< 621 Love Points remaining >

  Chase gazed at the pages of Eve, the enchanting Grimoire that informed him with whatever knowledge and wisdom she had. With a determined heart, he had just spent some of his Love Points to grant Lai immunity to holy magic. A glimmer of hope sparkled in his eyes as he read the words unfolding before him. “There! Now Lai will be safe from holy magic,” he whispered to himself, a sense of relief washing over him.

  "If you think so, master," Eve replied with a skeptical tone.

  "I do... Anyway, I think that's enough for now. I don't want to raise an attribute if it isn't going to help in the fight against the other Demon Lords. We'll save what we got and use them if needed," Chase said to his Grimoire.

  "Well... I guess that is a wise strategy, Master... Hey, I think you should go and make that assassin guy your ally. If not, you could always corrupt him and make him into a sex sve. Or kill him. Or turn him into a vampire and let him roam free." Eve rambled on.

  Chase sighed before standing up and looking over at the unconscious man, who was lying on the ground about ten feet away. He didn't like the idea of killing him, and he couldn't let him go without getting attacked in the future. So, Eve's advice was probably the best thing to do.

  "Well... Let's hope I can make him see things my way... I really don't want to kill him. And I still want to learn what's going on here. Maybe I can see his past like what I did with Lai. I'm curious if it will happen again."

  "Good luck, master. Don't screw up," the Grimoire replied, her voice filled with sarcasm.

  Chase rolled his eyes and closed the book while walking across the deck of the ship that was littered with the dead bodies of the sailors and soldiers. He was impressed by Lai's handy work. She had fought off an entire crew and had not suffered a single injury.

  "She is something else... Outnumbered, yet she single-handedly took down the entire crew. It’s like a scene straight out of an action movie," Chase murmured to himself, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

  Eve tilted her body towards Chase, "Master, you do know that you helped as well, right?... You defeated that assassin and stopped that priest guy from attacking your minion. Without you, she would have lost and died."

  "Huh? Well... I feel like I blindsided both of those guys. I didn't do anything besides knock the assassin out. And Lai could have handled Hanz on her own... She didn't need me," Chase responded as he looked down at the book in his hands.

  "You know, master... You need to learn how to take a compliment. Stop being so humble. You deserve some praise."

  "Yeah, yeah," Chase replied, ignoring her. "Anyway, I hope I don't have to witness freshly murdered bodies every day from here on out... It's something I don't want to get used to."

  "What do you mean? You're the Demon Lord of Lust! Of course, you have to be used to death! I can't believe you're so soft... But... It somehow is getting these Love Points... I'll tolerate your softness. For now, Master," Eve's voice became slightly louder.

  Chase shot a pyful smirk in Eve's direction, his curiosity piqued. He couldn't tell if she even registered his presence, but there was a certain charm to her voice that captivated him. The idea of a talking Grimoire was strange yet intriguing, and he found himself drawn to her unexpected wit. She was beginning to weave herself into his thoughts, and he couldn't help but wonder just how clever she really was.

  "I appreciate it, Eve. I'll try not to disappoint you," Chase ughed.

  Eve paused in her tracks, lingering for a moment as Chase’s unexpected compliment hung in the air. Taken aback, she hadn’t anticipated such kind words from him. It wasn’t her intention to win his favor, yet the sincerity of his praise made her feel valued in a way she hadn’t experienced before. A swirl of confusion danced in her mind as she struggled to find the right response. What should she say to someone who made her feel seen and respected? None of her previous Masters have ever expressed any kind of appreciation for her. She felt something inside her, a warm feeling. It was so foreign. She didn't know how to handle it.

  "Oh! Um... You're welcome, M-Master," She said shyly as she flew towards him.

  Chase chuckled lightly, amused by the sudden shift in her demeanor. He had never imagined that the cold and calcuted Grimoire could be flustered by something as simple as a compliment. It was refreshing, and it only served to reinforce his resolve.

  Chase made his way to the heart of the ship, his boots thudding against the wooden deck. As he arrived, he spotted the assassin sprawled out on the pnks, a stark contrast to the weathered surface beneath him. Blood trickled from his nose, a vivid red that starkly marked the scene, the result of Chase's earlier punch. The dim light cast shadows across the assassin's face, emphasizing the defeat and pain etched into his features.

  "I think I heard that Lucius guy call him Broc, right?" Chase asked out loud while staring down at the prone man.

  Eve nodded, her body bobbing slightly, "Yeah, I believe so, Master."

