Harem Tournament of Champions

Looking over to his brother, he hoped he could get the signals he was giving.

Lancaster on the other hand had a smile, enjoying the moment, wishing he could be present in all the dealings with the overlord.

Unlike the meetings with other advisors of Asrinth, this was more than one of those boring sittings.

Giving a glare towards Lancaster, "It's an ancient book that..."

Hisha slaps his palm on the table in frustration. "Are you trying to mess with me?"

Shaking his head and denying any seeming foul play, he turns to his brother, hissing the words. "Go get it, you dimwit!"

They had been the only two who knew about the secret library which stores the ancient book he is hinting on.

Pushing back his chair, Lancaster let out a sigh at being treated like a handmaid.

Muttering incoherent words, he rolls his eyes whilst getting to his feet in a hurry.

Turning his attention toward Hisha, he gave a little bow in respect.

The doors were pulled open in preparation for his exit.

Whoosh!

Dashing out at top speed, he hoped to get back before he missed the juicy part of the story.

Hisha tilts his head as to the mystery surrounding the book.

Once it was certain that Lancaster had left, Aster quickly chips in a condition he had learned.

"The initial stage of the book needs to be fueled with raw carnage–something spurned from the pit of doom."

Kritz grimaced at a strange memory flash through his thoughts at the mention of the latter words, rubbing the side of his forehead in pain.

Noticing this, Hisha tore his gaze from Aster and leaned to his left to question Kritz on the sudden change in his demeanor.

Kritz shook his head, inhaling and exhaling as he tried to regulate his breathing.

Aster stood still, narrowing his eyes at Kritz. From the looks of it, all he needed was to find out what had triggered it.

'Finally, something worth seeking the truth about.' He thought with a grin.

This was something he could use in the future.

[Wouldn't it be best to use the blood contract on Aster?]

Leaning back into his chair, Hisha teases with a smile, 'aren't you the smart one now?'

He had thought on that line since the first visit but had turned down the idea.

The first clause which had been the sudden involvement of Lancaster, all his contract made had been done in secret.

Having Aster in such a vulnerable state would have been the first step, but the issue of the hobgoblins' attack wasn't enough reason to be considered useful.

The other would be the need to establish a ground or deal that Aster couldn't resist.

One thing he knew was Lancaster wasn't a good deal worth risking the contract on.

'What if he denies or rejects it?'

Thinking through all the underlying factors, he had second thoughts about its effectiveness.

'I would rather sit back and relax. The perfect opportunity is still out there.'

[You know what's best, host]

'That is correct.'

Hisha had a proud smirk as he listened to Aster continue with his introduction to his method of possibly tackling the issue.

Aster lowers his voice, his eyes switching attention given from Kritz to Hisha and back again.

"At first I had thought it was something I could never attain, something not worth opening without knowing the consequences..."

"Consequences?" Hisha repeats, suddenly curious about what it could entail.

Aster's lips curved into a smirk, glad he had the full attention of his overlord. "It was said once the book was used, a sacrifice would need to be made–an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth..."

He pauses at the raised hand of Hisha. "Cut the stalling words."

Aster nodded his head, masking his nervousness with a weak smile.

"The library had been a home for the book for centuries, up until now."

Whoosh!

Lancaster dashed back in but was unable to screech to a stop.

'Oh no! No!!!!' He screams in disbelief at his inability to control his feet.

​ Tripping on his feet, he rolls and crashes onto the wall.

Crash

Bam!

Crrk!

There was a collective wince at the painful scenario.

'Ow!' He groans in pain, pulling out his hand from the crack that had surrounded him after having his body lodged into the wall.

Thud!

Aster facepalms, internally regretting the level of embarrassment he felt after that painful scenario.

Lancaster pushed himself up, dusting bits of granite off his body and masking his pain with a chuckle.

"I'm fine, everyone. You don't need to worry about anything!"

'It's the book I'm more concerned about, you dimwit!' Aster made a strangulating gesture as he stared at Lancaster.

Shaking his head at how clumsy his brother was, he let out a sigh to calm his nerves.

"Could I have it?" He requests, opening his palm in expectation of the book.

Slam!

Lancaster hands over the book with a hard hit on his palm.

Groaning in pain, Aster glared at his brother.

"You said you wanted to 'have it' not 'hand it over'." Lancaster defends his action with a wicked grin.

'I like him already.' Hisha concludes with a smirk.

[We agree on something, host]

Crash!

Ducking at just the right time, Lancaster looked behind him and at the smashed plate that had been thrown at him earlier.

Temporarily forgetting Hisha was present, he yells at Lancaster in rage.

"For once, act your fucking age!"

His chest hyperventilating as he points and pushes Lancaster to the floor.

Lancaster stared at his brother in shock, unwilling to look Hisha's way for fear of having his pride crushed more than it already was.

Getting to his feet, Hisha offered his hand to Lancaster. "What's with the long face?"

Skeptical about looking behind him, Lancaster had his gaze fixated on the ground, ignorant of the hand outstretched to him.

Aster took three steps back to the murderous intent that he feels emanating from Hisha.

Unwilling to watch his lord have his hands outstretched for such a long time, Kritz yelled. "For someone who's meant to be fast on his feet, you are slow when it comes to seeing and reasoning!"

Unable to understand what he meant, he had involuntarily taken a glance at Hisha's outstretched hand.

His eyes widened as it looked to him as though a white light shone behind Hisha giving off a holy feel.

Bam!

Aster couldn't take his brother's admiration for the overlord.

Blowing on his knuckles, he watched Lancaster double over in pain, clutching onto his head.

Hisha retracts his hand, stifling a laugh at the display from the brothers.

'I just found something worth returning to when I need time off.'

Pulling Lancaster by the collar, Aster forces him to take a seat closest to where he was on the floor.

Lancaster glares at his brother, puffing his cheek as he looks longingly to Hisha to save him.

[What the hell? You aren't even trying, host]

'What can I say? My power gives off charisma and fear.'

Patting Lancaster on his hair, he realized how calm the lad had been.

"You've been helpful so far and I have gotten a good smile out of it."

Aster's mouth gapes open, confused and disturbed by the growing familiarities between the two.

He had known the overlord relatively longer than Lancaster.

'That's my brother!' He screams in his thoughts in jealousy.

Ahem!

He cleared his throat loudly.

Hisha rolls his eyes and walks over to his seat.

Kritz got to his feet, pulled Lancaster from the chair that he had been placed in, and threw him onto the chair he had been in.

"Much better, just like lord Hisha placed." He said with a smile.

Getting to his seat, he looks across the table to the familiar sight of Lancaster in front of him.

[You have such a loyal companion to do your bidding, must be nice]

'Are you making fun of me?' Hisha snapped, slightly triggered by his system.

Still, in a state of shock, Lancaster sat frozen, staring at the table for quite some time.

Hisha let out a low chuckle at Lancaster's behavior, finding it similar to how he behaved while he was on earth.

Leaning to his side and whispering to Lancaster. "It's alright to feel like you don't mean anything like you have no purpose, I used to have that same way."

Lancaster stiffly turned his head, puzzled by the words of the overlord.

"Just remember, we will always have opportunities that would bring out the best in us, and I know you will too."

Poking on Lancaster's head, he gave a warm smile.

[500 Sux exhausted]

*****

A/N

¶ Any idea on why his Sux decreased?

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