Unfortunately for Cerydra, becoming her husband was still something negotiable, but becoming her subordinate was completely out of the question.
In the end, after several seconds of silent pondering, Lucian suddenly smiled.
Even though the smile on his face was extremely faint, for some unknown reason, the moment Cerydra saw it, an inexplicable sense of foreboding instantly rose within her heart.
"You said it yourself, so don't regret it..." Lucian said softly, tilting his head a little. "Well then, I choose... to take a good look."
Right after his words fell, Lucian, without even moving a single finger, merely sharpened his gaze ever so slightly.
In the next moment, an invisible, intangible, yet profoundly mysterious force of laws silently spread outward, instantly enveloping Cerydra's entire body.
It was none other than Lucian's first conceptual ability—Disarm!
Cerydra only felt a sudden chill sweep across her body, and then...
*RIP!*
Along with all the inner linings and bindings hidden beneath them, the clothes on her body suddenly burst apart, tearing into countless fragments that scattered in every direction. At first, the countless fragments fluttered wildly through the air like drifting petals before slowly falling one after another, blanketing the ground around the bath.
"..."
In an instant, the bath fell completely silent.
Now, the confident smile that had been hanging at the corner of Cerydra's lips gradually stiffened before slowly disappearing altogether, while her blue eyes gradually widened as her entire body froze completely in place.
Feeling the warm air directly brushing against every part of her body, Cerydra instantly realized that she was now completely naked!
Her fair and petite body had been fully exposed without leaving behind even the slightest bit of cover!
From head to toe, every inch of her smooth skin, including even the most private parts of her body, was left completely uncovered!
It took a full three seconds before Cerydra finally reacted, hurriedly raising both hands to cover herself while instinctively curling her body slightly inward.
Unfortunately, it was already far too late.
Lucian had already seen everything without missing even the smallest detail, his gaze calmly sweeping across her fully exposed figure as the entire scene became deeply engraved into his mind, something he would probably never forget for the rest of his life.
Cerydra immediately shot a fierce glare at the nonchalant man soaking in the pool before her. Yet he maintained that infuriatingly calm expression from beginning to end, looking as though he was openly admiring her body without the slightest intention of looking away.
If looks could truly kill, he would have already been dismembered ten thousand times over by now.
"LU! CI! AAAAAAN—!!!"
Cerydra shouted furiously as she pointed a trembling finger at Lucian.
"Bastard! Pervert! Creep! Hooligan!"
Who could have possibly imagined that he could strip her completely bare with nothing more than a single glance?
What kind of ridiculous so-called master thief was that supposed to be?
He was clearly Amphoreus's number one hooligan!
Cerydra had intended to make a move, but the moment the thought crossed her mind, she realized that if she actually acted, she would only expose herself even more. Besides, for reasons she couldn't quite explain, a strong sense of foreboding rose within her, making her feel that she might not even be able to win against him.
In the end, all of her shame, embarrassment, and humiliation transformed into a single roar filled with endless resentment.
"I'LL REMEMBER THIS! JUST YOU WAIT!"
Covering her exposed body as best as she could, Cerydra stumbled and nearly slipped in her panic as she hurried toward the changing room, leaving behind nothing but a floor scattered with fragments of her discarded garments.
Lucian curled his lips into a faint smirk, casually stepped out of the water, and slowly began putting his clothes back on.
"You said you'd let me look my fill, but you didn't keep your word... Hahh, women."
Aside from deliberately wanting to mess with Cerydra, this could also be considered punishment for interrupting him just as he had been about to eat Cipher. If not for Cerydra suddenly barging in, he would have already eaten Cipher by now.
Regardless, at the very least, he now knew that Cipher had already fully grown up, and they could finally proceed to the next step.
===
A while later, inside a grand sanctuary, the brilliant light of the Vortex of Genesis gradually subsided, while a faint, elusive glow carrying a strange aura continued to linger around Cipher's body like a flowing mist.
Cipher slowly opened her eyes, and a completely new, powerful sensation instantly spread throughout her entire body. With even the slightest movement, it felt as though she could subtly stir some hidden, invisible law itself, as if the world around her had become far clearer and more responsive than before.
