Villain Hiring: Help! Author Wants Me Dead-Chapter 90: Blackblade Kingdom

"Surprising?" I repeated, incredulous. "What do you mean surprising?"

Lucas blinked again, like an owl that had just been asked an incredibly stupid question. "Most people die when assassins are sent after them."

Sylvie made a choking noise. Venus wiped a tear of laughter from his eye.

I clenched my fists. "You—You knew?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes."

"And you didn’t do anything?"

He tilted his head again. "Did you want me to interfere?"

"I—" I exhaled sharply. "That’s not the point!"

Lucas hummed. "Then what is the point?"

I stared at him. "I hate you."

Lucas nodded solemnly. "Many do."

Sylvie groaned. "I hate both of you."

Venus chuckled again. "I think I love this family more by the second."

I rubbed my temples. "What do you want, Lucas?"

Lucas sipped his tea. "To see what kind of person you’ve become."

"And?"

He tilted his head again. "Undecided."

I sighed. "Do you have to be like this?"

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Lucas considered it again for a moment.

Fuck.

What was this guy if not fully an autistic ah—

Then, with absolute sincerity, he said, "Yes."

I give up.

Venus finally decided to cut through the tension. "So," he mused, "what brings you here, Lucas? I don’t recall inviting you."

Lucas took a slow sip of the tea he had poured himself, completely unfazed by the weight of the question. "I wanted to see him." He gestured toward me with the smallest tilt of his head. "Noah."

Sylvie narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

Lucas set his cup down. "To assess."

I sighed. "Assess what, exactly?"

His violet eyes locked onto mine. "If you’re a threat."

The room fell into silence.

I met his gaze evenly, not looking away. "And?"

Lucas blinked. "I haven’t decided yet."

I let out a breathy laugh. "That’s annoying."

Lucas nodded. "Yes."

Venus burst into laughter.

Sylvie looked like she was about to have a headache.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "This family is insane."

Lucas, sipping his tea, hummed in agreement. "I know right?"

This guy was impossible, I made a mental note in my mind to Damien.

Never cross legs with this guy—

And just like that, our conversation shifted.

Lucas was not my enemy.

Not yet.

Not unless I forced his hand.

But he had made one thing very, very clear.

If I ever became a problem, he would deal with it.

***

The morning sun spilt rays of golden light over the streets of the Blackblade Kingdom, lighting its grand walls and casting long, dramatic shadows onto the people below.

Despite the kingdom’s reputation for ruthless efficiency and political scheming, its capital, Ebonshade, was as alive as any thriving metropolis.

The aroma of sizzling meat drifted through the air, blending with the sharper scents of iron, leather, and ink.

Merchants called out over one another, their voices a cacophony of practised salesmanship, while armored knights patrolled lazily, their sharp eyes flickering toward anything remotely suspicious.

I walked among the crowd, my white mask concealing the face beneath the hood of my dark robes.

The mask’s delicate black engravings twisted in elegant spirals, an odd combination of artistry and eeriness.

It wasn’t extravagant but drew just enough attention to make people uneasy.

That was the point.

Grandpa had given me this item before he left last night.

I knew he wanted to stay with Sylvie grandma and talk things out with her…but the responsibilities of the Romero Patriarch called.

If it was known that Venus Romero was missing from his usual resting place, it would spark a cacophony of widespread rumours.

I mean, yes.

We lived in a fucking estate, it was so huge and spacious that there were tens of houses and families of the Romero house residing there.

This should have meant that we get our full privacy from the outside world.

Unfortunately, being a king, the center of everyone’s attention had a way of getting on his nerves.

There was no such thing as privacy. The palace guards even knew when the king went to take a dump.

Everything was that controlled.

Even though these guards were put there for the king’s safety, then again, the public wouldn’t mind some gossip about why Venus wasn’t in his room so late at night.

Behind me, just outside the Romero estate’s grand entrance, my grandmother Sylvie stood with her arms crossed.

She was also wearing a long, faded red hood over her body that completely hid her facial features.

But even when I couldn’t see her eyes, I couldn’t stop imagining her sharp black eyes boring into me, filled with both concern and exasperation.

"You’re really going out like that?" she asked again, scanning my outfit with barely concealed distaste. "That mask makes you look like a walking omen of death."

"Good," I adjusted it slightly, watching the silk-like material shift over my fingers. "That means people will stay away."

Sylvie grandma exhaled, her pink hair catching the morning light. "Noah, don’t cause trouble."

I tilted my head. "That’s a very vague request."

She gave me a long stare. "Promise me."

I sighed, knowing that if I made the promise then she would hold me to it, and thus; I turned on my heels and started walking towards the streets.

"Nope, hehe."

I barely caught the frustrated sigh Ma let out behind me before I vanished into the busy streets of the city.

Quite a few people gave me a side eye as I walked out of the Romero State—

All of them are spies, I tell you. Those bastards want nothing more than to be the end of us.

"Oh, believe me, I can feel some of them trying to probe you to understand who this man is coming out of the estate right as we speak." Damien snickered, just waiting for someone to pounce at Noah.

***

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