ASDM 22

Chapter 22

I couldn’t even shout in that moment. What if the assassin heard and harmed him?

While I fidgeted, not knowing what to do, Benjamin watched me with curious eyes.

“Are you… actually worried about the young master?”

“Of course I am! I need to bring him back right now—”

“No one but you worries about Bastion.”

“Levi is only eleven years old.”

“And still, Bastion comes first.”

That damn Bastion, Bastion, Bastion! Yes, I know he’s amazing, but still!

“…Does Bastion have two lives or something? No, he doesn’t.”

Descendant of God or not, a human only has one life. Once that’s lost, it’s over. Completely over.

That’s why I believed you had to survive no matter what—even if it meant being petty or cowardly.

‘Life might be unfair, but death is fair.’

In the end, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and leapt to my feet.

Crash!

The window right beside me shattered.

Shards of glass, blades, and an unfamiliar assassin rained down all at once.

“Oh my.”

Benjamin wrapped his arms around me and dodged the attack.

Wait, did Benjamin…?

I thought it might have been a fluke, but after that, he continued to dodge the assassin’s swift attacks by rolling or falling naturally.

Thanks to that, the assassin’s breathing began to grow rougher and rougher.

Understandable, since this weak-looking man was somehow dodging all his attacks with strange movements.

“…Die!”

At last, the assassin pulled out a bunch of throwing weapons from his cloak and hurled them.

Benjamin, still holding me on his lap, let out a startled “Oops” and pretended to stumble into the desk.

Thunk! Thud! Thud!

The weapons embedded into the overturned desk. It was an absurdly precise defense.

What… the hell.

I stared open-mouthed at the desk, then at Benjamin.

Meanwhile, Benjamin lay sprawled out, looking dejected, staring at the shredded documents flying everywhere.

“…I just got those approved three days ago…”

Who are you and what have you done with Benjamin?

The assassin, equally confused, charged like an enraged bull.

“With neither His Grace nor the young master here… why’d it have to be this office?”

Benjamin mumbled and rolled over, gently setting me down on the floor.

Crack!

Then he kicked the assassin square in the jaw. I heard the distinct crunch of a fractured bone and saw a couple of molars fly off.

Ugh. That must really hurt.

I winced sympathetically—my own jaw ached just watching it.

The assassin, who looked ready to collapse, staggered but managed to stay upright.

Knowing he’d only bought a few seconds, Benjamin glanced at me uneasily.

Of course I’d be a burden. It’s hard enough to protect your own life, let alone drag a kid along too.

I didn’t give him time to stop me—I bolted out of the office.

“I’ll get help…!”

Please don’t be a corpse when I get back!

I think Benjamin shouted after me that it was dangerous, but I didn’t look back.

Honestly, this was the best I could do.

I didn’t know where to go, but I ran deeper into the mansion, away from the dangerous outside.

Someone, please be there! Anyone! Preferably someone big and strong—!

“Asha!”

I skidded to a stop, eyes wide with disbelief.

Beyond a half-open bedroom door, I saw a group of maids peacefully sewing.

“You shouldn’t be wandering around right now. Go play later.”

“Yeah, it’s dangerous. Weren’t you with the young master earlier?”

“Looks like a few snuck in. He must’ve gone to take care of them.”

“Ugh, hope they don’t ruin the curtains and carpets.”

Kim grumbled as she wiped her needle with hair oil, and my brain just… stopped.

Are they the crazy ones? Or am I? Or are we all crazy? What even is “normal”?

Just then, the maids beckoned me over.

“Come have some cookies.”

“Ah, thank you… I mean—No! Benjamin! He’s gonna die!”

I started walking toward them reflexively, then shouted in panic.

Struggling to explain, flailing my arms and legs, they seemed to finally get it. Joan stood up with a large sewing box strapped on.

“I’ll go check.”

“Me too, me too!” Sarah raised her hand and followed Joan out.

The maids left behind just chuckled and gossiped.

“Sarah’s love for Baron Cooper hasn’t changed.”

“He’s got a protective charm about him.”

“Exactly. So frail and delicate.”

Him? He only looks frail. I just watched him knock out an assassin’s teeth.

Meanwhile, Kim launched into an excited ode to Sir Winston’s broad chest and sturdy pecs.

Why is it always just me taking this seriously? What are Joan and Sarah even planning to do?

Nope. Useless. I need to find another room—

“Asha, are you hungry? Want a snack?”

Let’s… stop looking.

I ran into another group of maids in the kitchen, prepping a meal. My brain truly shut down.

At this point, I was sure—I’m the abnormal one here.

Yeah, sure. Who cares about assassins? Food matters more. Even if it’s funeral food.

