BXBX NOVEL Chapter 74: Some Important Discoveries
"Our organization works with excellence. We must be respectful to a significant client like yourself, Master," Strax heard Cristine say. He didn't quite know how to respond, but he laughed. "I didn't think you'd call me 'master' so easily. I thought it would take longer," he said, and she retorted, "I am a faithful servant of God. I know my place in the world." After all, she truly served a god.
"What an interesting god... perhaps I should take his place? I would love for you to serve me as a god," Strax said, and a dagger appeared near his neck. "Stop speaking blasphemies about my lord," she said, her eyes briefly flashing red, as if one more word and he would lose his head. But Strax wasn't intimidated and grabbed the blade without hurting his hand.
"You've advanced," she noted, trying to withdraw the blade, but he held it firm. Previously, during sex with Monica, Strax had advanced thanks to his dual cultivation ability, reaching the Advanced Realm, and his system updated, adding Monica to his Harem set.
[Name: Strax Vorah
[Age: 18 years
[Cultivation: Supreme Cultivator of Advanced Stage
[Talent: Rare
[Race: Human
[Physique: Dragon-Demon (Advance Cultivation to unlock sealed powers)
[Level: 20
[HP: 385/385
[Vitality: 27
[Stamina: 20
[Strength: 25
[Agility: 20
[Intelligence: 18
[Defense: 25
[Unallocated Points: 0
[Harem Members: Beatrice von Stainhardt, Samira Blaze, Monica von Storm
[Physique Abilities: Dragon Eyes
[Skills: Inventory (S), Complete Vorah Cultivation (5*), Brutal Slash (1*), Sword of Tomorrow (1*), Glacial Ice Manipulation (5*), Fire Manipulation (5*)
[Harem Skills: Incubus (SSS), Analysis (SSS), Dual Cultivation (SSS), Love Copy (SSS)
This was Strax's current system profile, and it gave him a bit more courage to act with those he knew, especially this one challenging him. He already knew she wouldn't actually harm him, but if he were passive, it would open the door to insubordination, which he didn't want. He needed her to be someone he could trust.
To have a guild, she had to be competent, and he needed someone like her to be his shadow.
"Don't point your blade at me again. I am your only ally and probably the only person who wants to help you, so don't do that again," Strax said in a serious tone that left Cristine startled. To her, this man was still a failure, but every second she spent with him or heard about him, she became more certain that Strax was nothing short of a great enigma.
"Sorry," she withdrew, sheathing her dagger when Strax let go. "Let's talk business," he said, resuming his walk with Cristine following closely behind.
"Come on, sit down." Strax gestured, and she took a seat across from him at the hall table, now in the living room.
"I need information about my siblings, all ten of them," Strax said. Cristine's eyes widened in shock. "A-all of them?" she stammered, realizing the enormity of the task. Some would be easy to find, others nearly impossible. "Of course, you don't need to look for Xenovia; I can get that myself if I ask. As for the others, I at least want names, ages, and characteristics.
For Virgil and Dominic, I want everything you can get. Besides that, bring me whatever you can. I'm not desperate, but if you find anything about what's happening in the world, tell me. Xenovia fears something and won't talk to me, which is irritating."
Cristine was overwhelmed by the amount of information. "Let's take it one step at a time. You talk too much," she said, trying to process everything. "What do you want first, your siblings or the state of the world?" she asked.
"My siblings," Strax replied. Cristine nodded and continued, "Regarding the world context, it might not be necessary to discuss it now, but..." She hesitated. Strax raised an eyebrow and demanded, "What do you know? Don't leave me in the dark."
Cristine considered withholding information but sighed and began, "The Elves have completely isolated themselves and abandoned the global union. We don't know why yet, but the Elves and Dragons are closely linked, and it seems the Dragons also want to leave the council."
Strax was intrigued, "But why would they want to leave? It doesn't make sense..." he muttered.
