Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 1352  Death, or...?

Mira blinked.

Then blinked again.

Her glasses slid a fraction down her nose before she pushed them back up with a trembling finger. Her eyes never left the man in black.

”A… a choice?” Her voice came out thin. ”What choice, brave hero?”

The red orbs tilted toward her.

”Stop calling me that,” he grunted.

He lifted one hand and flicked his fingers.

”[Warp Gate].”

”Kya!” Sister Mira released a loud, feminine yelp because, to her great horror, the space folded in front of them as soon as the words left the manʼs mouth.

Air bent inward, dragged toward a vertical oval that forced itself into existence with a low, grinding hum. The surface inside it rippled like dark water held upright, swallowing light instead of reflecting it. Dust skittered across the roof and vanished into the opening.

Mira stumbled back a step.

Alene caught her by the shoulder.

”This…” Alene said, voice tight, ”This spell…”

It seemed about as unholy a spell as a spell could possibly get, but the older nun did not want to say such a rude thing out loud. The man before them was a brave soul, their savior; thus, badmouthing his arsenal unjustly wouldʼve been the last thing the gentle woman wanted to do.

The manʼs voice came again, ignoring their reactions to his spell.

”You either become food for the undead,” he announced, flat and precise, ”let them butcher you, strip you down, and rebuild whatʼs left into whatever use they see fit.”

The children had gone silent again.

Even the boys.

”Or,” he continued, ”you step through this gate and live.”

Sister Alene and Mira exchanged a glance.

Alene swallowed hard. ”S-sir knight… canʼt you help us escape Greyhaven on foot?” She gestured weakly at the ruined city. ”With your strength-”

”No.”

The word cut cleanly. No hesitation. No explanation.

Aleneʼs jaw tightened. She nodded once with the rejection settling into her heart. It was such a firm rejection that the woman didnʼt even try to make a case for herself.

Mira hugged her broom to her chest. ”What… what will happen if we step through?” she asked.

The red lights rested on her.

”You will be greeted by your new lives.”

Mira looked at him.

He had saved them. Threw monsters aside like trash. Stood between children and death without flinching. His words should have felt like safety itself.

Yet the armor loomed. Too complete. Too sealed. Nothing human showed through it.

Something about him made her hesitate.

As if he sensed it, the armor shifted.

The helm flowed, metal sliding back and reshaping with a soft, controlled sound. The visor withdrew, revealing a man beneath.

Dark hair. Sharp features. Weathered lines at the edges of his eyes. A gaze steady enough to pin her in place without effort.

”!!”

Miraʼs breath caught.

Her heart skipped so hard it startled her.

The contrast between what she feared - a scary entity beneath that dark helmet - was nowhere to be found.

He was… unfairly handsome.

The young nunʼs face heated instantly.

ʼNo!ʼ

She clenched her teeth and looked away, mortified with herself. ʼI am not one of ʼthoseʼ nuns.ʼ

Her grip tightened on the broom. ʼMy body is for the Goddess alone, not mortal men.ʼ

Mira looked back.

And immediately regretted it.

The man was grinning.

Not wide. Not exaggerated. Just enough. A sharp curl at the corner of his mouth that made her stomach flip in a way she absolutely refused to acknowledge. His eyes held hers, steady and knowing, as if he had peeled her thoughts apart one by one and found them amusing.

Her breath hitched.

That grin… it was wrong. Too precise. Too aware.

It felt personal.

Her foot slammed into the stone before she realized she was moving. ”Get out of my head!!”

The words burst out far louder than she intended.

No answer came.

The grin deepened.

Heat rushed to her face so fast she thought her glasses might fog. Her gaze snapped away, heart hammering as she scolded herself in a panic. ʼIdiot. Absolute idiot. Of course, he canʼt read minds. Get serious!ʼ

She turned her head further.

And met Sister Aleneʼs eyes.

