A New Appointment

Chen Rui was angry, but the Analytical Eye showed Shea's strength as "impossible to judge." She was at least as powerful as Joseph. When you were under someone else's roof, you had to bow your head.

"Big sister..." Alice trembled, her big eyes shining with a pitiful light. "Could you please not be so heartless? I worked so hard to earn this... Leave me half the Vine Stones, at least. And the Wyvern—I haven't even gotten to play with it yet..."

"Eight Vine Stones and four hundred Black Crystal Coins!" Shea didn't agree. Instead, she cut down even further on the pitiful amount the little princess had left.

"Boohoo, was I picked up by Father in the Rainy Jungle instead of being your real little sister?"

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

"That's too much! I only want fifty Vine Stones, all right?"

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

"..."

Against her coldhearted older sister, the little princess's tricks—acting pitiful and cute—were completely useless. In the end, she could only accept the terms of six Vine Stones and two hundred Black Crystal Coins with drooping shoulders.

Chen Rui felt indignant on Alice's behalf. It seemed that "greed" was the Lucifer Family's strongest bloodline power. Each one was more ruthless than the last!

"All right, Alice. Go get some rest. I still have something to discuss with Chen Rui."

It seemed Shea had called Alice over just to seize the fruits of her little sister's labor. The dejected little princess turned to leave, but Shea suddenly added, "Remember this: next time, you absolutely must not put yourself in danger again!"

The little princess gave a "hmph" to show she'd heard, then left the Council Hall without looking back.

"You had Alice take part in the second competition... That was your idea, wasn't it?" Shea's icy voice sounded in Chen Rui's ear.

"This is the last time, whatever your motives," Shea continued, her voice growing colder. "Alice is a very kind and sensible girl. I will never allow you to use her to accomplish anything again! Do you understand?"

Chen Rui lowered his head, sneering inwardly. What a wonderful big sister. She had just greedily snatched away Alice's belongings, and now she was acting like a protective sister? He'd once felt the faintest... peculiar affection for Shea. Now, all he felt was contempt.

Thinking of all that spiritual energy he'd lost, Chen Rui couldn't help getting angry. He shot back coldly, "I only wanted to help the little princess win the competition. I had no ulterior motive. But since the Eldest Princess cares so much about her sister, why did you do that just now?"

Surprise flashed through Shea's eyes. She seemed taken aback that Chen Rui had spoken up indignantly on Alice's behalf. Then she sighed, and her voice fell.

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

"Whenever she earns some money, she deliberately shows off in front of me, then... deliberately lets me confiscate it." Shea slowly turned away. "That's how she helps me, her older sister. And I, her useless sister, can't do anything for her..."

Chen Rui was stunned. He'd never imagined that the little princess, who loved money more than life itself, did it for this reason! Her strange little shop, the annual Aerial Competition, the two Vine Stones she'd given him... Suddenly, Chen Rui understood so much more.

As Shea had said, Alice was kind and sensible. Perhaps those were hidden qualities beneath the little princess's black-hearted, precocious, money-loving exterior.

Shea remained silent for a long while before speaking again. "Alice... is very close to you."

That didn't surprise Chen Rui much. Who wouldn't want a "favorite courtier" who brought good food and fun, and told stories?

"This isn't ordinary closeness. Apart from Athena, no one has ever made her feel this way..." Shea abruptly turned her head. Her purple eyes turned icy white in an instant. "I'm warning you: you must never use the trick you tried on me last time on Alice. Otherwise, no matter how useful you are, I'll kill you without hesitation!"

Seduce the little princess? That was an outrageous accusation! He wasn't some creepy old man! Though, if he waited another couple of years...

Chen Rui felt her undisguised, overwhelming murderous intent and was secretly alarmed. He immediately shook his head. "I can swear that I have absolutely no improper intentions toward the little princess. If there's even a hint of falsehood in that, I'll accept the Eldest Princess's punishment at once! If you're still worried, I'll cut off all contact with the little princess starting tomorrow!"

Shea met his gaze for a moment, then finally nodded as if satisfied. "There's no need. I can see that Alice is happy with you. Before Athena came along, she didn't even have a single friend. Now... just let her be as happy as she can."

"Understood, Eldest Princess." Once their misunderstanding was cleared up, Chen Rui's mood inexplicably improved.

"That's enough about Alice. Now, shouldn't you explain the secret behind the third competition?" Shea sat down. "If I didn't know that you'd planned the competitions behind the scenes, I would've thought, like Joseph, that what happened in the Wyvern round was nothing more than an accident. Can you clear this up for me?"

Chen Rui hadn't expected Shea to spot the problem so quickly, but Alice, Athena, and Aldas would all ask him about it too, so he'd prepared an answer in advance.

"Your Highness, Shea, I'd intended to report this to you," Chen Rui said after a moment's thought. "In fact, just yesterday, another part of the Grandmaster Inheritance awakened, and I gained a new ability.

Looking back, he had to admit that the lie about the Grandmaster Inheritance had been remarkably prescient. It was just the thing to cover up some of the changes brought about by the Super System.

