Chapter 7: A sin that makes you commit other sins.

- To the fool, anything is humiliation; to the intelligent, almost everything is learning; and to the wise, everything is a lifetime of experiences and metaphors.

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“I am Aria Virelai, the most powerful of the magicians and nectar manipulators, and from time to time, I choose someone who is worthy and train them to fight for justice and the good of the world. If you have found the amulet, then it means that you are a person of pure heart, for those who have corrupted hearts cannot feel the energy of the amulet. So, will you be my disciple? Remember, if you do not accept now, someone else will, and that person’s path will be full of glory and prestige.”

I looked at the capybara's confused face. Apparently, she (or he) didn't know what to think. Could she really be that dumb? Well, the less intelligent she is, the easier it is to manipulate. Although, even if she is intelligent, it's impossible that she wouldn't have been persuaded. After all, I used a few tricks to make my proposal seem much more attractive than it is. And they can be summed up in 3:

First, I introduced myself as someone respectable and of high value. First impressions are the most important! I have good clothes (although they are illusions, they still look like expensive clothes), good body posture, a rich vocabulary, and exemplary rhetoric. Furthermore, I am a beauty! Even someone of a lower species like him would notice that!

Secondly, I praised him; I fed his ego; I provided the illusion of respect and then offered him an offer he couldn't refuse. And why is this offer he couldn't refuse? Simple: an animal of such a pathetic species as a mutant capybara would never be given an opportunity like this! Most likely he lives under constant threat of being killed, and since this capybara in front of me can talk, he probably already realized this.

And third and last: I embellished my proposal, making it seem worth more than it really is. Instead of offering pure power, I gave it a reason to exist, to fight for and to die for. And this goes far beyond just beautiful and immoral power.

What is the meaning of life?

Well, yes. For some people, it's protecting the people they love, for others, it's gaining more and more power, and for some, it's fighting for the social and collective good. For this capybara, it's simply being alive today.

When he reaches a level where the struggle for survival is no longer an issue, his heart will become empty. To prevent this, I will plant seeds of life purpose in his chest.

It may seem silly, but in the long run, this will make the capybara more loyal to me.

“What you said piqued my interest.”

That's it! Take the bait! My big fish! As much as I trust my fate to an inferior species like yours, desperate situations call for desperate solutions.

“But I still have to ask you one thing: how can you prove to me that you are not lying?”

…. What?

“Tell me, how can I know that what you say is true? Why would I trust you?”

Shit… How… how does she know that? Can he read my mind?! Impossible. If he could, I would know… is he a nonsense user?

“Look-look, can’t you see my aura? Furthermore, just by seeing me, you can already tell that I am powerful-”

When I tried to say something, I ended up stuttering with anger, and even after I regained my composure, he interrupted my speech.

“You are a funny woman; I don't sense any nectar in you; just a strange but weak energy; so weak that it is almost imperceptible.”

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"But-"

I tried to stop him, but he continued.

“Why don’t you tell me the truth? If that was all you said, you wouldn’t be stuttering so much. Sure, you may be telling the truth, but I can’t trust you. Tell me on my terms; in logical terms, in clear terms, and with clauses that I agree with.”

I still have a chance to make a deal that's advantageous to me! This capybara may be a bit smart, but it's still a mere member of an inferior species!

“Alright. Anyway, I need you to take me to a certain location, and in return, I’ll offer you advice. Having lived a long time, I have quite a bit of knowledge about this world.”

He laughed.

“Ha… you don’t seem to be in a situation where you can demand much, do you? Let’s face it, from the moment this energy emanating from the coin disappears, you will die.”

I was taken aback. Even though I tried to explain, the capybara just ignored my explanations and continued to stare at me.

“Lady, calm down. Instead of wasting time with meaningless conversations, why don’t we just make a fair deal? How about this: you teach me everything in this world, and I’ll feed you nectar. How about that?”

“Wait, these terms…”

“If you won’t accept, I’m leaving.”

As the mutant capybara was about to turn around, I screamed.

"No!!"

He looked at me.

For now, I will accept this humiliation, but when I regain my powers, I will crush this damn insect.

“I… I accept your terms.”

“And what are they?”

The capybara asked in an ironic tone, which irritated me deeply, but I didn’t show my irritation. Instead, with a poker face, I said; “I will provide information about this world in exchange for you feeding me…”

“Replace the term 'feed' with 'mercifully saves me from certain death.'”

“...”

“Time is running out, tik, tak, tik, tak. You only have 4 hours from now, right?”

Wh… what?

“I thought you already realized, but apparently, you're stupid; I'm a nonsense, and I can read your mind.”

“...”

I couldn't understand the magnitude of his words, not because I was incapable, but because I denied reality. And he, realizing this, began to explain it to me.

“Your entire past; from childhood, loves, affairs, and even a little of your future; I know all of it. I know that you despise me, and that you only planned to use me and discard me.

I've always heard that external beauty indicates inner beauty, but you are like a mermaid; a beautiful woman who cruelly deceives fishermen and kills them at the bottom of the sea.”

“...”

I couldn't say anything; I just listened in a trance to his words.

Every time he opened his mouth, the atmosphere changed; every word held weight, and every hand gesture drew my attention even further to that mutant… no.

In that monster.

“Your mistake, little Aria, was mistaking a demon who was disguised as a human for a fisherman.”

After saying such words, he calmly picked up the amulet from the ground, placed it around his neck, and left the cave.

The rest of the day went by without much trouble; he hunted some random small animals for food and returned to the cave at night.

When night came, I lay down on the floor and got into the fetal position, and started remembering what happened.

Before, I couldn't understand the magnitude of his words, much less understand the wordplay, indirections and metaphors he threw at me, but now...

Calling me, a demon lord, little Aria in a contemptuous tone in that context is the same as rubbing it in my face that I had no power.

He practically ridiculed me…

Never in my entire life had I been so humiliated. My pride had been crushed….

“For a capybara.”

That night, I cried with hatred.