Darius's Invitation

By the time Luo Ge left the Water God Style Dojo, it was already completely dark.

Isolte was called in alone by Reida, who said she had something to tell him and asked him to wait outside for a while.

Luo Ge didn't think much of it. He leaned against the stone lion at the entrance of the dojo, watching the sparse pedestrians on the street with a bored expression.

After waiting for a while, Isolte still hadn't come out.

Instead, a well-dressed middle-aged man walked towards him. He was dressed as a noble butler, with his collar neatly pressed. He walked at a measured pace, stopped in front of Luo Ge, and bowed respectfully.

"... You must be the infamous Demon Sword King?"

Luo Ge glanced at him but didn't reply.

"Lord Demon Sword King, my master invites you to his residence for a chat."

Who is your parent?

"My master is Darius, the vizier of Asura." The man held his head high, exuding the arrogance of a superior.

Luo Ge tilted his head, and it took him two seconds to match the name with the person.

During the day, there's that black carriage with gold trim on the street, and behind the curtains, that face with layers of fat.

Asura's Advanced Rank minister, a figure even the king had to show deference to.

Luo Ge was puzzled.

I had never met this Darius before, so it didn't seem right that he suddenly sent someone to invite me.

He had never liked dealing with nobles; no one could say for sure what kind of knife they might be hiding behind their smiles.

"I'm not going."

I refused without even thinking about it.

The butler's smile froze instantly.

"Hmph, if you refuse, then you'd better think carefully about the consequences."

"Oh? You're threatening me?"

The sound wasn't loud, but the air temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

The butler sensed the killing intent; a layer of cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, and he swallowed hard, barely managing to maintain a smile.

"Don't worry, Demon Sword King, my master means you no harm. He simply... wishes to speak with you in person."

Luo Ge stared at him for a few seconds, pondered for a moment, and then, out of curiosity, agreed.

"Lead the way."

Darius's residence was located in the very center of the capital, and its size was outrageously large.

The walls were high, the gate was covered with copper, and two rows of guards stood ramrod straight at the entrance.

The courtyard was brightly lit, with artificial hills and flowing water, and winding corridors. You could hear your own footsteps echoing in the spacious courtyard as you stepped on the bluestone slabs.

The butler led Luo Ge to the main hall.

The hall was large, with thick carpets and a dazzling crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

A fat, bald nobleman, who looked like a fat raccoon, sat in the main seat; he was the same man from the carriage during the day.

He had changed into a brocade robe, and his face was beaming with smiles. When he saw Luo Ge come in, he opened his arms to greet him.

"Oh? The Demon Sword King has arrived?"

"Oh my, what a young hero! Your Excellency the Demon Sword King's presence is an honor to our humble abode!"

Luo Ge ignored his pleasantries and stood in the center of the hall, expressionless.

Darius wasn't embarrassed at all. He laughed twice, sat back down, and clapped his hands.

Servants filed in, carrying wine, dishes, and snacks, and laid them out on the table.

Darius winked to the side.

A beautiful maid with exotic features walked out from the side door, dressed in a sheer dress, and swayed gracefully toward Luo Ge.

She picked up the wine pot, poured a glass of wine, and presented it to him with both hands, her eyes sparkling.

"Sir, please~"

Luo Ge didn't even glance at her, decisively shaking his head in refusal.

"This wine."

"I'll pass for now."

"Why did you invite me here? We don't seem to know each other."

Darius's hand, holding the wine glass, hovered in mid-air, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

He looked down at the wine glass in his hand, then suddenly sighed, his voice light and airy.

Aren't you going to drink?

"Drag him away and chop him up."

The maid who was pouring the wine froze for a moment, then all the color drained from her face.

"My lord! My lord, have mercy! My lord!"

Two guards rushed in through the side door, grabbed her arms on either side, and dragged her out.

The innocent maid struggled desperately, tearing her thin gauze sleeves, disheveling her hair, and smearing her face with tears and snot.

He kept begging for mercy, his voice growing fainter and sharper as it faded into the distance.

"Grown ups!"

"Please—I'll do anything—my sir—!"

The sound stopped abruptly at the door.

A muffled thud came from outside, very short, like something falling heavily to the ground.

Then nothing happened.

The hall was so quiet that you could hear the crackling of the candles burning on the crystal chandelier.

The servants bowed their heads, trembling all over, not daring to even breathe.

Everyone turned pale and took a half step back, clearly not expecting Darius to pull such a stunt on the spot.

Darius put his wine glass on the table, took out a handkerchief to wipe his fingers, and his expression was no different from when he had just had a cup of tea poured for him.

"I'm sorry to have made the Demon Sword King laugh at me. Servants who don't know their manners are useless to keep around."

He raised his head and put on a smile again.

"Good."

"Since you're a straightforward person, I'll be frank too."

"I really enjoy making friends with talented young people like you."

"I would like to request that you remain in Asura and serve as a sharp blade in my hands. As for your compensation, you will certainly not be treated unfairly."

"How about it? Money, wealth, status... I can give you everything you want."

He raised his hand and waved.

Several servants carried up a heavy wooden box. When the lid was lifted, gold coins spilled out with a clatter, dazzling the eyes in the lamplight.

Beside him, a servant was carrying a long box. When he opened it, a famous sword lay inside, its blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light.

"... These little things are just a small gift for our first meeting. I wonder if you, Demon Sword King, are satisfied?"

Luo Ge glanced at the box of gold coins, then at the sword, before turning his gaze back to Darius's face.

His expression didn't change much, but his eyes were a bit more somber than before.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency, but I'm in a hurry and will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

Darius's smile faded slightly.

The shifty-eyed nobleman next to him, who didn't seem like a good person, couldn't hold back any longer. He took a step forward and pointed at Luo Ge's nose.

"Damn it, don't be ungrateful! Darius personally spoke up to you, a mere brat—"

Luo Ge's gaze swept over them.

Just one glance.

The middle-aged nobleman named Pylemon swallowed the rest of his sentence, his hand frozen in mid-air, his face flushed red.

Darius gestured for the nobleman to step back, then slowly stood up, his smile completely gone.

"Demon Sword King."

Her tone was a few degrees heavier than before, "I'm not one to like being rejected."

Luo Ge looked up and glanced at Darius with a nonchalant and indifferent expression.

"Coincidentally, I'm not one to compromise easily either."

"Hmph, you won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

Darius's expression finally changed.

He smashed the cup as a signal.

With a click.

The next second, the side door of the hall was kicked open, and seven or eight fully armed guards rushed in, their swords already drawn.

Seeing this, Luo Ge had an "I knew it" expression on his face; this was a trap set up by feigning politeness before resorting to force.

However, after scanning the area and seeing the people surrounding him, Luo Ge gave a disdainful smile.

That's it?