Chapter 7: Partnership

There was an insurmountable distance between them that couldn't be gapped with flattery or lies.

Moreover, being honest wouldn't help.

This was just how people tended to work.

It wasn't about the rules applied to oneself. Making a connection was more about luck than anything.

So long as the mood was right and things aligned with personality, then all would turn out to be fine.

If not, a certain distance would be kept indefinitely.

The only advantage Adam had was that he had experienced the world through her eyes before.

Knowing what kind of person she was.

But that sort of knowledge would only be useful to someone who knew how people tended to work.

And as she just said: He was a friendless asshole.

"Wow… I'm impressed you say things like that with a bored look." Adam wiped the drool on his cheek.

"Offended?" Clarissa tilted her head.

"Yup, how will you make this up to me?" Even though he was joking, the girl took him seriously.

"…" An awkward silence enveloped them.

"I know how SHE saw my personality. I wouldn't have been able to become a big part of your operations otherwise." These words from Adam suddenly made the scarred woman lean forward.

"How much do you know…?" A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes, but he shrugged it off.

Pretending not to see it.

"More than you need to know about." These words were specifically designed to drive a wedge.

Not between him and Clarissa, but between this powerful mercenary woman and her employer.

She started biting her lip.

Despite being a crucial individual that glued the women of Blade Security together, she didn't believe in herself. The mere suggestion that Sophia was hiding things… didn't seem to surprise her.

"Then why are you here?" Clarissa huffed. Her eyes seemingly even more discontent towards him.

Even though he successfully managed to drive a wedge between them, his own situation wasn't any better than before. However, Adam saw this as an opportunity to create a great narrative for himself.

"I'm having doubts about her." These words widened the eyes of the woman, and the sharp feeling of her getting ready to slice his throat became tangible. To the point he hurriedly spoke: 

"Hear me out first."

"No need." Clarissa's rejection was followed by a swiftness beyond comparison to anyone else.

Her hand was reaching for her blade.

But before she touched it, she felt a power emanating from his body that shouldn't be possible to acquire. Adam stood before her while levitating a sword circle that had the crest of a blade inside it.

Created from the same energy as her Sword Qi.

"Then how about now?" Adam made the first move by showing evidence they were closely related.

Not by any bloodline pact, but of deep trust.

That was the only reason any of her forefathers would pass on the techniques unique to the family.

"…I'm listening." Clarissa let go of her blade slowly.

"You wouldn't ever believe me, but I'm here for you." Adam tried to appeal to her deeper emotions.

But expectedly, she didn't budge an inch.

Her heart seemed unmoved.

"Then why 'help' any of us AFTER things got to this point." There was bitterness in her hoarse voice.

Blame for not having protected her little sister.

"I'm sorry for your suffering." Adam felt bad for her when he said this. He could sympathise clearly.

There weren't many who could ever hope to understand the kind of agony she went through.

He used this feeling within like everything else.

A cunning snake that noosed around her neck.

Clarissa didn't let herself be emotional enough to cry. After all, they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Tell me about yourself." Rather than betting everything, she needed a reason to trust him.

Something tangible…

"I'm the only one in my family that knows about 'that side' of this world. A few of the vassal families serving the Pine Household jointly worked together to assist me." Adam started telling his narrative.

She thought for a bit, then spoke:

"What were their surnames?"

"They didn't tell me." Rather than making everything up, he kept some sincerity in the story.

Adam WAS unaware of the names of such families. 

But even this didn't completely ward suspicions:

"How do I know this isn't her tricking me?" Clarissa looked more uncertain. It was a likely outcome.

Sophia was just too tricky to deal with…

"You're just going to have to trust me. Can you do that?" There weren't any signs of rush on his face.

He was thankful that 'Insightful Savant' made him more patient than others. A rare trait to have.

Even without the sociability of his brother, Adam was able to see through her act and adapt himself.

