"I see…"
James turned to Liraeth the moment Thalia finished explaining.
'Again with the aura and how it affects women. Is it a manifestation of my nature or something?'
He heard Liraeth scoffed as he was pondering on the issue. As he was right now, Liraeth wasn't even a threat in his eyes. It was the reason he was so relaxed.
"What nonsense is that? There's no way an aura could force someone to go through that! Maybe the suffocating aura is true, but the aphrodisiac effect? I'm not a child, human."
Her eyes spewed flames and if she had such ability, James would have been caught burning already.
James simply stared at the woman with a blank expression. His eyes slowly lowered to her inner thighs when a slow grin emerged from his lips.
"Maybe you should clean yourself up first before trying to look threatening."
'Once upon a time, I would have been trying to calm her down, trying to look as harmless as possible. Now, I don't give a rat's ass.' He sneered inwardly.
"How dare you?!"
Liraeth finally snapped when James called her out on her situation. Her face turned a deep red as shame and anger threw her reasoning out the window.
"Sister, wait!"
Sylvara tried to calm her sister down, but Liraeth had already cast her spell.
Her mage staff glowed a bright nature green as she waved her staff around, conjuring a magic circle that promptly shot out bundles of wood spikes aiming straight for James.
Looking at the actions of the pissed-off elf, James remained in place. It wasn't because he was taken by surprise or anything of the sort.
He stood there because in his eyes, the elf appeared slow, incredibly slow to his senses and that was what surprised him. From the moment she channelled her energy to conjuring the magic circle and the spikes shooting out, it all appeared slow.
'Another gain from the pool?'
He thought as the spikes moved towards him. Everything about him, his senses, thought process and reaction time had been heightened so much so that he could afford to look as the attack closed in. He had more than enough time to react.
However, right now, he was trying to figure out what had changed. He had been hearing about this and that about himself that he himself wasn't even aware of and this began since his betrayal.
He knew the strength limits of Stellar Attunement level beings and what he was displaying wasn't one of them.
It felt like he was twice as powerful and that didn't make sense. He hadn't even activated any speed spells, yet he could follow the spell's speed with ease. The only explanation must have been the pool of light and darkness he absorbed.
He turned to look at Thalia who was behind him and was trying to get out of the way and then at Sylvara who was trying to stop her sister but was already too late.
Finally, he looked back at the elf whose expression was marred with anger and shame.
"Haa…"
Then, in an instant that was missed by all three, James moved towards Thalia, displacing her out of the spell's path and then appeared before the elf, already bypassing her spell.
He wasn't even angry nor did he feel anything. It was a new 'feeling' to him, and he would be lying if he said he didn't like it. After all, he needed all the coldness he could muster to exact his vengeance.
'Now what do I do with her?'
He wondered, staring directly at the woman who had no idea James was right in front of her. Suddenly, a smirk appeared on his face as he finally made a decision.
Liraeth felt so much shame having a human male look at her state that she did not care whether he was her saviour or not. She wanted to teach him a lesson, so she attacked, despite her sister's plea.
However, what she expected to see or at least for James to do was try to evade the attack and maybe react. That way, she would feel less bad for attacking the same person who saved her life!
But then, the man instantly appeared right before her and before she could react, he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up with ease.
'What…?!'
Her eyes widened in horror, gazing at the calm eyes that stared right back at her. Adding that to the taunting smirk on his lips almost drove her mad; it was as if she was no match at all.
"I don't mind a feisty woman but I won't also tolerate disrespect. Is this how you show your gratitude?"
As he spoke, the aura he still didn't know he emitted gushed out slowly as it filled the cavern with its overwhelming presence and effect.
Liraeth tried to struggle free, but the grip was tight and she couldn't even focus enough to cast any spells. And the air around him affected her the same way as earlier.
"!"
Her eyes darted to Sylvara and Thalia whose expressions were flushed and they panted for breath.
'He's not doing anything?!'
The realization hit her like a speeding train as the words Thalia spoke earlier finally made sense. James was not casting any spells, neither was he doing anything that would otherwise affect them the way it did.
