Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 455: Something

"What time will we be leaving tomorrow?" Finch asked casually as he gently tossed Rachael into the air. His movements were careful and controlled, making sure she rose just high enough to feel the thrill before gravity inevitably pulled her back down. He caught her effortlessly when she descended. Rachael giggled happily, her laughter ringing through the room as she clung to Finch afterward. She seemed to enjoy being thrown into the air like this, as though she were still a baby rather than a growing child.

"Do you have anything you still haven’t taken care of?" Asher asked from his seat. He was already sitting beside William, both of them casually eating fruit from the table as though they were simply passing time rather than preparing to return to one of the most demanding academies in the world.

"Yes, I do," Finch replied, not bothering to turn toward Asher or William. His dark eyes remained fixed on his sister, watching her smile with unguarded joy.

"Then try to handle it today," William said from the side, his tone calm and gentle. "It would be best to avoid any delays. I’m sure none of us want to experience point deductions." All three of them had firsthand experience with the Star Academy’s training facilities, and they all knew that point deduction was no different from a slow, painful form of suicide.

"No problem," Finch replied without hesitation. There was no change in his expression as he spoke. Whatever it was that needed to be handled, he clearly had no concerns about completing it today.

"If I may ask," Asher said, his gaze resting briefly on Rachael’s cheerful face, "what exactly do you need to do?"

"I’m afraid I can’t say," Finch replied calmly. "It’s something personal."

Hearing that, Asher simply nodded. He had only asked to ensure that nothing troublesome or dangerous was weighing on Finch. Since Finch clearly had no intention of sharing, Asher didn’t push the matter any further.

"We’ll be leaving by nine in the morning tomorrow," Asher stated, finally giving a definitive time for their return to the Star Academy.

"No problem," Finch said once more, his voice steady and composed. William said nothing, offering only a brief nod in acknowledgment.

After a short pause, Finch suddenly spoke again. "Can you smuggle food into the Star Academy for me? I could save points that way."

Asher raised an eyebrow slightly before replying, "The cafeteria doesn’t require points."

"It does if you want special orders or expensive dishes," Finch shot back immediately.

"Then work for the points," Asher replied without missing a beat.

Finch paused, then let out a quiet sigh. He understood perfectly well that Asher had no intention of smuggling food for him. If Asher had agreed, Finch would have immediately ordered every chef in the Whale Manor to work nonstop until morning.

Asher rose to his feet and turned toward the door.

"Where are you going, Brother Asher?" Rachael asked, her head turning along with her gaze.

"To look around the Whale Barony for a while," Asher replied without turning back as he stepped out of the room. In truth, he planned to wander around much like he had done in the Wargrave Ducal territory, allowing local children to steal a few copper or silver coins from his pocket without consequence.

Time flowed forward quietly, and before long, the clock struck two in the afternoon.

Inside Finch’s room, Finch could be seen standing alone, a cloak pulled over his body. Without saying a word to anyone, he pushed open the window and jumped down. He was simply too lazy to bother with the stairs. The moment his feet touched the ground below, he straightened himself and began walking toward the Whale estate’s main gate.

The guards bowed deeply as soon as they saw him. Without asking where he was headed, they opened the gate for him. This was far from the first time Finch had done this. Ever since his awakening, he had done something like this almost every year.

Unlike Asher, who had gone toward the populated areas where locals and commoners gathered, Finch headed in the opposite direction, straight toward the forest.

His destination was unknown.

Finch walked without any particular route in mind, though he carefully marked the areas he passed through in case he needed to return. As for what he was searching for, even he couldn’t say for certain.

Ever since he awakened his Good Luck ability and came to understand its functions, Finch had developed a habit of wandering into forests, caves, ruins, and even auction houses. Each time, he hoped, perhaps foolishly, that he might stumble upon something extraordinary through sheer chance. Yet he had failed every single time, a constant reminder that his Good Luck ability could not be consciously controlled or manipulated.

Still, Finch wasn’t discouraged.

He continued doing this once in a while, and this journey was no different. He wandered through the forest, hoping that perhaps this time something, anything, might occur. If his Good Luck ability activated, then so be it. If not, he would simply return empty-handed, just as he had in previous times.

Stopping by a tree, Finch pulled out his dagger and carved an X into its bark. With that marker set, he pressed deeper into the forest. Along the way, he encountered several beasts, but he didn’t bother lifting a finger. His soul-bound chain acted on its own, tearing through them effortlessly without him having to intervene.

Hours passed without anything noteworthy happening. He did nothing but walk, step after step, thought after thought. Eventually, he found himself standing atop a hill, gazing down from its peak.

For this journey, he hoped to gain something, anything, that could help close the gap between himself and William, even if only slightly. As for the distance between him and Asher, he didn’t dare think about it.

Of course, if he found something powerful enough to bridge that impossible gap, he would gladly accept it. But he wasn’t that optimistic. For now, William was the goal.

Although Asher had praised his talent and claimed he could reach the Voidstar Life Rank, Finch couldn’t help but question how long that would take. Fifty years? A hundred? Just because he had the lifespan didn’t mean he wanted to spend it all climbing toward a single rank. And even if he possessed the potential, would he survive long enough to reach it? Death was everywhere, after all.

Yes, his Good Luck ability had saved him countless times. But would it protect him forever? Would it keep him alive until old age claimed him naturally?

He didn’t know.

No one did.

With those thoughts lingering in his mind, Finch continued his endless journey through the forest without any change in expression. His only companions were his thoughts, and the ever-present, soul-bound black chain that floated around him like a silent, watchful serpent.