Courting Death

More than anything else, Asther simply wanted to take a rest. After everything that happened, his new body is already worn and tired. Probably due to the soul transfer, the fighting, and all the information he needed to take in. That’s why he wanted to sleep so badly and, that’s why his evening visitors got on his nerves.

“Can’t a guy get some shut eye around here?”

Asther isn’t a fool. With his trained assassin ears, he heard the footsteps that slowly came towards his house. These are sneakily, yet poorly made. That’s why he knows that it’s only a bunch of amateurs that’s coming for him. However, even amateurs can cause problems if not handled properly.

“Should I just kill them on the spot? That’s probably the best course of action for me to take right now.” Asther thought to himself as he got up and took the knife in his pocket.

“But that would cause problems tomorrow. I’m sure the villagers would ask where these individuals went.” Asther decided to peek through one of the holes in the wall in order to see who his visitors are.

Unlike the untrained individuals coming for him, Asther is light on his feet. He didn’t make any sound as he did this. Preventing his visitors from being alarmed at the idea that he might be awake.

Hence the teen peeked through and, what he saw was something which he already expected. It’s Baron and his two lackeys. The same ones who murdered the original owner of the body which the assassin is using.

Asther sighed. “I guess they really are on this level of stupidity after all.”

Asther wants to just murder them right on the spot. But there are things he needs to do in the village first. He needs to delay this part of his plan in order for the whole scheme not to be ruined. And so, Asther simply decided to use another tactic at that moment.

He went back to the middle of the house and took a random organ of the rabbit which he didn’t mix with the food. He placed this in his pocket and went straight for the opposite side wall. That is, the wall facing the back of the house. He then felt the planks one by one until his hands touched what he was looking for. A hole that allowed his fingers to slip through. He pulled on this and the plank easily detached, creating a small exit which Asther can use.

The old user of the body knows that his life could be in danger at any moment. That’s why he has created a measure like this which would allow him to escape in case some of the villagers come to kill him. Asther used this same route in order to get out from the troublesome situation.

“If they’re that eager to meet me again, I guess I should give them what they want.” He passed through the hole and placed the wooden plank back. “But before that, I need to fetch something.”

…

…

…

“Hey Baron, are you sure we should be doing this?” James asked in a nervous tone.

“Oh don’t be such a wuss would you? We just need to make sure if it’s really him who we saw earlier.” Baron said in reply.

“That’s just it Baron. Isn’t that earlier encounter enough to prove he’s alive?” Chad added.

“No. We must’ve been hallucinating earlier. There’s no way that incompetent little crap can suddenly disappear in broad daylight.” Baron said.

“B-But we all saw it right? We saw the same thing so…” James’ voice trailed off, as if unsure of what it is that he should be saying next.

“No. It can’t be him. We killed him. The three of us did.” Baron claimed. “There’s no way anyone can survive by falling off from that height.”

“So…why are we even here then?” James asked, a bit confused.

“You idiots.” Baron turned around to face his two lackeys. “You’ve seen it as well right? When we passed through his house, there was smoke coming out of the hole on his roof. That means someone’s cooking inside.

This just confused his lackeys even more. Baron is saying that there’s no way that Asther is alive but, at the same time, he seems to be believing the opposite. It’s like he’s a nervous wreck after what happened and, of course the two lackeys are as well. But Baron is especially so.

After all, there are a lot of rumors that are spread about Asther. How the boy’s curse can easily spread to those who mingle with him and don’t mind their own businesses. How this same teen can bring a plague or make a person suffer even without trying.

The three used this as a reason to commit their murder. They say to themselves that they did the act to save the village. But the only real reason why they did this is because they enjoyed torturing Asther. To the extent that they even thought it funny to kill him.

Yet with the appearance of Asther in the village, they began to think back of the curses. The ones linked to what would happen should Asther be killed. They don’t believe this because they’ve been harming the teen all their life.

But things are different this time around. They killed him and yet, he appeared to them. He disappeared suddenly in an alley like a ghost. All of these things played on their minds. And the mind can be a scary thing once it starts to think of monsters even if they don’t really exist.

That is the whole reason why they are there at that moment. And more than anyone else, it is Baron who is most affected by these thoughts. The muscle head has little reasoning in that tiny brain of his. That’s why, the things that he cannot explain, he attributes these to superstitious beliefs.

