Midnight Prince: Empire of Sin

When Marlene came to the house following the coordinates given to her by Adam, she was not alone but accompanied by her mother and a few guards from their Mermaid tribe.

Marlene wondered what was the use of those guards when they could very easily get slaughtered by anyone who could actually pose a threat to someone like Boris but she thought it could help keep her mother's heart at ease.

This sense of ease though had completely vanished when what she came face to face with was a house completely lit on fire.

The scent of blood, the feeling of death surrounding her, and the crackling sound of the fire as the smoke rose in the sky were all impressive sights. One that would never leave her mind

But what made her feel true fear was how just one second ago, or rather one step ago, the house had seemed perfectly normal.

The changes in the surroundings were extremely abrupt, leaving no doubt about what happened.

"An illusion, I see…"

Her mother spoke calmly. The slight trembling of her hand was the only sign of any unease she might be feeling, showing her true emotions— the deep fear she felt within.

Mermaids were also very adept in illusions though their masteries fell more in the class of brainwashing or mind suggestions than literal illusions of this caliber.

"Mom?"

"It seems like we left the wolf den only to enter one belonging to the tiger."

Marlene gave a bitter smile at the helplessness that the voice of her mother held but there was nothing much she could say about it.

All she could do was hope that Adam would not be too harsh with them and would give them some leeway thanks to her relationship with Steven.

"He is here. Be careful madam."

The guards encircled him, hands hovering over their weapons.

They were people who had been ensnared by her mother for years already, making them loyal enough to sacrifice their lives if judged necessary.

"Stand back. You would only throw your life away if you were to engage him."

The guards hesitated for a brief instant before lowering their weapons and her mother advanced toward Adam.

Even though she was her daughter, Marlene had to admit that her mother was a very beautiful woman.

Though she had many children, her beauty and body were in no way affected by the progression of her age, still showing off the form of someone who was barely in her thirties.

Her skin was slightly tanned, giving her a brown complexion that she knew to be effective on men, making them turn her way when she walked, and although she had dressed modestly, her voluptuous body made even the most chaste clothes look slutty and lascivious on her.

Taking her gaze off her beautiful mother, Marlene gripped her fists tightly as she observed a man walk out of the house that was currently burning down in real time.

He was clad in much the same black cloak that hid all his features the first time she saw him and behind him, the slumping body of her sister and Steven could be seen floating out.

"Ah!"

An exclamation leaked out but she immediately swallowed back all the words she wanted to say.

Now was not the time for her to speak.

"Sir. I am Lucia. The current Matriarch of this small clan of Mermaids. I thank you for the help you have offered to us."

Marlene watched as her mother placed a hand on her chest and lowered her head slightly as she spoke words of gratitude.

"Your name is Lucia, huh? I take that you are Marlene's mother?"

"Yes. Forgive me if my daughter had caused you any problem."

"Hum. She did not. She acted in the best interest of my friend even though she was hut. I respect her choices and appreciate her thoughtfulness."

His hand moved and the two were sent close to Marlene who was standing behind her mother.

"I manipulated Steven's mind and made it so he would think everything that happened today was just a bad dream. Make sure it stays that way, alright?"

Marlene and Lucia gulped. This was clearly a high level of mind manipulation and they were once again reminded what kind of monster they were facing right now.

Taking her courage, Lucia asked with a timid voice, "About Boris…"

"He is dead. The same goes for his team."

"..."

Silence fell and Lucia looked at the burning house with even more trepidation in her mind. There was no relief on her face at the knowledge that Boris was dead, killed by the man before her. Only dread for the present and the future that awaited them.

"Sir, I…"

She wanted to say something but in the end, she only sighed,

"Thank you for saving my daughter."

She gave another bow. One that was much lower than before. One that showed servitude rather than gratitude. She decided now that they had to flee. This situation would not simply end with the death of Boris and would become even worse in fact.

Boris wanted to use them.

But with his death, the Bratva would wish for Blood and the Mermaids had a high chance of being exterminated along the way to set an example.

In fact, was even fleeing to the sea possible for them? It wasn't as if the fight in the sea were any less dangerous. In fact, occupying an actually good territory in the depths was even dangerous and a road paved with an equivalent amount of blood.

"It seems like all your avenues have been blocked."

Lucia looked up finally at the man who helped them and her lips curled into a small and bleak smile,

"All routes but one it seems."

"So it seems."

The man made no intention of hiding that to be his goal all along and Lucia begrudgingly accepted that they were against a wall right now.

Thankfully, she had come prepared.

"May I ask how you are called?"

"Prince."

"Then, I beseech you to accept us under your protection."

"Oh?"

"Obviously, we will not come without a gift."

"A gift?" n---).-/-/()-I-/n

Lucia gritted her teeth, making her mind there and then. In the hands of the weak, a treasure was just a death sentence after all.

"Though it has lost its power, I am willing to bestow you the Divine Weapon that has been gifted to us by the goddess."

Adam smiled, "You wish to use me to take away something that is nothing but a blight for you. Should I say that it's a poisoned gift?"

"..."

"Hahaha. I like it. But— it's not enough."

"What else might you want?"

Adam grinned as he leaned before muttering something that Marlene could not hear. Her mother seemed very shocked at first but in the end,

"I understand."

A voice filled with resignation could be heard escaping her lips. It seemed like a deal had just been made.

"Marlene. Take your sister and the boy with you. I will hammer in the details of this new union."

Marlene hesitated a little but in the end, she left with the guards while wondering what Adam might have asked her mother to do.