Ascension of the Dark Seraph - Chapter 228

Chapter 228: Domesticated
Lucivar’s desire was simple.

He wanted to be left alone since the tournament was approaching fast.

Despite his confidence in his ability as the Blessed Oracle, the champion of multiple Gods, he was not arrogant enough to think that he could win without making preparations. To secure his victory and make sure he delivered his promises, he needed to make preparations.

And doing that required time.

He needed to reach the Chrysalis rank, find out about the other participants, learn more about the stages, and many more. Considering that he managed to pull off his plan all this time—and succeed in getting what he wanted, he wasn’t going to stop now.

A plan along with the fortune brought by his piling bad karma will get him far.

In order to be left alone, he needed to get rid of Callista.

Killing her would only result in more complications, such as creating a problem with Julian.

A problem that he couldn’t handle at the current moment.

So the answer became clear.

Lucivar would traumatize Callista to the point that she wouldn’t dare to look at him with ill intent.

He’d start by isolating her from her own daughters and wear her mind down.

Even though he anticipated that this wasn’t over, that he needed to do more to break Callista’s mind, it seemed he only needed to make another small push. Having both Elira and Thalia disappointed in her for what she had done has done a lot more damage than Lucivar anticipated.

From Callista’s expression alone, he could tell she was deeply hurt.

‘I guess she’s still a better mother than my own mother,’ Lucivar shrugged with a self-pitying smile. It was clear that despite Callista’s selfish personality, underneath it all, she still loved her daughters. ‘Even at death’s door, my mother’s eyes still have no trace of warmth only shock and fear’

Shaking his head, Lucivar then mumbled, “Is that enough, Gandr?”

“No,” Gandr appeared and answered. “A little bit more to unlock the Morality Constellation”

Lucivar nodded, “One more little push then…”

On the other side, seeing both her daughters’ disappointed and cold looks, Callista felt something inside her slipping away. She wanted to refute but she knew that there was no going back from this. But even so, she still doesn’t want to believe that this is really happening.

She doesn’t want to believe that their family bond would lose to Lucivar’s manipulation.

“Choose right now, your own mother or that devil!” She blurted out angrily. “Choose! If you choose him over me, I’m not going to take care of you anymore. I’m going to disown—you two! I’m going to erase your names from the family!”

Given such an ultimatum, Callista believed that this would snap them from their stupors.

It would bring her daughters back to reality.

She doesn’t mean that but if she acted like she meant it, Elira and Thalia would certainly soften.

‘Both of you have no choice but to choose me,’ Callista thought, eyeing both her daughters—who were rooted in their spots at the ultimatum. ‘No chance they would go that far. Don’t be shy, mom will give you another chance. Once both of you accept, Lucivar will be done!’

Just then, however, as she was reeling at her fantasy—her breath hitched.

Both Thalia and Elira raised their gaze to look at her and there was no sign of surrender.

In fact, both of them seemed more resolute than before.

Not even sparing or bothering to answer with words, Elira and Thalia, shockingly, strode past Callista with unwavering steps—their silence more cutting than any reply. A chill ran down Callista’s spine as the wind from their passing brushed against her skin, her pupils trembled in disbelief.

At that moment, it felt as if the ground beneath her feet was crumbling.

Slowly, she turned, her breath hitching as she saw them standing—one on either side of Lucivar.

Both of them said nothing but their answer was loud and clear.

Between her and Lucivar, between their mother and a nobody, they chose him.

Callista was taken aback, this wasn’t supposed to happen.

On the other hand, witnessing her defeat in full display on her face, Lucivar cackled—and with a bold and condescending move, he patted Elira’s and Thalia’s heads as if he was telling the defeated Callista that her daughters were now his.

Even the two didn’t pull away from Lucivar’s hands, both took it while averting Callista’s gaze.

“Can you both see it now?” He asked meaningfully. “Your mother faked her love when all she has done was for herself. Unlike her, I’m a bad person, perhaps even cruel—but I never lied to any of you, I never faked myself. And more importantly, I risked my life saving both of you”

Upon hearing this, Elira and Thalia nodded gravely.

It was a tough pill to swallow but Lucivar was right.

Compared to Callista, he cared about them more even though he acted cruelly towards them.

He has never worn a mask, always true to himself.

Grinning savagely, Lucivar limped his way towards Callista.

“Good,” Once he knelt down and reached Callista’s eye level, he shaped a frame with his fingers and peered through the space that viewed Callista’s face as if envisioning the perfect picture. “That’s a good expression you’re wearing. I quite like it,”

Lucivar studied her face with a twisted delight.