“Can’t we just do this in the morning Baron?” James asked.

“We’re already here. What are you chickening out for?” Baron replied. “Besides, even if it’s really him that we saw, what can he do against us? He’s just trash.”

This isn’t really how the three felt. Because of Baron’s insistent implication that Asther is alive, his lackeys have been affected by his mental state as well. Both of them are now scared of the chance that Asther might appear to them as a ghost.

The lackeys wanted to just leave Baron there. But it’s too late for them to do this because, they are already in front of Asther’s house.

Baron made a nervous gulp. “James, peek through one of the holes and see if he’s inside.”

“W-What?”

“Don’t be such a p*ssy would you? Just go and do as I say.”

James had no other choice but to follow Baron’s command. The teen went to the hole and, even before he could peek through, he was already imagining nightmare like sceneries in his head.

As he peeked through however, he saw nothing. The only source of light for Asther’s house is moonlight. But because even this is being covered by the clouds at that moment, the only thing that James saw is darkness. Making him feel relieved.

“There’s nothing there Baron.” James said.

“What do you mean there’s nothing there?”

“It’s too dark to see anything. There isn’t even any lamp.” The lackey added.

“Then we don’t have any choice. We need to break in.” This is the craziest suggestion Baron has given thus far. Both his lackeys recognized this and began to express their disapproval. Shaking their heads and pulling Baron away.

However, it’s no use. Baron is stronger than them and, instead of him getting pulled, he is the one pulling his lackeys towards the door. The leader of these bullies then reached for the door’s handle. But before he could even pull on it, a voice suddenly spoke from behind them.

“Good evening.”

“AHHHH!” The three bullies dropped to the ground right away. They know who the voice belongs to and, just to make sure that their guess is correct, they turned towards the direction of the voice. Making them see the same person they didn’t want to.

Baron pointed at Asther with a shaking finger. “H-How are you…”

“You pushed me from really high up but, fortunately this body of mine didn’t give in.” The moon finally began to come out from the clouds at that moment. Revealing a cold grin on Asther’s lips. “As you can see, my body survived the fall.”

The three could think of no logical reason as to what is happening. Although Asther himself is already telling them this, they know that it’s not possible to survive falling from that height. After all, the bottom of the pit is covered by hard rocks. Anyone who falls from that height would naturally die and, even if one doesn’t he or she should at least have broken bones from the fall.

Yet Asther appeared to them at that moment virtually unscathed. There isn’t a single wound on him and all his limbs and arms seem to be in perfect shape. That’s why, to the three, it felt like they’re looking at a ghost. And because of this, they froze in place, unable to utter a single word.

“I’ll have you know that I don’t plan to let what you did slide. Right after the bestowing of job classes is done, I’ll report you to the capital.”

Asther’s words finally made Baron snap out of his fright. The teen stood up and towered over Asther easily. He is still afraid of course but, all his previous experiences with the inferior Asther is enough to wipe a large portion of this away.

“You think you can threaten the son of the village chief?” Baron declared. “Nobody will believe you.”

“Y-Yeah! You don’t even have any evidence.” James added and, this is where the smile on Asther’s face turned more devilish.

“Don’t I?” Asther reached for his back and, revealed a bloodied knife to the three. And as moonlight graciously shone over it, Baron’s eyes widened in horror.

“Y-You. H-How do you have my knife!”

“I took it from you before I fell. Don’t you remember?”

“No. That’s impossible!”

The shock is enough to make Baron unaware of his surroundings for a split second. When he came to it, Asther is already standing right next to him, tapping his shoulder that left Baron processing what to do next.

“Why don’t we all just rest for tonight?” Asther suggested. “I’m a bit tired you see.”

This made Baron snap. He turned his gaze towards Asther and prepared to pummel him. But, as soon as his eyes met the teen’s, all this courage vanished. A cold gaze welcomed him. One that seemed to suggest that he would die if he did anything beyond what is told of him.

Baron grit his teeth and clenched his fists. “We’re leaving.”

“W-What?” James asked in shock.

“But Baron, he’s already here.” Chad added.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” Baron said, taking Asther’s hand off his shoulder as he began to walk away.

The two lackeys, although confused, had no choice but to follow their leader. But if there’s one thing that they’re sure of with what happened, it’s that Asther just made Baron even more pissed.