A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 37: Earning Seraphina’s respect

"Cursed idol, huh? Let’s see…"

Kael studied the idol again, narrowing his eyes. There were no engravings, no sigils of dark magic.

It simply looked... ordinary.

Too ordinary.

Seraphina folded her arms. "If there was a spirit bound to it, I would have sensed it. But there’s something... off."

The shopkeeper huffed. "Don’t care what it is. You want it, take it. Just don’t bring it back."

Kael hesitated for only a second before reaching for it.

The moment his fingers brushed the surface—

—his vision flickered.

For a split second, he wasn’t in the shop anymore.

He was somewhere else.

A pair of glowing eyes—slitted like a predator’s—stared back at him from the abyss.

And then, just as quickly, the vision vanished.

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

Kael sucked in a breath. His grip on the idol tightened, feeling its unexpected weight settle into his palm. "What in the hell was that…"

Kael didn’t understand what happened earlier but it actually sent a chill down his spine for that moment.

However, he didn’t let go. He simply exhaled, steadied himself, and tossed it into his storage ring instead.

Seraphina frowned. "You don’t even know what kind of curse it has."

Kael flashed her a small, confident smirk. "Without risk, there’s no reward."

She sighed, rubbing her temple. "You are as reckless as ever."

But Kael wasn’t finished. He looked at her, eyes sharp as he retrieved the idol from the storage ring and tossed it to her. "Here, feel the weight."

As she caught it, she felt it was as light as a feather. "Hmm? This is strange."

Kael leaned against her, whispering in her ear. "There was a spell of weight reduction applied to it."

She blinked. "Why?"

Kael continued, "And more importantly... that black color? It’s not paint. I bought a similar-looking dagger in the Witch Tower’s auction."

Seraphina’s breath hitched as realization struck.

She heard about it from Amanda a while back, as the latter praised Kael for his intellect and knowledge. But, as Amanda became more like Laura, an obsessive wife who lusts for an intimate session with Kael every opportunity gets, Seraphina stopped taking her words seriously.

Now, after spending time with him in the black market, she couldn’t help but believe Kael’s logic instead of simply refuting it. "Adamantine." The word left her lips in a whisper.

Kael nodded, a spark of excitement in his gaze. "If we can break the curse, we’re holding something worth a city."

Seraphina’s eyes widened. "Then we need to take this to the royal palace—"

But Kael’s face hardened. "You know what your mother is like."

Seraphina flinched.

Kael continued, voice calm but firm. "The moment the queen learns about this, she’ll take it. She might compensate me with money, land, or weapons, but in the end, I’d be handing over a priceless artifact for material possessions."

His fingers brushed against his storage ring after tossing the idol back into it.

"And if I reject the queen’s offer, by that time, the news about this artifact will reach several ears, and I’m too weak to protect it. In the end, I would still have to hand it over to Her Majesty. So, I hope you will keep this a secret."

A heavy silence hung between them.

Seraphina clenched her jaw. She knew he was right.

If the nobility got wind of this, Kael would be forced to give it up.

Seraphina sighed. "Fine. But what about the curse?"

Kael smirked. "I have the spectral wolf on my side, remember?" He sounded confident and Seraphina felt like she wanted to believe in him, again.

"Alright. My lips are sealed. Not even my sisters would be hearing of this matter through me." She promised.

Kael looked at her and smiled. "Thank you."

Kael and Seraphina spent another hour wandering through the black market in the hopes of finding any treasure. But they weren’t lucky anyway, and he lost his interest in exploring the entire market anymore as he had more pressing matters to handle.

So, they left the slums behind, weaving through the winding alleys until they stepped back onto the brighter streets of the city.

Their next stop? The smithy.

The moment Kael stepped inside, the scent of burning coal and molten metal filled his nostrils.

*Ting* Ting* Ting*

The rhythmic sound of hammers striking steel rang through the air as blacksmiths toiled over their forges. The heat was oppressive, sweat clinging to every surface, but Kael walked forward without hesitation.

A burly man with a thick beard and arms wiped his hands on a rag before eyeing them. "What do you need?" He asked.

