The Third Prince Of Darkness

Chapter 178: Promise

After Markuol took it out of the chest, I looked into those fear-filled eyes that were left staring at me. It seemed that Kayle and Roxanne had truly prepared a beautiful gift. I don't know why, but after years of battling in the realm of spirits, I probably lost the ability to feel things like overly hate people or becoming overly angry with them. But still, I thought Markuol deserved a painful death.

At that moment, the doors of the house opened, and Marsiel entered. She seemed quite surprised to see me, and immediately wanted to leave, but Kayle grabbed her by the arm and brought her towards me. Marsiel was terrified, to the point of nearly fainting from fear.

Kayle grabbed her by the throat and handed me his knife. "If you want, you can take this poor girl too... if that will satisfy you," she said. But then she added, "But she helped us quite a bit in capturing Markuol, and all she wants is for her mother to stay alive. I think it would be better for us to make her our slave."

I looked again at the expression of fear on Marsiel's face. She was so scared of me that if I took even a step toward her, she would probably faint. But Marsiel's abilities were truly useful, and moreover, Emilia's death wasn't her fault. She had even sincerely tried to heal Emilia.

"Let her go, Kayle," I said, and Kayle immediately released the girl.

"Marsiel. If you swear to serve me from now on, I swear that neither you nor your mother will come to harm. Do you swear?" I asked.

Marsiel trembled, collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe. For a moment, she looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. She slightly shook her head, but that wasn't a clear enough answer. To get a more definite response, I took a step toward her.

"Speak, Marsiel," I said, my voice sharper than usual. "Do you swear?"

Marsiel swallowed and in a hoarse voice said, "I-I swear. I will serve you... as long as you don't harm my mother... please."

A moment of silence followed. The tension filling the room was almost palpable. Marsiel's helplessness and fear made me reflect. I once again realized how many people in this world had to bow to my power. But this girl… Was she really a potential threat? Or was she just someone desperately fighting for her mother's survival?

I shook my head. "Okay," I said, with a slight softening in my tone. "If you keep your word, your mother will be safe. But if you betray me…" I gave her a hard look. "I would not recommend that." Explore hidden tales at ???

Marsiel immediately lowered her head and tried to suppress her sobs. At that moment, Kayle let out a soft laugh. "I've always said how soft-hearted you are," she said mockingly. "But this girl's ability is realy useful. I hope you don't regret it."

I ignored Kayle's mockery and turned back to Marsiel. "Get up," I said. "My first order is for you to pull yourself together. You won't influence anyone by crying."

Marsiel shakily stood up. She fixed her eyes on the ground and avoided looking directly at me. I approached her and softened my voice. "If you want to survive, stay loyal to my orders. Making everything better is in your hands, don't forget that. Now go outside with Anna and eat something."

Marsiel nodded and started to head outside with Roxanne. I didn't need her to see what I was about to do next, nor did she need more trauma. Fortunately, Roxanne understood what I wanted immediately and gave me a quick nod before leaving. After they both left, I turned back to Markuol. The moment I looked at him, the smell of urine filled the air.

Markuol's face showed a mix of fear and pitiful helplessness. His trembling lips seemed to be trying to say something, but the words were caught in his throat. In that moment, I felt how worthless he was as a being. Would he beg for his life? Perhaps he thought he could save himself with a few fabricated lies. As I untied the cloth from his mouth, Kayle sat in a chair with a smile on his face.

"Please... please don't kill me!" Markuol moaned. "I can help you! I'll serve you! Just give me a chance... please..."

My eyes narrowed. The desperation in his voice didn't stir even the slightest bit of pity inside me. "You'll help me?" I said sarcastically. "Like you helped Emilia? Or like how you stabbed those who cooperated to save your mother and sister?"

My words hit Markuol's face like a slap. His voice trembled as he mumbled something, but I ignored it. Step by step, I approached him. With each retreat he made, I became more forceful with my steps until his back was against the wall.

Kayle, watching from the corner, had she usual mocking grin on her face. "It'll be great watching this bastard suffer a little more," she said.

I leaned over Markuol and, in a cold voice, said, "People lose their loved ones because of people like you. There's no reason for me to spare your life. Because you'd just become an additional threat."

