Chapter-16

The dim light of the kitchen flickered faintly, casting long shadows across the cold stone walls of Latrot Mansion. Kael sat on a wooden chair, his posture rigid, his expression a mask of calculated seriousness. His eyes were fixed on the papers before him.

"Alright," Kael began, his voice low and measured, breaking the silence. "Linda. An ordinary maid. She's been here for twenty years, which means she started when she was just a child—twelve years old. Married at sixteen to a soldier who used to pass by the mansion daily. Had a child at twenty. Now, her husband... a broken man, lost his hand in the Battle of Grodon, turned to drink, and takes out his frustrations on her every month when her salary comes in. He beats her, takes her money, and leaves her with nothing. So... why would she join the cult?" Kael's brow furrowed, his tone tinged with both curiosity and frustration.

Lena, standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and her face impassive, responded without hesitation. "Leader, she's trapped in a cycle of misery. Tomorrow marks the start of a new month. Her salary will come in, and with it, the same old story—her husband will take it all, leaving her with nothing but bruises and despair. She'll be vulnerable. Broken. If we approach her then, she'll be ripe for the taking."

Kael's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Yes... vulnerable and broken. If we strike at the right moment, she'll be ours. But how do we ensure her loyalty? How do we make her believe in the cult's power?"

From the shadows, a voice emerged—deep, guttural, and dripping with malice. "Why not just kill the husband? Remove the problem entirely." The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, sending a shiver down Neil's spine. The young man's eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step back, his gaze darting toward the source of the voice.

"It's... it's the demon from the storage room," Neil said, his voice trembling and scared.

Lena turned to Kael, her expression a mix of confusion and wariness. "He can hear us? And speak to us from there, leader ?"

Kael leaned back in his chair, his smile widening. He didn't wanted to reveal that Agrisil was within his shadow, So he went with their misunderstanding..."Oh, yes. He can hear everything and talk to us from there."

Neil's voice trembled as he spoke. "He can talk to us from the storage room? How is that even possible?"

Kael shrugged, his tone casual, almost playful. "Demons have their ways. Agrisil, would you care to elaborate?"

"Don't put too much mind into it." Kael spoke.

Kael nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We don't kill him. We... persuade him. A threat, delivered by a demon, should suffice. Don't you think, Agrisil?"

Agrisil's voice was a low growl, filled with dark malice. "Oh, I'll make sure he never forgets the threat. He'll be too terrified to even look at her the wrong way."

Agrisil jumped from Kael's shadow to a nearby object's shadow and left the kitchen.

Kael smiled. "Good. Lena, you'll approach Linda tomorrow. Tell her the cult can change her life.

That her husband will stop drinking, stop beating her. Agrisil will ensure he stays in line. Make her believe it's the cult's power that's working this miracle."

Lena inclined her head, her expression neutral. "As you command, Leader."

Kael's gaze shifted to Neil, who was still visibly shaken. "Now, let's move on to the next target. Arina. Nineteen years old. Been here for three years. She's Robert's informer, feeding him information about the servants.

Married, no children, and... often seen entering Robert's room late at night. He pays her for her... extra services, my my."

"Fucker is sleeping with every maid in the house..." Neil spoke with a frustrated expression.

Kael's smile was cold. "Obviously. The real question is, does her husband know?"

Lena shook her head slowly, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Kael's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Perfect. Blackmail her. Make her a follower."

"I have already blackmailed her, Leader. On your orders... She will sign anywhere." Lena spoke with a neutral expression.

"Lena, since you've already laid the groundwork. When she comes tomorrow, give her this contract. And remember—those who join the cult after today must never know of my role in this. Understood ?

You don't know me outside of this kitchen until something really urgent comes up." Kael spoke with a serious expression.

Both Lena and Neil nodded, their voices echoing in unison. "We understand, Leader."

"Good. You're dismissed," Kael said, waving a hand toward the door. Lena exited without a word, her footsteps fading into the distance. Neil, meanwhile, began tidying up the kitchen, his movements hurried and nervous.

