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"No problem."
Raval agreed instantly, almost a little too quickly.In fact, he even looked faintly pleased.
If he could use his sister to get close to someone this powerful, then it was nothing but profit. That useless brother of his—well, dead is dead.
"Still, my lord," Raval said carefully, "your actions today will surely stir resentment among the pure-blooded demon families. Do you want me to smooth things over?"
"…Wait, you're seriously not bothered that I killed your brother?"
Edgar couldn't help his surprise. The man was way too calm. He didn't seem to be faking it, either.
"He insulted you, my lord. He deserved his punishment."Raval's expression turned cold. "To provoke a man of your strength—whether he died by your hand or not—I would have punished him by family law anyway."
So even fratricide was nothing special to him, huh?
Edgar gave him a long, thoughtful look.As expected of someone born into one of the great pure-blood houses. Idiots like Riser really were the exception.
On the way, Raval never stopped pledging his loyalty.Not that Edgar believed a single word.But that didn't matter.
He didn't need to be liked.As long as others feared his strength, that was enough.
Before long, the two arrived at a spacious hall.Raval ordered the maids to bring tea, then smiled politely.
"My lord, please wait a moment. I'll bring Ravel to you."
Edgar settled into a chair, sipping at the red tea with unhurried grace.
Some time later, two figures entered the hall.
RavalPhenex led the way, and behind him walked a young woman.
It was none other than Ravel Phenex.
She wore an elaborate, elegant gown, the bodice pulled tight to show off her delicate waist. The white silk hugged her form, outlining her curves perfectly.
Her golden twin-tails spilled down gracefully, giving her the strange dual charm of both a pampered princess and the girl-next-door.
No wonder it took them so long.Clearly, she had dressed up for the occasion.
A faint smile tugged at Edgar's lips.
Ravel moved with deliberate grace, lifting the hem of her long dress as she approached. A flash of slender legs wrapped in white silk stockings showed as she curtsied politely.
"I am Ravel Phenex. It's an honor to meet you, my lord."
"I'm Edgar." He returned the smile. "The pleasure's mine."
"I heard… you wanted to see me?" Ravel asked hesitantly as she stepped closer.
A subtle fragrance—soft yet rich, like blooming flowers—already filled Edgar's senses.
Invisible flames seemed to rise between them.
"My lord Edgar, I still have some matters to attend to," Raval said with a bow. "I'll leave Ravel to entertain you."
With that, he gestured for the servants to withdraw, then cast Ravel a meaningful glance before leaving.
Her cheeks instantly flushed pink, but she nodded obediently.
"Interesting," Edgar murmured, amusement flickering in his eyes. Nothing escaped his notice.
He asked casually, "Ravel, you've heard I killed Riser, right? And yet you're here, entertaining me. Don't you hate me for it?"
"Not at all!" Ravel shook her head quickly. "My third brother and I… never got along. Why would I hate you for that, Lord Edgar?"
Edgar blinked.Really? Did he remember it wrong?Or was this just another ripple of butterfly effect in this jumbled world?
"Well then… let me test that."
He flicked his hand, weaving a barrier around them. Then he extended a finger, and golden blood welled up from the tip.
Ravel tilted her head, puzzled. "What is that?"
"My unique reincarnation ritual," Edgar explained calmly. "If I leave a mark on you, you'll become my dependent."
"I see…" Ravel whispered softly.
Ravel's eyes widened slightly in realization.
But still…A reincarnation ritual that didn't use the Evil Piece system? That was the first she'd ever heard of.
She nodded obediently. "So… what should I do?"
"First, take off your outer clothes."
Ravel froze. Her cheeks instantly burned red.
She had prepared herself mentally for this.But when the moment actually arrived…It was far more embarrassing than she'd imagined.
"Haaah…"
She let out a shaky breath, then reached back to undo the clasp.The bindings came loose, and her chest bounced lightly, freed at last.
Edgar's eyes lit up.
You'd never guess it from her appearance, but her body alone marked her as at least C-class strength.
And soon after—
"Tch."
Edgar drew in a quiet breath, his finger twitching as his gaze dropped lower.
A pair of long, shapely legs wrapped in white garter stockings slipped into view.
And then… his eyes caught on a flash of skin—his eyelid twitched involuntarily.