"Emperor-level cultivators like your father have been interacting more with the world. For example, Lilith, the ruler of the Demons, has been very active, exploring undiscovered parts of the world. Dracula is focusing on increasing his socioeconomic power.
The Dragons haven't moved for a long time because of their longevity, and the affairs of Aetheria don't concern them much, but it's curious that several beings like them are starting to move," Cristine murmured, piquing Strax's curiosity even more.
Since his reincarnation, he had only heard about other races and continents. He had never ventured beyond human civilization.
"Ah, something related to my progenitor? I'm sure there are issues between him and the current Emperor, King, or whatever he wants to be called," Strax said, already frustrated at the thought. "Just some rumors," Cristine said softly.
"Cristine." Strax sensed something was off, something very wrong.
"Some issues have arisen recently with... diplomatic matters," she said, clearly hesitant to reveal more.
"What is it, Cristine?" Strax's tone changed, becoming more demanding. If she was holding back information, it meant it involved someone close to him.
"Ah~" Cristine sighed before speaking again. "Political maneuvers involving marriages," she revealed. Strax's eyes widened in shock. "Don't tell me..."
"Your sister, Xenovia Vorah, is being considered for marriage into either a Ducal family or the Royal Family itself..." Cristine's words hit him like a dagger to the heart. "Who," Strax demanded, his voice cold. Cristine just shook her head. "The rumors came from the King's palace," she said.
"One of the princes?" Cristine nodded. "Xenovia..." he muttered, feeling notifications appear.
[You have started a new ACT parallel to the current ACT, missions have been updated]
[You have reached a significant moment in Xenovia Vorah's story]
[Consider your future, you have 10 days to decide Xenovia Vorah's fate]
Strax read the messages with a heavy heart, beginning to understand why Xenovia had summoned him and trained him so intensively.
"Do they want to constrain her?" Strax questioned aloud. "Do you want my honest opinion?" Cristine asked. Strax nodded. "They already know Xenovia will resist the marriage with all her might, but if it's a royal order, any refusal will be seen as treason."
"Of course... it's not just a matter of unequal interests. They want to reduce the threat of the Vorah family, even if it means turning the entire continent against us," Strax said. Cristine was terrified to disclose all this information, but then...
"HAHAHAHA!" Strax laughed so loudly it made Cristine jump in fright. "How can this man laugh at such a situation?!" she wondered, increasingly scared of him.
"Well, it's a pity that this will never happen. My Xenovia will never marry anyone; she belongs to me," he murmured, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "I'd love to see the King and my father destroy each other and this idiotic kingdom. Let them all die," Strax said, his words dripping with a thirst for blood that reached Cristine.
To a paladin, this would be blasphemy; to a knight, sheer folly. But to Cristine, it was perfect.
Cristine saw the glint of death in Strax's eyes. "Let them all die" resonated deeply within her. Her god was like this, the god of death she served.
"My Lord, Lord Thanatos... is he a gift from you? A gift from god?" she wondered, the bloodthirsty aura of Strax striking her as beautiful and poignant.
"Cristine? Cristine? Are you okay?" he said, and slowly the woman's gaze returned to reality, clearly quite... impacted by Strax.
"Y-yes, I'm fine... I was just... thinking about some things," she said, coming back to herself. "Anyway, tomorrow I'll talk to Xenovia about you and your organization. I'll tell her to release you all as part of our agreement," Strax said, and she nodded. "Now...
I have a question," he murmured.
"Why are you blushing? Are you hot? If you want, I can open the windows," Strax said, and Cristine completely broke down, "Uh? I-I mean, e-everything's fine! I'm fine!" She stammered. Strax looked at her with a dark smile, and she realized it, her heart racing as she stood up.
"I need to go! I have a lot of work ahead!!" She said and disappeared into the shadows of the dark room.
"Hehe, just talking about death made you react quite differently, didn't it..." he murmured, smiling in the darkness of the room.