Chapter 11

ERIC'S eyes swept the woman from head to toe. Her style of dressing, the way she walked, her facial expressions, and that smile—all of it was undeniably enticing. Her bold makeup, in bright and vivid hues, only added to her striking appearance.

“Hi.”

Her sweet, sultry voice caught Eric off guard. Her smile was captivating, and her gaze mesmerized him, leaving him speechless. He flinched slightly when her delicate fingers brushed his shoulder, sending chills down his spine.

She moved closer, her face less than a hand's width from his. Eric, who had never been this close to a woman like that, stood frozen, his words stuck in his throat.

“Love what you see?”

He flinched again. Her whisper was barely an inch from his ear, and her left hand had wrapped around his waist.

Her soft giggle snapped him out of his daze. Reality hit as he watched her saunter away, leaving him rooted to the spot.

Shaking his head, he muttered, “Women these days are bolder than men.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he let out a small whistle. Checking his watch, he realized it was already 2:00 PM, but there was still no sign of Kyle. A sigh escaped his lips.

Lately, Kyle had been acting strange. He’d canceled several meetings and often sent someone else to represent Wester Studio.

Eric stood up. Two glasses of iced tea had been emptied, yet Kyle was still nowhere to be seen.

"Guess I’ll just head to the office instead."

He grumbled softly under his breath and made his way toward the exit.

As he passed the reception counter, Eric suddenly winced, feeling a sharp weakness in his right wrist. His brow furrowed as he instinctively rubbed it.

“Are you okay, sir?” the receptionist asked.

Eric turned toward him, swaying slightly. The receptionist quickly grabbed his arm to steady him.

“I’ll call an ambulance—”

“No need.” Eric shook his head firmly, gripping the receptionist’s arm. “I’m fine...”

“But—”

“I’m okay. Just help me to my car.”

“You sure, sir?”

Eric gave a weak nod. His vision started blurring, and his knees wobbled.

Suddenly, someone else grabbed his other arm.

“Master Emrys.”

Eric tried to open his eyes upon hearing the voice so close to him, but his eyelids felt unbearably heavy.

PERCY smirked as he watched Viktor Emrys lying curled up on the floor. He paced back and forth in the room. It had been a long search for Emrys's whereabouts. Finally, this bungalow led him to the legendary serpent.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? You've grown quite comfortable living in the human world."

Viktor remained silent, not responding to Percy’s words. His weakened state left him at a severe disadvantage. If Percy intended to harm him, he wouldn’t be able to resist.

Viktor slowly coiled himself onto the small sofa nearby. The human world had dulled his focus, giving Percy the perfect chance to strike.

Gradually, his serpent form faded, replaced by his human appearance. But his body was so weakened that he couldn’t even stand. Slumped against the side of the sofa, his pale face showed how drained he was.

Percy observed Viktor from head to toe, his lips curling into a sinister smile. Kneeling in front of him, Percy examined every detail of the serpent being’s face.

"How lucky am I today? I get to see the true form of Master Emrys, the feared legendary serpent." Percy grinned smugly. "How does it feel? The Emerald Bamboo poison works wonders, doesn't it? You got too careless, Viktor."

Percy stood again, pacing with mock amusement. "The human world has made you forget so many things. Oh?” He shot Viktor a glance. “Have you found the Magic Charms? Still guarding that scale?" His smirk widened.

"Don't forget. One touch of the Magic Charms, and you're dead. You'll never claim that scale," Percy laughed, his voice echoing through the vast bedroom.

Viktor chuckled faintly. "I'm not the only one who can't touch it," he retorted.

Percy's laughter halted abruptly. His lips pressed tightly in restrained anger.

"So, how exactly are you planning to take the Magic Charms back to your realm?" Viktor asked, laughing softly.

Percy’s face twisted in annoyance, but only for a moment. "Unless I bring the human there myself."

Those words wiped the amusement off Viktor's face.

Percy let out a low, sinister laugh as he gripped Viktor's neck tightly with his left hand.

