Chapter 42 - The Deal

-Gulp

Swallowing for the umpteenth time, I tried to stay still, but with me being tied on the table like some kind of lab rat, I just couldn't resist the impulse to do something, to get away, to break free.

"Stay still, you brat!"

-Flick

"Owww!!"

And I got the fruit of my efforts in the form of a flick, that made my forehead swell up red like a tomato. Clearly this wasn't the first time I was 'punished'.

Teary eyed, I looked at my assaulter, only to be rebuked.

"Stop acting!!, I'm not your mother dearest to fall for that face, just stay still and let me examine you."

'That must be enough, right?'

Looking at the Empress who pressing me down using a single finger with an annoyed expression on her face...

'No, a bit more...'

I thought, as nervously, a bit unsurely, I stopped stopping a certain part of my body from standing up.

And the effect was instantaneous.

The Empress whose one hand was on my forehead, while the other was busily drawing a magic circle, stopped. Her eyes which were rainbow colored then, returned to being blood red.

Slowly, she turned her head towards the bulge between my legs.

-Poke

-Twitch

-Poke

-Twitch

Her mouth twitched with my little brother, as turned to me and asked with a deadpan.

"Are you a masochist?"

Normally, I would deny it with all my might, but now, I just averted my watery eyes, as I observed the world where time had stopped.

-Grit

"You, you, you pervert!!!"

I heard, as fair hand covered in yellow light slammed into my chest.

And just like that, I was paralyzed.

'That went surprisingly well. At least my family jewels are alright.'

I mused.

What was I doing? And why was I happy being paralyzed?

Was I really a masochist?

Damn NOOO!!

Do you remember me saying I wanted to get the Empress's attention?

This was exactly why I wanted her attention.

I wanted her to hit me?

NOOO!! DAMNIT!!

I just wanted her to check me, to examine me.

If I suddenly said to her, 'Examine me!'

Then given her character, I was pretty sure I'll be dismissed, or I would have to pay her something, which given her standards, I couldn't.

Also, I didn't want to promise her a favor or something, that normally ends up being a death flag.

So, rather than asking her, my plan was to pique her interest and make her notice something wrong with me, resulting in her checking me up.

And I guess, the plan worked?

All thanks to the mind protection array that the Earl set up in my brain, with it working, my innermost thoughts couldn't be read by even by her.

She could still read my outer or casual thoughts, but to read the innermost ones she would have to use quite a heavy spell to break through the array.

Which both of us knew, would definitely antagonize my father.

It simply wasn't worth it.

Actually, I'm pretty sure she would find out that I led her by the nose after a while, what would be her reaction then?

I didn't know, nor did I care, but there was one thing I absolutely sure about, she wouldn't harm me.

The woman who refused to have kids because she knew they wouldn't be able to reach her level, surely wouldn't.

The woman who planned to pass her Empire to Eva, just cause she would be able to go higher than her, surely wouldn't.

Too bad she died before she could. Well, I was the one who wrote it like that, but now, I couldn't help but feel that it was a waste.

Can I do something about that?

I thought about that while laying on the table, my body paralyzed.

A silvery magic circle, so complex that it drained my Mental Power just by looking at it, formed above my body.

In the black and white world where time had stopped, it covered me whole like a shell, before my eyes were closed by someone.

"I don't want you brain dead, masochist brat."

-Ugh

When I hear it like that, it really hurts...

'It's okay, it's okay, you aren't gonna meet her anytime soon.'

I consoled myself, before I felt a slight tug on my consciousness, on my soul, followed by another just a bit stronger tug, once again followed by another, and another, and another.

Getting stronger each time, until I couldn't hold onto my soul anymore.

And I tried my best there, for I was 'unwilling'.

With another tug, my soul was pulled out of my body and thrown into the spell, as the scenery changed again.

***

As soon as I opened my eyes, I shivered.

I couldn't help but do so.

Just being back here, back in this white room brought various painful memories.

But I wasn't the same as before, during the past month, I had adjusted, I had grown, and I had matured.

Just like the last time, I wasn't alone, but instead of a silvery Rayne with bestial features, now, I was accompanied by a beauty, an ethereal beauty.

Unlike the simple white dress, or that shabby barefoot appearance that by all means didn't look shabby on her, now she was dressed like a queen.

The dress was still white, but rather than being a simple day dress, it was a perfect blend of a military uniform and fancy dress.

A white dress, open just above her chest, grey badges on her shoulders, long sleeves, white gloves. A bit lower her C cup breasts were covered by the dress, while a black frill hid her cleavage. From her chest to her abdomen the dress was filled with black buttons followed by ribbons and frills further downwards. Ending with white stockings and high heeled shoes of the same color.

