After much contemplation, a hypothesis formed in Jazlyn's mind.
"Is it possible that the world is supporting Zeon because a great danger is looming?"
However, even this hypothesis wasn't perfect.
"Why Zeon, the second son of a baron? There are so many more extraordinary people, like my brother, the crown prince, or even the Beast King. What is it about Zeon? The ability to make beasts enter heat is rare, but it doesn't seem significant enough to save the world."
Jazlyn concluded that sitting around and thinking wouldn't lead her to the truth. While the information she had just read seemed plausible, it was hard to trust fully, as it was merely a legend among the beastmen. Facts about the primitive were-animals were unclear, never having been properly studied. In human territories, denying that God created the world would lead to being handed over to the Inquisition. Although Jazlyn viewed religion from the perspective of those in power and was open to other possibilities, she still couldn't outwardly deny the prevailing doctrine.
"If I uncover the secret behind Zeon's fortune, the empire might be able to conquer the continent. I feel sorry for Zeon, but I must inform His Majesty about researching him. Secretly studying the primitive times might be a good idea. If primitive were-animals did exist, and we could harness their fortune, the Bridge of the Sun would be of little consequence. I need to get to the imperial palace before Zeon's luck interferes."
It was already dark outside. She felt too tired to visit the palace today. Jazlyn stood up from her desk but immediately flopped down on her bed.
"I'll go to the palace tomorrow... Haaam…"
Yawning, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
I, Zeon, walked naked down the hallway of the girls' dormitory and arrived in front of Jazlyn's door.
'This is Jazlyn's room. Time to go in.'
Inserting the master key into the lock, I turned it, and the door clicked open. The room was dim, the lights off, but the moonlight filtering through the window revealed faint outlines of the furniture.
I stepped inside quietly and closed the door behind me.
"Heh heh. Now it's time to get acquainted."
The moment I took one step into the living area, a red magic circle flared up beneath my feet. Crimson lights flashed around the room, and an alarm blared.
'Shit! I'm screwed.'
I had completely overlooked the fact that a princess would have protective magic set up in her room against intruders.
'I need to run—now!'
But just three seconds later, the alarm turned off, plunging the room into silence and darkness once more.
"What the…? How did that happen?"
I hadn't done anything, yet the alarm had deactivated on its own.
"Could this be one of those faulty magic circles I've only heard about? Lucky me, I guess."
"Mmmnya mmnya~ Calere~ Stop eating~ Mmmnya mmnya…"
Jazlyn muttered sleepily, turning over in her bed. As I suspected, my luck was holding out.
I approached her bed, gazing down at her peacefully sleeping face, completely unaware of what was happening.
'Time to get acquainted for real.'
"Your mind is growing more relaxed… You're sinking into a deep, peaceful sleep… Your body feels comfortable, your muscles unwinding, and your thoughts drifting away…"
.
.
Before long, Jazlyn had fallen into a deep hypnotic state.
"Now…"
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
"My lady, this is Calere. Are you inside?"
'Damn it. Why did Calere have to show up now?'
It seemed that whenever the alarm went off, Calere was alerted. As expected, Jazlyn wasn't someone who could be taken lightly.
"You can only hear my voice… Nothing else matters except my words… Silence everything else but my voice…"
I whispered instructions into Jazlyn's ear, ensuring her obedience, before moving toward the door.
Bang bang bang!
"My lady! If you don't respond, I'll break the door down!"
"Calere enters a cozy, relaxing room…"
I waited a moment, then cracked open the door. The hallway outside was quiet.
"Has Calere already fallen under my control?"
I opened the door fully, revealing Calere standing there with her eyes closed, looking completely limp. She was dressed in pajamas, a greatsword strapped to her back. Thankfully, the hallway was empty, save for her.
"What brings you here?"
"Someone entered the lady's room…"
"How do you know that?"
"The alarm went off in my room…"
"Is it still going off?"
"I turned it off…"
"Is there any record of when it triggered?"
"No…"
Good. There shouldn't be any issues if I send Calere back.
"You will forget the alarm ever went off… Nothing is happening in Jazlyn's room… Jazlyn is safe and sound, resting peacefully… All memories of the alarm fade away… It never went off… You feel drowsy… The urge to sleep overwhelms you. You are growing heavier and heavier, wanting only to return to bed… Do you want to sleep?"
"Yes…"
"Lift your eyelids and head back to your room… You can think of nothing else but lying down in bed and drifting off to sleep… You see the path back to your room clearly… Now walk. Once you lie down, you'll close your eyes and sleep soundly, waking refreshed in the morning…"
Calere, looking dazed, turned and slowly walked back to her room.
