CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184: LADY LUCK [1]

Chapter 184 – Lady Luck

Darklore — East, Domain of the Damned.

Inside a dome made of poisonous miasma that turned all surrounding trees and plants black and weathered, a strange meeting was unfolding.

One between a human and a beast. But also, one between an Intermediate and a Grandmaster.

This type of meeting — human and beast — was not particularly uncommon in Darklore or even in Fokay. There were always some types of beasts who craved peace and wished to build good relationships with humans, just as there were always humans who were nothing more than abominations wearing skin as a disguise, who sought these beasts out for their own twisted desires.

But hardly — if ever at all — would you find a meeting between an Intermediate and a Grandmaster, with the Grandmaster acting like a shy little girl who thought she was being cute but...

’Horrific. I don’t want to judge by appearance but goddamn... this level of questionable look should be a crime against the eyes of all beings.’ Kaden thought grimly as he looked at Alea and the place he was in.

He was inside a simple enclosed black tent, decorated with purple and black flowers that released a heavy scent of poison strong enough to kill an Intermediate with a single sniff and even a Master if they stayed too long.

The ceiling pointed toward the sky like a pyramid. The ground was covered in a smooth black fur carpet, and on it were two couches — same colors — placed face to face, made of white bones and the fur of beasts Kaden couldn’t even recognize.

Right now, he was sitting in one of them, with Alea sitting just across from him with that shy face of hers. She was fidgeting here and there, looking around her own tent with sparkling eyes, acting like she was discovering the hidden eighth wonder of the world.

Kaden was truly unnerved by this situation. He had expected anything when it came to this beast. He had imagined a vengeful lich with hollow sockets and cracked ribs standing above billions of undead, or maybe a bone dragon that slumbered with its mouth, eyes, and whole body leaking poisonous miasma that made every creature instinctively dread its presence, or even some twisted demon plotting a war while cloaked in death.

He expected all of that, and he was ready to face it — even if it meant dying in the end.

But what he got instead was a shy Grandmaster who looked like she hadn’t heard a compliment since the dawn of time.

And now that Kaden thought about it, that might actually be the case. After all, who in their right mind would compliment a being who looked like a mischievous god got bored, slapped some parts together just for fun, and called it a day?

’Well, I would...’ Kaden thought with a soldier’s resolve, like a man about to charge into his first war.

It was a good opportunity. He had already made a good impression on her, and if he kept going, he might actually gain the support of this beast without any issue.

Once that was done, he could finally return home, rest a bit, and plan his trip back to Fokay.

It was time. He needed to find an evolution stone to become a Master.

’Damn this family.’ He cursed the Warborn again, finding their traditions barbaric and unreasonable.

’This time, I won’t accept anything less than Mythic.’ He added with a faint smile that only emphasized his already handsome face, and then he spoke to Alea:

"Are you ready to hear my proposal now, Grandmaster Alea?" he asked with a calm voice.

But the latter was still not looking at him. Instead, with a small voice,

"I... I’m sorry I don’t have tea or anything you can eat in my domain," she said, making Kaden feel both amused and a little weirded out that a beast was acting like this.

This world was truly a wonder.

"I don’t mind. I doubt anything edible or drinkable for me can even be born inside this domain," he said as he looked around the poisonous surroundings.

"So let’s focus on the most important thing."

He didn’t wait for her to respond this time.

"I have a proposal for you. I’m planning to create an organization that will help me with simple tasks like gathering information or other similar things. And when I heard about a beautiful lady of great power living here, I decided to take my shot." Kaden said, looking directly into Alea’s eyes, his face carrying an honest and striking smile.

His words landed even harder and deeper thanks to that expression, and it made Alea blush even more, a creepy smile creeping onto her lips.

"Ah! Am... am I really beautiful?" she asked, putting her two hands on either side of her cheeks, shaking her head slightly in both directions.

’That’s all she remembered from what I said?’ Kaden wondered incredulously.

"Yes," he said. "And what’s your decision? I don’t want to bother you too much — I’m sure you have things to do — so if you’re not interested in joining my group, I’ll excuse myself."

These words instantly put Alea into a serious mode, like she was about to step into a horrific battlefield with gods as spectators.

This was her first time hearing a compliment in all her long life. And the first time she’d seen such a polite and handsome young man.

She didn’t want to never see again the one person who didn’t recoil from her appearance. She didn’t want to lose the first human she hadn’t butchered like a dog because he mocked her looks, nor the first person she didn’t turn into one of her undead legions out of spite.

No, she didn’t want that.

After all, Kaden had looked her in the eye while she spoke — actually looked, showing he was listening — and that alone... meant something to her.

A simple gesture. But no one had ever looked her in the eye while speaking. No one.

So... she felt indignant at the thought of losing someone like that. And without thinking about the consequences of her actions,

"I accept," Alea said with a determined voice, startling Kaden greatly.

He was ready to propose her some death-based power enhancement or even offer rare artifacts to gain her support but...

’She accepted just like that?’ he thought, his mind spinning in disbelief, ’How come?’

Honestly, he knew. It was because he complimented her.

But that kind of thing was too unstable to rely on.

She might accept now because of how he treated her, but the minds and emotions of any living being were fickle things.

It wasn’t something you could build a foundation on. Especially not with someone like Alea, who clearly had deep-rooted insecurities. Another smooth talker might come, say the right words, scratch her belly in just the right direction, and she’d betray him without blinking.

So instead of relying on emotions that fluctuate like the damn weather, let’s rely on benefits — the one thing strong enough to tie anyone together.

Even enemies.

"I appreciate your confidence in me, so let me offer you something in return. I’ll make you beautiful if that’s what you wish. But I won’t stop there, I’ll increase your affinity and power over death as well, make you stronger."

He paused, watching Alea tremble with excitement.

Then, with a soft but firm smile,

"All I need is for you to believe in me, to have confidence in me, but also... I want you to swear that you’ll never betray me."

There was silence after that. Alea couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

Beautiful? She... would finally be beautiful?

Her heart leapt in ecstasy and joy. She didn’t even question whether Kaden could do it or not, she just believed in him, trusted him like a naïve girl falling for the first man who treated her gently.

And so, she swore,

"By my Origin as Judge, and with my Soul as Witness, I swear never to disobey you, nor to betray you in any manner, for as long as I draw breath."

The moment her words were done, she grimaced slightly as she felt a deep pressure settle inside her. One that disappeared soon after, but Alea knew it was still there.

That curse would shatter her Origin and fatally wound her soul if she ever broke that oath.

That’s how people in Darklore swear. Just like the people in Fokay swear on The Will.

Hearing that, Kaden was honestly stupefied by how easily it all went. He expected difficulties. Maybe even a battle.

But none of that happened, and he wasn’t going to complain. After all, he’d just obtained the second official member of his organization.

The first being Nasari.

’And now—!’

"Oh, excuse me, Harvester, but... when will I become more beautiful?" Alea interrupted his thoughts, her voice shy, her face hopeful.

Kaden stared at her for a long moment before a smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Please... go kill the most beautiful creature you know and come back with her corpse. I’ll make you... truly and uniquely beautiful."

He didn’t need to say more. Alea vanished in a cloud of black miasma.

Kaden sighed under his breath,

’Ah... women and their obsession with beauty...’

That was something he would never understand, nor did he want to...

...but he wasn’t the type to reject goodwill.

After all...

That obsession had just helped him gain a Grandmaster beast as a subordinate.

’Ah... my divine luck is back. Lady Luck, I missed you, and don’t you dare leave me again!!’

—End of Chapter 184—