The Temptation

Samael seemed unfazed by Freyr's mocking tone and calmly replied, "I kept his heart as a memento. The heart of a true king... A king's heart... Is there a more interesting collectible than that?"

Freyr sighed. Although he felt there was more to this story than Samael let on, there was nothing he could do if the demon chose not to tell the truth.

"So, you only kept Arthur's heart?" Freyr frowned. "No other conditions?"

Samael's answer was simple: "No, just the heart."

Seeing Freyr's confused expression, Samael added with a smile, "To personally create a king and hold his heart in my hand... The pleasure in that is beyond your imagination, my dear little noble!"

Freyr sighed again.

"Alright, what do you intend to take from me?" Freyr smiled. "If you want my heart, I can't guarantee I'll agree."

"No, no, no. One king's heart is enough for a collection. I don't like to repeat myself," Samael chuckled. "Besides, it's been so long. My powers are fading and weakening. I can't grant you abilities as powerful as Arthur's. When Arthur left, he took half my magic with him! Otherwise, do you think a knight could easily become a prominent Wizard?"

No wonder... Freyr whistled softly.

"And Arthur, in the end, broke our agreement. There were some final terms in our deal that he didn't fulfill," Samael shook his head. "So I realized that one-time deals are too risky for me. If you leave here and don't follow through on our agreement, there's nothing I can do because I am a prisoner on this island. I cannot leave. Thus, after the deal with Arthur, I devised a new method... I will now complete future deals in parts rather than giving all the benefits at once."

"For example?"

"For example... I can give you a little taste first, my dear little noble. Then, you must follow my instructions and do some things. Once you've done them, come back to see me, and I'll give you further rewards!" Samael smiled slyly.

"A taste? What kind of taste?"

"Anything you want," Samael's smile turned truly wicked at that moment, his voice carrying an inexplicable allure. "I can give you anything! Although not overwhelmingly powerful, it will be enough to tempt anyone! If you desire women, I can grant you a pair of 'Eyes of Enchantment'! Then, any woman you gaze upon will fall deeply in love with you! For instance, these two Witches—if you fancy them, a mere look from you will have them willing to dance naked before you! Even if you desire a saint devoted to the gods, just one look and she'll shed her holy robes, presenting her beautiful body for your pleasure..."

Uh... This sounds quite tempting...

Freyr sighed. This was indeed a good offer, but not enough to make him agree.

"You know, I am a noble. I don't think I lack for women," Freyr diplomatically expressed his disinterest. "Moreover, I am not that much of a lecherous man."

"Alright... If you don't urgently need women, I can give you a dragon's heart instead! You look quite frail... Well, with a dragon's heart, your body will quickly become strong! You will have the immense physical strength of a dragon! You could become an invincible warrior on the battlefield! And... I can even give you a little extra gift... like the ability to use a bit of draconic magic."

Freyr imagined himself as a hulking muscleman...

Uh, no thanks...

"Sorry, I'm not very interested in warfare. Great physical strength doesn't make me feel secure... In fact, historically, most powerful warriors end up as mere enforcers for true power holders."

"Then I'll give you power," Samael thought for a moment. "If you crave power, I can give you the ability to see into people's hearts, allowing your eyes to pierce through all disguises, and your ears to hear their innermost thoughts! These abilities would give you an unbeatable advantage in politics... With your clever mind, you would quickly become a prominent figure of power!"

"I am the eldest son of the Deputy Commander of the Empire," Freyr replied. "The first in line to inherit the Russell family. Do you think I would ever worry about my position and power? My father will soon become the head of the military, maybe even the Imperial Chancellor. So, sorry, this offer doesn't move me either."

Freyr was lying.

But Samael, confined to the island, didn't know that Freyr had already been stripped of his heir status within his family!

Even a mighty and wise ancient being like Samael couldn't help but feel a bit irritated.

"Little noble! What is it that you want!"