"Hmm... He's strong but dumb, and his Alignment is Forced Evil? What the hell is that?" Chase asked the book.
"It means he became evil not by his choice. Some events that happened in his life made him the way he is, Master. And his alignment would have been normal if someone or something hadn't forced him to take that path. Perhaps his family was killed, and now he wants revenge. Or maybe he was a poor person, and the mayor's son offered him wealth in exchange for doing his dirty work. He could have been blackmailed or brainwashed, or maybe he was threatened or tortured into submission."
"It's a shame... He must have gone through a lot. I wonder what would have happened if I had met him under different circumstances," Chase thought out loud.
Eve didn't respond, choosing to remain silent as she watched her master. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out why he was showing compassion towards his enemies.
"I don't know what someone would have to go through to become an assassin... That's crazy to me."
"People in this world are power-hungry, and some will do whatever they can to gain more power, Master."
Chase looked at his Grimoire before his attention returned to the sleeping man, "Yeah... That's a good point, Eve."
"You don't have to feel pity for him, Master... But have you decided what to do with him?"
"Hmm... Well, his stats are pretty good. If he weren't a criminal, he'd be an amazing warrior, and his growth is amazing... I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe I can help him by using my corrupt skills. Maybe I can make him into a werewolf," Chase said, shaking his head at himself.
"Are you an idiot, Master? Werewolves are a pain in the ass. They eat and defecate everywhere, and I hate it when they try to mark me as their urinal!... Plus, their breath smells worse than a goblin's," Eve said, her disgust evident.
Chase couldn't help but laugh at her description, "You can smell, Eve? How can a book smell?"
"It's a natural ability that comes with being a Grimoire, Master. It's part of my sensory functions. You should have the same senses I do. Duh!?... Now, stop changing the subject and make your decision. I can't stand your indecisiveness. Are you going to corrupt or not?" the book stated flatly.
"Okay, okay, jeez. I thought having a werewolf would be better because he would be mostly human. Plus, there might be a better chance at turning him back into a regular human when all this is over," Chase responded with a shrug.
If Eve had eyebrows, she would have raised one of them in a questioning manner.
"That's a big if, Master," Eve said in a deadpan tone.
"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Alright, let's see what race I can change him into," Chase said before he placed his palm on Broc's chest. Eve hovered above Broc and opened up to a blank page as she prepared herself to absorb all the information during the process.
"Alright, just like last time, right?" Chase asked his Grimoire.
"Yup! Same as before, just focus and channel your demonic energy. You'll know when the change has taken place," Eve explained.
"Got it."
Chase closed his eyes and began to whisper a few words under his breath. He focused his energy and sent a stream of purple lightning down to the assassin. He didn't want him to suffer too much, but it couldn't be helped if it hurt a bit. And in a matter of seconds, his mana started to seep out of him and flow over Broc.
"Oh..." Broc began to moan, his voice low and hoarse. His eyelids twitched slightly, and his muscles tensed as the magic took effect.
Chase could hear his heartbeat quicken, the sound pounding loudly in his ears. The Demon Lord of Lust was a little bit nervous. He wasn't sure if this would work or not. And if it didn't, he would have to kill Broc, which was the last thing he wanted to do. Luckily, Chase started seeing Broc's memories, and this time, his mind wasn't overwhelmed as Broc's past began to flash before him.
It was strange. Chase was looking at an eight-year-old version of the man he was about to change into a demon or a monster. Chase watched a young Broc playing with other kids, but was left out. He saw him getting beaten by his father for wearing a dress. He watched him train with a shadowy organization. And he even watched him kill for the first time. Chase only saw Broc's younger years before a prompt screen popped up.
< Broc Blackstone is an abandoned child of a noble household and is in a body that he doesn't desire. Do you wish to accommodate him? >
'Huh? That's vague...' Chase thought as his eyes were still closed.
< Do you accept the terms and conditions for this minion? The likelihood of 100% loyalty will be guaranteed for this minion if the Master accepts the terms and conditions. >
Chase didn't know what the hell was going on. Was he corrupting someone or accepting a new licensing agreement so he could use his email account? He was tempted to turn his back and leave.
"Eve?"
"Yes, Master? Is everything alright?" Eve asked.
"I got a strange pop-up that doesn't have anything to do with choosing his species. Is that normal?" Chase asked, still keeping his eyes closed.
"Not really, Master... What does it say?"
"I'll read it to you... Umm... It's something about him being in a body he doesn't desire? And it's asking if I should accommodate him. Then, there's a likelihood that he would become 100 percent loyal to me. Do you have any idea what that means?"
"Beats me... None of my previous masters told me about anything like this. But I have seen them stop corrupting someone in the middle of the process. I don't know if that was the reason for them stopping... The minion would die a few seconds after the master stopped the corrupting process."
"So, if I stop the corrupting process, then Broc here is going to die? Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Well, it's not important, is it? It's not like I knew you were going to encounter something like this," Eve responded, her voice calm.
Chase sighed, "Haah, so I can't stop, or Broc will die. Dammit... Well, it says that there's a likelihood of 100% loyalty if I accept the terms and conditions... So I think it might be a good thing instead of not, right?" Chase said out loud.
"That sounds like a safe assumption, Master. Besides, I wouldn't worry too much about loyalty. He can't attack you directly because of your Demon Lord title, and the contract with your minion will prevent him from betraying you by his hand, of course."
"Haah... What have I gotten myself into?" Chase whispered.
"It's better than the alternative, right?"
Chase paused, his thoughts swirling in a tempest of uncertainty. A twinge of hesitation gripped him, but the allure of the unknown was too tempting to resist. He had no clue what this corruption truly meant—after all, he was no expert on the intricacies of being a Demon Lord. With only his instincts and his Grimoire to guide him, he felt like a sailor navigating through stormy seas without a map.
'This could end badly...' Chase thought as he pressed his lips together.
"Well, let's hope this doesn't blow up in our faces, Eve."
He didn't even want to imagine the consequences if he had a traitor in his midst. A chill ran down his spine at the thought.