The Kingmaker System
Chapter 252 - 251. One-Sided Lover’s Trauma (1)

Chapter 252: 251. One-Sided Lover’s Trauma (1)

Asher looked hesitant, he didn’t want to tell me, I could see it clearly in his eyes but then again, I managed to get a lot of information from him so, this would be extracted as well.

"What will you do after you know?" He asked.

I didn’t say anything, and he ventured, "You will go to verify it yourself, won’t you?"

I still didn’t respond and he sighed deeply, "I can’t tell you if you’re going to go there, Mirielle. That place is guarded and it’s impossible to open without the High Priest."

"Why?"

"It’s specially designed to keep the mana in control."

The explanation sparked a memory—a dark tunnel, a cold metal door at its end. The pieces clicked together. The strong mana-cancelling alloy, the intricate barriers... all of it was meant to contain something formidable. The Saint’s power. And the only path to the Saint’s room led through Benedict’s office.

"Please tell me, Asher," I pleaded and he shook his head.

"You can’t go there,"

"But I-"

"If you have to report Ace about it then I’ll do so," he suddenly spoke up making me pause.

"What?"

"I can understand that you want to help him but you conversing with him will be seen with suspicion. Well, even I’m more or less under the watchful eye but, I can manage to do it secretly. So, it shouldn’t have to be you who gives the information to Ace. I’ll do it."

This made it a lot more easier. I was thinking of dropping the act since he was being so overprotective but if he was ready to deal with Ace then I could allow that.

"Are you sure that you will be able to do that?" I asked, "Ace told me that you didn’t like him."

Asher averted his eyes, "I don’t have to like him to help you. I will do it to keep you from putting yourself in danger."

Quite a gullible yet, adorable man.

I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He was a tragic lead who would have to live with one-sided lover’s trauma.

"All right, but... if you’re going to meet him, can you tell him everything about what’s happening here? I haven’t gotten any time to report to him so, he must be a little worried."

His eyebrows twitched and his fists clenched but he replied, "Yes, I’ll tell him that you’re safe and sound."

I smiled, "Thank you, Asher."

I told him where he could find Ace and he listened to my instructions carefully before he nodded.

"I shall meet him tomorrow itself, till then, please don’t leave your quarters and don’t interact with anyone." He instructed me and I nodded.

"Yes,"

He stood up and I followed suit as he walked up to the door.

"Asher?" I called and he stopped and looked back.

"Yes, is there... anything else?" He asked.

I gave him a soft smile, "Please be careful,"

His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer than required before he hung his head and nodded once. He left right away and I couldn’t help but feel a slight bit pity for him.

It was too sad that he was a pawn in my game, he would have made a good ally.

Asher Lewinstein, the blotch on the name of Lewinstein family. Born to a mother whose health weakened after his birth, while he was considered to be the reason, the family was ready to do anything to save the woman. But, the Temple had to step in and make things hard. They claimed that they would heal her and forbade her from being treated by any medical practitioners. And in the end, failed to save her.

She died in vain but what was worse was Asher had to take the brunt of it. He lost his mother without even receiving her love and he failed to get that love from his family as well. They saw him as a part of the reason why she died while the other part was the Temple. In order to get a revenge, Asher stepped out of his family and joined Temple. He had to go through intense training to bring himself to the position of the Captain of the Templar Knights and gain the knowledge of everything that transpired behind these alabaster walls.

And while he was enduring all of this, his family had thought that he had betrayed them and the last shred of civility that they had was snapped. He was now an object of contempt and hatred for them.

The weight of it all must have been unbearable. No allies. No one to confide in. Just a solitary path fueled by revenge.

"At the end of this," I whispered to the empty room, "you’ll have your family back, Asher."

I only hoped he survived long enough to see it.

The next night, I teleported to Lyall’s location after informing him of my arrival. He kneeled as soon as I arrived and I smiled shaking my head.

"Stand up, Lyall."

He rose on my word and stood in front of me with his hands at his back.

"How are you? How are things?" I asked.

"I am well, Master. And the things that you had instructed are also going smoothly."

"Good, so, I’m to assume that the information networks are steadily in our control now?" I asked and he nodded.

His work was going pretty well and it kind of made me feel satisfied.

"Asher is coming here to see me," I spoke up as I twisted the sapphire earstud in my ear reverting to my Ocean’s male form.

Lyall’s eyebrows touched his hairline.

"He’s coming here? In this place?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes, he’ll be here in a couple of hours so, till then let’s have some dinner, I’m hungry." I said as I stretched my arms above my head.

Lyall seemed like he had a couple of questions to ask but I simply walked towards the door of the room.

We had a hearty dinner and the maid from a couple of days earlier whom I had saved from getting dismissed for spilling beer on me greeted me with a smile.

"You don’t come here often, Master." She said and I hummed.

"I’m a busy person,"

She giggled at that and Lyall cleared his throat making her flinch.

"I-If you need anything else then please call for me," she said before she walked away.

I didn’t comment on how the people looked at Lyall with wary gazes. He was the new Boss of the place after beating the previous leader and he had done it in a way that his power was displayed before a large audience. The people around were scared that they might end up pissing him off for some reason that’s why they stayed away from him.

"Master?" Lyall spoke up and I hummed.

"Asher... is he coming to see you or someone else?" He asked and I tilted my head.

"You mean my other disguise?" I asked and he nodded.

"He’s coming here to see Ace. We’re going to see him at the tavern."

"A tavern?" He asked and I nodded as I continued eating.

"The things at Temple aren’t quite easy to uncover. I tried to go around but these guys are pretty guarded with their secrets so, I have to extract all the information I could from him." I explained and Lyall nodded in understanding.

"But, you haven’t told him about yourself, right?"

"No, he doesn’t need to know. I only need his information and then he could do whatever he wants."

Lyall flinched at that and I smiled, "Don’t worry, he’s quite a gullible guy."

"He’s still a man, Master."

I hummed as I leaned back observing the concern in Lyall’s eyes despite his face being a mask of blank expression. Ever since he had seen me in my original form he was a bit more inclined towards protecting me. It seemed as if my child’s body didn’t quite assure him of my strength that he had seen in my fake body.

Anyways, it wasn’t quite bad.

We reached at the tavern a couple of minutes before midnight as that was the time I’d given to Asher. I had disguised myself as Ace now, a young man with midnight black hair and ruby red eyes.

I sat down at the table which was on the second floor in a private section reserved for the special customers. The location gave me a good vantage point, I had the entire place in my sights from above.

After a while, I saw him striding in the tavern. His body posture suggested that he was on high alert and he kept looking behind his shoulder as if expecting someone to follow him.

I looked at Lyall and gestured him to bring Asher in.

Asher was wary of Lyall as soon as he approached him but he then turned to look up after Lyall told him about me.

I waited till he walked up the stairs and then stood in front of me.

"We see each other again, Asher Lewinstein." I spoke with a smile while his face held a grimace.