Arthur smiled slightly and locked eyes with Carina.
It could be said that Carina was truly an incredibly beautiful woman.
Her impeccably groomed facial features and captivating eyes impressed Arthur inwardly.
Carina, taken aback by Arthur's intimate gesture of holding her chin, was surprised, as she hadn't expected him to act this way.
However, having already overcome numerous obstacles in her life, she was far from shy, like an inexperienced young woman.
She had even been willing to sacrifice her own body in order to exact revenge on David.
Such a trivial matter would not make her feel embarrassed or hesitant.
If avenging herself and killing David required it, she would willingly comply if Arthur asked the same of her.
After a prolonged moment of intense eye contact, Arthur finally broke the silence.
"Alright, the deal is sealed," Arthur said, his smile growing as he released his grip on Carina's chin.
Initially, he had only wanted to gauge her reaction, and Carina had proven to be unlike a young and inexperienced woman, displaying no signs of shyness or hesitation.
"She is indeed trustworthy," Arthur thought to himself.
Carina, observing this, let out a playful chuckle and teased, "I thought you were about to make a move on me."
"Although I must admit, I'm slightly disappointed that you didn't," she added, a mischievous smile adorning her lips.
Arthur simply shrugged, showing no reaction to her words.
He wasn't naive.
While Carina had surrendered and expressed her willingness to cooperate, it didn't mean that she fully trusted him.
Arthur understood that Carina's alliance with him hinged on her desire for revenge against David.
If he were to make a move against her now, it would undoubtedly jeopardize their cooperation.
At least for the time being, he would refrain from such actions.
As he contemplated this, a pang of guilt for Alicia washed over Arthur.
Quickly regaining his composure, he focused his attention back on Carina, who stood before him.
"Alright, now that we've reached an agreement to work together, let's refocus on the task at hand." Arthur nodded and settled back into his seat.
Upon hearing this, Carina smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Could you enlighten me about the organization that abducted you?" Arthur asked, his tone filled with genuine curiosity.
"To be honest, I have very limited information about them," Arthur admitted candidly.
He found it puzzling that the novel offered no clear explanation about this organization.
Arthur contemplated the possibility of a connection between the organization Carina was associated with and the group represented by the black sun emblem on the kidnapper's badge during Elena's abduction.
Carina took a sip of her tea, considering Arthur's question.
After a moment of reflection, she began to explain in a serious tone.
"I don't have any knowledge of the organization's name," Carina explained.
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly but remained silent, allowing her to continue.
"They don't operate under a specific name, but they do have a distinctive emblem on their waist, depicting three black moons."
"These moons represent the three moons of the night: Khaos, Erebus, and Leora," Carina spoke, her voice filled with a sense of reminiscence while gesturing towards the clearing sky.
Hearing this, Arthur contemplated it for a moment as he sipped his tea.
Khaos, Erebus, and Leora—these three were the moons of this world.
Arthur felt a tinge of disappointment, realizing that the symbol was not a black sun, as he had initially suspected.
"So, it's not a black sun," Arthur pondered, tapping the edge of his chair thoughtfully.
He felt a sense of awkwardness at the moment until a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Three black moons and a black sun... It appears that there is indeed a connection between the two," he mused with a cold smile, taking another sip of his tea.
Carina noticed Arthur's cunning expression but decided not to interrupt, allowing him a moment of contemplation.
Shortly after, Arthur turned his gaze toward Carina and spoke in a casual tone.
"Well, I've managed to gather some clues, thank you," Arthur said.
Although Carina didn't fully grasp the meaning behind his words, she nodded as if she understood.
"By the way, I've already devised a plan regarding what you should do," Arthur continued, reaching into the pocket of his robe.
Soon, a few pieces of paper emerged, which Arthur organized and handed to Carina.
She promptly accepted the papers and was about to open them, but Arthur stopped her.
"Not now; there are too many people observing us around here," Arthur said, his tone serious.
Realizing the prudence of his words, Carina immediately abandoned her intent and swiftly rearranged the papers before stowing them away.
