With a mental click, the message disappeared. Lucas immediately felt an immaterial power grab hold of his core before fading. While he frowned, Evélyne showed no visible reaction as she turned to him with a somewhat surprised expression.

"What? You thought I would decline?"

Lucas said, feeling a little annoyed by her look.

/Yes. You seem rather paranoid to take such a pact at face value./

Evélyne's straight forward response struck a nerve as Lucas shot back.

"Only a dumbass would doubt the system. Besides, do I really have a choice here?"

This brought a sharp glare out of both parties. Katlyn sighed as she stepped forward. Her presence drew the attention of the two children.

/Now, now Lucas. How about we introduce ourselves first? I'm sure there're a lot of things your curious about as well?/

Lucas released a deep breath and stepped back, he nodded as he said,

"As you all already know, I'm Lucas Maverick. Ex-human and currently a Mimic."

Evélyne introduced herself second, her neutral gaze trained on Lucas.

/I am Evélyne Lifeblood. Sole heir of the Lifeblood household and princess of the Beastkin Queendom./

Lucas subconsciously shook his head at that as the introductions carried on. Sasha stepped forward bashfully and reported her name while looking down.

/I am Sasha Lifewoven. Ummm… it's a pleasure to meet you, sir Lucas Maverick./

Sasha caught her last sentence when it had already slipped out, prompting her face to go beet red while Katlyn chuckled while Evélyne smiled softly. Lucas raised his brows at this, falling into thought,

'Is mental communication just super common here? In that case I have to learn it quick. Always being on the back foot sucks ass.'

Finally, it was Katlyn's turn. She turned to Lucas with a polite but dignified smile as she said,

/I am Katlyn Lifeblood, daughter of the Vitauri and primogenitor of the Beastkin race. I hope you will enjoy our alliance, Lucas Maverick./

Lucas nodded.

"I hope so too… So now what?"

/Now, you will be given a domicile to rest. Tomorrow, Evélyne and Sasha shall discuss whatever questions you might have. I, on the other hand have to take my leave./

Katlyn walked over to Evélyne and gave her a small hug which she reciprocated.

<Good night, my Veliris.>

Evélyne just nodded while Katlyn gave Sasha some head pats before vanishing in a streak of red light. Watching this, Lucas thought to himself grimly,

'Seems my intuition was right, I can't gauge her strength at all. Great...'

The reason he knew there was no hope in escaping was because of Katlyn's presence rather than Evélyne's.

While Evélyne gave him a very oppressive and dangerous feeling, he couldn't sense Katlyn's power at all. It was almost like she was a walking abyss, this filled him with dread at the thought of facing her.

On the bright side, since she had left his Mind wasn't being overclocked anymore due to fear. Evélyne ignored his reaction and headed back to the manor with Sasha close behind. Lucas eventually caught himself and followed.

They moved through the manor in relative silence, each of them holding their own thoughts. A few minutes later, they arrived at the guest room. Its rich black, knobless wooden door closed. Evélyne spoke to Lucas,

/Project your Spirit energy into the door./

Lucas wordlessly placed a hand on the door, its Runes shimmed for a few moments then the door opened up. Lucas could also feel a subtle link in his Mind connecting him to the door.

'Interesting.'

Evélyne calmly continued,

/This is your room now. Whatever needs you may have, just ask your room. It should be able to satisfy them./

With that she turned and left, her stride perfectly measured as always. Sasha tapped her right hand over her heart before waving at Lucas.

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Lucas gave her a confused look before smiling as he replicated the gesture. This caused Sasha to smile as well, her tail swishing behind her. Lucas' smile widened as well as he pointed behind her saying,

"Aren't you going to go escort your princess?"

Sasha turned to see Evélyne already branching at a corner, her expression warped into mild panic as she rushed off but not without leaving behind a simple mental message,

/See you later!/

Lucas just chuckled and headed into his room, the door closing behind him.

"Damn… royalty indeed. This is bigger than my old house!"

As he took in the luxurious room Lucas couldn't help but exclaim. The room was huge. The walls were a pristine, smooth white, a stark contrast to the dark tones he'd expected.

The floor was covered in a thick, plush carpet of deep, vibrant red, interwoven with shimmering gold thread that formed intricate Runic engravings that pulsed with a very faint, inner light.

A massive, ornately carved bed dominated the center of the room, its frame crafted from a dark and rich wood. Silken drapes of a vibrant crimson cascaded from the canopy, adding a touch of regal elegance.

To the right, a large, polished desk sat against the wall, equipped with strange tools he had never seen before.

A cozy seating area with plush, oversized cushions was nestled in a corner, inviting relaxation. But what truly stood out were the five distinct, knobless doors that lined the walls, each crafted from the same dark, shimmering wood as the bed frame, their surfaces subtly glowing with faint Runic patterns.

