Reincarnated as the Son of Conglomerate

Chapter 164 The Deepest Truth (III)

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Not only the two of them were surprised, Liliana also showed a similar expression. She didn't expect Klaus to agree with her request. Now, she was even more curious about what was inside his mind.

"Are you serious, Klaus?" Jonathan seemed hesitant.

"Yeah. We made a deal, and we lost. Promises have to be kept no matter what."

Isabella hissed. "If I have to reveal my secret, I don't mind. But involving an arcana? No, thank you."

"Exactly," Jonathan agreed with her. "We're just ordinary humans. Who knows what that thing could do to us." His gaze turned towards Liliana. "And how did you even get that thing? What have you been using it for all this time?"

Jonathan gave Liliana a sardonic look, but she remained composed.

It's difficult to convince non-awakeners to use an arcana. Most of them are very unfamiliar with this mysterious object. Even after Klaus created the Elemental Gun, which is essentially an artificial arcana that ordinary humans can use, there are still many skeptical individuals. 

However, Klaus knew that wasn't the reason they were refusing.

"If you're worried about your sexual fantasies or fetishes being exposed, don't be. Everyone in this room will keep it a secret."

"Egh!"

Isabella and Jonathan blushed, as if Klaus's words struck a chord. Of course, they quickly denied it.

"No! I have a bigger secret!" Isabella defended.

"Stop speculating, Klaus!" Jonathan protested in the same vein.

Although both of them tried to deny it, they only made it more obvious.

Klaus simply nodded. "So, I'm right. It's about fetishes, huh."

"No, isn't!" Jonathan and Isabella exclaimed simultaneously. At that moment, they realized they were making themselves look foolish.

Klaus smiled. "Your secrets are safe with us."

He turned to Liliana. "Right?"

"Of course," Liliana replied. She then gave Julia a subtle nod, indicating her to join in Klaus's little game.

"You don't need to worry. Only the six of us will know about this bet. So, only we will know your secrets." Julia nudged her daughter.

"Y-yes!" Olivia responded spontaneously.

Locking eyes with each other, Isabella and Jonathan communicated through their gazes. After nodding in agreement, they finally reached a decision.

"Alright, we agree," Isabella said.

"Under the condition that no one else knows about our secret. Understand?"

Grinning widely, Klaus nodded. "Understood."

"And one more thing," Isabella added. "I need assurance. I need an arcana or something that can enforce your promise."

Jonathan snapped his fingers. "That's right!"

Their request made the people in the room furrow their brows. There has never been an arcana or item with such a function before. Unless Klaus created it. But that couldn't be done now.

After pursing his lips for a while, Klaus finally spoke up.

"Alright. I think I have one item."

Jonathan and Isabella widened their eyes.

Rubbing the circular ring on his finger, Klaus retrieved an item from it. In his hand appeared a red apple after a dazzling light vanished from the ring. With intrigued eyes, people looked at the apple. Liliana was no exception.

"What's that, Klaus?" Jonathan asked.

"This is the Oath Apple. I got it in the orange dungeon during a quest in the Bermuda Triangle. If you make a vow before eating it, you'll have no choice but to keep your word. Because if you break it, you'll die. Agreed?"

Instantly, Jonathan and Isabella were taken aback. It was indeed their request, but if the consequence for breaking it was death, it was too extreme.

"Well, I think—"

"Don't say you disagree." Klaus cut off Isabella before she could finish her sentence. "This is what you wanted, and I'm giving it to you. I don't want to hear any more excuses."

Swallowing hard, Jonathan and Isabella exchanged looks. They finally stopped complaining.

"Alright, we agree," Jonathan said.

Klaus smirked. At the same time, Liliana looked at him suspiciously.

And then, Klaus asked them all to take a bite of the red apple one by one after making a vow not to reveal what they heard and saw in this room. 

They hesitated before taking a bite, but the most prominent was Liliana. She stared at the apple in suspicion before finally taking a bite.

Everyone took a deep breath as Klaus clapped his hands, signaling the beginning of their ritual. Except for Julia and Olivia, they formed a circle, surrounding Liliana who stood in the center.

"Alright. It's quite simple. You just have to hold this crystal and let it enter your mind, exploring your thoughts. This skull will project your memories, so everyone in this room will know. You can try to resist it, but remember, the more you resist, the clearer your secrets will be."

Turning her body, Liliana contemplated who she would unveil first. And her first choice fell on Jonathan.

"Touch the skull," she said.

Jonathan swallowed nervously before doing as instructed. The moment his hand touched it, a kind of electric energy surged through his body and into his mind. Then, the emerald skull illuminated, projecting a beam of light. It showcased Jonathan unclothed with a woman. Everyone assumed Jonathan was having sex, but he and the woman were arguing, ending with her storming out.

