Chapter 34 Secrets revealed part 1 – Arianna

Arianna sat on the couch, tapping her fingers against her knee. The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom as Cassis showered. She had tried to focus on formulating a plan for their meeting with Helen, but no clear answer had come to her.

How could they ensure Helen was trustworthy? How could they protect their secrets while still trying to gain her help—if she was someone they could trust?

She exhaled in frustration. They were walking a razor’s edge.

After a moment, she decided to check the Patron Shop. Maybe there was an item that could help.

She pulled up the familiar interface in her mind and typed into the search bar:

Trust.

Nothing useful.

Secret.

Mostly irrelevant junk.

Truth.

A few failed results, and then—

Two items caught her eye:

➤ Mana Contract (1000 CP)

A customizable contract that binds all parties who sign it using their mana and spirit signature. Breaking the contract results in death. All parties must willingly agree to enter it.

➤ Ring of Veritas (1500 CP)

A ring that forces the wearer to speak only the truth. Can only be worn voluntarily and can be easily removed.

Arianna’s pulse quickened. This could work.

The Mana Contract would ensure that Helen couldn’t betray them if she agreed to it. And the Ring of Veritas—if she wore it—would confirm whether she was hiding anything.

She bit her lip, considering. It was a steep price—2500 CP in total—but it was worth it if it meant securing an ally or weeding out an enemy.

She was still deep in thought when the bathroom door suddenly opened.

Steam drifted into the room as Cassis stepped out—wearing nothing but a towel loosely wrapped around his hips.

Arianna froze.

Cassis froze.

For a second, neither of them moved. His damp hair clung to his forehead, water droplets trailing down his bare chest and arms. She had known he was in shape, but actually seeing it was another matter entirely. His toned muscles weren’t bulky, but lean and defined.

Cassis cleared his throat. “I… uh. Forgot to grab clothes.”

His voice snapped her out of whatever stunned trance she had been in.

“Oh. Right.” She quickly averted her eyes, gesturing for him to pass.

The moment stretched into something awkward. Neither of them acknowledged it.

Cassis mumbled something and disappeared into his bedroom.

Arianna let out a breath and hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door a little too quickly behind her.

Inside, she pressed her hands against the cool sink and took a deep breath. Her heart was still pounding, but she wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or something else entirely.

Get it together, she scolded herself, shaking her head.

She forced herself to focus on her real concerns—the contract, the ring, Helen.

By the time she finished showering and stepped out in fresh clothes, she had mostly shoved the earlier incident to the back of her mind. Mostly.

Cassis was already waiting for her at the small kitchen table. He didn’t bring up what had happened outside the bathroom, and neither did she.

But there was a certain tension in the air, something unspoken that made it hard for them to meet each other’s eyes for too long.

Instead, she focused on explaining what she had found in the Patron Shop.

Cassis listened intently, nodding along.

“These are perfect,” he said, looking almost relieved. “If Helen agrees to the contract, we won’t have to worry about her betraying us. And the ring—if she’s willing to wear it, we’ll know if she’s lying.”

“So you think I should buy them?” Arianna asked.

“Yes.” His response was immediate. “Please.”

She nodded, already pulling up the Patron Shop in her mind.

As she confirmed the purchase, she felt some of the weight on her shoulders lift.

No matter how the conversation with Helen went tomorrow, at least now they had a way to control the outcome.

And right now, that was the best they could hope for.

Cassis and Arianna continued their conversation, the tension from earlier slowly fading as they talked about their abilities.

Arianna sighed as she mentally reviewed her skills, frustrated that her physical abilities had stagnated. “I feel like I’m hitting a wall,” she admitted. “I train really hard and exactly like you showed me but for the past two days, none of my skills have gone up.”

Cassis considered her words, then suddenly asked, “What about your blessings and curses?”

Arianna blinked, momentarily confused. Blessings and curses?

Then it hit her.

Her title as Chaotic Priestess came with the ability to bestow blessings and curses, yet she had completely forgotten about it.