  Chase crouched beside the unconscious figure, his eyes scanning the man’s dark padded armor. It wasn’t the most formidable protection, but the yers of cushioning and the metal ptes bolted onto it suggested it would absorb quite a bit of punishment. The man was a giant, standing at least six feet tall and tipping the scales at around two hundred sixty pounds. His bulk seemed to tell a tale of hardship, etched into the lines of his weathered face. Chase couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that this man, Broc, was less a brute and more a casualty of a cruel twist of fate.

  "Hey, Eve... I don't know why, but I feel sorry for this guy," Chase muttered under his breath, his gaze shifting towards his companion.

  "What?! He tried to kill your minion! Are you insane, Master?!" The book excimed, her voice rising in pitch.

  "I know! I know... Hear me out, Eve. I don't think this guy is really bad; I mean, he seems like he was hired to be a bodyguard and was taken advantage of. I wonder what he was promised by the Mayor's son to become a murderer. I felt like something was off with this guy when he looked at me right before I knocked him out," Chase said while staring at the unconscious man.

  Eve shook her "head" in disappointment again. It looked like she needed to give her Master "the talk."

  "You can't trust anyone, Master. Everyone has their own agendas, including him. You must be ready to cut anyone down at any time, especially humans... They can be treacherous little creatures that say they side with you one day and stab you in the back the next. That is what has always happened to previous Demon Lords. He can only be trustworthy if he gets corrupted, and since he's not a demon, you shouldn't care if he lives or dies," Eve stated bluntly.

  "Well, that's a dark way to think, Eve. I'm not a cold-hearted monster, plus people can change... Haah... I just hope my gut feelings are right about him. Otherwise, I don't know if I can kill someone outright, even if they're my enemy."

  Chase looked over at the unconscious man, studying him.

  "Well, Master... There's only one way to find out. Just go and corrupt him already. I can't stand your indecisiveness. It makes me want to smack you upside the head!"

  Chase ughed softly as he gazed down at the unconscious man. He reached out his right hand and pced his pointer finger on Broc's head, "Let's see what secrets this man has, and we'll see what his stats are. That should help us decide whether to corrupt him or not."

  A faint purple glow emanated from Chase's finger, bathing the area in its luminescence. He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, the power of his newfound abilities surging within him. Chase was met with a tingling sensation as the knowledge was transferred from his mind into his body. It didn't take long before Chase's Demon Eyes activated, and when he looked at the sleeping man in front of him. Broc's stats started to come into view.

  < Broc, the Assassin Lv.4 >

  < Race: Human >

  < Alignment: Forced Evil >

  < Strength: B >

  < Defense: E >

  < Dexterity: D+ >

  < Agility: A- >

  < Magic: C+ >

  < Intelligence: F >

  < Growth: A >

  "Hmm... He's strong but dumb, and his Alignment is Forced Evil? What the hell is that?" Chase asked the book.

  "It means he became evil not by his choice. Some events that happened in his life made him the way he is, Master. And his alignment would have been normal if someone or something didn't force him to take that path. Perhaps his family was killed, and now he wants revenge. Or maybe he was a poor person, and the mayor's son offered him wealth in exchange for doing his dirty work. He could have been bckmailed or brainwashed, or maybe he was threatened or tortured into submission."

  "It's a shame... He must have gone through a lot. I wonder what would have happened if I had met him under different circumstances," Chase thought out loud.

  Eve didn't respond, choosing to remain silent as she watched her master. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out why he was showing compassion towards his enemies.

  "I don't know what someone would have to go through to become an assassin... That's crazy to me."

  "People in this world are power-hungry, and some will do whatever they can to gain more power, Master."

  Chase looked at his Grimoire before his attention returned to the sleeping man, "Yeah... That's a good point, Eve."

  "You don't have to feel pity for him, Master... But have you decided what to do with him?"

  "Hmm... Well, his stats are pretty good. If he weren't a criminal, he'd be an amazing warrior, and his growth is amazing... I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe I can help him by using my corrupt skills. Maybe I can make him into a werewolf," Chase said, shaking his head at himself.

  "Are you an idiot, Master? Werewolves are a pain in the ass. They eat and defecate everywhere, and I hate it when they try to mark me as their urinal!... Plus, their breath smells worse than a goblin's," Eve said, her disgust evident.

  Chase couldn't help but ugh at her description, "You can smell, Eve? How can a book smell?"

