Assassin's Chronicle - Chapter 450

Chapter 450: Emotions

Anfey and Christian walked side by side down the small path . Kumaraghosha followed them with a small group of mercenaries . Anfey didn’t need protection, but Kumaraghosha insisted that walking around alone did not befit his status .

Everyone was different when it comes to having guards accompany them . Some people, like Newyoheim and Michael, prefer bringing guards along, even though guards were unnecessary, because they saw the guards as a display of power . Others, like Yolanthe and Saul, liked to keep to themselves and draw as little attention as possible . Because of Saul’s influence, his students did not like drawing too much attention to themselves either . Even though they all held power now, none of Anfey’s friends hired any guards or maids .

"Spring is coming," Christian said, looking at a nearby tree .

"Christian!" Anfey said, smiling . "You’ve talked about everything from legends to schools to prostitutes . What are you trying to get at?"

Christian smiled . "I just think we haven’t talked in a long time . "

"We can talk for an entire day if you want," Anfey said . "I’m just curious what has you so worried . "

Christian smiled and shook his head . He stopped and glanced at the mercenaries . Seeing he had stopped, Kumaraghosha stopped the mercenaries just out of earshot .

"Alright," Anfey said . "Let’s talk . Tell me, don’t lie . Have you slept with any of the women here?"

"What?" Christian asked, surprised .

"Tell me honestly," Anfey said .

"I’ve only been to bars a handful of times," Christian admitted . "And I only went to drink . "

Anfey smiled . "I’m not surprised," he said . "You’re a good person . But even you must have urges . "

Christian blushed . "I don’t have time to think about anything else," he said quietly . "Everyone thinks I’m so talented, but I’m not talented . I need to work very hard to achieve what my peers achieve easily . " He paused, turning away from Anfey and muttering under his breath, "Sexual urges are natural . "

"Do you go to bars then?" Anfey asked .

"That’s Blavi," Christian said, shaking his head . "I don’t have time . All I need to do is meditate to calm myself down . "

Anfey frowned . "You need to let go a little once in a while . I’ll talk to Blavi about it . "

"No," Christian said . "I don’t want to do that . There’s no need making those girls’ lives worse . "

"It’s their job," Anfey said . "The mercenaries risk their lives everyday . Don’t they deserve pity as well?"

"It’s not the same," Christian said . "No one wants to be a prostitute if they can help it . The girls didn’t choose this . Society forced them into it . I am sure none of them actually enjoys their job . And the slaves . Their lives are even worse than the prostitutes . "

Anfey nodded . "Good," he said . "You’re worried about the people’s lives . "

Christian said, "I want to think about things from the point of view of normal people," he said . "Gives me whole new perspective . "

"You really hate slavery, don’t you?" Anfey said . "If you become the successor, you will abolish the practice?"

"That’s too far in the future," Christian said .

"Let’s just pretend it has come true," Anfey said . "Tell me . What will you do?"

Christian thought about it for a few moments then sighed . "I won’t do anything," he said .

"Why?"

"It’s too risky . The nobility are all slave owners . So are the officials and merchants . Even some commoners own slaves . I cannot fight against an entire system by myself . If I want to do it, I will do it slowly . I will change the law to, say, free the slaves’ children . If that works, I will wait again for the society to accept those children and make new laws to ensure the slaves’ safety and give them more rights . I would need to take things slowly and make sure every step is taken after society has come to terms with the previous step . "

"So complicated," Anfey said, frowning .

"It’s not just complicated," Christian said with a smile . "There is no way a ruler can completely abolish slavery by himself . This is a collective effort made by everyone in the society and the generations to come . " Christian paused and sighed . "Let’s talk about something else . I can talk all day about this . "

"I like your plan," Anfey said with a smile . This conversation reminded him that he did not have the mind for politics . Even though Christian was inexperienced, he was still a better politician . Anfey made a mental note not to get too involved in politics .

"It’s not good," Christian said with a sigh . "Did someone say something?"

Anfey nodded . "Blavi said you got angry with them yesterday . Heard you’re scary when you’re angry . "

"I knew it," Christian said . "What did Blavi say?"

"I understand why you did what you did," Anfey said, "but isn’t it a little too much?"

