/I have a proposition for you, Lucas Maverick. Do you want to be part of the Lifeblood household?/

Lucas was stunned, but he didn't let it show on his face. His expression was neutral as he controlled himself with his will. With a methodical blink, he asked,

"What?"

/Would you like to become a member of our household?/

Evélyne reiterated, her expression calm. Something unspoken clouded her gaze however. Sasha moved closer to her, wrapping her tail around Evélyne's right arm. The feeling of the soft, fluffy tail anchoring Evélyne's thoughts and bringing her a gentle solace.

Lucas saw this interaction but chose to ignore it, his mind contemplating his response. After a few seconds, Lucas finally spoke up.

"I have a question, what's your level?"

Evélyne tilted her head in slight confusion before she indifferently said,

/I'm at the peak of level 5./

Lucas' eyes shrunk.

'The fuck? Then how did she kick my ass so much?? Wait, she said peak of level 5, what does that—'

Lucas forcefully stopped himself and reeled in his thoughts. Now wasn't the time for this. His tendril retracted into his back as he sat up straight.

"Okay so, what do you want from me? What does 'joining the Lifeblood household' entail?"

/Well, you will become a citizen of our queendom and depending on the how things go, a possible member of royalty in the future./

Katlyn raised an eyebrow but said nothing, fully trusting her daughter's judgement. Lucas frowned at this as he pushed further, his arms crossed.

"What's the catch? First, you try to kill me, now you want to make me royalty? Sorry, but I don't really buy that."

Katlyn and Sasha turned to Evélyne as well, curious about her response. Evélyne, ever composed, answered indifferently.

/I felt bothered by our battle. Even though I enjoyed myself, I felt this nagging feeling deep within. But rather than listening to my intuition, I pushed on and had the most fun I have ever had./

Lucas' skin writhed subtly at this, his energy galvanizing as he recalled the beat down. Evélyne, on the other hand, continued her mental monologue.

/When I found out you were… an actual living being… I felt… guilt. Something I have never experienced before… I despise it. You could say, I am trying to atone for this mistake./

Lucas felt a mild anger but mostly confusion at this revelation, but questions could come later. He had more pressing concerns to deal with.

"Okay weird girl. You still haven't answered my first question. What's the catch? In my current position, I have no reason to believe anything you say. After all, you could just decide to take off my head the very next instant if that's more 'fun' for you."

Evélyne's expression shifted slightly as a cold light flashed in her eyes.

/The fact that we haven't harmed you isn't merit enough?/

Lucas glared back at her as he roared.

"Almost killing me brought your 'merit' into the negatives!!"

Even with the seemingly violent outburst, he controlled his Spirit energy enough to not release his aura. Sasha tightened her tail around Evélyne's arm as she stood firm, doing her best to subtly calm her. Katlyn watched on with a sigh as she thought,

'Sending her out was the right course of action. But it seems my Veliris is too level headed for her own good.'

Katlyn stepped forward and interjected herself into the conversation. With a small cough, she sent a mental message.

/Okay, calm down now children. Lucas, would you like to see the outside world? That might cool our heads./

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Katlyn's words immediately dissolved the staring contest. Lucas' head snapped over to her, his thoughts written all over his face even though he did his utmost to suppress them. Katlyn chuckled slightly at this before she turned to Evélyne and said,

/What do you think dear?/

Evélyne nodded faintly as Sasha's tail uncoiled from her arm. She gave Sasha some head pats before training her indifferent gaze on Lucas.

"Why are you guys acting like I agreed?"

Lucas grumbled as he stood up. Tendrils sprouted from his back as he left his containment cell. The force field deactivated with a gentle hum as he walked out. His naked form left the trio unphased as they just walked towards the exit.

'Weird…'

Even though Lucas was already beyond shame given his experiences in the cavern, it still felt off that none of them reacted to his naked form… or lack of genitals.

