"Explain to me what Seth is, Thomas."
Hearing Morrigan, Thomas turned his head and looked at his Lady. "You already know what it is, my Lady."
Morrigan frowned at Thomas’s response. "Maxwell told me he’s a special Crow. A Crow with Dark Magic. What does that mean?"
As Morrigan remembered Seth’s movements and incredible intelligence, her frown deepened. "So you’ve known this from the very beginning."
Thomas smiled slightly, then shook his head. "Yes, I knew. That crow is indeed very special."
"Explain it to me."
Looking into Morrigan’s eyes, Thomas adjusted his glasses and began to explain as his Lady wished. "The crow resembles you incredibly, to the point that even your Mana is almost the same."
Morrigan found this more reasonable as she recalled Seth’s actions and remarkable intelligence. Thomas continued, "While there are incredible similarities with the crow, there are differences between you."
"What kind of differences could there be?"
"That crow has an even higher Mana density than you." Morrigan immediately rejected this claim. "That’s impossible. You told me I have a very high affinity for Dark Magic. How could Seth have a higher Dark Magic affinity than me?"
"My Lady, please think a bit," Thomas said, grinning wider. "You are the person with the highest affinity for Dark Magic that exists in this world. I’m sure of it.
Just think, what could a crow with even higher Dark Magic affinity than you be?"
Morrigan’s eyes lit up at Thomas’s words. Thomas adjusted his glasses and continued, "Do you really believe? In a human settlement like the Academy, a rare creature like Seth is just flying around as if nothing has happened."
"Are you saying—"
"Yes, I think Seth is connected to the God of Darkness." This time, Thomas’s eyes sparkled with respect. "He is truly helping you..."
Morrigan’s eyes widened as she understood that Seth was a gift from the God of Darkness; she felt a deep joy inside while showing no emotion outside.
"Indeed, you have a creature that is even rarer than the Legendary Crow. Be proud." Hearing Thomas, Morrigan prayed to the God of Darkness, then looked around to find Seth.
"So where is Seth?" Morrigan sighed as she noticed the bird in her head was lost. "Thomas, do you know where he is?"
"No."
"What?!" Morrigan asked in surprise. "But you could find him before, right?"
"It seems he has learned to conceal his Mana," Thomas said with a grin. Then he looked at Morrigan. "Do you want me to find him?"
Morrigan shook her head, rejecting the offer. "No need. Now that I know what he is, I’m sure he has a sacred mission."
Thomas shook his head.
Meanwhile, Seth and Dave were standing in front of a building. Dave looked at Seth and calmly said, "Can casinos really work?"
"Trust me, we’ll make a lot of money," Seth said confidently. Seeing the mixed expression on Dave’s face, he sighed and shook his head.
"You know, just be careful. Everything here is about power. If you’re weak, all the money you win can be stolen in a random alley," Dave said seriously. Seth nodded. "Then I’ll trust you, Dave."
Without saying more, Seth went inside. As soon as he entered, a sharp smell of cigarette and alcohol hit his nose. Nearly naked women were serving gamblers, while many people were focused on their games.
Everyone was there, from old to young. The moment Seth walked in, he caught the attention of many. Especially the presence of Dave accompanying him made many people uneasy.
"How can we assist you?"
An old man approached, asking professionally. Seth turned to the old man and calmly said, "I want to set up a gambling table."
The old man nodded and led Seth to one of the empty tables. Seth sat down without saying anything. Then he looked at Dave. "Now we need rich people."
Dave then left Seth’s side and began to ask around various tables. While some nervously refused, everyone else seemed to avoid Dave.
Five minutes later, Dave returned to Seth with disappointment. "No one wants to come here. What are we going to do?"
Seth sighed, then grinned. "Dave, do you have 20 gold?"
Dave reached into his pocket and pulled out 20 gold from a pouch, handing it to Seth. "I brought gold knowing you would ask for it."
Seth grinned even more. "Good."
Then Seth scanned the crowd for a while, all of them focused on their games as if it were a matter of life and death.
Until his eyes fixed on someone. The man had disheveled hair pulled back and a smug expression on his face, accompanied by two women.
Seth realized from the man’s style that he was wealthy, and he looked at Dave. "Dave, I found my prey."