Kael waved a hand, and with a flick of his storage ring, a pile of rusted swords, dented shields, and battered armor clattered onto the smithy’s wooden counter.

The blacksmith frowned. "This is junk."

Kael smirked. "That’s why I brought it here." He pulled out another set of items—the steel alloy slabs he’d purchased from the black market. "I need these reforged. Strip away the rust, sharpen the edges and strengthen the armor. I want them looking good as new."

The blacksmith stroked his beard. "That’ll cost you."

Kael didn’t flinch. "How much?"

"Three hundred gold coins."

Kael arched an eyebrow. "You do realize I’ve already brought the materials? You won’t need to spend a single material from your smithy."

The blacksmith scoffed. "Still takes time and labor, lad."

Kael folded his arms. "150."

"250."

Kael stared him down, letting a heavy silence stretch between them. Finally, he pulled out a small pouch of coins and set it on the table. "200. Final offer. Or else, I would take these to another smithy. Do we have a deal?"

The blacksmith grunted but accepted. "Fine. Come back in two days."

Kael nodded, satisfied, before turning to Seraphina. "Next stop?"

She smiled faintly. "The orphanage."

As they arrived at the Sunrise Orphanage, the difference between this place and the bustling city was like night and day. The wooden building was old but sturdy, and despite its humble appearance, the sound of children’s laughter echoed through the air.

But Kael noticed it right away.

Thin faces. Ragged clothes. Worn-out shoes.

They were surviving. But just barely.

A frail-looking old man, the orphanage manager, greeted them at the entrance. His eyes widened in recognition when he saw Seraphina, bowing respectfully.

"Your Highness! What a blessing to have you here."

Seraphina immediately went to work, kneeling down to check on the children, her soft glow of healing magic easing their coughs and aches.

Meanwhile, Kael pulled the manager aside. He took out the parchment.

"I’m here because of the Quest. Need the supply list so that I can estimate the costs for the entire year and look for the sponsors."

The old man hesitated. "We... we make do with what we have, my lord. We cannot ask for too much."

Kael gave him a pointed look. "I didn’t ask what you could ’make do’ with. I asked what you need."

The manager sighed and handed him a carefully written list.

Kael’s gaze swept over it. Food, clothes, blankets, medical herbs. But, in his view, they might at best only last them three months, not the whole year.

His mind did quick calculations. Roughly 4,000 gold coins if he multiplies that amount for the whole year. If someone pledges it every quarterly, it would cost around 1000 gold coins.

After careful consideration, Kael tucked the list away and pulled out a contract.

The manager blinked in confusion. "What is this?"

Kael handed him a quill and the ink. "A sponsorship contract. The House of Moonstone will provide for this orphanage for the next year. Whatever you asked, we will double the amount and send them every quarter."

The old man nearly dropped the quill.

"M-My lord, this is—"

Kael continued his voice even. "Not only will we send the batch of supplies every quarter, but we’ll also provide another 1,000 gold coins for education and books."

The manager’s eyes turned glassy, his hands trembling as he clutched the parchment. "You… you don’t have to do this."

Kael exhaled. His expression softened.

"I was an orphan too."

The old man’s lips parted in surprise.

Kael’s voice was steady, but his fingers curled slightly into a fist.

"My parents died when we were children, and it was just me and my sister, relying on each other as we grow up. I know what it’s like—to grow up without the warmth of parents. But I was lucky to be born in a noble household. So, I never struggled to acquire the things I want." His gaze turned to the children playing in the yard. "I might not be able to give them the love of a family. But I can make sure they never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. And I will take responsibility for their education. My parents will probably be smiling from heaven if they see their unfilial son could transform the lives of the misfortunate."

A lump formed in the manager’s throat. With shaking hands, he signed the contract. "Bless you, my lord. Truly, bless you."

Kael gave him a small nod.

Across the yard, Seraphina watched everything from the corner of her eyes as she continued to treat the children.

For the first time since they left the black market, her lips curled into a genuine smile. "Kael is becoming more and more mysterious. It’s a pity that Shiera cannot see this side of him. Perhaps, she will change her opinion when she gets to spend more time with him."