Chapter 176: Should I Eliminate?

Cassian had attracted attention from the moment he boarded the shuttle.

?At first, it had been his appearance. With his golden-blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and composed demeanor, he hardly resembled the typical Lord heading toward a dangerous dimensional rift.

However, appearances alone weren’t enough to sustain the interest of seasoned Lords.

?His profile was what drew real scrutiny.

?An Established Lord?

?Such a rank was wildly out of place among passengers traveling to the Orion Rift. Most Lords who could afford the first-class fare possessed considerably more experience, and even those who had recently advanced to Tier III had usually spent years developing their domains before attempting an expedition of this scale.

?Cassian, on the other hand, was merely a Tier II Lord who had clearly advanced quite recently.

?Naturally, this raised pressing questions.

?How had he accumulated enough wealth to purchase a first-class ticket? More importantly, why would someone of his apparent strength choose to enter a lethal Tier IV dimensional rift?

?There were only two plausible explanations.

?Perhaps he belonged to a powerful noble family or possessed elite connections. Alternatively, he might have stumbled upon a massive fortune that he had yet to convert into real combat power.

?The first possibility made him someone best left alone.

?The second made him a target.

?After all, a newly minted Lord holding an unexpected fortune was an easy mark, wealthy, inexperienced, and likely lacking the strength to protect his assets.

?Several passengers had entertained the idea since boarding. Yet none had been willing to test the waters.

Without knowing Cassian’s background, acting blindly was an unnecessary risk.

?Fortunately, someone else had decided to do the probing for them.

?The moment the young Lord stepped into Cassian’s path, the surrounding lounge grew quiet.

?Passengers pretended to continue their private conversations, but their eyes repeatedly drifted toward the confrontation.

Even those who had previously ignored Cassian were now watching with keen interest.

?After all, the man confronting him was hardly a nobody.

?"What does an Established Lord like you intend to accomplish in the Orion Rift?"

?The young man stood with his hands folded behind his back, his chin raised slightly as he looked down at Cassian.

His tone carried the unmistakable arrogance of someone accustomed to getting immediate answers.

?Cassian looked at him.

?Then he glanced at the two older Lords standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind the youth.

?’Ah, so this is what we’re doing.’

?He returned his gaze to the young Lord. "And why should I tell you?"

?The young man’s expression stiffened. He had expected caution, perhaps even a hint of deference.

Instead, the Tier II Lord had dismissed his query as though it were beneath his notice.

?His eyes narrowed to sharp slits. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

?Cassian tilted his head.

?Before he could respond, one of the older guards stepped forward. The man had graying hair, a heavy frame, and a severe expression that suggested he considered the entire exchange beneath him.

?"Perhaps you should choose your words with more care," the guard said, looking down at Cassian. "The person standing before you is Lord Julian Ashford, heir to the Ashford Family, one of the primary vassal houses serving the Legacy Families of the Astral Dominion."

?He paused, allowing the title to echo across the room.

?"The Ashfords have served the Dominion’s most influential bloodlines for generations. The family commands vast wealth, political leverage, and formidable military assets. Lord Julian himself is a distinguished young Lord with an exceptional future."

?The guard delivered the speech with such grandiose solemnity that an uninformed listener might have mistaken Julian for a direct descendant of a Legacy Family itself.

?Cassian was momentarily taken aback.

?Then he nearly laughed aloud.

’?An heir to a vassal house?’

?The introduction had been so exaggerated it was almost comedic. In reality, the Ashfords were merely a servant house to those who held true authority.

?There was certainly nothing shameful about that status. Primary vassals could be wealthy, influential, and powerful in their own right.

?But the way the guard had spun it was hilarious. It was like introducing the page of a duke by listing the military accomplishments of the king he served.

?Cassian glanced back at Julian. The young noble looked thoroughly pleased with himself, clearly expecting his family name to command immediate submission.

?Unfortunately, he had picked the absolute worst audience.

?Cassian had already manipulated the Lord Association, negotiated with the Overseer of the Astral Dominion, and extracted massive compensation from the High Council itself.

Compared to those experiences, the heir of a vassal family was barely a blip on his radar.

?He was about to offer a dry response when Nyxara spoke.

?"My Lord."

?Her voice was calm, cool, and completely flat.

?Cassian turned toward her.

?Nyxara surveyed Julian and his two bodyguards with her violet eyes. There was no anger on her face, nor any overt flare of hostile aura.

She simply looked as though she were evaluating an inconvenient chore.

?"Would you like me to eliminate them?"

?Silence descended upon the lounge.

?Not a standard pause in conversation, but the absolute, suffocating quiet that swallowed every sound in its radius.

?A nearby Lord froze with his teacup halfway to his lips.

?An attendant behind the bar went rigid, a silver serving tray locked in his hands.

?Even the veterans near the viewports turned fully toward the group.

?’Did she just casually ask to murder a noble heir?’

?Julian’s smug expression shattered.

?The two older guards stared at the undead elf, their faces darkening into a mix of shock and rage as their brains struggled to process what they had just heard.

?They had expected resistance. They had expected an argument or political posturing.

However, they had certainly not expected the beautiful woman accompanying the rookie to offer his execution in front of the entire first-class lounge.

?And the worst part was her delivery.

?She hadn’t shouted. She hadn’t declared her strength or drawn a weapon.

?She had simply asked her Lord if he wanted them dead.

?As if their lives were nothing more than dust to be swept off the floor.

?Julian felt the situation slipping entirely out of his control. He had intended to intimidate a rookie Lord, probe his background, and see if there was anything worth taking.

?Instead, he had suddenly become the topic of a casual execution request.

?Cassian looked at Nyxara.

?Then he glanced at Julian and his bodyguards, whose arrogant postures had stiffened into absolute tension.

?A faint smile touched Cassian’s lips. "Not yet."

?Nyxara gave a crisp, obedient nod. "As you wish, my Lord."

?Somehow, her immediate compliance made the atmosphere ten times worse.

?Because everyone in the lounge understood one undeniable truth.

?She hadn’t been bluffing.