Chapter 178 - Testing My Assassin Stalker
Nathan Evenhart:
We were exploring the bustling streets of Apsalon, walking down a busy avenue filled with all kinds of shops. The city was known for its many factories and companies that exported goods to the three kingdoms, with stores catering to both locals and tourists. I had never seen so many hurried people, many carrying paper bags filled with equipnt or food.
My stalker is hidden sowhere in the crowd.
Unfortunately, I had to step out and expose my family to danger just to act normally while analyzing my stalker more closely. The truth is, each one of them was a deadly warrior, so I wasn’t too worried. Besides, I was constantly observing them to ensure their safety. My main objective was to discover why I was being watched, what they wanted from , and whether I was the only target.
At that mont, my mother was nervously examining my head.
“This is happening much faster than I thought,” she said, clearly worried.
We had stopped near an alley while Chloe, Kinue, and Martha went into a shop. Even Cylla went along, probably because she knew Martha would buy her so treats from the stalls if she asked.
That little cat is quite clever.
“Is it really that bad, Mom?” I asked, trying to hide my own concern.
“Bad? Bad doesn’t even begin to cover it, it’s awful,” she replied, her attempt to hide her worry betrayed by her smile as she showed a strand of silver hair.
My hair was turning silver again, much faster than I’d anticipated.
“That magical dye was supposed to last at least two months in your hair. It’s barely been a month, and it’s already turning silver again.”
The first silver strand had appeared after just over two weeks...
“This is really bad...” I muttered.
She glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then went back to inspecting my hair.
“I’m going to have to talk to Adrihna about this. We used the best dye available; there’s nothing else in the world that works better.”
“And now?” I asked, feeling the weight of the situation.
She stopped ssing with my hair and looked at seriously.
“You’re going to have to dye your hair at least every 15 days to keep it black. We’ll need to buy more dye. I bought enough for two years, but at this rate, it won’t last even six months,” she said, rubbing her temples.
My mother took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
“Every 15 days? I’m dood. I’ll have to constantly dye my hair,” I sighed.
“We’ll need to talk to Adrihna to figure this out. And the worst part is, I bought a two-year supply because I know the production is limited, and the demand is high...”
And there’s the cost... I thought, calculating that it would cost one gold coin every 15 days.
At least this won’t co out of my allowance...
My mother continued to smooth my hair with her hands.
“How many silver strands are there?” I asked.
She laughed nervously.
“Too many! I can’t even count them...”
Sensing my worry, she pulled into a hug.
“At least now you’ll always have an excuse to co spend the weekend with . I’ll have to help you dye your hair,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
“I’d always co spend the weekend with you,” I replied, trying to reassure her.
My mother released from the hug, but a new concern crossed my mind.
“What about when I’m on academy missions and need to be away for a few days?” I asked.
Her smile faltered for a mont.
“Let’s hope that by the ti those missions co around, we’ll have sorted out your diplomatic situation,” she said, trying to hide her anxiety.
***
"Are you sure you're going to eat all of that?" I asked, glancing at Chloe's plate, which was piled high with food.
"Of course! I got a bit of everything," she replied, full of enthusiasm.
We were at a restaurant where you could build your own plate from a wide array of options, creating a personalized al. Chloe, captivated by the variety, had loaded her plate with all sorts of ats. I did the sa, though the at I selected wasn’t for —it was for the cat sitting on my lap.
“Girls need to eat properly,” Cylla said, noticing my gaze as she devoured her portion with gusto.
I glanced between the two of them, both happily savoring their at, and I had to hold back from making a comnt.
For my own sake, it’s better not to ntion that they look like wild cannibals.
My mother and Martha joined us with their plates, followed closely by a shy Kinue.
Kinue also likes at, just like Thyra.
“I like this kind of restaurant. It feels like a feast with all those buffets,” my mother said, clearly enjoying herself.
Martha’s plate was also piled with at, but unlike the others, her steak was still bleeding. The sight of her smiling as blood dripped down the side of her plate reminded of the ti I saw her extracting information from soone.
She had the sa smile then... I thought, trying to shake off the mory.
“I really like this at. It’s from an animal we don’t have in our territory,” Martha said, satisfied.
Martha was dressed in her usual maid’s uniform, sothing she rarely took off, even in casual situations.
“I’ve only been here once before with Professor Adrihna. I knew this place would be a hit,” Kinue said, pleased with the restaurant choice.
“When are the girls coming back? I miss them,” my mother asked.
“If the academy schedule doesn’t change, they should be back next week,” Martha answered.
Natty and Catty were on an excursion with so students in the demi-human kingdom. The academy liked to promote these trips to encourage cooperation between the kingdoms.
“Are you planning to stay here in Apsalon until the end of the year, away from Hugo?” Kinue asked Martha.
“The pain of missing soone is a kind of torture too,” Martha replied, laughing.
Chloe and I exchanged glances, choosing not to continue the topic. Even Kinue fell silent.
“He’ll be visiting soon. Hugo is coming to the city with Lady Margaery. He’s dying to see the girls,” Martha added.
“Is there any chance my mom will co? I thought we wouldn’t see her until the holidays,” Chloe asked.
Martha and my mother exchanged looks.
“She’ll have to co to the city for a work eting with so important people,” my mother replied.
“At least it’s here in Apsalon, so we can see her,” I comnted.
The cat casually swiped more at from my plate, without a shred of sha.
“What’s the eting about? She rarely leaves the territory and usually sends soone in her place,” my cousin pressed.
“Grown-up business,” my mother said, clearly ending the conversation. We understood there was no point in pushing further.
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