Some weeks had passed, and he had spent them carefully building trust with the villagers and setting up his plan to drive out the seer.

Killing the seer would have been the simplest solution, but it didn’t sit right with him. He understood that in this world, taking a life was often considered normal—pragmatic, even—but he wasn’t used to it.

Besides, the seer was the one who had acted against him first. By his beliefs, it was only fair: destroy anything that tries to destroy you. It wasn’t his fault, after all. The seer had made the first move, and now, the consequences would follow.

Though the plan seemed cruel, even manipulative, he had no choice but to proceed. He couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud his judgment; achieving his goals required strength, cunning, and the ability to do what others wouldn’t.

As he pondered this, a knock came at the door. Opening it, he found Nora standing there. She hesitated briefly before stepping inside, her movements cautious.

"So, Nora," he began, his tone calm yet probing. "What do you think of the seer now?"

She paused, lowering her gaze as if weighing her words. "My Lord, the seer hasn’t done anything particularly profitable for the village... but he hasn’t done anything wrong either."

Her response was measured, but it wasn’t what he had hoped for. His expression shifted slightly, disappointment flickering across his face before he quickly masked it.

‘I guess I’ll have to take the hard route,’ he thought grimly. Though it felt wrong to manipulate someone so directly, it was necessary. Hesitation would only hinder him, and he couldn’t afford that.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pin, its sharp tip catching the faint light in the room. He turned it between his fingers, glancing at Nora with an unreadable expression.

"Nora," he said softly, his voice carrying an almost hypnotic calm, "you’ve been loyal to me, haven’t you?"

She nodded, her golden locks shifting as her purple eyes fixed on him with a mix of curiosity and trust. "Of course, my Lord. You've shown us a path, a purpose we didn’t have before."

A faint smile crossed his lips, though his eyes remained cold. "Then trust me now. What I’m about to do will help you see the truth more clearly."

Before she could question his intent, he pricked the tip of his finger with the pin, drawing out a bead of black blood that seemed to shimmer unnaturally in the faint light. The sight made her breath hitch, her instincts urging her to step back, but his presence rooted her in place.

"Nora, drink this," he instructed, holding the droplet of black blood before her. "It will help you understand what I see. It will open your mind to truths that have been hidden from you."

She hesitated, doubt flickering in her eyes. "My Lord, what is this? Why—"

"Trust me," he interrupted gently but firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "I would never harm you. This is for your benefit and ours."

After a long moment of tension, she nodded reluctantly. "If you believe this is right... then I will obey."

He extended his finger, the black droplet hanging precariously. Nora leaned forward, her lips parting slightly as she took the drop into her mouth. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, the room heavy with anticipation.

Then it began.

Her eyes widened as the black blood coursed through her system, an overwhelming rush of emotions flooding her mind. She staggered slightly, gripping the edge of a nearby table for support.

"Nora," he said, his voice calm but commanding, "tell me what you feel."

Her breathing was shallow as she raised her gaze to meet his, her expression shifting from confusion to awe. "I... I feel as if my heart is being rewritten. My doubts... And the seer..." Her eyes darkened, a glimmer of resentment forming. "The seer is unworthy. He speaks of visions, but he does nothing for us. He is a parasite."

He smiled faintly, satisfaction curling at the corners of his mouth. "Good. Now tell me—what do you feel towards me?"

Her gaze softened, a mix of reverence and devotion shining in her eyes. "You... You are our salvation. I see it clearly now. You are the one we should follow. Only you."

"Exactly," he murmured, stepping closer and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You’ve always known it deep down."

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

She nodded fervently, her previous hesitation erased entirely. "Yes, my Lord. I see it now. What do you command of me?"

Soon, he instructed her to leave, his gaze fixated on the screen glowing in front of him.

_____________________________

Death Meter: [0.001%]

_____________________________

"It would be nice if I could spam such a powerful sorcery... but everything has its drawbacks," he muttered under his breath.

...

"Hmm, so that guy... what was his name? Keeper, right?" A woman with golden hair spoke, her tone thoughtful.

A figure clad in black, their face and skin concealed, knelt before her. "Yes, Miss, that was my observation."

"It seems he's trying to shape himself into some kind of messiah... I can't understand why he's doing that," the figure added, voice filled with confusion.

The woman’s expression remained unreadable as she glanced at the ceiling. "Perhaps he enjoys the feeling of being worshipped," she mused, her voice almost distant.

