Chapter 69: Freedom

Vylana immediately sat up straight. "Mother?"

Laviana had already opened her contact list. A name that had nearly been pushed all the way to the bottom appeared on the screen.

She pressed the call button.

The phone rang for a long time. Just as Laviana was beginning to lose patience, the call was finally connected.

"What is it?"

There was no greeting, only undisguised irritation.

Laviana remained perfectly calm. "I want to talk."

"I’m busy."

"It will only take a few minutes."

The other end fell silent briefly before the man replied coldly, "I’ve told you many times. Unless it’s something important, don’t contact me without reason. I don’t like my devices storing too much information related to Succubi."

Vylana frowned upon hearing that. Laviana’s expression did not change. She had probably heard similar words far too many times over the years.

"I want to dissolve our Contract."

This time, the other end remained silent for a long while. Only then did the man’s voice return. "You know that actively dissolving the Contract will affect both parties?"

"I know."

"Then why?"

"That has nothing to do with you." Laviana’s voice turned cold.

The other party clearly disliked her attitude. "Laviana."

"I’ll give you that suit."

The other end immediately fell silent.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to change because of that single sentence.

"...Which suit?"

Laviana smiled faintly. "The one you’ve been asking me about for more than ten years."

"The sealed suit?"

"Yes."

"The one from the human ruins?"

"That’s right."

"You’re truly willing to hand it over?"

"In exchange for agreeing to dissolve our Contract."

This time, the man barely needed to consider it. "Agreed."

Vylana’s eyes widened.

His agreement came far too quickly. So quickly that she felt he might rush over to complete the procedure that very night if Laviana did not stop him.

"Tomorrow," he continued. "I’ll send someone to handle it."

"All right."

"Remember to bring the suit."

"I know."

Laviana ended the call immediately. Vylana was still staring at her in confusion. "Mother, what did you just give him?"

"A spacesuit."

Vylana remained silent for two seconds. "What?"

"A spacesuit," Laviana repeated calmly. "I found it in an ancient human ruin."

Vylana looked at her mother as though trying to determine whether she was joking. "All this for a piece of clothing?"

"It isn’t an ordinary suit." Laviana crossed her arms. "It has an independent air-filtration system, an internal circulation unit, and an isolation layer that almost completely separates the wearer from the outside environment."

She laughed contemptuously. "To someone who believes that breathing the same air as a Succubus is pollution, that thing is no different from a holy relic."

Vylana genuinely did not know how to judge her father anymore.

Laviana no longer cared. She stood, smoothed her red hair, and said, "Starting tomorrow, I’ll be a free Succubus."

Vylana looked at her. "Mother, are you planning to...?"

"Of course." Laviana smiled, her green eyes slowly curving. "If Erik doesn’t like women who are still bound by Contracts, then I’ll pursue him openly."

Outside the building, the car had been driving away from the commercial district for nearly ten minutes.

Elowen sat in the back seat with her head resting on Erik’s shoulder, her hand still holding his. Ever since they got into the car, she had seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. The corners of her lips kept curving upward from time to time.

Erik looked at her several times before asking, "What are you so happy about?"

Elowen immediately put on a serious expression. "I’m not happy."

"You’ve been smiling the entire way."

"Have I?"

"Yes."

Elowen remained silent for two seconds before the corners of her lips rose again. She tightened her hand around Erik’s, her voice carrying a hint of happiness she could not conceal. "All right. I’m a little happy."

Erik laughed. "Because I rejected Laviana?"

Elowen’s face reddened slightly. "Only a little."

"If you’re jealous, just say so."

"I’m your wife. Of course I have the right to be jealous," she answered immediately this time.

Erik was slightly surprised. Elowen noticed his reaction and became even more pleased with herself. Clearly, Erik’s previous words had caused her to begin learning not to hide all her emotions.

After a while, Elowen suddenly said, "But you actually could have agreed."

Erik turned his head. "Hmm?"

"One-fifth of Laviana’s business empire is worth a great deal." Elowen looked at their intertwined fingers. "Besides, she is very beautiful."

Erik looked at her face. "Are you telling your husband to sleep with another woman?"

Elowen immediately pouted. "I didn’t say I would be happy about it."

"Then why suggest it?"