All of it complimented by a military cap that had a shiny crown like jewelry fixed at its front.

If before, she looked like an otherworldly fairy, then now, she really looked like the ruler of the world.

While I looked like a silvery being with facial features, she looked lifelike, she looked regal, she looked like a queen.

"Hmmm, this is unexpected."

Her lips that had a natural peach color moved as she spoke.

And her reaction was not unexpected.

After all, it's not everyday you see a soul pierced by six black pikes.

And most importantly, my soul didn't have my face, no, more precisely it didn't have my new face.

Rather it had my old, my middle aged, my bearded face, that wasn't really all that handsome.

I turned towards the Empress, who looked just like she did in real life, as I asked her.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Satisfied? Hahaha"

She laughed, as she continued.

"Far from it, anyways who are you?"

"I'm Rayne Von Ellsworth, I think I already introduced myself."

"Oh, you want to play games, huh?"

She said, as she appeared right in front of me, as if teleported, and placed her hand on my head.

"Ahhhhh-"

A soundless scream escaped from my throat, as I felt my soul being invaded by another, it was excruciating, it was painful, and thankfully, it was short.

"You don't remember...?"

A confused mutter escaped from her lips as she looked at me weirdly.

Yes, I didn't remember.

I remembered that world, I remembered my parents, I remembered my friends, I remembered it all.

But I didn't remember myself.

Anything and everything related to myself, related to me, I didn't remember.

From my appearance, to my whether I was tall or short.

All of it kept disappearing, the more time passed, the more of it disappeared.

All I knew right now, was that I was middle aged man and I was bearded.

"Haaa, haaa, I told you, I am Rayne Von Ellsworth, atleast that is all I remember."

I said amidst pants, being thoroughly exhausted, before I sat down.

"How is that possible?"

Bewildered, the Empress asked.

"Guess?"

I replied cheekily,

-Flick

Only to get another flick on my forehead.

Then with a voice that left no room for refusal she spat a single word.

"Explain."

"Yes, mam!!"

I said, as explained my story to her, atleast a modified version of it.

**

"So, you were just an innocent guy whose soul was placed in this body?"

"Yes."

"A commoner who wasn't even a magic user?"

"Yes."

"And Rayne's soul had died just after he fell into coma, and it died due to not being able withstand the power of these pikes?"

"Yes."

"And now you have to withstand their power?"

"Yes."

"Any last wishes?"

"Yes, please shut your mouth."

"Hahahaha, really, you are quite lively for someone whose about to die."

"I told you to shut your mouth, unless you can do something about this."

"Heeee, you sure don't hold back."

"I'm dying here, what use is there to hold back if you die?

Again, can you do something about these?"

Yes that was it, the real reason that I planned all this, the real reason for all that hassle, all of it for this reason.

Even if they give me the chance to break the limits, even if I can get infinitely stronger, in the end these pikes were a power given by a mad God.

I couldn't trust him, absolutely could not trust him.

So, all I wanted was to get these pikes out of my soul.

"Let's seeee~, maybe I can~?

But, why should I?"

That was simple.

"Say what will happen to these,"

I said as I tapped on the pikes, "after you take them out?"

"They will be yours. That's enough, right?"

"It will be like I served you godly powers on a silver platter, powers yours to take."

"What do you think?"

That will be an ideal scenario, if the Empress really gets these powers then she will be truly unstoppable, no one would be able to defeat her.

That means, she will steamroll through the plot, there will be no tragedy, no losses, no killing, atleast on the human side.

But things aren't always ideal, are they?

"What if I fail?"

"You think you could?"

"Yes, considering I haven't been able to decipher anything about these pikes till now, there is a very slim chance of me succeeding."

"Is that so...?"

-Haahhh

I sighed wearily, I expected this, really I did.

I didn't think that Kasivier would leave such an easy way out for me, but hearing it from her wasn't exactly pleasing.

"Then, you get the chance to study a godly power that could possibly help you to break into the next level."

"So, deal?"

I asked, only to get a smirk in reply.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself brat. All I can see from our deal is, me helping you for free.

Rather, than doing that I can just take you with me while studying all I want to."

"And antagonize my father? Do you seriously expect me to believe that? Come on, we both aren't fools, that is just not worth it."

"Maybe it isn't. Let's see, you will owe me a favor if I fail, that is the lowest I can go, deal?"

Fuck! It came to this in the end.

Even though I wanted to avoid this...

Plus, anymore negotiating would just annoy her.

So, with a heavy heart that prayed for her success, I agreed.

"Deal."