Shea looked slightly moved. Chen Rui continued, "This ability is Beast Taming. It lets me communicate with magical beasts to a limited extent. Otherwise, how would I have dared approach the Wyvern?"

"So that's it! All of this... including Allen being attacked in the air, was your doing. I have to admire your cleverness." Shea looked enlightened. "Then are the Vine Stones you need connected to the Grandmaster Inheritance?"

Chen Rui secretly admired her quick thinking and seized the opportunity to say, "The last time I visited the little princess's shop, I accidentally discovered that the power of the Inheritance reacted to Vine Stones. The little princess gave me two, and later their power was absorbed automatically, awakening more of the Grandmaster Inheritance. But the power this awakening gives me is unstable, and I can only use Beast Taming for a short time. So I need more Vine Stones to strengthen and stabilize this new ability."

Chen Rui thought his excuse was nearly flawless. Since Shea needed him, she would probably provide him with some Vine Stones.

By now, Shea completely believed in the Grandmaster Inheritance and began to consider the matter seriously. The ability to tame beasts was no small thing, especially since it could work on powerful beasts like Wyverns. Used properly, it could become an unexpected force in battle. And more importantly, this was only a small part of the Grandmaster Inheritance. If, in the future...

"I can supply you with plenty of Vine Stones," Shea said, as expected. "But I have a feeling that, given your potential, you may become impossible to control in the future... If that Lesser Devil hadn't already signed a Master-Servant Contract with you, I would have considered..."

Considered? Dream on! Chen Rui sneered. "The Eldest Princess could always kill that Lesser Devil to void the contract, then force me to become your contract servant."

Chen Rui already knew how miraculous the power of contracts was. An ordinary person could only bear one contract within their body. But his body was strange, perhaps because of the Super System. In addition to the Symbiotic Contract with Pagliu, he'd also signed a Master-Servant Contract with Sli, and the two didn't conflict.

He was no longer a weakling at the mercy of others. If the worst came to pass, he could play along and stall for time, then escape.

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

"Has Your Highness truly decided to do that?" Chen Rui asked in reply, neither confirming nor denying it. "Why didn't you force Master Aldas to sign a Master-Servant Contract with you back then?"

Shea understood what he meant and fell silent, deep in thought.

"The power of contracts is strong, but it can't restrain someone who reaches a certain level of power, such as a demigod or someone at God Level. Once the Grandmaster Inheritance fully awakens, the power of the contract may no longer be able to bind you. Or should I believe the... excuse you gave me in the garden last time?" Shea looked Chen Rui in the eye again. "That's the reason I found for myself. What do you think?"

"The Eldest Princess still suspects that was just an excuse? I admit I once had thoughts I shouldn't have had, but I never indulged in any grand fantasies. I only wanted to stay. I felt that way then, and I still feel that way now... I hope I'll feel the same in the future." Chen Rui thought of that beautiful misunderstanding, and his confidence grew. He met Shea's gaze openly.

Shea was the first to look away. "Is that so?"

"It is. But Dark Moon's situation is precarious. If the Eldest Princess puts her trust in the wrong person, the consequences could be unexpected."

Shea found the conversation strangely subtle. The person who wanted to do it was making excuses not to, while the person who didn't want to was giving the other a reason to do it. Perhaps this was a test of sorts.

After a long while, her gaze finally hardened. "It's better to trust the wrong person than not dare to trust at all. If we risk everything, perhaps we can still find hope in adversity... I plan to appoint you as my secretary. Are you willing to accept?"

Secretary? Her male secretary? That was still better than a Master-Servant Contract. It seemed Shea had decided to formally bring him into Dark Moon's inner circle.

Athena, Alice, Aldas... and Pagliu was here too... Now that he'd established himself here, with the Poison Dragon's seal still intact, he could only settle down in Dark Moon for the time being. The more stable and powerful Dark Moon became, the safer he would be.

Chen Rui knew that, since Shea had taken things this far, he had no other choice unless he wanted to fall out with her. He bowed and said, "I'd be honored to serve Your Highness. Time and facts will prove that your decision today was absolutely right."

"Good. You've worked hard at the competition today, so go back and rest. Starting tomorrow, report to the Council Hall every morning. Gauss will tell you what to do." Shea nodded in satisfaction. "And I hope you'll offer me useful advice at certain important moments."

Chen Rui understood that the secretary's main duty was probably to take notes. From Shea's attitude, she also wanted him to act as an unofficial adviser.

A military strategist from another world? Chen Rui scratched his head. He was about to ask a few questions about holidays and benefits when Shea said, "Once the Vine Stones from Chiyou Territory arrive at the royal palace, I'll give you sixty. If that isn't enough, tell me."

Sixty? These were top-quality Vine Stones, each probably worth over a hundred Black Crystal Coins! The spiritual energy he'd thought lost forever had come back to him. Chen Rui's eyes lit up at once, and he forgot all about asking for benefits. He felt that this was the most moving thing the Eldest Princess had ever said.