Needless to say, this meant she had successfully passed the trial and officially ascended into the Demigod of Trickery.
"Cifera!" Aglaea immediately stepped forward in delight, though her beautiful face still carried a somewhat tense expression. "How does it feel?"
Cipher lowered her head slightly and clenched her fist before lazily stretching her slender body.
"Mm, amazing! I kinda feel like I don't need anything else anymore!"
As she spoke, the corners of Cipher's lips unconsciously curled upward.
Now, she truly felt incredible, not merely because of the overwhelming power flowing through her body, but because she finally possessed the ability to give Lucian a proper 'return gift.'
It was only natural, for everything she had eaten, worn, used, and enjoyed over the years, even this very life itself, had all been given to her by him. In fact, even this newly obtained demigod power was also ultimately given to her by him.
Cipher was not some ungrateful woman who only knew how to endlessly take from others, which was why she had long wanted to properly repay him from the bottom of her heart.
It was just that... what exactly should she give him?
Not only did Lucian lack absolutely nothing, but even the countless treasures stored within Dolos's treasury were probably no more than ordinary roadside stones in his eyes.
In the end, Cipher immediately fell into distress, her small face scrunching up tightly in frustration as her ears drooped slightly.
"Seamstress..." Cipher gently tugged at Aglaea's sleeve and lowered her voice, looking a little embarrassed and troubled. "What do you think... should I get Lucian something as a gift? He doesn't need or lack anything, so I seriously dunno what to give him..."
Hearing that, Aglaea looked at Cipher's sincere yet troubled expression, and at that moment, something deep within her heart stirred.
'Now that I see it, this kitty... her feelings for Lucian are truly pure...'
Aglaea fell silent for a brief moment, seemingly pondering something before finally speaking.
"If we're talking about the most precious, most valuable thing… it would probably be the 'Gem of All Worlds' kept by Okhema's Council of Elders..."
She paused slightly before continuing in a calm tone.
"It was formed from fragments of the core body of Kephale after their fall—something truly one of a kind in this world."
"However... the security surrounding it is extremely tight..."
As she spoke, Aglaea's gaze swept over Cipher's gradually brightening blue eyes before she calmly offered another reminder.
"It's kept within the secret sanctum of the Council of Elders... personally guarded at all times by the High Priest..."
As soon as those words entered her ears, Cipher's eyes immediately lit up like shining stars.
Gem of All Worlds?
One of a kind?
Yes, a gift for Lucian had to be the best, and it absolutely had to be something truly one of a kind!
As for the tight security?
Now that she was the Demigod of Trickery, what in this world could she possibly not steal?
"Thanks, seamstress!"
Cipher casually tossed out a rare word of thanks before her figure instantly dashed away in a flash, disappearing almost immediately.
Aglaea was neither worried about the gem nor concerned about Cipher's safety in the slightest.
It was only natural, considering the Council of Elders and the Chrysos Heirs had never been on particularly good terms to begin with.
Meanwhile, Cipher was undeniably her ally, so what was wrong with stealing a little something from the Council of Elders?
Besides, with Lucian around, Cipher had absolutely nothing to fear. In fact, if things developed as planned, perhaps the incident could even be turned into an opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the Council of Elders.
===
"Fera, did everything go smoothly?"
When Lucian saw Cipher again, a faint smile immediately appeared on his face as he opened his arms to her, and she leapt straight into his embrace without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course, I'm your cat! No way I'd embarrass you!" Cipher exclaimed proudly, a bright, smug grin spreading across her face. "Oh, right, I'm gonna test out my demigod powers and get a surprise ready for you. Go settle the lodging first, I'll be back soon!"
Just like that, she slipped free from Lucian's embrace, then darted away like the wind before anyone could stop her.
Lucian merely watched her retreating figure with amusement and did not try to stop her, simply letting her run around and play to her heart's content.
After Cipher's demigod trial had been completed, Aglaea personally arranged a high-end residence for Lucian, treating him entirely as a distinguished guest of Okhema without showing the slightest hint of neglect.
