Who Has Control

Slowly the night passed without any more incidents.

In the morning Derek knocked at his Lord's room with a Tree Wolf and another man following closely behind.

"Lord! May I enter?"

Allen who had just woken up tired began to prepare himself for either the killing of Edith or her farewell. After nearly five minutes after Derek knocked he called him in.

"Lord! I have nothing to report except for a peaceful night! Although, this man here appears to have something to tell you that he even wanted to leave his post you ordered him to just to tell you something."

The nervous man bowed deeply to Allen before speaking, "Lord! It was not a peaceful night. While we were guarding Sir Derek found someone entered and attacked them, but soon her voice sounded and ordered Sir Derek to sit down and say he saw nothing unusual, Sir Derek then appeared to be controlled as he sat back down as if nothing happened just like she had ordered him to."

The man spoke of every word the woman who entered before bowing once more before moving back again. Allen thought for a moment before ordering Orion to come to the room.

After nearly half an hour of plan-making to kill Edith, Allen called her over to start some small 'talk' and what their future 'cooperation' would be like.

Walking into the room Edith was met with Allen sitting down with three wolves and Orion around him once again. This time on the other side of the room was Derek standing straight and not speaking as if he was nothing but a guard.

"So Allen, what is it you want to talk to me about? Future Cooperation? How do you expect me to even make my territory next to yours?"

"Sit down first and then we can talk more specifically." After Edith sat down, Derek got in position behind her and took out a cloth before covering his eyes.

Allen on the other hand focused entirely on Edith, "Well as you might have understood from the situation on the forums, some people have been blessed by certain gods. So for people like us or more like me, the future will be tough depending on the power of such blessings, it may even be detrimental to normal lords. Having an ally we can trade fairly without the worry of being scammed through loopholes in the trading system.

We can look to each other for support in the future as well. After all, I got a good headstart and you are starting late, so we might at most be equal power making this new alliance, it will be beneficial to both of us." All while this was happening Derek took out his sword and got ready to strike. Orion who was next to Allen also took out a cloth and just as Derek swung his sword, Orion shoved the cloth into Allen's mouth.

Edith quickly found something wrong and dodged to the right making Derek's sword miss, Orion quickly shouted, "Right!"

After hearing that Orion attacked once again to where Edith was, but she was already prepared and dodged while two of the three wolves also charged at this moment!

Edith was no longer having none of it and her fur changed into a silver color as she spoke in a powerful voice, "Enough! Stop attacking!" The wolves all paused for a moment before they closed their eyes and attacked again.

One was able to scratch her and the other got a lucky bite at her arm making a loud *crunch* Unfortunately this was the most they could do, as soon as they came into contact with her they stopped and eyes glazed over. She also leaned over and touched Derek who with his blindfold was unable to do anything.

"So 'Lord' what is it that you wanted to do in the first place? Please tell me honestly~" Edith had a wicked smile that was also supremely charming.

Allen felt like his body was no longer his as he removed the cloth in his mouth. "We wanted to kill the problem that was going to attack in the near future."

"Fufufu~ You say I was going to attack, but how could you know such a thing? Come tell me~"

Despite struggling against her control Allen felt helpless as he spoke without truly speaking himself, "I stationed two men in the Warehouse and one who wasn't controlled by you was able to report back."

"So what did you want to if this plan to kill me failed?" Edith had a terrifying smile as she asked the helpless Allen who could do nothing but follow orders.

"If all failed I would be helpless and just follow you since I would be powerless anyway."

"So you planned all this ally talk just to kill me just to become my slave~?"

"I originally thought as long as you didn't do anything against us I would have this ally talk and truly become an ally even if it would be an uneasy alliance."

"You aren't lying to me? How would you know if I would even do that? Tell me the truth~"

"I knew you wanted to find a place to settle, so you most likely would do something tonight or I would have an uneasy alliance. I also believed you would probably do this since you are most likely a noble of the Fox Beastman race. As a noble, you would underestimate us that have barely anything."

