Killian's gaze was intense, his eyes locked on Lord Seth with barely contained fury. His hatred for the man ran deep—so deep that the thought of wrapping his hands around Seth's slim neck and squeezing until the life drained out of him was almost too tempting. But first, he needed proof. The information about the One-Eyed Alliance was too sensitive, too dangerous to accept blindly. The notion that a tyrant like Seth, infamous for his cruelty, could possess such valuable knowledge was laughable.
Seth could feel the weight of Killian's anger pressing down on him like a physical force. He took a slow, steadying breath and stepped closer to Killian's work table, trying to project an air of confidence despite the nerves churning inside.
"I can show you proof," Seth said, his voice calm and measured. "But shouldn't a VIP guest like myself have a place to sit? My legs are getting numb."
Killian's irritation flared at the casual tone. Ignoring the request was a deliberate slight, a small but satisfying act of defiance. He turned to his men and ordered a chair to be brought—but only one. It was for Aiden.
Seth noticed the insult but didn't react, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He knew the original Seth had given Killian plenty of reasons to despise him. The lack of hospitality was understandable, even predictable.
When the chair arrived, Aiden instinctively offered it to Seth. Seth waved him off, but Aiden, determined, dragged the chair over anyway, gently placing it behind Seth. Leaning in close, Aiden whispered, "Please, my lord. Sit here." His voice was soft, laced with something Seth couldn't quite identify but made him pause.
Relenting, Seth sat down, sensing Aiden's quiet insistence. Killian's face darkened with displeasure, and after a tense moment, he ordered another chair for Aiden. Once both were seated, the room fell into an uneasy silence.
Seth cleared his throat, breaking the stillness. "I know where the nearest One-Eyed Alliance facility is located," he began, his crimson eyes meeting Killian's piercing blue ones.
"This is valuable information," Seth continued, his tone sharpening. "And I don't intend to share it without assurance. I know you have the Scroll of Death in your treasury."
The name hit Killian like a blow. His body tensed, his mind racing. No one knows about that scroll except me. It was a rare, dangerous artifact—one he had earned after killing the basilisk in the Forgotten Forest. How could Seth, of all people, know about it?
Rage simmered beneath Killian's composed exterior, suspicion clouding his thoughts. Was his guild compromised? But even if it were, how could such a specific piece of information have leaked without his knowledge?
"I don't know how you came by that information, Lord Seth," Killian replied coldly, his voice dripping with distrust. He stood, walking deliberately to a rustic chest in the corner. From it, he retrieved an ancient scroll that pulsed with dark, ominous energy. He returned to the table, setting it down with a heavy thud.
Aiden shifted, about to speak, but Seth raised a hand, silencing him with a calm gesture. His eyes lingered on Aiden for a moment, softening slightly before turning his attention back to the scroll.
The Scroll of Death was no ordinary artifact. It was a relic used to bind contracts with unbreakable force. A drop of blood from each party sealed the pact, and any betrayal was met with immediate death. It was the ultimate contract, known throughout history for its absolute finality.
Seth knew all this. In the novel, Killian would later use this very scroll to form a crucial alliance with the Crown Prince of Bern Kingdom. But that was in the future—this moment held its own significance.
Killian hesitated, clearly reluctant to use such a powerful object on someone like Seth, but he had no choice. He needed the information.
Seeing the unspoken concession, Seth's smile deepened. Killian unfurled the scroll across the table, its dark miasma swirling like trapped souls eager to escape. He pulled out a small dagger, ready to cut his hand, but Seth's next move took everyone by surprise.
Without hesitation, Seth ripped a jeweled brooch from his coat, squeezing it tightly until it cut into his palm. Blood dripped freely from the wound, splattering onto the scroll below. He remained calm, his eyes never wavering, even as the blood pooled.
Aiden's eyes widened in shock. What is the lord doing? The act stirred something deep in Aiden—more than mere surprise. Why would he go this far for me? The thought gnawed at him, but he kept silent.
