Chapter 248 - 247: You Two Have Some Real Chemistry, Huh?

Chapter 248: Chapter 247: You Two Have Some Real Chemistry, Huh?

After Inesha made her offer, she carefully observed Lloyd’s reaction.

’He froze for a few seconds without responding. It looks like he’s stunned by my generous offer and sincere attitude. He’s probably already imagining all sorts of romantic and intimate scenarios, isn’t he?’

’Hee hee, what a cute and innocent boy. This type is exactly my favorite...’

Inesha licked her lips, feeling like she had this in the bag. Lloyd definitely wasn’t going to escape her grasp.

She couldn’t help but sneer inwardly at Olga. ’To think he’d actually keep his word at a time like this, still maintaining the arrogance of a pampered heir. He didn’t even know enough to raise his offer in secret. What a simpleton, only knowing how to rely on his family.’

’When something as important as the eighth Transcendence is on the line, who would stick to some verbal agreement?’

Inesha was overjoyed. She secretly hummed a little tune, already considering what sort of games she would play with her little cutie later.

Seeing Lloyd still in a daze, she seized the opportunity and reached out a finger, intending to lift his chin and make him look directly into her eyes.

Suddenly, an invisible force materialized in the air and unceremoniously slapped her hand away.

’Huh? Is this the power of Projection?’

As a High-ranking Powerhouse of the Manifestation system, even though Inesha didn’t walk the other path, it wasn’t difficult for her to identify the power Attributes of a Projection.

’Has my little cutie already dabbled in the Manifestation system? That can’t be right. Isn’t he only Tier Two?’

’Wait... This power doesn’t seem to be coming from him. It feels more like it’s from some mysterious and powerful being.’

And there were no signs of other powerhouses in the vicinity, which meant that being had to be incredibly far away.

A being capable of projecting its power from such a great distance...

’A Saint?’

’The Veto Saint from Radiant City?’

Inesha’s scalp instantly went numb.

’Why does this little guy have a Saint watching over him?’

’He’s only Tier Two, isn’t he?’

’Even if he has a special constitution that can resist Spiritual Contamination, and he’s one of the best among the so-called ’Qualified,’ he’s still far too green. He shouldn’t be worthy of a Saint’s personal attention, let alone having them intervene for him, right?’

After all, while talented Qualified individuals like him were rare, they were by no means unprecedented in the long history of humanity.

’Could it be he has other traits that a Saint would value? Or is his talent so great that it warrants a Saint’s constant attention?’

’Then it’s no wonder he could stay lucid within the Story.’

’Still, being constantly watched by a Saint like that, continuously enduring that kind of pressure... he must be in so much pain, right? It’s actually kind of pitiful when you think about it. I just want to pull him into my arms and comfort him...’

As her mind raced, Inesha glanced down at her hand. The back of it was bright red and stung fiercely, proof that the blow had been quite forceful.

’Such a crude response... But at least it’s not Lloyd who dislikes me, it’s the Saint behind him who disapproves of my methods...’

’Damn it, I hope this doesn’t ruin my plans.’

’I can only hope the Veto Saint won’t care about a minor offense from a mere Tier Seven like me.’

Inesha was instantly filled with regret. She wished she could give herself a good, hard slap. At the same time, she immediately suppressed any wicked thoughts she’d had about Lloyd.

Just then, Lloyd finally snapped out of his daze.

He hadn’t been stunned; he had been mentally choosing his words, trying to figure out how to refuse the overly enthusiastic "auntie" before him.

Considering she was a Tier Seven powerhouse and an old friend of the butler, he naturally had to choose his words carefully, which was why he had hesitated.

As for her offer, it was the same as Olga’s before her: three Tier-Five rewards, which was certainly generous. The additional conditions she proposed, however, sounded even more intimate than Olga’s.

But Lloyd still decided to refuse without hesitation.

It was because this woman had the audacity to call herself his "big sister"...

He could have overlooked her age, but that one thing was intolerable.

"Lady Inesha, I was just..."

Lloyd was about to voice his prepared refusal when he saw her frivolous smile suddenly vanish, replaced by a grave expression. She stood up, waved her hand, and cut in.

"I was too forward just now. I just thought you were so cute, I couldn’t resist teasing you... Anyway, I didn’t mean anything by it. Um, yes...

As for my earlier invitation, please think it over. I’ll wait to hear from you."

She said this frantically, left a calling card as well, and prepared to take her leave.

