[ Rating Increased : 322 -> 1122 / 688 ]
[ Level up pending! ]
Asher didn't expect to get a lot of refined mana by creating a cult and gaining a Soulservant. But he felt that he got so much from getting Grace as his Soulservant because of the massive difference between his and her strength.
Just like Duncan said, he felt he was very lucky to get a peak A Rank Hunter as his Soulservant this early.
And it seemed like he did end up getting a lot of refined mana unlike his expectations.
However, what made his brows raise was reading another piece of information,
[ Grace Eleanor ]
[ Life consumption: 5 Life Crystals per hour ]
'What the…How is this possible?' Asher was surprised to see that Grace required only 5 life crystals per hour to sustain herself and prevent her from dying.
He knew she wasn't using any of her powers right now, but still, he thought she would need at least five times the amount because of the power gap between him and her. He had asked the Contract Master to get an idea of how many life crystals he would need to sustain someone as powerful as her.
And the numbers he heard made his eyes pop out, making him doubt whether it was even feasible to keep someone like Grace his Soulservant.
He was ready to let her loose if she required high maintenance, more than what he could manage.
However, now after seeing how she surprisingly doesn't require too many life crystals, he was relieved. Still, he knew this number would increase as time passed. But he was hoping to gain more life crystals than he lost by using her. At least that way, this would be a worthy investment.
Grace took short, rapid breaths, trying to calm her body down, and felt like dozing off after getting exhausted from the battle that happened inside her body.
Asher looked at her frail appearance and said, "I think you already know, but don't use your powers until the time comes. The more you use your powers, the faster you will get close to dying because I am not strong enough yet to sustain you full-time."
Asher knew that once a human gets demonized, they would be in a constant state of decay unless they kept getting enough life crystals to freeze the decay.
Human bodies weren't made to contain demonic power, and thus they will die inevitably soon.
As for Grace, he was hoping he would be able to sustain her for at least a few years until he got strong enough. One good thing was the more he gets stronger, the lesser the rate at which her life consumption would increase.
Grace grabbed a towel from near her bed and wiped the sweat off her face as she said in a weak voice, "I am not dumb. So don't worry about it. I have to go and talk to my grandson later. Are you going to stay or…?"
Asher shrugged and said, "I will also go to sleep, but I will be back when it's time. I invested a lot to make you my Soulservant, and I am not taking any chances."
"Aren't you quite the paranoid one? It's not as if I can go against your wish. But if you are that insistent and you get back too early, don't try anything funny on a senior citizen while she sleeps," Grace said with a grin as her eyes drooped, and she fell back on her bed, falling asleep immediately.
"You have quite the crazy granny, Remy," Asher mumbled with a shake of his head.
…
Remy groggily rubbed his eyes as he woke up to the morning light. His heart still felt heavy with despair as he thought of Isabella, the girl he cared about but refused to believe him.
He sighed deeply and began to get ready for the day ahead.
But suddenly, the door of his room creaked open, and he saw his grandmother entering the room with a soft smile.
Remy felt a wave of comfort wash over him at the sight of her, and he couldn't help but smile in return.
"Good morning, grandma," he said, trying to sound cheerful since he knew she was quick to pick up on anything unusual.
"Good morning, dear," Grace replied, her voice gentle and warm, and added, "I wanted to talk to you about something."
Remy's heart skipped a beat. He had a feeling this conversation was going to be important and wondered if this had anything to do with what he was going through now. She couldn't have possibly learned about it, right?
As they sat down on his bed, Grace's smile softened into a wistful expression, "Remy, my sweet child, I just want you to know that no matter what happens, you will always be loved and protected. Remember that even if things get very tough, okay?"
Remy felt a lump form in his throat, "What do you mean, grandma? Is something going on?"
Grace looked away briefly with a soft chuckle, trying to hold in her unshed tears, "Nothing at all. I just want you to know that you are strong, stronger than me, and you will always have the power to make a difference. You have a pure heart and a noble spirit which this world isn't ready to deserve, and because of that, you will feel like the world around you is crushing you. But never let it crush you, even if you feel cornered and alone. All you have to do is believe in yourself."
Remy pressed his lips together as he lowered his gaze, feeling as if his grandmother truly understood him the most, even though he never said anything to her. Still, he couldn't help but feel worried since she had never told such things to him.
"I can't wait to see you become an S Rank Hunter like your great-grandparents," Grace said as she caressed her grandson's head with a warm smile.
Remy didn't know why he was feeling a prickle behind his eyes and said as he grabbed her hands, "Grandma, please tell me what's going on to make you suddenly say all this?"
Remy wondered if she somehow learned about his problems with Tristan and his father. He didn't want his grandmother to get involved, especially since she deserved some peace now rather than worry herself.
