Taming

The next night, Adam still did not go looking for Adel.

Adel needed to be even more anxious, so Adam had to keep him waiting a little longer and let him suffer for a while.

Of course, he could not drag it out for too long either. If Adel completely broke down and caused some trouble, subduing him would become a hassle instead.

So Adam decided to see Adel tomorrow night.

Adam had not left much information in the cellar. He had only mentioned that he had a way to conceal abnormalities, then said he would come find him when he had time.

By creating an air of mystery and getting a grip on Adel's fear, he could turn that fellow into his own strength.

After fiddling with the painting on the table, which had begun to crack, Adam greeted Maggie and Yalis. He glanced at Lina, who was still asleep, then headed out.

Entering through the side door, he smiled as he greeted the priests he passed.

Adam remembered every priest's name, including their positions and the little preferences they had revealed unintentionally.

This allowed Adam to exchange a few more words with them and chat for a sentence or two after greeting them.

Some priests still disliked Adam, such as Priest Rob from the Defense Department, as well as certain noble priests who placed particular importance on one's background.

But quite a few priests had begun to acknowledge Adam. They had seen his diligence and eagerness to learn, and his friendliness, conversational skill, and handsome appearance all left many priests with a good impression of him.

Even Priest Jim, who had always haggled with Adam, could now exchange a few more words with him.

After all, Adam was Alva's student. Though he was only a commoner, as long as he continued studying diligently, he could still attain a respectable social standing. It was better to build good relations where possible.

Priests were people too. Though they had faith, they also had their own needs.

Take Fula, for example. Although he had rejected the nobles' attempts to win him over and could be rather inflexible in certain matters, no one had ever caused him trouble.

Because everyone knew, more or less, that the high priest thought highly of Fula.

Speaking of Fula, Adam realized that he had not seen him for quite some time. Ever since Fula had brought him to the church, he had barely seen that priest.

Keeping that in mind, Adam began his studies and work.

It was another day of miscellaneous chores, but starting today, whenever Alva instructed Adam to mix materials, he would explain the purpose of each material. When he worked, he would also briefly mention a trick or two.

Adam turned and looked toward the room where the high priest was, lost in thought.

Alva still could not remember his name, which meant he still looked down on him. A man with Alva's personality rarely forced himself to do anything.

Unless someone said something to him. Fula hasn't been to the church lately, so was it the high priest? Adam did not understand why.

Did my behavior over the past few days earn his approval? Adam had a fair understanding of himself. He possessed powerful affinity; animals seemed naturally friendly toward him, and even humans who initially held prejudice against him would come to see him as a decent person after interacting with him.

But for now, that affinity had its limits, especially when it came to people like the high priest, old and shrewd, or Alva, who could see through the essence of a person's actions.

Even if Adam turned his aura of affinity up to its fullest, they could still smell the scumbag on him.

There were always some people who could see past appearances to the essence beneath.

The high priest was such a person, Adam was certain. Though the man had not discovered his werewolf identity, he understood Adam's purpose in approaching Fula.

So he wants to redeem me? Adam smiled and did not dwell on it.

Time passed quickly. Watching Alva stagger away with a bottle of wine in hand, Adam lowered his head and began cleaning the garbage collection tools.

It has been three days since I took Adel's things. During that time, he must have fallen into anxiety and exposed some flaws. If he still hasn't been caught under those circumstances, it means the church truly isn't watching him. I can make further contact.

Adam very much wanted to subdue Adel and expand his own strength, but he would not overlook the risks behind it. Exposing himself merely to subdue one person would be a terrible trade-off.

There are four days left until the night of the full moon. Back in the attic, Adam looked up at the sky. After transforming again, he could feel the power in his bloodline stirring and leaping, as though something might burst forth at any moment.

Leaping out of the attic, Adam quickly vanished from the neighborhood. This time, however, he did not immediately enter the slums. Instead, he released his transformation and took out a set of priestly robes.

As the church's procurement officer, Priest Jim often had to discuss the purchase of mural materials with Adam. During the process, swiping a new set of priestly robes was not difficult, nor would it arouse suspicion.

After all, Jim himself did not know how many supplies had been requisitioned. One less set of priestly robes would not draw attention.

Then Adam put on a dusty gray mask. It was made from mural materials but had no paint added. Its overall style looked strange and mysterious.

Fearing he might encounter someone knowledgeable, Adam had also disguised the mask somewhat. As long as no one brought it before Alva, probably no one would be able to tell it was made from mural materials.

The key to subduing Adel isn't force, but his fear. Fear is a sharp blade that can help me pierce all of Adel's defenses.

Of course, it's not as if I have no means of fighting back besides transforming now. In his state of complete perception, Adam became extremely sensitive to everything around him. Fighting someone might quickly expose his lack of strength.

But for merely dealing with a test and using this to appear mysterious, it shouldn't be a problem.

Cough, cough, cough... Adam coughed several times, then disguised his voice through vocal modulation. He wore thick-soled shoes to conceal his height. Once everything was ready, he followed the route he had planned in advance toward Adel's home.

At this moment, Adel's eyes were bloodshot. He looked haggard and terrified, unable to sit or stand still.

To avoid arousing suspicion, he had continued going out to chop wood in recent days. But while distracted, he had brought his axe down on his own foot and severed two toes.

Although he was able to rest at home afterward, the more free time he had, the less he could stop himself from thinking wildly.

He shoved his fingers into his mouth and gnawed at them frantically. Even when blood splattered across his face, he did not stop. Adel kept wondering who that person was.

Why had he come looking for him? Why had he taken his notebook? Why did he know Adel went to the church to pray? What did he want to do to him? Was his method of concealing abnormalities real? Why had that person not come to find him yet?

Too many questions swirled through Adel's mind, plunging him into endless anxiety.

Until the knock came. An indescribable shock pierced through Adel's thoughts, blanking his mind and making him give up thinking.

He did not know how he had opened the door. Even the scene before his eyes was nothing but emptiness. He only vaguely remembered lunging forward, then feeling a sharp pain in his foot before losing his balance.

When his thoughts returned to his mind, he was already lying outside the door. The mysterious man in church priestly robes and a mask was sitting in a chair, looking down at him from above.

Beneath the mask, Adam's lips curled upward. His usual affinity now radiated in a different manner, becoming an indescribable pressure.

Everything had gone far too smoothly. Adam had analyzed an important piece of information the moment he reached Adel's door: Adel was injured.

The smell of blood drifted from inside the house, and it was a peculiar smell. It did not resemble the blood of a living person, but rather the decaying blood of a corpse, carrying a foul stench.

Most importantly, there were discarded bandages nearby.

So after knocking, Adam had stepped back a few paces instead of remaining by the door. The instant Adel came out, he locked onto the man's injured foot.

In his state of complete perception, and with preparations already made, Adam sidestepped Adel's lunge and casually planted a foot on his wound.

That lunge from Adel could no longer be called a test. It was practically offering himself up.

It seems the psychological assault has already succeeded. Adam thought with a curl of his lips. No matter how great one's strength, it required an effective mind to wield and use it.

As long as that mind was broken, the person would be nothing more than a living corpse, a target.

Looking down at Adel, Adam knew that he had already subdued this blood slave.