"Because that’s simply how this world works." Elowen’s voice grew quieter. "A man like you will certainly have more Succubi in the future."

As she spoke, her hand unconsciously tightened around his again. "I only want those women to at least be sincere with you."

Erik looked at her for a moment before raising his other hand and stroking her silver hair. "I didn’t reject her because of you."

Elowen raised her head. "I know."

"I simply have my own principles."

Beyond the window, the tall buildings slowly receded behind them. Erik watched the people on the street, his voice remaining calm. "There are many things in this world that are different from what I’m accustomed to. I can adapt, and I can change my way of thinking. But there are some boundaries that, once you decide not to cross them, are best left uncrossed."

Elowen listened in silence. Erik thought for a moment before using a simpler image.

"Imagine a ship floating perfectly well at sea. A small crack appears in its hull. At first, it might not cause any problems."

"And then?"

"Water seeps inside." Erik gently tapped the back of her hand with one finger. "The crack spreads. By the time you notice it, it may already be too late."

He looked at Elowen. "If I break one principle for money today, tomorrow I might break another for desire, and later another for power. Eventually, I could find a reasonable justification for everything I do."

"Like those people in the Council?" Elowen asked.

Erik’s smile faded. "Something like that."

Zeka did not consider himself evil either. In his mind, Succubi were inferior, the Council was noble, and a device capable of killing people was divine authority.

As long as someone was skilled enough at justifying their actions, even the most disgusting deeds could be made to seem perfectly natural.

Elowen slowly rested her head against Erik’s shoulder again. "I like you the way you are now."

Erik stroked her hair. "I know."

Elowen immediately raised her head. "You’re far too confident."

"You’re hugging my arm."

Elowen looked down, then decided to hug it even tighter.

Erik laughed.

At that moment, the car suddenly slowed down. Sarna, who was sitting in front, frowned slightly. "There are a lot of people ahead."

Erik looked out the window.

A large public square appeared on the right side of the road. Normally, it was used for public events, but today, almost the entire square was packed with people.

Thousands of Succubi stood crowded together.

Yet the atmosphere was so strange that there was almost no sound of conversation.

Elowen also sat up straight. "What’s happening?"

"I don’t know." Sarna slowed the car even further.

The vehicle slowly passed alongside the square. Erik looked through the crowd, and his gaze immediately stopped at the center.

A man wearing a golden robe stood on a high stone platform, a sun emblem embroidered across his chest. Beside him stood a large cross.

A woman was bound to it.

Her arms had been spread wide to either side, her wrists secured by metal restraints. Her long blonde hair was disheveled, most of it stained with dried blood. The red-and-black battle armor covering her body had been torn apart, revealing countless wounds that had yet to be treated. One shoulder had been crudely wrapped in bandages, the fabric already soaked red with blood.

Firewood and charcoal had been piled beneath her feet.

Erik immediately frowned. "Stop the car."

Sarna stepped on the brake. The car stopped beside the square.

Elowen looked at the woman on the cross, her face gradually turning pale. "That’s..."

A magically amplified voice suddenly thundered from the platform, spreading throughout the square.

"Today, before all of you as witnesses, we will carry out the sentence against a Succubus who has committed an unforgivable crime."

The crowd remained silent.

No one cheered. Most lowered their heads, while several women clenched their hands so tightly that their nails dug deep into their skin.

The man in the golden robe continued, "She resisted her Partner, attacked a noble man, and even dared to question the decisions of those who granted her strength and gave meaning to her existence."

Erik’s expression gradually turned cold.

The blonde woman on the cross moved slightly. She raised her head with great difficulty. Her face was covered in blood and dirt, and her pale blue eyes were nearly unfocused from exhaustion.

Yet one thing within them had not disappeared.

Rage.

The flame-like red-orange horns at her temples had dimmed considerably. Erik had never met her before, but the sight still caused his hand to clench unconsciously.

A Succubus standing beside the pile of wood was handed a torch. She trembled violently, tears continuously streaming down her face.

The man on the platform ordered coldly, "Light it."

The Succubus holding the torch did not move.

"I said..." His voice grew colder. "Light it."

The torch trembled in her hands.

Elowen suddenly tightened her grip around Erik’s arm. He did not look at her. From beginning to end, his gaze remained fixed on the woman hanging from the cross.

One second later, Erik opened the car door.