What kind of fuckery are you planning now, Asmari?
Mina asked, clearly fed up and exhausted.
“Just follow me and shut up,” I said, scanning the black market, crowded with people searching for something specific.
“Who are you telling to shut up?
Not only do you wake me up at five-fucking-AM, you also drag me to the black market—and you still won’t tell me why.
How am I supposed to react?”
Mina’s exasperated voice carried through the crowd.
Honestly, her crash-out was valid.
I was being unreasonable, but I couldn’t risk anyone overhearing my plan, so I kept her in the dark.
“I’ll tell you soon—just follow me.” Mina took a deep breath, probably to steady herself.
“What are you looking for?”
“Some alchemy shop called Watch Alchemy.” Mina frowned.
“Did we walk past it?”
“Where?” I asked hurriedly.
She pointed to a storefront with ‘Watch Alchemy’ emblazoned overhead.
A pleased smile tugged at my lips.
“I’ll make sure to give you a raise later.” Mina’s left eye twitched in annoyance.
“You don’t even pay me.
What do you mean, a raise?” My face went blank; she was right—I’d completely forgotten she didn’t get paid for being my shadow.
“Then I’ll decrease the number of lashes I give you the next time you annoy me.” She rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful.
“How about you stop whipping me altogether?” she shot back, voice colored with irritation.
“I’m getting annoyed, Mina.” That shut her up instantly.
I grinned inwardly; seeing the sassiest character in the game reduced to an obedient servant made me feel a rush of power.
We made our way into the alchemy shop.
Through the window, I’d seen rows of potions—healing, strength, you name it—and shelves crammed with alchemical equipment.
Nothing special.
As soon as I opened the door, the bell chimed, and a woman at the front desk greeted us.
“Hello, sir.
How can I help you?” I turned towards her while taking off my tinted glasses.
“I need your services,” I said, meeting her grey gaze.
Recognition shimmered in her eyes, quickly replaced by disgust.
Still, she did her duty, plastering on the fakest smile she could muster.
“What services do you need, young master?
We only sell alchemy and alchemy-related goods.” I didn’t bother dancing around the topic.
“I need a different kind of service—from you, personally.” The grey-eyed woman’s expression twisted in horror.
She hugged her body protectively.
“No, I won’t sell my body to you.
I don’t care if you’re the heir to a noble house!” she practically shouted.
“No, not that kind of service,” I groaned, smacking my forehead and pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Why does every woman think I’m trying to assault them?” I muttered under my breath.
Mina and the cashier both stared at me like I’d grown a second head.
Okay, maybe in hindsight it was a dumb question—but in my defence, I’m inexperienced, even counting both my lives.
“Sigh, never mind.
Let me get to the point—I need your Aspect ability.” The woman behind the counter frowned.
“What Aspect?
Young master, I think you might have mistaken me for someone else.
I am unawakened.”
“Stop playing dumb, Lilya.
I know exactly who you are—and what your Aspect can do.” Her eyes widened, awareness dawning across her features.
“How do you know?” she said, her tone now cold and threatening—the innocent façade gone.
“That doesn’t matter; what matters is that I have money and I will need you to use your Aspect on me.” Her guard lowered slightly, but only slightly.
“My services are not cheap.”
“Tsk, spoiled nobles,” she muttered quietly under her breath.
“What was that”
“Nothing.
Now, what time and where do you require it?” I took out a key card from my pocket and handed it over to her.
“Tomorrow, at 9 am, come to my hotel room at Lumina Grand Hotel.
Make sure you dress in a way that makes it look like you’re spending the morning with me.” Suspicion flickered through her eyes again as she spoke.
“You sure this isn’t a ploy to get me into your room?” I thoroughly scrutinised her face.
“Don’t flatter yourself, woman.
I wouldn’t stoop so low as to sleep with a commoner.”
“But you would stoop so low as to assault a pri-”
“Finish that word, I fucking dare you, Lilya.” Lilya took my warning seriously and held her tongue.
She stepped out from behind the counter and followed me.
“Let’s get this over with.” She placed one hand on my back and channelled her essences.
Her grey colour essence flared before disappearing again; she had activated her aspect.
A burning sensation seared across my back, like someone was engraving it with a red-hot brand.
I stifled a groan and clenched my fists.
“It’s done,” Lilya suddenly said, looking noticeably spent.
The pain from my back slowly went away.
“How much?”
“Five hundred thousand Jura.”
“Five hundred thousand Jura?” I repeated.
“I told you my suverses aren’t cheap,” she said with a cheeky smile.
“No, it’s not that.
I just thought if you were trying to extort a noble, you’d have to up your game.” Lilya smiled, only for confusion to flicker across her face.