Cerydra had no objections to the arrangement either, mainly because she did not want to see Lucian for the time being, so the farther away he was from her, the better. Right now, even she herself was not fully confident that she could completely restrain the urge to attack him the moment she saw him.
In the end, Lucian quietly remained at his new residence, patiently waiting for Cipher to return.
However, since he had some free time to spare in the meantime, rather than slacking off as usual, he decided to prepare a few meals in advance, intending them to serve as a small reward for his peerless cat once she finally returned home.
===
By evening, Cipher had effortlessly succeeded in stealing the Gem of All Worlds without encountering the slightest difficulty.
At the same time, however, she had also uncovered an earth-shattering secret, one so astonishing that it left even her momentarily absent-minded as the revelation echoed through her thoughts.
"In three hundred years, the Dawn Device will extinguish, the world will fall into eternal night, and the black tide will invade Okhema..."
Three hundred years?
Dawn Device extinguishing?
Eternal night?
Black tide invading Okhema?
"No... what's that gotta do with me...?"
Cipher casually played with the Gem of All Worlds inside her pocket as she muttered under her breath, her voice carrying a hint of irritation and confusion.
"I'm not Kephale..."
"I'm just a rogue..."
"I just wanna steal the gem and give it to the most important person in my life..."
"Okhema isn't even my homeland... that shorty can worry about it..."
In Cipher's eyes, Lucian was, after all, her most important person, and the people of Dolos were the ones truly worth protecting, not Okhema and its people.
As Cipher walked alone toward the new residence Aglaea had told her about earlier, her mind still occupied with the secret she had learned, several children holding cheap glowing toys suddenly ran past her one after another.
Under the soft, hazy evening light, they chased each other through the lively streets, laughing loudly and happily, their clear and innocent laughter continuously echoing throughout the surroundings.
Some of them waved the glowing toys in their hands as though they were precious treasures, while others excitedly called out to their companions, their youthful voices filled with carefree joy.
Seeing those bright smiles, Cipher suddenly stopped in her tracks.
It couldn't be helped.
Because the expressions on those children's faces bore an uncanny resemblance to those of the children from the Hearth Mansion.
Not only were they just as pure and joyful, with their innocent smiles untouched by the hardships of the world, but their eyes were also filled with hope and anticipation for tomorrow, as though they believed that every new day would bring something even better than the last.
For a brief moment, Cipher quietly watched their departing figures without saying a word, her gaze silently following them as their laughter gradually drifted farther and farther away, when her heart suddenly felt as though something had lightly pricked it.
If, three hundred years later, the Dawn Device were to go out and eternal night truly descended, would those children's smiles disappear forever?
Would their world be left with nothing but endless coldness and fear?
Would those bright and carefree expressions eventually become expressions of despair beneath an eternal night with no end in sight?
However, if the Dawn Device had to be sustained through the lies of Trickery, then she could no longer remain by Lucian's side.
Why?
Because she could not deceive Lucian forever.
Sooner or later, he would definitely see through the lie hidden beneath everything. And once he discovered the truth, there was no way he would allow such a thing to continue any longer.
Remaining with him meant she could not save the world, but saving the world meant she had to leave him behind.
At this moment, the two completely opposing choices continuously weighed upon Cipher's heart like an invisible burden, causing the turmoil within her mind to grow heavier and heavier with every passing moment. Every second that passed only made the pressure pressing against her heart feel even more suffocating, as though the weight of the entire world had settled upon her shoulders.
Truthfully, if she could, she wanted both to remain by the side of the man she loved and to protect the countless innocent lives that had never deserved such a cruel fate. Yet deep down, she knew that reality would never allow such an impossible wish to come true.
In the end, Cipher slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as though trying to suppress the confusion and hesitation surging within her chest while silently steadying her trembling emotions, forcing herself to bury every trace of reluctance and longing deep within her heart.
When she opened her eyes again a few moments later, deep within her blue pupils, the faint glow symbolizing the authority of Trickery suddenly brightened slightly.
'I'll try asking him first and see if he can solve it. If he can't... then before I leave, I'm gonna give myself to him...'
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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