Lancelot was not entirely confident about this gift either. Earlier at the bridgehead, he had confirmed that the Succubus Lord was not wearing any jewelry.

    "In the coming period, this will be our base of operations, and it''s essential to be on good terms with the Lord, considering your old man is working for her, isn''t he?"

    "That''s logical enough. But your actions still don''t match my impression of humans." Bruto stroked his chin, "Are you sure you haven''t been charmed or hit with some sort of suggestive technique? Do you need me to hit you with a shield? No offense, just to be safe."

    "No, thank you. A person under the influence of these spells could come up with so many reasons?"

    "They can, but they can only convince themselves with strange logic, unlikely to articulate it completely to others as you do."

    "Well then, that settles it." Lancelot put away the small box but suddenly became hesitant again. "I''ve changed my mind, hit me after all."

    "Kneel down."

    "...Alright."

    Clang (a loud crash).

    "Any new thoughts?"

    "Yes, lots of regrets."No?v(el)B\\jnn

    "As expected, you were charmed."

    "No, I deeply regret cooperating with you."

    "Was my strike too light? Do you want another one?"

    "Can you pull me out of this hole first?"

    "Sorry about that. As you''ve seen, this is Riverheart Island; the soil is quite loose."

    "That was quite a heavy hit just now, enough to break most controlling spells." Lancelot climbed out of the hole, rubbing his head. "Let''s get going and see what tasks our hostess has in store for us."

    -------------------------

    Lancelot and Bruto waited for almost two hours before they were finally summoned by Tijana.

    It was a typical fortress-style castle, likely designed by human or Dwarf craftsmen, or possibly magically copied from a template in the Mortal Realm.

    After entering the main gate, the first area was a waiting zone for servants to dine and stand by, which also served as the first line of defense inside the castle during wartime, as the narrow passage could only accommodate two people side by side. Meanwhile, guards could be positioned along the second-floor corridor for ranged attacks, cross-firing at invading enemies from various angles.

    At the end of the waiting zone were two returning staircases, and after stepping onto the steps and passing through two reinforced doors, Lancelot and Bruto entered the main hall used for audiences with the Lord and hosting banquets.

    The main hall of the castle was spacious and splendid, fit to host banquets for hundreds of people. Long tables were set up in the hall for banquets, plush carpets covered the floor, and lifelike gargoyle statues served as candle holders on the walls. Thin gauze hung on the corridors of the second floor, obscuring the view inside.

    "I will allow you to kiss my hand."

    With her wings subtly folded behind, she bashfully extended a jade arm, as if inviting him, while the revealing leather she wore emanated a primal allure, making one want to pull her into an embrace without a second thought.

    Lancelot rolled his eyes inwardly; this woman''s acting was a bit over the top.

    He removed his steel gauntlet from his right hand, tucking it under his arm, and then cautiously cradled the succubus''s palm, pursing his lips to lightly brush the back of her hand.

    The fingers were rather firm, certainly capable of piercing his throat with not much difficulty. The palm, however, was incredibly soft.

    "I''m not one of those disgusting toads, and I don''t have poison glands in my skin," Tijana commented, apparently surprised by Lancelot''s restraint. She was well aware of the actions males might take under her charm and had rich experience in dealing with them.

    She returned to her throne, resuming her lazy posture, and began:

    "To become a resident of Twin Bridges Town, you must prove you can be of use to me. Dwarves make excellent craftsmen, so their value is beyond question. If you wish to stay as mercenaries, you must show you''re at least capable of completing low-level tasks."

    "Please give your orders."

    "It''s simple, just accompany me for one night," she stated.

    Lancelot began to cough dramatically, Bruto silently stepped back several paces during their exchange. Tijana had said ''you'' not ''you all,'' right? So this had nothing to do with him whatsoever.

    "Cough, cough, I''m sorry, what did you say?"

    "Hehe, I''m just joking, seeing that look of panic on you," Tijana played with her hair idly. "That stench called ''kindness'' emanates from you. I can smell it from this distance."

    "I apologize, please don''t put me in a difficult position."

    Upon hearing this, the Succubus Lord''s face darkened.

    "What do you mean? How is that putting you in a difficult position?"

    Oops. Sweat instantly broke out on Lancelot''s forehead.

    He hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak candidly:

    "I believe that in this dangerous world, any sexual conduct is extremely crazy and perilous, even if the proposition comes from someone as charming as..."

    "A succubus," Tijana interjected.

    "Lady," Lancelot corrected.

    "That''s quite right, your thinking is indeed very accurate," Tijana suddenly flashed an ambiguous smile. "Gentlemen, let''s end this topic here."

    "I just so happen to have a little matter that needs handling, consider it a test for you. The task involves rescuing helpless maidens from the hands of demons, which should suit the tastes of you altruists just fine."