CHAPTER 34: CH-34- MATE RITUAL?

Cisco’s throat ripped open with a desperate cry.

"NO! NOOOO! NOOOOOOOO!"

The sound tore through the night like a madman’s wail, so sharp and pitiful that the crowd nearby froze. Heads turned. Passersby stopped mid-step. And in the next breath, whispers spread.

"Is he... alright?"

"Poor soul, must’ve gone crazy..."

"Look, he’s screaming at the sky. No one’s even near him."

People shook their heads and gave him a wide berth. In this world, a man suddenly shouting to himself on the street could mean anything, from possession by dungeon spirits to plain insanity. Best not to get involved.

Even Baelgor blinked in surprise, his heavy brows furrowing. He turned to Cisco and asked, utterly serious, "Human... are you well?"

Cisco jolted like lightning had struck him. His eyes darted left and right. The walls of the torture chamber were gone. The chains, gone. The glowing iron rod of doom, gone. Instead, he stood in the middle of the street, under the indifferent gaze of a dozen strangers, with Baelgor beside him looking more confused than menacing.

It had all been his imagination.

Blood rushed to his cheeks. His knees felt weak. He’d screamed like a sacrificial lamb in the middle of the street, out loud, in public.

Baelgor folded his arms, tilting his head. ’Strange. Very strange. Humans are... unpredictable. His mind churned with conclusions. Could this be some kind of ritual? A method of calling potential mates? His red face, his embarrassed demeanor, it must be. Yet, no mate appeared in response to his cries... perhaps the ritual failed. Fascinating.’

Cisco, meanwhile, wanted the cobblestones to open up and swallow him whole. He rubbed his forehead, forcing his breath to steady, and muttered to himself, "Idiot. Absolute idiot. Making a fool out of yourself like that... pull it together, Cisco. Pull. It. Together."

But beneath his embarrassment, another voice echoed in his mind, sharp and relentless: This is no time to back down. Imagination is not reality. If every man stopped chasing wealth because of fear, or because people mocked them, no one would ever rise above poverty. Fortune belongs to those who push forward, even after humiliation.

So he clenched his jaw, straightened his back, and decided, he would not abandon this golden goose. No matter how many times his nerves played tricks on him, no matter how many people whispered behind his back, he had already invested too much.

Baelgor gave him a final glance and grunted. "Humans are truly peculiar."

Cisco forced a smile, as if nothing had happened, though inside he was still dying of shame. But he swore to himself, right there and then: I’ll figure out exactly what this lord’s agenda is. If I must walk beside madness itself, so be it. Riches demand sacrifice.

And so the predator and the con man continued side by side one genuinely curious about "human customs," the other desperately scheming to survive and profit neither realizing how deep their fates had already entwined.

Cisco steadied himself, adjusting his sleeves as though brushing off the embarrassment from earlier. Alright, focus. No more screaming, no more wild fantasies. If I play this right, I’ll be swimming in gold before this week is over.

He glanced at Baelgor, who was staring at a lamppost like it held the secrets of creation, and cleared his throat.

"My lord," Cisco began carefully, every syllable dipped in honeyed respect, "if it does not offend your divine ears, may I be so bold as to ask—what brings someone of your... stature... to such a common world as ours? Surely, this humble place is unfit for one so grand."

The words were chosen with surgical precision. A little flattery, a little awe, and not a single hint of doubt.

Baelgor’s lips curled into a rare smile. His chest puffed with satisfaction, and for a brief moment his glowing eyes softened. At last, a human who understands. This one recognizes my greatness.

He raised his chin proudly and replied, "I have been lonely. Thus, I have descended to experience how the ’common world’ lives."

Cisco’s smile widened until his cheeks hurt. Inside, he was laughing. Aha! One of those types. The rich sons who run away from their gilded cages to ’taste the life of the commoner.’ Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I’ve dealt with their kind before. They’re fountains of gold coins just waiting to be tapped.

He clasped his hands together in mock realization. "Ah, then let me guess, my lord, you have been locked away for some time, bound by duty or circumstance, and only just now have you been granted freedom?"

Baelgor froze. His glowing eyes flickered in shock. This human... sees through me? Impossible. And yet ...yes! He speaks truth!

The silence stretched. Cisco, who had become an expert at reading people, caught the shift instantly. Bullseye. Relief washed over him like cool rain after a storm. His earlier humiliations were forgotten. Not only had he avoided offending this lunatic, but he’d also struck the jackpot.

Cisco bowed deeply, suppressing the urge to grin like a fox in a henhouse. "Then, my lord, whatever requests you may have, speak them, and I shall fulfill them. Nothing would bring me greater joy than to serve."

Baelgor looked at him with glowing approval, a warmth in his gaze reserved for subordinates who "understood their place." He nodded slowly, as though granting a divine boon.

"Very well," Baelgor said, his voice like thunder dressed in silk. "I require something of utmost importance. I need... a befitting mate for the ritual you humans call... ’SEX.’"

Cisco’s smile froze. His brain stopped. His body stiffened like a statue.

...WHAT?!

Cisco’s jaw nearly hit the ground. He stood there frozen, words tangled in his throat. His brain, however, was already spinning in a thousand directions.

So that’s it... He’s one of those rich types. The kind who sneak away from their castles and cushy mansions, pretending to be "common folk," hoping to find some girl who’ll love them for their ’true self.’ I always thought that was just movie nonsense or some cheap fantasy novel plotline girls drool over. But no... apparently, it actually happens in real life.

His eyes twitched. Still... who in the nine hells calls it "the ritual sex"? Is he an idiot? Or is he really that ignorant? This fool doesn’t know the first thing about human society. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. He’s a lamb waiting to be sheared, and I’ll be the one holding the scissors.

Cisco forced a warm smile onto his face, bowing slightly. "My lord, worry not. I shall not only show you how to find the women you seek, but also how to blend into ordinary human society. Step by step, I’ll make sure you stand out no more than the average man in the crowd."

Baelgor’s glowing eyes widened with delight. He clenched his fists and beamed, his teeth flashing like ivory swords. "Excellent! This is why I chose you, wise human. To think I would find such guidance on my first day among mortals. Surely, destiny itself has blessed me."

Cisco, inside: Destiny? More like greed. And I’m destiny’s tax collector, pal.

He nodded, keeping up the act. "First things first, my lord, we must get you an ID."

Baelgor blinked, his smile faltering. His voice dropped to a growl. "ID...? Is that a slave tag your governments use to control your kind? Shackles disguised as numbers, forcing your entire species to kneel beneath their rule?"

Cisco coughed into his fist and laughed awkwardly. "Haha... something like that."