  "It's a natural ability that comes with being a Grimoire, Master. It's part of my sensory functions. You should have the same senses I do. Duh!?... Now, stop changing the subject and make your decision. I can't stand your indecisiveness. Are you going to corrupt or not?" the book stated ftly.

  "Okay, okay, jeez. I thought having a werewolf would be better because he would be mostly human. Plus, there might be a better chance at turning him back into a regur human when all this is over," Chase responded with a shrug.

  If Eve had eyebrows, she would have raised one of them in a questioning manner.

  "That's a big if, Master," Eve said in a deadpan tone.

  "Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Alright, let's see what race I can change him into," Chase said before he pced his palm on Broc's chest. Eve hovered above Broc and opened up to a bnk page as she prepared herself to absorb all the information during the process.

  "Alright, just like st time, right?" Chase asked his Grimoire.

  "Yup! Same as before, just focus and channel your demonic energy. You'll know when the change has taken pce," Eve expined.

  "Got it."

  Chase closed his eyes and began to whisper a few words under his breath. He focused his energy and sent a stream of purple lightning down to the assassin. He didn't want him to suffer too much, but it couldn't be helped if it hurt a bit. And in a matter of seconds, his mana started to seep out of him and flow over Broc.

  "Oh..." Broc began to moan, his voice low and hoarse. His eyelids twitched slightly, and his muscles tensed as the magic took effect.

  Chase could hear his heartbeat quicken, the sound pounding loudly in his ears. The Demon Lord of Lust was a little bit nervous. He wasn't sure if this would work or not. And if it didn't, he would have to kill Broc, which was the st thing he wanted to do. Luckily, Chase started seeing Broc's memories, and this time, his mind wasn't overwhelmed as Broc's past began to fsh before him.

  It was strange. Chase was looking at an eight-year-old version of the man he was about to change into a demon or a monster. Chase watched a young Broc pying with other kids but was left out. He saw him getting beaten by his father for wearing a dress. He watched him train with a shadowy organization. And he even watched him kill for the first time. Chase only saw Broc's younger years before a prompt screen popped up.

  < Broc Bckstone is an abandoned child of a noble household and is in a body that he doesn't desire. Do you wish to accommodate him? >

  'Huh? That's vague...' Chase thought as his eyes were still closed.

  < Do you accept the terms and conditions for this minion? The likelihood of 100% loyalty will be guaranteed for this minion if the Master accepts the terms and conditions. >

  Chase didn't know what the hell was going on. Was he corrupting someone or accepting a new licensing agreement so he could use his email account? He was tempted to turn his back and leave.

  "Eve?"

  "Yes, Master? Is everything alright?" Eve asked.

  "I got a strange pop-up that doesn't have anything to do with choosing his species. Is that normal?" Chase asked, still keeping his eyes closed.

  "Not really, Master... What does it say?"

  "I'll read it to you... Umm... It's something about him being in a body he doesn't desire? And it's asking if I should accommodate him. Then, there's a likelihood that he would become 100 percent loyal to me. Do you have any idea what that means?"

  "Beats me... None of my previous masters told me about anything like this. But I have seen them stop corrupting someone in the middle of the process. I don't know if that was the reason for them stopping... The minion would die a few seconds after the master stopped the corrupting process."

  "So, if I stop the corrupting process, then Broc here is going to die? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

  "Well, it's not important, is it? It's not like I knew you were going to encounter something like this," Eve responded, her voice calm.

  Chase sighed, "Haah, so I can't stop, or Broc will die. Dammit... Well, it says that there's a likelihood of 100% loyalty if I accept the terms and conditions... So I think it might be a good thing instead of not, right?" Chase said out loud.

  "That sounds like a safe assumption, Master. Besides, I wouldn't worry too much about loyalty. He can't attack you directly because of your Demon Lord title, and the contract with your minion will prevent him from betraying you by his hand, of course."

  "Haah... What have I gotten myself into," Chase whispered.

  "It's better than the alternative, right?"

  Chase paused, his thoughts swirling in a tempest of uncertainty. A twinge of hesitation gripped him, but the allure of the unknown was too tempting to resist. He had no clue what this corruption truly meant—after all, he was no expert on the intricacies of being a Demon Lord. With only his instincts and his Grimoire to guide him, he felt like a sailor navigating through stormy seas without a map.

  'This could end badly...' Chase thought as he pressed his lips together.

  "Well, let's hope this doesn't blow up in our faces, Eve."

  He didn't even want to imagine the consequences if he had a traitor in his midst. A chill ran down his spine at the thought.