C16 Sleep with You

It might have looked simple, but it was akin to a narrow escape from death's door.

Both the Mist Warrior and the Whisper Killer were masters of assassination, skilled in stealth but fragile in constitution. This is why, when Egerton anticipated their sudden attack and evaded it just in time, the vulnerabilities they revealed were fatally exploited.

Still, to guarantee a double kill, Egerton pushed his physical capabilities to the brink. In that fleeting moment, he struck both assassins in the neck with a single, swift blow, severing their lives in one fell swoop.

Three minutes later, Egerton, covered in blood, stood before Lankro, startling her.

"You, you're hurt?" Lankro's voice quivered with concern.

"No, this is their blood. The trouble is cleaning these clothes; I might as well burn them," Egerton remarked, surveying the conspicuous bloodstains on his attire with a wry smile. He had been so focused on tidying the room that he'd neglected the stains on himself.

"I don't have any blood on me. You, did you shield me?" Lankro suddenly realized her pink dress was spotless, despite having been at the scene.

"...You could say that," Egerton replied, touching his nose and sheepishly acknowledging the truth. If not for his effort to keep Lankro from being splattered with blood, he wouldn't be in such disarray.

The reason was simple. Lankro was wearing the clothes he had just purchased; they couldn't be ruined.

"I, I can help you burn them," Lankro offered, her eyes shimmering with a mix of resolve and shyness.

"No need. When I said 'burn them,' I didn't mean right now. Let's put them in the Space Bag and find a secluded place tomorrow. If all else fails, I can dispose of them in the Skyreach Spire. You don't have to bother," Egerton declined.

"I'll pray for you!" Lankro blurted out after a brief pause, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush.

"Thank you, I'll appreciate that," Egerton responded, his words casual as he took a seat on a nearby wooden chair.

Lankro wanted to say more to Egerton, but she noticed he had already closed his eyes, his breathing steady and even.

He must have been exhausted!

With that thought, Lankro refrained from disturbing Egerton further. She opened the bedroom door and surveyed the familiar decor, finding it hard to believe that just minutes before, two corpses had lain there.

Sitting silently on the bed, Lankro closed her eyes with intent for the first time and began to recite the prayers of the Genesis Order.

"O omnipotent God of Creation, watch over your believers, and let them be accompanied by unknown wisdom..."

"Your congregation of believers has gained another, keep up the good work."

A muffled voice echoed in her head, and a content smile played on Egerton's lips as he drifted further into unconsciousness.

He didn't know how long he had slept when a faint noise by his ear startled him awake.

Despite his diminished physical prowess, Egerton's alertness remained impressively sharp.

"Is that girl up and about without any ill intent?" Egerton mused with a hint of malice.

But then the footsteps headed his way, leaving him momentarily bewildered.

"Who would come looking for me in the middle of the night? Let's see what you're up to."

Feigning deep sleep, Egerton lay still, waiting for Lankro to draw near.

"Egerton, are you awake?" Lankro's voice was timid.

"..." "Please, can you wake up?" she implored, a note of fear in her voice.

"Uh, what's the matter?" Sensing something amiss, Egerton feigned grogginess.

"Could you... come to the room, and, um, sleep with me?" Lankro whispered.

"What? You want me to sleep with you... I must be too blunt."

Egerton was taken aback, but seeing the fear and entreaty in Lankro's eyes, he suddenly grasped the situation and nodded.

A Catwoman trafficked to a foreign land with only a Class 1 strength would naturally feel insecure. Her previous behavior had hinted at it, and after witnessing such a gruesome scene, it was only normal for her to be scared and seek comfort.

"However, the challenge of staying with you through the night is a bit much, isn't it? Oh, right, there's another way." Egerton settled on a plan.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just scared to be in there by myself. If it's too much, I can stay out here with you," Lankro clarified, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Out here?" Egerton took a quick look at Lankro's nightgown, which was not only sheer but also left little to the imagination.

"Even if you're more resilient than most, sleeping out here dressed like that, you're bound to catch a cold, right?" Egerton chuckled.

"Ah!" Lankro gasped as she realized how alluring her attire was. She tried to flee back to the bedroom, but as she reached for the door, the memory of what had happened earlier sapped her strength, and she couldn't bring herself to open it.

"Alright, alright, I've seen it all before. There's no need to be so shy. Don't worry, I'm here," Egerton reassured her, stepping behind Lankro and gently placing his hand on her delicate arm. With a gentle nudge, he pushed open the door that seemed to hold her nightmares at bay.

