Adrian Lewin POV
The moment the Assassin Guild Leader disappeared, Valen reacted instantly. His body turned sharply, his blade rising once more as his senses stretched outward, searching for even the faintest trace of the enemy. Every muscle in his body was tense, every movement precise, as if he expected the assassin to reappear at any moment. For a few seconds, he remained like that—perfectly still, yet ready to strike.
But nothing came.
The forest remained silent and undisturbed, as if the battle that had just taken place had never existed. Even the wind seemed to hesitate, unwilling to break the stillness that had settled over the clearing. The only proof of battles were scars on ground due to clashes of Valen and Assassin Guild Leader and my Apocalypse.
After a brief pause, Valen exhaled slowly and sheathed his sword. It wasn't that he had relaxed—far from it—but he understood the situation well enough. The enemy had withdrawn, and there would be no immediate follow-up attack. Still, his guard did not drop completely, as his eyes continued to scan the surroundings out of habit.
I, however, continued observing in my own way.
Even after he had vanished from normal perception, I could still sense him faintly through Sixth Sense. His presence lingered like a shadow retreating deeper into darkness, gradually fading but not disappearing instantly. From that alone, I could tell one thing clearly—he wasn't preparing to attack again right now. His intent clear to me with Sixth Sense.
He had retreated, but he hadn't given up.
I leaned slightly back, keeping my expression calm as if nothing significant had occurred. Outwardly, I appeared relaxed, almost indifferent to what had just happened. In reality, my thoughts were already moving several steps ahead, analyzing the situation in detail.
The Assassin Guild Leader wasn't reckless. Someone at his level wouldn't throw away their life on a single failed attempt, especially against a target they didn't fully understand. His priority today had not been purely to kill me. Instead, it had been to gather information, to measure my abilities and reactions. Killing me would have only been a secondary objective—something he would attempt only if the opportunity presented itself safely.
And he had taken that opportunity when I gifted him one.
He had failed.
Which meant the next time he appeared, he would come prepared.
If I had to guess who sent him, there was only one reasonable answer—the Duke of the North. I didn't have many enemies capable of hiring someone like the Assassin Guild Leader, and even fewer who would be willing to pay the kind of price such a contract would demand. A Powerhouse wouldn't rely on assassination like this, at least not yet, and ordinary nobles would hesitate before spending such an enormous amount, more like they won't since it's too big a price until everything is in danger.
But the Duke was different. He knew what was coming, and more importantly, he knew that I would eventually deal with him. Because of that, he had chosen to act first, attempting to eliminate me before I could move against him.
If I killed the Duke, the situation would simplify significantly. Without him, there would be no one willing or able to maintain such an expensive contract, and the Assassin Guild Leader would have no reason to continue targeting me. However, there was also the possibility that the payment had already been made in advance. If that were the case, then even wiping out the Duke's entire bloodline wouldn't stop the assassin, as he would continue pursuing me until the contract was fulfilled.
That possibility made things slightly troublesome, but not unmanageable. I was ready to handle it.
Someone might wonder why I didn't finish the Assassin Guild Leader when I had the chance. After all, I had already injured him heavily, and with the help of Sixth Sense and Omniscient, I could have guided Valen perfectly, ensuring that the assassin was cornered and killed without requiring me to use Apocalypse again.
The opportunity had been there.
Clear and certain.
And yet, I chose not to take it.
It wasn't because I lacked time or preparation. In fact, I had more than enough of both. I had already gathered a significant amount of Nature Mana, and if I wanted to, I could have continued for several more minutes. Even with the Empress ready to intervene using her scroll, I could have extended the situation just enough to ensure the assassin's death beyond any doubt.
But I didn't.
I let him escape.
The reason was simple—he still had a role to play.
In the future, the Assassin Guild Leader would kill the Emperor. That single event would shift the balance of the entire Empire. After the Emperor's death, the throne would naturally pass to the Empress, and given the current stability of the Empire, no one would challenge her position directly.
What followed after that, however, was where things became truly interesting.
Valen would become her lover.
Not because she loved him, but because she wanted him to be more than loyal.
Valen was already loyal to the Empire, but that wasn't enough for the Empress. She wanted him to be loyal to her personally, completely and unconditionally. She wanted a Powerhouse who would act solely according to her will, regardless of the consequences.
And for that, she would use his feelings.
Valen had loved her long before she became the Empress. Back when she was still unmarried, he had already fallen for her, and at one point, she had even considered marrying him. Having a Powerhouse as a partner would have been advantageous, both politically and personally.
But then the previous Empress died, and everything changed.
Instead of marrying Valen, she approached the Emperor with a proposal. If he married her, she would bring Valen into the imperial family. The Emperor agreed, and she fulfilled her promise without hesitation.
She used Valen's feelings to bind him to the Empire while keeping him close to her. Then, once everything was secured, she married the Emperor. From that point onward, Valen became her protector—nothing more.
And so, he watched.
He watched the woman he loved marry another man, and he stood there as she carried that man's children. He remained by her side through it all, protecting her, serving her, never realizing that he himself had been the reason this situation became possible. Valen never realised if he didn't become loyal to imperial family then she would have never gotten married to The Emperor and next best thing was marrying Valen so he could have gotten The Empress.
In the future, after the Emperor's death, she would complete what she had started. She would make Valen her own—not in a way that would destabilize the Empire, but in a way that ensured his complete loyalty.
The Emperor, however, was not a fool. Over time, he had begun to understand the Empress, and because of that, he placed a restriction on Valen. A spell, simple yet effective, ensured that if Valen formed a physical relationship with anyone, the Emperor would know.
It wasn't meant as direct control. It was a warning.
A message to the Empress that he was aware of what could happen.
As long as the Emperor lived, she could not fully manipulate Valen. And because of that, his death was inevitable.
That was where the Assassin Guild Leader came in.
By letting him live today, I ensured that the future would remain unchanged. The Emperor would die, the Empress would rise, and Valen would fall deeper into her control. But don't misunderstand it wasn't The Empress that hired Assassin Guild Leader to kill The Emperor.
I exhaled slowly, my gaze drifting toward the direction where the Assassin Guild Leader had disappeared. People often try to divide the world into simple categories—good and evil, right and wrong—but in reality, such distinctions rarely hold meaning.
The Empress was not a simple villain. She did not rely on brute force, nor did she kill without purpose. Instead, she used people, shaping outcomes through words, emotions, and carefully crafted circumstances. Some would call her ruthless, while others might consider her brilliant.
In this world, the distinction hardly mattered, because survival ultimately belonged to those who could adapt. Those who failed to do so were inevitably crushed, regardless of their status or position.
Just like the Third Prince. He was a part of the imperial family but he still died.
A faint smile appeared on my face as I considered the situation. Many would see her as a beautiful and gentle woman, someone worthy of admiration, but that perception itself was her greatest weapon. After all a manipulator never let others know the true personality.
Even now, she was observing me, building a connection, testing possibilities, trying to determine whether I could be used. From her perspective, I was an ideal target—young, powerful, and seemingly inexperienced.
But that wouldn't work on me.
Because I already know her.
And in this world, knowing the truth was often the only difference between being the one who manipulates… and the one who gets used.