."
"Are you here to complain about our Head Maid beating your ass?" Roan asked and Asher shot him a sharp look.
"Roan," I spoke up and he sighed.
"Fine," he grumbled before he stood up and left the room.
"Speak." I said.
"What are you trying to do?" He asked.
"I’m working." I replied.
"You know what I an?"
"Can you be a bit more specific?" I asked as I kept my eyes trained on the reports and started correcting so flaws that I saw.
"You had told that your people would teach a lesson, is that the reason why your servants try to pick fights with ?" He sneered and my hand paused while writing.
"What do you an?" I asked.
"Don’t act surprised, you must know what your people are doing." He spoke in an accusing tone and I looked up at him putting my pen down.
"Are you angry because you’re being bulied by my people?" I asked and he scoffed.
"There are only a couple of them who could actually defeat but the rest had been defeated that’s why the others want to settle the score." He explained and I tilted my head to one side.
"And you’re mad because of that?" I asked.
He rolled his eyes and clenched his fists before he looked at .
"Why did you put your bet on ? Are you trying to humiliate ?" He demanded.
My lips twitched a bit and I sighed.
"I don’t pick sides within my people, Asher. You and Enora both are a part of my people." I said and his eyes narrowed a bit.
"Then why’d you bet on ? And a 500 at that?" I frowned slightly but a small smile ford on my lips as I recalled who had bet on him.
"The child who had brought you the handkerchief had bet on you, Asher. Not ." I said making him frown.
"Don’t lie."
"I’m not," I shrugged, "If I had to bet I would have bet all of my money on Enora because I know among you two, she was going to win as it was known by everyone else."
"Are you saying that I’m weak?"
"As compared to Enora, yes."
He exhaled through his mouth and I could see him trying to control himself.
"So, you’re trying to say that your child took pity on , that’s why he bet his money on , despite knowing that I’d lose." He said and I shook my head.
"He felt bad for you," I clarified and he was about to open his mouth to retort but I raised my hand.
"He said you don’t have any friends here and that everyone around were just betting for you to lose that’s why he wanted to be the one supporter on your side. You can’t seek ulterior motives in that child’s kindness when you know what he had gone through." I said.
"Besides that, that child thinks of you as a friend," I said making Asher flinch ever so slightly.
"He’s known you since his ti in Denril, so he has the sense of familiarity with you because you never hurt him. He must think of you to be on his side that’s why he’s willing to stand by your side even when everyone else isn’t."
I watched as my words sank in his mind before I leaned back in my chair placing my elbows on the armrests and steepled my fingers.
"Is that bad?" I asked.
Asher kept mum for a while before he looked at .
"After you I can’t seem to trust children." He spoke and I smiled.
"I’m a special kind, Asher. Don’t compare and hold a prejudice against everyone else."
Asher rolled his eyes, "That’s all I wanted to say, I’m leaving now."
He turned to leave and I spoke up, "Wait, you haven’t yet told sothing."
He stopped and looked back at , "What?"
"What was it that made you mad?" I asked and he frowned.
"Was it the fact that my household’s personnel was picking fights with you for fun? Or was it that you thought that I bet on you?" I asked with a smile.
He stared at with a neutral gaze for a mont before he turned again.
"All right, wait," I said making him stop again.
He turned wordlessly and I picked up the blue box from my drawer and placed it on the table.
"This is for you." I said and he frowned.
"What is that?"
"Why don’t you see it?" I said gesturing towards the box.
Asher looked at and then at the box without hiding his suspicious gaze. He walked up to the table and hesitantly picked up the box before lifting its lid.
His eyes almost went wide as he saw what was inside and he looked at .
"What is this?" He asked.
"A brooch." I answered with a shrug.
"I can see that but why are you giving such a gift to ?" He asked.
I smiled, "It’s a gift to welco you, Asher. I know you aren’t thrilled to serve but you still made a decision to co with so, I had to show my appreciation."
He placed the box down, "I don’t need it."
I looked at the box and then sighed, "It’s fine if you don’t want it but I kind of thought it’d look good on you and that blue stone kind of reminded of your eyes that’s why I picked it up."
