The Kind of Evil
Chapter 334 - 334: Blind obedience.

‎Rasmus was inside a cabin in between the two cabins where all the records, documents, and archives that the Blackheart family had collected were. The cabin was made like a small library, and everything was neatly sorted, making it easy for him to find what he wanted. If he decided to read all of them, it would take him days without taking any breaks.

‎The first few documents that he took were about the new royal family that took over the Refenus Kingdom. He knew so little about them, and all he knew was that the new king was the younger brother of the previous one, who was at that time abroad, acting as a delegation of the Refenus Kingdom.

‎"Count..." A woman's voice could be heard from outside the cabin.

‎"Come in," Rasmus said, staring at the door.

‎The woman opened the door, bowing her head down when she noticed that Rasmus was staring at her. She brought a bowl of meat soup and a cup of water. Rasmus nodded at her, signaling her to approach him.

‎"I made the soup as you have instructed, Count. I'm unsure if I did it right, but I did my best," the woman said as she walked in and put the bowl of meat soup on the table.

‎"I trust your skill," Rasmus said as he took the bowl and put it close to his nose. He could tell if she had made it the right way because it smelled as good as his cooking.

‎"Thank you, Count," the woman bowed her head, overjoyed by the compliment.

‎"You're quite young to be a Black Hand. Perhaps you're only a few years older than me?" Rasmus asked, and took a sip of the broth that tasted like his own cooking.

‎"Yes, Count. I'll be 26 this year. I did my first mission when I was 9, two years before the rebellion started," the woman answered as she nodded.

‎"You're the youngest here compared to the others. In fact, you're the only young one when the others are at least ten years older than you," Rasmus said with his brows furrowed, curious about what had happened to the other Black Hands that were the same age as her.

‎"I believe I'm the only one, Count. I was raised and taught personally by the former Count, your father. I was different to the other Black Hands, I didn't grow up with the other Black Hands, I was alone until the former Count sent me on my first mission, meeting with the other Black Hands for the first time," the woman answered, standing still like a statue.

‎Rasmus wondered why the woman was raised differently compared to the other Black Hands. He couldn't find the answer behind it, and so he decided to ask her for the answer and told her to sit at the table with him.

‎"The former Count said that I would become the most important Black Hand in the future," the woman said as she looked down at her thighs. "I was the most inexperienced compared to the others, but ever since we became nomads, I was the only one who could gather information the easiest. The others believed they were being watched, while I always did it so smoothly," she added.

‎At that moment Rasmus found out the reason why his father raised the woman. He realized that the Black Hands' existence was to be revealed in the future after the rebellion. His father knew that once the Black Hands were revealed, the enemies would know how old they were by assuming the time that had passed since the rebellion. However, since the woman in front of her was still young, the enemies didn't bat an eye on her.

‎"(You were raising only one to avoid being exposed when some made mistakes. However, you created a burden that should be carried by many to one person. You chose a woman because the society takes less interest in them. You created a brilliant plan, but you put her human nature aside...)" Rasmus thought as he enjoyed his soup.

"What's your name?" Rasmus asked.

"Ayla, Count," the woman answered.

"Ayla, then I'll call you that from now on," Rasmus nodded as he put down the empty bowl.

Ayla saw how Rasmus didn't leave a single drop of soup in the bowl made her extremely happy. Rasmus could see it in her eyes, and noticed that she was indeed having been suppressing her emotions and feelings. However, Rasmus wondered if her happiness only revolved around the good things that had happened to him or if she could feel that emotion somewhere else.

"Now that you told your story, I assume you have been doing a lot of mission ever since the rebellion?" Rasmus asked, leaning back as he crossed his arms.

"Yes, I have been gathering all kinds of information in the past decade, Count said. These documents, they were from my observation, and I can assure you, they're all proven to be the right information," Ayla answered as she looked at the documents scattered on the table. "I have been gathering all kinds of information that I could get. Those shelves over there, they're all mine, Count," she continued as she pointed at the shelves in the back.

"I see..." Rasmus muttered as he looked at the shelves. "Turns out my father was right about choosing you, Ayla," he continued as he turned his head back to the front, looking at Ayla.

"Yes, thank you, Count," Ayla smiled shyly, however, when she noticed Rasmus's gaze, it was cold and stoic. She felt as if she had made a huge mistake by showing emotions, and she immediately put on a straight face and looked down again.

Rasmus was convinced that Ayla was indeed living her life to serve. Unlike Javi who owed his life and he was raised to be the best assassin in East Neva, Ayla was different. He didn't like blind faith, he despised them and he showed it when he spoke with Aurelia and Astrea about their blind faiths in Gods and the religion they spread.

"Tell me, Ayla, why do you serve me?" Rasmus asked coldly.

Ayla furrowed her brows while she was still hiding her face, she was confused by the question. She slowly lifted her head as she gathered her courage to look at Rasmus in the eyes.

"Because I was raised and taught by the Blackheart family, Count. I swore my loyalty to the Blackheart family, and to repay them for allowing me to live a comfortable life, an important asset that they can rely on," Ayla answered while she was still confused.

"So you serve the Blackheart family because they raised you? Is it because of your own accord or because they asked you to?" Rasmus asked, staring into Ayla's eyes.

"It's both, Count. However, I swear that I want to serve the Blackheart by my own accord more than because they asked me to," Ayla answered.

"Why?" Rasmus asked again.

Ayla was confused by the question again since she had given the answer as to why she served the Blackheart family. She couldn't answer with the same answer again because she knew it would disappoint Rasmus. However, she didn't know what kind of answer she should give to convince her loyalty.

"It's my choice, Count..." Ayla answered, this time she sounded a bit hesitant.

"So if I asked you to die, you would end yourself?" Rasmus asked.

"Yes,, I'll end myself if that's what you want, Count," Ayla answered without hesitation.

"Then do it," Rasmus nodded up, staring into Ayla's eyes coldly.

Ayla felt her heart stop for a second when she could tell that Rasmus was being serious about it. However, that was when a thought appeared in her head, she didn't want to die, she wanted to serve him.

"If I'm giving you two choice, to follow my order to end yourself or a choice that I'll grant you, which one will you choose?" Rasmus asked as he raised his brows.

Ayla's eyes roamed around Rasmus's face, thinking if this was some kind of a test. However, she didn't know what to choose, to follow order, or to choose a choice that Rasmus would grant her. The latter resonated with her more than her duty, her unbendable loyalty toward the Blackheart family.

"I will choose the latter, Count. I want to wish to follow you until the end of my life, Count..." Ayla answered as she lowered her head.

"Why? Didn't you say that you lived to serve the Blackheart family? Doesn't that mean every word I said is a command that you must follow?" Rasmus asked.

"Because I know I'm useful when I'm alive, Count..." Ayla answered, slowly doubting herself.

"Who said that you're useful?" Rasmus asked with his brows raised.

Ayla's heart felt like it was being squeezed that her eyes flinched because of that sting of pain. She didn't expect such a response, and it hurt her more than it should. She began to feel insignificant in that moment, realizing that she wasn't the person she believed she was. She began to see the hollowness within herself, she realized she was tough, intelligent, and skilled on the outside, but deep down, there was nothing inside.

"Come back to me in the morning and answer the question that I asked you, Ayla. You may leave now," Rasmus said as he continued to read the documents in front of him.

"Yes... Count..." Ayla slowly got up and bowed her head, her voice shaking and her gaze empty. She then left the cabin silently without making a noise.

Rasmus glanced at her, but then put his focus back on the documents.