CHAPTER 79: | THE GLAMOR OF SOCIETY | 2

  ---

  The water grew cold as the world darkened, and the night in the underwater realm was mesmerizing to behold.

  There was a unique beauty to this place, and I had plenty of sustenance, [stage 1] demonic beasts were plentiful for me to devour, and a beauty of another kind was on my lap.

  I smiled at my current predicament.

  Even if she rejected my offer now, it wouldn't affect me.

  My priority in this segment was to devour all the [Classed] demonic beasts that I could to become stronger.

  As I could already feel the impending threat of destiny and my first calamity approaching.

  It was funny that the emperor of this empire would be my first stepping stone, but that woman was just too weird.

  Since how could a mere King-class humanoid rule an empire as expansive as this?

  It seemed impossible unless she possessed some special power like an Authority, a bloodline, or a powerful Unique Skill.

  I couldn't figure it out.

  Ashin Sae Acoustine was too mysterious, she was smart enought as to not reveal any details of her power or brag about it like most people did.

  She was someone who controlled her every move, just as she was now, watching my every movement as if Samantha herself were extremely precious to her.

  It was indeed strange.

  It had been a few months since we teleported here, and we had only been gathering information without making any drastic moves.

  This place was teeming with civilization, unlike the jungle we were in before.

  It was quite funny how a dumb titaness had become somewhat skilled in socializing and gathering information after I had taught her for a couple of weeks.

  Closing my eyes as I watched her dance with a sea dragon in the ballroom, as I smiled.

  "That's it, Solia... seduce that guy until he leads us to his home, and that's when we're going to steal their identity."

  I shook my head and smiled, noticing a rat had been glancing at me for quite some time.

  "It seems the emperor of this empire has finally taken notice of me... or has she?"

  My voice was soft as I saw a figure slowly walking toward me.

  Her footsteps were light enough not to shatter the marbled floor but heavy enough to announce her presence.

  Clack! Clack! Clack!

  She walked toward me, then stopped halfway, keeping a distance since she had already gauged my strength earlier.

  Her gaze wasn't directed at me but at Samantha.

  She smiled.

  "I didn't expect that an outsider was creeping in my empire... Have you had fun with my dear Samantha?"

  I chuckled, gazing at her notable features, white hair and blood-red eyes.

  It was none other than Ashin Sae Acoustine.

  She extended her hand, and no words were spoken, a silent demand for me to hand Samantha over.

  But I chuckled and gazed at her with a deadpan expression.

  She smiled and spoke.

  "Are you going to make me wait?"

  Her voice was gentle, and I smiled.

  "Don't order me around, little Emperor of the Sea... Instead, I demand you hand this woman to me, and I shall grant you a wish."

  Hearing my voice, Ashin's eyes gleamed with controlled rage as she unleashed a mountainous pressure toward me.

  I smiled at her challenge, activating my Authority, [The Will of the Distorted].

  Then in the next second her pressure was assimilated into mine, then pushed back into her as I smiled.

  "..."

  Silence ensued.

  Ashin Sae Acoustine only smiled, her eyes glowing violently.

  In the next second, my Authority broke, and I felt a primal dread of death.

  She asked.

  "Interesting... tell me why should I follow your demand?"

  I then gazed at her coldly and raised my hand in surrender.

  'Haa... this woman was more than she appeared. She was powerful, unbelievably powerful for a being who was merely a King-class humanoid.'

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  I gazed at her, then asked.

  "Then at least tell me, what's your intention for rescuing a mere Viscount's daughter, respected Emperor of this sea?"

  Ashin Sae Acoustine stroked her chin with a mischievous smile, then pointed at me, as she chuckled.

  "Let us do a barter... no, a challenge. To marry this woman, you must destroy my empire in a year and prevent me from passing my inheritance to her. Only then would she survive... but that would be an impossibility, even for you, since you are too weak."

  'Bahahahaha... this situation was too funny for me not to laugh.'

  I smiled, as I shouted in my mind.

  'Then let's do this, Ashin Sae Acoustine. Let's do this barter. Let us see who will have the last laugh.'

  I composed myself.

  As I felt like I was becoming too edgy, like the main characters of the novels I'd read in this empire, like The Chronicles of the Sea Demon or The Legend of the Sea Dragon.

  Just the names itself sounded too edgy.

  Hahahaha, if my story is named [The Dimensional Villain Returns: Rise to Ascendance], then it's too fucking edgy.

  Too edgy for me to die with my mouth foaming from shame.

  Still, it's the right title since I'm a villain and I'm aspiring for Ascendance, but bahahahahaha... it's just too edgy that it makes me want to jump out of this novel itself just to strangle the author myself.

  But enough of that.

  Let's begin.

  "Then what would that do for me, Ashin Sae Acoustine? Would it benefit me when I can just flee with her right now and kill you later?"

  Ashin Sae Acoustine chuckled as she pointed at Samantha and giggled.

  "Pft, don't you understand the feeling of your woman? Didn't you investigate that she's my successor? How could a mere daughter of a viscount be eligible to participate in the empire's first banquet?"

  I chuckled loudly, as I hadn't taken that possibility into account.

  Just as she said, the most logical answer would be that an Archduke or someone even higher had invited her, but why would an Archduke invite an ugly duckling who had nothing but her busty figure?

  The only conclusion was that the Emperor invited her since no one could oppose her authority, such that even Archdukes begged to be with her like dogs in heat.

  I chuckled, then nodded.

