Warrior Training System

At noon, Cassian and Lucy found Katherine in her room, as usual, enjoying some free time with a book. Cassian had no doubt it was one of her favorite smutty novels. She greeted him with a warm smile and said, "Don't be so formal," as he bowed deeply to her, while Lucy simply offered a polite nod.

Cassian returned her smile and asked, "How are you doing, my lady?"

Closing her book and placing it on the desk, Katherine smiled warmly. "I'm fine. How about you?" she asked, her eyes shined with some light, her expression seemingly untouched by any sign of discomfort.

"Better," Cassian replied, though his smile faltered as he noticed her movements were slightly stiff. Concern flashed across his face as he added, "But you don't seem fine." He stepped closer, resting a hand on her thigh. His worry deepened as he felt her muscles, tense and rigid. "You're not fine," he said firmly, his tone laced with concern.

Cassian gently withdrew his hand from Katherine's thigh and turned to Lucy. "Miss Lucy, prepare the oil for me, will you? And warm it up a little—it'll help," he instructed. Lucy nodded, her own worry visible on her face as she quickly left the room to fetch what was needed.

Once she was gone, Cassian turned back to Katherine, his gaze steady. "Why can't you just say when you're not fine, My lady?" he asked softly, yet firmly. "It wouldn't take much for you to speak up. We're here to help."

Katherine smiled faintly, her feelings a complicated mix of warmth and guilt. On one hand, it made her heart warm to see Cassian so genuinely worried for her, his concern evident in every word and action. But on the other hand, she couldn't shake the pang of guilt that settled in her chest. She knew he had been in far worse condition just a few days ago—all because of her.

She already knew from the reports she had received. Cassian had detailed everything—from the torture he endured to how he killed the cultists. Reading it had filled her with a mix of sympathy and guilt, knowing she was the one who had persuaded him to join the law enforcement unit in the first place.

Everything that had happened traced back to that decision. Yet, despite it all, Cassian never blamed her, which only made her guilt weigh heavier. She wanted to do something for him, to ease her conscience—a selfish desire in itself—but she felt powerless. Even now, after enduring such horrific torment, he was the one showing concern for her. That only deepened the ache in her heart. Stay tuned for updates on empire

"It's fine, I can bear it... at least that much," she said with a soft smile, watching him gently caress her thighs and legs, helping them relax a little. Cassian would have gone straight for the massage, but her muscles had become so tense for some reason. On the surface, it looked like nothing was wrong, even though a touch seemed to stir something beneath. Cassian had learned her body better than anyone else.

Hearing her explanation, that she hadn't told anyone because she thought she could handle it, only made him angrier. "You don't have to bear it, my lady," he said, his tone sharp. "Like you said, I shouldn't bear any pain too, which isn't needed to bore.."

Katherine really didn't want to discuss the torture and everything surrounding it. One, because of her overwhelming guilt, and two, because she didn't think Cassian would want to revisit it. But when he said those words, anger bubbled up inside her. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't hold it back. "But you did, and you got tortured... why?"

Cassian fell silent at her question. He didn't know how to explain to her that he wanted to share everything, to tell her about everything they had been through. But that fat man hadn't given him a chance to speak. He had wanted to tell her, but if he did, he feared it would make him seem like a coward. He hadn't even included that part in the report, and it made him feel guilty. As he went quiet, still caressing her legs, Katherine's anger grew. With a raised tone, she asked, "Cassian, I asked you something..."

Cassian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor, the weight of guilt clear on his face. Katherine misinterpreted his silence, assuming he was hesitant to speak because of the trauma he had endured, and it only deepened her guilt. She had never felt this way before, and it made her frustration boil over. Her voice rose, "Tell me... why didn't you do what I asked? Tell them everything, do anything to save yourself from the torture. Didn't I say that?"

She knew it was wrong to shout at him, but the need for answers consumed her. She couldn't understand why he had endured so much pain—was it because of her? The idea that knowing the truth would only make her guilt worse didn't stop her. She had to hear it from him.

After a few more agonizing seconds of silence, Cassian finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion, "I wanted to, my lady..." His voice cracked as he looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "I wanted to tell everything they wanted, do anything they wanted..."

He raised his head, his eyes filled with tears, making Katherine's guilt intensify. Her voice shook as she asked, "Then why didn't you?"

"Because he didn't let me..." Cassian's voice broke, and with that, he finally gave in to his emotions, tears streaming down his face.

Katherine stared at him, shocked and speechless. She hadn't expected that answer, and it left her at a loss for what to do. The guilt she already felt deepened, but hearing that the torturer hadn't even wanted anything from Cassian, that it was all just pure cruelty, only made her heart ache further.

Cassian's sobs grew louder, his shoulders shaking with emotion. Katherine felt her chest tighten as she watched him, feeling a mix of sadness and empathy flooding through her. She could barely breathe, her throat tightening as she fought to hold back her own tears. She cleared her throat, trying to steady herself before speaking, her voice thick with emotion.

"I… I didn't know," she whispered, her gaze softening as she reached out, her hand brushing against his cheek. "I didn't know it was like that for you. I never wanted you to go through this because of me."

Cassian wiped his tears, but they kept flowing. "You didn't ask for this... none of it was your fault," he said, his voice shaky. Slowly, he began to regain control of himself, though his red hair and eyes still seemed to glow with an intense, fiery light. "Some people are just evil. They do terrible things simply because they can. They want to make others suffer, to feed off that pain..." He paused, his expression shifting into something dark, an unsettling smile spreading across his face. His eyes burned with fury as he looked at Katherine. "And you know what, my lady?"

Katherine blinked, confused by the sudden shift. "What?"

Cassian's smile widened, but it was twisted with rage. "I'm going to slaughter everyone who does that..." His voice grew cold, and the air around him seemed to thicken with a murderous energy, as though it was charged with his bloodlust. Katherine felt a shiver run down her spine as the atmosphere became heavy, suffocating with tension.

The realization hit her like a wave, her eyes widening as she whispered, "The Killing Domain..."