God-Tier Villain

Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Victoria’s blood-red eyes slid away from Soren.

"Don’t misunderstand."

"I merely..."

"Merely felt that, as this domain’s ruler, it falls to me to show trespassers like you exactly how deep the Violet Jade Immortal Domain’s foundations run."

"The Commerce Guild happens to be an excellent venue for it."

Victoria had no idea what nonsense she was spouting, when in her life had she lowered herself like this? Every shred of the Fairy Great Demon Emperor’s bearing, gone, she should never have extended the invitation first.

"Well, since you’ve invited me, refusing would make it look like I’m afraid." Soren smiled and gestured for Victoria to lead the way.

The moment the three of them appeared near the Commerce Guild, demon cultivators startled into whispers, some murmured about Victoria, others had plenty to say about Soren.

With the Domain Lord visiting in person, the Commerce Guild rolled out its highest standard of reception.

The Guild Master was a short, plump, middle-aged man named Elvis, of true demon descent, his cultivation at Upper-Tier Demon Venerable, with practiced smoothness, he escorted the three into the auction hall and up to the VIP rooms on its third floor.

The majority of bidders sat on the first floor, a mixed crowd if there ever was one.

Demons with some face or standing took the VIP seating on the second, only select Upper-Tier Demon Venerables and Demon Emperor-level powerhouses were invited into the third-floor rooms.

The room was spacious and wrapped in layer upon layer of formations, guaranteeing that not one word spoken inside would leak out.

The wall facing the auction stage was a single rectangular pane of specially crafted glass, itself sheathed in formations.

From inside, the view was perfectly clear, from outside, no angle revealed anything.

Back in the Endless Demonic Domain, Soren had attended his share of Commerce Guild auctions, and the arrangements were much the same, though the VIP rooms here were grander than anything back home, he’d only sat in one once, accompanying Vorian, every other time, he’d been down in the second-floor seats.

Elvis kept a fawning smile fixed in place, directing maids in and out with fruit platters and pastries, not ordinary fruit, but high-grade spiritual fruits.

A single platter would cover a Lower-Tier Demon Venerable’s cultivation expenses for a year.

In the old days, presenting himself as a Lower-Tier Demon Venerable, the resources Soren could draw from the Great Emperor Palace in a whole year amounted to roughly this much.

Here it was, served up as a welcome snack.

Status really was a wonderful thing, wherever you went, someone was waiting to serve you.

Victoria normally had no patience for flattery, today was different, today, Soren was present.

Elvis bustled about flawlessly and gave her ample face, which pleased her more than she’d ever admit, mid-conversation, she asked, "Guild Master Elvis, anything good on the block tonight?"

She was the one who had invited Soren, if the lots turned out to be forgettable junk, it would reflect poorly on her.

Elvis was clever and caught her meaning instantly, he cupped his hands and smiled. "The Commerce Guild recently came into a few fine items."

"They were scheduled for tomorrow’s auction."

"But since the Fairy Great Demon Emperor has graced us, I will have them brought out ahead of schedule."

"Is... that acceptable?" Victoria’s smile was faint, rare, and quietly intoxicating.

"More than acceptable, fine items only show their true worth in the hands of those who need them, and I can think of no hands more suitable than the Fairy Great Demon Emperor’s."

"Mm, then I’ll trouble you, Guild Master Elvis."

"Should you require anything at all, simply command it, there will be attendants outside at all hours, I shall take my leave." Elvis knew better than to linger, on his way out, he stole one more look at Soren.

Outside the room, as the formations sealed behind him, Elvis’s heart refused to settle.

That man, he’d seen him before, at Commerce Guild exchanges, the sixth son of the Endless Demonic Domain’s Great Demon Emperor, Soren, was it?

What was he doing in the Immortal Domain? And in the company of the Fairy Great Demon Emperor?

Decades of reading people told Elvis one thing with certainty, this Soren was not simple, whatever the rumors said, this was no useless coward.

That gaze was sharp as a drawn sword, a coward, with eyes like that? Elvis had dealt with countless Upper-Tier Demon Venerables and more than a few Demon Emperors, and meeting Soren’s eyes still sent a chill down his spine.

As he stood turning it over, the door opened again.

Bruce shuffled out, head hanging, thoroughly deflated, before the door shut, he poked his head back in for a few last peeks, it looked as if Soren had thrown him out.

Elvis fled the corridor with his heart pounding like a drum.

The Fairy Great Demon Emperor agreed to be alone with Soren? There were maids right outside, shouldn’t they be avoiding even the appearance of impropriety?

The more Elvis thought, the stranger it got.

How capable was this Soren, that Victoria would keep him company in private? Nothing like it existed in Elvis’s memory, not even in the wildest back-alley gossip.

One thing was certain, tonight’s auction had to produce genuinely impressive items, or the Fairy Great Demon Emperor’s mood would sour.

Elvis hurried off to make arrangements.

Inside the quiet room, the air had gone slightly awkward, Victoria spoke in fits and starts.

"It’s suddenly a bit warm in here."

"Why did you send Bruce out?"

"You wouldn’t be harboring any improper intentions, would you?"

"Let me be clear, the previous two times, this Empress was merely careless. If you think I’m easy prey, you are gravely mistaken."

Soren lounged back in the soft chair, the picture of relaxation, eyes narrowed to lazy slits.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Are you ignoring me?"

She’d started out angry, then, inexplicably, in the space of a breath, she felt wronged instead.

The realization horrified her, she had to be losing her mind.

This bastard had forcibly kissed her twice! Even if they weren’t mortal enemies, all pretense of civility should be shredded by now, so how had it come to this? Was she secretly some kind of pervert?