The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

“What…? Why are you blushing?” Klaus asked, leaning in dangerously close, his sexy gaze locking onto Nadia’s.

Her cheeks flushed deeper as she quickly turned her face away, trying to regain her composure.

“I’m not blushing,” she muttered, her voice barely audible, but the warmth spreading across her face betrayed her words.

Klaus chuckled softly. He then said in a teasing tone. “Then why can’t you even look at me right now? I feel like you are avoiding me.”

Nadia straightened up, willing herself to meet his gaze, but the intensity in his eyes made her heart race.

“You’re imagining things,” she replied, attempting to sound nonchalant, though her voice faltered slightly.

Klaus tilted his head, a playful smirk forming on his lips.

“If you say so, Miss Fashion Tycoon. But if you want to sound nonchalant, you probably shouldn’t be fidgeting with your fingers like that.”

Nadia, who had been clutching her clothes, quickly stopped and placed her hands on her thighs. However, that did little to help, as her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. They began moving again, scratching at the fabric of her jeans.

“Interesting,” Klaus remarked, his smirk widening.

“I know my charisma is strong, but to think someone who claims she would lock me in place and drain me of my energy be reduced to this state, then at this rate, all I’d have to do is smile at my enemies, and they’d be charmed beyond repair.”

His laugh was light but undeniably teasing.

Nadia’s cheeks burned, her blush deepening. “You… Have you looked at your face recently?”

“What’s wrong with my face?” Klaus joked, feigning innocence. He knew exactly what she meant, but he couldn’t resist playing dumb.

After forming six-star cores, he had become even much more gorgeous for a man.

“So they told you, huh?” Nadia sighed, turning her face away as she spoke.

“Told me what?” Klaus smiled his tone light and teasing.

“You already know what I mean,” Nadia muttered, her voice laced with embarrassment.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klaus chuckled, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

“You…” Nadia’s words trailed off as she fidgeted nervously.

She didn’t know where to hide her face anymore. It was mortifying to think about what she had said about Klaus. Klaus had to work for such a secret to be revealed.

Mariam, ever the singer, had spilled everything after a night filled with pleasure.

But despite already knowing, Klaus wasn’t about to let the opportunity to tease her slip by. At least, he figured, he would learn a bit more about her before moving forward.

[Hey, brat, stop fooling around and get to the important aspect here,] the senior commanded.

<Relax, old man. You’re after her class; I’m after her body. We’ve got different priorities here,> Klaus replied internally, smirking.

[You bastard. How many women do you need?] The senior’s voice carried a sharp edge, attempting to guilt him.

<Relax. We’ll both get what we want. You’ll cultivate her talent and class, and I’ll… well, you know.> Klaus’s smirk widened.

[Unbelievable…]

<Nothing unbelievable about it, old man. I’m all about the ladies,> Klaus joked. Then, ignoring the senior’s exasperation, he placed his hand on Nadia’s shoulder.

Her body immediately stiffened under his touch. Clearly, the fashion icon wasn’t expecting that.

“Relax,” Klaus said smoothly.

Explore more stories at empire

“I know everything now, so no need to get all flustered about it. Honestly, I would’ve made my move on you sooner than you think. But there’s something serious I need to discuss with you.”

Hearing his tone shift, Nadia turned to face him. Though her cheeks were still flushed, there was a determination in her eyes now.

“Beautiful, intelligent, and damn,” Klaus said with a grin, “I love how you’re rocking that short hair. Never change it.”

Nadia blushed even harder, but her gaze didn’t waver.

“That aside,” Klaus said, his tone turning more serious. “I want to ask you something, and if you don’t feel like answering, then don’t. But it would be best if you do.”

“Okay,” Nadia replied cautiously.

“Then here it goes. Do you, by any chance, have a class called Obsidian Strings Demon Puppeteer?” Klaus asked, his gaze fixed on her.

Nadia’s body stiffened, a visible shudder running through her. “How… How did you know that?” she asked, her voice a mix of shock and suspicion.

“So this confirms you do have such a class. How awesome,” Klaus said with a grin.

“What do you mean? And how did you know that? I’ve never told anyone about my class,” Nadia pressed, her eyes narrowing.

“No need to be alarmed,” Klaus assured her, raising a hand to calm her. “I know because, believe it or not, I have a way of seeing the classes and talents of others. Sorry if it feels like I intruded on your privacy.”

Nadia’s expression softened slightly, though the tension in her posture remained.

“And as for why I’m asking,” Klaus continued, “I want to understand why someone with such an incredible class would choose not to be a warrior and instead remain a fashion designer.”

Nadia didn’t immediately respond. She just sat there, collecting her thoughts. Clearly, having such a secret uncovered was rather unconventional.

[Nice save, brat. Though this is unusual, it has to be done. This is for her own good—any more delays and her talent would be wasted.]

<I hope she opens up. For some reason, the feeling I’m getting from her is rather intense right now.>

[It seems the more doors you unlock, the clearer this whole Paragon thing becomes to you. It’s only natural—among all I’ve read about the Paragons, you’re the only one with this level of Karma surrounding you. One could say you’re a unique case.]

<It seems so, too. But let’s wait and see what she has to say.>

Nadia looked intensely into Klaus’s eyes and blushed.

“This is rather embarrassing, but… how do I use my class?” Nadia asked softly.

“Wait, what? You’re telling me the reason you’re not a warrior is that you don’t know how your class works?” Klaus asked his tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

“Well, it’s not my fault the class didn’t come with a manual,” Nadia said, crossing her arms in frustration. “And nobody seems to have any idea what it does! In fact, a few so-called experts said my class was for entertainment and suggested I join a circus. So, no, I’m not a warrior. I’m a fashion designer because, unlike fighting, playing around with strings is something I found very easy to do.”

She finished with an adorable pout, her cheeks slightly flushed.

[Unbelievable.]

“Unbelievable.”

Both Klaus and the senior couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

“So, you never even tried to learn about what a puppeteer does, or how you can apply it to your class?”

“You… why are you scolding me?” Nadia said, her eyes starting to well up with tears. “I’ll tell Sister Ohema.”

“Sorry about that,” Klaus said, his tone softening. “It’s just… For someone who awakened a divine-grade class, I’m having a hard time understanding why you’re this clueless. It’s almost like you are entirely useless.” He chuckled.

“You—” Nadia swung her fist at him, but it was caught easily like a feather. Before she could react, Klaus pulled her into his arms, pressing her slightly large melons against his chest.

“Then again, I don’t blame you… It’s only natural to be clueless about something that’s beyond imagination,” Klaus murmured, his voice low.