Hero of Darkness

Kassandra was rooted on the spot. This was not something she ever dared to imagine.

"I had some suspicions of my own back then when I read the letter sent by your father. And now it perfectly makes sense." said Kahn as he looked at the woman in front of him.

This was the only explanation why the Mikealson clan suddenly decided to ally themselves with Kahn just like the Pureblood faction before all the young heirs arrived in Verlassen; despite him being the one stealing the only opportunity of getting a fiefdom of their own where they'd be the absolute rulers.

Kassandra quivered and had an expression of complete disbelief on her face.

Because if Kahn was right… which she also believed to be the truth given their situation…

They planned to use her to get Kahn on their side even before she lost her magic. When she was at her peak and could even stand against a legendary rank monster on her own.

To Kassandra… this revelation shook all of her beliefs about herself, her clan and the Neutral faction.

Even if she hadn't lost her magic due to the injuries caused by the Caladrius… They were eventually going to force her to act like a whore by any means.

Her losing the ability to use her magic was just an excuse. Things were set into motion even before she came to Verlassen.

That she was nothing but a chess piece for them from the beginning.

"But why… to make such a meticulous plan even before I took command of this fiefdom.."

"Why does it even matter?... It was all a lie…

Why did I work so hard?… I was nothing but a pawn for them… even for my family." spoke Kassandra with lifeless eyes… as if her reality had been toppled.

Another stream of tears ran across her cheeks as she suddenly felt like her entire existence was meaningless.

Everything she did to become a semi-saint sorceress… to live up to her clan's name and prestige… all the hard work she put in the past 15 years to become a worthy daughter of her parents… none of it even mattered.

"What did I work so hard for? They never treated me as a human being but an object they used for their selfish goals." she said and even her body stopped breathing as Kassandra entered a state of severe depression.

It was this moment…

Like everyone who would be shaken after finding that their whole life had no meaning…

Kassandra had completely broken down.

As if having no will to carry on any longer, she looked at the closest balcony of the room and slowly walked towards it. She looked outside and gazed at the ground from the border of the ledge.

They were currently on the 3rd floor of this grand mansion. And since she was no longer a semi-saint or even had any mana in her body… the height, which was around 50 meters from the ground… was enough to get the job done.

Sniff!

Kassandra brushed off her tears, presumably for the last time. She took a step towards the stone parapet. Her figure suddenly leaned downwards.

After having her life turned upside down from the past month… and now finding out that she had been seen as nothing but an expandable accessory to achieve their goals for her own family…

Kassandra finally lost her voice of reason.

A chilling breeze passed by and Kassandra, whose entire existence just crumbled and she decided to let go…

Grasp!

Suddenly, a firm right hand wrapped around her waist from the front and stopped her from going forward with her decision.

Kahn stood beside Kassandra while looking in the opposite direction. His back faced the side of the parapet while he didn't make eye contact with Kassandra directly.

"You have two choices now.

You can let your feelings and pain affect you and end your life here…

Or you can talk it out with me." spoke Kahn as he loosened his grasp over her waist.

"Believe me when I say this… the first choice will end your suffering. But it will never turn things for the better or change anything even after you're gone from this world." he said in a firm and serious voice.

"If you go with the second choice… I promise that I will stand by your side till you're completely done with expressing yourself and let out your anger, hatred as well as all the sorrows you've been going through alone.

And if you still don't feel like carrying on… I won't stop you." spoke Kahn.

Because at this moment… he noticed something in Kassandra.

Minutes ago, she found out that her existence itself meant nothing to her parents and family. The one she worked very hard since childhood to please and get the recognition of.

Just for some unknown artifact… they chose to sacrifice her entire being and offered her to Kahn on a platter. They sent her back to Verlassen just so they could reel him in.

If Kahn wasn't a good person… she would've been used like a plaything given the situation and only be treated like a toy.

And the worst part was… she no longer had the strength, authority, or even the right to refuse. She didn't possess anything to even protect herself in the present situation.

If Kahn was someone who lusted after her body and wanted to take the advantage of the situation because of Kassandra's helplessness…

The whole scenario would've been entirely different and Kassandra would probably experience something that no woman wanted to go through.

As for Kahn himself…

Kassandra's sorrowful expression and her defeated eyes reminded Kahn of a certain someone he knew very well.

Someone who had seen the world crumble right before him. Someone who went through years of loneliness, misery, self-loathing, and that feeling of being left out since no one cared whether he lived or died.

Because the Kassandra who stood on the edge, ready to let go of everything after having this massive existential crisis, reminded Kahn of his previous life as…

Elric on the night he committed suicide.