Who will Sympathise with a villain?

Chapter 3

“Here, have some medicinal soup. It tastes bitter and might leave you with a queasy sensation, but trust me, your wounds will heal much faster.”

Cassius didn’t hesitate. He took the bowl from me and drank the entire contents in a single draught. His face turned pale due to the after taste but he still smiled brightly at me.

“If it’s prepared by you, I can even drink poison. What is a bit of strange medicine?”

Looking at his warm and determined gaze, a strange feeling arose in my heart. I didn’t want Cassius to go to the Lycan Palace. I didn’t want him to be tainted by the wretched atmosphere of the palace.

“Cassius, if I want you to do something. Will you agree to it?”

“You know how I feel about you, Hera. You are my entire world. Even if you ask for something impossible, I will try my best.”

“Can you give up your position as the palace guard?” Taking his hand in mine, I begged. “I… I don’t want you to enter the Lycan Palace.”

“I can promise you anything but this, Hera.” Cassius looked at me with a complicated expression. “It wasn’t easy for me to get this opportunity. If I don’t grasp it, I won’t be able to do anything in my life. Please try to understand me, Hera. I don’t want my family to struggle to meet their ends. I don’t want to beg my cousins for basic needs. You have no idea how it felt that day. Have you heard anyone borrowing clothes to propose to the girl he likes? Hera, I….”

Looking at his desperation, I couldn’t bring myself to dissuade him further.

“I understand, Cassius.” A defeated sigh left my lips as I extracted my hand from his grasp. “Don’t think too much about what I said. Since you have decided, go ahead and do your best.”

A veil of silence fell over the room. I walked over to the wardrobe and opened it mechanically. It would be an understatement to say that I was stunned. There were only three sets of clothes.

Flustered, I closed the wardrobe quickly. After living in the luxurious palace for so long, I had forgotten that Cassius was once very poor. It was only after Cassius became a palace guard that things started working out for him.

Cassius walked up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulder. “You are not angry with me, are you?”

“Why would I be angry with you? I was just worried that you won’t be able to adapt to the environment in the palace. It’s unlike our little village, Cassius. Every word you speak, every action you take, even your silence, can be used against you.”

“Are you so reluctant to see my brother leave?” Ariel teased as she walked into the room. “You are even trying to scare him. Don’t worry. Once Cassius settles down, he can refer us to suitable positions.” Her expression turned dreamy as she continued, “Say Hera, if I can enter the palace and attract the attention of a lord or something, won’t our lives be changed forever. Then, we can….”

“Stop dreaming.” Cassius cut her off angrily. “Do you think it is so easy to enter the palace? You had better focus on your current work.”

“Oh…” Ariel pouted, but the next moment her face lit up again. “So, what if I can’t get a job in the palace? Can’t I come to meet you?”

Cassius and Ariel continued to bicker, but the gnawing worry in my heart made it difficult for me to pay attention.

Since we were bound to enter the palace, I had to find a way to make connections. That was the only way I could prevent the fate from repeating itself.

Looking around, my gaze landed on the calendar; 24th crescent in the year of silver fox.

Wasn’t this the day Lord Crofton died of poisoning?

If I could find him and give the antidote on time, it would be easy to win him over.

Bidding a quick farewell to Cassius and Ariel, I rushed back home to make preparations.

Pulling out a long robe with a cape, I concealed my appearance and sneaked out of the house. The night air was crisp and carried a hint of dew. Shadows danced around me, casting eerie shapes on the cobblestone streets.

If it was in the past, I wouldn’t have dared to venture into the dense forest alone. But now that I knew that living was more painful than death, things were different.

“Ahhh!” A bone chilling scream rang out in the quiet night, making me jump. “You bastards! How dare you betray me! I swear in the name of Crofton Hades, if I don’t turn you all into a pile of bones within a week, I will change my name.”

Lord Crofton’s poison had already started acting. I had to find him and give him the antidote as soon as possible.

Drawing in a deep breath, I quickened my pace and moved in the general direction of the sound. It took me some time to locate him, even with my keen senses.

By the time I reached him, he was crouching on the ground, convulsing like a fish out of water. Hurrying over, I gave him the antidote quickly.

“I just hope I am not too late.” I muttered as I hurried over and fed him the antidote. Lord Crofton was highly valued by Alpha Loren. So, his death had caused quite a stir in the palace.

To stabilise my position, I had personally helped Alpha Loren find out the cause of his death: Ice fly extract. This poison is very mild, but if taken with red wine, the effects get accelerated.

The only way to save the affected person was to administer the antidote within thirty minutes. Biting my lower lip, I gazed at Lord Crofton’s trembling form.

There was no way to say how long had passed since he was poisoned. I could only wait and watch for now.

His convulsions stopped, and his face regained his color after a few minutes. Before I could rejoice or check his condition, a series of howls ripped through the silence.

My heart sank as I let my perception spread out. More than a dozen wolves were running towards us. Their bloodthirsty aura made me shudder despite the distance.

“Damn it! What is wrong with the assassin? Does he really need to send so many werewolves just to make sure Lord Crofton is dead?”

Biting the tip of my tongue to stabilise my mental state, I looked around frantically. I had to find a safe place to hide with Lord Crofton.

If those bloodthirsty wolves caught up with us, all my efforts would be in vain.