Ravel felt his gaze. Her slender frame trembled faintly.
Timidly, she whispered, "Lord Edgar… what do I do next?"
"Relax. Just stay still."
Edgar extended a finger and let a drop of blood fall onto her skin.
A dazzling light flared, a heart-shaped sigil glowing briefly before fading away.Strange runes shimmered for an instant, then vanished into the glow.
Edgar finally pulled his eyes away, his attention shifting to the flood of information that surfaced before him:
[RavelPhenex]
[Race: Devil]
[Master: Edgar Lucifugus]
[Level: 34]
[Skills: Destruction Magic, Destructive Evil Eye]
[Phenex Body – any physical injury can fully regenerate.]
[Phenex Tears – her tears can instantly heal all wounds of the one who uses them.]
…Phenex Body again?That overlapped with his own blood-rebirth ability.
Well, it made sense. The more vassals he gained, the more duplicate skills were bound to appear.
But what really caught his eye was the skill called Phenex Tears.
Did that mean… he'd have to make her cry in order to use it?
Seriously? That's just humiliating.
Mm… whatever. He'd let Ravel handle that part herself. The end result was the same either way.
Still, what drew his attention more was the girl herself.
Ravel stood there quietly, her expression calm and unresentful.
She really didn't hate him.
So this was what a pure-blood devil from an old house was like?Truly remarkable.
Then again… in some worlds, there are wolves who don't even consider avenging their parents worth the trouble.
"Lord Edgar, is something wrong with me?"
Ravel blinked up at him, puzzled.
"Nothing. I just think you're surprisingly honest. A good girl."
"Eh…"
Caught off guard by the unexpected praise, Ravel's cheeks flushed again, shy this time.
"Alright, take a look at this."
Edgar transcribed the information he'd seen and showed her.
Ravel peered at it, half-understanding at best, then nodded.
The first things that caught her eye were the two skills: Phenex Body and Phenex Tears.
Right… the trademark abilities of her family.
That much she expected—until her pupils suddenly contracted sharply.
"The Tears of the Phenex… turned into this?"
Ravel muttered under her breath, eyes locked on the skill description.
The Tears of the Phenex were the hidden treasure of her family. Normally, to obtain them, a pure-blooded member had to perform a ritual inside a special magic circle. The process was strict: water had to be poured into a cup prepared through secret rites, and into that water, one had to let fall a single tear. Only then would it transform into the legendary Tears of the Phenex.
But that wasn't all.
The ritual demanded absolute emptiness of heart at the moment of weeping—any stray thought would cause it to fail. Beyond that, countless other rules and conditions had to be followed, which was why the Tears were always produced in pitifully small amounts.
Yet now…
All of those steps had been skipped.
All it took was for her to shed tears.
And then—
Her eyes flicked to her own status. Level 34.
"What… what is this? It feels like something out of a human world game."
Seeing her confusion, Edgar gave a brief explanation.
"It's really true, then," she whispered.
Ravel's hands clenched tighter, and excitement flashed in her eyes.
A level system, just like in a game. Monsters gave experience when slain.
What did this mean?
It meant she no longer had any bottlenecks holding her back. With enough time, she could rise without end. She could become the Phenex family's first demon lord in countless generations… maybe even stronger than that.
"Master, I never imagined you would possess such incredible power."
Ravel lifted her gaze toward Edgar, admiration and longing shimmering in her eyes.
The world revered strength. For pure-blooded demons, that reverence bordered on worship. And Edgar's power—there was no other word but unbelievable.
She was certain of one thing: if this truth ever spread, demons across the realm would envy, resent, and even destroy themselves for the chance to become Edgar's vassal.
The thought sent a jolt through her, and her fists tightened.
Opportunity. She had never dreamed of stumbling into one this vast.
When she first learned she was to be given to Edgar, she hadn't hated the idea, but she hadn't welcomed it either. Who would? Being handed over to some unseen demon lord who ruled by sheer power was hardly anyone's dream.
But now… she was truly, deeply grateful.
She had been blessed with an unimaginable stroke of fortune.
Her cheeks flushed at the realization, and with a mix of shyness and resolve, she spoke.
"Master… allow me to show you around."
Her ears burned red as the words left her lips.
"..."
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