Kael stood, stretching slightly, and glanced around the room. "Do you have any meat left?" he asked, his tone casual.

Neil paused, his brow furrowing as he searched the kitchen. "I... I thought I had some, but it's gone. Wait, no—here it is." He held up a piece of meat, its surface dark and mottled, covered in a layer of fungi. The stench was overwhelming, a putrid odor that made Neil gag. "I-I don't think it's edible anymore. I'll just throw it out."

Kael's hand shot out, stopping Neil mid-motion. "No. It'll do." He took the rotten meat, his expression unreadable, and exited through the back door, leaving Neil staring after him in confusion.

After exiting through the back-foor, Kael walked upto the storage room...

The storage room was dark and damp, the air thick with the scent of mildew and decay. Kael descended the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the silence.

After lighting up all the torches, Kael noticed the figures drawn upon the ground.

The summoning circle was still there, etched into the floor, though the binding circle was incomplete—a deliberate act on Kael's part. He tossed the rotten meat into the center of the circle and quickly completed the binding circle with a piece of chalk.

"Now, for the blood," Kael muttered, slicing his hand with a small knife. He let a few drops fall onto the meat, then pulled a small glass vial from his pocket. The liquid inside was a sickly green, swirling with an unnatural light.

[Name: Vial of Ichor]

[Description: Ichor is a supernatural liquid that is highly attractive for demons. It can be used as an offering to summon mid-level demons. The more ichor used, the greater the chance of attracting a powerful demon.]

Kael uncorked the vial and poured its contents over the meat, the liquid sizzling as it made contact. He stepped back, his expression focused, and activated his skill.

A translucent screen appeared before him, its words glowing faintly in the dim light.

[Warning: Amount of blood used in the offering is too low to open the portal. Increase the amount of blood.]

Kael frowned, his brow furrowing. "What? I used the same amount last time." He hesitated for a moment, then made another cut on his hand, letting more blood drip onto the offering.

[Warning: Amount of blood used in the offering is too low to open the portal. Increase the amount of blood.]

Kael's frustration boiled over. "What the hell? Does the amount of blood needed increase with every summon?" He clenched his teeth, cutting his hand once more and letting a larger amount of blood fall onto the circle. The room seemed to grow colder, the air heavier, as the blood seeped into the markings.

"Damn it, I can't afford to lose any more blood," Kael muttered, tying a handkerchief around his hand to staunch the flow. He activated the skill one last time.

[Demon Summoning will consume 80 Cult Points. Would you like to proceed?] [Yes/No ?]

Kael's jaw tightened. "Fine. Proceed."

'It's taking 4x more cult points this time... That means, the amount of blood and cult points will increase with each summoning.

I have to get more blood from somewhere else next time.' Kale thought with a serious expression as he looked at the circle.

The summoning circle began to glow, the star at its center spinning rapidly. A black hole formed in the middle, and from it emerged a grotesque figure. The demon's body was hunched, its back bent under the weight of a massive hump. Four arms, each covered in a dark, sticky substance, flailed grotesquely. Its face was ancient, lined with deep wrinkles, and its few remaining strands of hair were white and brittle. The stench that emanated from the creature was unbearable, a mixture of rot and decay that made Kael's stomach churn.

[Congratulations! Skill Inspect Leveled Up!]

[Name: Unknown]

[Race: Demon]

[Level: Unknown]

[Description: Scumsoth is a low-level demon that resides at the bottom of the demonic hierarchy. Known for their filth and the foul-smelling scum that covers their bodies, they are often found carrying deadly and dangerous disease within their body.]

Kael stared at the creature, his expression a mix of disgust and disbelief. "What the hell did I just summon? A demon or a walking garbage heap?"

The demon, seemingly oblivious to Kael's disdain, crouched over the rotten meat and began devouring it with enthusiasm. "Meat... meat..." it muttered between bites, its voice a gurgling, wet sound.