Beast Nightmare Sexx-Chapter 38: Engagement of Power Part 1

The night at the Royal Magic Academy had a different weight after the incident in the arena. The wind blew cold, carrying the scent of ozone and turned earth, silent reminders of the destructive power I had unleashed.

Sitting on the stone bench, flanked by Rebeca and Olivia, I felt the air around me vibrating. I was no longer that invisible young man from weeks ago. The system in my mind pulsed, a constant presence that transformed my perception of the world into numbers, points, and opportunities.

Rebeca broke the silence, her voice laden with a mix of irritation and a curiosity she could barely mask.

"Shade? What are you doing here at this hour?"

I didn’t answer immediately. I tilted my head back, observing the neighboring floating islands that dotted the starry sky like distant jewels.

When I finally spoke, my voice came out low, but with an authority that made Rebeca’s shoulders tense.

"Rest is a luxury for those who have no enemies, Rebeca. And we both know that, at this very moment, Marie and those spoiled princes are licking their wounds and distilling poison. They were humiliated. A ’mob’ from a decadent barony brought them to their knees. Do you think their families, with centuries of lineage and pride, will let that slide?"

Olivia, who until then had only been observing with her expressive eyes, moved a little closer, concern creasing her forehead.

"They are dangerous, Shade. I heard the whispers in the corridors. They’re saying you used some kind of forbidden magic or illegal artifact... they want an official investigation."

I let out a dry, disdainful laugh.

"Investigations can be bought, Olivia. But fear... fear is a more stable currency. That’s why I’m here. Rebeca, I came to collect what you promised me, and a little more. I’ve reached some conclusions and I need you to listen to me carefully."

I turned to the noblewoman with radiant hair, fixing my eyes on hers with an intensity that made her look away for a brief second before she recovered her defiant posture.

"Your family, the high-ranking Fou Holforts, have the necessary weight to shut Julius and the others up. I need a political shield, and you need an ally who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. That’s why, starting tomorrow, the world must know: we are engaged."

The announcement hung in the air like an electric shock. Rebeca opened her mouth, but the words seemed to stick. Olivia let out an audible gasp.

"Engaged?!" Rebeca finally exclaimed, her voice rising an octave. "Have you gone mad? My family would never accept a formal contract with a rural barony without guarantees! And the social scandal..."

"The scandal is what will protect me," I interrupted her, keeping my voice calm and icy. "If I’m your official fiancé, any direct attack from Marie against me will be an insult to your house. They won’t risk a political war with the Fou Holforts over the whim of defeated princes. And as for guarantees... I have something that will make your family beg for this union."

I made a deliberate pause, letting the mystery grow.

"But there is a condition, Rebeca. For the plan to work, you need to go back to being who you were. That arrogant, overbearing woman who looks at everyone as if they were dust under her heels. I need the kingdom to believe that you ’claimed’ me, that I’m your pet toy, a personal project. If they think you control me, they won’t see the blade I’m preparing for their necks."

Rebeca frowned, her face flushing with indignation.

"What do you mean ’arrogant’? I was never like that! And I haven’t changed at all, you insolent idiot!"

I smiled, feeling a dangerous glint in my eyes.

"That’s the expression. Keep it. Use it tomorrow. And there’s more... Olivia will also be by my side. Just like Haily and Sofia. In this world, a man having multiple companions isn’t forbidden, as long as he has the power to sustain them. I intend to have all of you. And I intend to have Marie too."

Olivia stepped back, shocked.

"Marie? That woman is cruel, Shade! She tried to destroy your life!"

"Exactly because of that she will be useful," I replied coldly. "She is a manipulative bitch, but her influence and her family’s network of contacts are far too extensive to be ignored. I will bring her to my side, whether she wants it or not."

I moved closer to her, feeling the jasmine perfume that emanated from her skin, and lowered my voice so that only they could hear.

"Rebeca, I need your cover for my Airship."

Rebeca’s eyes widened, losing her composure for a moment. She let out a short laugh, full of disbelief and shock.

"An Airship? Have you completely lost your mind, Shade? Where the hell would a peripheral baron like you get that kind of technology? That’s something even high-lineage families can’t restore without a fortune and royal authorization!"

I leaned forward, letting the mystery grow between us as I fixed my gaze on hers.

"Let’s just say the ruins on my island hid more than old stones and dust. I found an Airship from a lost era and, on my own, managed to make it work again. It’s a millennial artifact, with technology that surpasses anything the academy or the kingdom currently possesses."

Olivia stood motionless, processing the magnitude of that revelation. Rebeca seemed to oscillate between astonishment and absolute fascination.

"If the Kingdom discovers that a low-ranking noble has something like this in his hands," I continued, my voice icy, "I will be arrested immediately and the Airship will be confiscated. That’s why the story will be different: You, Rebeca, will tell everyone that you gave me this Airship as a gift because of our engagement. No one will question the word of a Fou Holfort handing over an extravagant dowry, but everyone would question a Bartfort finding such a treasure."

I couldn’t tell them about Aria now, I thought to myself, keeping my face impenetrable. The artificial intelligence that resides in my system is my absolute weapon. If they find out I have a millennial servant processing every piece of data from this kingdom in real time, I would become the number one target of all factions before I even consolidate my power.

I looked into Rebeca’s eyes, making it clear that this was not a request for a favor, but a power transaction.

"I know that the weight of your family doesn’t come for free, Rebeca. If you do this for me — if you legitimize my engagement and the origin of my Airship before the kingdom — I will be at your disposal. In exchange for your influence, I will do whatever you want me to do for you, whether on the battlefield, in politics, or here, between us. You will have an ally that no one else can offer."

Rebeca remained silent for a long time, processing the audacity of my plan and my offer. She looked at my hand and, slowly, slid her own hand along my leg, squeezing the fabric of my pants firmly.

A malicious smile appeared on her lips.

"You are a demon, Shade Fou Bartfort. A very ambitious demon. I accept. My family will validate the engagement and I will take credit for the Airship. You said you would do whatever I wanted... and my price is high."

She leaned in, her warm breath against my ear, her voice reduced to a whisper full of intent.

"I want the payment now. And I want it the way you did it in the arena."