“What do you mean?” I completely ignored her question and turned my gaze to Mina, who was watching me expectantly, already knowing what she had to do.
“Mina.
Give her five million Jura and make her sign an NDA with an essence contract.” The woman’s jaw dropped in shock and horror.
“Fi-five million Jura?!” she shouted so loud it made my ears hurt.
I clicked my tongue while rubbing my ear.
“Can you stop shouting?
Yes, five million.
But you will have to sign an nda with an essence contract.” The woman hurriedly nodded.
Mina went to handle the transaction while I stepped outside.
The street bustled with activity; honestly, it looked nothing like the black market you’d imagine.
If not for the occasional addict sprawled on the curb, I might’ve mistaken it for any normal street.
Most buildings were three-storey, with shops and restaurants lining the sidewalks.
Bling.
I heard the doorbell ring out and saw Mina step outside.
“So what now?” she asked.
“Here,” I said, handing her a letter with instructions.
“Do everything on the list and meet me in my hotel room at 8 p.m.
I’ll explain everything then.”
Mina looked confused, countless questions circling her head.
But I didn’t give her a chance to ask—I stormed off.
She shouted after me, maybe calling me back, maybe hurling insults.
I didn’t care to find out.
What’s the point of having a slave if you don’t dump your work on them?
So I left her to do the heavy lifting while I found something more interesting to occupy my time.
So I headed toward the centre of Lumina City, specifically the Luminisha Mall.
I walked around the mall with my tinted glasses.
I looked around the cafeteria for a certain someone.
I wasn’t even sure if that person was here; I only knew that she liked this cafe.
My gaze scrutinised everyone in the cafe until it landed on a Sol woman.
She wore the same tinted glasses as me, a white cap perched on her head, golden-blonde hair falling down her back.
Her white crop top and black jeans showed off a figure that was truly nothing short of captivating.
Everyone in the cafe averted their gaze from her, as if afraid to draw her attention.
I, on the other hand, watched her openly—like a hawk sizing up its prey.
She seemed to notice my stare as she averted her gaze towards me.
I couldn’t see her eyes, but I noticed the piercing sting of that gaze.
I strode toward her with all the confidence and pride I could muster.
Her glare only grew colder the closer I got.
The others in the cafe watched me approach, their expressions changing from curiosity to open pity.
It felt strange, being looked at with pity.
I was used to resentment or disgust—pity was an unfamiliar, uncomfortable twist.
When I finally reached her table, I sat down without saying a word.
“Leave,” she said, her words dripping with venom.
I raised an eyebrow, a smile pulling at my lips as I leaned in, my voice just for her.
“Oh, did I already do something wrong?
Maybe I should have gone down on one knee for the princess, perhaps?” Her eyes grew wide in disbelief, then narrowed in warning.
I couldn’t actually see her eyes behind the glasses, but her body language left little room for doubt.
“Who are you?” she asked coldly.
I didn’t answer her question; instead, I slightly pulled down my glasses to reveal a part of my eyes.
“A Dragaoth?” she muttered, confusion giving way to open disgust—stronger than anything I’d seen from the others.
It was definitely because of my crush on Morena.
I doubted there was anyone she hated more—except, perhaps, her twin brother.
Well, that was one thing we had in common.
“Asmari Dragaoth, the useless heir of the Dragaoth family,” she spat, venom lashing her voice.
“So tell me, what brings you here?”
Her provocation didn’t faze me; that was just who she was, and, honestly, I found it strangely endearing.
“Oh, where are my manners?” I said, a smile lifting around my lips.
“I greet the third illegitimate princess of Isola, Seraphina Aureila Celestine Isol.”
I said it mockingly, and my provocation worked—her face twisted into a furious frown.
Before she could retort, I spoke again.
“I will need to speak to you in private.”
…
Silence settled between us.
As soon as I uttered those words, she looked at me as if I’d just proposed marriage to an anime body pillow.
“I refuse,” she said flatly, not even bothering to hide her revulsion at the thought of being alone with me.
I won’t lie—it stung, or maybe that was just the Luke in me.
Her disgust was genuine; she made that clear.
Seraphina had always been my favourite female character in the game, but I hid the sting and pressed on.
“Mm, that’s a shame.
I thought we could discuss your plan to frame Princess Morena for mass murder at the academy.” Her eyes widened in shock and horror at my words.
“Or perhaps your idea to turn the student council against itself so you can take their place.
Or how—”
“Shut up,” she snapped, shooting me a glare that could freeze a raging inferno.
“I get your point.
Let’s find a private room.” Seraphina stood, and I inwardly celebrated—though I kept a polite smile on my face.
I stood up alongside her and walked to the exit of the cafeteria, every eye intently watching me with envy and resentment.
Now, let’s see how hard it is to blackmail a princess into marrying you.
A/N
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