Chapter 157: Sing For Me

Gulp.

"Aaaah!...L-Lord Commander?" Theodore stammered, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. His mind momentarily froze, unable to comprehend the figure standing casually in his office. 

How in the world did someone bypass all the patrolling guards, the watchful mages in the towers, and infiltrate the most secure location in the palace? And it wasn't just any intruder – it was the Lord Commander of the Frostguard himself, Aron.

"P-Pleasure to meet you," Theodore stammered again, desperately trying to regain his composure despite the shock of this unexpected visitor. His mind churned with a frantic question, 'How the HELL did he manage to slip past the Eye?'

Meanwhile, Octavia stood rooted to the spot, her emotions swirling in a chaotic vortex at the sight of Aron, the man she'd once proposed to.

Aron's crimson eyes gleamed with amusement as his smirk widened at Theodore's reaction. "Oh, believe me, the pleasure is entirely mine," his smooth response only served to further unsettle Theodore. Aron then shifted his gaze to Octavia, a charming smile playing on his lips that sent a shiver down her spine. "Hello, Octavia, it's been a while...A day was it?"

"!!!" His charming smile sent a shiver down her spine, his words stirring up a storm of conflicting emotions within her. She struggled to maintain her composure, her mind racing as she tried to process the unexpected reunion with the man she had proposed to not a day ago.

"Hello, Aron," Octavia replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of uncertainty and nostalgia. "It has indeed been a while."

Aron's smile widened even further, his crimson eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Yeah! I must admit," he continued, his gaze lingering on Octavia, "I've missed you in my arms."

Octavia's breath caught in her throat at his audacious statement. Her cheeks flushed a crimson hue, a mixture of embarrassment and a surprising flicker of longing battling within her. She stole a glance at her brother's shocked face before turning her attention back to the handsome man perched casually on the desk.

"I... I missed that too," she admitted with a blush, "would you like to take a walk in the garden like we did before?" Her proposal hung in the air, the tension thick as she awaited his response.

Aron's smirk softened into a warm smile at her suggestion. His eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'd love to."

Her eyes lit up with joy at Aron's acceptance, a sense of relief washing over her. Seizing the momentary calm, she voiced her most pressing question, slowly approaching the desk. "Did you happen to consider my offer?" she began, "Do you accept... marrying me?"

"WHAT!" Theodore suddenly bellowed, his voice echoing through the room and shattering the tense atmosphere like a thunderclap. Octavia and Aron whipped their heads towards him, startled by his outburst.

Theodore's face contorted in a mixture of shock and disbelief. His eyes widened as he stared at Aron and then at his sister. "Octavia, you... you proposed to him?" he sputtered, struggling to comprehend the situation unfolding before him.

Octavia's cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment, her gaze dropping to the floor as she nodded sheepishly. "Yes, Theodore," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I proposed to Aron."

"You didn't know?" Aron arched an eyebrow, amusement laced in his tone. "Your sister proposed to me after I rescued her from a carriage accident." He ran a hand through his dark hair with a nonchalant air. "What can I say, she fell for my captivating looks."

Theodore's shock morphed into disbelief as he processed Aron's words. "Octavia, is this true?"

Octavia nodded, her cheeks still burning. "Yes, Theodore," she confessed, her voice filled with honesty. "Aron saved my life, and in that moment, I... I fell in love with him." She resumed her approach to the desk, fiddling with her pink earring.

Aron's gaze remained fixed on hers. As Octavia reached the desk, she leaned on it with a seductive smile, a teasing glint in her eyes as she exposed half of her breast to him. "Do you accept marrying me, my love?"

Aron didn't respond immediately, his gaze unwavering as he held her captive. After a beat of silence, he spoke with a gentle tone, "That trick won't work on me again."

"Eh?" Octavia's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Kasumi!" 

The moment Aron called the name, a shadowy fist materialized right before Octavia's face.

BAM!

Octavia barely had time to react before the shadowy fist slammed into her, sending her flying across the room with a forceful impact.

"AHHH!" A sharp cry escaped her lips as pain seared through her. She slumped to the ground, cradling her throbbing side where the shadowy fist had struck.

Theodore lunged towards his sister, his heart pounding in his chest. But before he could take a single step, a cold, sharp blade pressed against his throat. He couldn't see his attacker, but the chilling presence and the undeniable press of the blade rendered him immobile.

Octavia, still reeling from the blow, struggled to push herself up. Her gaze darted towards Aron, but it was instantly snagged by the stunning young woman standing beside him, her violet eyes blazing with fury.

"Master, can I take care of this?" Kasumi, her voice laced with barely contained anger, requested Aron's permission.

Aron's expression remained stoic as he studied Kasumi for a moment. Then, with a subtle nod, he granted her request. "Go ahead, Kasumi," he said, his voice calm but laced with a hint of warning.

Kasumi wasted no time. With swift, precise movements, she lunged forward, her violet eyes burning with an intensity that sent shivers down Octavia's spine. In a graceful blur, she vanished into the shadows, only to reappear a foot away from Octavia.

"!!!" Sensing the imminent danger, Octavia scrambled to activate her magic. A flurry of thin white strings erupted from her fingertips.

"COME! My dolls!" she shouted, directing her strings to the floor, however, the very next moment the white strings bounced back, unable to penetrate the office floor.

"Eh?...Why?" Octavia's heart sank as her magic failed to penetrate the office floor, leaving her defenseless against Kasumi's incoming punch.

"Take this you little bitch!" Kasumi screamed, her fist hurtling towards Octavia with alarming speed. Connecting to her stomach.

