The conflicting aura coming from Charles left Rudra utterly astonished.
There he stood, with the so-called 'family' or 'brothers' or whatever lying motionless at his feet, yet he could speak such words with absolute conviction.
Normally, to deceive a god, one either had to be completely insane or under some sort of mind-altering compulsion.
Of course, if this god knew that in Charles' mouth, "Beloved family" wasn't exactly a compliment, then Rudra might understand him better.
"Hmm… hmm-hmm-hahahahahaha!"
Rudra covered his face as he laughed, like a man who had just stumbled upon a fascinating new toy.
Just as his divine portfolio suggested, he was the embodiment of both cruelty and benevolence—capable of bringing disease and curing it. His very existence was a contradiction. What's more, the name "Rudra" was one held jointly by dozens of different gods.
In the original tale's future, when Ryuu was consumed by hatred after completing her revenge, Rudra had extended an invitation to her as well. To him, a champion of justice who had been tainted by hatred and indulged in slaughter was exactly to his taste.
And right now…
"How interesting. You really are fascinating."
"I can't see through you at all!"
"Your 'beloved family' have told me—this deal isn't impossible."
"Tell me… what would it take for you to join my Familia and become my child?"
Faced with Rudra's olive branch yet again, Charles didn't answer directly.
"Even if I agreed to switch Familias, it's meaningless unless my main god says yes. Can you make my god approve of that?"
Rudra spread his hands and shrugged.
"You misunderstand. I'm not telling you to join me immediately. You can stay in your current Familia for now. When the time comes, I'll come for you. Don't worry—it won't be long before I make your god unable to object."
"All I ask is that you cooperate."
"Then you won't have to waste away among those piles of trash. You'll have a wider sky, greater strength! Oh, and you won't have to keep picking up this worthless junk either."
As he spoke, Rudra reached into his robes and casually tossed out a dagger with a blade as red as blood.
"Take it."
Charles glanced at the gleaming dagger on the ground and bent down to pick it up.
The polished crimson steel reflected his handsome face perfectly, its surface radiating a faintly sinister aura that stirred something in his heart.
This was…
"A cursed weapon! Careful—if you get even a scratch from it, not even healing magic can cure you," Rudra warned.
Hearing that, Charles quickly abandoned his idea of testing the edge against his own armor. He looked up.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing major. Just feed us some harmless bits of information now and then. Like… where your god likes to hang out, for instance."
"Who? You want me to betray Lord Soma? Don't you know he's my beloved father?"
Rudra spoke without a care.
"Much as I like you, I'm not the only one making decisions here. You'll have to show some value."
"That's my show of sincerity," Rudra said, nodding at the dagger.
Charles rolled the dagger in his hand without replying.
"I was born into the Soma Familia…"
Rudra swept his gaze over the charred corpses surrounding them.
"A person like you, and you still care about that?"
"Besides… the Soma Familia? With your abilities, why let that kind of Familia hold you back?"
Charles carefully wrapped the dagger in a strip of cloth torn from his pants and stored it safely away.
"You misunderstand me, Lord Rudra."
"Your words have been like the clouds parting to reveal the moon, a sudden enlightenment to me. However… I was born in the Soma Familia and have been under Lord Soma's 'care' since childhood. He is practically my second father!"
He paused, then stomped a foot and put on the look of a man wronged beyond measure.
"So… add money!"
Rudra blinked in surprise, then burst into raucous laughter.
"You… hahahaha… you're something else! Fine! How much?"
Charles thought for a moment and spread five fingers. "Five—"
"Alright! Five million valis!" Rudra clapped his hands. From the shadows of the corridor emerged a red-haired cat-person adventurer.
He is Jala, Captain of Rudra's crew.
Jala fixed Charles with a cold stare for several seconds before speaking in a low voice.
"Lord Rudra, we only brought six million valis on this trip. It's meant to replenish our supply of slaves."
"Stop talking. Give it to him."
Jala froze for a moment, then shot Charles another frigid glare before pulling a large leather pouch from his pack and tossing it over.
Charles glanced at his raised hand showing 'five,' then at the small pouch at his feet—its contents glittering gold, filled with large-denomination valis.
Wait… he's actually giving it to me?
I was only going to ask for five hundred thousand! He just gave me ten times that!
Charles dumped his sack of recovered magic stones into the pouch, then tucked the whole thing into his armor. The broad Dwarven-make breastplate hid it perfectly.
In the distance, faint rustling and chatter reached them.
Sounds like the screams from Gannu and the others had attracted attention from other adventurers.
"The justice fanatics are here," Jala warned.
Rudra glanced at Charles in satisfaction.
"I'll cover for you on this mess. Remember, I need you to climb up—reach your Familia's management level within three months. When the time comes, my people will contact you. Don't forget."
"No problem."
Don't blame me, 'foster' father. The price was just too good!
After all, he cant stay beneath others forever.
Charles shrugged, hefted his gear, and brushed past Rudra to leave.
"Three months is too long. Make it one! Have your people come find me in a month—I'll give you a big gift."
"Oh…?"
Watching Charles' back recede into the distance, Rudra's eyes only grew more intrigued.
Jala sneered.
"Lord Rudra, for that kind of trash, is it really worth talking so much?"
"Don't be fooled by his Level 1. He's no trash," Rudra replied with a half-smile.
"Ruthless, greedy, cunning. Most importantly—he's got enormous potential. Wiping out a small monster feast in an instant? That kind of strength isn't common even among Level 2s. And killing people gives far more excelia than killing monsters! With someone like him, he could reach ascension in no time."
"We may have plenty of members, but ascended officers? Not so much…"
"Even so, five million valis in one go? For a bottom-tier Familia nobody, fifty thousand would have bought his loyalty."
"You don't get it. This is called winning people over with generosity."
Rudra's gaze deepened.
"More importantly, he didn't flinch when he saw you—and not a trace of fear. That means he's got a trump card we don't know about."
"At the very least, one that could get him out of your hands alive. Magic, perhaps?"
Jala's eyes widened.
"Impossible! I'm Level 3! Never mind crossing two levels—even against someone my own rank, I wouldn't let them escape!"
"That's the problem," Rudra said, narrowing his eyes.
"If he had refused me, I genuinely would have had you test him. A man like that—if we can't use him, he'll be a dangerous enemy."
He gave a low chuckle.
"Soma? Hah… hard to imagine that a shut-in like him could suddenly produce such a monster—and then just hand him over to me."
"Soma… he's a fool."
"And if he isn't?" Jala asked hesitantly.
"Then he's just another idle piece in the game. Even idle pieces have their uses," Rudra said, flicking the gold earring in his ear.
Jala tilted his head.
"How about we… test him?"
"Oh?"
Jala grinned.
"I've already sent someone to hunt him down. After all, if he can't actually escape from us, how can he prove his innocence?"
Rudra didn't get angry. With his hands clasped behind his back, he turned and disappeared into the darkness of the alley.
"Then… let's see for ourselves."