The only thing out of line was the aura he was giving off and it was dangerous. At the same time evoking a fiery desire she had never felt before.
'No… It can't be nothing. There has to be something!'
She wanted to cry out but couldn't even do so.
"I'm on good authority to take back what I saved. So, tell me, what can you offer in exchange for your life?"
He wanted to push the elf and see how far she would go when her life was being threatened. Of course, she could decide to accept her fate but James could bet she wouldn't leave her sister behind to a 'monster' like him.
Sylvara wanted to say something, but her body felt too sensitive and aroused to even focus properly. Even her expression which was supposed to be panicking out of fear for her sister's life was flushed beyond measure.
Thalia on the other hand was already getting used to experiencing this sensation from James and just sat down on the ground to relax. Whatever James planned on doing with the two elves was up to his discretion.
Liraeth was lost for words and did not know how to reply. Yes, she owed her life to the man and yes, she had attacked him, but she didn't count on him shamelessly asking for a price for his noble actions.
'It's my fault for losing my cool and attacking him.'
"W-wha-t do you want?"
She struggled to bring the words out. James's grip was no joke and if he wasn't allowing her to take in some air, she would have passed out already and who knows what he'd do then. The thought sent shivers down her spine.
James smiled mischievously hearing her words, exactly what he wanted her to say.
"First off, your attitude needs a change."
The first was a no-brainer and Liraeth managed to nod in acceptance. Even she knew she overreacted. Sure, his words sounded rude and demeaning, but it was the truth.
How do you expect someone to take you seriously when your pants was all wet?
"Good. For the second thing…. You will do as I say wherever and whenever I say so…"
His second condition made Liraeth frown a bit and she quickly expressed her stance.
"N-no… I'm not your slave…"
She managed to say and James nodded.
"Indeed, you're not. But don't make the mistake of thinking I will not come fetching. And should you refuse…"
He tightened his hold to make his point, and with no choice in the matter, Liraeth nodded.
James was not even sure he could go through it, but he was done doing things out of kindness. If kindness and empathy meant nothing, then cruelty should be no different.
One way or another, James got himself an ally, an unwilling one, but one nonetheless.
Then James threw the elf aside like an unwanted sack of potatoes. The elf yelped in disbelief at the rough treatment before stumbling across the herb-filled ground.
James turned to look at Sylvara who shrunk back from his piercing gaze, and without he saying anything, she nodded like an eager child.
"We've wasted enough time here already, let's go."
Turning towards Thalia, he moved to her and then carried her in a princess carry. Thalia remained quiet with a blushing face as she enjoyed the treatment.
"J-Jay..?"
She called out softly, not daring to look him in the eye.
"Hm?"
"I want to change my clothes."
James stopped for a moment before he understood why and then nodded.
"Not here…"
With that, he turned towards the path they came from and slowly disappeared into the darkness. He was only here to acquire strength and maybe some artefacts that could aid him in his plans. Natural treasures and minerals were of no importance to him.
'Next stop, the main inheritance ground.'
Liraeth gritted her teeth as she watched James and Thalia leave without even looking back at them. The feeling of being treated like she was nothing deepened her growing hatred for James and at the same time made room for something she wasn't quite sure of.
"Are you okay?"
Sylvara rushed to her sister to help her up, dusting the pieces of herbs and dirt on her clothes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. We should change as well and continue our search."
"Are you sure? No one will be there to save us anymore." Sylvara muttered with a bit of fear in her voice. Even while James treated her sister roughly, she didn't dare think anything of it.
Heck, she couldn't, yet the idea of facing monsters was more frightening than a man who was just as dangerous if not more.
"Haa… I know. But that is the only reason we came here."
'Then we can go to the main grounds after here.'
She didn't tell her sister about the last part as it was still something she had to convince her of before they did anything else.
Who would refuse boundless artefacts and a chance at growing more powerful when the opportunity comes? Even if it was fraught with danger, she would take that chance.
"Okay…"