Grace smiled again, but it was a subtle sad smile, "Don't think too much about it, my child. I felt you had to know these things, including the fact that your parents must be so proud of you, just like I am," Saying so, Grace gently embraced Remy and kissed his forehead.
Remy's eyes glistened as he thought about his parents who bravely died trying to save people and said, "I wish…I had memories of them…"
Grave's eyes quivered as she took a deep breath and gently patted his head, "I know. I wish the same too, and I am sorry I couldn't protect them. Otherwise, they could have been here for you," She whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"You don't have to apologize, grandma. You couldn't have done anything, and I still have you," Remy said with glistening eyes as he hugged her.
Grace dolefully smiled as she slowly nodded, "Yes and that is why I will look out for you in their stead. I know you are going through some rough patch and that you won't tell me why. But its fine...Everything will be alright soon. So stay strong."
Remy felt warm hearing her words, feeling glad she was so understanding. However, feeling her confidence when she said everything was going to be fine, he didn't know he felt like it would be true.
Grace took a deep breath as she opened her eyes, "You can get ready now. I will prepare you some tea," She said as she got up with a smile.
Remy shook his head slowly as he got up, "No need, grandma. I am in a rush. I will see you in the evening."
"Then I will cook your favourite dish and keep it aside so that you can eat it when you return," Grace said with a warm smile.
"Really?? I am looking forward to it!"
…
"A farewell note for your grandson? You do know that you can still see him in secret if you want to," Asher said as his doll body sat on the table while Grace was sitting before him, writing a note which he could guess what it was.
Grace shook her head firmly as she continued writing, "No. I won't put his life in danger by staying near him. And now that I have darkness breeding inside me, I can no longer let him see me like that. The least I can do is 'die' and let him know about what really happened to his parents and let him also understand what I am going to do. He will be heartbroken but he is grown up and strong enough to get over it and move on."
"So you want him to preserve the image of a noble grandma?" Asher asked with one of his brows raised.
Grace gave a side glance at him and said, "If that is what it takes to let him have a normal life, even if it might seem hypocritical of me. Who would have ever known a retired Hunter like me would end up accepting a deal from a demon. My parents must be rolling in their graves."
Asher chuckled hearing her words and said, "There is no shame in doing so to even the odds. The world isn't fair, and I am sure you know that very well."
Grace squinted her eyes with a subtle grin upon hearing his words, "I suppose a demon like you knows it best."
Grace finished writing her letter, and then to Asher's surprise, she took out a small, intricately designed necklace from the drawer and placed it on the table. Its silver chain glinted in the dim light of the room. She held it up to the light, examining it closely, and smiled at the memories it brought back.
"Don't tell me you are planning to look pretty for killing people?" Asher asked with a subtle scoff.
Grace chuckled, "You have such a sense of humor, don't you? This is a family heirloom passed down to me by my parents. It's a charm that distorts energy signatures, making it difficult for anyone to sense the strength of the person wearing it."
Asher's brows pulled together, "And you are planning to use it to prevent anyone from sensing the demonic mana inside you?" He said, more as a statement than a question.
He knew that even if Grace signed a Legendary Grade contract, it would only help prevent detection from Hunters weaker than level 11.
Surely, that won't help her avoid detection when going into a Prominent Tier Guild which has a number of Exorcists.
Grace nodded, "Yes. I am going to modify it so that it will distort the demonic mana inside me and make it appear like it doesn't exist. No one in that guild will be able to sense that I am corrupted until it's too late," She said with a menacing smile.
"Good. I guess having exorcists as your parents can come in handy in many ways," Asher commented with a smile, though he wondered if her straightforward plan was going to work and whether she would succeed.
He now realized how it felt to interact with another 'Daredevil'.
…
The Blade of Brotherhood's guild building was located in the heart of the city, a towering structure of steel and stone that was considered a landmark. On the outside, it had high walls manned by armed guards.
Inside, the guild building was a hive of activity, with members bustling about their duties. The sounds of weapons clashing and armor clanking echoed through the halls as the members sparred in the training halls while some of the halls were relatively silent where the members were discussing and planning for their quests.
There were also various Exorcists holed up in their training rooms, perfecting their exorcism techniques.
The air was thick with the scent of magic and adrenaline. Every floor in this building was bustling with people and various activities.
Only the top most floor was relatively quiet silent with only very few people present.
On this floor, a middle-aged man with short, dark hair that was just beginning to gray at the temples was standing near the large windows of his well-lit office, surrounded by the trappings of his success.
The room was decorated with various trophies, certificates, weapons, and armor from his many battles, and a faint scent of leather and steel hung in the air.
At six and a half feet tall, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jaw, Gary exuded a commanding presence while gazing out at the bustling streets below.
A man like him was well-renowned and respected in this city for his power and success by coming from nothing. And he was none other than Gary Wesman, the owner of this guild.
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