Chapter 5: How to Take Revenge?
Hatred…
Loseweisse.
The woman he had loved most, and the one who had hurt him most deeply.
He had almost forgotten. During his first summoning, she had been the one to greet him, her angelic visage illuminated by the moonlight, as she invited him to a celebratory feast in the city below.
Even now, her beauty was undeniable.
He remembered the way his heart had skipped a beat when he first laid eyes on her.
“Calm down,” Shaye hissed, her voice a warning whisper in his ear. “Don’t do anything rash. If you lose control now, it’s over.”
She understood his rage. To come face to face with the architect of his demise, the woman who had betrayed him so completely… it was enough to drive anyone mad.
But he had to maintain his composure.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his nails digging into his palms. He took a deep breath, clinging to his sanity, the Forced Calm Ability a much-needed anchor in the storm of emotions threatening to drown him.
Shaye was right. He was in no condition to confront her, not yet.
“Thanks,” he muttered, his voice tight.
“Don’t thank me,” Shaye huffed. “I’m only doing this for myself. I refuse to be dragged down with you.”
He took another deep breath, forcing himself to relax. When he finally met Loseweisse’s gaze, his expression was carefully neutral, though a faint flush lingered on his cheeks, a lingering trace of his anger.
Loseweisse, for her part, seemed unsettled by his intense gaze, the raw emotion in his eyes momentarily shattering her carefully constructed facade.
“Apologies,” Qin Chu said, his voice soft, almost shy. “I was… admiring the view.”
The fear that had momentarily gripped her heart dissipated. So, he had been staring because he was captivated by her beauty. How predictable.
Disgusting creature, she thought, barely able to contain her disdain. He had probably never seen a woman as beautiful as her in his life.
A surge of smug satisfaction coursed through her, followed by a bittersweet pang of longing as she thought of Jie Luo. He, too, had been captivated by her beauty, his reaction a mixture of awe and reverence. This man’s response, however, filled her with nothing but disgust.
There could be only one true Hero, and that was Jie Luo. This imposter was nothing but a pale imitation.
Natia, observing their exchange, frowned. A strange sense of unease settled in her stomach.
Loseweisse, a masterful actress, hid her true feelings behind a mask of polite interest. She even managed a delicate blush, her eyes widening slightly as she listened to Qin Chu’s description of his two Super-tier Abilities.
Inwardly, however, she seethed. This wretched creature possessed even greater potential than Jie Luo? Unforgivable.
Qin Chu played along, his hatred for her warring with a grudging admiration for her manipulative skills.
She had perfected the art of appearing innocent and approachable, her carefully calibrated touches and lingering glances hinting at a deeper affection.
But the moment someone attempted to cross that invisible line, she would retreat behind a wall of carefully constructed logic and reason.
And she played her role flawlessly.
She had rejected the Hero’s advances, yet she was always by his side, presenting herself as his devoted companion, basking in his reflected glory.
Wherever the Hero went, Loseweisse was sure to follow, subtly inserting herself into the narrative, ensuring that the people associated his triumphs with her presence.
In his previous life, she had leveraged this carefully crafted image to cement her position as the true power behind the throne. As the Hero’s confidante and the Holy Maiden of the Holy See, her influence had grown exponentially, surpassing even that of the Pope himself. She had become the de facto ruler of the Heavenly Continent, her word law.
Zimmerman, noticing Natia’s troubled expression, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don’t mind him,” he murmured. “He didn’t mean anything by it.”
Natia shook her head, her gaze fixed on the ground. “It’s alright, Master. I understand what’s truly important.”
Zimmerman smiled, pride swelling in his chest. His apprentice had finally come into her own.
“Master Zimmerman,” Qin Chu’s voice rang out, interrupting their conversation. “I was wondering… is there any way for me to return to my own world?”
“Of course,” Zimmerman replied without hesitation. “Once the threat of the Demon Beasts has been dealt with, we will gladly send you back.”
“That’s… that’s wonderful news,” Qin Chu said, his voice filled with relief.
It was a lie, of course.
Once summoned to this world, there was no going back. After defeating the Eternal Monarch and sealing Shaye Nigulas for the first time, he had confronted Zimmerman, only to be met with a cold, hard truth.
The old Sage had lied.
Their procession continued down the mountain path, the carriages rattling along the uneven terrain.
Loseweisse, ever the opportunist, had claimed the seat beside Qin Chu, solidifying her position as his closest companion.
