Chapter 5
As soon as I sank into the bath, a sigh escaped my lips. The scenes from before vividly played out on the water’s surface, and the words Selly had spoken before pushing me off the cliff echoed in my ears, pitch-perfect.
-It’s all the mistress’s doing. I just thought it was a good opportunity and joined in. Thanks to that, I even got paid. Isn’t that great?
It seems my stepmother had placed a bounty on my head. I wanted to report her to the guards, but I had no allies. Even if I had, someone as powerful as the mistress of the Tenest family could easily deny everything and get away with it.
-Not just the mistress. Everyone in the mansion wants you dead, young master.
What troubled me most was the deep-seated resentment directed at Hersel that permeated the mansion. Financial motives and past grievances. It was no surprise that there were numerous people who wanted me dead. Remembering this again sent chills down my spine.
Instinctively, my eyes darted to the bathroom entrance. Could there be some danger I hadn’t noticed? I scanned my surroundings nervously. These assassination attempts would continue. I couldn’t even spare a thought for the scenario of a game meant to preserve the world. Dealing with the imminent threat of death was my priority. With only the meager traits of ‘One Second of Invincibility’ and ‘Noble Blood’s Ember,’ I had to make do somehow.
“The first thing I must do…”
As soon as dawn breaks, I must report Selly’s treachery to the mistress. Though I wanted to resolve it immediately, it was too late. The mansion was silent enough to hear the chirping of crickets in the middle of the night. They would likely try to disguise my death as an accident, but with so few people awake at this hour, they might attempt to handle it quietly if I showed myself.
The guards had already tried to kill me earlier. Additionally, entering the tiger’s den without punishment was a kind of warning. A warning that I knew who was after my life. Even if mentioning a will had minimal effect, it would make it harder for them to act openly. It might even buy me some more time.