Perhaps because they were both lost in their thoughts, Athena and Joshua didn't bother Louis today, and he only felt glad to have some free time finally.

But it seemed he was happy too soon.

Because right after finishing his bath, he saw a tall figure standing by the window. Sylus stood against the light, his dark eyes unreadable as they looked at Louis.

Sylus could tell that Louis seemed much thinner than when he had first arrived—his cheeks were a little hollow, and his appearance was like someone on the verge of death. Of course, that was only in Sylus's eyes; Louis merely looked a little frail to others.

Louis would blow up in fury if he knew what Sylus was thinking.

How could he not be thin? He hadn't dared put food in his mouth for two days, and even when he did, he quickly threw it up.

Every step his body seemed to accuse him, as if he might collapse at any moment.

He hated pain, yet life constantly forced him into situations where he had to endure pain and discomfort.

Louis also knew this wasn't a solution—if things went on like this, he wouldn't last another day. By then, he would have to eat, no matter what was hidden inside the food.

He curved his lips into a smile at Sylus and asked softly: "What's this? You suddenly came looking for me—have you decided to trust me now?"

Sylus narrowed his eyes at him. After conducting his own secret investigation, he discovered some unexpected information. At the very least, Louis wasn't just some insignificant suitor chasing after Athena. He even had his own network of intelligence. Although many posts there looked rather brainless, Sylus had noticed his conversations with someone named [Sylus first, Sylus second].

If that person was Louis, Louis had braved countless dangers to seek him out. He even seemed bold and fierce, yet Louis still liked him…

After a night of stormy turmoil, Sylus had already settled his thoughts.

He didn't feel attracted to men, but if things truly were this way, he could only accept it. He wasn't the type to shirk responsibility.

Besides, Louis wasn't bad to look at… No, what he meant was that Louis seemed very sincere. Yes, that was it. Louis was sincere.

Sylus had even considered that after leaving the Aurellan family, he would buy Louis a house, then break things off with him.

They would part on peaceful terms—their love should be buried in the past.

"I can't recall everything, but I've confirmed what you said." Sylus finally spoke.

Louis's mind turned quietly, but his expression immediately grew serious: "So, what do you want to do now? Do you still remember your original plan?"

Sylus shook his head. "No, but I'll infiltrate Aurellan's system to search for my memories. If they've been completely erased, then there's nothing more I can do. Don't do anything foolish. I'll make sure to take you with me."

With that, Sylus left.

Louis stared at the tightly shut door before him. After a long while, a mocking laugh suddenly rang out in the room.

His eyes narrowed, but all that remained in them was coldness.

Sylus now seemed only to want to escape from the Aurellan family, no longer having the same determination to drag them down.

Perhaps this was because his memories had been altered—filled instead with warm feelings toward Athena.

Ridiculous. I've suffered this much, not to settle for an ending where all we do is run away. Athena, Joshua, the Aurellan family—at all costs, they must be buried.

Louis sat down on the bed and took out a black gemstone, gazing at it gently. Light couldn't brighten it, yet the starlike specks within glimmered brilliantly.

Something this precious had to be hidden well.

Louis shoved the gemstone—nearly the size of his thumb—into his mouth and swallowed it without even needing water. It rose slightly with his swallowing motion before settling quietly in his stomach.

Clutching his belly, cold sweat slid down his face, but not once did his brows knit together.

Damn it, he hated being in pain!

Meanwhile, in Athena's office.

Athena sat gracefully in her chair, facing a screen split into five frames, each showing an older man with a scholarly yet sharp demeanor.

Facing them, Athena held nothing back. In a calm voice, she said: "Sylus needs to be eliminated."

Her words immediately shattered the calm between them.

"Impossible! Sylus must continue serving our family!"

"Our family's survival through hardship depended on Sylus's help. Without him, Athena, you'd have died countless times by now. No matter what you plan, you must think carefully first!"

"That's right, Athena. We never even need to question who our enemies are, because as long as Sylus keeps killing them, they cower back in fear. Just a mere rumor about Sylus leaving the Aurellan family—and already today you faced an assassination attempt!"

"Athena, you're capable but far too arrogant."

Athena smiled faintly, her gaze sweeping over them. Who could say whether today's assassins weren't sent by one of these very men?

She said softly: "Indeed—once upon a time. Everything you said is only in the past. Our family once fell into a pit and needed Sylus's help, but that was only once. Now, we are strong without Sylus. Clinging to the past isn't a good habit, honored elders."

"You!"

One of them was enraged by her words. Athena only found it amusing. How could such old fools even sit in these seats of power? After dealing with Sylus, she ought to restructure the Aurellan family and clear out these useless positions.

As one of them tried to speak further, Athena cut in directly: "Apologies, but I wasn't seeking your opinions—I was informing you. Sylus's existence is far too dangerous to the Aurellan family, especially since we did not part with him on peaceful terms. If he regains his memories, do you think he would ever forgive us, after everything?"

That's right—they had altered Sylus's memories, making him believe in falsehoods. A man as proud as he could never accept that. He might wipe out the entire Aurellan family if he ever found out.

"Impossible. Who could ever resist memory-rewrite technology? Besides, Sylus's memories were destroyed—there isn't even a backup! Sylus will never remember a thing!" one man declared firmly, and the others agreed.

Athena sneered at their stupidity. "Even with all our technological advances in this age, we've yet to unlock more than sixty percent of the human brain."

Athena had already decided, and they knew there was no swaying her.

At last, as if resigned, one of the elders spoke in a low, heavy voice.

"Sylus is a terrifying existence, Athena. It's not that we don't want you to kill him—it's that killing him is a distant impossibility."

Athena raised an eyebrow. The elder continued: "When I was very young, I already saw Sylus. Through all these years, through generations of the Aurellan family, he has remained unchanged. Saying Sylus grew alongside the Aurellan family is no exaggeration, Athena. Such an immortal monster—do you truly think you can deal with him?"

This time, Athena was genuinely shocked. "Impossible! No technology could make someone immortal! Even bio-synthetic androids have lifespans!"

"Yes, but it is the truth. With Sylus, we can only remain allies," one elder sternly warned.

"Ha… ha ha ha!" Athena suddenly burst into wild laughter, her eyes sparkling with a manic gleam.

"An immortal monster? What could be a greater honor if he dies by my hand!" Athena slammed the table and shot to her feet, lips curling dramatically, pupils dilated to the extreme.

Madwoman! Several elders couldn't help but think the same thing at once.

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