Chapter 268: Tell me one thing you do not approve of.

"That is the character you should want to form a contract with."

Lucian declared proudly, telling her how wonderful Naomi truly was.

Then, seeing that Aevrienne was still not convinced, he spoke again.

"I don’t think a powerful Ancient Spirit like you understands.

She.

Kept.

Walking."

He spoke every word slowly, making sure the Spirit did not miss it.

"She watched people fight.

She saw what Varek did to that hunter.

She was terrified.

Heck, she was so terrified that she actually threw up."

"...Did he really need to mention that?"

Naomi stared at this man with a flat look on her face.

Lucian, of course, couldn’t hear her, so he continued.

"But she still did not leave.

Even when she thought I had lost, instead of worrying about herself and leaving before that terrifying enemy got to her, she worried about me.

She screamed my name and cried for me."

Those words turned both Aevrienne and Naomi, who was watching everything through the screen, quiet.

"So yeah, right now, she’s weak.

But if you’re judging whether she’s worthy based on how hard she can punch today...

Then I think you’re being foolish."

Naomi blinked at those words, then she immediately turned and looked at Aevrienne.

The look on the Spirit’s face was not good.

And it wasn’t because Lucian had called her a fool.

She simply did not like his answer.

She did not like how, even now, when everything was in his favour, the demon was still pretending.

Lucian, on the other hand, did not stop.

"She came here with nothing...

And she reached you anyway.

That should mean something."

"She reached me... with your help."

Aevrienne’s projection replied.

"And with yours too."

And Lucian—

"So?"

He just tilted his head, wondering why that even mattered.

"People get help.

That’s normal.

I wouldn’t have made it this far without Evelyn giving me the energy she gathered for my sake.

I wouldn’t know half the things I know without my teacher.

I wouldn’t have survived everything I’ve survived without other people.

Does that make everything I did worthless?"

He asked directly.

And Aevrienne—

She did not have a proper answer to that question.

Naomi, on the other hand, stared at Lucian’s face and...

While she knew this was exactly how he would react because she trusted him, seeing him stand and protect her so vehemently...

She felt a warm feeling spreading through her chest.

Aevrienne noticed that.

And she...

She did not like it one bit.

This was not going how she wanted it to.

And Lucian’s words weren’t making this any easier.

"Naomi used what she had."

Lucian spoke directly.

"And what she had was me."

Then, he grinned.

"A very good thing to have, by the way."

Naomi’s eyes twitched at those words.

Just when she was about to become emotional too.

’Just can’t help it, can you?’

"She trusted me.

I protected her.

You guided her.

And she kept walking."

Lucian continued as he looked at Aevrienne again.

"So form the contract with her.

She is much more capable than you think.

Give her a chance."

He spoke in a convincing tone.

"I assure you...

You won’t be disappointed."

Naomi stared at the screen.

Her smile returned almost instantly.

What Aevrienne was doing was only making her fall for this man even more.

Just... how far would he go to keep her safe...?

Naomi quickly shook her head, realising how foolish that was.

She had already seen how far he would go.

She could see his injured, almost broken body right now.

It was all for her.

It was... overwhelming.

In the end, Aevrienne’s projection looked at Lucian.

Then, she extended her hand, using her final trick.

"One final time."

She spoke as silver light gathered around her fingers.

"Form a contract with me."

And Lucian—

He stared at her, then at her hand, then back at her again, and—

"No."

He shook his head.

"Do you understand what you are refusing?"

Aevrienne asked.

"Yep."

"You do understand that your refusal does not mean I will choose the girl, correct?"

"But there is a chance you will consider her.

I will take that."

"Are you certain?"

She asked one last time.

And Lucian—

He just smiled.

"Very."

And just as he said those words, the screen became still.

For several seconds, the two did not say anything.

Naomi continued staring at Lucian with a strong warmth in her chest.

Then, when she finally came out of her reverie, she turned towards Aevrienne and—

"Well?"

She smiled.

Aevrienne looked at her, and Naomi’s smile widened.

"You spent all that time telling me how dangerous he is.

What do you think no—"

"He is dangerous."

Aevrienne cut her off.

"I never said he wasn’t."

Naomi shrugged.

"You know what I mean."

Aevrienne did not back down.

Naomi stared at her for a moment.

Then her smile turned a little gentler.

"You keep talking about his blood, but... didn’t you see how much of it he shed fighting for me?"

"A being linked with demons knows how to manipulate others to get what they want.

This one’s far better than the others."

Aevrienne was very rigid.

Naomi, however, just laughed at those words.

"You do not know him."

"I have watched him throughout the Trial."

"Then tell me one thing you do not approve of."

Aevrienne couldn’t point to anything.

But—

"Again, demons can manipula—"

"I’ve known him for years, Aevrienne.

I’ve known him before he had anything to do with demons, witches, or anything supernatural."

This time, Naomi interrupted her.

Then, she looked at Lucian again and—

"Lucian is... the hardest-working person I know."

Aevrienne looked at her, and she continued.

"When he decides he wants something, he doesn’t stop."

She remembered how Lucian lived.

How much he struggled for even the smallest of things.

"He used to struggle with things everyone else considered easy.

He needed more time, more effort, more repetitions, but...

He still did it.

And you know the most surprising part?

He never blamed anyone.

He never sat around waiting for somebody to fix his life.

He just kept working.

That is who he is.

And the demonic blood he received barely three months ago did not change that."

"Wait."

The instant Naomi said those words, Aevrienne’s expression changed.

"You are saying... he got the demonic blood... three months ago?"