Assassin's Redemption

Notice:

Sorry everyone for taking a break. I will be uploading the chapters regularly from now on. Enjoy.

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After some turbulent days Kael finally got some rest where he sought his thoughts out. Kael does not sleep to rest rather not training or fighting is his resting. Kael changed his appearance as Carl and went out of his inn after eating. He noticed soldiers and lord's guards patrolling the roads and markets.

This was the aftermath of his actions. Carl saw checking in front of his way. Carl did not hesitate and marched towards his destination. 

"Stop right there kid!" said a tall guard. "Where are your parents?"

Carl looked at him and said " I am not a child uncle! I am a grown up now. And my parents are waiting for me in Rose's Boutique."

"Hmm" The guard looked at Carl for a moment and let him go.

The crimson glow of the setting sun filtered through the towering windows of the merchant headquarters. Carl walked through the lavish hallways, his footsteps echoing in the somber silence. Servants avoided his gaze, their heads bowed in mourning for their fallen master. Carl—or rather Kael, hiding behind this carefully constructed persona—felt a grim satisfaction. Every step brought him closer to his goal.

Elsia's quarters were at the heart of the mansion, tucked behind ornate double doors. When Carl entered, he found her sitting by the fireplace, her eyes swollen and red. She clutched a silk scarf that must have belonged to her father, her knuckles white with the intensity of her grip. Her usual poise and elegance had crumbled, leaving behind only a broken, grieving girl.

"Carl," she whispered, her voice trembling as she looked up at him. The moment their eyes met, tears spilled anew, her frail composure shattering completely. "He's gone. My father… he's gone."

Carl's expression softened, a mask of tender sympathy hiding the cold calculation behind his eyes. He crossed the room in measured steps, kneeling before her. Gently, he took her trembling hands in his own, exuding warmth and reassurance.

"Elsia," he murmured, his voice low and soothing, "I'm so sorry for your loss. If I could've done anything to prevent it, I would have."

Elsia shook her head, her tears falling freely. "Why would anyone do this to him? My father… he never hurt anyone."

Carl's jaw tightened as if he were containing his own anger, but inside, he was calculating his next move. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, leaning in slightly.

"Elsia, I don't want to upset you further, but… have you considered who might gain from this tragedy?" His voice was gentle, almost hesitant, but his words carried a weight that made Elsia's sobbing pause.

She looked up at him, confusion and vulnerability written across her face. "What do you mean?"

Carl sighed deeply, as if burdened by the revelation he was about to share. "Your father… he was a powerful man, and power always breeds envy. But what if this wasn't just envy? What if it was betrayal? From someone close?"

Her eyes widened, a mixture of disbelief and horror taking root. "Betrayal? Are you saying… someone in my family?"

Carl nodded solemnly, though inside he relished the seeds of doubt he was planting. "It's possible. The merchant who…" he paused, his voice breaking as if struggling with the memory of the assassin. "The merchant I encountered… his loyalty seemed questionable. Could it be that he was… manipulated? Perhaps by your uncle? Or even your brother?"

Elsia's breathing quickened as the possibility struck her. She clutched the scarf tighter, her face pale. "No… they wouldn't. They couldn't."

Carl reached out, brushing a stray tear from her cheek with a tenderness that made her flinch. "I understand this is hard to hear. But you have to consider every possibility. Your father would want you to be cautious, to protect yourself."

She broke down completely, collapsing into Carl's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she wept uncontrollably.

"I… I don't know what to do," she sobbed. "I feel so alone. Everyone's gone. My father, my mother… now I can't even trust my family?"

Carl stroked her hair, his voice a gentle murmur. "You're not alone, Elsia. I'm here. I'll always be here."

Her sobs quieted, and she pulled back slightly to look at him. "Why? Why are you helping me?"

He hesitated, his eyes clouding as if debating whether to share his truth. Finally, he sighed, the weight of his fabricated confession hanging heavy in the air.

"Because I know what it's like to lose everything," he said, his voice thick with false emotion. "I've been where you are. I promised myself that if I could help someone else avoid that pain, I would. That's why I joined the Information Guild. To protect people like you."

Elsia's eyes searched his face, her trust in him solidifying with every word. "You work for the Information Guild?"

Carl nodded. "It's not something I share lightly. But with you, I feel… I feel like I can be honest. Please, don't tell anyone. It could put both of us in danger."

She gripped his hands tightly, her desperation clear. "I won't. I promise. But… will you help me find who did this? Will you help me make them pay?"

Carl's lips curled into a faint smile, one that she interpreted as reassurance but hid his true satisfaction. "I promise, Elsia. Whoever did this will face justice."

The firelight cast flickering shadows across the room as Elsia leaned into him once more, her tears soaking into his shirt. Carl held her tightly, his mind already spinning webs of future manipulation. She was falling perfectly into his hands, her grief and vulnerability making her an easy pawn in his game.

"Carl," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You're all I have left. Please… don't leave me."

He tilted her chin up gently, his gaze locking with hers. "I'm not going anywhere, Elsia. You have my word."