He scowled at , "Dont dare act like-"
"You were at Oasis to gather information about ," I spoke up making him go quiet.
"What do you think of , Asher?" I asked as I rose to my feet, my Dragon’s Presence oozing from my being.
"This place was built by from scratch. All those people are my people, they would accept death before selling out and even if they did they would stab your back in a heartbeat to return to my side." I picked up the brooch from the box and placed it on his shirt while I continued.
"There’s nothing in that place that I don’t know of. The people, those alleys, the shops, every pebble in that place is mine."
I was done placing the brooch on his shirt.
"You can look for my weakness, Asher. But you or anyone here isn’t strong enough to exploit that weakness." I said with a smile as I patted his shoulder.
"I may look like a kid but I am still a Dragon and I have the power to destroy this kingdom if I thought of it, but I prefer protecting those who rely on and give them paradise. I have both with , Asher. It depends on you of what you choose. Heaven or Hell?"
Asher looked down at but I could see the blood draining from his face, I smiled and then looked at the brooch.
"It looks good on you," I said and then stepped back.
"The next ti soone tries to pick a fight, don’t hesitate." I said making his eyebrows twitch.
"I was watching, Asher. Don’t think that just because you’re facing a woman or an old person you should hold back. The Knight’s code is useless here. We’re all assassins, we don’t have rcy on our opponents."
Asher blinked twice before I gestured towards the door, "You may leave now."
Asher turned chanically and I watched him walk over to the doors before I hollered, "On your way out, send Lyall and Roan in."
Asher glanced back once before he opened the doors and left.
I sighed and then placed my hand over my chest where the egg seed like it was pulsing from within. It seed as if it absorbed my Dragon’s Presence.
I wondered when it would hatch, I couldn’t even see what was in their through my Mana Eyes or Mana Sense.
Lyall and Roan entered after a couple of minutes and I stood by my desk, Lyall stood in front of with his hands at his back and Roan returned to his seat. I leaned back against the desk and crossed my arms at my chest, crossing my ankles as I looked at Lyall.
"Why?" I asked him.
He didn’t avoid my gaze as he kept his eyes on mine, it said that he believed that whatever he did was right.
"He is disrespectful towards you, he may have been wronged by you but he should be grateful that among all the people who had wronged him, you were the only one who apologised and accepted him." Lyall said and I sighed.
"His own family threw him away because of a foolish reason and they wouldn’t accept him even after knowing why he was at the Temple. He was being used by the Temple as well and they were ready to kill him if not for you. He must know that the one he’s considering his enemy is his saviour. He should respect you." Lyall explained.
"I apologise for sounding rude, Master but I cannot let anyone get away with disrespecting you." He announced and I could see Roan looking at Lyall with a small smile.
His devotion was indeed endearing but I didn’t want him to be so hostile towards Asher.
I released a deep sigh, "I understand... But don’t drag others in that. It’s kind of unfair to have you all gang up on him like this. He’s a normal human who has also suffered in life so, let him be."
Lyall’s eyebrows furrowed, "You can play around but don’t get too brutal that it would have an opposite effect."
The creases on Lyall’s forehead eased a bit and he bowed his head, "I’ll do as you say, Master."
I nodded and then thought of sothing, "Why don’t you train him instead?"
"Pardon?"
"Well, I’m thinking of giving him the post of protecting Kai so, he should be at least half as strong as you or Enora."
"Pardon , Master but I don’t think choosing him for protecting Young Master Kai is a good thought. He’s weak."
I chuckled, "I’m sure Kai would like it though, and Asher isn’t exactly weak, he’s just holding back. Push him to his limits and see what he is hiding. Once you are able to make him tap into his strength then I’m sure he could reach your level soon."
Lyall seed like he didn’t believe , he pursed his lips before he said, "I’ll train him."
"Good, and also," I said, "and if you’re going to trade places then only do it with Enora and if I see others trying to ss with him then I’ll make sure to punish them so, keep everyone warned. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good, you can leave now." I said and he bowed before he turned and left the room.
"You are quite a kind-hearted Dragon, aren’t you?" Roan comnted and I looked at him with a smile.
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