The Kind of Evil-Chapter 271: Young and dangerous.

‎Rasmus stayed by Astrea's side until she fell asleep with a peaceful expression. He looked out the window, and he didn't realize it was nighttime already. He then looked at the empty bottle of wine on the bedside table and took it with him.

‎After Rasmus left Astrea's room, he walked the quiet and empty hallway, staring out the windows at the snow. The sound of his cane echoed throughout the hallway, and then Lenin came out of the corner when she heard it. They both stared at each other with stoic expressions for a while until Rasmus stood in front of her.

‎"How is Her Holiness, Count?" Lenin asked as she looked at the door to Astrea's room.

‎"She's living, that's what matters," Rasmus answered as he leaned his shoulder against the wall to help him stand easily.

‎Lenin looked at Rasmus's legs and she wondered about why he had become a cripple so suddenly. She could ask Aris about it, but she knew that Aris wouldn't even bother to speak to her. However, she noticed a big difference in Rasmus's Mana, and how it gathered around him like a magnet.

‎"Would you care for some drinks with us, Count?" Lenin asked as she pointed at the end of the hallway with her thumb.

‎"Us?" Rasmus raised his brows slightly.

‎"Archduke Thalior, Lady Agnesia, Novia, Carrion, and Garret. Everyone is currently at the dining hall, having a conversation with Saint Serena," Lenin nodded.

‎"Please lead the way, Great Sage," Rasmus nodded as he pushed himself from the wall. "Javi, find Aris and Daryus. The three of you should come as well," he looked over his shoulder in the empty hallway.

‎Lenin glanced at the empty hallway and already knew that someone was in there, hiding their presence. She still couldn't believe that Rasmus could get someone like Javi after Uriel told her that Javi was one of the best assassins that The Tower had ever produced.

‎They went to the dining hall and found Aris, Daryus, and Javi waiting for Rasmus at the door. Lenin looked at each individual who followed Rasmus, and so far, the only person that she hadn't expected Rasmus to recruit was Daryus. A scholar-like young man with great talents in medicine and a heart of gold.

‎"(Why did you recruit him, Count? What is it that you want from someone like him?)" Lenin thought as she entered the dining hall. "(How can you be so honest and yet so hard to understand?)" She glanced at Rasmus, who walked beside him with Aris, Javi, and Daryus following behind him.

‎Rasmus looked at Carrion and Garret, who were sitting across from each other while Thalior was sitting across from Agnesia. Lenin decided to sit beside Novia while Rasmus sat beside Serena, with Aris beside him. Javi and Daryus sat across from each other.

‎There was only silence at the table while the maids poured tea into Rasmus's and the others' cups. Rasmus, Thalior, Agnesia, and Lenin were the only ones who weren't bothered by the deafening silence. They were so used to it that they found the silence quite peaceful while Novia, Carrion, Garret, and Daryus were sitting on the edge. Aris, Javi, and Serena were an exception.

‎"Have you decided what to do now, Count?" Thalior asked, breaking the silence.

‎"Yes," Rasmus nodded as he held his teacup. "I'm going to Central Neva, accompanying Lady Astrea," he answered and took a sip of his tea.

Hearing Rasmus mention Astrea's name without her title caught everyone off guard. However, they were more surprised that Rasmus was going to accompany Astrea back to the Holy Nation. Lenin found the opportunity of Rasmus coming along to Central Neval to align with her agenda.

"I see, that's good to hear, Count..." Thalior nodded his head, his expression looked relieved as if a few weights on his shoulders had been lifted. "When are you leaving, Count?" He asked with his brows furrowed as if it bothered him.

"It depends on Lady Astrea. She's the one who decides when to go back, but I believe it will be sooner than you thought," Rasmus answered as he put the teacup down. "What's the matter, Your Grace?" He asked, his eyes staring right into Thalior's eyes.

