Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 110 Offer

The espers were in a cheerful mood, for reasons Alicarde couldn't quite grasp.

'Were they truly so terrified of me that they didn't even dare to fight?' Alicarde mused with dark satisfaction.

The violet glow of his eyes had faded, leaving his hooded face shrouded in a lightless abyss.

Carrisa allowed them a moment to celebrate, but after a few minutes, the leader, Caden, approached the laptop.

"If I may inquire, who exactly are you?" Caden asked cautiously.

"I am merely a well-wisher," Carrisa's voice echoed through the device, refined and composed. "However, if a title is necessary, you may refer to me as 'the Princess.'"

'Some well-wisher, wasn't she planning to kill them?' Alicarde mused.

Caden exchanged glances with the others before turning back to the laptop.

"I was privy to your conversation. While I may not have gathered every detail, I believe I have sufficient understanding to make certain conjectures. Your current situation, I find, is far from ideal."

"What do you mean by that?" John asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"It means I wish to assist you in escaping your predicament—truly escaping, in a way that those you presently serve could never offer. My intent is to provide you with a path to freedom," Carrisa stated calmly.

Caden looked at the others, uncertainty written on his face. "What exactly are you proposing?"

"This is kinda sus if you ask me," May whispered.

"Is it really possible?" Summer added, her tone skeptical yet intrigued.

"Is she trying to help us?" Chrona asked.

Ping, ever the practical one, adjusted his glasses. "Don't be naive. Why would she help us? What's in it for her?"

"For starters, consider whether this place is truly suitable for ladies to reside. Surely, you are deserving of accommodations far more fitting than this dilapidated structure," Carrisa suggested, her voice calm, almost regal. Explore stories at empire

Caden looked at the girls in the group. They were clearly moved by her words. An abandoned factory wasn't the ideal living space for anyone, and it was the girls who had made it somewhat livable by gathering what they could while staying off the radar.

"Why should we trust you?" Christina asked, her voice filled with suspicion.

"We don't even know your name," Petra added, echoing Christina's concern.

"Then perhaps we should arrange a meeting," Carrisa suggested, her tone polite but firm. "I do not shy away from introductions. I would be more than willing to meet with you in person."

"You want to meet us? Why? And how can we trust you?" Ping's voice was tinged with skepticism.

"You do not. I do not require your trust, nor do I necessarily need your cooperation. I could have you eliminated here and now. I choose not to. After all, I have a certain fondness for those who have lost everything—a soft spot for strays. That is why I am extending my hand to you."

Christina glanced at the Reaper, who stood silently, as if in agreement with Carrisa. The thought that this woman could order their deaths so easily made her shiver.

"We really don't have much of a choice," Christina said, her voice tinged with resignation.

"Before they helped us break out, they made Caden sign some strange contract with his blood. The terms were clear, we have to inform them if we find the nexus."

Caden turned to her, surprised by her boldness in revealing such information.

The others spoke up in quick succession.

"I don't trust them," Chrona said, her voice filled with doubt.

"Why should we trust you, after all the lies we've been fed?" Petra asked.

"We aren't fools," Christina continued, her expression firm despite the trembling in her hands.

"We've endured too much to blindly trust anyone—not the man who freed us only to throw us into danger again, and not you. Back then, we had no choice—it was an offer we couldn't refuse. You're just like him, using our lives to pressure us. Fine... I'm willing to make a deal with the devil, but on one condition, if we accept your offer, my friends—no, my family—must survive this."

Christina's eyes were filled with suppressed tears, her voice a mix of rage and indignation.

Caden gently held her hand, feeling it tremble with emotion.

"We still can't trust you. At least give us something concrete to work with."

Carrisa's voice remained calm, almost soothing. "How about I assist you in nullifying the effects of the pact you signed? Furthermore, I would be willing to sign a new pact with you, allowing you to dictate the terms of your employment."

Caden's eyes narrowed, the offer too tempting to be without a catch.

"In return, you would aid me in my endeavors, functioning as my employees. Naturally, you would be compensated accordingly, I would not expect you to work without reward."

John's gaze hardened as he leaned closer to the screen. "What's the catch?"

Carrisa's voice was cool, almost dismissive. "The catch, as you put it, is simple, you serve me."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, each weighing the pros and cons.

"How can we trust someone we've never met?" Maya questioned, her tone skeptical.

"She could be setting us up for a bigger trap," May Summer muttered, her voice low.

"If she wanted us dead, we would be dead already. No point in arguing now, our situation can't get any worse than this," John said, looking at Caden.

Caden remained silent, deep in thought. Finally, he spoke. "We need more than promises. We need assurance that we won't just be trading one master for another."