Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1106: Afraid

With Cassaraeʼs Class Quest looming overhead, the Florineth would have to be dealt with one way or another. But destroying a family didnʼt mean killing every single living being that was among it. If that was the case, when Cassarae got the Quest to take down the United Coalition of Terranova, she would have had to kill both Sylas and herself since they were both born and raised in the nation.

No, Cassaraeʼs Class Quest only demanded that the structure that made the target, well… the target, be taken down. A certain percentage of its leaders and important structures had to be cut down and erased.

But the irony of it all was that the reason the Florineth had become a target for Cassarae was because of Nyssa. Cassarae was most definitely a very jealous wife, and she didnʼt want anyone near Sylas.

By the same token, though, Sylas couldnʼt just let Cassarae kill Nyssa just because, while he also didnʼt actually care what happened to the rest of the Florineth.

”The way you say that…” Nyssaʼs voice trailed off.

She didnʼt want to say it out loud as though it would make it real, but she was also confused. Why did it sound like Sylas wanted to deal with her Florineth Race? If he was going to take anyone down, shouldnʼt it be the Kaelthar or the Dazeth? Why was he targeting the Valeria?

”You donʼt seem as confident as usual,” Sylas suddenly said, catching Nyssa off guard again.

”I…”

Nyssa shook her head and looked down. It was easy to be confident when you had all the power in your hands. It was substantially harder when you controlled basically nothing.

Here she was, just hoping that Sylas would throw her a bone.

By comparison, if it was Cassarae, she would probably be cursing Sylas to the high heavens by now, calling him ungrateful and a waste of air.

Suddenly, Sylas found himself missing her. It was a peculiar feeling, and he wondered just how much that had to do with the Lust Seed, and how much of that was just all him.

Maybe blaming the Lust Seed was a bit too ridiculous of him. It wasnʼt as though it was there to elicit such feelings. If that was the case, it would point its spear at Nyssa instead.

In the end, Sylas shook his head. Nyssa wasnʼt the woman he thought she was. Given her interaction right now, she wouldnʼt be of use at all.

She was indecisive, nervous, and might easily be exposed when the time came. It was clear to him in an instant why she was inferior to her elder sister.

But by the same token, she was his only easy path to doing what he wanted to do.

Nyssa deflated as she seemed to tell what Sylas was thinking. It was hard to build up confidence in a place like her family when all anyone tried to do was cut her down.

She wanted to try and at least put on her usual facade, but that was impossible when she knew how important Sylasʼ next actions were to her.

If Sylas chose to ignore her again, or even kill her, or maybe use her and toss her to the side again, there would be nothing she could do about it. The weight of that was pressing down as heavily upon her as the mountain on Sylasʼ shoulders, and it was hindering her own thoughts.

It was hard, too hard to just ignore the gravity of the situation and press forward.

A personʼs character could be masked for a moment, but eventually it would shine through.

Nyssaʼs head lowered even more. She could feel Sylasʼ gaze still on her, but she had nothing to say.

”Do you want a chance?” Sylas asked.

Nyssa nodded her head yes, but then shook it no as though she was unsure. She hadnʼt even realized that by now, the influence of Sylasʼ Charisma on her was so great that she couldnʼt put up a facade even if she wanted to.

”What do you want, then?” Sylas asked.

”I want to be strong.”

”Didnʼt you just say you donʼt want a chance?”

”I donʼt think I could take advantage of a chance even if I was given it. I would just waste it like I usually do.”

Sylas looked at the woman in front of him. A far cry from her previous confident air, she looked as though a slightly stronger gust of wind could just blow her over whenever it so pleased.

”Do you know about the Petals of the Seeing Thorn?” Sylas pivoted.

”… Not much, no.”

”Theyʼre an information network well respected across the universe. Theyʼre actually quite the interesting organization because they are almost like an open secret of sorts. They dabble in espionage and information collection, and yet theyʼre open and above board without any intention of hiding themselves.

”They weave into and out of elite circles, some of their best well known across the Sector, and yet no one ever targets them. Do you know why?”

”Theyʼre too powerful?” Nyssa guessed.

”No. They know too much.”

Nyssaʼs pupils trembled.

”Itʼs another form of power, and one probably just as important. Knowledge is as much of a weapon as your fist, and sometimes itʼs even more powerful. No one is entirely sure how strong the Petals of the Seeing Thorn are, or how deep they run, but no one ever wants to find out because they just might already have a hold of your weakness.”

”… Why are you saying this? Is this supposed to try and comfort me?”

”I donʼt really care about comforting you, to be candid. I do not know you, and though I can acknowledge that you helped me a great deal back then, I hate myself for it. You can do with that information what you please, but Iʼm telling you this now personally because I can give you an opportunity to spark something new.

”But if you are too afraid to even take the chance, then I will change my plans.”