To His Hell and Back-Chapter 175: Flicker of Interest

The smell of ocean felt as biting as salt. Wind gust strongly, brushing aside Cassius’s black hair from his forehead as he watched quietly at the wooden ship and the people who were trying to carry out all the wooden box containers that were filled with new weapons. He remained quiet, watching those objects and the people who were being scolded for manhandling the object.

Then he could feel the presence of someone walking beside him though he didn’t fully acknowledge the person standing there while holding the parasol over her head.

"Those weapons were specifically ordered by the King but not much have been told to us, his ministers; perhaps Your Highness would know about it?"

Helena was wearing all black, her parasol covered her entire body from the sunlight, making sure that not even a single ray of light would pass to her skin.

"Vampires don’t die from sunlight anymore, Helena," answered Cassius with a hint of smirk.

"We don’t but they still make us much weaker," Helena answered, "And for one, I’m not someone who like to take risk."

Cassius finally turned to see her face. His height which was taller caused for Helena to slowly lift her parasol aside, looking over to the Crown Prince whose face had matured so much since the first time she had seen him.

Someone born out of blood and crafted to kill.

"The King doesn’t enjoy taking risks either," Cassius murmured, glancing back at the crates being hauled on the bent backs of slaves. "He even entertained the Queen’s newest idea."

"That weapon is her design?" Helena’s brows pinched in a rare show of surprise. "She’s never cared for weapons. That’s more your interest than hers."

Cassius chuckled, low and edged. His eyes turned to her, crimson slivers crinkled in amusement.

"Oh, Helena," he said, "you always see through things quicker than the rest."

"Ah, I see," Helena hummed, understanding what he meant, "You were the one who made this idea stick to her head."

"It didn’t take much," Cassius said, his voice light, almost amused. "All I did was suggest a rumor that the Easterners had developed a weapon capable of killing vampires. She latched onto it instantly and ran to the King like a dog with a prize."

He smiled faintly, eyes fixed on the busy docks as the crates clattered down, one after another.

"Morgana spun it into strategy, draping her greed in the guise of foresight. She told him it was a necessary investment for future wars, as we extend our borders, she said." He chuckled. "And naturally, the King, ever eager to cut costs in blood and coin, agreed without a second thought."

It had been almost laughable, watching Queen Morgana sink her claws into the idea. The moment she heard of a weapon that could kill a vampire, her mind twisted with desire. She needed it, not for the kingdom, not for the war effort, but for herself. For her plan to kill him.

Of course, acquiring the weapon wasn’t so easy. But Morgana was clever. She knew it would be far more achievable if the King ordered it. If it were brought here, tested, refined then, perhaps, she could take it for her own ends. She could even push the blame to someone else if this weapon could be mass produced, so his death wouldn’t lead to her.

But she was never aware that all of this was merely a trick and all Cassius had to do was whisper the right lie to watch them scramble like rats in a flood.

"So what kind of weapon is it?" Helena asked when one of the worker dressed in the expensive clothes rushed toward him. The man with the round and stout figure rubbed his chest, heaving for breaths even though he hadn’t ran far too much.

The large rings on his five fingers clicked against each other as he patted his chest and tried to regulate his breathing. But perhaps out of fear of making Cassius wait, the man still tried his best to speak through his roughed breaths.

"Your Highness! My apologies for not being able to greet you sooner. If I had known that you would be here to visit us whilst you make your way to see the envoys, I would have came her before the sun appears!"

"Count Brigade," Cassius greeted, his tone relaxed, almost amused. "It’s fine. I find it oddly satisfying. Watching the ants work, I mean."

"Ah, ants!" the Count chuckled, oblivious or perhaps willfully so. "Indeed. Those slaves are from the East! Remarkably strong for humans. Each one can carry twenty pounds without so much as a grunt, man, woman, and even children! A most profitable expenditure!"

Cassius’s smile didn’t falter, but something colder flickered in his crimson eyes.

"If it would please you, may I offer one of my slaves? A female, still young! Mute but not deaf. Very tame and is also extremely obedient," said the Count happily. Without looking at Cassius’s expression that had turned darker in shades, he had hurried his servant to bring a female whose neck was collared.

With each yank to the leash connected to her collar, the woman slowly was dragged toward Cassius and then demanded to kneel down until her forehead touched the ground.