Dave’s eyes lit up upon seeing the man Seth was looking at. "So you chose Boris."
Seth, watching all this, grinned and waved as Boris was taken away. "Goodbye, Boris..."
Boris’ eyes widened in rage as he realized the trap he had fallen into, but he passed out as the hilt of a sword struck his head.
He was then taken away to be thrown into a dungeon.
******
"Wake up, Boris..."
Boris slowly opened his eyes, feeling as though he had heard something. What greeted him was Seth and Dave, staring at him from behind iron bars.
"You!" Boris angrily grabbed the bars and glared. "What do you think you’re doing?! Let me out immediately, or else-"
"Or else what?" Seth tilted his head, his feminine face filled with disdain as he looked at Boris. His eyes were mocking. "Remember, we’re in different positions right now. You don’t have enough of an advantage to dictate any terms."
"So," Seth chuckled, a hidden threat in his voice, "it would be best if you acted like an obedient chicken. Otherwise, I fear I’ll have to kill you."
Boris flinched for a moment, then looked at Seth with hurt eyes. "What do you want? Money, property, land? Just say it, and I’ll leave."
Seth gazed into Boris’s eyes and calmly explained, "I want everything—all your assets."
"That’s impossible!"
Seth sighed, then looked at Boris with amusement. "This isn’t a choice, it’s an order."
Seth turned to Dave and extended his hand. "Give me the key, Dave."
"Here," Dave said, handing over the key. Seth unlocked the cell door, and before Boris could react, Seth rushed forward, grabbed Boris by the face, and slammed him into the wall.
As a groan escaped Boris’s mouth, Seth looked at him mercilessly. "Seems like you need a lesson."
"Dave, get me a bucket of water."
Dave nodded, and shortly after, he returned with a bucket of water and handed it to Seth. Seth placed the bucket on the ground.
Realizing what was about to happen, Boris tried to escape, but it was too late. Seth grabbed Boris’s head and dunked it into the water, making it hard for him to breathe.
"I bribed 100 gold coins just for this, mate. I’m going to take everything from you..."
Seth held Boris by the hair and lifted his head after 30 seconds, allowing him to gasp for air.
"So, I assume your thoughts have changed?"
Unable to answer, Boris coughed and took quick breaths. He looked at Seth with a pitiful expression. "Please—"
Seth sighed, then dunked Boris’s head back into the water, this time holding him under for a full minute before pulling him out again and letting his body fall to the ground.
Boris appeared dazed, on the verge of passing out. Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Seth poured the remaining water over him.
"Aghh..." Boris groaned and coughed. Before he could fully recover, Seth pressed his foot down on Boris’s head, keeping him pinned. Seth looked at Boris with a serious and threatening expression. "Like I said, either you agree, or you die."
Finally, Boris couldn’t take it any longer. "Alright! Alright! Please, no more! I’ll do what you want!"
Seth smiled in satisfaction and looked at Dave. "Dave, bring the documents."
Dave retrieved the documents, knelt down next to Boris, and forced a pen into his trembling hand. Boris, shaking, signed wherever Dave pointed.
Ten minutes later, once everything was done, Boris looked at Seth with hopeful eyes. "I’ve given you what you wanted. Let me go."
"The folks inside will take care of you, don’t worry."
As Boris relaxed, Dave and Seth left the dungeon. Outside, they were greeted by a guard. Dave handed the guard five gold coins and the key. "Poison Boris’s food."
The guard greedily accepted the money and nodded. "Consider it done, sir."
Dave grinned and left with Seth.
"With this, we’ve acquired a total of 44 properties, 27 plots of land, and a trading business worth 445,000 gold," Seth calmly stated. Then, he looked at Dave. "But it’s still not enough. We need to hunt down a few more people."
"Have you contacted the vice president?"
"Yes, he’s asking for at least 10,000 gold."
"Fine, let’s give it to him. We’ve already made quite a profit."
Seth grinned and examined the documents in his hand. "Even though we aren’t close to the necessary budget right now, it seems like we’ll reach 1 million gold in no time."
Dave nodded as they talked. Meanwhile, Boris died in his dungeon without raising any suspicion, and the evidence was erased by labeling the death report as a heart attack.