"Phew… Crisis averted."
Now that the interruption was handled, I turned my attention back to Jazlyn. Time to dig deeper into her mind.
"Let's find out who Jazlyn's love interest is."
"Do you have feelings for anyone of the opposite sex?"
"No…"
"Ugh, damn it."
"Is there anyone of the opposite sex who bothers you?"
"Yes…"
"Who is it?"
"Paris…"
"Tch. Paris, huh? This won't do."
"Have you decided on someone to marry?"
"No…"
"Do you have a fiancé?"
"Yes…"
"Do you think anyone is suitable for marriage?"
"Yes…"
"Who?"
"Paris…"
"Hmph, Paris again. You're out of luck, buddy."
"Why is Paris suitable for marriage?"
"Paris is the son and heir of Marquis Pavel, who manages the city of Maine… His family holds significant power and connections… And Paris has served me faithfully for many years… He's a fitting match."
I knew of Marquis Pavel from my Silver Badge education on noble relations. Maine, a large city west of Brissen, was managed by the Pavel family. The marquis was wealthy, controlling multiple trade guilds, and had seven sisters, all married to prominent nobles. Marquis Pavel essentially controlled the economy of the Adrian Empire, making his son, Paris, an ideal match for a politically advantageous marriage. It made sense why Jazlyn would consider him.
'What kind of person was Paris in the novel?'
Paris appeared in Girls Falling into Destruction as well. When he became the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces alongside Jazlyn, he charged recklessly into battle to prove his bravery but ended up abandoned. Jazlyn felt momentarily sad but moved on quickly. In other words, she cared about Paris, but she didn't love him.
'Not that it matters. Jazlyn is going to fall for me, not Paris. Let's see what she thinks of me.'
"What do you think of Zeon?"
"Zeon's fortunes are dangerous… He must be studied for the Empire…"
"And how do you plan to research him?"
"I'll inform His Majesty tomorrow… The research will be conducted in secret…"
A chill ran down my spine. This was exactly what I had feared.
"If I had been even a little later, I would've become a test subject."
In the moonlight, I noticed a pile of books beside the desk—books Jazlyn had borrowed from the library, all about luck.
"Have you learned anything about Zeon's luck?"
"Yes…"
"Explain what you've discovered about Zeon's luck…"
"According to beastman culture, having great luck means being loved by the world… This concept originated from the primitive were-animals…"
Jazlyn proceeded to share everything she had uncovered about luck. From her words, I pieced together how my overwhelming fortune worked.
She described primitive were-animals from a time before gods existed. Most religions would deny this, but I believed it wholeheartedly. The novel Girls Falling into Destruction also stated that primitive were-animals were real, further supporting my theory. After all, the so-called gods in this world weren't omnipotent—if they were, the world wouldn't have ended in the novel.
Having heard Jazlyn's perspective on my luck, I knew exactly how to prepare my next move.
Using the "balloon" method, I inflated Jazlyn's feelings of love, trust, affection, and attachment toward me, while popping all her positive sentiments toward Paris. I also maximized her suspicion and dissatisfaction with Paris. Since she didn't truly love him and only viewed him as a political partner, there was no resistance.
With the groundwork laid, it was time to take Jazlyn's heart.
Just like I had taken Aris's courage, I would now claim Jazlyn's heart.
Jazlyn has always had everything she desired, so she's never known what it feels like to be empty. But now, I will become the center of her world. When I leave, she will feel that emptiness for the first time, and it will consume her.
I lightly placed my hand on Jazlyn's shoulder.
"The one holding your shoulder is Zeon… Every time Zeon touches you, it feels warm and comforting… Joy and peace spread from the spot where my hand touches you… Do you feel good now?"
"Yes…"
"Your heart is gathering in your shoulder… all of it concentrating there… Can you feel your heart pooling in your shoulder?"
"Yes…"
"Your heart is moving into my hand now… like a sponge soaking up water, your heart is being drawn into Zeon's hand… It's all being absorbed… Where is your heart now? Do you still have it?"
"Zeon's hand…"
"Your heart spreads from my hand throughout my body… It has merged with mine… Now your heart belongs to Zeon… Where is your heart now?"
"Zeon…" [T/N: Lol, I wish she isn't in a hypnotic state but just acting, it will be a wild drama.]
Her soft voice murmured the final confirmation. The subtle shift in power was complete.
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