Her trust in him solidified further, the bond she thought they shared now unbreakable. Carl's heart remained cold and calculating, but his act was flawless. As Elsia drifted into a restless sleep, her head resting on his shoulder, Carl's mind raced with plans.

"Soon," he thought, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the fire. "You'll give me everything I need, Elsia. And you won't even realize it."

The mansion outside was silent, the servants grieving in their own ways. But within those walls, Carl's game had just begun.

The next morning, the merchant headquarters was in chaos. Whispers of heated arguments echoed through the hallways as servants and guards exchanged worried glances. Elsia's uncle, an imposing man with a stern countenance and the commanding presence of a seasoned captain, stormed into the main hall with a purpose. Behind him trailed several of his men, their armor clinking as they struggled to keep pace.

Elsia, seated regally in the main chamber, had regained some of her composure, though her eyes were still tinged red from the night before. She looked every bit the grieving daughter—but now with a spark of determination and mistrust Carl had so skillfully planted.

"Elsia," her uncle began, his voice rough but not unkind. "We need to talk about the future of the merchant company. Your father's death leaves the succession in question, and—"

"I'll handle it," Elsia cut him off coldly, her words like a blade. The room fell silent as her uncle's brows furrowed in confusion. "The company is mine to run now."

Her uncle's frown deepened. "What are you talking about? It's not safe for you to take on such a burden. Your life might be at risk—"

"Don't act like you care!" Elsia's voice cracked, but the fire in her tone burned bright. "You're just like the others. I know what you're after. Don't think I don't see it."

Shock flashed across her uncle's face, quickly replaced by anger. "Elsia, you're not thinking clearly. You've been through a terrible loss, and someone—someone—has been putting ideas into your head!"

His gaze darted toward Carl, standing silently in the corner, his head bowed in a perfect picture of innocence. For a moment, the room felt frozen as the captain pieced together his own conclusions.

"You!" her uncle roared, pointing a calloused finger at Carl. "Who are you? What lies have you been feeding her?"

Carl's head snapped up, eyes wide with feigned confusion and hurt. "Sir, I've only been trying to help—"

Before Carl could finish, Elsia's uncle crossed the room in a few long strides and grabbed him by the collar. "Help? By manipulating my niece? By poisoning her against her family?"

"No!" Carl protested, his voice trembling just enough to sound genuine. "I would never—"

A fist collided with his face, sending him sprawling to the floor. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he looked up at the enraged captain, his expression a mixture of fear and helplessness.

"Stop it!" Elsia screamed, rushing forward. She placed herself between Carl and her uncle, her arms outstretched. "Leave him alone! He's done nothing wrong!"

"Elsia, step aside," her uncle growled, his voice low and dangerous. "This boy has bewitched you. He's twisting your grief into something ugly."

"No!" she shouted back, tears brimming in her eyes. "He's the only one who's been honest with me! You—you're the one who's been lying! You killed my father, didn't you? And now you're trying to take everything from me!"

Her uncle staggered back, the accusation hitting him like a physical blow. "What? Elsia, how could you—"

Carl, still on the ground, winced theatrically and groaned as if in pain. Elsia dropped to her knees beside him, her hands fluttering uselessly as she tried to inspect his injuries.

"Look at what you've done!" she cried, glaring up at her uncle. "How could you? He's innocent!"

The captain's face twisted in frustration and despair. "Elsia, please, listen to reason. This boy—he's playing you! I only want to protect you, as your father would have wanted."

"I don't need your protection!" she snapped. Her gaze flickered to Carl, who met her eyes with a weak, grateful smile. The unspoken message in her look was clear: You were right.

Her uncle's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his control visibly slipping. "You're being blind, Elsia. This… this boy is a parasite, feeding off your grief. Can't you see it?"

"Get out!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "Just go! I don't ever want to see you again!"

For a moment, her uncle stood frozen, the weight of her words sinking in. His shoulders slumped, and his face hardened into an unreadable mask. "Fine," he said at last, his voice devoid of emotion. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

With a sharp motion, he turned and stormed out of the room, his men trailing behind him. The door slammed shut, leaving a tense, heavy silence in its wake.

Elsia turned back to Carl, her hands trembling as she touched his bruised cheek. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean for this to happen. Are you… are you okay?"

Carl gave her a weak smile, his eyes shining with what she interpreted as vulnerability. "I'll be fine," he said softly, his voice hoarse. "As long as you're okay."

Elsia's heart ached as she looked at him, her guilt and gratitude mingling into a powerful bond that Carl had masterfully forged. She helped him to his feet, her resolve hardening.

"You were right," she said, her voice firm despite the tears in her eyes. "I can't trust anyone but you."

Carl's hand found hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm here for you, Elsia. No matter what."

As they stood together in the aftermath of the confrontation, Carl's mind was already spinning with his next moves. The chaos and mistrust he had sown were spreading like wildfire, and Elsia was now completely under his sway.

"Perfect," he thought, his expression one of quiet determination. "The game is just beginning."