Chapter 174: I want to have fun

"Did you hear that?" Evelyn asked after Strax and Samira had left her 'House'. She still couldn't quite believe what he had mentioned, even though she had agreed to help by lending her 'strength'—if that's what her hired mercenaries could be called.

"He's either a genius... or a complete idiot..." Lyana said, having remained hidden the entire time, just listening to what that mischievous man was planning. Of course, she wasn't doing it for herself; it was because Evelyn had asked her to stay hidden and only intervene if he tried to harm her or if her physical safety was at risk.

Even though Evelyn was more willing than ever, after so much time suffering in solitude, it was still hard to trust a man with such strange and illogical ideas... That's why Evelyn needed direction, a personal opinion from someone she trusted... fortunately, this time...

"I agree." She said, how could she not? What that man wanted to do was illogical...

Just think about it! He didn't even try to hide it. When she commented about the city being destroyed, he quickly changed his plans to dominate the city. It was so obvious that he wasn't concerned with the real plans anymore that she couldn't help but agree with him—it was so absurd, so idiotic that...

"He's going to succeed." Lyana said, firmly admitting that it was so ridiculous that... "I know, he's going to succeed." Evelyn repeated, not out of trust in him, but because she believed in his sheer audacity and the absurdity of his plan...

"I can't believe I'm doing this, you know?" Lyana said as she sat in the same spot where Strax had been not long ago.

"Neither can I." Evelyn admitted.

"Ah..." The two sighed together as they tried not to let their frustrations spill out onto the table...

"At least, does that remedy really exist? I mean, we need to be sure about that..." Lyana questioned, but Evelyn shook her head, "It exists... at least he firmly believes it does, especially since I couldn't detect any lies in his words... Despite... him being extremely honest... it's almost frightening." She said.

Lyana pondered for a few seconds on what she could do to avoid thinking about bad things coming from Strax, since he was still trying to help her Mistress despite the obvious issues between them. Lyana and Strax might have problems, but her mistress didn't hold any grudges or animosities... She was even too calm, and that irritated Lyana a bit.

"So, should I prepare?" Lyana asked, seeing that, even knowing this, she couldn't change her Mistress's decision. "Of course." Evelyn said with a smile, but before that...

"Just one question... Why did you agree to this when we could just buy the item?" Lyana questioned. It was really strange for her to have agreed to something so surreal...

"Hm? Of course, it's for fun." Evelyn said with a smile. "W-What?" Lyana asked, unable to comprehend what her Mistress was thinking... This was... idiotic?

"Hey, don't look at me like that, okay? I just thought it would be fun to take part in a big heist," she said with a grin. "You're starting to resemble him." Lyana said.

"Lyana is right to be suspicious. We need to find out more about him before it's too late," she murmured, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

With one last sigh, Evelyn stepped away from the window, feeling the weight of her decisions on her shoulders. She knew that, no matter what happened, there was no turning back. She was too deeply involved, both in her search for a cure and in the game Strax had proposed.

The auction was approaching, and with it, the beginning of something that could change the fate of many. Evelyn just hoped that, in the end, she wasn't trading her soul for a little more time... or fun.

As she prepared for what was to come...

...

"Why are you like this?" Monica questioned, looking at Strax's hands, which were clasped together as he pondered...

"It's okay, I just want to find a way to handle this quickly and safely..." Strax murmured, for some reason feeling that something was very wrong behind the scenes... It was a confusing feeling...

"Do you really want to do this? I mean, I understand you need the Dragon Heart, but... Is it really worth sacrificing a city?" Monica asked, a bit scared to know the consequences that would follow after he pursued Christine's Revenge...

"None of that will happen... We're going to overwrite these guys and take control of all of it." Strax said, and they exchanged glances... "You... haven't you been too greedy lately?" Beatrice questioned, and Strax just smiled, "If being greedy means freeing ourselves so we can live our own lives...

I'd love to be even greedier so we can stay together." Strax said, almost consuming her with his gaze, which left her embarrassed...

"Are you going to trust us to help you this time?" Monica asked, already imagining that— "You all need to get stronger. There's no point in cultivating and learning things if you never use them." He said, contradicting all her thoughts...

"But... I want you to stick together when it starts. Stay with Rogue and Evelyn's squad, I, Christine, and Yennifer will do the heavy lifting inside the Auction," he said, and they understood well what he meant...

"No room for immediate failure, huh?" Samira questioned, "We need to dominate not just a city, but the entire illegal trade..." Beatrice murmured...

"Well, we're here now, aren't we? So let's do this." Beatrice said, smiling, and all the women in the room smiled as well...

"A big heist, huh... I never thought I'd be doing something like this, hahaha" Strax laughed.