Chapter 797 Caliber
Nyssa's refined smile didn't falter when Sylas didn't reply. In fact, this was the sort of response she expected.
Despite the fact he was naked, she only seemed to have eyes for his own, staring into the depths of his soul as though on a mission to find out exactly what made him tick.
"Your reaction is about what I would expect of a man of your caliber. You like to analyze, and you're not nearly as wild as you seem on the outside. If I'm correct, you're probably a man of education on your world, but the Summoning unleashed quite a wild side of you—maybe a side you've always had but learned to suppress to fit in with the cards you were dealt.
"Your tale isn't a unique one. Men like you tend to either die in a supernova of their own glory, or stamp their own legacy onto the world. Today, you very nearly became the former. I stuck my neck out to save you."
Her words were very straightforward. Since she had already chosen to be herself around Sylas, there was really no need to tiptoe around things.
Someone with Sylas' personality and intelligence wouldn't easily fall for cheap tricks, so she hadn't used any of them.
She could have easily filled this room with the scent of aphrodisiac, she could have tried to shackle his soul while his Will couldn't resist, she could have even used several means to test him here and find where his world was.
But she had done none of that.
She only healed him and allowed him to rest, doing nothing else. Then, when he awoke, she came here to make her pitch.
It was a simple strategy.
But it was also the most effective one for a man like Sylas.
It was said that the best sort of scheme was an open one, one where one's enemies knew it was coming and yet had no choice but to jump head first into the depths of your plans.
In this case, Nyssa wouldn't even call it a scheme. She was simply trying to complete a transaction with an investment she thought was worth it.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
"What do you want from me?" Sylas asked just as straightforwardly.
Nyssa's smile bloomed all the more.
"You aren't familiar with the ways of the Skai Galaxy or our Ninth District. If you did, you probably wouldn't be asking such a question. My Florineth Race's women have a tendency to treat our men quite well, I will say."
Sylas pushed himself up, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking Nyssa directly in the eyes.
—
[Nyssa Valeria (FF+)]
[Level: 38]
[Physical: ???]
[Mental: ???]
[Will: ???]
—
Feeling Sylas' brazen scan, Nyssa didn't react much, only continuing to smile.
"Your system has not adjusted, and it will not until your world completes your Summoning, something I'm willing to help you with. I could also tell you my stats… but the numbers would be meaningless to you until you have the proper context of your own adjusted stats."
Sylas continued to look at the woman before him, a deep light flickering in his irises.
Honestly speaking, in the past, Sylas wouldn't have cared very much about this. Marry a woman and get himself out of this situation, it was easy enough. He didn't particularly care how Cassarae would feel about it. If she was going to be up in arms about such a thing, he wouldn't have ever wasted the time of day on her to begin with.
She might kick up a fuss, but it would never be to the point of detriment or at the expense of the bigger picture.
Cassarae had always been like this… supremely understanding—amusing, considering just how foul her tongue was.
But the problem was… there was something else stirring inside of him right now.
His Demonic Will wasn't happy.
Not in the slightest.
The loss to Lorien was one thing.
The smirk looming over his shoulder was another.
And this third thing…
It was like his pride was being slowly chipped at again and again, relentlessly and without pause.
Swirls of darkness took shape in Sylas' irises before slowly fading away. He took a deep breath, trying to settle down his heart. But he knew better by now, although he had only experienced it once before.
When his Demonic Will got like this, the more he suppressed it, the more powerful it would become.
It wanted him to reject this woman even though it would be an objectively foolish decision.
No, it wasn't that simple. It didn't actually care whether he rejected her or not. What it cared the most about was him not bowing his head again.
Accepting Nyssa's proposal without getting any sort of upper hand… that would be intolerable to his Demonic Will.
"I accept."
Sylas' words came out smoothly and a cold shudder twisted his heart, but he directly ignored it.
He had listened to his Demonic Will and killed Lucius, but he had also felt that it was not only a worthwhile sacrifice. It had been time to take his family out of there, and he had caught the Grimblades off guard and at a time they were unwilling to use their true strength.
It had seemed like a foolish decision on the surface, but this belied the true ingenuity of it all. He hadn't just allowed his Demonic Will to stir him as it pleased.
And right now, it was time to reel it back in.
There was no one in control of himself outside of himself. His Demonic Will was a reflection of the truest colors of his heart, things that he buried and kept hidden…
But weren't these sort of demons the things that everyone had to deal with?
Today, he would win this wrestling match with his Demonic Will no matter the cost… because listening to it now would ruin his chances of returning to Earth in any timely fashion.
Nyssa blinked for a moment before a look of pleasant surprise spread across her face.
"You… are far better than I thought you would be."
She stood up, taking a seat by Sylas' side and resting a small hand on his chiseled thigh.