Chapter 6: You're in Charge Now

Clare couldn't believe what had happened in front of her.

Had Leo really killed someone?

Clare felt her stomach churn as she looked at the lifeless body of the man, and although she was still in the garden, the smell of the surroundings was no longer pleasant and only caused her more repulsion.

Slowly, her eyes drifted to Leo's hands, which were stained with blood, and his gaze...

He had the same damn look of indifference as always.

It was a ghastly scene. Even though Clare had witnessed the work in the kitchen where they cut animals into pieces, this... this was beyond her.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked calmly, pulling Clare out of her thoughts.

Suddenly, the sound of several people approaching was heard, and it turned out to be Marta along with several maids.

Some of the maids couldn't help but let out a small scream upon seeing the man's corpse.

"Hey! What happened here?" Marta asked, shocked.

Leo's gaze shifted to Marta, but she did not back away like the maids.

"This man tried to kidnap Clare," Leo explained firmly.

With a quick movement, he turned the corpse over, revealing a belt full of weapons.

"Look at this," he said, pointing to a small purple knife he held in his hand and several daggers hidden in the man's clothes.

"He's not just a common thief. He's a professional assassin."

All the girls were surprised to hear this statement.

"Did you kill him?" Marta asked, with a mix of incredulity and astonishment.

Leo held her gaze without wavering.

"Yes, I did. I had no other choice if I wanted to protect Clare."

'Protect me?' Clare wondered to herself, confused, but upon thinking it through... it made some sense.

The maids began to murmur among themselves, whispering with fear and curiosity.

Due to all the noise they had made earlier, it attracted the attention of Julian, who hurriedly arrived at the scene.

"What's going on here?" Julian asked, his face showing a mix of concern while trying to maintain an authoritative posture.

Marta turned to him, trying to quickly summarize the situation.

"A man tried to kidnap Clare. Leo stopped him and... killed him. But it seems this man was a professional assassin."

Julian frowned, observing the man's body and the weapons scattered around.

An assassin in his house...?

To him, this was unforgivable.

"This is serious. We need to investigate who sent this assassin and why Clare was his target," Julian explained in an aggressive tone.

Even though he didn't like Clare, he was aware that if she were kidnapped, they could extract information that would affect the family.

Marta, trying to stay calm, looked at Julian with concern.

"Shouldn't we wait for our parents to return? They will know what to do."

Julian shook his head, his expression hardening.

"We can't wait, sister. Our parents are on a trip and won't return for one or two weeks. We don't know if this will be the only attempt or if there will be more. We need to act on our own now."

Marta slowly nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I suppose you're right... we can't stay idle. But what do we do now?"

Julian looked at Leo, who remained firm and alert.

"First, let's secure the mansion. No one goes in or out without our authorization. Then, we need to interrogate all the staff members and check their backgrounds. We can't rule out the possibility that someone inside is collaborating with the attackers."

Julian turned to the maids who were still murmuring among themselves.

"You! Gather all the staff in the main hall. We need to talk to everyone and secure the mansion immediately."

Marta stayed next to Julian, watching as the maids hurried to follow the orders.

"Brother, this is very serious. We can't leave the mansion's security in the hands of so few guards. We've always trusted the tranquility of this area, but..."

Julian nodded, his expression hardening even more.

"I know, sister. It's a risk we never thought we'd have to face. But now that we know someone is willing to attack our home, we have no choice. We need to increase our security immediately."

"How will we find reliable security personnel in such a short time?" Marta asked, her concern evident.

"We'll use all our contacts," Julian replied with determination.

"I'll send messages to our allies and acquaintances in the city. I'll explain the situation and ask for recommendations for trustworthy guards and mercenaries. We can't risk hiring just anyone."

Marta nodded, though the worry did not leave her face.

"I understand. But what will we do in the meantime? We can't leave the mansion unprotected until new guards arrive."

"Leo will take care of internal security for now," Julian said, turning his gaze to Leo.

"Make sure no suspicious person enters or leaves the mansion. I trust you can handle it."

Although Julian had not known Leo for long, there was something undeniable.

That man... had talent.

Leo nodded while maintaining his firm expression.