by Jason Hale
Konnor was puzzled. Was it possible that Origin Sight was the real reason behind his predecessor's death? But if that was true…
"In any case, what you do in the future depends solely on yourself. As for me, my second task is to teach you what you have yet to learn about your abilities. Especially lineage weapons and demonic contracts."
The man would then carry on with instructing him on how to use certain abilities like the incubi's innate illusion powers, and the different types and functions of demonic contracts.
"When you return to the real world, you can stimulate your blood to summon your lineage weapon. Wielding it, your strength will drastically soar, and fighting across an entire rank will be simple. But remember, it possesses a clear demonic signature. Thus, if you unleash it, make sure no undesirable witness remains."
"Never forget that the primary drive of powerful incubi is not lust. It is domination. Be wary of the Celestial Church."
"All that needed to be said has been. I will be available if you have any future questions but for now…get the fuck out."
And so Konnor was expelled.
Chapter 26 - First Demonic Contract: Partnership of Equals
Konnor's eyes opened to the sight of Jasime processing her gains at his front with her body stilled bare, and refined by her improving cultivation. It appeared the flame mark altered his perception of time and he had only left for an instant.
He stopped his cultivation, got dressed and waited for her to finish while pondering the critical issue of whether to reveal his true parentage or not. He wasn't concerned about her freaking out as he could effortlessly modify her memories if he so wished.
But doing so would denaturalize a relationship he was starting to find rather entertaining. And as he tackled the issue within his mind, Jasime's eyes opened.
"How long have you been staring at me like that?"
Konnor had not realized that while lost in thoughts, his eyes had locked on her naked form with a blank stare.
Disgraceful…
"Hum, hum. I have been meaning to tell you something relatively important."
"I'm a demon."
"What?"
"I'm a demon."
"I heard the first time."
"It didn't seem like it."
The fast exchange caused Jasime's eyes to blink at breakneck speed while droplets of sweat formed on her forehead.
"What kind of demon?"
"An incubus. Wait…that's what you're worried about?"
Seeing her eyes shine with a sense of awareness, Konnor realized she was more concerned about the nature of his demonic heritage than with him being a demon.
"No wonders…the first time we met, I knew there was something off about you, but I couldn't put my fingers on it. Afterward, I thought it was just a result of your cultivation, but now it doesn't seem to be the case."
Back then, he used his demonic aura to make her more "open to suggestions."
"Why aren't you…frightened?"
He could smell no fear from her body, a reaction vastly different and more irrational than Ilaina's when she first learned of his true nature.
"All I know about demons is hearsay. Paragon spirits are supposedly the noblest creatures of the Holy Continent, but Wenzel is a true degenerate. In other parts of the world, serpents are supposedly symbols of sneaky and untrustworthy behavior. Yet, in the Holy Flame Empire, they are among the highest-ranking noble races. As for us humans, we are branded as slaves whose sole worth is to serve. Who cares about you being a demon, as long as you're not the type that needs to kill and torture to grow…it doesn't matter."
"The "who" is more important than the "what."
"Demon or not, I will still conquer you!"
Konnor was speechless. He had not expected her to be this broadminded and somehow felt ashamed of his initial apprehension.
"That being the case, what would you say about signing a contract?"
"A contract? An actual demonic contract like in the legends?"
"Not quite. What I offer you is the Partnership of Equals. If you accept it, you will become a true member of my household, and we shall share mind and blood. Among other things, your cultivation speed will soar."
"In a nutshell, you will always have a slice of my pie and I of yours."
Jasime's eyes lit up. She didn't care about all the mentioned cultivation benefits. What truly grabbed her attention was that the terms were very similar to a marriage contract!
Hehe, she had yet to put a ring on his finger that he was delivering himself to her doorsteps? Of course, she would not let him go!
"I agree!"
In theory, forcing a demonic contract was impossible. Both parties had to be willing for it to occur. Of course, there were ways to force willingness.
Konnor cut his lips, causing blood to trail down his chin and paint his mouth in red.
He then waved his sleeves and conjured five purple pentagrams that hovered around the two of them.
"Jasime, step forward."
She didn't hesitate, stood up and walked toward him.
"Are you willing in all conscience to abandon your humanity for my demonic blood?"
"I am willing."
"Are you willing in all conscience to forsake your lineage and ancestry for the right to join my household?"
"I am willing."
"To forever brand your soul with the mark of my lineage?"
"I am willing!"