Christian frowned . What happened wasn’t exactly Blavi’s fault . He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time . Blavi had gone to the bar with Ozzic and Tiger . Tiger was flirting with one of the barmaids, but the maid didn’t know who Tiger was and ignored him . Tiger found the owner of the bar and complained, causing the bar owner to punish the maid . The maid grew angry and said some insulting things in her anger . Tiger grew angry as well and kicked the maid . Because he was too strong, the kick knocked the woman unconscious .

Christian happened to be passing by the bar and heard the commotion . He became very angry after learning what had happened .

"You scared Tiger," Anfey said . "Tiger has been with us for a long time . Plus, the woman was at fault as well . She shouldn’t have insulted him . "

"I cannot allow this," Christian said sternly . "Everyone is different and I don’t want to be too strict, but I don’t need to cause chaos in this city . "

"Blavi also brought up the fact that you’re still single," Anfey said . "And I agree with him . Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Do you know why Grandon and Wester are still unmarried?"

"Grandon is in love with Niya, but I don’t know anything about Wester . "

"We are princes," Christian said . "Marriage is the most important decision we can make in our entire lives . No one wants to rush into this decision . I’m waiting . Which is why I’m jealous of you and Suzanna . You can decide your own destiny . You cannot let her down . "

Anfey frowned, then smiled . "Is this what you want to talk to me about?"

"Alice always acts strange around you," Christian said . "I think we both understand why . You’re my friend and so is Suzanna . I don’t want to see a rift between you two . "

"Don’t worry," Anfey said . "Suzanna is true to herself . She is loyal . Sometimes she rushes into a decision that may not be the best . Some may say she is immature, but I like it . Alice, on the other hand, thinks too much . I trust her because right now she works for us . Her thinking benefits us . If one day I become an useless old man or do something horribly wrong and become the most hated man in the world, Suzanna will still stand by me . Alice would never do that, and she knows it . "

Christian nodded . "That won’t ever happen, though . "

"It doesn’t matter," Anfey said . "That’s what is different about them . For me, Suzanna is irreplaceable . "

"So you must have noticed Alice . "

"So?" Anfey said with a shrug . "If that maid you saved wants to marry you, will you do it?"

"No," Christian said, "but that’s different . "

"I won’t, either," Anfey said . "Suzanna had been protecting me for so long, it’s my turn to protect her . "

Christian nodded . "I trust you, of course," he said, glancing at Anfey’s window . "I’ll go now . Suzanna must be waiting for you . "

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Anfey asked .

"Alice…"

"Don’t worry about her," Anfey reassured him . "She’s a very sensible person . She won’t let her emotions get in the way of the alliance . She values this more than we do . "

"Really?"

Anfey nodded . "If this falls apart, we can go back to Maho Empire . The mercenaries can keep being mercenaries . She has nowhere to go . She is too smart, which is why she won’t do anything that may potentially undermine the alliance . "

Christian nodded . "Alright," he said . "I’ll see you tomorrow . "

"Sleep tight," Anfey said with a grin . "We’ll be busy tomorrow . " Christian nodded and hurried off . Kumaraghosha sent some of the men to go with Christian . The mercenaries like freedom, but a lot of the mercenaries had already gotten used to being guards .

Anfey went to his room and discovered to his surprised that the unicorn was lying in his bed, its head hanging low . Suzanna was sitting next to it and petting it .

"What’s wrong?"

"I don’t know," Suzanna said, shaking her head . "I heard it stopped eating . They sent it back because they couldn’t take care of it anymore . "

They had left the unicorn at Stormenburg under Alice and Marino’s care because they couldn’t bring it along .

"Have you asked Hui Wei?"

Suzanna nodded . "He said it’s probably because it’s maturing . He said you should spend more time with it . "

Anfey sat down on the bed and stroked the unicorn’s head . The unicorn whimpered but did not do anything else .

"Let’s keep it close for a few days," Anfey said . "We need to go to bed now . It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow . "

Suzanna nodded . She moved over to help Anfey take off his coat . When she saw the way he was looking at her, she jumped . "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," Anfey said with a smile . He leaned over and pressed a kiss on Suzanna’s cheek . "Just thinking about how much I adore you . "