Chapter 61 – Dodge the consequences

That was the only possible outcome.

Isolde could not let Constantine know, under any circumstances, that it was Cassius who had found the Base Operation’s location and caused this S-rank incident.

She didn’t know Constantine’s true identity, just as Maxim didn’t know hers. But she knew enough to dread the thought of Cassius entering that man’s radar.

He was merciless. Faithful to the Laws of the Fangs down to the thinnest part of his bones.

And one of the Fangs’ core Laws was simple and chilling: those who know what they should not must die.

At the same time, Isolde still had to give her report and she needed a credible explanation for what had happened.

She couldn’t play ignorant and fail the task. She had already failed once. A second failure in a row...she didn’t dare think too long about what that would mean for her.

’Vorn’s breath!’

Cassius, meanwhile, might not know the full picture, but he knew enough to reach the same conclusion as his wife: they needed someone to blame for this incident.

Someone whose guilt would be logical and seamless enough that not a single doubt would sprout in Constantine’s mind.

The real question was...

"Who?" Isolde asked, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

"Now that’s the interesting question, darling." Cassius said, a faint smile edging onto his lips. "We need someone high-ranking enough to warrant an S-rank risk. And we need to be able to produce plausible proof that they were actually responsible."

"Which means," Isolde guessed, "we can’t just pick someone high-profile for the sake of it."

"Aye." He nodded.

The two of them turned their gaze toward their four subordinates sitting in solemn, nervous silence.

"Any ideas?" Cassius asked again, his eyes settling hard on Horus.

Sensing the attention, the old man shifted uncomfortably, and nearly jumped when he caught the devilish grin spreading across Cassius’s face. He cursed quietly and snapped his head the other way, praying his rising bad feeling was unfounded.

"I have a few." Isolde said. "We could pin it on the Crimson Daggers, for instance."

"You know them?" Cassius tilted his head in mild surprise.

"Of course." Isolde replied. "Crimson Daggers is our rival. An assassin sect just like ours, born not long ago, but already strong enough to compete with us. They have different policies and philosophy entirely."

She cocked her head at him. "But how do you know them? And now that I think about it, how did you know about my connection to Maxim and the location of our Base Operation?"

"I am a Blessed." Cassius said, simply and with confidence. "And my Goddess is Ananke, Owner of the Gate of Fate and Secrecy. I don’t need to say more than that for you to understand."

Isolde’s purple eyes sharpened slightly, a light of understanding moving through them as the full picture settled in.

Cassius had been confirmed to have a low Birthright Capacity. The Desdemona — a Tier One Family — had no reason to lie about it.

Yet that supposedly talentless man had gone toe to toe with her despite her having more experience and more developed skills.

’So he became a Blessed. A Blessed of the goddess who holds the Gate of Fate and Secrecy. That name — Ananke — he said it to me once, that’s his goddess. Everything makes sense now.’

She understood it all, guessing in the same breath that most of what he knew came directly through his goddess.

But even a god’s knowledge had limits. There would always be things they couldn’t see.

Like her identity as Olympias of the Fangs.

"You understand now?" Cassius said, pulling her attention back. "That’s how I know."

"I do." She nodded. Then her face twisted slightly as something else occurred to her. "However, do you really have to have a goddess and not a god?"

Cassius’s lips twitched. "Darling, let’s focus. This is important."

"And what I’m saying isn’t?"

"Don’t make me say what I didn’t say."

"Then just say it to my face instead of being a coward."

"You’re aware we don’t have all day, right?" He rolled his eyes and glanced at his phone for the time. "You need to file your report in about...eight, nine hours?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Isolde refocused immediately, though her eyes narrowed with residual dissatisfaction. "Don’t think I’m forgetting this, Cassius. And I want to meet that goddess someday. Sooner rather than later."

[How rude, asking to meet a goddess like me in such a manner! Preposterous! Teach her some respect, Cassius! You are my Blessed! Uphold my dignity!]

’Sigh. Not you too, Ananke.’

The goddess scoffed at his dismissal, as always.

"As I was saying." Isolde resumed. "With our history with the Crimson Daggers, we can pin it on them. The problem is I have no evidence convincing enough for Constantine. And I doubt we have the time to put any together."

"Agreed." Cassius nodded, stroking his chin. "I know certain things about them. But as you said, no time to build the case properly. It won’t hold."

Isolde nodded, brows furrowing in thought.

"We aren’t without alternatives, though." Cassius added with a quiet smile. "In fact, we have two options available right now. Either one should work."

"Which ones?"

"The first," he nudged his head toward Horus "we use this old man you called a cripple. Don’t underestimate him. He is Third rank — Exalted Self — with an interesting Aspect. He just needs some time and some profound cure to recover. He is now my subordinate. However..."

He chuckled.

"...he is a former soldier of the Revolutionary Army under my aunt, Seraphim Hood."

Isolde’s body gave a visible shudder at the name. Her eyes widened before she could stop them. Her gaze on Horus shifted immediately: more guarded, more curious, and definitely more wary.

No one in that army had been ordinary. And what they had done in their attempt to seize the throne — however it had ended — made that innocent-looking old man something far from what he appeared.

"His identity alone warrants S-rank risk." Cassius said, watching Horus observe them both with visible nervousness. He offered the old man a gentle smile. Horus shuddered even harder.

"More than that, even." Isolde said, her voice rough. "If we can prove his identity, everything resolves itself. Truly, how did you even get him to agree to be your subordinate?"

"I think I have a talent for commerce. I convinced him with complete sincerity."

"You mean blackmail."

"Is there really a distinction?" He shrugged. "I convinced him by blackmailing him with the utmost sincerity."

"Fair enough. I’m proud." She nodded like a proud mother. Cassius let out a short laugh at that. Then, "Still, what’s the second option?"

She looked at him, one eyebrow arching.

"A simpler one." He said, returning her gaze. "And one you might actually enjoy more. Tell me, darling, don’t you happen to have a certain ring belonging to your sister in your hand right now?"

Isolde’s eyes went wide at the cold realisation.

"Exactly." Cassius chuckled. "We can pin the whole thing on Anesthesia, and in doing so, force Emrys into it alongside her. Those two come as a set. The questions to ask before going down that road, however, are whether the risk that comes with it is worth it, and..."

His voice dropped as he leaned toward her ear. Isolde’s breath caught.

"...do you want it?"

—End of Chapter 61—