  "Then I have no reason to clash with you today, since you've given me the opportunity to meet with her before I destroy the empire. Allow her to decide whether she would stay with me or not."

  Ashin Sae Acoustine smiled and giggled.

  "You're not that unreasonable after all since all emperors..."

  But she paused as if some force was preventing her from speaking.

  Confused, she asked.

  "Did I say something?"

  I shrugged.

  Since I knew these symptoms myself, so I smiled.

  This woman was truly a legend of her own.

  Looking down at my lap, I reached my hand and pinched Samantha's nose.

  She squinted in pain, then gazed at me as she closed her eyes again and again, unable to believe it.

  'Why am I on this vile man's lap?! Samantha, what have you done?! Why have you given your chaste body to this vile man?! Just why!'

  She screamed in her mind as she gazed at the handsome man she had met earlier.

  She looked around, only to find her Emperor, and she trembled in her realization.

  'What is Her Majesty doing here? Did she perhaps take an interest in me? But it can't be, my appearance isn't endearing enough for anyone to lust, nor do I have something precious... so the answer is this man.'

  She gazed at the man before her with admiration as she whispered into his ear.

  "Wow! Y-you made Her Majesty take an interest in you!"

  I pushed her face away, as I frowned, and bit my lips.

  'I am no prostitute, so why am I being seen as one? Damned!'

  I sighed, then whispered in her ears.

  "Have you decided on my offer yet?"

  Samantha shook her head, then bowed and apologized.

  "Sorry... but I just can't trust you, Alister... so forgive me for rejecting your offer."

  Ashin Sae Acoustine watched the drama as she chuckled, then gazed straight into my eyes and smiled.

  "So, Alister, the girl you liked rejected you. Well, what can I say? Appearance alone won't get you a date with that rotten personality of yours."

  I was exasperated by her words and couldn't help but break into laughter.

  I gazed at her with arrogance and smiled.

  "Hahaha... you interest me, Ashin Sae Acoustine... But what if I told you I would win her heart?"

  Ashin Sae Acoustine giggled at my words, unable to mask her amusement.

  Confused by our exchange, Samantha gazed at me, then at Ashin Sae Acoustine, biting her lips.

  But before she could speak, Ashin Sae Acoustine interrupted her by grabbing her hand.

  Samantha blushed as Ashin Sae Acoustine smiled and dragged her away.

  "Then let us leave, Samantha."

  Flabbergasted by how unruly she was, not knowing that she was facing the greatest predator in the world, I shook my head and chuckled.

  "Quite the feisty emperor we have..."

  Solia appeared right by my side.

  She shook her head in shame, then gazed at me, meeting my eyes directly.

  "What should we do now, Master?"

  'Yeah, what should we do now to make her agree to be with me... Should I force it? Or perhaps kidnap her, since Ashin Sae Acoustine would prevent me from approaching her unless I agree with her condition.'

  I shook my head.

  It had been a while since I'd felt this helpless... Ashin Sae Acoustine, was it?

  "You've successfully provoked me..."

  Solia shook her head at my words, she was apparently disappointed by my shameful display earlier.

  But she stood still and waited for my decision.

  I gazed at her and chuckled.

  "Change of plans, Solia. You are going to gather information about this world."

  Solia pointed at me and smiled nervously.

  "We're going to gather it, right? R-right, Master?"

  But to her dismay, I only smiled at her as what she dreaded came.

  "No, Solia, it's not 'we'..."

  I pointed at her and chuckled.

  "It's you who's going to gather the information I need and prepare a manor in the imperial capital... Do whatever you need to do to accommodate me, even if it means you are going to steal or kill. Got it?"

  Solia slumped, then sighed and whispered in defiance.

  "Master... why are you so cruel to me?"

  I smiled and rubbed her head as I leaned on her, then whispered.

  "Why? You chose it yourself, Solia."

  Solia sighed, then her body turned into pure lightning, disintegrated, and disappeared from sight as I nodded.

  "Do your best, Solia... since this segment is going to be a bother."

  Why would this segment be a bother?

  Well, there were three reasons.

  First, there were too many powerful figures and overseers in this segment, an anomaly that only appeared in a Great Inheritance Dungeon.

  Not just an Inheritance, but a great one.

  There were Inferior Inheritance Dungeons where a worthy sovereign leaves their inheritance, Normal Inheritance Dungeons where a champion leaves theirs, and, finally, a Great Inheritance Dungeon where one of the most powerful historical figures, an emperor, leaves their inheritance.

  Quite the ranks, right?

  Then there was the second reason.

  This dungeon, no, this segment, seemed to be more than what met the eye.

  Even without knowing Ashin Sae Acoustine, I could tell that at some point she was someone at the center of this world's history, the greatest being, and that she had an inheritance dungeon out of this one.

  Not the Dragon Emperor's, where I was now, but her own inheritance dungeon.

  It was a bit weird that she had a wisp of her records here as a newly crowned Emperor of Atlantis.

  It was as if this was all planned by destiny itself.

  Then there was the third reason, Samantha was in Ashin Sae Acoustine's grasp.

  I wondered why she, a being more powerful than me, would take an interest in her.

  Perhaps she had discovered something amiss with her existence... or perhaps she was just passing her inheritance to her.

  Well, it was probably the latter.

  How could she peer into the void that even I couldn't?

  Even if Ashin Sae Acoustine was the greatest historical figure of this world, she was nothing but a mere mortal, and killing her would only take me a few months, or worse, a year.

  "Let us see this through to the end, Ashin Sae Acoustine."

  Maybe give it a try? ??