"Then I, Konnor of the house of Taltus welcome you to the fold of demonkind as my chosen kin and bind myself to you through spirit and blood!"
Massive purple light exploded from the pentagrams and shrouded the two of them while Konnor took Jasime within his arms and kissed her with his bloodied lips. Parts of his demonic essence flew past his mouth, dived into her and mixed with her bloodline, turning her from a pureblooded human being to a half-succubus.
Her cultivation base experienced another breakthrough, going from the fifth step Adept Knight to the first step True Knight and from first step Adept Priest to the sixth step Adept Priest.
Meanwhile, her innate comprehension level and cultivation talent were added to Konnor's and a part of his to hers.
Thus, the pact was sealed.
Konnor then placed the harem ring on her finger and left her to adjust to her new self.
...
In the meantime, within a pavilion of the Holy Empress' palace, two breathtaking women were engaging in a chess match.
One was dressed in an elegant backless white maxi dress that outlined her perfect hourglass figure and possessed curly silver hairs and eyes that made her paragon spirit heritage evident. She was the Holy Empress, Verena Kvass.
The other was a crimson dressed woman with long ink-like hairs and slit blue eyes that were the only thing discernable beneath her silver mask. She was the Holy Consort, Else Metze.
And with the Dowager in seclusion, those two were the most powerful women of the Holy Flame Empire.
"Your last move was not bad. Reshaping Wenzel's memories to make him forget who truly harmed him and then using him to turn Yvonne against the emperor and gain her support. I must say I'm impressed."
"But are you not afraid that when his majesty comes looking for answers, I will reveal the little stunt you pulled?"
Although she rarely intervened in matters of the inner court, the Holy Empress was fully aware of the various consorts' daily moves. That night, she had been monitoring Else and was surprised to see her intervene in a matter directly related to the emperor for the sake of a eunuch boy.
More surprising was that despite knowing that she was being monitored, Else didn't hesitate to act. And while she subsequently used that matter as a tool to obtain the support of Wenzel's mother, it was clear the original intent was to save that boy.
Verena was perplexed as to why Else who never made any rash move would risk offending the emperor for the sake of a seventeen years old eunuch.
"As the leader of the inner court, y
our majesty is by right my older sister. That being the case, I don't see why I should be afraid of my older sister revealing my secrets. Also, if there is something, we can all agree on, it's that antagonizing the emperor is your favorite activity."
Else nonchalantly replied while moving a black pawn.
"Touché. I do not care about any of that. I'm more interested in the eunuch boy you seem so fond of. Could he be a man you snuck into the palace to be your little lover? Or is there a deeper story here?"
Verena teased with her lips curled in a mischievous smile.
"I didn't know your majesty had such an interest in gossiping."
"Don't all bored women love spicy gossips? As the country's most unentertained woman, it is only natural that I also have some interest in them."
Verena replied while moving a white pawn.
"If you're that interested, why not make a full inquiry? Investigate as you wish and see what you can find out. I have nothing to hide."
"Will you really not mind?"
"As long as your majesty doesn't go beyond a certain point, I will of course not mind."
Verena's interest was only heightened.
But looking at the chessboard, it seemed Else's pawn was about to reach promotion. As for what it would turn into, she didn't know.
Chapter 27 - Go Get Your Milk Elsewhere!
"Well then, I shall take you up on your offer."
And so the chess match was brought to a halt. Else left the empress' palace and returned to hers where the blue-haired lady, Konnor could have easily recognized as the one that sentenced his predecessor to death, awaited with a deferential stance.
"Welcome back your grace!"
She greeted upon seeing Else step into the main hall.
"Tamara? What are you waiting here for? Don't you have tasks to attend to and connections to weave?"
"Your grace I was wondering, why didn't you hide your recent moves from the empress' sight? With your current cultivation, it would have been impossible for her to monitor you if you didn't allow her to."
The world only knew that Else was a martial arts genius and had reached the Holy Knight Rank decades ago. But only a scant few knew that she was also a spiritual genius and had reached the Holy Rank in both paths.
Her silver mask was a holy artifact that made her spiritual cultivation completely untraceable.
"Why hide? If Verena wants to play with fire, let her burn."
"Your grace this is far too reckless. If the empress ever realizes the bloodline of that boy, we're doomed!"
Tamara panicked in front of Else's indifference.
"Wasn't your initial plan to use him as a tool to tame the consorts and ultimately target the empress? Why is it that now that he can achieve that, you seem so terrified?"
