In the dimly lit room, flickering candlelight cast long shadows, illuminating the faces of the young man and woman. Red drapes hung over the windows, and lavender sheets lay across the bed, creating an atmosphere that felt unusually charged.
"Are you planning to make me your bedmate?" The cold voice, tinged with a hint of panic, echoed through the still room.
Mike Bai slowly rose from his seat and walked toward Sassan, his every step deliberate. The low light obscured his expression, but Sassan's quickened breath betrayed her nervousness.
Slap! With a sharp smack, Mike Bai delivered a light but firm knock on Sassan's head. "What are you thinking?"
Sassan blinked, a little disoriented. Mike Bai smiled to himself, satisfied with the reaction. He then lit a few more candles to push back the encroaching darkness, before sitting down across from her.
"I didn't call you here for that," Mike Bai said, his voice shifting to a more serious tone. "I have something important to discuss."
"Please, My Lord," Sassan replied quickly, lowering her head.
"Over the past month, you've proven your worth," Mike Bai continued, his voice calm and measured. "As your lord, I've protected your people."
"Yes, thank you for your mercy," she responded softly.
"I hope this arrangement can continue," Mike Bai sighed, turning to retrieve a small crescent-shaped ornament from the table. He placed it in front of Sassan.
Her pupils dilated, her whole body subtly leaning forward as she instinctively assumed a defensive stance.
"This was found on an assassin two months ago," Mike Bai continued, his tone unchanged. "He tried to kill me in the dark of night but was killed by William and the others. Uncle Demore was severely injured in the fight but managed to survive."
Sassan said nothing, but Mike Bai could see the fire of anger burning in her eyes. He met her gaze, unflinching. "I owe it to you to tell you the truth."
Long moments of silence passed before Sassan finally spoke, her voice no longer cold, but filled with rage. "Do you know who that assassin was? He was my dear brother!"
Mike Bai froze for a moment, stunned. "I thought he was just a member of your clan... I didn't realize…"
"This is the tragedy of our times," Sassan muttered bitterly, her voice laced with sorrow.
Suddenly, Sassan vanished from his view. Before Mike Bai could react, a dark, gleaming knife was pressed to his throat.
"You think you can tell me this and not fear for your life?" The voice from behind him was filled with fury, mixed with something Mike Bai couldn't fully grasp.
"Of course, I'm afraid," Mike Bai answered, his voice steady despite the growing fear. "But what does that matter? With your abilities, it would be so easy to kill me."
He suppressed his anxiety, forcing himself to remain calm. "For the past month, I've been worried, afraid that you might discover the truth and kill me in my sleep."
Sassan's voice turned bitter, "Then why didn't you destroy the evidence, bury the truth forever?"
Mike Bai's laugh was self-deprecating. "Perhaps it's because of my beliefs. No matter how dark the truth is, I couldn't bring myself to kill a girl's family and then make her work for me as if nothing had happened."
He gave a resigned sigh, forcing a smile despite the tremor in his body. "I miscalculated... I didn't know he was your brother."
"Don't worry," Mike Bai said, trying to lighten the mood, though his hands shook. "If you plan to do it, please make it quick. I'm not one for pain."
Sassan's voice remained icy, though there was a hint of sorrow behind it. "You speak of building a great kingdom, but you really think you can die here like this?"
Mike Bai sighed deeply. "A kingdom built on lies and deceit is hardly a kingdom at all."
Sassan's voice grew colder. "So you'll just give up on your ideals?"
"There are things I can't do, no matter how much I want to." Mike Bai closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. "If you do strike, don't harm anyone else. They know nothing."
The room fell silent, and Mike Bai felt as if every second was stretching out in agony.
"You are no king," Sassan finally spoke, her voice filled with contempt.
The knife descended, and Mike Bai braced for the cold steel. But instead, he felt a sudden release of tension, hearing Sassan's voice again.
"But… you are a good man."
A few strands of Mike Bai's hair fluttered down as he closed his eyes. His body trembled, but his voice remained steady. "I hope you remember what you've said. If not, I'll be ready to take your life at any moment."
The wind blew through the room, extinguishing the candles. Darkness once again engulfed them. Mike Bai called her name softly a few times but received no reply.
"Gods, you scared me," he muttered, his chest rising and falling rapidly, drenched in cold sweat.