Killian, however, viewed the gesture as reckless, even dangerous. Once Seth's blood soaked into the scroll, Killian followed suit, slicing his own finger and allowing a drop of blood to fall and mix with Seth's. As the two drops combined, the dark miasma thickened, transforming into a sinister black substance that seeped into the parchment.
The ritual was complete. The scroll vanished as if it had never existed, and in its place, a dark choker-like mark appeared around Seth's neck, while a similar band wrapped around Killian's arm.
Seth leaned back in his chair, offering a satisfied nod. "Thank you for agreeing to the terms," he said, his voice smooth.
Killian's face remained hard, his eyes cold. He had only gone through with this because of Aiden—Aiden, who had fought beside him in the slums, protecting him when no one else would. That loyalty had compelled Killian to enter this dangerous pact.
Seth straightened, ready to fulfill his part of the deal. "This facility is only a small branch of the One-Eyed Alliance," he began, his tone businesslike. "But you can send your men to confirm it. Beneath Viscount Ludwig's castle, there's a hidden laboratory."
He paused, watching the reactions of both men before delivering the final blow. "The Viscount is involved in a secret experiment. A beastman experiment."
Killian's expression remained unreadable, though his spies—shadowy figures in the background—moved swiftly, already departing to verify the information. Aiden, however, was a different story.
His entire body trembled with rage. His face flushed red, muscles tensed, and his wolf form threatened to surface as the reality of Seth's words sank in. Experiments. On his people. His kind. The pain of his past—the destruction of his clan, the kidnapping of his people—flooded back, raw and unbearable.
Killian stayed silent, understanding Aiden's inner turmoil. After all, how could anyone stay calm after learning such horrors about their own people?
But Seth, ever composed, spoke firmly. "Aiden."
His voice was calm, but it carried a command. "Save your fury. You'll need it later."
Aiden fought to control himself, slowly forcing his transformation to recede. He wasn't just a beastman from the Wolvendom clan—he was one of the last. His race had been hunted nearly to extinction, their children taken for brutal experiments conducted by the One-Eyed Alliance. Seth knew all of this—he had read about it in the novel. Those experiments would create monsters so powerful, so twisted, they were nearly unstoppable.
Seth stood, the deal concluded for now. "Once your men confirm the information, we'll speak again."
With that, Seth and Aiden left the Raven Guild's underground lair, blindfolded once more as they retraced their steps back to the surface.
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As they rode in the carriage back to the castle, Aiden fidgeted, clearly wanting to ask Seth something. But each time he glanced at the lord, Seth's distant expression held him back. Seth, lost in thought, gazed out at the landscape, the twilight casting long shadows across the road.
The silence stretched until Seth finally broke it, his voice quiet, almost contemplative. "Aiden, what would you do if you died and woke up in someone else's body?"
The question caught Aiden off guard. His brow furrowed as he considered the odd inquiry. After a pause, he answered carefully, "I'd be… sad, my lord. I'd lose my identity. I'd have to live as someone I'm not."
He paused again, thinking, then added, "But I suppose I'd try to accept it. I'd live as true to myself as I could, even in another's body."
Seth's lips curved into a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Good answer."
Aiden's confusion deepened, but he said nothing. Is the lord someone else? The thought was absurd, yet it lingered in the back of his mind.
When they arrived at the castle, Royfield was already waiting at the gates. The carriage came to a stop, and Aiden helped Seth step down. As they made their way toward the entrance, the old butler greeted them warmly.
"My lord, would you like to take a bath and have dinner?"
Seth nodded, gesturing for Royfield to lead the way. Aiden watched as Seth disappeared into the castle, but before he followed, Seth turned back and offered him a soft, almost cryptic smile. It left Aiden feeling unsettled, stirring emotions he couldn't quite place.
With a sigh, Aiden turned toward the training grounds, his heart heavy and his mind swirling with thoughts. He needed to release the tension coiled inside him.