Tyrant? No, I am the Villain
Chapter 31: Midnight Silence

Chapter 31: Midnight Silence

The midnight air hung still over the city of Rammstein. A full moon glowed above, unobstructed by clouds, spilling the beautiful moonlight over the palace. Inside, Estefan Angeras slept soundly on his bed, his chest slowly rising and falling beneath fine silken sheets. A deceptive calm blanketed the moment but that peace shattered the moment a figure appeared, silent as breath on the window sill.

The man was clad head to toe in black cloth, his face concealed and his breathing measured. He was no amateur thief or a wanderer but he was an assassin, trained to kill and disappear like a whisper.

Without hesitation, the assassin crouched low and pulled out a short bamboo blowpipe from his belt then he fitted a poisoned needle into the narrow opening. He raised the pipe to his lips, aimed at the Baron’s exposed neck and exhaled sharply.

The projectile embedded itself into the mattress just inches from Estefan’s throat. The assassin flinched as he saw Estefan had rolled over at the last moment.

"Lucky..." The killer muttered under his breath, loading another needle and firing again. But this time, Estefan shifted onto his back while murmuring something unintelligible in sleep.

Another miss followed by another. Beads of sweat began forming under the assassin’s mask. This wasn’t coincidence but rather felt like it was awareness from the sleeping young Baron who seemed to be avoiding danger through instincts but he was told his target was a helpless weak man.

Reaching into his belt for one last dart, he glanced down just for a second but that second cost him everything.

When he looked back up, Estefan stood in front of him, barefoot and shirtless, calmly scratching his head as though he’d just awoken from a mildly inconvenient nap.

"You know." Estefan yawned, "For an assassin... you are terrible at your job. I noticed you the moment you climbed over the wall. That’s how bad your stealth techniques were or if you had any techniques since an amateur like you probably don’t."

Estefan grabbed the assassin by the clothes and threw him into the room but the assassin rotated his body to land safely on the floor before facing Estefan.

Estefan scratched his hair, "You cannot be send by the criminals since they have yet to make some deals and try to buy me... they won’t try to kill me without pulling off that so that leaves my father who would rather torture me with a slow death than a assassination like this so, you were send by my stepmother."

The assassin didn’t panic after that, but his body tensed with realisation that he was caught and now must face this tricky strong opponent. He drew a dagger from his side and lunged in one fluid motion, aiming for Estefan’s ribs with a twisting motion meant to rip flesh on entry.

Estefan didn’t even flinch as the blade came within striking range, he pivoted letting the dagger pass within a breath of his skin. At the same time, his knee rocketed upward and crashed into the assassin’s solar plexus with brutal force.

The air shot from the assassin’s lungs as his body lifted and slammed into the ceiling beams and then fell gracelessly onto the stone floor.

"Pathetic." Estefan muttered. "She really hired someone like you? Seems like she underestimated me in a disgustingly low level"

The assassin groaned, rolling onto his side and struggling to his knees. With surprising speed, he hurled his dagger toward Estefan’s face. Estefan caught it midair between two fingers, examining it with mild amusement.

"Cute." He said after catching the dagger but when he looked back, the assassin had vanished.

Estefan walked toward the window, peered outside, and saw a dark figure limping across the moonlit lawn, leaving footprints in the dew.

"Tch." Estefan said due to annoyance since a weakling managed to flee before he could do something by himself.

A Bloodhound appeared beside him, kneeling without a sound. "Hm, well take his head and send it to Luso... also include a note for my stepmother: Thank you for the gift, I hope you send more so I can have a less boring life.."

The Bloodhound vanished from there after heeding his command.

Estefan tossed the dagger into the wall beside his bed, where it embedded with a heavy thunk and then he returned to the bed and pulled the covers up.

Meanwhile, outside the palace walls the assassin gasped as he ran, blood bubbling in his throat. His legs wobbled and his gut screamed from the blow but adrenaline pushed him forward. The lawn stretched endlessly under the pale moonlight. Since there was no guard or anyone present it looked empty and rather too easy to escape.

"Why... is it so quiet?" He whispered, clutching his ribs before he stumbled all of a sudden and then he looked down in confusion.

His legs were still standing on the ground but he was on the ground. "What...?" The lower halves of his legs remained upright for a moment longer before collapsing in a spray of blood. Pain didn’t register immediately since he didn’t realise it yet but just shock. Then, the agony rushed in like a tide as his legs were sliced off somehow.

He screamed, crawling forward on raw elbows while weeping openly as his voice cracked "Please... please... gods..." But suddenly he heard something moving in the darkness.

Dozens of faint footsteps, he suddenly turned to face the palace and his vision swam. The last thing the assassin saw was his own headless body slumped in the bloodied grass, "What?" His last words before he realised that he was beheaded.

The bloodhound beheaded him and grabbed the head through the hair before walking away with it leaving a trail of blood and other bits. But the corpse was left there, maybe there was a reason behind it as a sign of warning to all those who think of the idea of assassinating the Baron.

Some hours later a shimmering magical light appeared in a quiet corner of the streets at Luso. A chest appeared out of a teleportation scroll which was marked with a blood soaked seal. Frederick, the trusted guard of Lady Cornelia, was standing near it.

He grabbed it and made his way towards the Palace since the assassin was tasked to send the head of Estefan to him which he wanted to present to his master.

Lady Cornelia was present inside her chambers with her servants, she was waiting and when Frederick came she had a gleeful expression.

"Finally." She rejoiced as Frederick kneeled with the chest and opened it but all he saw was a horrified reaction of his master.

He looked at the chest and inside was the assassin’s head covered in the black mask which he recognised since he had seen the assassin before the mission was given.

Frederick paled as he clutched the chest and fell back down inside the chamber. "My Lady... the assassin. He... failed."

Cornelia sat at her vanity, surrounded by half-empty bottles of wine. She stood up quickly, her eyes wild. "You fool! You IDIOT!" she bellowed, striking the chest and sending it clattering across the floor. "How can you fail like this!"

Frederick bowed low, shaking. "I am sorry, my lady.."

She collapsed into a chair, gripping her temples. "It’s him... my husband. He’s protecting that bastard... He’s chosen him already." Misunderstanding the situation, Cornelia strongly began to believe that her husband is supporting the eldest son instead of her son.

"My lady, I’ll contact the Black Vein. We’ll pay for someone stronger, someone better." He tried to beg for a second chance to redeem for his mistake.

She didn’t answer. She simply waved him away, her shoulders shaking. "Get out."

As Frederick and other servants left, Cornelia reached for the wine, downing the contents of a crystal bottle in one long gulp.

But she suddenly swung her hands making the bottles fall onto the floor before slamming her hands on the table, "How could he?" She shouted, "He promised me... he promised to give my son the title of heir... not that son of a wench." Furious and heartbroken as her night was ruined.

But back in Rammstein, Estefan slept like a baby, not a care in the world as for him the night was peaceful even though someone tried to kill him some time ago.

He was surrounded by his bloodhounds who stood vigilant and invisible since no one could see them unless they wanted them to see. The Palace was empty with Estefan the only official resident as the servants were supposed to head to their quarters outside the palace after their work was done.

Bloodhounds simply patrol the area, since they are invisible everyone thinks that the palace was defenceless. They allowed the assassin to enter because Estefan wanted to see what a man who can’t even properly hide themselves do against him.

The hounds began to disperse, going every corner and areas of the Palace and the Palace walls. Protecting their lord from any threats while their lord slept.

[To be Continued]