The older nun stared at her in silence. One brow had lifted. Her mouth pressed into a thin, resigned line. She said nothing, but the look spoke clearly enough.

ʼYouth…ʼ

Miraʼs shoulders hunched. She shrank a little under that look, wishing desperately for the roof to swallow her whole.

Then her breath caught.

She looked back at the man again, slower this time. Her head tilted without meaning to.

”Wait…” she said softly. Her fingers tightened around the broom. ”I think I recognize your face.”

The grin faded, just a fraction.

Her eyes searched his features with growing unease. ”Have we met before?” Her brow furrowed. ”I would remember. Iʼm sure I would…”

He did not answer.

Instead, his gaze flicked to the gate.

”The time is ticking, ladies. You have five seconds to decide. After that, the offer expires.”

”!!!”

Both sisters jolted.

Alene straightened instantly, all levity gone. Mira sucked in a sharp breath, the strange moment crushed flat by urgency. The hum of the gate felt louder now, heavier, like a clock grinding down its final beats.

The children stirred behind them.

Five seconds.

Alene swallowed. ”Please answer only one question of mine, brave knight. Do you… Do you have any nefarious plans for us?” she asked, choosing each word with care.

”If you make an effort to integrate properly,” he replied, voice even, ”I believe that your new lives will be more fulfilling than the ones you leave behind.”

Mira frowned. ”So cryptic…”

Before either sister could speak again, one of the boys suddenly scrambled to his feet.

”Hey!” he shouted, eyes bright as he pointed at the man. ”Dark knight! If we go through, can we become strong like you?!”

Another boy did not wait for an answer. He broke into a sprint toward the gate.

”Wait!” Mira lunged, catching him around the waist just in time. They staggered with the boy wriggling and flailing as she struggled to hold him back. ”Stop! You canʼt just run in!”

”I wanna go first!” he yelled, elbows flying.

The man watched the chaos without comment.

”Anything is possible,” he said at last.

That was enough.

The boy who had asked the question froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up, round and shining, as if the world had just cracked open in front of him.

Alene looked at the man one final time. Then she bowed, deep and proper, hands folded in front of her.

”Please take care of us.”

She turned to the children, forcing a calm smile onto her face. ”I will go first.”

Miraʼs eyes widened. ”Sister…”

But Alene had already stepped forward.

She hesitated at the edge of the gate, shoulders tense, then closed her eyes and stepped through.

For several heartbeats, she was gone.

Miraʼs breath caught in her throat.

Then Alene stepped back out.

She was smiling widely.

”Itʼs all right,” she said, voice ringing with relief. ”Come through, children.”

Mira stared at her. ʼHow did she get convinced that fast?!ʼ

The hesitation broke.

One by one, then in small groups, the children moved. Some clutched each otherʼs hands. Some ran. Alene waited on the other side, kneeling to pull them through and steady them as they arrived.

Mira stayed on the roof.

When the boy who had tried to throw himself from the roof earlier stepped forward, the man spoke.

”Boy. Donʼt try that again. You didnʼt learn to fly, nor will you learn it if you jump off a roof even a hundred times.”

The child gulped. ”What do you mean, dark knight?!”

The man lifted a finger.

The boy yelped as his feet left the stone, rising a short distance into the air before settling back down.

”I flew you up.”

The boyʼs mouth fell open. ”That was you?!” His fear vanished in an instant. ”So cool!! Can I learn that, Dark Knight?!”

The man looked at him for a second, scrutinizing, before asking. ”How old are you?”

”Five!”

”Good. Then youʼre in luck.”

The man reached into his armor and produced a small vial. The liquid inside caught the light, dense and clear.

”Drink it and work hard.”

Mira gasped. ”Wait! Is that a [Mythical Elixir of Awakening]?! The potion used to unlock the Wizard class?” Her voice jumped despite herself. ”It costs hundreds of gold coins! Even nobles have to gather funds for years to buy one!”

”Itʼs not so bad if your genius alchemist wife can make it.”