Nemesis watched Jessica, not saying anything. Well, he had nothing to say. He couldn't be a hypocrite and console her when he still wouldn't change his mind about killing her parents.
"I guess my parents were greedy—a price to pay for being greedy. But Greg, please, if there's a shred of good in you, promise me one thing. If you can't kill them on the first try, you will let them go and forgive them," Jessica requested.
"Sure, I will. But Jessica, I'm serious—don't hold back against me. You will only be filled with regrets if you do," Nemesis warned. Jessica nodded in response.
After gaining control over her emotions, Nemesis tore the teleportation scrolls, and the two of them teleported to the marked location.
"Welcome to the empire, esteemed guests. Please allow me to escort you to the banquet," Commander Joshua greeted Nemesis and Jessica.
"Thank you very much, sir...?"
"Call me Commander Joshua," he replied to Jessica's question.
"You know, isn't it a bit too much for you to be the one escorting us to the banquet hall, Commander Joshua?" Nemesis asked, walking at his own pace as if he owned the empire.
"Well, the Emperor has always been a firm believer in being courteous to his invited guests."
"Courteous indeed—more like a firm believer in showing off his strength to his guests in order to subdue them mentally," Nemesis interjected.
"I believe you are misunderstanding the Emperor's intentions," Commander Joshua tried to correct him.
"Is that so? Then why exactly are you exuding pressure and aura? Is that the way you greet your guests?" Nemesis asked, his tone cold.
"Hey! Watch the way you talk to the commander!"
"It's fine, Gerald. He's right—I was being quite disrespectful. I'm sorry. It has nothing to do with the Emperor's instructions and more to do with me. I heard about you from my student and decided to give you a test. I'm surprised you're holding up so easily against that much pressure," Commander Joshua said, approval written on his face.
"Well, you can stop it now, or else I might as well just return. I don't need to prove anything to you, so it's annoying that you're trying to test me."
"Alright, Nemesis, enough, please. I'm sorry, but my guild master is always this edgy. He doesn't mean to be rude," Jessica butted in before Nemesis antagonized every knight around them.
"Hahaha, it's alright. I was told of his attitude. There's no need to worry—we are definitely cool. And allow me to apologize once again for testing you without your consent," Commander Joshua said. The group walked in silence afterward.
Arriving at the banquet, Nemesis realized he was the last invited player to arrive. Well, he obviously didn't care.
"Guess you finally decided to show up after taking your sweet time, friend. You used to frown at lateness greatly—I guess some things change as we grow older."
"Kyle!" Nemesis spoke to the bearer of the voice.
Meanwhile...
"My liege, all the invited players have arrived. I just escorted the foreigner Nemesis to the hall a few minutes ago."
"And?"
"He is a good seedling, worthy of training, and he will be useful to the empire if he pledges his allegiance. But he is a difficult and stubborn one. Gaining his loyalty will be quite the task, plus he is very perceptive of intentions," Commander Joshua reported to the Emperor.
"Very well. If you think he is a good seedling, then I must acquire his loyalty," the Emperor spoke. "There is not a single person I want that I won't get. Every man has a flaw—a weakness that can be exploited to secure their loyalty. Some fear, others crave fame, respect, recognition, women, wealth—and all of these are under my control. There's no way this foreigner won't have a weakness. Find that weak point of his, Commander Joshua, and ensure he bends his knees," the Emperor commanded.
"Yes, my Lord."
"It's time we go to the banquet hall as well. We can't keep our guests waiting," the Emperor spoke, his imperial guards following him.
Back at the banquet...
"Kyle! I'm surprised to see you still standing perfectly fine. I thought you had become a vegetable after our last battle," Nemesis said. "But I guess not—you look even better than before our last encounter."
"Hah, thanks for the praise. It wouldn't have been possible without your help, my friend," Kyle replied, smiling.
"Have fun. Guess you'll be seeing more of it soon enough," Kyle said, walking away slowly.
"You too. I will ensure I finish the job next time—just wait patiently for it."
"Oh, it won't be that easy next time. Believe me when I say that," Kyle replied, disappearing into the crowd.
"Was that Kyle? Or was it just me, or did he look even more handsome? Surprisingly more than you now, Nemesis. Guess your era of being the most handsome has come to an end," Odin teased, holding a glass of wine.
Nemesis ignored Odin, his thoughts lingering on Kyle and the reason for his change. What's going on? Kyle never looked like that in the previous life. Is this the butterfly effect of my actions? Nemesis wondered.
Odin noticed Nemesis' absent-mindedness and decided to let him be.
"Pleasure to meet you, my Lord. I'm Marquis Alexander Oxford," a new face greeted Nemesis, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"I'm Nemesis. Pleasure to meet you, Marquis. Is there anything I can do for you?" Nemesis inquired.
"No, my Lord. I just came to pay my respects to the mate of my progenitor—the Vampire Queen."
"Huh?" Nemesis was caught off guard.
"Her brand is on you. I had to pay my respects to the mate of our Queen. I feel honored standing in the presence of the one chosen by our Queen," Marquis Alexander said, bootlicking Nemesis.
"Okay, enough of that, please. I'm not your Queen's mate, and I never will be. You got the wrong person. Besides, you're quite bold—a vampire being a marquis in the Grey Empire? One slip-up, and you're a dead man," Nemesis remarked, astonished at the vampire marquis' boldness.
"Infiltrating the empire is a task given to me by the Queen, and I must fulfill her command to the end. My life is worthless as long as I can obey my Queen," Marquis Alexander said meekly to Nemesis.