Cup of Blood

Chapter 10: Knowledge

"We, the Knights Templar have sworn to keep our knowledge in secrecy. What little data we have of Light's insolence in the Order will not go freely as it may. We must make sure to understand the little bit of the situation before we heed to our instincts' call. We are intelligible humans, after all," Zacchaeus initiated as Lehiko and Jhaviel sat in a carriage towards the training camp of Neodymius. It was the end of winter, and spring's starting to greet everyone and every melting snow the winter had left. The young spring sun notes the season, and all the wild animals start to live out and thaw in the warm rays of the young spring sun. The three noblemen are in their usual clothing: complete metal battle gear with some rich and vibrant colored clothing. It's the usual lazy day. Men are starting to work on game and cattle and wheat, while the women start hanging their clothes to dry. Frozen lakes and ponds start to warm up and liquefy. Sea animals and birds start roaming around their habitats. Hibernating animals are starting to wake up. Plants are starting to show their usual bloom. The three noblemen are serious about their topic regarding Light's identity and what they should do.

"Agreed. However, we should test the lad whether his interpretation of that test will correspond to that of how a proclaimed assassin would. Yes, it's true that this young man does have assassin blood, and it's true that we may have killed his parents, but have you not noticed? He didn't think that it was us who planned the murders! A proclaimed assassin would know that he is in enemy territory and would first think that it was us who killed them!" Lehiko furiously claiming his statement.

"However, it is plausible to think that he is using his ability to manipulate people into fooling us into thinking this way," Zacchaeus calmly speaks.

"My brother, isn't it illogical for someone who knows of his true heritage to take such a dangerous leap into speaking of such a preposterous confession? Is it not known to him that we could have killed him there last night, had he known of his true heritage? I do accept that these assassins and their Order are powerful at manipulation, but even if they are planning to trap us into a twist, it would be nigh impossible, knowing that we have nearly wiped their entire order," Jhaviel says calmly to Zacchaeus.

"Then what do you suggest?" Zacchaeus.

"I suggest that we leave the lad alone. If ever he moves conspicuously or suspiciously, it is then and there do we test him. However, if he truly does not know of his true heritage, we will approach him and offer him a job to kill what's left of the assassins. Then, after he had finished his job, we kill him," Jhaviel.

"Genius. However, we should let Neodymius know of this in order to give us orders to heed," Lehiko.

"Agreed," Zacchaeus.

"Neodymius has the list of the remaining targets for assassination, and if we're lucky, he'd let us borrow them. Ah, but I know that man. We'll tell him first of our will and then we'll see," Jhaviel as he lets a faint smirk.

The carriage stops at House Ascarlon, where the Grand Duke Neodymius lives with his wife, Phyrim. House Ascarlon is incredibly huge. Much larger than the Cabinet and has more intricate and more expensive designs than any house in the kingdom. His house only parries with the King's Castle. It's mainly a humongous mansion next to a flowing river and a rich and thick pinewood forest. Animals roam freely inside the House's vicinity, for the vast land occupied by this particular House takes half of the entire forest, where the trees are only but cut a little. In front of the House is a large fountain with designs imported from the Greek land's finest sculptors. A regular nobleman's lifetime fortune is the cost of just half the fountain, with the entirety of the land, house, and all the designs amounting to around 132 tonnes of gold and silver, along with 20 tonnes of the finest pinewood. Truly, a man's dream. However, the House only takes a fraction of the entire English Empire's wealth. Still, anyone who even looks at the House for a mere gaze will take awe in its majesty and mystery of conserving its beauty, which tempts all men from all across the lands to visit this place.