“I forgot?” she said, incredulous.

Cassis nodded, looking equally embarrassed. “I actually forgot too. But thinking about it now, it would have been really useful during the fight in the gymnasium.” He tapped his fingers against the table. “But we can start using them now. Do you have a blessing that increases growth? And maybe a gravity-based curse?”

Arianna groaned, burying her face in her hands. How could I forget one of my core abilities?

This wasn’t even the first time. At the beginning of the apocalypse, she had nearly died trying to get enough CP to buy a healing potion for Marcus—when she could have just formed an exclusive contract with Cassis and earned discounts in the Patron Shop. And now this.

Her Silence Curse had kept baby Jessica quiet long enough for them to prepare, and her Courage Blessing had boosted Cassis and the others’ strength during the monster flood and their fight against the hobgoblin. These were crucial abilities, and she had neglected them.

Cassis must have sensed her frustration because he leaned forward, his voice calm and reassuring. “We’ll work on it tomorrow during training. Don’t beat yourself up. This kind of thing happens early on. Once you start using your abilities every day, it’ll become second nature.”

Arianna nodded, though the frustration still simmered inside her.

But he was right. She couldn’t change the past, but she could do better in the future.

They talked a little more, discussing ways to integrate her blessings and curses into their combat strategy. The easy conversation helped ease the lingering awkwardness between them, but as the night wore on, exhaustion finally caught up with them.

They went to bed.

Lying side by side, close but not touching, the earlier tension resurfaced.

Arianna tried to ignore it, but her thoughts betrayed her.

She remembered the sight of Cassis fresh out of the shower—how the droplets of water had clung to his skin, the toned muscles beneath.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Her fingers twitched with the sudden urge to reach out, to trace the lines of his arms, his chest. What would it feel like to touch him without clothes in the way?

She swallowed hard. This wasn’t the time for such thoughts. She had never desired someone like this before. The realization was both thrilling and terrifying. She turned onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut, forcing her breathing to slow.

Not now. Focus on what’s important.

With that, she drifted into a peaceful sleep, unaware of the way Cassis lay beside her, staring at the ceiling, fighting his own thoughts.

The next morning, Arianna woke up alone again. This was getting old. With a sigh, she changed into her clothes and stepped into the living room, where Cassis was already waiting.

They quickly got to work, refining the terms of their contract with Helen. Their primary condition was simple but absolute—she would be forbidden from sharing anything discussed in this meeting, as well as any future knowledge they deemed classified. In return, they would extend her the same protection. To ensure honesty, they would ask her to wear the Ring of Veritas, and if she insisted, they would do the same.

Just as they finalized the details, the doorbell rang.

Cassis opened it to reveal Helen, standing with her usual jovial expression. He stepped aside to let her in while Arianna retrieved a fresh mug of coffee.

"Here you go," she said, handing it to Helen, who took a seat in Cassis' armchair.

Helen accepted the drink with a nod, then immediately fixed them both with a piercing gaze. "Alright, you two. It's time for some answers. Cassis, your combat skills are far too refined to be normal, and Arianna—you don’t exist in any government registry. Well, you didn’t exist before I intervened. Care to explain?"

Without a word, Cassis reached into his inventory, retrieving the mana contract – which looked like an old school scroll – and the Ring of Veritas. Helen arched an eyebrow.

He placed the items on the table. "Before we say anything, I want a binding agreement," he stated firmly. "What we share today—and any knowledge you gain from us in the future—cannot be spoken of in any way, shape, or form. In return, we won’t reveal any of your secrets either. This is a mana contract from the System. Once signed, it enforces its terms—whoever breaks it dies."

Helen stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. Her posture tensed, wariness creeping into her expression. "Just what kind of secrets do you have?" she murmured. Then, after a pause, she added, "And how does the System distinguish between intentional betrayal and a simple mistake? After all, someone could eavesdrop without you knowing about it."