Since she was the one in need of assistance, it was reasonable that he had the upper hand politically.

"…I will." She looked ready to listen to any request.

Begrudgingly so…

Adam could tell that going forward, she would be loyal and do whatever he advised her to do.

This was because she'd do anything to save her sister at this point. Even putting her values aside.

"Actually, let me be straight about all this." Adam started off their partnership with some honesty.

"What's wrong?"

"Actually, I myself don't have a good plan of action against her. I'm also not that familiar with Sophia Hildegard myself. My time on 'this side' hasn't been that long, and my family doesn't know anything." The young man lowered his head weakly.

Purposefully giving her a gap to make use of.

Making it obvious what he wanted her to do.

"You want me to take charge of this?" Clarissa found it shocking he'd lower his position like this.

"We're partners. There's no need to be so calculating with each other when we have the same enemy, right?" Adam didn't deny that's what he wanted her to do. Even if it meant losing influence.

This was part of his long-term plan.

To be completely honest, the him of right now was incapable of managing Blade Security and Sophia.

Not only was his understanding of the hidden world buried between the gaps of society low, but he was also incapable of scheming like Sophia. There was no way Clarissa wouldn't find faults over time.

Since he couldn't handle it, leadership was better suited to be given to someone who could handle it.

This was his plan from the very beginning.

The reason he suppressed her from the start was to make his decision seem more prominent to her.

Making her interested in him.

He realised it managed to succeed from her eyes.

The life that had been stolen from them by Sophia had returned. It was obvious she was feeling joy.

Clarissa likely felt lonely when she was fighting by herself, but now she had an ally to share pain with.

To split the burdens resting on her shoulder.

This wasn't his 'Narration' powers in effect. It was simply him learning how to have human empathy.

Something he'd lacked for a while now.

Perhaps the previous him wouldn't have noticed the moisture growing in Clarissa's eyes, nor the way she had relaxed a bit after confirming that he was indeed on her side. It made him feel emotive.

More sensitive than usual…

He wasn't sure how his expression looked right now, but he felt his heart ache in front of that look.

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Even though they had met not too long ago, Adam felt like he'd known this sincere woman all his life.

The sacrifices she'd made for her family… The hardships she went through to become stronger…

Adam was aware of everything.

Without thinking, he reached out his hand towards her cheek. An action that Clarissa did not expect.

But she didn't stop him.

Letting his thin and girly fingers touch her rough face. A scar going down her cheek at that area.

"You went through a lot." Adam spoke, and noticed his own hand seemed clean compared to her face.

There wasn't a trace of hardships on his body.

'I was a fool…' He thought to himself.

It was after talking to Clarissa did Adam feel like he had never truly worked hard in his entire life.

Here sat before him was someone who had put herself through pain in order to become stronger.

While all he did was benefit from a Gacha game.

Gaining powers from running away from reality.

Gambling on his luck.

All while closing himself off from other people.

"I'm jealous… and regretful…" Adam's feelings couldn't be held inside after experiencing this.

It was then he felt her cheek rest on his hand.

Clarissa didn't say anything. Even after seeing that he'd woken up from his trance, she let him be.

"You're sure with going along with anything I have to say?" The powerful woman smiled sincerely.

Adam retrieved his hand slowly, then nodded his head. Ready to assist her in any way she required.

Strength, influence, money, etc…

He was born into a family that had it all. There was no request she could make that would be difficult.

At least, that was what he had initially thought.

Adam didn't notice the look in her eyes having changed. Many thoughts flashing before her.

Until Clarissa changed from the strict woman she was before. Pragmatic enough to be ridiculous.

She opened her lips and spoke her request:

"I need you to seduce my sister instead." Clarissa seemed really serious when she spoke about this.

But Adam jaw dropped.

"Pardon…? I've never had a girlfriend-"

"No problem. I'm a boring woman married to swordsmanship, but even my heart was moved by you." Clarissa blushed. Showing a particular interest in him that she'd never shown before.

