Chapter 42: Esmeralda, The Crooked Offspring

With a sigh that sounded more like a deflating balloon, old man Kaisen—formerly known as the spry and youthful Kaisen—gritted his teeth as he gingerly clutched his aching back.

'Fucking bitch! If I won't bend you down and plough you and make you beg for my mercy, then my name is not Kaisen at all.'

He groaned.

'Dammit. I thought losing HP just meant I'd be more susceptible to death quickly, but I didn't think I'd age 80 years.'

He truly felt it.

It was as if his bones were ancient.

'Maybe this HP thing affects my body too.'

"Fine. Screw it. Maybe the Talisman of the Eclipse Breaker can do the trick."

A quick system message popped up:

[Time remaining: 5 hours]

"..."

[...]

'Dammit! Fuck me hell! Fine let's do this the old fashioned way.'

With a grunt that sounded like it came from the depths of a dungeon, Kaisen clamped his fingers around the knight's arm with one hand and snagged a leg with the other.

He braced himself, inhaling deeply as if preparing for battle, and then began the arduous task of dragging the hefty knight.

Each inch felt like a mile as he strained against the weight, the clinking of metal armor accompanying his efforts like a mocking symphony.

'Perhaps the gods of this world are punishing for my sins. But fret not, if you guys are real, I would fuck you too.'

And just as he pondered that thought, the system suddenly messaged him:

[The Corrupted One approves of your mindset.]

"What the FUCK!"

He had never received a system message like this before.

Whenever the system messaged him, it was usually about quests or when he inquired about system-related matters.

But this...

"Who is this guy?! I never even questioned him."

That was it.

There was no further response from the system.

It seemed that the Corrupted One, whoever he was, actually supported his idea of fucking the gods.

"What a weirdo."

After what felt like an eternity of exertion, he finally reached the imposing double doors that guarded the entrance to the Queen's wing.

Summoning his last reserves of strength, he hoisted the unconscious knight's hand onto the door, hoping for the familiar glow of activation.

With lightning speed, Kaisen leaped to the side the moment the brazier crashed to the ground, landing against the nearby door.

Fortunately, it swung inward, providing him with a sliver of concealment.

However, luck seemed to be against him as he heard the ominous click-clack of armor drawing closer, signaling the approach of the knights.

"Is there someone there? Princess?"

The knightess asked, her voice smooth yet commanding.

'Dammit! Dammit! She's getting closer.'

He pressed his body hard against the door, trying to make himself as flat as possible.

'Shit! She's getting closer.'

He could feel her footsteps nearing him, just a few feet away now.

Her large shadow was clearly visible to him.

With a surge of desperation, he pressed against the door, hoping for any chance of escape.

To his surprise, the door behind him creaked open slowly, nearly causing him to yelp in panic.

'Fucking hell!'

Summoning all his willpower and suppressing his fear, he managed to keep his lips tightly shut as he quietly slipped into the room.

Closing the door behind him, he slumped down to the floor in relief.

It wasn't Alice's room, not even close.

The map said Alice's place was next up.

It didn't bother showing whose room this was, but he didn't need no map to tell him.

The person standing right there, smack in the middle, with eyes wide open and mouth hanging, did the job just fine.

And would you believe it?

She was only wrapped in a towel.

The dark hair threw him off, but those blue eyes?

They were hauntingly familiar.

How could he forget those blue eyes?

And it wasn't just the eyes;

Her breasts were practically textbook perfect, and her ass was practically spilling out from under that towel.

She was like a younger version of the succubus who'd played him before, trying to lure him into who knows what...

Not to mention, his system had confirmed his suspicions.

[Quick Time Event: Grab Esmeralda, the Crooked's ass]

[Reward: 30 lust points]