Afterward, Arthur and Carina engaged in casual conversation as if their previous discussion had never occurred.
Eventually, Arthur made the decision to depart.
"Alright, I'll take my leave first," Arthur announced as he rose from his seat.
Carina smiled and stood up.
"Alright, thank you," Carina murmured softly.
Arthur nodded and was about to turn away, but a sudden recollection seemed to strike him.
"There's one thing I need to clarify," Arthur stated.
Carina looked at him with confusion. "What is it?" she asked.
Arthur gazed deeply into her eyes and asked, "Is your love for Alicia genuine?"
Carina couldn't believe Arthur was asking her such a question, but she didn't shy away from it.
She nodded resolutely.
"Rest assured, even though she is David's child, she is my own flesh and blood, and I will protect her with all my strength," Carina affirmed.
A smile formed on Arthur's lips as he quietly departed.
Carina, witnessing Arthur's departure, felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
A familiar feeling, one she hadn't experienced in a long time, began to resurface—loneliness.
...
Arthur returned to his room and settled at his study table, deep in thought.
He felt a sense of confusion regarding Carina's earlier statement.
"Is it possible for an ordinary person's heart to be replaced by that of an elemental?" Arthur pondered, his mind filled with questions.
He reached for some books on his bookshelf, hoping to find relevant literature.
However, his search proved futile, as he couldn't find any books on the specific topic he was seeking.
"None at all?" he murmured, shaking his head.
"Perhaps I should visit the library, where I can find a multitude of books," Arthur contemplated, ready to turn around.
However, his attention was suddenly drawn to an old book tucked away on the shelf.
Intrigued, he picked up the book and examined its cover.
"History of a Hundred Years Ago," Arthur read aloud, his curiosity piqued by its contents.
Returning to his study table, he opened the book and began reading.
After five minutes of reading, he closed the book, a look of disbelief spreading across his face.
"This actually exists!" Arthur exclaimed, taken aback by what he had just read.
The book described a method of heart transplantation where an animal's heart could be transplanted into an ordinary person.
Though the process wasn't detailed, it mentioned that a hundred years ago, a mysterious organization known as the Light Eaters emerged.
What made the organization peculiar was that its members possessed dark elemental powers!
Arthur had never come across anyone who wielded the power of darkness before.
Even in the novels he had read, there were no characters who invoked the element of darkness.
Now, the book revealed that all members of this organization utilized dark elemental arts.
It suggested that everyone within the organization had awakened the core of darkness.
However, this seemed impossible to Arthur.
Based on his understanding, darkness fell outside the realm of the four major elements.
"Are they all specials?" Arthur contemplated, lost in his thoughts.
"It's highly unlikely that all of them have awakened the element of darkness, isn't it?"
"The very existence of such individuals would surely face vehement rejection from this world." He dismissed the notion as nonsensical.
"Unless they are all experimental subjects and artificial elements," Arthur contemplated, connecting the dots in his mind.
The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together perfectly.
He looked at the book again and let out a soft sigh.
Leaning back in his chair, Arthur delved into his thoughts.
"This world is truly complex."
"The number of enemies I have to confront in order to return to my previous world is staggering," he mused, closing his eyes.
"Abel, David, Emperor Balka, the Black Sun Organization, the Assassin Organization, and now the Light Eaters, whose current existence remains uncertain."
"Not to mention the adversaries from other empires whom I am not yet prepared to face," he added.
"The more I tread this path, the more I realize that reuniting with my loved ones won't be as simple as I once believed."
Nonetheless, I must confront these challenges head-on, as I must strive to survive in this world!" Arthur's eyes opened, and his resolve was firm.
"By the way, as I contemplate the power of darkness, I recall the figure described as a god who divided the four continents." Arthur suddenly recalled the man depicted in the white book he encountered in his previous mansion.
"Could all of this be connected to him?" he pondered, his gaze fixed on the worn book resting on his desk.
Lost in his thoughts, a peculiar sensation stirred in Arthur's heart, causing his eyes to widen in disbelief.
He whispered to himself, "Could it be that the seal has finally been broken?"
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