Arianna answered before Cassis could. She had received an explanation upon purchasing the contract. "The contract evaluates intent. If the information slips accidentally, it won’t activate. But if you deliberately reveal something, it will."

Helen considered this for a moment, then frowned. "There need to be exceptions. For instance, if someone threatens my life—or the life of someone I love—to force the truth out of me, I should be allowed to speak."

Cassis folded his arms. "That’s reasonable, but it’s too broad. The contract should only allow an exception if the threat is serious. Better yet, the contract should delay any judgment until the other two parties determine whether the threat was legitimate."

Helen tapped her fingers against the mug, thinking. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Alright. That’s fair."

Her eyes flicked toward the contract. "Of course, I expect the full truth, not just selective parts of it. And can we ensure that you two aren’t able to lie either?"

Cassis inclined his head. "For truthfulness, we have a different item." He gestured to the ring. "Once worn, it forces the wearer to speak only the truth. But it must be put on voluntarily, and it can be removed at any time."

Helen studied him, then nodded. “Alright, let’s sign.”

“Not so fast.” A subtle but unmistakable menace laced Cassis' words as he demanded. "And what about you? I want to know the full truth about you as well. Normal people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a trained fighter and a real fighter. You’re not military—not as far as I know. So, I need to understand who you are. Otherwise, I can’t trust you."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Then Helen smirked, but there was nothing friendly about it.

"Oh? Would you see me as an enemy?"

Neither of them looked away. The challenge hung in the air between them, unspoken but undeniable.

Arianna, watching from the sidelines, felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. The atmosphere had grown razor-sharp, filled with the kind of quiet hostility she had never been good at handling. She preferred action to mind games, but she knew she couldn’t remain silent.

Clearing her throat, she interjected, "Then we need an exception for something different as well. If any of us wants to share information with someone outside this contract, it should be allowed with the consent of all three parties."

Cassis and Helen broke their stare to glance at her, then exchanged a look. After a beat, they both nodded.

"Very well," Cassis said, his voice once again calm and measured. "The terms of the contract are as follows:

1. Helen will share her story in full with us. In return, Arianna and I will share our stories in full with Helen.

2. None of us may disclose the secrets shared between us, in any form, unless an exception applies.

3. There are two exceptions:

* Information may be shared if all three participants unanimously agree to disclose it and to whom.

* In cases of serious threats to one’s life or the life of a loved one, information may be revealed. However, the validity of the threat will later be determined by the other two signers. Until then, the death penalty for breaking the contract will remain pending."

Helen ran a finger along the rim of her cup, considering the terms one last time. Then, she gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"Alright," she said. "Let’s sign."

Arianna cleared her throat, steadying herself before explaining the next step. "We each need to press our thumbs against the contract and will a small amount of mana into it. The contract will detect the intent and activate—it doesn’t require precise mana control."

Helen nodded in understanding, and without further hesitation, the three of them placed their thumbs on the parchment. A faint pulse of energy rippled through the air as the contract absorbed their mana, sealing their agreement.

Cassis then retrieved the Ring of Veritas and handed it to Helen. She examined it briefly before slipping it onto her finger.

He wasted no time. "Before we begin, I need you to confirm something. Is anyone listening to this conversation?"

A slow, almost pleased smile spread across Helen's lips. "I was wondering if you'd think of that," she admitted. "Alright. As far as I’m aware, no one is listening to or watching us. No one should even know we’re having this conversation. But if you want to be absolutely certain, you should put your phones and any other electronics capable of eavesdropping as far away as possible."

Arianna stiffened. She hadn't thought of that at all. A wave of frustration hit her—she really wasn’t cut out for this level of paranoia.

Then a thought struck her. Maybe the Patron Shop has something for this.

She quickly accessed it, searching for anything related to privacy. It didn’t take long to find what she was looking for:

Privacy Sphere – Creates a protective bubble around the conversation’s participants, preventing unwanted listeners. (1,200 CP)

Arianna groaned internally. That was nearly all the CP she had left. But considering it was a permanent item, she figured it was worth the investment. She made the purchase and looked up at Cassis and Helen.

