"L-like me!?"
Aleshia was flustered after hearing Lawrend's confession. She hadn't ever been confessed to this blatantly.
"Yes, I like your strength and your integrity. You kept your words from time and time again. There's no one in this city that I could trust more than you."
Lawrend had been very impressed when she didn't threaten him to give her all of the gold stored inside their mansion. If she did, he would have been forced to give it all to her just to keep his life. After all, you only have one life. Money can be worked for, but not another life.
This was also one of the reasons why he would rather hire her than hire a random adventurer. After all, his wealth attracts the evil within people. The fact that Aleshia wasn't tempted by his wealth is very impressive in his opinion.
"Trust, huh."
What Lawrend likes was not her, but her strength and integrity.
"What do you think?"
Lawrend asked her with a smile on his face. He was betting on the fact that she was trustworthy. He doesn't know much about her strength but to be assigned as an assassin to the son of the wealthiest merchant, he expects her to be very strong.
"I'm sorry, but I refuse."
Aleshia shook her head. This plan was just impossible right from the beginning. She only agreed to be his maid because she was in dire need of money. If she wasn't she wouldn't have taken this job even if the pay was doubled. She still had her little sister to worry about.
"Are you worried about your little sister?"
Lawrend asked with the same smile. He was very confident right now. He read through her the moment she revealed that she was really in need of money.
"I-... I do."
Aleshia bit her lips. She didn't want to reveal to him that her little sister was sick. She doesn't want to give him more cards to play with.
"I talked with the receptionist from the Adventurer Guild named Jane early this morning. She came here on her own. Do you know what she said?"
Lawrend stood up from his seat and walked towards a shelf. He grabbed a bottle of red wine and pulled its cork out with an opener. He grabbed two wine glasses and set one in front of Aleshia. The other he placed in front of him.
Lawrend sat back on the center of a large u-shaped couch with a small table in front of it. He had been sitting there earlier. Aleshia waited in anticipation of what he would say next.
"That both of you are from the slums. Andā¦-"
Lawrend spoke and stopped at the last in suspense. Aleshia's eyes slowly opened wider and wider. He knows too much about her! She ran towards Lawrend who was sipping on the wine and pushed her arm on his neck.
She locked him in place on the couch. Lawrend's neck was hurting from the force she was putting into it. The wine glass spilled on the couch but didn't fall onto the floor.
"You know too much!"
Aleshia spoke grimly to his face. She didn't dare to make a loud scene. She was around too many people, and her dagger is not with her.
"Iā¦ I also know that your little sister needs helpā¦"
Lawrend struggled to speak but still tried his best. Aleshia changed the way she looked at Lawrend when she heard his words. She was seriously contemplating right now whether to end his life right here and right now.
"...If...If you kill me right now, your little sister might not make itā¦ I'm your little sister'sā¦.hope..."
Lawrend slowly ran out of breath as he continued speaking to her. It reached the point that he was about to faint at his last words. His eyes swam around in panic as his lungs tried to breathe in but failed to do so. His lungs started aching in pain.
"Speak! How much do you know about my little sister?"
Aleshia let go of Lawrend's neck. Lawrend immediately took a deep breath and felt his brain's faculties slowly return to normal. It was very scary being under hypoxia for so long and you can't even control it.
"Hahhhhā¦.I know your little sister is cursed."
Lawrend fixed his clothes and continued sitting on the couch. His hands were shaking from what just transpired. He even had double thoughts if this was really worth it. This was getting so risky for him.
"And?"
Aleshia raised an eyebrow. She stepped on top of the table and her slender legs were very visible to Lawrend. His eyes couldn't help but drift towards it. It was like a black hole was sucking his gaze towards it.
"AND?"
Aleshia raised her voice after seeing Lawrend glance at her legs so licentiously. He even had the gall to leer at her legs. This guy was really perverted.
"I can help you. I can pay for the missing amount after we return! That's the extra I'm talking about."
Lawrend offered as he tried his best to keep his hand from shaking. He was reminding himself right now that she was still an assassin. He couldn't make any mistakes or it would cost him his life.
"Hehhhh? Did that receptionist tell you all of that?"
Aleshia was cynical. This guy was taking advantage of all of her weak points. She couldn't trust his words that easily.
"Y-yes. She told me they investigated your background after you suspiciously canceled my Alive Bounty Contract yesterday."
Lawrend explained nervously. The Aleshia that entered this room earlier was very different from the Aleshia that he was dealing with right now. It was like she was a different person. She even blushed in front of him earlier, but now she was being very dominant.
"So you'll help me?"
Aleshia asked with a sneer on her face.
"Yes! I really want to earn your trust. That, I'm sincere!"
Lawrend hastily affirmed her. He wanted to gain the trust of someone like her. Someone with integrity and even willing to go to such lengths just for the sake of her little sister. Her line of work may be debatable but he was sure that once he gained her trust, it would be the best investment he'll make.