My Skills Can Evolve Infinitely in a Game-Like World

Chapter 20: Oath & Encounter

"In the name of the Goddess of Night, we shall both obey the conditions of the agreement."

In the dark "prison" room, two overlapping voices echoed.

One belonged to Aurelius, while the other came from the chained Selene.

Between them lay several crescent-shaped spices and ritual materials.

As their solemn voices reached their peak, all these materials shattered, transforming into moonlight that split into two and landed on their bodies.

Aurelius sensed a shackle fall upon him. Once he broke his oath, that shackle would burst and cause him to face the Goddess of Night’s wrath.

Judging from Selene’s sudden change in expression, she was also the same.

Aurelius breathed a sigh of relief.

The Mission had heavily hinted that he would have to rely on this woman if he wished to complete it.

Before, he had been unable to fully trust this woman.

It was only now, when they had taken an oath under the Gods’ witness, that he finally relaxed.

Gods in this world were not figments of humans’ imagination.

They were real, bringing forth miracles and performing acts that far surpassed human comprehension on a regular basis.

A relatively common technique had thus been developed by Awakeners.

By taking an oath addressed to a righteous deity, they could ensure that every party to an agreement would keep their word.

Those who dared to break their agreement would face the God’s wrath!

Having established a base of trust, Aurelius was no longer as cold.

He looked at Selene, giving her some time to recover before changing the conversation to the matter at hand.

"What else do you know about the Sunless Sect? How many of their members are currently in Blood Sun City?"

"Where is their stronghold? What’s their real goal?"

A flurry of questions came out of his mouth.

Although Selene complained inwardly that he should untie her first, she didn’t say anything.

She began explaining everything she knew.

At first, Aurelius was happy to see this.

But as he listened, a frown formed on his face that gradually deepened as time went on.

Selene’s information was useful.

Unfortunately, it was too fragmented. She lacked tidbits regarding the most crucial points.

Though disappointed, Aurelius soon shook his head.

’I should have expected it. Selene is at Rank 1, after all.’

’Although her background is somewhat mysterious, her strength is such. If she were really that capable, she wouldn’t have almost died at the hands of the Barbarian.’

With that in mind, Aurelius’ expression slowly relaxed.

He let Selene finish her words.

"That’s it. That’s everything I know," Selene softly breathed out.

"How about you untie me now—"

Before she could finish these words, Selene felt a pain at the back of her head. A flash of black light emerged in her vision before expanding and swallowing it completely.

With a clang, her body nearly collapsed to the ground, only maintaining its posture because of the shackles around her limbs.

Aurelius calmly withdrew his hand.

It was only after he made certain that she was actually unconscious that he untied the shackles.

Then, picking her up and placing her onto his shoulder, he carefully exited the room and the Sol mansion as a whole.

--

When Selene opened her eyes again, she found herself not facing the damp, dimly lit room, but a familiar wooden ceiling.

This caught her by surprise.

She had to take a second glance around her and pinch her thigh to confirm that she was not dreaming.

’How did I return to my home? Wasn’t I locked up inside that prison cell?’ she couldn’t help but wonder when she suddenly noticed something lying beside her.

It was a small piece of paper. As she picked it up and moved it in front of her, its contents were revealed.

It was packed with text.

Although the handwriting was unfamiliar, Selene was able to read it with ease.

Her complexion gradually changed.

She understood that her previous kidnapping had not been a mere dream.

Reading through the letter before her, which established some rules for their communication, her expression shifted.

Not by the content itself.

Rather, by the fact that the unknown man could accurately investigate her identity, going as far as to find her residence.

’It seems that my suspicion is true. This man is extremely mysterious.’

’Not only is there a powerful organization behind him, but his own strength must also be remarkable.’

’Perhaps this is a chance... With his assistance, the chances of dealing with the Sunless Sect have increased.’

Just as that thought surfaced, Selene suddenly remembered something.

Her hand reached toward her neck in panic and confusion.

It was only when the soft clink of the Moonlight Necklace rang out that she breathed a sigh of relief.

Her mother’s keepsake was still there.

Selene couldn’t help but feel thankful toward the mysterious man.

Although he had "tortured" her before, he had at least returned her most precious possession.

--

Naturally, Aurelius didn’t know Selene’s thoughts.

The reason he returned the Moonlight Necklace was not that he was kind, but because he couldn’t afford the burden of such an object.

He didn’t know whether Selene’s mother was dead or if she was simply in a bad condition.

What if one day she returned?

Imagining that the number one assassin of the Blood Temple came back, only to find the token of love given to her daughter in his hands, Aurelius shuddered.

He hurriedly shook his head, restraining his wandering mind.

After organizing his thoughts, he raised his head and surveyed his surroundings.

He was no longer wearing the sneaky clothes, nor did he don a mask.

Having returned to his normal noble appearance, he took a stroll around the city.

He observed the pedestrians walking through the streets, and watched children play on the sidewalks.

Yet as he took a right turn and was about to enter the city’s main marketplace, a shout rang out behind him.

It instantly attracted his attention.

"Aurelius!" a female voice lingered.