Thalior glanced at Carrion, signaling him to tell Rasmus about it. free𝑤ebnovel.com

"There are two guests that want to meet you, one of them is Erlina," Carrion said as he looked at Rasmus. "The other one is Princess Anastasha Asghar," he continued.

Rasmus was about to breathe, but then he held his breath when he heard Anastasha's name. He didn't expect her to be in the same building as him, but knew nothing about her being there. He then glanced at Javi, but Javi shook his head, not knowing about it as well.

"She wanted to meet you when she heard that you had arrived earlier this morning. However, knowing that you had a plan to visit Her Holiness, she decided to wait until the morning," Garret said as he enjoyed his cup of tea. "She has an eye on you, Count," he added as he stared at Rasmus.

Rasmus had been keeping Anastasha in the back of his head ever since his encounter with her for the first time a while ago. She had a similar way of thinking to his, and for someone like him, to find someone similar to him would only mean she was dangerous. Although he managed to find out the reason she left East Neva, he didn't know anything else about her. She moved like a ghost, and her purpose of staying in South Neva indefinitely was bothering him.

Thalior and Lenin noticed how bothered Rasmus was, and that was something they had never seen before. For someone like him, who took the whole war against demons so calmly was surprising that he would be bothered by a single woman. Lenin and Thalior shared a look, thinking the same thing.

"Is something the matter, Count?" Lenin asked.

"No, it's nothing," Rasmus shook his head.

"She was in Bastios Kingdom, and if you didn't tell me about her, I couldn't imagine what would happen to her if she stayed there when the demons obliterated that nation. We just saved an important figure from East Neva," Thalior answered.

Rasmus believed that even without their interference, Anastasha would be able to walk away from danger so casually. He believed that she had so many tricks up her sleeves, and the way she let things flow like he did made it both intriguing and unnerving. Compared to Anastasha, Rasmus had a second life, and in his first life, he spent his entire life learning and conquering the world through sweat, blood, and betrayal. However, Anastasha was a young woman who had the same way of thinking as him at that young age, which was terrifying.

Thalior thought that to have Anastasha would be a great addition, and to put a wall around Rasmus. He knew that Anastasha was capable of doing so since she was an Asghar, the most infamous family that profited in wars decades ago in East Neva. Asghar could be said to be the true ruler of East Neva because of their influence, their ability, and their will to either make a nation disappear or rise in a single night.

"(Out of all people, why must it be an Asghar...)" Thalior thought as he took a sip of his tea, disturbed by the situation.

Lenin glanced at Thalior, knowing what he was thinking, but she knew if she brought Anastasha into their board, they wouldn't be able to use her, they would be the ones who were being played by her in their own game. Thalior also thought the same way when he glanced at Lenin with a worried expression. They both knew it would be wise to let a beast walk away rather than tame it and make themselves the beast's meal. The right thing to do was to let the two beasts fight each other while they watched, eliminating a threat without doing a thing.

Rasmus sighed, and that was enough to make everyone look at him. His sigh wasn't subtle, but rather showed it to them on purpose or unconsciously. He then looked at his wristwatch with a stoic expression, and then emptied his cup of tea.

"You're leaving already, Count? We haven't even talked," Lenin said with her brows raised.

Rasmus looked at Lenin and Thalior, showing a cold smile on his face.

"I might need to get some rest before I face her. The journey was quite tiring for my current condition," Rasmus said as he stood up, using his cane as a support. "Who knows, maybe she and I would work together for future plans. Good night," he said, and then walked away.

At that moment, Thalior and Lenin's faces turned pale, realizing there was a high possibility of those two working together. They realized how realistic and logical Rasmus was, and how Anastasha might share the same interest as him. If they both decided to work together, the board became bigger while Thalior and the other figures would become less insignificant on the board.

Carrion, Aris, Javi, and Daryus suddenly got up from their seats, following Rasmus. Serena on the other hand stayed, finding the whole thing interesting, hiding her smile beneath that gentle expression she wore.