As they walked out of the lab, Lucas could see a slight smile on Sasha's face as she walked alongside the other two. Her ears flicked in a relaxed playful manner. Evélyne's expression was unreadable while Katlyn just hummed a beautiful tune to herself as the trekked through the vast manor.

The cool and pleasant air of the manor caused Lucas tendrils to curl faintly. As he looked around, he was taken aback by just how luxurious and elaborate everything was.

'Damn. Guess she wasn't kidding about the royalty thing.'

Walking past house keepers and guards, Lucas noticed they were all Beastkins like Sasha. This detail was surprising yet he kinda expected it. After all, he wasn't on earth anymore. This was a completely separate universe. They all greeted them with a bow before carrying on their duties.

In a few minutes, they finally exited the manor. The exit Katlyn had chosen directly led to a view of lush, undulating hills. The air was thick with the sweet, calming scent of blooming flowers and the earthy fragrance of rich, dark soil.

The hills were a delicate blend of vibrant greens, browns, and reds. These colors were punctuated by a few clusters of pulsating, crystalline trees that shimmered with an inner light.

The morning sunlight radiated down from the sky across the landscape, casting long, shifting shadows. This provided a smooth contrast to the alluring environment.

A gentle breeze brushed against Lucas' skin, carrying the warmth of the morning and the soft rustle of alien foliage.

The scene entranced Lucas for almost a minute as he finally let go of his guard. It had been so long since he had seen a horizon. The cavern's oppressive darkness had become his world, and this sudden burst of light and color felt almost overwhelming.

A pang of longing struck him, a phantom ache for the simple beauty of a world he once knew, for the days when he could rushed through rooftops and streets without fear.

Sasha's lips curved into a soft, gentle smile as she watched Lucas, her ears twitching with quiet contentment. Katlyn watched Lucas with a thoughtful expression, her eyes carrying traces of melancholy as she arranged a strand of loose hair.

Evélyne stood apart from the group, her gaze fixed on the landscape as the wind shifted her robes slightly. Her senses were subtly focused on Lucas, paying attention to his shifting expressions. The trio didn't say anything as they just stood beside him patiently waiting. Lucas finally broke the silence with a simple sentence.

"I accept, BUT, you have to clearly lay out your conditions.'

As always, Evélyne calmly said,

/I had every intention to do so./

Her eyes unfocused as Lucas received a notification,

————

{Pact Proposal: Lifeblood Household Integration.

Lucas Maverick, you have been presented with a Pact Proposal by Evélyne Lifeblood. Accepting this pact will bind you to the following conditions:

Conditions:

Mutual Non-Aggression and Cooperation:

* Both parties agree to refrain from hostile actions or intent towards each other.

* Both parties agree to cooperate in good faith during all interactions and activities outlined by this pact.

Scheduled Interactions and Shared Activities:

* Both parties agree to participate in scheduled interactions and shared activities for a minimum of [specified time] per [specified time period].

* Activities will focus on communication, knowledge sharing, and exploration of mutual interests.

* Scheduling will be determined mutually or by Evélyne Lifeblood.

Open Information Exchange and Honesty:

* Both parties agree to exchange information openly and honestly, within reasonable boundaries.

* Both parties agree to strive to answer each other's questions truthfully and to share relevant experiences and perspectives.

Consequences:

* Severe violation of any condition will result in permanent loss of every Attribute. This is applicable to both parties.

Options:

[Accept Pact]

[Decline Pact]

————

Lucas quickly read through the notification, he picked up on three things that immediately stood out to him.

Firstly, the consequences were extremely harsh. Given that this agreement was backed by the system, weaseling out of it was an incredibly bad idea.

Secondly, the second condition was quite odd. It almost sounded like… she wanted to have a scheduled friend?

Finally, due to the third condition, didn't that mean they can't lie to each other?

'Fuck.'

He took a deep breath and made a decision that would set him on the path towards the summit. He clicked—[Accept Pact].

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