Chapter 83: Books And Their Covers
{Fully cure wives to be able to see skills.}
Asher exhaled, and turned to Juliana: "Okay, so how can you communicate with Sara?" He asked.
Juliana paused her action, and looked up at Sara: "I transmitted my thoughts to her, while I can hear hers." She answered, turning to Asher.
"I can also help if you want to tell her something."
Asher blinked; this was new, but using a notebook was different. To Asher, it felt like a special bond between him and Sara alone; he didn’t want that to end. The quiet intimacy of passing the pen back and forth was a profound anchor he wasn’t ready to surrender to telepathic convenience. He nodded his head, and turned to Juliana:
"Can you stop reading my thoughts?"
"Okay, I know, I won’t read it anymore." Juliana rolled her eyes, and started eating again.
’Maybe she truly is a lesbian.’ Asher thought, staring at Juliana. She didn’t move an inch, just focused on eating. Her absolute lack of reaction confirmed she had actually closed the mental link.
’It seems she stopped... That’s good.’ He nodded his head, and started eating in peaceful silence with his wives. The chaotic tension of the morning had finally settled into a comfortable, domestic rhythm.
Sara looked up at him, then at Juliana, and continued eating, a small smile forming on her face. The heavy burden of isolation had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
{DING!}
{Wife Sara’s Affection: +10%.}
{Current Affection: 60%.}
{Wife Sara’s Loyalty: +10%.}
{Current Loyalty: 60%.}
Asher paused, then smiled, continuing eating his food: ’Back to normal.’
___
[Moments Later - After Breakfast.]
[Sitting Room.]
"That is the plan." Asher concluded, staring at Juliana and Sara. He had laid out a meticulous strategy to begin their counter-offensive in the banquet.
Juliana held her jaw, lost in thought, while also sending Asher’s plan to Sara. Kelly, on the other hand, was sitting by the window, staring at the city, completely ignoring the three.
"Okay, so there is a banquet in the Lebreton family estate... But I have some bad blood with that family, they are one of the families that attacked mine, and led to my situation." Juliana said, her gaze cold. The name alone carried the scent of ash, representing one of the core syndicates that profited from her downfall.
Asher relaxed on the couch: "That is exactly why we all aren’t going... I have some scores to settle with them." He said with a smile. The Warsaw family was just an appetizer; the Lebretons were the main course in his campaign of dismantling.
"Scores, you might be SSS-RANK, but Lebreton family has at least ten SSS-RANK, and that’s years ago, I don’t know their strength now." Juliana pointed out, turning to Sara, and transmitted their discussion to her.
Asher waited, knowing Sara would have something to say, and after some seconds, Juliana’s eyes widened in surprise. He stared at the two for some moments, before Juliana finally turned towards him.
"Um... Well... Sara said we should just deal with them. You said you’re now the richest, and with mine and your strength, we can still escape." She narrated Sara’s exact words.
"...?!"
Asher blinked, stunned. What the hell did Sara just say? Fight the Lebreton family head-on? He wasn’t scared of fighting them, but taking his wives to a place which might end up in a bloodbath wasn’t a good idea, not to mention Kelly wasn’t even in any state to defend herself.
He could use Soul defense, but that only blocked against physical attacks, and even if he summoned his Knights, they aren’t strong enough to fight more than five SSS-RANK. The numerical disadvantage against coordinated, veterans was a reality he couldn’t just ignore.
If he went alone, he could handle everything without worries, but, are his wives safe being alone at home? Especially with Luna after him.
’This is such a pain.’ He sighed:
"Alright, I have thought of every possible scenario. The only safe choice is for me to go alone."
"What?! I have to avenge myself and kill that stupid Young master!!" Juliana instantly disagreed.
’Huh? Kill? Is Juliana this ruthless? Well, not like she hadn’t killed before, but...’ He stared at her, stunned, not expecting a young and beautiful lady like Juliana was ready to kill for revenge. The venom in her voice wasn’t an empty threat; it was a vow.
He lowered his gaze, staring at his hand; what was he thinking? Asher was only 20 years old, two years older than Juliana, and he had killed so many people. In their world’s current situation, even a ten-year-old can kill you if you’re not careful. The Awakened society didn’t breed innocent children; it bred only survivors.
Maybe because of Juliana’s personality, he thought she was meek and carefree. Even with her Gangster personality, he took it as a childish tantrum, but seeing the true Juliana, he came to understand one thing.
Never judge a book by its cover.
Each of his wives wasn’t simple to begin with.
He turned to Kelly, remembering the haunted house incident. When Asher killed the three Assassins, she didn’t even flinch, act scared, or feel disgusted, not even a bit. This shows Kelly not only saw many bloody events, she must have killed someone in the past. To remain perfectly apathetic while severed heads rolled at her feet required a mindset born only from the trenches of war.
Sara, on the other hand, was once at the peak of Awakened society, and must have killed countless people. To climb the ranks and command respect in the upper echelons, one had to stand upon a mountain of corpses. But Juliana truly shocked him.
She was cute, young and carefree. That is the expression she gave everyone, but deep down, she wanted someone dead. The true Juliana harbored a core of absolute, uncompromising iron.
’I should stop thinking, she had the guts to destroy her own physique, and talent, something no one in their right mind will do, killing people shouldn’t be that surprising.’ He nodded his head:
"You will stay at home, Juliana... As for the Lebreton." His eyes turned deadly cold, his killing intent leaking into the air of the sitting room:
"Leave them to your Husband. I will deal with those lowlifes."
"...?!"
Juliana was stunned, staring at him in surprise. The sheer, overwhelming confidence radiating from him wasn’t arrogance; it was the absolute certainty of an apex predator promising a massacre.