Landlord Wears A Mask

Chapter 10: Obsession

Duke Bryan was looking at the television screen that had been constructed using the schematics brought by an ascender. He took a step away from the screen in the meantime. His infiltration unit on standby.

The duke found the lack of defensive measures around the mansion hard to believe. Almost like he was up against a novice. There was only standard traps bought secondhand laid around haphazardly.

"Is there really a land owner who is naive enough to trust technology?" He thought in disappointment. It was unknown if this sort of thing was a hobby or a standard act. Seemingly used to sending assassins.

As for what purpose they were sent?

Well, that was in their namesake and profession.

The duke turned the screen off and went to his lab. A look of derision appeared when he looked at a servant. His eyes looking down on the woman. Her shoulders were shivering, but dared not to run.

Fear had rooted her to the ground like prey.

"You'll help your master, right?" The duke asked the maid. She, who had been tasked with escorting her master, promptly lowered her head. Unable to offer an answer. The rumours were seemingly true.

His body smelled of chemicals and plants, with a slight tinge of blood in the air. The maid knew exactly why. A part of her wanted to refuse. Her face was twisting. Refusing his overbearing 'request'.

"I..." She was about to say it, but couldn't after seeing the intense emotions in his glare. The savage and cruel gaze unbefitting nobility. The duke seemed to be wondering how long she would be stalling.

The maid felt repulsed.

However, such feelings were useless...

It was in an instant... An overwhelming obsession appeared on her face that eased the fires of life in her composed eyes. The fear had been eased, and she looked like she'd be willing to sacrifice anything.

The maid nodded in a not-so-different way from how Jake eagerly followed Clara's commands. The fast growing emptiness in her eyes showed a lack of independent thought, but didn't seem hypnotised.

That slight contradiction was favourable to him.

The duke walked into his lab. He opened the door to reveal why his suit reeked of compounds. Chemicals and glass beakers were everywhere. Unhealthily clouded Ether was seeped into the atmosphere.

Still, the maid didn't seem to be able to refuse going in. Horror started to fill her internal mind. Her desires cut off from her actions... Her face was still smiling regardless of the emotions she was feeling.

"Why did you call me?" A feminine voice called out from the corridor on the right. The newly arrived foreigner saw the whole scene. The fog of cloudy Ether seemed not to affect her senses whatsoever.

Her clothes seemed esoteric. Skimpy in a few areas despite having the outer layers similar to a Chinese hanfu dress. A thin robe draping a qipao that exposed her stomach. A sash just underneath her modest chest holding everything together.

Although Bryan found her attire uncouth and maybe even a bit self-demeaning, he also knew his pride shouldn't be an enabler for him to make the worst mistake he could: Offending such a scary woman.

"My apologies, Miss Demon." The duke spoke to her in a robotic and emotionless tone. These words made her squint, but not for the reason others would expect. She stomped over in his direction and waved away the cloudy miasma covering her face.

The features of a pale beauty were unearthed.

"My name isn't literally 'Heavenly Demon'." The woman couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. She gave no real name, so all he had to call her by was what she used as her introduction.