"I- What are you talking about?" she asked.
"When did you stop being a vegetarian and started wearing pelts so comfortably?" I demanded.
Her cheeks got as red as a tomato. "You took me by surprise that time. I- I wasn't expecting it."
I sighed again. "You learn too slow. Didn't you hear what I told people not too long ago? That the only correct answer after going against a direct order of mine is kneeling and begging for your life? You didn't go against an order, but you lied to me. I expect heartfelt apologies. Kneeling and groveling would be nice, too."
She froze for a moment. "You... You are serious, aren't you? You are. You really believe everything you're saying, all this about councilors and warriors and... and Shields. You really think people should kneel at your feet for slighting you."
"Yes, I do. And you only realize this now. Even Adam realized it first, hence why he tried to take the power for himself. You must understand, Eve, the old Earth is no more. Humanity is now at the Tower of Destiny and there's no escape. Greed and jealousy will rule, and only power can fight it back or prevent the incoming horrors. There's no other way."
"Do you even listen to yourself?" Although her words were confrontational, she was now hugging his legs and whispering. Like someone who didn't want to face the truth. "You think you're justified in killing people for your what ifs?"
"You talked to the outsiders, didn't you? That's why you were so fast to justify yourself when I came. You're terrified of being thrust out there, with the animals and human monsters. I'm not talking about what ifs, I'm telling you how things are now. And they'll only get worse. I'm crushing all opposition right at the root because it's needed. For humankind, for me, and for you."
She turned her head to me, surprised.
I continued, "I must climb the Tower and it'll take months to come back sometimes. My name alone won't stop people for long when I'm not around. Do you really think I would waste my time looking for the truth if I come back and find new people in power, all of them swearing allegiance to me, keeping my rules in place, and saying you betrayed me?"
Her eyes widened.
"I like you," I said. "You were the first woman to become a warrior and the first warrior to volunteer to become a councilor. You stood up to the first Adam when he had ten [Awakeners] with him, that's admirable. But I have bigger objectives than your wellbeing. To survive, you must stand up against everyone. And not for outsiders you don't even know, but for yourself. You must solidify your position like the first Adam did, just don't cross the line the same way. Obey my rules and respect the structures I put in place. Other than that, do whatever you need to do to survive, Eve. Or you'll become just another First Woman in a long succession of them in my council."
She kept quiet for a moment. "Is that why you let us decide so much about what needs to be done?" she asked.
"That, too. I know you don't like me." She opened her mouth, but I raised my hand, and she said nothing. "Yes, I make you lustful, without a mental resistance skill you can't fight it. But I'm talking about liking me, not my body. You disagree with most of my decisions and you feel afraid every time I kill someone, instead of feeling it was the right thing to do. I don't care. Although I like you, I don't need you to like me. I need you to obey me. Other than that, do your best to go around my orders as long as it doesn't undermine my authority.
"You want me to stop killing people? Create a society where disobeying me is against the law and lock them in jail before I can get to them. You want me to stop interacting with people altogether, because I scare them as much as I scare you? Make sure everyone obey you instead and always repeat my will to the people. Do that, and I'll start coming to you before shouting like an idiot. You want me to stop making rules you disagree with? Suggest another system to me and I'll consider it.
"But I repeat, no undermining my authority. And believe me, no matter how many people obey you or believe in you, they won't die for you if you're dead, if I kill you first. Raw power speaks louder than anything else in the Tower. Even your own words will only hold power in the face of other [Awakeners] if you have my backing. Please never forget that. Forget anything else, everything else, but not that you need me if you want to survive."
Another moment of silence, then she asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
"I told you I would make up for removing your vest. I'm sorry about that. It was rude and insensitive of me. I have nothing against punishing those who go against me, but you didn't. It was wrong of me to use you to make a point."
I would do it again if given the chance. There's a powerful image in a person forcefully and easily undressing another, especially when clothing is so rare. I still felt like a dick though.
I would kill and torture, but I still saw rape as a line that shouldn't be crossed. Something about it felt even worse than torture for me, be it against man or woman.
"I... I liked it," she whispered. "If you want..."
"Eve, it's my attributes talking."
She looked straight into my eyes. "It isn't. I... I don't dislike you. I disagree with some things you do, and it scares me..." She teared up. "Hell, how it scares me when you kill people so easily." The tears rolled. "But I'm not stupid, I see the need sometimes. I mean, I don't see things as you do, but even I could tell Adam would get rid of you sooner or later. But I... When you asked for warriors, I didn't come because I wanted to protect people. You made me curious. I watched the Iron Bull fight on Earth, a boyfriend liked MMA, and I knew his reputation. And he was so easily killed by a fat boy who was saying he did justice... That was interesting. And after you became all of this... Then I couldn't hold myself anymore."
"How the hell does curiosity becomes liking someone you don't even know?"
"I'm interested in you, okay?!" she shouted, still crying. Then she lowered her voice. "I didn't say I lo- Like you. I said I was curious, and now I'm interested. And it also scares me. It scares me that the man I'm interested in might just kill me someday. That he won't care if I'm replaced by a random person when he's away. It hurts." She grabbed her chest over the heart. "It hurts so much. And it scares me even more that it doesn't make me get any less interested in you."
