“And I’m guessing you coincidentally discovered this miracle cure,” Adam said.
Fayte nodded. “I did. When I was… leaving my family’s house, I found a secret passage in my grandfather’s study that led to the room where the equipment was stored. I decided to have it moved out before my father could discover it himself. The device used to cure Mortems Disease is complete. However…”
“However, it’s never been used before, right?” Adam finished when she trailed off, his eyes narrowing. He licked his lips. “This method you speak of is completely experimental, so there’s no telling whether or not it will work. Does that sound about right?”
“Yes.” Fayte’s smile was a bit brittle as she answered him.
Adam leaned back on the couch and processed this information. She had a method to cure Mortems Disease, but since it had never been used, there was a high probability of failure. He’d give this device a one in one million chance of success… but perhaps he was being pessimistic. Countless doctors all over the world had been seeking a cure and none had discovered it. How could a cure like this suddenly just fall into his lap? It had to be fake.
But what if it wasn’t?
Adam once more studied Fayte. He ignored her beauty, the softness of her face, the gentle red swell of her cupid’s bow lips, and the graceful demeanor she possessed. All of his attention was on her eyes. She was staring back at him with an earnest expression. It was completely guileless, something he didn’t expect from a woman of her stature.
“If you stare at me like that… I’m going to blush,” Fayte murmured as she turned her head. Indeed, there was a small hint of pink on her cheeks.
“Sorry,” Adam apologized. He at least had enough tact for that. “I was just wondering how certain you were of this cure working. If it has never been used before, then can you really say it will work?”
“Of course, there is a high chance of failure,” Fayte admitted, and here her expression took on a determined quality. The fire in her eyes surprised him. “However, isn’t it better to have even a small chance of success than a guaranteed failure? If you were given a one in a billion chance to save your lover, don’t you think it would be worth it to at least try?”
And that was the crux of this situation right there. This woman was giving him that one in a billion chance. Could Adam really turn her away? One in a billion was better odds than the complete certainty of failure.
“Let’s say I am willing to try. What do you want in exchange?” asked Adam.
Fayte’s expression lightened just a little, as if a small burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She took another sip of water as if to wet her parched throat, coughed into her hand, and then spoke once more.
“Before I get into the bet I want your help with, I would like to confirm something. Are you the gamer who, three years ago, rocked the gaming world by consistently defeating the world’s best international players? The one who was given the nickname the Untouchable Emperor because even the top ranked players in the International Power Rankings couldn’t put a single scratch on him?”
While Adam’s heart was thudding against his chest, he maintained his outward calm. He flexed his fingers a little and rolled his shoulders. He was primed like a detonation charge, ready to act on a moment’s notice. The gesture was so slight he didn’t think Fayte would spot it.
“Is that why you came to me? You are correct. I am the person you’re thinking of. However, how did you discover who I was? I was certain I made sure to cover all my tracks. I even deleted every gaming account I owned.”
“I’m so glad I was right.” Fayte placed a hand against her chest, and this time, even Adam found he could not tear his eyes away from the way her bosoms heaved—he was still a man, after all. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to notice and continued talking. “You did a great job at disappearing. No one would ever have been able to find you even if they realized Adam was your real name. Actually, if it wasn’t for me seeing you while I was in line to get the new game system for Age of Gods, I would have never known it was you.”
“And how did you know it was me? I always made sure to change my character’s appearance when I played.” Adam placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, piercing Fayte with a sharp look like pointed blades, though she did not seem bothered.
“It is true that your characters always looked different from game to game, but there are a few things you always kept the same like your height and body type. Your characters have the same physique you do. I suspect you did this because it’s easier to move in a body that feels similar to your original body. Of course, that alone would never be enough to figure out who you are. The main reason I knew you are the person people called the Untouchable Emperor is because of how you walk.” Fayte’s answer surprised him, but before he could ask her to clarify, she continued. “Everyone has a certain way of walking, talking, and specific mannerisms that are unique to them. Your walk is like that of a natural born predator. It is deadly and makes me feel like I’m standing on the edge of a sword. The man known as the Untouchable Emperor walked the exact same way you do. I don’t think I need to tell you this, but it is impossible for two people to walk in the exact same way—even identical twins cannot do it.”
Her answer startled Adam, to the point where his eyes actually felt like they were bulging from his sockets. She recognized him because of the way he walked? What sort of joke was this? Even Adam, with his incredible skills of observation and perception, could not tell who someone was simply by looking at how they walked.
Fayte finally cracked a grin when she saw how shocked he was. “Of course, it’s not as if that would be enough to figure out who you are. The truth is, I’ve been watching recordings of all your previous battles recently, studying them to see if there was anything that might help me solve my current problem. If it wasn’t because I have a very acute memory and you—or rather, the Untouchable Emperor—have been on my mind this past month, I might not have recognized you.”
Adam calmed down upon hearing her words, but he was still surprised. Even barring everything else, the fact that she was able to recognize him from the way he walked was incredible. Her perceptions must have been outstanding. Superhuman even.
