By joining forces with us, we can save our lives and the Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals.
Refusal will worsen an already precarious situation and may even create a powerful enemy.
With a smile playing on her lips, Axuan was already imagining the Scribe bowing his head.
"I refuse."
"Um?"
He paused for a moment, blinked, and looked somewhat bewildered.
"Excuse me, I didn't hear you clearly. Did you agree?"
"I said, I refuse."
"What?!"
Having finally heard Scribe's words clearly, Axuan suddenly widened his eyes and stared intently at Scribe.
"Mister Scribe, don't you know that only I can protect you and Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals?"
Before the Scribe could reply, Axuan continued speaking.
"I can tell you, many nobles are already under my control, including..."
In a brief explanation, Axuan revealed a portion of the power he possessed to the Scribe, in order to demonstrate his strength.
Even so, the Scribe did not show any sign of regret.
"That sounds great. Investing in you might really be my best choice."
"In that case, let's join..."
"But I refuse!"
Before Axuan could finish speaking, the Scribe interrupted him.
"What I hate most is someone using their power to suppress me!"
"Whether you are the Emperor or the Crown Prince, you are not worthy to command me!"
"You think you're strong, but so what? Am I obligated to obey your wishes?"
With a cold laugh, Scribe turned and walked outside without any hesitation.
Axuan, sitting in his seat, had a livid face, as if he had eaten a bitter fruit, and looked extremely unpleasant.
His facial expressions twitched repeatedly, eventually contorting into a grimace.
After an unknown amount of time, flames of anger erupted from his mouth, transforming into a roar.
"The Scribe!"
Outside the mansion, the Scribe stopped in his tracks after hearing the angry roar.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes filled with disdain and indifference.
Only after seeing that no one was following him did he continue walking.
After finding a hotel, he booked a room to rest for the time being.
Unbeknownst to Ayu, who was away from his residence, his younger brother, who shared the same mother, was trying to win over Scribe, but was rejected.
At this moment, he was talking to Shinri Keito.
"How are the preparations going for the things I asked you to do?"
"Everything is basically ready, Your Crown Prince."
"Very good."
With a clap of his hands, Ayu's face was filled with excitement.
"Is there anything else you need? I'll have someone prepare it for you right away."
"We can talk about these things later."
With a pale face Shinri Keito gave a cold laugh and spoke.
"Before that, there's someone I'd like to introduce to you."
"Oh? Who is this person that deserves to be personally introduced by Shinri Patriarch?"
"You saw it just now too."
Shinri Keito clapped his hands and spoke to the outside.
"Come in."
With a creaking sound as the door was pushed open, a tall figure shrouded in a cloak walked into the room.
"Isn't he your bodyguard?"
Looking at the man in front of him, A-Yu frowned, his words tinged with disdain.
"What's so special about this guy?"
In Ayu's view, guards are just guards, and they are not on the same level as nobles at all.
Whether they belonged to minor nobles or the Emperor, this group was at most slightly better off than commoners, and far from being important.
If someone gets injured or dies, all you need to do is replace them with a new batch.
But now, Shinri Keito is actually going to introduce a guard to him?
"No, no, no, his value is far greater than you imagine."
He shook his head, and a strange smile appeared on Huiren's face.
"Isn't Your Highness curious why I'm the only one with him?"
Upon hearing this, Ayu suddenly remembered that Shinri Keito, who participated in this secret conversation, only had this man as his bodyguard.
He transformed into himself, wishing he could have a hundred people surrounding him.
Yet, Shinri Keito, a high-ranking nobleman, was able to entrust the task of protecting someone else entirely.
No matter how powerful this person is, it's impossible for them to achieve this level of skill.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind.
"Could it be that this guy possesses some kind of special ability?"
Thinking of this, Ayu's breathing became a little rapid.
Seeing Yu's expression, Shinri Keito chuckled.
"Your Highness, it is just as you imagined."
After saying that, Huiren nodded to the man.
The man stepped forward and extended his hand.
Countless tiny scales covered it, and the fingernails gleamed with a sharp, cold light, sending chills down one's spine.
This hand doesn't look like something a human could have; it looks more like a reptile's claw.
He extended his index finger and gently pressed it on the table in front of Ayu.
The solid wood table was like a thin, brittle sheet of ice, instantly pierced through.
"This..."
He gasped, and before A-Yu could react, the man's finger moved again.
With a gentle swipe, countless deep grooves appeared on the desktop.
"Blood Demon Art * Blood Sword Finger"
As the man muttered something that Ayu couldn't understand, a spurt of blood gushed from his fingertips.
In the blink of an eye, they solidified together, resembling a slender longsword.
"Whoosh~"
With a whooshing sound, the already dilapidated table was cut in two the next second.
The smoothness of the cut surface far exceeded any equipment or method that Ayu could conceive of.
"This is just one of my insignificant abilities."
The man, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, chuckled a few times, and then removed his cloak.
Its entire body was covered in scales, only its head still resembled that of a human.
"I am Dichai, Your Crown Prince. How about you become a ghost too?"
Chapter 535 Ayu and Dichai
"Ghost!"
The moment he heard that word, Ayu broke out in a cold sweat.
According to the information he received, demons are creatures that feed on humans and have no possibility of communication.
The person before him—no, the ghost—looked at him with a smile, just like an ordinary person, expecting his reply.
"Wait, why is a ghost staying next to Shinri Patriarch?"
Suddenly realizing this, Ayu didn't speak, but instead stared wide-eyed at Huiren.
As if he had anticipated that Yu would look at him, Shinri Keito smiled and explained.
"Our Shinri Family has established a cooperative relationship with this Mr. Dichai."
"Gurgle"
Swallowing hard, A-Yu felt his heart race as he confirmed the absurd idea in his mind.
His gaze kept shifting between Shinri Keito and Dichai, and he remained silent for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, a slightly trembling voice rang out.
What do I need to do?
With a grin, Shinri Keito and Dichai exchanged a glance, and the latter then spoke.
"His Crown Prince only needs to send someone to find one thing for him to join us."
"What is that?"
"Blue Spider Lily".
With a puzzled look, Ayu shook his head, indicating that he had never heard of the name before.
"I know you're wondering, so before that, let me tell you some secrets that most people don't know."
Immediately afterwards, Dichai told A Yu a lot of information he had never known before.
Kibutsuji Muzan, Twelve Kizuki, Lower Rank, Breathing Technique, Pillars.
Soon, Ayu became immersed in this world he had never known before.
His breathing became more rapid, and his face was filled with excitement.
"So, if I become a ghost, I can live forever?"
"As long as you don't get exposed to the sun, it's fine."
"Okay, I promise you!"
Clenching his fists, Ayu slammed them heavily on the table, making a loud thud.
With just a small price to pay, one can gain extraordinary power, an ageless body, and eternal life.
As for cannibalism and beheading with Nichirin Blade, he never took it to heart from the beginning.
As the Crown Prince, what's wrong with killing a few people once I become the next Emperor? Who can stop me?!
As for the swordsmen and Nichirin Blade, by the time everything settles down, those guys will have already been wiped out by me, so they're nothing to fear.
"Very good."
Nodding, Dichai seemed quite satisfied with A Yu's quick agreement.
After offering some compliments, he asked Ah Yu if there was anything else he wanted to know.