What?
Arthur racked his brain at a tremendous speed, attempting to find an opening to strike. But she interrupted everything with a single sentence. The crimson-eyed man’s mind went blank at those words.
-Would you… like to watch your mother be defiled?
Arthur never knew that a single sentence could cause such great anger. However, as he gazed at Alisha’s smiling face, he immediately understood that her words were not a joke. She truly meant them.
Arthur predicted she did some digging on his family after the crowd came to condemn him. She knew Lily, and tracking the adults she was related to wasn’t too difficult using the Ainsworth family’s connections. 𝚍ｎ𝚘ｖ𝚕.𝚝
Alisha had bared her fangs and gotten into Arthur’s head.
She truly planned on defiling Anna Solace if it ever came to it. The sheer rage boiling in Arthur’s chest wasn’t something that could be described through any language. His eyes turned bloodshot for a split second.
“What’re they talking about?”
“Why’s she close to that backstabbing bastard?”
“Are they… in love?”
They both ignored the words of the public. Arthur stood still, unable to respond to such a blatant provocation.
“Would you?” Alisha asked again, breathing into Arthur’s ear. Her cutesy voice sounded demonic at that moment. Demonic… a word usually related to a species called Demons… on the 99th floor.
Many hated the demons.
Who else hated the demons?
Arthur Solace. The Lord of Sins.
Arthur’s hand moved unconsciously. It didn’t reach for the longsword strapped to his waist. Instead, it aimed directly for Alisha’s smug face. The cyan-haired woman’s eyes widened and she attempted to slice Arthur’s hand using her rapier.
Clasp! Crack!
Arthur grabbed the rapier with bare hands and twisted it, twisting her entire arm while doing so. A bloodcurdling scream escaped Alisha’s lips, and her entire demeanor crumbled before Arthur’s eyes.
With an arm that bent the wrong way, she desperately attempted to escape Arthur’s grip.
“Stay. Still.”
As Arthur’s words entered her ears, her mind went blank. That was the voice of the devil.
The crowd screamed curses while some people attempted to barge onto the battlefield. However, they were restrained by the supervisors of Arcadia Academy and prohibited from approaching the combatants.
Anna hurriedly covered Lily’s eyes.
“What did you say earlier?” Arthur asked, bending the same arm further. Alisha’s cries resounded across the arena. “Say that to my face again. You… you won’t do shit to anyone, will you?”
“I–I won’t!” Alisha responded desperately. She glanced at Jamie, whose gaze was blank. “Please…”
“Does the Ainsworth family allow me to continue?” Arthur inquired, glancing at a certain cloaked man in the distance. The man raised an eyebrow before looking at Alisha, whose tearful eyes were unable to bear.
“No,” the cloaked man replied. “Leave her.”
“What are you going to give me in return?”
“You want something in return? For preserving your own life?” The cloaked man asked, as if Arthur’s words were ridiculous. “Do not joke around in this situation. Announcer… close off the arena.”
In an instant, curtains dropped and the battlefield was hidden from the spectators.
“For preserving my life?” Arthur asked, as if the cloaked man’s words were a joke. “A single move and she’s dead.”
“Would you truly do that, regardless of the consequences?”
“If I’m going to die even if I let her go, what’s the point?”
“You’re… interesting,” said the cloaked man, but his voice remained emotionless. It was like Arthur was conversing with a robot. The surroundings were dark, and Arthur, Alisha, and the cloaked man were the only ones on the battlefield.
The cloaked man was one of the executives of the Ainsworth family. Arthur had noticed him during the time he was observing the exam.
“What do I get?”
“You can choose. The Ainsworth family could put in a good word for you at Arcadia Academy if you want, too.”
“You sound… too casual.”
“Of course, I am. Do you truly believe the Ainsworth family cannot kill you at this second and preserve Alisha’s life?”
“Then why aren’t you doing so?”
“Because prodigies are quite difficult to locate. You defeated Alisha without doing anything. You took advantage of her overconfidence. Also, I watched your battle with Jake. Backstabbing is not honorable, but it is the best way to win.”
“So you’re… sponsoring me?”
“You could think of it that way,” replied the cloaked man. “You spare Alisha and move two steps away, and we’ll grant your family immunity from all dangers. Also, you will be provided with additional safety from all other organizations… we’ll ignore your connection with the Jester Organization.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Drop the act. Those benefits are too good to be true. Ignoring my connection with the Jester Organization? You’ll antagonize the Arcadia Academy.”
“Looks like you’re not blind towards politics,” the cloaked man chuckled, glancing at Alisha’s pained expression.
“What do I have to do?”
“You simply have to help us destroy Arcadia.”
*
“What happened in there?” Henry Noxickle asked, sipping on a latte. Arthur and him were back inside the same cafe where they first met, but their relationship wasn’t too sour anymore. Henry knew antagonizing Arthur would only end in his destruction.
“Oh, nothing,” Arthur replied cheekily.
“You expect me to believe that an executive of the Ainsworth family saw you trying to kill a descendant… and they did nothing?” Henry inquired.
The barrier blocked all sounds, so conversing freely was fine. They simply had to prevent their lips from revealing what they were saying.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Arthur responded frivolously, sipping his black coffee without a shred of concern. “Also, I need you to inform Cecilia Xelgar to meet with Gregorio Dune tomorrow.”
“Okay– what!?” Henry’s eyes widened at that statement. “Cecilia Xelgar… the head of the Jester Organization?”
“Just give her this,” said Arthur before handing Henry a note. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to visit my family. Get it done.”
“I’m totally being treated like a slave, aren’t I?”