(Inside room 47)
Simon was sitting cross legged on his bed while Akaza was sitting on the chair with his arms crossed.
A bunch of demonic scripts were in front of him, and Simon was going through it.
’After collecting the merits from the remaining four kids, paying the slaves, giving Akaza his share, and buying those tools we used in the battle, I still have about thirteen thousand merits left.’
’Not bad, but still not enough. I’ll most likely need a lot of money very soon.’
Simon’s sky blue eyes flashed with a calculating glint, and with a thought, the demonic scripts vanished.
He looked at Akaza who was staring intently at him.
He tilted his head slightly. "Is there a bug on my mask?"
Akaza blinked, then he looked into Simon’s eyes.
"No. But I wish you were a bug so that I could kill you with a slap."
Simon could not help but laugh softly.
"Unfortunately for you, that day will never come."
Akaza’s eyes flashed with an unknown glint.
Simon smiled behind his mask. "And even if you kill me, how will you get rid of the poison in your body?"
This time around, Akaza’s expression darkened and Simon’s lips curled up the more.
"I wonder if you’ve been able to find a cure for the poison? I know that you’ve been trying so hard to find one."
Akaza’s left eye twitched, and he seriously felt like beating up Simon because of his teasing and mocking tone.
However, he decided to remain calm and he shifted the topic.
He asked a question he was genuinely curious about.
"Why did you save the slaves? You could have left them to die and would not have to pay them."
Akaza had been genuinely baffled by this because in his eyes, there was no reason for Simon to save the slaves.
Since Simon was not the one that killed them, he would not even be punished for killing a slave.
If he sacrificed the slaves and allowed them to be killed, he could have saved hundreds of valuable merits.
But he didn’t.
He sent a classmate of his to save the slaves, and Akaza was wondering if Simon maybe...just maybe had a soft spot for slaves because he was one?
And he decided to ask.
"Is it because you have a soft spot for slaves that you did not want them to die?"
Simon calmly raised a brow at Akaza’s questions, then he chuckled softly and shook his head.
"I did not save the slaves because I have a soft spot for them. I saved them so that I can avoid future troubles."
Akaza was confused. "Future troubles?"
Simon released a soft sigh. "In case you’ve forgotten, I’m also a slave. The punishment for a slave killing a slave is not little since it basically means we’re wasting the resources of our masters which are the clan members."
"An enemy can decide to bring up the fact that I deliberately put the slaves in harms way and I can be punished for that."
Akaza frowned slightly. "But the punishment for that should be light."
Simon shrugged. "Who can say? If they decide to punish me heavily for it, then it’d sting. At least, by ensuring the safety of the slaves, I made sure that none can use that path."
Akaza’s eyes flashed with realization, but he still had a question.
"But how did you know that the girl would be able to successfully protect the slaves? You took a very high risk doing that."
Simon shrugged with a smile behind his mask.
"Trusted my instincts I guess."
Akaza rolled his eyes, and though he did not completely believe Simon, he decided not to ask too many questions about it.
However, if he knew that Simon was not telling him the whole truth, who knows how he’d feel.
Simon had a more important reason for saving the slaves, and well, that reason was for a greater plan that would only bare its fangs in the future.
As for presently?
There was a reason why he told Akaza to come to his room.
"Akaza, I have something to ask you."
Akaza raised a brow. "Oh finally. I was wondering why you told me to come to your room after all."
Simon remained quiet for a moment, then he spoke.
"You’re a member of the Martial Clan which is one of the six great clans of the demon realm, and from the number of tattoos you have and the fact that they’re black, it means you have a Royal Bloodline."
Akaza raised a brow in surprise.
"You’re a talent of the Martial Clan, so why then are you in the Shadowgrave Clan? Why are you not in the Martial Clan? Why are you not training and learning the Martial Path instead of the Assassin Path?"
"I know that we’re not close and that we’re not on friendly terms, but I’m very curious about your story."
Simon paused, then he looked at the window of his room.
"In fact, I’m very curious about why the Shadowgrave Academy has many students who are from reputable families, tribes, clans, and even kingdoms."
"Why are so many talented demons joining the Shadowgrave Clan when they don’t have shadow affinity or when the assassin path is not suited for them."
He shifted his gaze back to Akaza.
"I’ve always been very curious about this, but I’ve not had the time to get the answers to my questions."
"So, can you answer the question for me, Akaza?"
Akaza had a slightly strange expression as he looked at Simon. He looked at Simon from up to down, then he asked his own question.
"How did you become a slave of the academy? Just like how everybody has their personal reason or reasons for being in the Shadowgrave Clan, I’m sure there’s a reason why you and the other slaves are slaves of the clan."
"Nobody wishes to be a slave after all."
Simon closed his eyes, then he exhaled softly.
"If I tell you how I became a slave of the clan, would you tell me your own story?"
Akaza nodded. "If you tell me the truth."
Simon chuckled softly. "And how would you know if I’m telling the truth or not?"
Akaza shrugged. "My instincts."
Simon shook his head, then he inhaled and exhaled softly.
"Alright. Let me tell you my story."