Chapter 103 – Messy Event [2]

The tension in the Hall of Welcomes rose, and kept rising. Every eye was on Cassius, their expressions a mixture of confusion, disbelief — more related to his appearance than anything else — and most importantly of all, disdain.

The King and Queen watched with varying degrees of amusement. The Queen especially made no effort to hide her wide smile, her all-black eyes soft and tender as they settled on Cassius.

It was obvious, from the subtle way her body leaned toward him, that she wanted nothing more than to stand up and pull her grandson into her arms.

The grandson who had become, in the span of only two or three days, unquestionably her favourite.

’Oh, my dear angel.’ Morenna Hood whispered inwardly, her smile blossoming as if the light of heaven were being reflected directly upon her face.

Beside her, wearing the outward expression of a woman who felt nothing except devotion to her god, Helene cast her dark, clouded eyes on Cassius. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

She wanted to kneel.

She wished desperately to walk toward him, drop to her knees at his feet, and kiss them, kiss them deeply, faithfully, devotedly.

Only then could she begin her confession and let her soul and mind be cleansed by the gaze of this man who seemed incapable of condemning anything or anyone between heaven and earth.

’My Lord... Oh, Lord Seraph! Your beauty is just like your soul! Unblemished! Immaculate! So pure and exalted! Forgive me, my Lord! I cannot kneel here and now for the sake of your plan, but I pray you can feel it. I pray you can feel my devotion! And my ardent desire to confess — for a sinner I remain.’

Her internal monologue spiralled on and on, coiling between awe and devotion that bordered on madness, her eyes fixed on Cassius. A small tear nearly escaped, the kind she only shed when praying to her god in her most earnest moments.

Yet here she was, feeling that same feeling for a mortal man. A being at only the First Rank. But Helene found nothing suspicious or abnormal in it.

To her, Cassius was a messenger. An angel of his god sent to save her soul. Loving him meant loving her god. Worshipping him meant worshipping her god.

In its own twisted way, Helene’s faith in Vorn had grown stronger and steadier because of Cassius Desdemona.

Thus...

[Your faith in Vorn, the Lord of Death, is being strengthened.]

[Vorn is pleased with his High Priestess.]

[Vorn looks upon you with a hooded smile, finding the situation quite amusing.]

[Vorn shifted his attention to the origin of the situation and smiled even wider at the sight of the Last Born.]

[Vorn whispered something beneath his breath and closed his deathly eyes once more, returning to his Kingdom of Death within the Gate of Death.]

Helene watched the notifications appear in succession, feeling the Sigil representing her {Seat} deepen and strengthen within her, confirming everything she already believed about Cassius.

’Glory be to you, Lord Seraph.’ She prayed one last time, looking up just as the atmosphere of the Hall returned to normal.

She knew, by then, that her time here was limited.

The King, the Queen and Helene rose from their chairs and walked to the centre of the Hall to deliver their speeches.

They didn’t linger. Each one said what needed to be said, offered a look and a word to a few exceptional Heirs, then returned to their own affairs.

The King left for his study. The Queen went to a meeting with the Principal of the Elysia Academy concerning the changes she was planning for the Entrance Test.

Helene herself turned and headed back toward her Church, saying that she has an important guest, a believer, who wished to confess.

After she reached the exit of the Hall, her black eyes settled on Sarah, who seemed to have just arrived from somewhere — barely able to hide a black cloak inside her space ring before she was seen, her face slightly pale, caught between excitement and fear.

Their eyes met. Helene smiled. A smile that made Sarah remember instinctively the Death Contract she had signed, and wonder how her Lord Seraph had obtained one.

In that moment, everything became clear to her. So she smiled back and gave a barely perceptible nod, as if confirming a task successfully completed.

Helene’s smile widened. She turned toward the two sisters at her sides.

"Stay here until the Event ends, my dears." She said, just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "The Heirs will certainly feel safer with our Sisters present, wouldn’t they?"

It sounded like a suggestion. But it was one the two sisters felt powerless to refuse, because with how openly Helene had said it, declining publicly would reveal the internal tensions of the Church.

Reluctantly, they agreed, taking their positions beside the maids and butlers, quietly wondering what had gotten into the High Priestess today.