"Ugh!!" Octavia screamed in pain before throwing up everything that was inside her stomach. On the floor, her elegant attire and a little on Kasumi's dark armor.

Kasumi on the other hand didn't care about any of this, she quickly resumed her assault, delivering a barrage of punches to the young woman.

Theodore stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock as he witnessed the brutal assault on his sister. He felt helpless, unable to move with the cold blade pressed against his throat. The mysterious attacker behind him remained silent, ensuring Theodore's immobility.

Meanwhile, Aron watched the scene silently, a fierce battle raging within him. He yearned to unleash his dragonfire and incinerate the siblings, but a notification from the system he received upon entering the palace held him back.

…

[New Quest: A Puny Human Dares to Play a Trick on the Dragon. Your loyal shadow wants to teach that human a lesson.

Objective: Let your loyal shadow Kasumi Kage teach the human woman named Octavia Beaumont a lesson.

Requirement: Octavia's death at the hands of Kasumi, or her total surrender.

Rewards: Strengthening the soul's bond between The Dragon and his Shadow. Increased the shadow affinity of your loyal shadow, Kasumi Kage. Grant knowledge about new and advanced shadow skills and techniques to your loyal shadow, Kasumi Kage.]

…

Yes, A quest, and not for him, but for Kasumi.

Initially, Aron was confused, believing that the system had gone crazy…well more crazy than having two different personalities. But actually, that wasn't the case.

The explanation provided by the system made perfect sense since Kasumi is linked to him by soul. The system can react to her desires, and those desires grew more intense when she learned that Octavia tried to seduce Aron using that potent aphrodisiac, on top of that, what made Kasumi truly snap was the marriage proposal.

She would never accept that. NEVER! Her master was hers and ONLY hers. Kasumi, like all of Aron's girls, could painfully accept a new addition to their group if it was Aron's choice. But a woman trying to force her way in on her own, was a BIG NO!

"Ugh!...W-Why…my magic..not working!" Octavia cried out in frustration as her attempts to defend herself failed. She could feel the blows raining down upon her, each one sending waves of agony through her body.

"Heheh~..." A chilling chuckle escaped Aron's lips, drawing everyone's attention. Kasumi momentarily halted her assault, allowing his words to sink in.

"Oh, dear Octavia," he said, amusement lacing his tone, "I've isolated this room from the outside world. Only my will reigns supreme here." He stood tall, a cruel glint in his crimson eyes as he coldly gazed down at her. "There's no escape, and no one will come to save you."

Aron's words echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down the two siblings' spines. They realized that they were completely at his mercy, trapped within his domain with no hope of outside assistance. Theodore's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled against the cold blade pressed against his throat, while Octavia fought to push herself up from the ground, her body aching from the brutal assault.

"Bring them to me," Aron commanded with a chilling finality. Kasumi and the unseen figure behind Theodore, Viper, complied without hesitation.

"AHHH!..." Octavia howled in agony as Kasumi roughly dragged her on the floor by the hair toward Aron's feet, her body wracked with pain from the assault she endured. Theodore could only watch helplessly as his sister was dragged like a lowly slave to her master, his own throat still held captive by the mysterious figure behind him.

Aron reached into his inventory, retrieving a small vial filled with a gray substance. "Open their mouths," he ordered with a cold indifference.

Kasumi swiftly clamped Octavia's jaw open, while Viper delivered a swift kick to Theodore's knee, forcing him to his knees and making him easier to subdue. With practiced ease, Aron poured the gray substance into their mouths, ensuring they swallowed every drop.

Theodore choked and gagged as the bitter liquid forced its way down his throat, feeling a strange warmth spreading through his body. Octavia, still reeling from the pain of Kasumi's assault, could only whimper weakly as the substance took effect.

"W-What have you done to us?" Theodore managed to gasp, his voice hoarse.

A cruel smile twisted Aron's lips. "The same thing you did to my Frostguard."

"!!!" Theodore's heart skipped a beat as he realized that Aron had just planted a parasite inside him. He tried to vomit in an attempt to rid himself of the substance, but it was futile. The warmth continued to spread through his body, suffusing him with a sickening sensation of dread.

Aron watched with a twisted sense of satisfaction as the potion took hold, his amusement evident in his crimson eyes. "Now," he drawled, his voice dripping with malice, "let the real fun begin."

"Lucca," he called. And from the shadow behind the desk, Lucca stepped in. He was watching the whole thing from the sides this entire time.

"Is this the man?" Aron inquired, gesturing towards Theodore.

Lucca's eyes burned with an intensity that sent shivers down Theodore's spine. He nodded curtly, his voice a low growl. "Yes, my Lord. This is the man who took my sister and injured my father."

"Good," Aron replied, retrieving a small rune stone from his inventory and tossing it toward Lucca. "He's all yours. Just make sure he stays alive. Okay?"

Lucca snatched the rune stone out of the air, a flicker of gratitude crossing his features. "Understood, my Lord."

Aron seemed to lose interest in them for the moment. He walked over to a shelf on the right side of the office, where Theodore kept his most prized wines. He scanned the collection before selecting a bottle that stood out for its ornate glass and expensive label. Then he walked back to the desk.

With a nonchalant flick of his wrist, Aron uncorked the bottle of wine, pouring himself a glass without sparing a glance at the two siblings sprawled on the ground before him. He took a leisurely sip, savoring the rich flavor.

"Oh, not bad," he murmured, seemingly pleased with his choice. He drained the glass in one go before pouring himself another. Then, turning his attention back to the quivering siblings on the floor, he leaned back in his chair, wine in hand, a cruel glint in his crimson eyes.

"Now," he drawled, his voice laced with a chilling amusement, "sing for me."