CLEAVER OF SIN
Chapter 97: Horseback

Chapter 97: Horseback

As Asher turned to leave, Azeron’s voice came again.

"Wait."

Asher, who had already pivoted to exit the chamber, immediately paused mid-step and turned back toward the Primarch. Azeron’s hand lowered beneath the table, rummaging through the cupboard space built into its frame. After a few seconds, he flicked something toward Asher’s face with practiced ease.

Asher’s hand moved instinctively, snatching the object midair. His eyes lowered to examine the item now resting in his palm, and then a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

It was a ring.

But Asher knew better than to assume it was ordinary. Azeron wouldn’t call him back just to throw a meaningless trinket. His deduction was swift.

’It must be a space ring,’ Asher thought. ’With this, I can finally use my inventory without any limitations.’

"The ring contains twenty thousand platinum coins," Azeron explained. "Since you defeated Ryan Silvershade, earning me fifty percent of their family’s income as a result, I figured it was only fair to share a portion with you."

At that moment, realization dawned in Asher’s mind. He had entirely forgotten about Ryan since the duel concluded. He never dwelled on individuals who bore no significance to his life or goals. Once Ryan was defeated, he simply erased him from his thoughts and returned to his training regimen without a second thought.

He hadn’t expected Azeron to actually give him a share of the profits, he hadn’t even considered it, much less asked for it. The matter hadn’t once crossed his mind.

But then, a certain detail caught his attention, causing his thoughts to stall.

Twenty thousand platinum coins.

’A single platinum coin is equivalent to one thousand gold coins... That means I now have twenty million gold coins,’ Asher thought, his mental voice rising in astonishment. He inhaled deeply as he computed the staggering amount.

’And this is just a fraction of the fifty percent? How wealthy are these people? No wonder they had the audacity to craft an entire carriage out of solid gold,’ he mused.

Although Asher didn’t know the exact percentage Azeron had chosen to give him from the acquired fifty percent, it didn’t matter. The sheer value of what he had just received was already staggering.

He smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, Father."

"There’s no need to thank me," Azeron responded. "You earned it through your own merit. Also, consider this a personal reward. Your monthly stipend will still be sent to you as usual, without interruption."

Asher nodded enthusiastically. Although his calm exterior betrayed little, inwardly, he was elated. He loved money. In his past life, he had been an orphan, one among over a hundred children, scraping by with whatever little they had. Which one of them hadn’t fantasized about striking it rich or living a life where money was no longer an issue?

Though in this new world his goals had shifted, power had become his primary motive, his affection for money hadn’t diminished in the slightest. The only difference was that, being born into wealth now, he no longer needed to pursue it as actively. There was no need to subject himself to needless suffering when luxury was at his fingertips.

"You may go now," Azeron concluded.

Truthfully, Azeron had intended to give Asher the space ring much earlier. He had prepared it and stored it in one of his desk drawers, but the opportunity to hand it over had never presented itself, until now.

’I wonder if Duke Rhydion Silvershade is eating expired steak for breakfast these days,’ Azeron thought to himself with a chuckle before shaking his head and returning his focus to the papers on the table.

The grand doors opened once more, and Asher stepped out of the chamber with a slight spring in his step, a smile gracing his face. His gaze landed on Lyra and Zarek, both of whom stood to the side.

Zarek gave Asher a respectful nod and then silently entered the chamber from which Asher had just emerged.

Asher and Lyra began walking side by side, their steps fluid and elegant. Asher’s mind, however, was adrift in thought. Sensing his mood, Lyra finally broke the silence.

"It appears the Young Master is in high spirits," she remarked softly.

Hearing her voice, Asher smiled as they continued walking. "Indeed, I am," he replied calmly, offering no further explanation.

After the incident at the Royal Party where his memory had almost been tampered with, Asher had become far more cautious about what he shared with Lyra. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, he did, deeply, but he had no way of knowing how resistant her mind was to mental intrusions or psychic tampering.

If someone ever tried to get to him and failed, the next obvious target would be Lyra, the one person who remained by his side almost constantly. With that in mind, Asher had begun limiting the information he shared with her. Of course, he still told her basic things or details that weren’t truly sensitive, things others could learn or deduce easily.

Although he had disclosed some of Virelass’s abilities to her, Asher wasn’t concerned. Those powers could very well become public knowledge in time, and they weren’t exactly secrets worth guarding too zealously.

Still, he wasn’t truly worried. Asher knew Lyra well. If anything were amiss, if she so much as blinked out of rhythm, coughed oddly, or changed the cadence of her walk, he would notice immediately. Any deviation from her normal behavior would alert him in an instant.

Eventually, they arrived at Asher’s room. There, he informed Lyra about the room change authorized by the Primarch. Lyra received the news with a warm smile and nodded in understanding. Within moments, maids and butlers appeared, executing their duties with practiced movements.

They didn’t move the bed or the chains, those were permanent fixtures, but they carefully gathered Asher’s clothing and shoes, transferring them to the newly assigned quarters. The new room was already fully furnished, down to the smallest details: from the bed to the bookshelves, and even down to essentials such as a toothbrush and comb.

Asher spent a few moments inspecting the new space, noting how well it was arranged for both comfort and functionality. Eventually, he made his way to the large window, a habit that had become something of a ritual. Looking outside was always one of the first things he did whenever he woke up from his sleep.

Standing by the window, he found his thoughts once again beginning to drift. Should he spend time learning horse riding as he had once considered? Or perhaps he should simply forego that idea and dive straight into his training regimen, especially now that he had access to a private training space?

The room’s new amenities gave him far more flexibility than before. A part of him itched to begin immediately, eager to push his limits further. But another part contemplated whether taking some time to experience other facets of noble life, like mastering horseback riding, might be worthwhile.