CHAPTER 465: DANGEROUS MIND TO HUMANKIND.

Rasmus looked at the big jug made of a mammoth’s tusk in front of him, filled with a warm ale. He listened to Rullein chugging the whole jug beside him, enjoying every last bit of it while Aris, who sat beside him as well was drinking it moderately. On the other side of the table, Lazarus, Arthor, Maximilian, Monica, Moriganne, and Nior were sitting and enjoying their fair share of the beverage.

"This is a tradition in the north, Count. If you can drink the whole jug in a single breathing, you’re a true northerner," Lazarus said with a stoic expression.

"Oh? Then give me another one. I’ll chug the whole jug in a single breathing," Rullein slammed the emptied jug as she wiped off the ale on her lips. "This is just a piece of cake for me," she smirked as she stared at Lazarus.

Lazarus gave a smile and then signaled to the knight to refill Rullein’s jug. Once the knight refilled the jug, Rullein began to take on the challenge, trying to empty the whole jug in a single breathing.

"But I’m not a northerner, elder," Rasmus said and didn’t even bother to touch the jug. "I’ll drink it when I feel like I need it," he added as he put the jug aside.

Lazarus was trying to see Rasmus’ true color from that because from the earlier discussion in the meeting hall, he saw that Rasmus didn’t show any desire, emotion, or even ego. To see that Rasmus wasn’t interested in the tradition, or to even participate in it unlike Rullein, who seemed to dwell on ego and desire. He glanced at Aris, and he also noticed that she wasn’t interested in the tradition as well, but he knew she wouldn’t because she was an Orthias like Sanya. However, he could see that Aris had the tendency to have interest, a curiosity toward something new. On the other hand, Rasmus was completely uninterested with it, not even bothering to consider it.

"Liars won’t reach high, do you agree, Count?" Lazarus asked as he took a sip of the ale.

"I have seen liars reach a peak because they were consistent with their lies, and those lies somehow became reality," Rasmus answered.

"You have? Can you tell me one example of that?" Lazarus asked with his brows raised.

"Aren’t we currently inside a place where this family gained followers and became a major religious figure in Central Neva through lies?" Rasmus asked back, reminding Lazarus that they were in Central Neva, inside the palace of the Holy Nation.

Lazarus once again tested Rasmus, and he found the same consistency in Rasmus’ character and personality that Rasmus had shown during the meeting hall. Lazarus wanted to see what kind of man Rasmus truly was, and so far, Rasmus had shown nothing but the truth toward his words and toward himself.

"Elder, with all due respect, there’s no point in using mind games against me. I understand that you’re curious, and that’s why I’m here, to satisfy your need. However, I don’t need to be tested for my genuinity because I can assure you, I wouldn’t be here if I’m not," Rasmus said as he stared into Lazarus’ eyes.

"So you agree that liars can’t reach this high?" Lazarus asked with a smile on his face.

"If there’s one, then I would say no. But since I’m the only one here that you recognize, then yes, I agree," Rasmus nodded.

The others were only listening because they had never seen Lazarus to be interested in any individual. This was the rarest event more than anything in this world, and they wanted to be witnesses to this event.

"You did say that the demons should fear you, but I still don’t grasp that logic of yours, Count. What makes you believe they should fear you even without Lady Aris or everyone in your group?" Lazarus asked out of curiosity. "I have thought about this, and it bothers me more than it should be. I can’t fathom the reason behind your confidence," he added.

"Because if I’m not, I wouldn’t be here, Elder," Rasmus answered vaguely. "There are things that I cannot share, something that’s personal," he explained with a serious expression.

Lazarus lifted his chin slightly, curious with Rasmus’ answer. However, he saw no lies in Rasmus’ words, and there was a hint of burden that he could feel from those. Lazarus chose to respect Rasmus’ privacy and secrecy because only a fool could reveal everything to anyone, even to their trusted ones. He had a fair share of experience that there was a burden that he would never share with anyone, not even a dying person that he fully trusted.

"Your confidence? Can I ask you that at least?" Lazarus asked with a serious expression.

"It’s similar to what we know about them. They’re confident because we know so little about them and their plan. It also applies to them, we should be confident because they know so little about us. That big empty gap of information, I’m using it to create something that the enemy won’t expect. It’s not that I’m confidence in who I am, but I’m confidence in what I can do in this situation," Rasmus answered, his expression mirrored Lazarus.

"From your words alone, you’re trying to say that you’re preparing for all kinds of outcomes, consequences, risks from that big gap you’re going to fill. You’re confidence that every possible outcomes can be used as an opportunity?" Lazarus asked, trying to understand if that was what Rasmus was trying to say.

"Yes, I have said it many times before, to my students, to my companions, and to everyone who had this conversation with me. Every outcome can give an opportunity. Be aware, be cautious, be sharp, and keep a clear mind all the time," Rasmus answered as he nodded. "In this kind of situation, people tend to fail to see things through a clear mind. Fear, the have consumed enough fear to make them lose hope, but that’s in human nature, and that gave me an opportunity to manipulate them. I was confident not because I knew I could manipulate them, I was confident because they were scared and overwhelmed by the fear that they would cling onto something they wanted to hear because that was the truth," he explained, using fear as an example.

Lazarus finally saw the true color of Rasmus, and that was the fact that Rasmus exploited the flaws in human nature. However, there was something about Rasmus that it didn’t fit well with him when Lazarus thought that Rasmus was exploiting human nature because something else was amiss, but he couldn’t grasp what it was.

"Are you exploiting the flaws in human nature, Count?" Lazarus asked, wanting to reaffirm his uncertainty. "You sound like you’re exploiting it, but I don’t see it that way. If you used exploitation, you wouldn’t be hated by many and loved by some," he pointed out, finding the contradiction in Ramsus as an individual.

Rasmus suddenly smiled as he looked down, expecting that even someone like Lazarus would fail to see or to understand him. Lazarus on the other hand, seeing that smile on Rasmus’ face, it felt a bit unnerving, something that he had never felt before from a mere conversation.

"Because I’m not exploiting human nature, elder," Rasmus shook his head, still looking down at his hands below the table. "That’s what a narrow-minded people would do, but I’m not one of them," he answered as he slowly lifted his head and stared at Lazarus in the eyes.

"What I’m truly exploiting isn’t human nature itself, it’s reality," Rasmus revealed with a cold gaze.

At that moment, Lazarus who felt like he was standing on the same ground as Rasmus suddenly saw himself sink deeper into the abyss while Rasmus rose into the sky. Lazarus felt a chill down his spine, not knowing, not understanding, and not predicting that such a thing existed, to exploit the flaws of reality. He thought he was wise, but in the scale of Rasmus’ mind, he was just understanding the basics.

Rasmus suddenly stood up from his chair that made Lazarus snap back to reality. He looked at those figures that had been listening to the conversation, and they were all staring at him like an alien, a being that wasn’t born from the same world as them.

"I believe to have any more conversations after this will be pointless, elder. We will excuse ourselves, and I hope we will have a chance to converse without any agenda behind it," Rasmus lowered his head at Lazarus before he walked away.

Rullein and Aris followed Rasmus without even saying a word, and that was when Lazarus realized. He should have known that the moment those beings followed Rasmus willingly. He failed to understand, to see it until Rasmus revealed it or otherwise he would never be able to see it.

"That young man, his mind is dangerous to humankind," Lazarus said, warning everyone in the room with him.