Moments later, the door opened, and the maid from earlier stepped in. She offered a polite nod before speaking.
"My lady requests your presence," she said simply. "If you would follow me."
"Lead the way."
The maid guided him through the winding corridors of the mansion. The air was cool, and the faint scent of herbs lingered, mingling with the faintest hint of incense. The stone walls were adorned with intricate tapestries.
"Does she make a habit of summoning strangers like this?" he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.
The maid didn't turn, but there was the faintest trace of amusement in her tone. "You are hardly a stranger, sir. If you were, you would not have been brought here."
Her cryptic answer only deepened his unease. They rounded a final corner, and the maid came to a stop before grand double doors. She pushed them open with ease, .
At the far end, seated with effortless grace in her throne-like chair, was the woman who had saved him. Her golden hair seemed to shimmer in the low light, and her piercing purple eyes were fixed on him the moment he stepped inside.
"You kept me waiting," she said, her voice carrying a cool edge.
"I didn't realize you expected me to rush," he replied, his tone carefully neutral.
Her lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. She rose from her seat, the long folds of her gown flowing like water as she crossed the room toward him. When she was close enough, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp and assessing.
"You've cleaned up nicely," she remarked. "Though you still look as though you're ready to fight me."
"Old habit," he said, crossing his arms defensively. "Besides, I don't even know who you are."
Renaia's lips twitched, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Hmm... I'll tell you, since you cannot betray me even if you wanted to," she muttered, her tone cool and composed.
"My name is Renaia Xuelith," she continued, straightening her posture. "And I am the Duke of the capital."
"..."
He blinked, trying to digest her words. The title sounded so weighty, so official, but it didn't mean much to him in this moment. His mind was still stuck on the earlier statement.
"Wait, what do you mean I can't betray you even if I wanted to?" he asked, furrowing his brow. His voice was filled with confusion and suspicion now.
"You see," she began slowly, "the flame keeping you alive—it's under my control. I can extinguish it at will. If I wanted to, I could kill you with a mere thought."
She let that hang in the air for a moment.
"So," she continued, her tone more matter-of-fact now, "while you may think you have choices, the truth is you don't. You're bound to me now, and there's no escaping that."
His thoughts whirled. The notion that his life was tethered to something as intangible as a flame—something that could be extinguished with a thought—was unsettling, yet familiar in a way. But he wasn't entirely concerned. After all, he had his rebirth ability to fall back on, something that rendered death almost trivial for him. Still, he had to play the part. A powerful backer like her could be useful, very useful indeed.
His expression remained neutral, though inwardly he was calculating. "So, what is this flame? How is it able to keep me alive?"
Renaia's gaze flickered for a moment, and then a faint sense of pride seemed to radiate from her. It wasn't something she displayed often, but there was something about the topic that made her posture straighter, her voice a touch more assured.
"The flame is called the Sacred Ember Flame," she explained, her voice taking on a subtle reverence. "It is a rare and ancient force, only accessible to those of the purest bloodlines. Not just anyone can wield it—or even withstand it."
She paused, as if considering how much to reveal. "It's... not something you could ever understand, at least not without the bloodline that grants access to it."
Pure bloodlines... that sounded far too complicated for his liking.
"You will stay here for quite some time," she said firmly. "You cannot leave this place, and you will learn under the guidance of Elder Veran."
"I see potential in you," she muttered, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Though I still feel you're hiding many things from me... We'll see that in the future."
He stood there silently, her penetrating gaze making it clear that any attempt at deception would be futile. This woman... She exuded authority and intelligence in a way that made him uneasy. If he tried to lie, she would undoubtedly catch him in an instant. Better to keep quiet for now.
With a slight nod, he turned and left the room, the weight of her words lingering in his mind. The maid, waiting just outside, gave him a polite bow and gestured for him to follow. As they walked back toward his quarters, his thoughts churned.
"System, what do you think? It's not so bad after all. Living here seems much better than living in that village."
The memory of the village crossed his mind—weeks spent manipulating the simple-minded people, carefully weaving lies and half-truths to establish himself. "Though, the time I spent brainwashing those villagers might be for nothing now."
[Perhaps not, Staying here might be worth it. You'll learn things that were far beyond your reach before, and as she mentioned, she's a Duke. With access to resources and influence like hers, your plans to gather believers might progress far more efficiently.]
He couldn't help but smirk slightly at that. "You're not wrong. Playing along here could work out better than I thought. If she's powerful enough to command an entire region, her network alone could be invaluable."
The maid opened the door to his room, offering a polite bow before stepping back.
"Alright then," he thought as he stepped inside.
"Well, the only thing I'm curious about now is Elder Veran she mentioned~"
A sudden, sharp burning sensation flared in his chest, right where he knew the Sacred Ember Flame resided. It wasn't the steady warmth he'd felt earlier—it was searing, like molten fire trying to consume him from within.