Whether it was the magic in Egerton's voice or his presence that soothed her, Lankro's panic and fear melted away at the sound of his voice, as if they had never been there at all.

Led to the edge of the bed by Egerton, her heart raced with each step they took together.

What do I do? What do I do? He's going to... Should I resist? But if I do, and he leaves me here alone... It's too terrifying. Maybe I should just... just let it happen...

Lost in her thoughts, Lankro let Egerton guide her onto the bed. It wasn't until the cashmere blanket was gently draped over her that she realized Egerton hadn't joined her.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked softly, oblivious to the innuendo in her words.

"...You're quite the character. I'm here to keep you company, so sitting right here will do," Egerton replied with a hint of amusement.

Egerton offered a teasing remark as he sat at the head of the bed, holding Lankro's hand without ever letting go.

"If you can feel my presence like this, you shouldn't be scared anymore, right?"

"Thank you," Lankro whispered, a glimmer of tears shining in her eyes.

"Alright, time to sleep. If you can't, then I'm out of options. I'm not going to sing you a lullaby."

"I'm not a little kid," Lankro huffed, the distance between them now gone.

"Only kids need someone to stay with them until they fall asleep," Egerton ribbed her.

"It's different for me; I'm a cat. Cats always curl up on their owner!" Lankro retorted.

"So, I'm your owner now?" Egerton chuckled.

"Meow~" Lankro cooed, playing up her charm.

In a high-end residential area on Willow Walk, a dimly lit luxury apartment was the setting for a secretive ritual. Ralph combined mercury, the blood of a Level C magical creature, and his own blood into a murky concoction. With a delicate touch of his finger, he etched faint yet deeply set patterns into the floor. Surrounded by five lamps emitting an unusual green glow, it was clear that the materials used were extraordinary.

Once the patterns were complete and the damp traces vanished, a design that seemed ancient, as if etched into the floor eons ago, emerged. Ralph sat atop it, eyes closed, devoutly reciting an eerie prayer.

"Goddess of Seduction, omnipresent, please hone your admirer, fortifying his resolve."

With each repetition, a spectral figure twisted into existence within Ralph's mind. The figure's allure, elegance, and poise seemed to embody every conceivable word for temptation. As it took form, even just in his thoughts, it overwhelmed Ralph—a formidable Class 5—with an intense sense of oppression and allure, bringing him to his knees.

"What is it, my servant?" the figure inquired with a voice both icy and exquisite.

"Master, your servants Reif and Rudra have perished," Ralph responded with utmost deference.

"What transpired?" The figure seemed indifferent.

For a deity of such magnitude, the loss of two Class 3 servants was trivial.

Had it not been apparent that Ralph had more significant news to convey, the divine apparition would have dissipated instantly.

"They attempted to assassinate a Class 2 believer, but ended up being killed by that very person," Ralph stated gravely.

"Class 2? They're nothing but failures. Do you have anything else to report?" The svelte figure scoffed.

"The Class 2 believer appears to be from a newly formed sect," Ralph revealed, getting to the heart of the matter.

"A new sect?" The svelte figure's voice rose slightly, signaling her intrigue.

"It is rumored to be a group known as the Genesis Order," Ralph confirmed with a nod.

"Genesis Order? Quite the presumptuous name," the svelte figure huffed, her tone noncommittal.

"Master, should we consider recruiting this Class 2 believer into our fold?" Ralph inquired.

"Is that the extent of your update?" The svelte figure's impatience was growing.

"Master, this Class 2 believer also disrupted the Evil God Sect's ritual. Five Class 3 believers from the Evil God Sect fell at his hand. His power is undoubtedly superior to that of the average believer," Ralph explained.

"And that's the sum of it?" The svelte figure remained unimpressed.

"Master—" "Enough. Proceed with the arrangements, but remember, our objective should not be confined to merely winning over that Class 2 believer," the svelte figure interrupted, her patience waning.

"What do you mean?" Ralph asked, puzzled.

"Given that the Genesis Order is a fresh sect, there's a chance they might align with us," the svelte figure said with a smile.

"Could it be?" Ralph gasped, struck by an incredible possibility.

Is this the foresight of a deity? To act not just against an individual believer, but to strategize against the entire sect.

Even if that believer possesses extraordinary abilities and exceptional talent.