It hardly mattered.

The High Priestess, Helene Mars, walked back toward her Church.

Or did she?

...

Inside the Hall, the Heirs were now alone — Persephone was no more there — with the Hood servants seeing to their every need. The music resumed, and discussions and whispers erupted throughout the space.

The fat young man was still eating.

Amid it all, someone approached Cassius.

"You damned bastard!" Klaus nearly bellowed, covering the distance in two big strides and slamming his hand against Cassius’s back. "You haven’t changed one bit. What are you, an attention whore seeker?"

Cassius, his Constitution at 100 making the slap considerably more painful for Klaus than for himself, turned his head at the voice and smiled.

"If I am an attention whore seeker, Klaus," He raised his arm and rolled it over his childhood friend’s shoulders, "I can assure you that you are worse. I learned from the best, after all."

"You have learned many things from me, little bastard." Klaus nodded to himself with great pride. "I was your mentor when we were young, remember? You always followed me around like a bloody little puppy."

Cassius’s lips twitched. He rolled his eyes. "Don’t exaggerate, Klaus my friend. That’s complete nonsense."

"I only speak truth." Klaus shrugged with a wide grin, though his eyes kept drifting briefly toward Love. "So tell me, useless bastard, why are you getting married instead of getting stronger? Did your low Capacity really break your will that completely?"

"Klaus, do you honestly believe you are stronger than me right now?"

"Why, of course." He said matter-of-factly. "Evidently."

"That’s something we will revisit after this Event." Cassius smiled. "But tell me, why do you keep looking at Love de Bayard? Did I miss something?"

Klaus paused sharply, his black eyes locking onto Cassius’s red ones. He began to grin with confidence.

"Well, yes. She is my—!"

"Cass!"

Klaus’s eyebrows knitted instantly in displeasure. Natalia’s voice cut straight through his words like a shard of glass.

Both boys turned.

There was Natalia — and Keisha just behind her, half-hidden in shyness — walking toward them.

Cassius did his best not to show anything outwardly. He barely managed.

"It’s been a while, Cass." Natalia said with the ghost of a smile. "Such a while, in fact, that I hear you’ve actually gotten married. Isn’t that something?"

"Right?" Cassius returned the smile. "Life is unpredictable, isn’t it?"

"Oh, very. Extremely, in fact." She replied, extending a hand. "Now, should I congratulate you? For being a husband? You, Cassius Desdemona?"

"I wouldn’t mind it at all." Cassius nodded, taking her hand and pressing a brief kiss to the back of it. Then he lifted his eyes and looked at her steadily. "Be grateful. I only do this because we are childhood friends. But it’s the last time, Naty."

"Cass." Natalia grated. "Are you mocking me?"

Klaus rolled his eyes in exasperation, finally unable to hold his tongue.

"Woman, we were in the middle of something important." He shooed her, irritated, and Keisha along with her, who was peeking shyly at Cassius from behind Natalia’s shoulder. "Step aside, would you? No one cares about your ugly ass. Why are you so relentlessly persistent?"

Natalia shot him a withering glare. "Stay out of my business, Klaus. The next time you address me like that, I am challenging you in the Sparring Contest."

Klaus sneered. "You—!"

"So, how am I mocking you?" Cassius interrupted his friend smoothly, earning a sharp lip-twitch from Klaus.

"Don’t act clueless in front of me, Cass." Natalia stepped closer, pulling Keisha along with her.

Around them, the Heirs were slowly forming into groups, drawn together by their various conversations.

Meadow and Love had drifted together. Love’s eyes kept finding Emrys, who sat alone in one corner drinking, his own eyes fixed on Anesthesia standing with Raven.

Love longed to go to him, Meadow could see it plainly on her face.

And she wasn’t alone. The Princess was watching Emrys with barely concealed intensity, clearly waiting for the right moment.

Meadow only shook her head, briefly sparing a glance at her Editor — Cassius — who appeared to be in the middle of an argument.

And indeed...

"I never hid my feelings from you." Natalia stated plainly, without shame. "I never said it aloud, but it was obvious. To you and all of us. Yet you didn’t hesitate to marry...who?" Her face cooled into disdain. "A Tier Three. Someone older than you."

