New Appointment

Although Chen Rui was annoyed, his Analytical Eye showed that Shea's strength was "unable to be determined," placing her at least on the level of a powerhouse like Joseph. When living under someone else's roof, one has no choice but to bow their head.

"Big sister..." Alice trembled, her large eyes shimmering with a pitiful light. "Can you not be so heartless? This is the fruit of my hard labor... please leave me half of the Vine Stones, and the Wyvern too, I haven't even played with it yet..."

"Eight Vine Stones, four hundred Black Crystal Coins!" Instead of agreeing, Shea continued to slash away at the little girl's meager remaining earnings.

"Wuwu, am I really something Dad picked up from the Rainy Jungle, and not your own biological sister?"

"Seven Vine Stones, three hundred Black Crystal Coins!"

"That's too much! I only want fifty Vine Stones, is that okay!"

"Six Vine Stones and two hundred Black Crystal Coins!"

"..."

Facing her cold and ruthless sister, the little girl's tactics of acting pitiful and cute were completely ineffective. In the end, she had to accept the terms of six Vine Stones and two hundred Black Crystal Coins with a dejected expression.

Chen Rui felt indignant for Alice: it seemed that "extorting wealth" was the strongest bloodline power of the Lucifer Family; each one was more ruthless than the last!

"Alright, Alice, you go down and rest. I still have things to discuss with Chen Rui."

It seemed Shea had summoned Alice just to forcibly seize her sister's hard-earned gains. The little girl turned and walked away listlessly, but Shea suddenly added, "You remember this: next time, you are absolutely forbidden from putting yourself in danger!"

The little girl let out a "humph" to acknowledge the order and left the Council Hall without looking back.

"Letting Alice participate in the second round of the competition... that was your idea, wasn't it?" Shea's icy voice rang in Chen Rui's ears.

"This is the last time, regardless of what your motives are," Shea's voice grew colder: "Alice is a very kind and sensible girl. I will absolutely not allow you to use her to accomplish anything ever again! Do you hear me clearly?"

Chen Rui lowered his head, feeling nothing but contempt in his heart: what a "good" sister. She had just greedily snatched Alice's property, and now she was putting on a show of protecting her? He had once held a tiny, subtle feeling for Shea, but now, only disdain remained.

Thinking of all that spiritual energy gone to waste, anger flared in Chen Rui's heart, and he coldly retorted, "I was only trying to help the little princess win the competition; I had no ulterior motives. But since the Grand Princess is so concerned about her sister, why did you act that way just now?"

A flash of surprise crossed Shea's eyes, as if she were taken aback by Chen Rui speaking out for Alice. She suddenly sighed, and her tone deepened.

"You don't understand. Alice... she did it on purpose."

"Every time she earns some money, she deliberately shows it off in front of me, and then... deliberately lets me confiscate it," Shea turned around slowly. "This is her way of helping me, her sister. And I, this incompetent sister, have no way to do anything for her..."

Chen Rui was stunned. He had never imagined that the little girl's obsession with money was for this purpose! That strange little shop, the annual aerial competition, those two Vine Stones she had given him... Chen Rui suddenly understood a great deal.

Just as Shea said, she was very kind and very sensible. Perhaps that was the hidden attribute beneath the little girl's black-bellied, precocious, and greedy exterior.

Shea remained silent for a long time before her voice sounded again: "Alice... is very close to you."

Chen Rui didn't find this particularly surprising. Between the good food, the fun, and the stories to listen to, where else could she find such a "favored subject"?

"This isn't just ordinary closeness. Aside from Athena, no one has ever made her like this..." Shea turned back abruptly, her purple eyes instantly turning an icy white. "I am warning you: the tricks you used on me last time must never be used on Alice. Otherwise, no matter how valuable you are, I will kill you without hesitation!"

Seduced the little girl? That was a grave injustice! I'm not some creepy uncle! Though, if it were a couple of years from now...

Chen Rui felt that undisguised, monstrous killing intent and was secretly shocked. He then shook his head without hesitation: "I can swear that I have absolutely no ill intentions toward the little princess. If there is even a shred of falsehood in this statement, I am willing to accept the Grand Princess's punishment immediately! If the Grand Princess is worried, starting tomorrow, I will cut off all contact with the little princess!"

Shea locked eyes with him for a moment before nodding as if in approval: "That won't be necessary. I can tell that Alice is happy when she is with you. Before Athena arrived, she didn't even have a single friend. Now... just let her be as happy as she can."

"Understood, Grand Princess." With the misunderstanding cleared, Chen Rui's mood improved for no reason.

"Let's leave the matter of Alice at that. Now, shouldn't you explain the mystery behind the third round of the competition?" Shea sat down. "If I didn't know that you were the one orchestrating this competition from behind the scenes, I would have been like Joseph and assumed the Wyvern incident was merely an accident. Can you clear up this doubt for me?"

Chen Rui hadn't expected Shea to spot the issue so quickly, but since Alice, Athena, and Aldas would likely raise the same question, he had an answer prepared.

"Your Highness Shea, I was actually planning to report this to you," Chen Rui replied after a moment of thought. "In fact, just yesterday, the Grandmaster's inheritance awakened a bit more, and I gained a new ability."

Thinking back, the lie about the Grandmaster's inheritance was truly a stroke of foresight; it was perfect for covering up the changes brought about by the Super System.