Tamara possessed the rare Origin Sight ability and thus quickly became aware of the previous Konnor's incubus nature. Back then, Else had asked her to keep watch on him while she left the palace to seal an important deal in person.
But although she tried to let nothing transpire, it was clear that boy caused Else to act in strange manners. Thus, Tamara chose to test him. If they could use him, she would train him into a weapon to subjugate the resisting consorts. If they could not, she would take matters in her own hands and get rid of that time ticking bomb that could at any time be used against her mistress.
The previous Konnor proved himself useless, and it was clear that his bloodline would never awaken in a lifetime. Yet, that blood was still there. So, she no longer hesitated and had him canned to death!
But what she had not expected was that by the time Else returned and learned of the events, she beat her until she was half an inch away from death. Only when signs of Konnor's lifeforce miraculously reappeared within the inner court did she spare her life.
She had always believed herself to be the closest person to Else within the inner court. But she was ready to brutally execute her to avenge that boy? It was impossible for their relationship not to be extraordinary.
And that was a grave issue because even now, thanks to her Origin Sight, Tamara could see that Konnor's bloodline had risen from a half to a pureblooded incubus!
How he achieved that, she didn't know. But the fact of the matter was that a pureblooded demon now resided within the inner court and was being sheltered by Else.
"Your grace, I do not understand why you care so much for that boy, but I implore you to act with lucidity. The Holy Empress is the Dowager's niece. The Dowager is one of the leading priestesses of the Holy Flame Church that has always been looking for ways to exterminate us. The chance of this ending with our heads rolling on the floor is way too high! For the sake of the souls we must avenge, please reconsider!"
...
Meanwhile, Konnor now stood within his dungeon in front of his gathered female captives. Those he had already conquered looked at him with yearning while the rest stared onto the ground with evident dread.
"I'm giving you all an opportunity to sign a contract of eternal servitude with me. Agree, and henceforth, you shall join my household as servants and receive the benefits that implies. Refuse…and I have no further use for you."
He coolly declared.
Freya and the priestesses that had tasted the golden rod had already fallen on their knees in submission.
"We agree!"
Quickly, the two court ladies and remaining palace maids followed suit. Although unlike Freya they didn't have a clear understanding of Konnor's true nature and didn't know what the contract really implied, they didn't want to die.
Unlike the Partnership of Equals that had limited quotas, the number of allowed Master-Servant contracts was infinite.
Konnor executed the ritual and imprinted their chests with the Mark of Servitude of House Taltus: A pair of purple butterfly wings.
Overall, their cultivations rose, those at the Adept Rank saw their cultivation rise by two steps. Those at the True Rank by one and the two court ladies at the Grand Knight rank were close to breakthrough another level.
And as Konnor's cultivation rose, so would theirs. As for himself, he had obtained all their cultivation talents as well as their absolute obedience. Not only that but with a thought, he could decide their life and death.
Their minds were also open books for him to browse through.
"Freya, step forward."
"Yes, master!"
Freya didn't hesitate and stepped toward him.
"How much access do you have to house Schoner's finances?"
Freya was puzzled as to why her master was now interested in the finances of her husband's house but still replied.
"My husband greatly dotes on me and gives me full access to his bank accounts and assets. But those only represent a third of house Schoner's finances. The remaining two-thirds are within the hands of my brother in law, count Wilhelm Schoner."
Wilhelm Schoner was the contemporary head of house Schoner and Thorsten's elder brother. He was said to be a sixth step Transcendent Knight.
"At how much can you estimate the part your husband controls?"
"About fifty to sixty millions purple crystals!"
"I give you one week to put it all in my hands."
"What?"
Freya believed she didn't hear him right, and so gave him an incredulous stare.
"Need I repeat myself?"
"No…Master I will deliver!"
"Good. Execute this task, and I will help you quickly return to your previous level and even go beyond."
Hearing that, Freya was overjoyed. Her cultivation loss had been a great blow to her self-esteem, and she was eager to regain it.
As for why Konnor was targeting house Schoner, it was because they were the easiest fat sheep to target. Initially, he planned to auction the three low-grade Grand Level Spiritual methods he had exchanged from the system to make a solid profit and establish himself financially.
However, with the recent developments, it was obvious he would need to prepare himself
to escape from the palace!
And not just escape but escape with enough resources that he could effortlessly establish himself elsewhere and build his own faction.
"Thorsten Schoner, I have nothing against you. But for the sake of my survival, I must use your wife to screw you over!"