Dreadwolf, Lord of Runes

"You see," Kane continued when he noticed Aelia was paying attention. "I intend to seclude myself and Luna for a while, at least until I break through to the second stage, and Luna is at the top of the first. Should take no more than a month or so, meaning the base should be good on power for that time"

Aelia nodded to indicate her understanding, but otherwise remained quiet and waited, because she realized Kane had more to say. Despite her promise to remain critical of his leadership, she did recognize him as her leader. Respect and loyalty had begun to build, so she waited patiently for her orders.

"In the meantime," Kane did indeed continue, "I want you to restart your banditry operations. I leave the how, why, when, and where of it all to your discretion, as I have no experience with it."

"Alright," Aelia then nodded in assent. "But do you mind if I give the girls a week or so to get used to their new techniques?"

"Of course not," Kane shook his head immediately, before grinning slightly. "In fact, I encourage it. Stronger bandits make better bandits."

Then, he frowned and became serious again, "But that's not all. I also need you to build a fake camp not too far from here, like we discussed before. There needs to be a place you can hold any potential prisoners and meet with outsiders, without giving away the base."

Once again, Aelia nodded matter-of-factly, "Already working on it, Boss. I've got some people on it right now, in fact. I gave some orders when I was testing the messaging system last night."

Instantly, Kane grinned, leaned back in his chair, and looked at his human subordinate with appreciation. "Is that so?" he teased slightly. "So, not only did you immediately act on an off-handed thought I had when we were discussing something else, but you did so with extreme efficiency?"

Aelia immediately rolled her eyes and began to groan a little, but that didn't stop Kane at all.

"Then there was that thing yesterday, when you were worried that simply asking for a promise wasn't enough to keep my techniques from falling in other's hands," he continued. "Not to mention how you took the imitative to share our negotiations and make sure they were accepted by all before I even stood in front of them."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and his chin on his fists while he raised an eyebrow. "You know what?" he smirked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a good girl who loves to please."

Surprisingly, a small blush broke out on her cheeks when he called her a good girl. Yet, her furiously narrowed eyes made it unclear if she was blushing out of embarrassment, or anger. "So, your way of rewarding me for my diligence is by teasing me?" she snarled, annoyance high in her voice.

Kane chuckled and smiled softly as he leaned back in his chair with a shrug, "I'm afraid you'll have to get used to a little teasing now and again. That said, you're right."

When he admitted that, Aelia's anger quickly made way for curiosity tempered by suspicion. "Oh? Go on," she nudged, as a surprising amount of interest shone in her eyes.

"You haven't been quiet about your misgivings, but, after initial tensions, you've also been very helpful," he continued calmly and with a small grin. "Not only are you clearly a very competent leader, but you've done your best to make this transition of power as smooth as possible for everyone involved."

He leaned forward again, and looked curiously at Aelia, "So… is there anything you'd like as a reward?"

Aelia blinked, and then narrowed her eyes suspiciously, as if wondering what he meant by that. Yet, when he remained quiet, and she realized he was being sincere, a small tremble suddenly went through her body. "I… can it be anything?" she asked, a little hesitantly.

"I see you've already thought of something," Kane smiled and leaned back again, while waving one hand horizontally, like a generous lord speaking to his subjects. "Yes, it can be anything within my power. I'll even give you a fourth stage technique if you ask for it."

That wasn't hyperbole, either. Sure, her contributions so far weren't actually worth a fourth stage technique, but since Aelia was supposed to be the leader of the bandit faction he was creating, she certainly needed enough power to back it.

Which is also why he intended to pull out all the stops in order to get her to willingly step into his bed and accept his power boost.

Yet, surprisingly, the offer of a fourth stage technique didn't appear to sway Aelia away from he original thought. Aelia's eyes shone with an intensity that Kane hadn't seen from her yet, but easily recognized as matching the endless hatred he felt for Father.

"Then…. Then when the time comes, I want you to help me kill someone," she growled, while eyeing him suspiciously, wondering if he'll go back on his word.

Yet, Kane immediately nodded casually, "Done."

Surprised, Aelia's face lost its tension, and she blinked a few times, "I— Just like that?"

"What?" Kane grinned and shrugged. "Did you think I have a problem with killing? I mean, I do have my limits, but I doubt anyone who conjures such hatred within you falls in the category of people I won't kill."

"S— Sure, but… what if I'm talking about someone in the Domain Awakening Stage?" she stammered a little incredulously.

Yet, to her surprise, an amused Kane started laughing. He had always been a little subdued and wasn't prone to bursts of emotion, yet what she'd just said was truly funny to him when he considered everything that happened in the last few days.

Aelia's incredulity rose as she watched Kane continue to laugh at the prospect of having to kill a fourth stage Mystic, as if she'd just told her best joke.

Finally, his laughter began to die down, until he was left softly chuckling while he shook his head from side to side, "Hesitation about killing someone in the fourth stage, man that's a good one!"

Suddenly, his expression turned severe, and he leaned forward again while looking Aelia straight in her eyes. "The truth is, Aelia," he growled, full of determination. "If I didn't have absolute confidence at being able to easily kill someone like that in the future, then I might as well just end it all right here and now."

Setting aside his eighth stage enemy Irene, Ella's mother and queen of Alfheim, even his father had just become a fourth stage equivalent Cyber before Kane left Earth. Thus, if he wasn't eventually able to kill anyone he liked on this second-phase world, then there was no point in even continuing to struggle.

Aelia's eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back when she was once again confronted with what she assumed was Kane's seemingly endless ambition and thirst for power. Both of which were things he possessed, of course, but neither was currently his main reason for desiring more strength. Because that would be revenge.

"Besides," he continued after his face relaxed and showed a small grin again, "when I say I care about my subordinates, I mean it. Right now, you can assume I'd kill just about anyone on this world, if one of our girls wanted them dead."

"So, trust me when I say this, Aelia," he now growled threateningly and with an intense gaze, "Whoever you want dead, whether ruler, general or commoner, they will eventually die a dog's death, and their body will rot in the dirt..."