As Betty fed me a snack, I chewed blankly—then a loud drumbeat echoed from afar.

“A support request.”

“Yeah, there do seem to be a lot today.”

The maids glanced out the window, dusted off their aprons, and left one by one—as if they were going for a stroll.

“Betty, stay behind just in case,” one said.

Leaving behind only the most timid and gentle Betty, the kitchen maids disappeared in an instant.

Then, silence. Probably the bedroom maids had left too.

Still chewing like a machine, I clutched Betty’s hand and said:

“You should eat too.”

“Huh? It’s okay. You eat.”

“It could be our last supper…”

Betty’s gentle smile froze.

Why?

I didn’t even have to ask.

Tap tap tap.

Suspicious footsteps echoed.

Seriously, why me?! Do these guys follow me everywhere?!

If this was a coincidence, it was the worst damn coincidence ever.

“Asha, here.”

Betty looked around and quickly shoved me into a small, deep pantry in the corner.

“Hide in here. I’ll be back soon.”

I couldn’t even ask what she’d do. All I could think was—I have to get in there now.

“…Asha?”

“J-just a second. One sec.”

I need to breathe. Mentally prepare.

Betty, watching me quietly, whispered:

“One… two… three…”

Her voice, counting softly—just like I’d once asked her to.

I shut my eyes tight, then opened them. I managed a small smile to show I was okay.

No time to be stubborn or dramatic. Even if I can’t help, I won’t be a burden.

I crawled into the pantry. The door shut with a soft click.

Dark.

Thankfully, a sliver of light came through the crooked door, letting me see a little.

Betty shoved a table in front of the pantry, then ran out of the kitchen.

Was she going to hide elsewhere? Or… was she trying to draw them away?

Minutes passed. I strained my ears, but heard nothing.

‘Please, let everyone be okay.’

That was all I could do now—pray.

Step.

Even as that persistent intruder approached.

Holding my breath, I watched as a strange man walked into the kitchen.

Maybe Levi did lie. Not four—maybe dozens of them got in.

How else could I keep running into them like some cursed stalker?

‘Wait…’

What was that?

Besides the sharp weapon, the man held something round.

A hand mirror? No, not ordinary.

‘The Mirror of the Holy Spirit…!’

A mix of shock and confusion filled me.

How did an assassin get a sacred relic? Even the temples barely had one or two.

Even someone as wealthy as William only managed to rent a slightly bigger one than that.

Yes, rent.

Sacred relics could only be made in the Holy Nation. Temples paid ridiculous fees to borrow them.

It was like a K-pop company forcing fans to buy overpriced official merch—and not even letting them keep it!

Even if the rent was outrageous, temples had to pay, or they’d be mocked as a “third-rate temple with no relics.”

‘William paid it every year, crying the whole time. I think it was enough to feed a small village…’

Still, the relics did serve a function.

This Mirror of the Holy Spirit, for instance, reflected hidden energy—like divine power within a body.

“…Found you.”

Freeze.

The man scanned the room with the mirror and stopped right in front of my pantry.

I pressed myself to the floor.

Crack!

A gleaming longsword pierced through the pantry door, landing exactly where my head had been.

“What the—why is it moving?”

The man muttered in confusion and began blindly stabbing inside.

Shhk. Shhk. I curled up as tight as I could, but my hair and clothes still got sliced.

Then my hand, shielding my head, began to burn—and just as he started yanking at the door—

Crash!

A commotion—then silence.

I just curled tighter, biting my lip so hard I couldn’t make a sound.

Invisible. Like air.

Yes, when you’re being punished, you must stay quiet like a corpse—

“I told you to wait.”

“…”

“Come out.”

A familiar voice. Light slowly returned to the space.

I finally lifted my head from the floor.

Backlit by the sun, Levi reached out to me like I was trapped in a shabby cave.

His hand beckoned impatiently, as if saying, Hurry, come on out.

Still dazed, I blinked and took his hand.

I crawled out on my knees—then suddenly, his grip tightened.

“…You’re hurt.”

“Oh, me? Oh, I guess I am.”

So that burning feeling was a cut on my hand.

Blood trickled down my arm, and Levi immediately let go like he’d touched a hot stove.

“…Sorry.”

Oh! A fast, sincere apology.

For once, he didn’t sound like a robot.

I nearly laughed in admiration—until I locked eyes with the assassin collapsed on the floor.

“Whoa… i-is he dead?”

“Not yet.”

So he passed out with his eyes open. But not yet? That sounds ominous.

As I clung to Levi’s back, the maids came rushing in.

Thank goodness—Betty and Sarah were safe, and Joan even had Benjamin slung over her shoulder.

“Is he dead…?”

“No, he’s not,” replied a battered and bruised Benjamin.