I sighed. She just couldn't get what she was saying was the very definition of my attributes being effective. Despite how logic dictated she should feel, my charisma, persuasion and presence had made my position unshakable in her mind.
"Eve, we won't happen. Ever. I have someone in my heart. Someone I hate with all my soul. Someone I love more than my own self. I feel flattered that the woman I like and who is so damn hot even before [Awakening] is interested in me. But our relationship won't ever go beyond boss and subordinate."
People became equally beautiful when they [Awakened], no exception. But many people considered it artificial and valued original beauty more. I wasn't one of those, but it was such a widespread concept in the Tower that I could see the appeal.
There was a practical part to it too. [Awakening] didn't fix our genes. My children would be as ugly as I was before [Awakening]. Eve's wouldn't. She would be in outrageous demand soon enough.
"You're wrong again," she said, more firmly than before. She was still crying though. I didn't understand why. "You can't hate and love a person so much at the same time. This means you're just obsessed with her. You'll understand that one day and... and I'll be waiting for you."
"Really? Your curiosity became interest, and now you're swearing to wait for me for years? Can't you see you are the obsessed one? Or rather, how illogical it is? I'm telling you, these are my attributes speaking, not your heart."
"Screw you, Black Reaper," she said with a level tone. "I love you, alright? You made me say it. I'm not just interested in you, I freaking love you. And I'm not a child. I'm an experienced woman and I know what I'm feeling. I'll wait for you for however long I want, and you can't order me not to." She had stopped crying in her tirade.
"You do realize I'm a minor and you're a... what? Twenty-five-year-old?"
To my surprise, she laughed at that. "Your body isn't that of a minor, and your mind definitely isn't either. I don't know your secret, but I know no teenager could've done what you did."
"Maybe I'm just a psychopath."
"I'm not talking just about killing people. There's that too, but the way you boss people around, the way you're so sure about yourself... The way you resist me. I can see how you look at me and the way your body reacts. Yet, you stay so close when I'm saying I want you to fuck me and you just ignore it. That takes willpower that not any teenager would have. At least not after [Awakening]. I saw what it did to people. You should all over me right now."
Well, she got me there. I looked her in the eyes. They were blue and sincere. Except I knew she had lied again.
"The way you looked at my fat self back then wasn't with curiosity, Eve. It was with disdain. And don't pretend I'm wrong. Like you said, I'm just not some teenager you can sweet-talk."
She didn't avoid my eyes. "I also said when you became this, it made things easier for me. At the time, I was curious, not in love. Looking at you up close wasn't great. Now it is. Now I am."
I chuckled.
She was telling me part of the reason she supposedly loved me was my body. That didn't annoy me. I found her hot because of her body too. Humans were physical beings, and it was natural our physical figures were part of our mating rituals.
But that was also the same as admitting that it was just my attributes talking. Even though my persuasion was now working for me, against my charisma and presence, it was still two attributes against one.
She would get over it eventually.
They all did in past resets.
In eight hundred years, only one woman had proven herself loyal to me, even if such loyalty didn't extend to humankind. Only one woman had waited for me. Only one woman had died for me.
I had good reasons to love Sophie.
I looked Even in the eyes and considering killing her.
In the future, I would order my councilors to get mental resistance skills. When she did, it would counter my attributes too. Although illogical, it was common for people passively affected by attributes to resent those whom they fell for. It would bring many issues if it happened with her too.
But this was the last run. People who died now would be dead for good. I mean, maybe humankind would be revived to become slaves, but I didn't know that. I did expect this to be the last chance we all had for some freedom though.
Those who abused this freedom by going against me and my plans had to pay the price, for the greater good. But Eve had been nothing but loyal until now.
In the end, it was the sincerity she showed that decided it for me. She didn't hide her disdain for my past fat self. She was upright about everything.
That sincerity earned her the right to live despite the risks.
"Suit yourself," I said, giving up on making her see the truth. "It will backfire on both of us, but at least I forewarned you. I'll allow it to become a rupture in my empire in the future, just because you were loyal until now. And of course, I'll regret it."
"You won't," she blurted.
"I said my piece, and you said yours, we're now even for the clothing episode. Go do your job, I also have things to do here. Come back every fifteen minutes so I can boss you around to level up one of my skills."
The consensus in the Tower was that continuous usage of a social skill was the best way to level it up. The second-best way was using it once every ten to fifteen minutes. I chose fifteen rather than ten because I didn't want her to break my focus so often.
"All right," she said, standing up.
"Remember what I said before," I said. "And also remember the new Adam owes you for being put in power. The council doesn't have any genuine power now, but just because it never fought for it. Build a place for yourself, fight for it, grow in my empire. Save yourself."
She nodded. "I will."
"Good. Call White Aegis for me."
"Yes, sir," she said half-joking and saluted.
I nodded and watched her go with sadness. I used to respect her. Now, she became a walking time bomb.
I hoped White Aegis didn't disappoint me the same way.
Thanks for the chapter. Nice to get more info on Sophie.
Now that the actual climb is so close, we'll get more and more info on her =D
Ugh obsession