Chapter 809: Would destroying the Kasai family's planetoid help you?

“How long does this last?” Lorelie asked in amazement.

“It varies depending on how I use my ability,” Kasumi replied. “The most basic version that I just used will last until I stop it. I can cancel out any and all powers and abilities within a certain radius of myself, as well as any attacks launched at me from outside that range will disperse upon entering the void's area of effect.”

Rowena nodded in agreement before adding. “However, this is only the basic capabilities of the bearer of the void. If Kasumi were to make contact with one of us, our individual power would be locked out for a certain period of time even if she moved away afterwards… and then there’s what happened to me in the past.”

“What happened to you?” Stacey repeated curiously.

“At the time, I had no idea that Kasumi was the bearer of the void, and she had no idea that intimate contact locked out powers for an even longer period of time,” Rowena explained. “So after we were… intimate, I discovered that my powers had somehow been locked out, and even worse, it lasted almost an entire month. Thank the progenitor, I had eaten only the day prior.”

“I’ve apologised for that countless times,” Kasumi said in embarrassment.

Rowena gave her a warm smile before saying, “Hey, I’m not blaming you. After all, you had no way to know something like this would happen; also, we had no idea that being intimate for some reason increases the length of the lockout compared to just you touching me normally.”

“No offence, but wouldn’t that kind of thing be recorded somewhere from past bearers of the void?” Lorelie asked.

“Normally you’d be right,” Rowena nodded as she continued. “However, none of the past bearers had this capability; they only had the first two. We think it’s because Kasumi’s from a long-lived race, and that has somehow enhanced her ability.”

“I’m assuming you can activate and deactivate this void ability at will?” Adam asked.

“Thankfully,” Kasumi said in a relieved tone. “When my ability first manifested, I couldn’t control it, and it was permanently on. It took some training, but I eventually managed to control my area and touch abilities. Unfortunately, I’m still unable to control the intimacy part due to lack of training, since it was only discovered in the past few years.”

“I assume that’s also the real reason why you are famous for never having dated,” Lorelie stated.

“That, and I really was focusing on my career,” Kasumi replied before adding in amusement. “Though I’m sure you can imagine how a conversation like that would go on a date.”

“Does your power affect those without any abilities, such as myself?” Adam asked. “I mean, I don’t feel any different.”

“No,” Kasumi replied, shaking her head, causing Adam to frown and ask. “Then do you know the specific reason Beyuki Kasai wants you to marry her son? From what I can tell, your power is only useful against those with powers or abilities, which your race doesn’t normally have.”

“I’m not sure; honestly, I’ve always suspected she planned to use me to disable the power and abilities of certain guests,” Kasumi replied. “One thing's for certain, though: she didn’t consult Kirchiro before arranging the betrothal.”

Adam frowned before asking, “I take it he’s not happy about you being his betrothed?”

“That’s an understatement,” Kasumi scoffed. “He was already a spoilt brat to begin with, though I suspect he would grudgingly accept being married to the Toki family head's eldest daughter, but he sees being betrothed to me, someone he hadn’t even heard of before our betrothal, as some kind of insult.”

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“You don’t have to answer this if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, but are you willing to tell us what he’s done to you?” Adam asked.

Kasumi sighed before saying, “He has beaten me on multiple occasions, but never gone further than that since Beyuki Kasai ordered him not to.”

“Bastard,” Rowena growled angrily, causing Adam to suspect that if her powers weren't currently surprised, her eyes would be shining in a bloody-red light.

“Badly?” Lorelie asked with narrowed eyes.

“On occasion, though never badly enough that it couldn’t be treated,” Kasumi said with a shiver as if the memory scared her slightly. “It’s one of the reasons I haven’t returned home in so long.”

“I’m sorry if bringing it up distressed you,” Adam apologised; however, Kasumi shook her head and smiled slightly while saying. “If you're truly going to help me, it’s something you have the right to know.”

“Would destroying the Kasai family's planetoid help you?” Adam asked in a cold tone, causing all the women to look at him in surprise, while Kasumi nodded and said. “It would; it would completely destroy their seat of power and wipe out most of their family; however, not only Kasai members reside there, so many innocents would be harmed in the process.”

Stacey pouted before saying, “Aww man, I wanted to see what other planetary annihilation weapons Spector has.”

“Does it even have any other planetary annihilation weapons other than what is on the Black Knight?” Revi asked curiously.

“How about we leave that for a last resort?” Lorelie replied before turning back to Kasumi and asking. “Any idea why Beyuki Kasai forbade Kirchiro Kasai from going further than hitting you?”

At this, there was silence in the room while Rowena, Aphrodite and Revi glanced at Kasumi but said nothing. Kasumi herself thought for a moment before saying, “I do indeed know why; however, I am not yet ready to reveal that information.”

Adam nodded before asking, “While I respect your decision, I must still ask: would this information you're keeping from us lead me to change my mind about helping you?”

“It won’t,” Rowena quickly answered. “Darling, believe me when I tell you that this won't compromise your principles in any way. If I did, I would never have brought this request to you in the first place.”

“All right then,” Adam replied simply before leaving it at that, causing Rowena to smile at his complete trust in her, before he continued. “Then might I assume you stated that you could help us by using your void abilities to control Aphrodite's lust manipulation?”

“Indeed,” Kasumi nodded, causing Aphrodite to frown before saying. “That’s fine and all, but I still think it would be best not to disable my lust manipulation this first time.”

“Oh! Explain,” Rowena said with a raised eyebrow while Stacey, Lorelie and Revi all shot her suspicious looks.

Aphodite sighed and held up her hands while saying, “Don’t give me those suspicious looks and hear me out. I just think it would be a good idea to test Adam’s capability at resisting my lust manipulation. While Kasumi’s theory is all well and good, she hasn’t even fully decided if she plans to join the harem, and even if she does, will she always be available when Adam and I want to have sex?”

“She does have a point,” Kasumi nodded. “Even if I join the harem, I will still have to spend time away for my career when filming movies or TV shows and such.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Stacey muttered, while Lorelie nodded and said, “I am forced to agree.”

“I am also loath to agree that she has a good point,” Revi nodded while crossing her arms, causing Aphrodite to pout and ask, “Are you lot that against me joining?”

“It’s not that they're against you joining; it’s that they're concerned Adam wont be able to resist your lust manipulation and that they will be forced to kick you off Spector while spending who knows how long making Adam forget about you,” Rowena replied before adding. “After all, no one has ever been able to resist you after you got your claws into them.”

“That’s not true,” Aphrodite replied while turning her head away. “There have been multiple progenitors I have been with who were able to resist me.”

“Great,” Rowena said sarcastically while rolling her eyes. “So Adam just has to have the strength of a progenitor to resist you, no problem.”

“Who knows, maybe Earthlings will be immune to lust manipulation,” Aphrodite remarked almost hopefully before adding in a slightly downcast tone. “After all, he’s never really shown much romantic interest in me.”

“That’s true,” Rowena remarked before asking Adam. “Do you have any romantic feelings or lustful desires towards her?”

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any feelings towards her after all the time we've spent together; also, I find her very attractive and have indeed wondered how good she is in bed after you all hyped her up so much,” Adam replied before adding. “But I wouldn’t say I’m at the romantic feelings part yet.”

As Adam finished, all the other women glanced at Aphrodite, only to be surprised that she was slightly blushing while smiling happily.

“Why are you so happy?” Stacey asked in confusion.