Like a maiden in love…

"Still…" This was too sudden of a request. What made her so sure this would work out so easily?

"Don't look down on yourself. You have a nice face and personality. I approve of you getting closer to my sister." Clarissa lifted her thumb like she had already decided on their wedding date at this point.

"…I need to be honest with you again." Rather than tricking her, Adam decided to give back as much trust as he received. There were some things he couldn't speak about, but he talked about his Gifts.

Adam told her that he had three of them. Two of them were 'Bestowed', while the other 'Awakened'.

'Blood Nurturer' and 'Insightful Savant' sounded combat-orientated enough to come from a vassal family of her household. However, since 'Toxic Blade' sounded evil, he decided to lie a little bit.

Awakened Gifts were rare, and usually happened once in any person's lifetime. It was also random.

Unable to be controlled when it came to whether it benefitted the user or acted more like a curse.

When he explained what 'Toxic Blade' did, Clarissa fell deep into thought. Her eyes then sparkled.

"That… is a great Gift." She finally praised him.

"Really? Don't you find it sinister at all?" Adam had thought she would be more against this ability.

After all, it created Succubi and tainted people in lust. Changing their entire life forever at that point.

The ability of a truly poisonous pimp.

"It's more common to see elemental, projection or reinforcement abilities than control types like your own. I don't find it 'sinister' if the user is right." Her words were like honey. His heart felt sweet.

'Looks like I was the one being seduced.' Adam felt like it was unfair that she moved his heart like this.

It was the first time someone trusted him so much.

Well, apart from his family…

Adam manifested the Toxic Blade and showed it to her. He really wanted to test whether her resolve was true, or if it was a farce put up the same way he did. The woman was surprised by his actions.

"Then you wouldn't mind being the first to be morphed, right?" He tested her so blatantly.

Their eyes were locked.

Then hurriedly continued his words: "If what you before said is right, then this should empower you."

Clarissa seemed to see his doubts clearly, but also seemed to admit something deep inside her heart.

"Adam, right?" She tried remembering his name.

"Yeah." The young man hoped she'd refuse him.

"It must have been hard mustering up the courage to speak, even if you're not brave enough to see things through." She tapped his shoulder while ignoring the blade an inch away from cutting her.

"That's…" Adam felt like he had been exposed.

Her words were true. As someone who hadn't trusted people all his life, it was quite difficult.

Giving trust and putting faith in another.

"You don't have anything to prove me. I get what you mean. I… also lost my faith in others after meeting Sophia, but made me feel full. Like that darkness inside me never existed before." She sighed emotionally while approaching his body.

Making the distance between them much closer.

"So… are you doing it?" Adam still held onto the thought that she may be hiding her true feelings.

"No problem." She opened up her guard. The blade lightly cut her skin, and she started to transform.

The scars on her body completely vanished, and she became much more seductive and shapely.

Her face changed as well…

"What's this…?" Clarissa seemed confused when she saw her tout muscles become lean and subtle.

But she didn't feel like her strength had faded.

Only finding that her clothes became looser.

It was to the point she had to tighten her belt before her pants threatened to fall off her waist.

The way she trusted him stunned Adam the most.

To the point he felt like making things even.

Adam placed the blade in her hand and while she was distracted before lightly chipping his neck.

Causing something unusual to happen.

It was originally supposed to be more of a symbolic action to show they were equals, but this was odd.

Adam found his body was reconstructing itself.

Another form of energy other than Sword Qi started to erupt from his body. All due to Clarissa.

He hadn't expected that putting the blade in a woman's hand would change the Gift's nature.

Allowing her to morph males into something else.

Since this was the 'Succubus Genome', Adam thought his cock and balls would drop off.

However, that wasn't what happened.

Instead, Adam felt like his manhood was altering to become bigger, and a weird tail grew from his rear.

Becoming one hell of a handsome Incubus…

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