An unconscious respect for this woman rose within his chest.
“So the reason you were studying videos of my competitions is related to the problem you want me to solve?” he asked.
“Yes.” Now that they were getting to the crux of why she was here, Fayte became nervous. She began playing with her fingers and took several deep breaths. Adam waited patiently for her to begin talking again. “Do you know how powerful family’s work in this day and age? How many of them are interconnected and become powerful conglomerates?”
“It’s through marriage, right?” asked Adam.
“Yes. Marriage. Women born into a powerful family are groomed for marriage to the men of other powerful families. This is all done in order to secure a family’s future prospects and increase the family’s prestige among other wealthy and influential families.” Fayte’s eyes became bitter as she stared at her hands. “I come from the Dairing Family. We are a very powerful and very affluent family whose name is consistently near the top when it comes to wealth and finances. However, we are not the most powerful. In fact, while we are exceedingly wealthy, my family has never reached the top twenty in terms of rank, wealth, or influence.”
Adam could already figure out where this was going. He could even vaguely figure out what she wanted from him, but he didn’t say anything, instead letting this woman explain her circumstances.
Fayte continued when she saw Adam remained silent. “I’m sure you saw me when I was following you earlier. I was wearing a veil over my face. I usually travel with a veil on.”
“I can see why,” Adam said. “With your devastating beauty, it would cause any man who looked at you to lose their mind.”
“You haven’t,” Fayte pointed out with a smile.
�
��I’m different from most men.” Adam broke into a wry grin.
Her smile widening, Fayte continued. “My family and I ended up being invited to the party of a young master who was celebrating his twenty-sixth birthday. My… father… refused to let me wear my veil. He said it would be disrespectful to the young master. I don’t think I need to tell you where this is going, do I?”
At Fayte’s pointed look, Adam shook his head. “I’m guessing the young master saw you and became infatuated.”
“He declared right in the middle of the party that he was going to take me as his bride,” Fayte said with a humorless look in her eyes. “Of course, my father was ecstatic. This particular young master belongs to the current number one most influential family in the American Federation. He’s the heir to a corporation worth fifty trillion dollars. If my father could marry me off to him, he would be able to raise his societal status far more than he ever could on his own.”
“And what is the name of this young master?” asked Adam.
“Levon Pleonexia.”
The moment Adam heard the name, his entire mind felt like it had shut down. Every cell in his body burned red hot. He clenched and unclenched his hand several times as he struggled with an intense loathing that caused his heart rate to skyrocket. It was as if he could actually feel his heart throb and thud against his ribcage.
“Are… are you okay?” asked Fayte.
The nervousness and genuine worry in her voice helped Adam calm down.
“I’m fine.” He took a deep breath and focused back on their conversation. “So, Levon decided you were going to be his bride, and your father agreed to marry you off… but you did not agree with the idea. Is that about right?”
“You are completely right.” Fayte still looked worried, but she nodded and pushed their conversation forward. “I did not agree at all. I publicly rejected Levon during the party. However, my father became angry at me and said I had no right to refuse. Fortunately, the law is still with me on this. I cannot be married against my will… but Father didn’t care. After I refused to marry Levon, he disowned me. He told me I was no daughter of his. After I was disowned, Levon came and offered me an out.”
“The bet.” Adam nodded. “What was it?”
“I must complete three separate goals within three years in order to win the bet.” She held up a single finger. “One: I must accrue half the annual income of the Dairing Family.” She held up a second finger. “Two: I must increase my standing and reputation to match or exceed the least powerful family among the top ten most powerful families in the American Federation.” Finally, she held up a third finger. “And three: I must create a guild in Age of Gods, and that guild must be ranked among the top five guilds. If I can do all that, Levon will publicly announce that he has rescinded his marriage offer after giving it more consideration. He said he would even convince Father to repeal his decision to disown me.”
Adam nodded once. “And I suppose if you lose, you’ll have to marry Levon.”
“Exactly,” Fayte said.
“That third goal, is it national or international?” asked Adam.
Placing within the top five guilds would be difficult regardless, but there was a monumental difference between the national and international rankings. The American Federation only had two guilds that continuously placed within the top five. Those guilds also belonged to the two most powerful families in the country.
“National,” Fayte answered.
Adam leaned back in his chair. He did not know how rich the Dairing Family was, nor did he particularly care. This right here was the reason she had come to him.
Now it was time to determine her character and get her to spell out what she wanted, even though he already had a hunch.
“So what is it you want from me? I do have a bit of money left over from when I was gaming, but it’s not enough to help you.”
“I would never ask someone I barely know for money.” Fayte gave him a hard look like he had just insulted her integrity. “What I want is for you to get a copy of Age of Gods and join the guild I am forming in the game. I want you to raise your reputation, earn more acclaim than anyone else, and help me win the bet against Levon.”