"Keep an eye on him," she continued, her tone firm. "He's quite interesting and might prove useful in the future, should the need arise."

"As you command, Miss. I’ll monitor his movements," the figure replied, bowing low.

...

"So, are you ready, Nora?" he asked, his gaze lingering on her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he watched his devoted follower.

"Yes, my Lord," she replied, her voice steady and filled with unwavering loyalty. "I will do exactly as you’ve instructed."

That night, Nora disappeared without a trace.

The entire village was thrown into chaos. Her parents, frantic with worry, searched every corner of the village, calling her name through the darkened streets. Villagers joined the search, combing the woods and fields, but after hours of searching, it was clear she was nowhere to be found.

The night dragged on in uneasy silence, the only sounds being the calls of the villagers and the rustle of trees in the wind. But as the hours passed and exhaustion set in, Nora’s disappearance became even more troubling.

Her parents, desperate and drained, stood by the village square, unable to comprehend what had happened to their daughter.

Finally, after searching the entire village with no sign of Nora, the mother, eyes red from worry and exhaustion, looked at her husband. Her face was tight with frustration, but her voice trembled with anxiety.

"What are we doing here? Let's go to that Lord who saved your life before. He should know where our daughter might be," she said, her words sharp, though tinged with desperation.

The father hesitated, his face tight with uncertainty. He knew they had no choice but to go to the Lord who had saved his life, but a part of him didn’t want to.

He owed the man too much already, and he had nothing left to offer in return for the help. The debt weighed heavily on him. He didn’t want to appear weak or greedy, constantly asking for more from the one who had already done so much.

"Let’s just go," his wife urged, her voice sharp with worry. "He must know something about where our daughter is. Please, we have no other choice."

The father sighed, reluctantly nodding in agreement, but his discomfort was clear as he thought of the Lord.

"I... I don't want to bother him,"

"But he must know something," the mother insisted, her voice cracking with panic. "We’ve searched everywhere, and he’s the only one who might have the answers."

Finally, after a long pause, the father nodded, though his reluctance was clear. "Fine. We’ll go," he said, as if resigning to an inevitable fate.

soon with villagers they arrived at the house of the outside his house as they slowly knocked on his doors..

soon the door opened as he walked outside looking at the villagers standing with firetorchs in their hands..

"What is it that you have wawnt from at this time of night?"he asked as he looked at them

The villagers, standing in front of the house, their faces tense with worry, exchanged uneasy glances. The father took a step forward, his voice edged with desperation, though he tried to keep his tone steady.

"My Lord," he began, his words faltering slightly, "our daughter, Nora... she’s gone missing. We’ve searched everywhere, but we cannot find her. We’ve come to you, hoping that you might have some answers. Please, help us."

The Lord stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. His gaze swept over the villagers, lingering on the father and mother. He could feel their anxiety, their fear, but he remained unmoved.

After a long silence, he raised an eyebrow, as if contemplating their words. Then, a slow, mocking smile crept onto his face, though his eyes remained cold and calculating.

"Ah," he said, his voice almost amused, "so it seems that you’ve finally come to me for help. I had thought that with all your searching, you might have figured things out for yourselves by now."

The villagers exchanged confused glances, unsure how to interpret his words. The mother’s face tightened, her anxiety turning to frustration.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though the panic was evident.

He stepped back slightly, allowing them to see him more clearly. He crossed his arms over his chest and studied them, his smirk never fading.

"It’s simple," he said, almost as if speaking to children who had failed a simple test. "You’re looking for answers. But have you ever considered that you’re not seeing what’s right in front of you? Perhaps the answers are more... obvious than you think."

The villagers stood in stunned silence, unsure how to react to his cryptic words. The father’s face flushed, though he kept his head lowered, unwilling to challenge the man who had saved his life. The mother, however, could no longer contain her frustration.

"Stop playing games with us!" she snapped, her voice breaking. "Our daughter is missing, and we need your help. Please!"

He let out a soft, mocking laugh, almost as if amused by her outburst. "Oh, I will help you. But don’t mistake my words for mockery.

I merely find it amusing that you’ve waited until now to come to me. After all, I did save your life," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The villagers shifted uneasily, but the father finally found his voice. He knew they had no choice but to rely on the Lord, despite how uncomfortable the situation was.

"Please, My Lord," he said, bowing his head slightly. "If you know anything... anything at all, we beg you to help us. We have nowhere else to turn."

He paused, his smirk fading into a more thoughtful expression as he regarded the group. After a long, tension-filled silence, he finally spoke.