I drew my knife. The cold metal in my hand became a part of the tension filling the room. Markuol continued to beg, tears streaming down his face. But I didn't care.

"You deserved this, Markuol," I said, with a resolve that cut through the atmosphere of fear. "And now you take your place in this story as a memory. Nothing more."

Without hesitation, I plunged the knife into his chest. His screams echoed off the walls of the room. When I withdrew the knife, I drove it in again. With each strike, he became weaker. With incredible anger and determination, I struck him again and again. The smell of blood filled the room, suffocating the air. A weak and inadequate being had lost his right to be a threat.

Kayle laughed behind me. "Wow, Ethan. I love your dark side," she said.

After one last strike, I stopped. Markuol lay motionless. Blood pooled on the floor, filling the room with a horrific scene. I slowly pulled my hands off the knife and took a deep breath.

"This," I said softly, "is justice."

Then Kayle, smiling, left the room, and soon returned with a dozen people. They were likely her unity members, and they immediately began working together to dispose of Markuol's body. In just five minutes, even the blood on the floor was cleaned up, and the room was even cleaner than before. The room was now empty except for Kayle and me.

Kayle approached me and gently took the knife from my hand. "Now, it's time to move on to the next gift!" she said, hopping excitedly.

"What do you want from me, Kayle?"

As Kayle took the knife from my hand, her eyes locked onto mine for a moment. The mocking smile on her face briefly turned into something darker. As she watched me, I could see a desire, a longing in her eyes, but I didn't have enough time to figure out what it was.

"I'll give you something, Ethan," she said, her voice now much colder and more serious. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time… Today, you will be mine."

Kayle wrapped her arms around my neck, and by now, I knew exactly what she wanted. Honestly, being with Kayle wasn't a problem for me; in fact, loving such a reliable woman would be quite easy. It's also worth mentioning that it's almost impossible for two people with high Kaizer power to have a child with genetic issues, and both of us have very high Kaizer power and potential.

"... First, there are a few things you should know, Kayle. I have many women I'm involved with, and I plan on leaving them. If that's acceptable to you, we can continue."

At the moment Kayle's hands tightened around my neck, the coldness and firmness in my voice changed in an instant. Her mocking smile, the desire and longing in her eyes, were unmistakable. However, what I said caused her to hesitate for a moment. Her eyes were weighing on my words, but she couldn't react indifferently.

"Many women?" Kayle said, still with that mocking tone, but now there was a hidden tension beneath it. "I expected this."

Her stance didn't change, but there was a moment of hesitation in her eyes. Kayle was a woman who relied on her power and always held control. But my words seemed to have thrown her off balance for a moment. She fell silent, took a deep breath. Then she pulled her hands from my neck, grabbed my collar roughly, and smiled slowly as she gazed into my eyes.

"Promise me you'll love me! I want this promise from you right now..."

Kayle was no longer the stern woman with a mocking air. The smile on her face was filled with pain and expectation. I had only seen Kayle's eyes well up once in my life, and now it was happening for the second time. A woman who had always done things her way, who didn't care about anyone and killed people like rats, was probably feeling weaker than she ever had since childhood. Right now, any wrong word from me could lead to irreparable consequences, and at best, I would never be able to speak to Kayle properly again.

So, as I placed my hand on Kayle's cheek, I pulled her hand from my neck and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was long and passionate, pulling us both in. Kayle's body trembled from my kiss, her hands finding their way to my waist. For a moment, I felt like everything had stopped.

At that moment, it felt as if there were no more boundaries between us. Kayle had lost the cold, controlled image; instead, there was a woman whose emotions and desires had come to the forefront. Her eyes were locked on mine, but there was also a trace of something lost in them. She knew what she wanted, but for now, she was struggling to make a decision.

Kayle felt the determination in my eyes. After all, I was a man who always knew what I wanted. It was passing on to her, too. But at the same time, the tension between us was growing. The promise she expected and the emotional bond she sought went against her strong, independent nature.

I broke the kiss, squeezed Kayle's cheek, and whispered in her ear, "I promise I will love you, no matter what..."