Shea's expression shifted slightly, and Chen Rui continued: "This ability is Beast Taming. It allows for simple communication with Magic Beasts. If not for this, how would I have had the courage to approach a Wyvern?"

"So that's it! So all of this... including Allen being attacked in the air, was your doing. Such wisdom is truly admirable." Shea looked enlightened: "Then, does your need for Vine Stones have to do with the Grandmaster's inheritance?"

Chen Rui secretly praised her quick thinking and followed up: "The last time I went to the little princess's shop, I accidentally discovered that the power of the inheritance reacted to the Vine Stones. The little princess gave me two, and later, the power within those stones was automatically absorbed, which awakened a bit more of the Grandmaster's inheritance. It's just that this awakening power is very unstable, and the time I can use the Beast Taming Technique is quite short, so I need more Vine Stones to strengthen and stabilize this newly acquired ability."

Chen Rui considered this excuse quite perfect. Since Shea needed his value, she would surely provide some Vine Stones.

By now, Shea had completely bought into the Grandmaster's inheritance and began to think seriously. The ability to tame beasts was no small matter, and if it could affect fierce creatures like Wyverns, it could be an unexpected trump card if used correctly. Even more impossible to ignore was the fact that this was only a small part of the Grandmaster's inheritance; if in the future...

"I can provide you with a large supply of Vine Stones," Shea finally said. "It's just that I have a feeling that with your potential, you might become uncontrollable in the future... If that Lesser Devil hadn't already signed a Master-Servant Contract with you, I would have liked to..."

Liked to? In your dreams! Chen Rui sneered: "The Grand Princess could also choose to kill that Lesser Devil, render the contract void, and then force me to become your contracted servant."

Chen Rui already knew that the power of contracts was mysterious. An ordinary person could only bear one, but his body was strange—perhaps due to the Super System—and he had signed a Master-Servant Contract with Sli in addition to the Symbiotic Contract with Pagliu, with no conflict between the two.

He was no longer the weakling who could be slaughtered at will. If the worst-case scenario truly occurred, it would be feasible to play along for a while to stall for time before making an escape.

Shea's eyes flickered: "Do you think I should do that?"

"Does the Grand Princess really intend to do that?" Chen Rui countered noncommittally: "Why didn't you force Master Aldas to sign a Master-Servant Contract back then?"

Shea understood the implication and fell silent, deep in thought.

"Although the power of a contract is strong, it cannot restrict power that reaches a certain level, such as a demigod or god-level. Once the Grandmaster's inheritance is fully awakened, the power of the contract might not be able to bind you. Or, perhaps I should believe what you said in the garden last time... that excuse?" Shea's gaze once again locked onto Chen Rui's face: "This is the reason I found for myself. I wonder what you think of it?"

"The Grand Princess still suspects that was an excuse? I admit, I once had some thoughts I shouldn't have, but I didn't have many delusions; I just wanted to stay. That was the case then, and it remains so now... In the future, I hope it stays the same." Thinking of that beautiful misunderstanding, Chen Rui grew even more composed and met Shea's gaze frankly.

It was Shea who looked away first: "Is that so?"

"Yes. However, the current situation in the Dark Moon is not optimistic. If the Grand Princess trusts the wrong person, it could lead to unexpected consequences."

Shea felt this conversation was extremely subtle. The person who wanted to do something was looking for an excuse not to, while the person who didn't want to was providing reasons for the other to proceed. Perhaps this, too, was a test of some kind.

After a long silence, her gaze finally turned resolute: "It is better to trust the wrong person than to dare not trust at all. If I take a bold gamble, perhaps I can still see a glimmer of hope amidst this adversity... I intend to appoint you as my Scribe. I wonder if you are willing to accept?"

Scribe? A male secretary? That was still better than a Master-Servant Contract. It seemed Shea had decided to officially pull him into the core faction of the Dark Moon.

Athena, Alice, Aldas... and Pagliu were all here too... Since he had already gained a foothold, and with the Poison Dragon's seal yet to be broken, he could only settle down in the Dark Moon. The more stable and powerful the Dark Moon became, the safer he would be.

...Chen Rui knew that since Shea had spoken to this point, he had no other choice unless he wanted to burn bridges. He immediately bowed and said, "I am willing to serve Your Highness. Time and facts will prove that your decision today is absolutely correct."

"Very well. You worked hard in the arena today, so go back and rest early. Starting tomorrow, come to the Council Hall once every morning. Gauss will tell you what needs to be done." Shea nodded with satisfaction. "Furthermore, I hope that at certain critical moments, you can offer me some useful suggestions."

Chen Rui understood that this Scribe position was likely equivalent to the duties of a clerk, but judging by Shea's attitude, she also wanted him to act as a hidden advisor.

An otherworldly version of a master strategist? Chen Rui scratched his head, just about to bring up a few questions regarding holidays and benefits, when he heard Shea say: "Once the Vine Stone from the Chiyou territory arrives at the palace, I will give you sixty pieces. If that is not enough, tell me."

Sixty pieces? These were the highest quality Vine Stone; a single piece was likely worth over a hundred Black Crystal Coins! The spiritual energy he thought was lost forever had been regained. Chen Rui's eyes instantly lit up, and he forgot all about asking for benefits, feeling that this sentence was the most moving thing the Grand Princess had ever said.