“I just got something that can help,” she said, pulling the item from her inventory.

Both of them raised an eyebrow in eerily similar fashion. That was new.

Cassis and Helen exchanged glances, then nodded. "That’s a good idea," Cassis admitted. He stood, grabbed both his and Arianna’s phones, and placed them in the bedroom.

Once he returned, Arianna activated the Privacy Sphere. It was the form of an octagonal disc, roughly the size of her hand, with intricate runes carved into its center. As soon as she activated it, a subtle shift in the air signaled the formation of an invisible barrier. She couldn't see it, but she could feel its presence.

"Alright," Cassis said, exhaling as the final preparations fell into place. He turned to Helen, his gaze sharp. "Now, Helen – if Helen is even your real name – please tell us your story and how you know so much about fighting."

Cassis leaned back into the couch, but despite his casual posture, tension still coiled within him. Arianna was excited but also worried for him. She had noticed that he admired his Aunt Helen a lot and now his trust in her had been shaken. She hoped they were about to get answers and that these answers would help him get along with Helen again. She didn’t want them to become enemies.

Helen took a slow breath before beginning. "To understand me, you first need to understand the truth about this world—and its government. I know you think you understand it, but believe me, there’s far more beneath the surface than you realize."

Arianna and Cassis exchanged glances but remained silent, letting her continue.

"Our World Council was established, and Avaria was unified only seventy years ago, shortly after the Third World War. The founders are well-known, their names taught in every history class. But one of them, Kevin Morgan, feared that peace wouldn't last. He knew that, given enough time, the world’s factions would fall into conflict again. After all, less than a hundred years had passed between the Second and Third World Wars. What was stopping a fourth?"

Helen leaned forward slightly, her voice steady but weighted with something deeper. "So, Kevin Morgan, along with a few like-minded individuals, created something outside the public eye—The Shadows of Avaria, a secret organization meant to ensure peace at any cost."

Arianna felt a chill creep down her spine.

"I won’t bore you with every historical detail, but here’s what you need to know: The Shadows of Avaria have one mission—keep the civilian world peaceful, content, and above all, ignorant. They work to locate and eliminate potential threats before they can take root—terrorist cells, warlords, those who seek to reignite the flames of war."

Helen's expression darkened. "And this is how they do it: From all over the world, across every nation and ethnicity, newborns are taken from their families and raised by the organization to become members and operatives."

Arianna’s breath hitched, horror blooming in her chest, but she forced herself to stay quiet.

"The families never know," Helen continued, her voice clinical. "Doctors—secretly part of the Shadows—falsify stillbirths or infant deaths. The babies are taken and placed into one of the organization's sectors, starting with Nursery, where they are raised. Once they are old enough, they are transferred to School, where their real training begins. Upon reaching adulthood, they are assigned to one of five branches:

1. Nursery—where the next generation of operatives is raised.

2. School—where they are trained to become shadows themselves.

3. Hand—the combat and field operatives, responsible for missions requiring direct action.

4. Ear—an intelligence network, specializing in surveillance and information gathering.

5. Brain—the research and development division, dedicated to science and technology advancements."

Arianna barely registered how tightly she was gripping the edge of her seat. The entire concept was terrifying—stealing children, raising them in secrecy, molding them into tools of the state. And yet, despite the horror, she couldn’t help but continuing to listen.

Then, Helen delivered the final blow.

"I was one of those babies."

Silence stretched between them like a taut wire.

Helen’s gaze was unreadable as she continued, "I found out who my birth family was years ago. And since we're being honest..." She exhaled, then met Cassis’s eyes directly.

"My real name is Helen Alberti. I am the fraternal twin sister of Danielle Walker, who was born as an Alberti. Which means—" she paused for just a beat— "Nice to officially meet you, my dear nephew."

Arianna’s stomach dropped. Cassis, usually so composed, went completely still. Helen Alberti. Danielle Walker’s fraternal twin sister. Cassis’s aunt.