The clatter of hooves against cobblestones filled the air as they approached their destination.
A towering city, its walls stretching towards the heavens, materialized before them. Constructed from massive blocks of granite, it was a testament to human ingenuity and a symbol of enduring strength. Even the fiercest Demon Beasts would find it difficult to breach its defenses.
This was the Holy City, the seat of power and the heart of the Heavenly Continent.
For now, however, it served as the capital of the Auville Empire.
As they passed through the city gates, a foul stench, a mixture of decay and despair, assaulted Qin Chu’s senses. Despite the late hour, a lone street sweeper, her back bent with age, her clothes ragged and filthy, toiled away, her broom sweeping away the refuse that littered the cobblestone streets.
Her face was a mask of apathy, her movements mechanical. She couldn’t afford to miss a single scrap of trash. Her supervisor, a cruel man with a whip and a heart of stone, would dock her pay for even the slightest infraction.
She spotted a discarded piece of cloth, a flicker of hope momentarily brightening her dull eyes. Perhaps she could salvage it, make something for her children.
Qin Chu recognized the fabric. It was from a pet’s collar, discarded by some wealthy noble who couldn’t be bothered to dispose of it properly.
Along the sides of the street, huddled beneath threadbare blankets, lay the city’s homeless population, their bodies little more than skin and bones, their eyes reflecting a lifetime of hardship and neglect.
A young girl, her emaciated frame swallowed by an overflowing garbage bin, rummaged through the refuse, her desperate search for sustenance a poignant reminder of the city’s stark inequalities.
She emerged triumphant, a gnawed chicken bone clutched tightly in her hand. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of hunger and anticipation. But her moment of joy was short-lived. A group of older children descended upon her, snatching the prize from her grasp, leaving her standing there, tears streaming down her face.
After a moment, she buried herself once more in the filth, her small body racked with sobs. She knew that if she didn’t find something to eat soon, she would die.
Qin Chu’s hand twitched, but he forced himself to remain still.
He remembered this girl. In his previous life, her plight had moved him. He had stopped the carriage, ignoring Loseweisse’s protests, and pressed a hundred Mana into her hand, hoping it would be enough to buy her a decent meal.
He hadn’t understood then that a hundred Mana was a small fortune to someone living on the streets. The other children had robbed her, beating her mercilessly and breaking her legs. She had spent the rest of her short life confined to a makeshift wheelchair, begging for scraps.
Loseweisse sighed, her expression a picture of empathy. “The number of orphans has tripled since the war began,” she said, her voice heavy with sadness. “Even the Church can’t keep up.”
“Why?” Qin Chu asked, his voice deceptively calm.
“Their parents… they died fighting the Demon Beasts,” Loseweisse replied, her voice barely a whisper.
Lies.
The street sweeper toiled away because the nobles, the true rulers of the empire, were too greedy to hire more workers.
The orphans’ parents might be dead, but according to imperial law, their families were entitled to a generous pension.
Yet, judging by their appearance, these children had never seen a single copper piece of that money.
Their inheritance, their parents’ life savings, had likely been seized by corrupt officials.
Loseweisse reached for his hand, her touch sending a jolt of electricity up his arm.
Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, met his, her expression a potent mixture of vulnerability and adoration.
She was a master manipulator, using her beauty and carefully crafted persona to disarm and control those around her.
“Please, Hero,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “You must save us.”
This time, Qin Chu didn’t offer an immediate, heartfelt promise. Instead, he frowned, his expression a mask of doubt. “I want to help,” he said slowly. “But what if I’m not strong enough?”
“Don’t you dare doubt yourself, Hero,” Loseweisse chided, her voice firm despite the tremor in her voice. “The gods have spoken! You are the Heavenly Continent’s champion, our only hope! Our fate rests in your hands!”
“You seem to put a lot of faith in these… divine pronouncements.”
“Of course! The word of the gods is law!” She blushed, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink.
She lowered her gaze, then peeked up at him through her lashes, her expression a mixture of shyness and something else… something that made Qin Chu’s blood run cold.
“What is it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Did the gods say something else?”
He would play along, for now. He wanted to hear this.
Loseweisse hesitated, her blush deepening. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “The prophecy… it also said… that the Hero… and I… are destined to be… lovers.”
She covered her face with her hands, her entire body radiating embarrassment.
You lying, manipulative bitch, Qin Chu thought, his blood turning to ice.
Just how was he going to make her pay?
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