Viktor's tongue partially lolled out, his right hand weakly clutching Percy’s wrist. His body was far too frail to break Percy's grip, let alone fight back. But as his tongue extended further, it released a spray of clear, reddish liquid.

Startled, Percy barely dodged the venomous spray. His body fragmented and reassembled a few steps away. He glared at Viktor, who was still too weak to fight.

Viktor slumped back, breathing heavily. Though his condition wasn’t as dire as Philips’s, his strength had diminished, and his mystical powers were fading. Some of them had already become inaccessible, leaving him drained and slipping into unconsciousness. The venom he had spat was merely a remnant of his fading powers. Thankfully, the Emerald Bamboo poison wasn’t entirely fatal.

Percy's brow furrowed as he noticed a red glow encircling Viktor's body. The rumors from Astrick were true—Viktor Emrys’s mystical power remained intact despite his frail and near-death state.

Reluctantly, Percy backed away. He would return with the Magic Charms, the weapon that would destroy Viktor.

"Master." Mr. Walter appeared, supporting Viktor and helping him sit up against the headboard.

Viktor glanced at Mr. Walter before his eyes closed, and he lost consciousness.

THE woman swayed gracefully as she walked past them. Her black gawn embroidered with dark red flowers hugged her tall and slender figure. That vintage skirt with green foliage patterns set against a dark brown background wrapped around her waist, flowing down to her ankles.

Her lips were painted a deep crimson-black, and her heavily lined eyelids paired with dark-tinted brows highlighted the bold intensity in her gaze. The wooden clogs on her feet made soft, rhythmic taps against the cement-covered ground.

Her hair was styled in a large bun, nearly half the size of her head, adorned with a snake-headed hairpin. Light reflecting off the gemstone on the hairpin created an eerie gleam, resembling a serpent’s eyes locking onto its prey.

The woman, appearing to be in her early thirties, carried herself with arrogance and pride. Her lips curled into a smirk, and her dark aura sent chills down Percy and Ruby's spines.

"M-Master Elford..." Percy stammered.

Ruby was speechless, unable to form a single word.

“Huh… this human body feels suffocating. How do you two put up with it? Their clothes are utterly dreadful.”

Percy and Ruby swallowed hard, exchanging nervous glances.

“W-What brings you here, Master… to the human world?” Percy asked hesitantly.

Arielle inspected her slender fingers with crimson three-inch-long nails. Her eyes swept around the house. "You live here?"

"We rent this place, Master..."

"Huh!" Arielle paced the area. "Ugly. Filthy. Humans stink." She wrinkled her nose in disdain.

Percy and Ruby grew increasingly anxious. They had never seen Arielle take human form before.

"Where is the Magic Charms?" she demanded bluntly.

Percy and Ruby immediately knelt lower, their heads almost touching the ground.

"Not yet, Master. But we know who has both of them," Percy explained, hoping to pacify her.

"Dylan."

Percy and Ruby exchanged startled glances as Arielle uttered the name. With a flick of her right hand, their bodies were flung backward, crashing into an apple tree nearby. Gasping for breath, they struggled to stand, wincing in pain.

"M-Master, you... already knows?" Percy asked, wiping the blood he had coughed up, his head still bowed.

Arielle approached, making them retreat in fear. "Lowly creatures like you are utterly useless!"

They bowed lower, squeezing their eyes shut, bracing for the worst. But instead of attacking, Arielle let out a loud, mocking laugh.

"Doesn't matter. Weak humans are no match for me. Controlling them will be a breeze," Arielle declared, her laughter growing louder.

"But, Master... the Magic Charms... both of them aren't easy to handle. The longer they remain with humans, the stronger their power becomes. We can’t even get close to them, let alone claim both," Percy admitted.

Arielle paused, considering his words. "You think I've never dealt with humans? I know their weaknesses all too well."

"W-What weaknesses, Master?" Ruby, silent until now, dared to ask.

Arielle's lips curled into a cryptic smile. Her maniacal laughter echoed around the house as she delivered her final words.

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