Chapter 60:
You've Been Sold
"Now, if you resort to killing again, there's no turning back for you," Aiden spoke, "you'll only serve as a tool for her murders, hunted by the Inquisition like a rat in the streets."
"Don't listen to him, he's the one using you as a tool," urged irujinu, impatiently interrupting Aiden, "he implanted a demonic contract in you, and if I hadn't helped you break it, he would have surely killed you by now!"
"That's right, if the demonic contract were still on Evangeline, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her. I don't show rcy to fugitives," Aiden stated expressionlessly, and glancing at Evangeline, "I've told you this before, Evangeline."
irujinu was slightly taken aback; Aiden's frankness was unexpected. She had thought he would make so excuse, but he admitted it so openly.
"But at least I won't deceive you," Aiden maintained eye contact with Evangeline, "this prison is the only place where you can truly survive. Outside, you'll only live a few years in the lies of this woman, and then die in a miserable way."
Evangeline widened her eyes; Aiden had once straightforwardly told her she couldn't leave the prison.
Her intuition told her Aiden wasn't lying because she couldn't co up with a counterargunt, and Aiden had never deceived her before.
In the outside world, she was the queen of assassins, with nurous people wanting to use her and countless enemies seeking her head.
Once she leaves the prison, she'll have to resu her life of bloodshed, a cycle of vengeance.
The next ti she gets caught, she'll undoubtedly face the death penalty. Even if she manages to escape the capture, her body, riddled with the effects of magic and demonic contracts, won't last more than a few years.
"Don't listen to his nonsense, hurry up and act now!" irujinu urged Evangeline, "Listen to mommy, vanee... I'm the only one who truly loves you in this world."
"You...? after altered his body that could barely last thirty years, dare utter such nonsense without a hint of sha. You're truly rotten to the core, irujinu!" Aiden coldly remarked,
"Face the reality, Evangeline. No one in this world loves you. And You'll never experience that kind of thing in your life, but at least you have a chance for a stable life without her
the one who's led you to this."
A stable life...
Evangeline felt a stir within. From a manipulated assassin to an imprisoned convict, she had never experienced what they called freedom.
Yet, life here seed more comfortable than the tumultuous past. No need to dwell in the shadows, no more constant fear
as long as she followed the rules and refrained from killing.
Even without a strong sense of morality, the hidden motive for personal gain told her she should stay.
drawing from over a decade of experience, Aiden understood that people are driven by self-interest.
To reform a criminal, it's more effective to straightforwardly guide them toward a lawful life rather than relying on elusive emotions.
In the past two years, he hadn't intentionally developed any emotional connection with Evangeline. All he did was arranging for her to lead a life in prison as close to normal as possible.
As long as Evangeline develops a little self-awareness she Will realize her past live is not even as good as a prisoner in here.
Seeing the wavering expression on Evangeline, irujinu sensed trouble. She reached for Evangeline shoulder, but Evangeline abruptly pulled away, creating distance between them.
"Vanee?"
Not only irujinu but even Evangeline herself displayed a bewildered expression.
It was a reflexive response that Evangeline couldn't comprehend. In the split second of regaining consciousness, she had instinctively rejected the "mother's" command.
"Well done," Aiden chuckled approvingly.
At this ti, Ophelia, who had been silently observing, couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop dilly-dallying; the riot squad will be here if we delay any further! Kill this man first, and we'll figure out what to do next outside!"
irujinu glared anxiously at Aiden. In the two-year gap where Evangeline broke free from her control, this man had left a more profound impact on Evangeline than she had imagined. It even led Evangeline to resist her commands.
Though she wished for Evangeline to personally kill this man to completely eliminate his influence, ti seed to be running out.
Now, her only option was to have Ophelia and the others take care of Aiden, forcibly take Evangeline away, and then re-indoctrinate her.
Despite Evangeline rejecting her order to kill, she still held a certain level of fear and respect for irujinu, showing no intention of turning against her. The ingrained fear from past brainwashing can't be easily eradicated.
"Fine, let's go" irujinu conceded.
Ophelia stepped forward, controlling the blood that flowed from a wound on her wrist, shaping it into claw-like forms at the tips of her right hand.
Arsena began silently chanting a spell, and a mist-like spirit wrapped around the front of the staff.
Dailey magic was also ready, and the shadow beneath Aiden began to boil.
Aiden, looked vigilant, and glanced around before fixing his gaze on Ophelia.
"Stop resisting and just die in peace. Even if the little demon refuses to act, how do you plan to survive four against one?"
Ophelia sneered, confident that he was dood. This man, no matter how skilled he was, he definitely couldn't handle attacks from three different directions simultaneously.
Seizing the mont, she leaped forward, and her blood claws extending sharply, aiming directly at Aiden's throat.
Simultaneously, Arsena also coordinating her spell, prepared to unleash her formidable offensive necromancy, the "Wail of the Damned."
However, just as the spell was about to be unleashed, Arsena suddenly raised her staff a bit higher, surpassing Aiden's shoulder and pointing toward... the leaping Ophelia.
"Eh?" Ophelia was caught off guard.
In the next instant, the spiritual form ejected from Arsena staff transford into a skeletal face, emitting a soul-shaking roar right in front of Ophelia.
Caught off guard, Ophelia suffered from the unexpected attack and fell to the ground.
irujinu was stunned, but before she could react, the dark claws erged from the shadow beneath her feet, seizing her limbs and lifting her off the ground.
"What are you doing!?" irujinu exclaid in terror, realizing she was caught by the shadow demon summoned by Dailey.
Dailey looked up, smiling without a word.
"You're wrong; it's three against two," Aiden remarked to the fallen Ophelia.
Ophelia, still recovering from the surprise attack, looked up at Arsena, her face expressing disbelief, "Why!?"
"That's just how it is," Aiden sighed, "you two... have been sold."
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