40 Solidifying the Deal (1/2)
Konrad stretched his hand toward Zamira to release five light purple pentagrams that encircled the two of them.
”Are you willing in all conscience to unequivocally abandon your body and soul to my absolute will?”
”I am willing!”
”To forsake any claim to freedom and enter a lifetime of servitude within my house?”
”I am willing!”
”To allow your life and death to forever remain in control of I, your lord-master?”
”I am willing!”
”Lastly, do you pledge to devote the remaining of your existence to the satisfaction of your master and the empowerment of his house?”
”I so pledge!”
An amethyst haze soared from the pentagrams, locking the two in its midst while a violet lock rose from Konrad's fingertip and dived into Zamira's chest.
Violet light flew from her cleavage and imprinted her breasts with house Talroth's Mark of Servitude: A purple pair of butterfly wings.
”Henceforth, and for the rest of eternity, you are my servant and shall count among the lesser members of my household.”
”In return, I guarantee that you shall regain your tribesmen within three months. Moreover, when I march into the Barbarian Continent, I shall grant you the opportunity to reestablish yourself.”
Thus, the contract ended. Dark-purple threads flew from the kowtowing Zamira to dive into Konrad's chest and forehead. Her talent was added to his. Her mind became an open book for him to browse through, and her life was his to do with as he saw fit!
However, due to the vast gap in their strength, she would see no improvement in her cultivation base. At Least not for now.
And browsing through her mind, Konrad realized why despite having the unconditional affection of Wolfgang, she could not rescue her tribesmen. Following the victory against the Borxan tribe, the leading nobles split the spoils through contribution. Wolfgang who accumulated the most merit in the war used his to take her, the chieftain, as his reward.
As for the rest of her tribe, they fell into the hands of other noble houses who either abused or auctioned them to the highest bidder.
Now, after fifty decades, not many of the original captives remained. There was no use for barbarian men, so their lives quickly ended. As for the women, the lucky ones saw their cultivation bases destroyed and became servants within noble households while the unlucky ones were turned into dual cauldrons and sold to two houses.
House Schoner, and House Henlein.
Dual cultivation was frowned upon, but it was not illegal. As for why two Uradel houses would rely on it, the answer was simple.
Although without massive preparation, the limit for ordinary dual cultivators was the peak of the Transcendent Rank, that was a limit many were perfectly fine with.
After all, within the immensity of the Holy Continent, Semi-Saints were few and far between while Saints were as rare as holy crystal mines.
Moreover, nobles needed heirs with certain cultivation levels to inherit their titles. House Schoner and House Henlein were facing the same dilemma. They had declined, and their descendants were not outstanding enough to reach the sixth step Transcendent Knight or Spirit Rank in a lifetime.
This meant that they would go from Count Level houses to Viscount Level Houses. A shame Uradel families couldn't accept. Thus, they decided to trade quality for success and used vast resources to obtain those Borxan women above the Arch Rank for their heirs to dual cultivate with.
Upon processing that information, Konrad quickly formulated a plan. Fortunately, Freya would soon return with great wealth to grant him the means to strike.
Also, even before that, wasn't Wolfgang about to sign off half his properties for the Holy Flame Baptism?
”But that's something to be dealt with at a later date. Meanwhile…”
Konrad's eyes fell upon Zamira who had yet to rise from the ground.
”Rise.”
His irresistible command echoed within her ears, and she stood up. But the eyes with which she looked at him no longer contained the dignity of a superior cultivator. That dignity had been replaced by the ardent need to serve.
”How will you serve your master?”
Konrad asked in a sultry tone carrying invisible pheromones that caused a slight tremor within her body.
”Naturally, in ways that will bring you absolute delight.”