"I suspected you from the very beginning, Zaire Zontes."
Amelia's fingers wrapped around Zaire's throat.
Slowly, but certainly, she began to tighten her grip.
Zaire grimaced. His Adam's apple was slowly being crushed into his throat.
"Argh... what th-the fuck do y-ou wan-ng, want?"
"I want answers."
Amelia replied with a beautiful, warm smile.
She let go of her grasp.
"See, I would have killed you otherwise, hahaha."
Her index finger carefully traced the IV drip.
"Do you know what the nutrients here are laced with?"
All Zaire could do was anticipate the worst and frown.
"Fuck you."
"Again, wrong answer. The correct answer is—drumroll—tetrodotoxin."
"..."
"You don't know what that is, huh?"
"... fuck you."
"Oh, poor boy has lost his mind! It's a poison, buddy. It paralyzes and kills within hours."
"..."
"But you survived."
"..."
"If, you know, your skill was about a bullet—what's the secret to your amazing resilience?"
"..."
"C'mon. Answer."
Zaire could only scowl at her.
What the fuck! And this is a human, huh?
Amelia, looking at Zaire's powerless gaze, chuckled and wagged her finger.
"... Ti ti ti. And time's up."
"..."
"You are a Champion of an Olympian!"
Zaire's heart sank. He was practically naked in front of this woman.
Nala was gone.
He was physically crippled.
He was mentally exposed.
All his secrets were out.
Wow. So that really is a human, huh.
"Okay, Zaire. I'll share a big—a very big—secret of mine with you."
"..."
"I want you to kill Messiah."
Huh!
For the first time, Zaire's gaze shifted.
The hateful look turned questioning.
He was astounded.
Amelia beamed.
Her pearl-white teeth charmingly exposed to his questioning stare.
"I'll consider that look a 'why.'"
"..."
"When do you think I first suspected you, Zaire?"
"... when."
"When Messiah didn't fuck Nala. It was you who influenced her."
"..."
"You know Messiah is the Champion of Ate. Do you know anything about Ate?"
"..."
"Let me tell you this much: she's the goddess of fucked-up things."
"..."
"Suits Messiah's pathetic ass. He's practically fucked every survivor. Except me and... the one you saved. Anyway, he really craves to fuck me. No, no, no—he yearns to do it. Did it before the apocalypse, does it now."
"... let me guess something."
"You finally want to add something to the conversation? Excellent. Go ahead!"
"... I just... I just think you were somehow involved in messing that man up."
Amelia gaped in glee.
Touching Zaire's nose, she replied,
"Correct-o, baby. You're cute and smart."
The hateful scowl returned to Zaire's face.
And that's something to be proud of, huh?
"Anyway. See, he can't fuck me. Why? Maybe I'm mentally strong enough to resist his skill. And he—respects?—me enough not to rape me... Ah, I'm getting sidetracked. I thought you were mentally strong, too. When you, you know, shook Nala out of his influence. But then you killed an evolved beast."
"..."
"You know, in the past few days, I went to look at that Bay Fig. It's a level two as well, you know. And let me tell you this: it's so, so strong that it just... horrifies me."
"..."
"And you killed something similar to it."
"..."
"I promised I'd fuck Messiah when we break into Teal City. Be his woman."
"..."
"I have to. Otherwise, he promises to rape me... I fucked around and found out I guess, hahaha..."
"... that's..."
"... wonderful? You probably want me to get raped, huh? Hahaha."
"... you disgust me."
"C'mon, baby, I'm joking."
"..."
"Anyway, I want you to kill him."
"..."
"I could just give you a horrible deal, you know. You'd pretty much have to accept, otherwise you die. But mama's feeling gracious, baby."
"..."
"I won't even ask about your god, your skills, etcetera. You kill Messiah and swear to protect me. I'll let you live, and tell you... where your girlfriend is. Deal?"
"Deal."
Zaire replied immediately.
Contract in this world—who the fuck cares? Once I get the antidote for this crippling shit, I'll just threaten her about Nala.
Amelia frowned. She started shaking her head disapprovingly.
"A reply that fast signifies treachery. I thought you were better than that, Zaire."
"Hey, I really need to see Nala... I'll kill Messiah for that."
"I never said you didn't want to see Nala. I said you think I'm gullible."
"Oh, trust me, darling. I really don't think that."
"So do you really think the contract we'll sign is some flimsy piece of paper?"
"..."
"Good pet. I really love that dumb silence."
"... fuck you."
"Good pet again. I really love that helpless 'fuck you,' too."
"..."
"Okay. My skill is: Oath of Life."
"Suits your megalomaniac ass."
"Oh, snarky. I love it. But I think you can tell just by the name what my skill signifies."
"... mm."
"Good. I'll hold your hand. We make the promises at the exact same time. I'll activate the skill. And—taa-daa—deal's done."
"What happens if one of us fails?"
"If you fail, you die. If I fail, I lose my skill."
"... anghaha. That's not very fair, is it?"
"It's my skill. I have to hold some advantages, don't I?"
"Fair."
"Cool. Are you ready?"
Zaire felt conflicted.
He could barely kill a beast. Now he was being asked to kill a living, breathing human.
Zaire had never wanted to cross that boundary. But he suspected that day would come. Just... not this soon.
He had to kill Messiah—for himself and for Nala.
But could he?
"Amelia. What if—what if I don't agree to the contract?"
Amelia smiled, anticipating the question.
"Well, I have DMT and poneratoxin here. I'll mix them into your IV drip. The maddening physical pain will manifest in hallucinations, and you'll probably have the worst trip of all time. Like, it might break your mind. That scary. You're from a good family, good life. You will never be able to deal with that. I promise you that much. So be smart. I know you're capable."
Zaire took a deep breath and sighed.
Fuck.
"Okay... Deal."