The Conquerors Path Chapter 963 - 961-Little Devil.
My thoughts raced through various layers as I observed Elda. She rested comfortably on my lap with a gentle smile, her situation being both distinct and yet strikingly similar to what had occurred with the other girls. However, I had never truly considered just how ruthless and dangerous this sweet-looking little sister of mine could actually become.
...
Third Person POV:
The group of friends had congregated to spectate. Nyla had personally handled the booking, and now Nyla, Elda, Nathalia, and even Lanora sat side-by-side awaiting the start of the match. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the roar of the screaming crowds, yet Elda’s focus was sharp, centered entirely on the secrets she now harbored.
Nathalia harbored feelings for her brother. While this realization made Elda want to reach out and tear her best friend's hair out, she restrained herself for the moment. She had no desire to shatter their friendship; besides, her brother already belonged to her. She felt no need to instigate a conflict with someone who didn't possess even 1% of the deep, loving bond she shared with him.
Therefore, there was no reason to succumb to jealousy.
That was the mantra Elda repeated to herself, attempting to concentrate on the upcoming bout, when Lanora spoke up with a trace of anxiety in her voice.
"Will Austin be all right?"
Elda met her concern with a smile.
"Don’t worry, my big brother won’t do anything unless he isn’t sure he will come out on top."
The other girls smiled at her reassurance, and Lanora added her own thoughts.
"That’s true, he possesses a certain charm...."
The end of her sentence carried a lingering weight. Meanwhile, Nathalia felt incredibly self-conscious while looking at Elda. She wanted to initiate a conversation and bring everything into the open, but Elda seemed to be intentionally avoiding her. They hadn't managed to find any private time together; they were always surrounded by the group.
Nyla appeared to be the most composed of the lot, yet the same burning obsession and yearning flickered in her eyes. She sat there watching the match, her mind filled with a mixture of profound respect, reverence, and a desperate desire.
Just as Elda was beginning to settle her nerves, Austin stepped onto the stage in all his glory. At the sight of him, Elda’s breath hitched, her temperature rose, and she felt as though her heart might leap straight out of her chest.
Hiccup!
Gasp!
Hmm....
A chorus of different sounds erupted, snapping Elda out of her daze. Her gaze sharpened as she looked at her friends—each of them was flushed, their faces radiating a mix of shyness and blatant longing as they stared at the bare-chested Austin heading toward the fight. The hunger in their eyes was undeniable.
A faint scent of corruption began to take root: obsession, jealousy, and a primal side that yearned to be unleashed suddenly surged within Elda’s mind. She was certain Austin was hers and had no logical reason to be afraid, yet a deep-seated fear persisted—the fear of losing him to the dragon princess, the fear of never being held by him again, and the dread that another woman might snatch him away. All that tension remained buried in Elda’s psyche.
Like boiling oil poured into her mind, a sudden urge erupted within her to simply break loose and tear the life from the hearts of every woman who dared to covet the one person she loved most—the one person who would do anything for her, and the only person whose life truly mattered in her world.
Blessed with the power to manipulate the essence of life—the blessing of the fairies—Elda was born with unique gifts. She could perceive the life code within a person that dictated their growth and the very timeline of their existence, among other things.
Her circumstances had slightly warped her perspective on life; these powers had fully awakened after her bloodline bloomed, making her existence significantly more difficult. However, the one constant in her life that never wavered was her brother, Austin.
The life force radiating from him seemed to reach out and embrace her so warmly that she felt she could vanish within him forever. She had never encountered a life force like his in her entire life; not even her mother provided that level of warmth. Because of her awakened abilities, the way she perceived the world had become distorted.
To Elda, the concept of 'life' was peculiar; she tied her power to the emotions she felt toward a person's life force. Elda had fallen for Austin long before her bloodline awakened; that love, combined with her current vision, placed his life force above all others. This perspective was further shaped by her upbringing and the way she eventually chose to handle life and death.
Furthermore, hidden effects had taken root within Elda upon Austin’s return. As the Prince of Life himself, his presence was something she could never relinquish—a flame of life so comforting that she yearned to be near it eternally.
In her soul, Elda was indeed a compassionate and gentle woman. However, she was also acutely aware that the power of life—the same power she used to heal—could be inverted. If twisted, it could be used to extinguish a life in numerous gruesome ways, none of which could ever be linked back to her. When she first realized the harm she could inflict, she had suppressed those dark thoughts.
But now, at this very moment, the various ways she could weaponize life began to flood her mind, tainting her thoughts. The pressure and jealousy she felt pushed her toward a breaking point, finally shattering the facade Elda had maintained—the more predatory little devil that could kill with a sweet smile was emerging.
"Nathalia, do you simply like my brother, or do you love him?"
Elda asked out of nowhere, a soft smile playing on her lips. The power of life force swirled within her as she looked at the unique life signatures of her friends, a predatory glint in her eyes. The little devil had finally woken up.
....
Nathalia stared at Austin’s magnificent form with wide eyes. To her, he was absolute perfection, causing her body—which rarely felt such intense heat—to warm up. As a premier creator of her generation, Nathalia saw things others missed; she was currently witnessing a masterpiece of perfection that made her body react in unprecedented ways.
As Nathalia's mind spun with these thoughts, she reflected on everything she had learned regarding Austin’s involvement with her family. Just the memory of those events caused her heart to race faster and faster.
The way Austin had responded proved that he viewed her as a woman; he hadn't turned her away and even expressed an interest in becoming closer. That thought alone was enough to make Nathalia feel lightheaded.
She also felt a wave of embarrassment. The fact that Austin had found out about her feelings in such a manner, through family dealings, made her both flustered and irritated. She had wanted to handle this herself, though she was wise enough to know that human customs didn't always align with Dwarven traditions.
Initially, Nathalia had felt crushed, but that feeling eventually gave way to the realization that Austin was genuinely interested in her—all that remained was for them to bridge the gap. She knew it would require time and effort on her part, but the most difficult hurdles—her family’s approval and Austin’s awareness—were already cleared. It felt somewhat pathetic that it had happened without her direct intervention, but Nathalia now had the green light to proceed with pride... well, maybe not pride.
Casting furtive glances at Elda, Nathalia felt a pang of worry. Elda was one of her closest friends, and Nathalia was certain she must have heard the news from Austin, which only added to her stress. Perhaps the fact that Elda hadn't confronted her yet meant she was silently consenting to the arrangement?
Doubt and anxiety plagued Nathalia’s mind, but she also remembered the ring her stepmother had given her.
"Men like Austin will always draw the attention of many women, some perhaps as talented as you. When that time comes, will you fight for him, or are you prepared to share?"
The question had been simple, yet it haunted Nathalia. For someone like her, who was inexperienced with men and possessed a naive, soft-hearted nature, the idea of fighting for something felt alien and uncomfortable.
"My daughter, you must make a choice: either shed your current mindset or remain as you are. Just ensure that in the end, you won't live to regret losing something truly divine."