The sight seemed to made the Count happy, as if he was delighted that his "pet" had shown trick that would delight his business partner.

Helena hummed, "From the east you say. But the Easterners couldn’t understand our language well do they?"

"This one has been trained," said the Count, "Very tame as well!"

"Trained," repeated Cassius as his eyes trailed on the eastern slave’s back that was covered with scars all over her back and arms. Some of her fingers like the little pinky was missing and he concluded that she wasn’t "mute" by choice but muted as her tongue was torn by the Count.

But the fact that she was so obedient meant that the Count had trained the woman from such young age.

Though that wasn’t what made Cassius intrigue.

"Look up," Cassius ordered and the slave lifted her face toward him which made him to narrow his eyes. He then turned to the Count, "I’ll bring this one to the castle."

"Oh! Of course! Of course!"

Helena, on the other hand, frowned, "Tame doesn’t mean loyal. it’s worrying that we don’t know how violent the slave could be."

The count became unhappy hearing this as he was one step closer to being on Cassius’s good side yet Helena had prevented it. "Don’t worry! If they dare to do anything you can kill them. They’re stronger than humans but much weaker and won’t dare to even raise hand when you kill them."

"It doesn’t matter," Cassius shrugged. He didn’t even pay attention to the slave’s face and Helena could see his disinterest. Then why had he agreed to bring the slave if he wasn’t really interested in owning it?

Before she asked, she then heard Cassius who had muttered under his breath, "My little one needs someone to serve her," said Cassius in a hum. "An obedient shield."

Cassius then shooed the count, ordering him to leave him and Helena alone only to leave the weapon that was mentioned. The Count readily gave him the weapon, citing that it was still brand new and need further upgrades to be taken care of but Cassius dismissed his concern and took it with him.

Helena had also asked to see the weapon but the Count who had heed to Cassius’s words didn’t dare to give her even a slight glimpse of the weapon, leaving the lady miffed.

They hadn’t stayed for far too long near the ship when someone had came, dressed in the Southern clothing. Upon reaching Cassius, he had immediately bowed his silver head and lifted his head upward with a wide smile, "Greeting Your Highness. This must be our first time to be introduced. My humble name is Isaac. The lady beside you must be Lady Helena, am I right? How moved I am to be able to see you two here right upon my arrival."

"Isaac," repeated Helena while Cassius answered him with a curt nod. Her eyes immediately flickered as she understood, "The Prince of Baharum!"

"Indeed that is I," answered Isaac with a humble smile.

Cassius returned the man’s smile with his usual one. Not too cold but neither was it anywhere near friendly. He hummed with lack of interest, "I heard that your ship was caught in a brief storm in the Sea. Glad to see that everything went well."

Isaac nodded, "Indeed! The storm was short but a terrifying one. I was worried but rather than for my safety, I was more worried about Isabelle, my sister. She left the kingdom earlier than I did thus we were in two separate ships. It’s her first time leaving Baharum alone so I was worried how she would fit in Versailles. But I heard from my servant earlier that she had reached the castle first. Have you seen her, Your Highness?"

"Who?" Cassius’s lack of interest was almost comical as Helena grimaced, worried Isaac would be offended.

But the vampire from the South shook his head and smiled, "It seems you haven’t seen her. Her name is Isabelle."

"Oh," Cassius answered briefly. Isabelle, Isalla, Isaella, those names wouldn’t stick to his head either way. So he didn’t even bother with remembering or trying to show that he would remember it.

He could see how Isaac’s eyes which seemed kind and tame was rather more dangerous than even those of Rueben’s.

"May we talk more, Your Highness?" Isaac questioned, his eyes trailing to Helena and the lady understood this was Isaac’s way of requesting for a time alone with Cassius.

She bowed and muttered, "It’s getting late as well, I shall be departing now."

Cassius only answered her with a nod as her glance lingered for a while until she decisively walked toward the carriage.

Left alone, Isaac’s smile that was pleasant slowly turned more serious as he showed his true color, "I have heard from a lot of source that you are searching for a certain herb, Your Highness. A herb that they say could possibly counter the potion that have been wrecking havoc in Versailles. Coincidentally, our Kingdom have farmed a lot of them."

Without having to continue it, Cassius could smell that Isaac’s purpose to the kingdom wasn’t the human hunt.

Rather it was to form a contract with him.