But as she reached the door, she gritted her teeth and turned back to say:

"That Olga fellow isn’t trustworthy. He and his family have always been secretly involved in some shady business. If you don’t want to get dragged into it, you’d best be careful... Oh, right. I also heard he might prefer men?"

After bad-mouthing her rival, she finally pushed the door open and left.

Lloyd didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had no idea where to even begin with his thoughts on the matter.

’Why are you high-ranking people all so similar in your methods?’

’First you’re incredibly generous, then you bad-mouth each other behind your backs, completely disregarding the dignity expected of a powerful figure...’

’But considering this is about the eighth Transcendence, I guess it’s understandable. Between reaching the Eighth Tier and maintaining one’s dignity, anyone would make a similar choice.’

As he was roasting them in his head, the butler’s "narration" sounded in his ear.

"Lloyd, are you finished talking with them? Don’t rush into agreeing with either one. We’ll talk after they’re gone."

And so, Lloyd heard the rumble of steam-car engines from outside as three high-end models pulled up to the hotel one after another.

First, Olga left, taking his nephew with him into a car. Before they departed, a cry of surprise and an angry rebuke could be heard.

"What? That Tier-Two rookie only took three seconds on the last Story? How is that possible? Those girls were so cute! Does he like men or something?"

"Women, women! You useless spendthrift, you’ll be the death of yourself over women! You’ve brought nothing but disgrace to our family!"

Then, Inesha came downstairs with her Favored Consort, and their conversation could also be heard.

"My Lady, you can’t be joking with me, can you? Three seconds? That speed clearly defies all rational Cognition. He’s only Tier Two!"

"Hmph. You idiot. All you know is what you read in textbooks. Common sense? There are some people in this world who aren’t bound by what you consider ’common sense.’ You’ve been with me for so long, and you don’t even know *that* piece of ’common sense’? You really haven’t made any progress at all!"

’Yikes... they’re both getting chewed out so badly...’

Listening in, Lloyd started to feel a bit of sympathy for the two rivals.

’Looks like being an underling for a big shot is no easy job. In this world, you really do have to rely on yourself. Good thing I’ve always cultivated the image of a diligent, hardworking, and ambitious young man...’

After sighing to himself, he saw the butler enter his room. The butler sat down casually on the edge of the bed and said with great sincerity,

"Thank you, Lloyd. Thank you for helping me. You truly never disappoint."

"You’re too kind. It was nothing."

Lloyd waved his hand, smiling a little sheepishly as he continued,

"If you hadn’t persuaded Miss Desda to give my sister a job back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve never forgotten the kindness you and the Young Miss showed us."

"Then in the future... will you help me protect the Young Miss?"

the butler asked, seizing the opening.

"Of course..."

Lloyd replied, but then sensed something was off and pressed,

"You don’t seem very excited."

"I’ve already had my moment of excitement."

The butler explained casually, then pulled an oil-paper package and a check from his clothes and handed them over.

"This is the reward I promised you: the core material for advancing to Tier Five in the Veto system—’Time to be Remembered.’ As for this money, it’s a gift from those two."

As he spoke, he briefly described his two old friends’ calculations, allowing Lloyd to understand why they had both been so generous.

Of course, he omitted the ugly details of their argument, sparing his old friends some face.

But after hearing the whole story, Lloyd scratched his head and said, a little awkwardly,

"Uh... but they both promised me three Tier-Five level rewards."

He then summarized the offers from the two powerhouses, including the part where they bad-mouthed each other, then made sure to add an explanation.

"Of course, I’m not saying this because I’m ungrateful for your reward. I didn’t help you for the reward in the first place."

"What? They offered that much? That’s not what they agreed to between themselves."

This time, it was the butler’s turn to be surprised. He followed it with a wry sigh.

"I never would have thought my two old friends could be so cunning, yet so generous and in such tacit agreement. I originally lied to them to get you as many benefits as possible, and I even felt a little guilty about it. But I never expected...

I suppose those who focus on the ’Story’ path are all natural liars. At least you’re the beneficiary of their ’tacit agreement’."

Lloyd couldn’t help but laugh, then asked casually,

"Is the Eighth Tier really that important? Is it worth them offering so much just for my help one time?"

"The going rate would actually be what I gave you. It’s just that those two have been stuck at Tier Seven for far too long. Their desire for the Eighth Tier far exceeds my own, and the pressures and responsibilities they bear are much heavier than mine."

Although the butler also found it amusing, he understood the two powerhouses’ actions far better than Lloyd did.