Just as Mike Bai was starting to breathe easier, he heard a rustling above. A shadow moved across the ceiling, vanishing into a corner.
Sassan stood in the shadows, gazing at the crescent-shaped ornament in her hand. Tears glistened in her eyes as memories of the past flooded her mind.
From the moment she could remember, Sassan and her brother had been harshly trained by their father, the previous elder of their clan. As a child, she hadn't understood, and whenever she asked, her father would always fall silent.
The brutal training continued, day after day, with only her wounded brother by her side. In the endless nights, it was only the two of them comforting each other.
At the age of twelve, Sassan, due to her exceptional talent, defeated ten other competitors and earned the name "Hassan of a Hundred Faces." It was also the year her father, wounded from his battles with the Crusaders, died. With his last breath, he gripped Sassan's hand and entrusted her with the task of leading their people to survival.
As the new elder, Sassan did everything she could to improve the lives of her clan, but the land was poor, unable to produce much. The only way to make ends meet was through their old trade—contracted killings.
Living on Crusader lands, she had to carefully choose her targets, avoiding Christian ones as much as possible. Each time she saw the lifeless bodies of men, women, and children dressed in white, Sassan couldn't help but wonder, "What's the meaning of all this, God?"
Her skills grew sharper, but despite her efforts, most of the profits had to be handed over to the knights, and life for her people remained grim. Even her own brother no longer understood her actions.
Hatred brewed, and Ibin, a fellow clan member, stirred the clan toward vengeance. Sassan knew that without eliminating the Solomon Knights, their situation would never improve. But how could they possibly defeat the Crusaders?
With the knights' heavy pressure and Ibin's growing agitation, Sassan felt helpless. That was until two months ago when her people, in revolt, betrayed her and sent her to prison—ultimately bringing her here.
In just one month, this strange young man had breathed new life into her people. "Is this your divine guidance, Almighty?" she wondered.
The next morning, Mike Bai was once again awoken by Adilay, his half-comic attempt at "discipline" barely registering. After a while, Mike Bai carefully tested the waters. "Sassan?"
The girl coldly responded, "What is your command, My Lord?"
"Thank God, you're still here!" Mike Bai leaped from the bed, grabbing Sassan's hand and rushing toward the door.
Outside, Adilay stood in a daze, watching the two run past.
"Adilay, gather the knights in the hall. I have something important to discuss."
After a while, Demore and Patrick arrived, with William still groggy from his hangover. As they took their seats, Mike Bai introduced Sassan.
"This is Sassan, a Hassassin assassin."
Before Mike Bai could continue, Patrick and Demore already had their swords drawn, and even William was fully alert, clutching a chair for defense.
"No need for such alarm," Mike Bai said quickly. "She's already sworn loyalty to me. I promised to protect her people—the textile workers. She has sworn her allegiance to me in return."
"Mike Bai, don't trust them! Hassassins are traitors!" William shouted.
"It's all right," Mike Bai said reassuringly, stepping in front of Sassan. "She's had countless chances to kill me. If I'm still standing here, that should say something."
Still doubtful, Mike Bai turned to Sassan and commanded, "Sassan, I order you, as your lord, to kneel."
Without hesitation, Sassan dropped to one knee.
Mike Bai drew his sewing needle, placing it on her left shoulder. "I will protect your people. Will you swear your loyalty to me?"
"In the name of God, I swear, forever and always," Sassan said, bowing her head deeply.
Mike Bai nodded at the knights. "See? She's sincere."
Finally, the knights lowered their weapons, though their eyes remained wary.
"Sassan is one of us now. She will play an important role in our next steps," Mike Bai resumed, sitting back in his chair. "Do you all remember the steward from two months ago—the one who tried to buy Anna? I saw him at yesterday's meeting."
At the confused looks, Mike Bai explained, "I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I realize... three days after we met him, we were attacked. Isn't that a little too much of a coincidence?"
The knights exchanged dark looks, and William, seething, declared, "We need to deal with this."
Mike Bai quickly raised a hand. "I don't want to wrongly accuse anyone, but I won't let my enemies go unpunished."
"Which is why I need you, Sassan," Mike Bai said. "Find out if he's behind this."
"Gladly," Sassan replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She was eager to prove herself.
"If he's guilty, he'll face my wrath," Mike Bai added, his eyes narrowing with quiet fury, as though a young lion had just let out a primal roar.