“I understand now,” Adam said. “You want me to increase my reputation, and then work under you. Once Age of Gods opens its Money Exchange System, you can use my reputation to build up your own reputation, earn money in the game, and convert it into real world currency. Like that, it would be perfectly possible for you to earn millions or even billions of dollars in the virtual world. And with more money, you can achieve your goals that much more easily. You’d be killing two birds with one stone—no. I guess you’d be killing three birds with one stone.”
Adam understood her plan extremely well since he had used that very method to buy this apartment, all the medical equipment, and everything else he owned. At the same time…
“You realize, of course, that it will still be next to impossible to make half the annual income of your family within three years even with my help, right? Disregarding the other two goals to your bet, this alone will be incredibly hard to achieve.”
“I am aware.” Fayte’s determined smile did not leave her face, but the look in her eyes, the sense of resignation he saw present, caused him to understand that she knew exactly how impossible her task was. “However, even if the chance is one in a million… even if it is a one in ten trillion chance, I will not give up until I’ve failed. I suppose you could say this is my last act of defiance.”
Ever since this woman told him about how she’d discovered who he was, Adam felt some respect for her. Now, as he listened to her talk about how she refused to give up even in the face of a hopeless situation, the respect he felt skyrocketed.
This woman was impossibly determined. She knew there was next to no chance of her succeeding, and yet she still refused to roll over and accept her marriage to Levon Pleonexia. That level of determination was something he’d never seen on anyone else except one person.
And that person was currently sitting in the room and talking to her.
“I understand your situation,” Adam said at last. “And I am willing to help you on several conditions.”
“Name them,” Fayte said immediately.
“The first condition.” Adam held out a hand and stuck his index finger out. “You cannot under any circumstances give out any information about myself or Aris. Our identities in the real world must remain completely confidential. The second condition.” He held up his middle finger. “The doctor you get to cure Aris’s Mortems Disease must be a woman and I must be present at all times. The third condition.” He held out his ring finger. “In the event that your method doesn’t work and Aris is not cured, I will not help you any further. That will be the end of our agreement. These three conditions are non-negotiable. You can take them or leave them.”
The only reason Adam was willing to help this woman was on the off chance that she really could cure Aris of her disease. If she could do this, Adam would do everything within his power to ensure she not only met but exceeded her goals. He would give her everything. He would give her anything. However, if she failed and Aris was not cured, then the one reason Adam had to live would be gone.
He stared at Fayte, wondering whether or not she would accept such extreme conditions.
“I can agree to conditions one and three,” she said at last. “The second condition isn’t something you need to worry about. The device I have that can cure Mortems Disease doesn’t require a doctor and is very simple to use. I know how it works, so I’ll be the one activating it. That said, Aris will need to live with me while she’s being cured. You can also move in with me since I can’t imagine you’ll want to be away from her.”
Adam pondered her words for a few moments, then slowly nodded. “I can live with that arrangement.”
“Then do we have a deal?” asked Fayte.
“I believe we do,” Adam said.
Fayte held ou
t her hand and Adam, realizing what she wanted, reached out and grabbed it. He could not help but marvel at how soft her hand was. Adam owned bed sheets made from the softest fibers in the entire world, and yet this woman’s hand was a thousand times softer than anything he’d ever felt before. It was also warm, like the kindness in her heart had seeped into her skin.
“Thank you for agreeing to help me,” Fayte said as he saw her out.
“You shouldn’t thank me yet. There is still a chance I won’t do it,” Adam warned her.
“Be that as it may, I am still grateful to you,” Fayte said, then paused. “I have to pick up the system for Age of Gods. It requires a DNA sample to synchronize with your mind. Do you want me to grab yours while I’m there? A lock of your hair should suffice for a DNA sample.”
Adam didn’t debate long before agreeing. He cut off a bit of his hair, sealed it inside of a container, and handed it to Fayte before she left.
He stood in front of the door for some time, reliving the events that just happened. He didn’t know whether he was excited or scared. There was a chance that Aris could be cured. There was also a chance, however, that the disease would not be cured. If this could not cure her, then Aris would likely die within a few more months.
He sighed. “I guess it is true what they say. Nothing is more dangerous than hope.”
“Adam?”
Dispelling those unpleasant thoughts at the sound of Aris’s soft and sweet voice, Adam made his way into the master bedroom, where the young woman he’d dedicated his life to lay on the bed, wide awake.
“Hey. Have you been awake for long?” asked Adam.
“Mm. A little while. Were you talking to someone?” asked Aris.
“Just someone who wanted a favor,” Adam said.
“A favor?”
“I’ll tell you about it after dinner. Come on. I made rotisserie chicken and coconut curry soup today.”
Because Aris’s muscles had degraded to the point where she couldn’t even walk and could barely lift her arms up, Adam was the one who helped her do everything. He carried her to the dinner table and sat her down, brought out the food, and fed her a little bit at a time. He also had her drink the “medicine” he made. Not only could she barely do anything, but she couldn’t chew that well because the muscles in her jaw had also atrophied. That was the reason most of his food was a liquid like soup.
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