CLEAVER OF SIN

Hearing this, Asher nodded with a small smile as he spoke. "Perfect. This couldn't have happened at a better time," he stated as he rose from his bed with a stretch.

He casually dismissed Lyra with a wave of his hand and stepped into the bathroom. He hadn't bathed since waking up, and since he would be leaving the estate soon, he had to freshen up. It wasn't just about appearances, it was about etiquette and representation. A Wargrave didn't step outside looking anything less than pristine.

Asher stood before the mirror, drying his face, his eyes narrowing slightly as he dressed. This time, he wore a well-fitted black jacket adorned with the Wargrave Ducal Household insignia, embroidered in silver thread. Anyone who saw him in that outfit would instantly think he was royalty, perhaps even a prince.

At merely eighteen years of age, Asher already stood at an impressive height of six feet and six inches, having gained three additional inches in just the past year. This was entirely normal for someone of the Wargrave bloodline.

After all, Malrik himself stood at an imposing eight feet tall, and then there was Azeron, who was even taller than Malrik. The tallness in their genetic makeup was simply too dominant to ignore.

Now fully dressed, Asher stepped out of his room with gentle, composed steps, the door silently closing behind him.

Lyra, as always, walked two steps behind, maintaining the precise balance of space, far enough to give her Young Master breathing room, yet close enough to react instantly to any threat that might arise.

"Are we heading to The Orchid Auction House now, Young Master?" Lyra asked softly.

Asher didn't pause or glance back. His footsteps remained as soundless and graceful as an assassin's. "No," he replied calmly, "we need to take a Knight with us first. So, I'm heading to their department."

"I could simply call them over, Young Master," Lyra suggested dutifully.

"We're not taking many guards this time," Asher said, gently turning down her suggestion. "Only one."

Lyra instantly frowned at this. She was well aware of the deaths that often occurred after auctions. While many wouldn't dare to attack a Wargrave, prevention was always better than cure.

Just as she was about to voice her concerns about the danger, Asher spoke first, as though reading her thoughts. "You'll understand."

At those words, Lyra said no more. Instead, her senses sharpened, and her face turned ice cold. Any soul that laid eyes on her Young Master in The Orchid Auction House would not escape her scrutiny. Not even one.

Butlers and maids along the hallway bowed as they greeted Asher respectfully. He didn't blink or acknowledge them. At this moment, his mind was elsewhere, on Tom, Ella, and Hito.

They were all members of the Knight Order now, and despite their close proximity, he hadn't had the chance to speak with any of the three. He hadn't even seen them, much less engaged in conversation to ease his boredom.

At least now, he looked forward to seeing them, and perhaps even Kale, the one he had his first proper sparring session with back in the First Training Ground.

Within minutes, Asher and Lyra stepped out of the main building, their footsteps falling on the grass in steady, synchronized rhythm. They moved toward a separate, detached structure located just beside the main manor.

Asher passed through a small gate that separated the two buildings. The new location flooded his senses with noise and raw energy.

He could hear the heavy breathing, the sound of sweat hitting the ground, people shouting at the top of their lungs as if trying to squeeze out the last ounce of strength from their bodies. Motivation through volume.

Just behind the building, hundreds of individuals, both men and women, could be seen swinging their weapons with determination. Some wielded daggers, others spears, hammers, halberds, and more.

Asher's purple eyes swept across them with quiet intensity. From what he could observe, he concluded that these were the new trainees gathered from all three of the Wargrave training grounds.

Within the crowd, he spotted Ella, punching the air fiercely with her fists, she had never been one for weapons. Hito swung his twin short swords simultaneously, his ambidexterity on full display. The wind visibly shifted and sliced apart as Tom brought his hammer down with explosive force.

Asher could see the sheer determination burning in their eyes. He didn't interrupt or speak. He merely watched from a distance before turning away with a small, approving smile.

They had successfully graduated from a training regimen designed for children into one meant for adults. Asher had no doubt that the Knight Order's training would be no different from a grueling, soul-crushing death sentence. But that was how greatness was forged.

Just as Asher was about to step into the building, a figure suddenly materialized behind him, then bowed with grace and spoke.

"It's an honor to welcome the Tenth Sun to the Knight Order Round," the voice said respectfully.

Asher turned his head slightly, his eyes falling upon a striking woman with long, snow-white hair tied neatly into a ponytail. She stood tall, easily seven feet in height. Her body was clad in armor that shimmered faintly under the sunlight, and on either side of her waist, two circular chakram weapons hung like twin reapers waiting to be unleashed.

Asher could feel it, the immense aura she was trying to suppress. She was strong. Immensely strong.

'Strong,' Asher thought simply.

"And you are?" he asked plainly. Since his transmigration into this world, he hadn't had the luxury or time to visit the Knight Order Round. His days had been consumed by nothing but endless training.

The woman raised her head at his question, her ash-colored eyes meeting Asher's sharp, purple ones with measured calmness.

'Beautiful… Her body is an absolute bombshell. Honestly, that face deserves to be hung in a temple or carved into a statue,' Asher thought inwardly, though he didn't allow any of his admiration to show on his expression.

Even though he had scanned her entire frame with his eyes, his gaze remained steady and locked onto hers. Using his Omni Perception, he took in every detail of her presence without a flicker of visible reaction.

"I'm Cassandra, the Vice Commander of the Wargrave Knight Order," she said with a firm tone. "Killer of all who dare oppose the Wargrave."

If Asher could whistle, he would have done so right then and there.

If there was anything he admired, it was women in power.

Of course, not in a sexual way. He just… appreciated strength, regardless of gender. In fact, one might say he was something of a feminist himself.

Men can be feminists… right?