Her eyes, once burning with purpose and arrogance, were now vacant, dulled by defeat.

A faint tremor touched her lips, caught between restraint and collapse. Her jaw was locked, her breath shallow, as if holding back the weight of her downfall. She tried to regulate her thoughts and breaths, desperate to ground herself but she was slipping away.

Even the color had drained from her chees, leaving only the hollow stillness of quiet ruin.

Losing her daughters was devastating even for a selfish person like her.

Maybe the thought that her investments had been taken away—was what made her like this, not the actual love that a mother would have for her children, but that doesn’t matter. Lucivar was pleased that what he was aiming for had been achieved.

Despite the mockery, Callista tilted her head down to look at the ground.

But Lucivar caught her chin and forced her to keep looking up.

“I told you, you should be careful—lest I became fond of your reactions, fond of your games,” He said as he tapped Callista’s cheek superciliously, drizzling salt to the open wound on her pride. “It’s too late now, your face… I fell in love with your face already”

Smirking deviously, Lucivar leaned forward to her ear.

“I wonder…” His lips closed in, almost touching her. “Can I make them kill you in the future? I mean, considering that you don’t care—about their lives, I could twist them even further. What do you think? Do you believe I can do it?”

Upon hearing this, Callista’s blood runs cold, “You wouldn’t dare… that’s… too much…”

“Of course not,” Lucivar chimed after a brief pause. “After all, like they said, I have a kind heart. But make no mistake, this entirely depends on your behavior going forward. And frankly speaking, I want you to retaliate. I am looking forward to seeing this face you are making—for the second time. Do you understand?”

Callista didn’t answer.

She remained silent, there was no wrath and arrogance left inside her.

But this wasn’t enough for Lucivar.

Roughly, she grabbed her chin and tilted her head up again, “Speak when you’re addressed!”

“You are foolish to go after me!”

“I- I am foolish…”

“You learned your lesson and will not go after me again!”

“L- Learned my lesson…”

“You will be a good mother by obeying me, right?!”

“R- Right…”

Once the last word slipped from Callista’s lips, Lucivar felt invigorated.

He was grinning from ear to ear as he relished the surge of power from the unlocking of the Morality Constellation within him. Coupled with the sheer thrill of managing to domesticate Callista, it sent a rush of exhilaration through his veins—it was euphoric.

“Right…” Lucivar mumbled and stood up again. “Be sure to find a way to clear my reputation—from whatever you’re trying to do with those press conferences. Do it quickly, I’m not a patient man. Also, if I realize you tried something again, our little game will continue”

Once he said that, Lucivar turned around to leave.

Readily, Elira and Thalia supported him and walked away, leaving Callista in solitude.

Leaving her with the sheer weight of what she had lost.

A couple of steps away, Lucivar halted with a light groan, “Wait… Wait a minute”

Thalia flipped her hair over her shoulder and held him upright by his chest, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Yes, I’m hurt but it’s not that,” Lucivar answered and turned to the side.

Lying on the ground not too far away from them, still where Elira and Thalia had dropped him was the old man. As the deal between him and Julian specified—the old man would be given to him to kill in the case of managing to capture Ragnar.

Since Lucivar delivered Ragnar, the old man was now his to kill.

He didn’t need to think about the consequences either, Julian would deal with it.

“Are you going to kill him?” Elira asked questioningly.

“In case you did not know already, I’m not a Harpy Hybrid. For me to get stronger, I need to kill,” Lucivar replied with the truth, there was no point in hiding his abilities when right now, he practically owned both of them. “So help me get there and kill him,”

For a second there, the two were stunned.

But then, a happy smile crept to their faces.

Both of them knew that Lucivar was rewarding them for choosing him over Callista by opening up.

Not even questioning him further—seemingly fine with the fact that he needed to kill in order to improve his strength as if it was fine, the twin helped Lucivar go to the old man. Killing the old man gave Lucivar a massive golden sphere.

A golden sphere that belonged to a five-star Chrysalis rank Hybrid.

‘Great, with this, I should reach the Chrysalis rank just fine…’ Lucivar thought inside excitedly.

Once again, going as far as this was worth it.

Doing bad things and accumulating bad karma really does make him very fortunate.

Now, Lucivar obtained another backer at his disposal that he could use at any time as long as both Elira and Thalia were with him. He obtained the golden sphere to help him ascend to the Chrysalis rank and even got Callista off his back so that he could make preparations better.

However, the best reward was the Morality Constellation.

Lucivar looked down at his hand and smirked devilishly, “Moral Contagion, now… what kind of ability is that? I hope it’d be a great help to mess with that stupid avatar”