Edith looked exasperated finding out she could have taken over the place as long as she waited the night. "What waste of injuries... Ugghh- Well you said you would just follow me if all failed so I guess this control over you is still pointless."

After the words left Edith's mouth Allen felt all control come back to his body. "Haa- Thank you for at least releasing me. I guess for now I should tell you more about the original plan and everything that led to this situation. If I am going to be a subordinate I might as well earn my place."

After letting out another helpless sigh Allen started telling Edith of all her faults and what estimations they made. "I heard foxes are tricky so I thought you might have a mind control power or any type of power of the mind. I thought of two different possibilities. Either you release a fog or something into the air and that messes with the mind, or you look at us or we look at you to activate the power."

"Fog? Are you thinking about Mirage Foxes? Heh- well you should know I am from the proud race of Illusion Foxes! Mirage Foxes are weaker but can release a wide range of attacks even from a low level. But this advantage becomes common for us Illusion Foxes at a higher level! I might be weak now with only one tail, but in the future, I will be the most powerful! Fufufu~"

After talking more about what they expected Allen finally finished as he told her of all her deficiencies he noticed and what and how they caught on. "Well, I think that is about it. What do you plan to do? Oh- wait since you are the boss now should I call you something special?"

Edith was finally smiling brightly after hearing what Allen told her. Originally she wasn't sure Allen was truly going to follow her, but after hearing his in-depth explanation she realized he was truly doing his best to help his new master be better and become something in the future.

"Fufufu~ Just call me 'Master'~ Now, let me look at my new base."

Allen could only stand up and bow to Edith, "Yes, 'Master' I shall follow your orders."

Nearly skipping out the door Edith took one step out before an axe slammed into her head directly crushing her head.

Allen only watched her dead body crumple over as a devilish grin spread across his face, "As I said, 'If ALL failed I would be helpless and just follow you since I would be powerless anyway.'

Hah~ I am at least happy I don't have to go around and call the b*tch master like I am some stupid victorian era butler."

At this point Orion spoke up with great pride and happiness, "As expected of the Lord! Even if all plans in the room didn't work the fool still fell! Although I would have liked for you not to be gagged through the first part of the plan."

Derek also took off his blindfold and chipped in happily, "I never doubted the Lord for a second! The fool danced in the palm of your hand!"

"Well anyway, I am glad everything worked out as well. Now I can finally see what this 'Talent Devour' talent is."

Allen was so excited to find out how exactly his power worked on other Lords.

[Talent Devour (F rank) -> Can consume the talent of the opponent to allow the user to obtain it. Uses most of the energy of the talent consumed to strengthen itself.]

[Note: The Laughing god expects great things from you, so pull the talent straight out of their heads! Might be useless now, but isn't that what's so funny about it?]

"Out of their heads huh-" Allen curiously walked over to the crumpled corpse of the fallen Fox Beastman and put his hand onto the mush that made up the now split open skull.

[Obtain Lord Talent?]

[Yes]

As soon he picked yes, Allen found his body moved on its own and reached into the skull and pulled out a surprisingly clean crystal. The crystal glowed a strange silver light.

[Devour Lord Talent (Shapeshift)?]

[Yes]

Despite being disgusted at his own action, Allen still chose yes with great anticipation. Very quickly his body moved on its own and shoved the crystal into his mouth as he swallowed it directly without any ceremony.

"What the F*CK! I didn't realize it meant literally devour! UGGHH-" Despite his horror at his actions Allen quickly checked his talent to see if it was truly worth it.

[Talent Devour (E rank) -> Can consume the talent of the opponent to allow the user to obtain it. Uses most of the energy of the talent consumed to strengthen itself.]

[Note: The Laughing god expects great things from you, so pull the talent straight out of their heads! Might be useless now, but isn't that what's so funny about it?]

"THAT'S IT!"