The projection wasn't limited to just one scene. Several similar scenes repeated, but with different settings and women. These women always left Jonathan behind in the room. After numerous scenes, the light projections faded.

Silence filled the room. Jonathan was sweating while others furrowed their brows. Some had ideas about why those women left him, but they were reluctant to voice their thoughts. At least, until Olivia piped up.

"Are you impotent?" she innocently asked. Everyone flinched, trying not to say it.

"Of course not!" Jonathan retorted. "My dick is perfectly fine."

"Then why did they leave?" Isabella inquired.

Jonathan pursed his lips, hesitant to reveal it.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of intimacy and that's why they got mad," Klaus chimed in.

Instantly, Jonathan turned bright red. Laughter filled the room at his expense. Julia and Isabella chuckled, while Olivia burst into laughter.

"Well, you always act like a playboy, but it turns out you lack the courage," Isabella teased.

"Shut up!" Jonathan couldn't help but turn his face away.

After the laughter subsided, Klaus instructed Liliana to reveal the second person's secret.

"Who's next, Liliana?" he asked.

Liliana smirked. Her gaze landed on Isabella, and her smile vanished instantly. She asked Isabella to touch [The Skull of The Deepest Truth]. The moment Isabella touched it, a light projection appeared in the air, akin to a movie.

It showed Liliana with an older man. Their ages were significantly different. Isabella appeared quite affectionate toward the older man. Sometimes she hugged him, and other times she pouted like a child. Scenes changed, but the same man was present. Their relationship seemed very close.

Everything seemed normal until it finally revealed Isabella engaging in an intimate act with a different elderly man. Instantly, jaws dropped as everyone watched.

After the projection faded, no one had any ideas. Until, in the end, Jonathan turned to Isabella.

"Isabella... I thought you were just close to your dad all this time... You might want to consider therapy."

In this room, only Jonathan knew that the first older man was her father. After he revealed that fact, everyone got the idea. 

Isabella had an acute father complex.

Slaps!

The woman in white slapped Jonathan.

"Shut your mouth, Jonathan!" Isabella snapped, her face crimson. "I'm fine! There's nothing wrong with me!"

"Well, if you're seeking out men as old as your dad to engage sex, maybe you really should consider therapy," Olivia innocently quipped.

Julia quickly covered her daughter's mouth. "Sorry, my daughter didn't mean that, hehe."

Burying her face in her hands out of embarrassment, Isabella couldn't help but feel regret for joining this bet.

Although embarrassing secrets were revealed, Liliana wasn't finished yet. There was still one person left.

"Only you remain, Klaus," Liliana said. A cunning smile graced her face. "Are you ready?"

"Go ahead."

Their eyes locked as Liliana handed Klaus the emerald skull. Nonchalantly touching it, Klaus let the surge of energy jolt him, flowing towards his brain.

The crystal skull projected a scene, and everyone was glued to it. Squinting their eyes, they saw a baby without a single piece of clothing, surrounded by a group of young maids. The baby boy was so adorable that these young women were jostling to pinch his cheeks. They were all smitten with the baby. One of the maids even played with an object hanging in the middle of his diaper.

Of course, Liliana furrowed her brow as she watched the crystal projection. It wasn't something she expected. She should have seen Klaus plotting with his subordinates or clips that could tarnish his name. However, all Liliana witnessed was this peculiar scene.

After the crystal skull stopped projecting Klaus's dark secret, everyone was left wondering about the recent display. There was only one person who seemed to know.

Clenching her hands, Liliana turned to Klaus.

"What is it? Why am I seeing this nonsense?" she asked in frustration.

Klaus smirked. He then feigned ignorance. "As you can see, that is my darkest secret."

"Your infant days?" 

"Yup."

Now, they all realized that the baby in the glowing projection was Klaus.

"That cute baby is Klaus?" Olivia mumbled.

"Ah, no wonder it seemed familiar." Julia pursed her lips.

"But how can that be your darkest secret, Klaus?" Jonathan appeared intrigued.

Much like Liliana, it was hard for them to believe. It was utterly absurd. In this world, no one could remember their infant days. They thought Klaus was pulling strings, using an arcana or something similar. In reality, he did nothing.

Klaus was a man who had lived for hundreds of years. Everyone who had ever met him was always in awe or fear. However, when he was reborn as a baby with full consciousnes

s, he never expected to be touched and groped by girls much younger than him. For the first time in his life, he felt his dignity shattered.

To him, this was his darkest secret.