Kaelen had been so busy racking his brain to figure out Veylith’s sudden exponential growth, that he didn’t notice that they had already reached the doors of Charymos’s chambers.

[I’ll just ask her later...]

His eyes lingered on her as she gently knocked on the doors that paled in comparison to the Seventh Floor’s.

[I doubt she’s still a Homunculus...]

He made that deduction. Despite creating the Homunculi race on a whim, he had designed them with one defining trait: The capacity to evolve into entirely new races, depending on the DNA spliced into them.

The opening doors revealed Charymos who was sitting atop a chair on an elevated platform —A throne to be exact. Creating a path toward said throne was a luxury, lavender-blue carpet and on each side, stood six Mermen heavily clad in armour.

There were no walls here, just crystal clear glass revealing a vast volume of water beyond it. Drawn in by the light, a giant sea beast or two would lurk, but they would dare not attack with Charymos around.

[What was it again? His level increases by five when he’s in the ocean?]

Kaelen recalled one of the things he set when he made Charymos. As a creature of the seas, Charymos’s combat ability increased in his natural habitat.

[How cruel... I instilled within a fish, the yearning to soar the skies above it.]

Was it a creator’s pity? Kaelen wasn’t sure either. The two Homonculi bowed in a synchronized manner before the throne.

[So these are the Mermen, I hadn’t seen them in person yet...]

Kaelen glanced at the creatures standing at attention as though they were statues.

[But where are the Mermaids?]

Kaelen wondered before facing forward.

"We greet our Master and our creator, Lord Charymos."

They spoke in unison, and Charymos’s eyes only grew cold as he watched them.

[Three days... Those two bastards, Veladreth and Skadi will wait no more than that before retracting their offers.]

[But how can I simply just give them away? I don’t even know if I can remake children of the same quality... Nor have I ever made them.]

[But then what of my dream? I am at the cusp of obtaining it.]

[I had attempted to present Thyra, Silas and the others... But those two bastards blatantly rejected them and asked if I was mocking them.]

As Charymos was consumed by his thoughts, an uncomfortable silence befell the chambers. But he didn’t care, everything that existed in his domain was obligated to wait patiently for him, even if it was for all eternity.

"I see you have awoken, kaelen. You silver-tongued child, do you remember how you almost met your end?"

The Kraken Spawn spoke upon letting a quiet sigh escape his lips.

"Yes, Master. I recall everything."

Kaelen tried his best to unclench his teeth.

"I am deeply grateful that you have seen it fitting to spare my feeble life. I vow to be of use to you, from now on, until the end of my existence."

Kaelen’s words were dripping with honey.

"Is that so? Then form a blood pact with me, prove your allegiance to me! Who knows when you might attack me again? I just can’t trust you, Kaelen!"

[!!]

[W-what?! That’s a soul binding seal you damn NPC! Are you asking me to be your slave until I die?!]

This was one of the worst things that Kaelen had hoped would not come to pass. You see, a blood pact transcended a mere magic seal such as a slave contract. It reshapes one’s very soul such that they naturally revere the one bounding them, their every thought, goal and will is simply to please the one they revere.

[Ah... Wait.]

Kaelen calmed himself.

[I know I didn’t set this, but... The reason all the Homonculi are so loyal to him...]

[That’s definitely a blood pact... It explains why he got so shocked when I attacked him, because he knows that it’s an absolute seal.]

[Taking into account his personality, he would definitely form blood pacts with us before we fully formed.]

Kaelen mused and slowly raised his gaze.

"Of course. I do not know what this blood pact you speak of is, Master, but tell me what to do and it shall be done."

Kaelen, still on his knees, spread out his arms in absolute surrender.

"Tch... Of course you wouldn’t know what it is. There is no need."

Charymos clicked his tongue and rested his right leg across his left thigh.

[To be honest. I wanted to have these two form blood pacts with me again before I sold them off to Veladreth and Skadi... But as if knowing my intentions, they forbid it.]

Why would Charymos want to perform the seal on them again although he had already done so before they were born?

[These two... They have been acting in ways that are contradictory to what the blood pact dictates, could it be that it failed? Impossible, I had all of them bathe in my blood in their embryonic stage, it cannot fail!]

A vein divided his frontal lobe and he silently ground his teeth.

[Well... I suppose I can always test it, which is the primary reason as to why I asked them to come here.]

A malicious smile distorted his mug.

"Tell me, Kaelen. Do you remember how you told me that there was not a single Mermen or Homunculus that was mightier than you?"

"Do you still feel the same way~?"

Charymos’s malicious smile distorted into a vile grin.

"..."

"No, Master... Veylith is mightier than me."

Kaelen pretended to be ashamed to admit it.

"Is that so~? Then are you saying you lied to me, my dear son?"

"Oh no, that simply won’t do! You deserve punishment for that, don’t you think~?"

His grin grew wider.

"..."

Kaelen kept his expression emotionless.

"Veylith! I want you to kill Kaelen!"

The Kraken Spawn roared, and Veylith retrieved her weapon in response.

"And you, you fucking disappointment! Do your best to stay alive! Hahaha!!"

Charymos began to laugh maniacally.

"As you wish, Master."

They both spoke, and Kaelen retrieved his spear.

"..."

[Did you foresee this, Kaelen?]

Engulfed in silence, Veylith recalled Kaelen’s words when they made their way there:

"Whatever you do, for now, don’t disobey Charymos like you did back at the Amphitheater, no matter what, do what he says. That’s an order."

[...]

[Why am I so different from the others?]

[... I understand that Lord Charymos is my Master and my creator.]

[I would do my utmost best to please him.]

[But...]

She placed her hand on her heart to confirm its increasing heartbeat.

[...Not more than you, Kaelen. Why is that?]

Veylith’s blood-red eyes reflected Kaelen’s form, as though expecting an answer to her musings.

[Open status window!]

Ding!

Puzzling everyone present, Kaelen waved his index finger in mid-air as he scrolled down.

Attribute Points: 39.

Ding!

-Are you sure you’d like to spend [7] Attribute Points on Str?

-Are you sure you’d like to spend [2] Attribute Points on Int?

-Are you sure you’d like to spend [5] Attribute Points on Agi?

-Are you sure you’d like to spend [10] Attribute Points on MP?

-Are you sure you’d like to spend [6] Attribute Points on Vit?

Ding!

-[30] Attribute Points have been deducted:

- [39] —> [9]

Ding!

AGI: 211* MP: 220* VIT: 211*

───────────────

Ding!

>You have leveled up!

- You are now level 21! Congratulations!

[?]

[Hm? Did he just get stronger?]

Charymos’s vile grin ceased as he tilted his head in confusion. He stole a glance at Veylith, and noticed that she too noticed the sudden change.

■■■ Monarch’s Aegis.■■■

Not even giving them a chance to comprehend what was happening, Kaelen, with his palm facing the ground, activated his skill and prepared to engage Veylith.

[Hm? He’s already learned a skill, how did he do th —]

[!!]

[Wait, wait! What?!]

[I-impossible!! Is that?!!]

Charymos shot up from his throne with his mouth agape.