Achilles Entrusts Him With…
I had never seen Achilles in such a pitiful state before. He used to keep his face clean, wear a polite smile that hinted at his competence and a straight torso to compliment his rather tall physique. With his cape and coat on, he looked tall, big and confident. Now, however, he looked as if he had been transformed into a demon. He rested the teacup on his mangled hands; his visible joints were scary. He now had stubble on his originally clean shaven face and a tan. He had bloodshot eyes and the stare of a vulture. The Elven Queen wouldn’t have been able to sit opposite with a calm smile if she could see. Heaven knows how long it had been since Achilles last changed his cape now covered in grey dirt. As a matter of fact, I spotted dried blood on it. His boots were filthy with solid mud.
I pondered “What exactly did Achilles go through? He looks worse than when I went bankrupt. Only someone who has completely given up on life would look that way. Even fat NEETs who lounge around at home for two decades would, at least, shower before they left the house. What caused Achilles change?”
I strode to the Elven Queen and patted her shoulder, whispering for her to leave. She acknowledged she heard me with a cheerful touch on my face and then departed with Ciara. I waited for them to be out of earshot then asked, “Achilles, what’s the matter with you? Did something happen?”
“Let’s talk in private.”
The man scared the living daylights out of me with his eyes that literally looked as though they protruded from his head. Fearful, I compacted my body: “Let’s talk in the room, then. Ross, Leah, leave us alone.”
“Understood.”
Achilles introduced Ross to me, so he was bound to care and sympathise with the former to some extent. Achilles didn’t look as though he wanted to talk to anyone, unfortunately. He planned to inform him that I was getting married before we said anything else, but his appearance compelled me to withhold the thought. I felt as though he wouldn’t even care if I was getting married. He, in fact, might’ve told me something to do with his life.
We went inside the room and Achilles sat down at table, while I sat at the bed. He took out a contract from his shirt and placed it on the table. Voice solemn, he stated, “This is proof of ownership of my building in the imperial capital. Sign the contract, and it’s yours.”
Before I could say anything, Achilles presented a small book and explained, “This is my book for the company I operate. Sign the contract, and you’ll have the rights to run it. In addition, there’s this. This is the factory’s balance of payments. Although the majority belongs to Queen Sisi, there’s still a fair amount left. Further, you and Sisi are close, so you’ll get more.”
“Hang on, Achilles. Hold your horses!” I stood up and seized Achilles’ hand.
There was no way there was good news when the first thing he did was start giving me things. Achilles wasn’t arranging his post-funeral. I didn’t believe he was bankrupt and wanted to donate his things to me; nobody gives you money for nothing. He’d rather sell all of that to pay his debt for freedom than give them to me. As such, there was definitely more than what met the eye. The more money he offered me, the greater the responsibility.
Without any foreshadowing or hesitation, Achilles bluntly implored, “I want you to go to south and destroy someone for me. Destroy his business and bury him. I don’t have much support left in the South, but he killed my one and only love. I’ll give you everything I have. I beg you: you have Her Majesty backing you, and Veirya can kill. Moreover, his wife’s brother is with you. You have the best means and conditions to destroy him.”
“You… want me to kill Albert?!”
I had quite a good impression of young Albert. Therefore, imagining him as a killer was impossible. Additionally, Lilia wouldn’t allow her husband to commit murder by my estimations. Achilles and Albert were also on decent terms. Albert came to visit me at the behest of Achilles, after all.
Albert’s business should be in the South, not the imperial capital. I couldn’t see how they were associated in business. Achilles focused on helping Queen Sisi. I hadn’t heard of him planning to develop at the colony. Albert wanted to construct ships, which couldn’t be done in the imperial capital. Why would he harm Achilles?
“Correct. Kill Albert. Destroy his business. Destroy everything that he has. He burnt the succubi’s building down to the ground for a darn share of the shipyard and killed the succubus I loved. I’m doing this for her, the woman I love most. She died in the fire to satisfy his desire for a tiny amount of money. I want him bodied. To my chagrin, he escaped before I could kill him. That’s why I’m here to plead you. You can take everything I have. I want him cold in the ground. I want to witness him dying before my eyes even if it costs me my life!”
“Calm down… Achilles… I don’t get it…”
The news hit me too suddenly; I couldn’t process it right away.
I deliberated, “So, apparently, Albert burnt down the succubi’s place for some shares of the shipyard. The succubus Achilles liked was killed. What does her death have to do with Albert’s shares? Why did he have to burn their place? I need to get these things straight before making a call. Albert and I have no enmity. Achilles needs a murderer, not me. I’m a businessman, not a murderer.”
“Long-story short, he killed my lover to get in someone’s graces and then absconded with his wife. Please, Lin Dongqing, help me get revenge. I can’t do it. I believe you can, though. I beg you. It doesn’t matter what method you use, just please destroy him!”
Achilles grabbed my hand so tightly that it hurt. I pressed my other hand on his and pushed his hand away: “Sorry, Achilles, but I’m getting married. I’m getting married with Veirya, so I don’t want to leave the North before that. Besides, I’m not an assassin. Achilles, you’ve misunderstood something. Albert never did anything to me. I won’t kill for money. Heed my advice, Achilles. Go see Sisi. It would be more useful for you to give this to Sisi and me. I’m not a murderer. Achilles, I won’t kill someone innocent – relative to me – for money.”
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