The air itself felt different, charged with a subtle, calming energy that eased the lingering tension in his muscles.

"So where do I get proper shower around here?"

He asked rhetorically, to his surprise one of the doors glowed slightly and he felt a mental nudge from the room. Lucas was stunned,

"Holy shit, even the room can communicate mentally?"

His disbelief didn't stop him from heading to the room for a nice shower however. Lucas stepped into the shower room with his tendrils softly waving.

It was surprisingly spacious, with smooth, white walls and a floor of polished, dark stone. A towering, circular shower stood in the center, its multiple heads crafted from a shimmering, silver-like metal. The shower's control panel, a sleek, touch-sensitive surface, glowed with soft blue light.

Runes were subtly etched into the glass walls of the shower, pulsing with a faint, warm light. To one side, a long, polished counter held an array of crystalline bottles filled with shimmering liquids and pastes alongside a vast array of brushes floating on the wall. A rack held thick, dark red towels that looked incredibly soft.

Adjacent to the shower, a deep, oval bathtub, carved from a single piece of dark, veined stone, sat raised on a low platform. Steam gently rose from its surface.

A built-in steam vent hissed quietly, and the air carried a faint, clean scent. He noticed a small, recessed alcove with a heated stone bench, likely some kind of personal steam room.

"Just how much money do these people have? Is money even a thing here? Well, I'll find out tomorrow, for now a warm shower awaits!"

After almost an hour of bathing and messing around with the shower, Lucas finally exited the shower. A red towel around his waist and head as he let out a steam breath, fully relaxed.

"Ohhh yeah… that's what I call a shower… Now let's put something on, running around buck naked should finally come to an end."

The room immediately reacted to his thoughts and guided him to the dressing room. Lucas tugged the towel off his head, shaking his damp, dark hair. He sauntered into the dressing room, a low whistle escaping his lips.

"Alright, let's see what we've got."

He scanned the racks, a slight frown creasing his brow. Most of the clothing was designed for… well, people without four extra limbs sprouting from their backs.

He sighed, running a hand over the smooth skin of one of his tendrils.

"Hmm… guess I can just retract my tendrils."

He spotted a pile of what looked like loose, flowing garments folded neatly on a shelf.

"Bingo."

He grabbed a long, dark grey tunic made of a soft, almost silken material. It was oversized, designed to drape loosely.

"I should be able to squeeze into this."

He slipped it over his head, smoothly. When it got to his back, it tugged at his back slightly as the fabric brushed against his tendrils. The tunic was indeed loose, but not loose enough.

Accepting defeat, Lucas retracted his tendrils. The tunic was now easily pulled around his shoulders, then he easily slid it down his athletic form.

Before he could check himself out, a hum emanated from the fabric. It began to subtly shift and widen, the material flowing and reforming around him.

The sleeves widened and lengthened, creating individual sheaths for each tendril, while the main body of the tunic cinched around his torso, defining his silhouette without constricting his movement. The fabric seemed to learn his shape, adapting perfectly.

"Whoa,"

Lucas breathed as he regrew and fitted each tendril into their sheaths. He walked to the full-length mirror to see how he looked. The tunic now fit him like a second skin, yet allowed for complete freedom of movement.

The sleeves flowed gracefully with his tendrils, each one now perfectly encased in its own tailored sheath. The fabric had even adjusted to accommodate the subtle flexing and movement of his tendrils, creating a seamless, organic look. He flexed his tendrils, testing their range of motion.

"Perfect,"

He murmured, a grin spreading across his face. He turned from side to side, marveling at the way the tunic moved with him.

"Now that's high fashion."

He said with a small laugh before heading to his bed. After laying in thought for about half an hour, multiple things came to mind. His reflections with he was unconscious, Crash's death, and his overall future.

"One step at a time. I should check my new Achievements and work from there."

With a mental command, his latest Achievements appeared with a full description.

———

{[Speed demon]: You have more than just shattered the sound barrier, you treat it as an after thought.

Rewards: Trait unlocked—[Beyond Flesh+].

[Beyond Flesh+]:

Your movements are no longer entirely bound by the limitations of mere biology. While physical strain still applies, physical laws which restrict your motion are moderately mitigated, allowing for greater efficiency at extreme speeds.

[Above and Beyond]: In the pursuit of power, you have gone beyond your physical and mental limits. Showing the World your unyielding convictions. Well done.

Rewards: Trait unlocked—[Overcharge]}

[Overcharge]: You can enhance an Attribute for a steep price. Be warned}

———

"Even with both of these I still lost the final exchange… damn."

Lucas sighed to himself. His mind replayed aspects of the fight over and over till he fell asleep, completely exhausted.

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