"Naty..." Keisha whispered, tugging at Natalia’s arm, trying to slow her down. It didn’t work.

"What can I say?" Cassius answered, leaning lightly on his cane. "I am simply in love, Naty. So deeply in love that hearing someone speak disdainfully about my wife genuinely angers me."

Natalia’s expression tightened.

"Don’t take it personally, Naty, but all I can offer you is my friendship. Nothing more. If you want less than that, be my guest."

He watched her face twist between pain and anger, her body shaking with the effort of holding it together, and turned his gaze to Keisha. He felt genuinely bad to be speaking this bluntly to Natalia, but he had no choice.

Boundaries had to be set.

To Keisha, though, Cassius offered a gentle smile.

"And you, Keisha, how have you been?" He asked warmly. "You haven’t changed at all."

"I am fine!" She nodded at once, beaming foolishly at being addressed directly. "I am fine, and you? You’ve become so much more handsome, Cassius! So incredibly handsome! I’ve lost your number, can you give it to me again? Here, here, take my phone, I’ll give you mine too! I am so sorry I never came to visit all this time! I am truly sorry! Your suit is wonderful, the white looks perfect on you! So handsome! Cassius you are so—!"

"Keisha. Enough." Natalia cut her off.

Immediately, the girl’s face went red, realising she had lost control of her mouth again. Shrieking in shyness, she vanished behind Natalia’s shoulder once more, far too embarrassed to say another word.

Cassius smiled wryly.

Keisha rarely spoke because of her shyness, but once she started, someone had to stop her or she would say everything in her head without a single filter.

He shook his head, deliberately ignoring Natalia’s intense gaze that looked ready to swallow him whole, and the subtle frown on Klaus’s face as he watched Love approaching Emrys.

He said a few more words to Keisha.

"I have something to tell you, Keisha." He said. "Let’s find a moment later, shall we?"

The young woman could only nod, not trusting herself to open her mouth again.

Cassius straightened his back. He checked his watch and found the time just right. Smiling, he pivoted and began walking toward the centre of the Hall — which remained open and empty — the rhythmic clacking of his cane drawing attention once more.

"Oi, little bastard, where are you going?" Klaus called after him. "We are not done. I have something to tell you!"

"I can already guess what it is, Klaus." Cassius said, as more and more Heirs began to notice him. "And it doesn’t smell good for you."

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked, not moving from where he stood.

"Nothing. Nothing except that I have been wronged. My honour has been tarnished." Cassius grinned. "I am here to take it all back. Just watch."

By this point, every head in the Hall had turned toward Cassius, standing in the very centre, the servant positioned just behind him.

They stared at his back. One pink-haired servant in particular watched with quiet intensity, noticing that with Cassius positioned where he was, she was conveniently hidden from most of the Hall’s line of sight.

Her heart began to race. She looked down at her palm.

Meanwhile, Klaus — Heir of Handoff — felt a rising premonition of something bad.

And God, how right he was.

Cassius, having made certain every eye in the room was on him, opened his mouth. His voice carried through the entire Hall.

"I am sure you all know who I am. But forgive me, dear comrades, for on occasions like this, I cannot help being a little melodramatic." He said, sweeping his gaze around the room, which had gone as silent as a grave. "I am Cassius Desdemona, the Last Born of the Desdemona. And my honour has been dragged through the dirt by most of you, if not all."

The Hall hummed with puzzlement.

"I have heard your whispers. Your curses. Your condemnation of my soul for sins I may or may not have committed. I have seen the looks of disdain you spare me — even now — that say nothing but that I am lesser than you. That, beyond my noble birth, I have nothing and am nothing but a useless bastard spoiled rotten by his family."

His eyes began to glow. Everyone watched. Some were not taking him seriously. Others made no effort to conceal the contempt on their faces.

Cassius pressed on, cold and unbothered.

"Today, dear comrades, I am here to reclaim the honour, the reputation and the respect you owe me. I cannot wait until the Academy, my patience is not that saintly. So here I am..."

He raised his cane and levelled the tip at the crowd watching him.

"...to challenge you. Come on, then. Little bastards."

—End of Chapter 103—