Chapter 5: The Reptilian Betrothal of the Mind-Reading Serpentess and the Face-Changing Lizard

She was perhaps the most beautiful woman Leon had ever seen.

Tall and slender, her waist as lithe as a serpent’s, her delicate features framed by an enchanting pair of crystal-blue eyes that seemed to pierce the soul. Her icy cheeks bore the exquisite refinement of a finely crafted doll... though, admittedly, from the waist down, she had a serpent’s tail—truly a mesmerizing and dangerous beauty.

She wore a backless gown woven from shimmering scales, each scale alive with a radiant glow, as if she had just stepped down from a grand ball. Yet this was no mere ornament; it was a finely crafted enchanted armor.

Around her neck hung a black crystal necklace, glowing faintly with arcane light. Beautiful and expensive, it was undoubtedly a precious artifact.

A tattoo of desert roses wound from her waist to her chest, lending her an unexpected softness and feminine allure drawn from the arid sands.

She was stunning—undeniably a treasure, or perhaps a siren’s curse.

Her name was Saliman, the pearl of the Radiant City.

“In a way, I’m your distant relative…” The branches of their races were so far apart that the kinship was tenuous at best.

In this world, hybrid orc descendants inherited the dominant traits of their parents—a common enough occurrence.

The Sudar family, viscounts of the kingdom, were a branch of the Sudar counts from the desert lands, the very source of this lengthy marriage contract. It was said the union was intended to strengthen the weakening Sudar bloodline by reconnecting it to its more powerful origins.

In essence, the unfortunate exile thrown into the mix was little more than a consort for breeding.

But now, with the unexpected revival of the viscount’s household, circumstances had shifted.

Her figure was ripe and inviting like the luscious fruit on a peach tree, yet her face retained the innocent purity of a maiden. Her voice carried a hypnotic sweetness that seemed to echo and enchant.

Her lowered snake-like hair and the tiny snakes unwilling to meet one’s gaze revealed a restless, even shameful, heart.

She summoned her courage to face her fate, to confront the shackles that had bound her for so long.

“Are you here to break the engagement? Fine, let’s end it now.”

Leon’s blunt words froze the room.

The three of them stood there, tense and still. Talia, watching from the sidelines, gaped in disbelief at such decisiveness.

This was Saliman—the Radiant City’s most exquisite pearl, one of its wealthiest women.

Even if you had never met her before, now that she stood before you, were you blind? Were you even a man?

“No, I was shallow to think so. He could never be an ordinary man who falls for mere beauty…”

But the next moment, recalling that this woman upheld ancient oaths even in modern society, she realized it was she who had been shallow.

“This gentleman has long made up his mind. As a degenerate, he refuses to be a burden to his fiancée. And as one who has trained half his life in the old vows, neither beauty nor wealth could sway him.”

A new logic took shape. The female officer gazed at Leon with admiration.

Years of law enforcement had taught her to discern sincerity, and in his words, she saw truthfulness. His face bore a relaxed smile, even a sense of relief.

It seemed that the serpent woman’s wealth and beauty meant nothing to the real him; he was looking forward to breaking off the engagement.

Of course he was.

“I already have someone else’s identity. Deceiving another’s fiancée is simply too much.”

Even if she didn’t take the initiative to end it, Leon planned to ignore it. Now that he had come forward himself, he felt much lighter.

“Fine, let’s consider the engagement null and void. I’m no longer part of the Sudar family anyway… By the way, thank you for your help. Otherwise, I might have been stuck in the detention center much longer.”

His face bore no trace of anger or humiliation, only genuine gratitude.

This left Saliman utterly confused.

Her serpent hair bristled; one small snake, normally shy, lifted its head, eyes filled with disbelief as it stared at him.

After a moment, she collected herself and recited the pre-memorized lines for breaking an engagement.

“I bear no personal grudge against you. It’s just that we’ve never met, yet a lifetime bond was arranged for us. Isn’t that a bit abrupt?”

Her words flowed smoothly—the first half was truly her thought, but the second half hinted at something else.

“I have a suggestion. We are still young. Could we spend some time together, see if we are compatible, and decide three years from now if this contract still holds?”

Three years here, three years there—the gap in status and identity would only widen, and eventually, the engagement would dissolve.

By then, a little money and help with work would suffice as compensation.

“No need. Cancel it outright. I have things to do. I’m leaving.”

With that, Leon turned and walked away.

Saliman was stunned. She had expected a man who clung like a leech, but now he was astonishingly carefree.

Suddenly, a strange fear gripped her heart. As a mind reader, she sensed lies and disguises.

Could this be a trap? A long game? Or…

This was not mere paranoia. She had endured too many betrayals and deceptions, and possessed special abilities in this realm.

Perhaps this was yet another plot against her. Maybe her “fiancé” had been bribed by political enemies. Or maybe this was his way of deceiving her.

Clenching her silver teeth, she gripped the crystal pendant in her right hand.

“Soul power, do not harm me…”

The extraordinary power of the soul, amplified by the artifact, activated. A faint silver glow bathed her eyes, and her already seductive voice took on a hypnotic, magnetic tone.

“Wait a moment. Do you have urgent business? Am I so repulsive that you cannot even spare me a conversation?”

“…No. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I do have something urgent—I’m rushing to fight evil.”

His lighthearted words carried humor and warmth.

This was undoubtedly the truth. Leon’s time was limited; he needed to quickly raise the hero spirit’s favor and conserve as much extraordinary power as possible.

Beneath Saliman’s composed exterior, a genuine voice echoed.

“You are beautiful, but it has nothing to do with me. I’m eager to fight evil.” Leon’s deep voice revealed his truest feelings.

The serpent woman stiffened completely. His inner thoughts, revealed by her extraordinary mind-reading, matched his playful words exactly.

This man was truly genuine.

Yet her unique ability allowed her two more questions—she would not waste them.

She gritted her teeth and pressed on.

“You seem in a hurry. Do you require my assistance? You should know, my family still wields some influence in this city…”

“I am indeed in a rush. I really must do some good and fight evil… Your power means nothing to me. Honestly, before coming to this city, I knew nothing of you or your family. No matter how great your strength, it won’t help me.”

His inner voice expressed slight annoyance.

“Don’t waste my time. I never knew you or your family before. No matter how strong you are, it’s irrelevant. I must seize every minute to fight evil. You can go play elsewhere.”

This frank disdain unsettled Saliman but somehow comforted her.

Could it truly be that this was not another scheme against her?

Since gaining her powers, this was the first time she had encountered someone so consistent inside and out.

Apparently, in his eyes, the fight against evil trumped the wealth and beauty she represented.

“Your condition seems poor… Could it be that you have no interest in women?”

The question bordered on offensive—as if asking outright, “Are you gay?”—but it was the only possibility she could conceive.

“Heh, maybe.” The man was somewhat annoyed and unwilling to elaborate.

For the first time, his words and inner thoughts diverged, confirming the effect of Saliman’s soul-reading ability.

“I’m not gay. Of course, I like beautiful women…”

Beneath his disdainful expression was unwavering resolve.

“But now, I will lose this power in just half a month. My time is limited.”

“Beautiful women are fine, but they only weaken my resolve and slow my justice against evil!”

With only two weeks left of strength, and instead of hoarding wealth, he aimed to fight evil? What a strange creature! Was he even human?

Saliman felt her worldview shatter, yet oddly, she found solace in this man’s unwavering sincerity.

“He truly doesn’t need me. Nor does he intend to use me.”

She pondered saying something more, but before that iron will, words seemed futile.

As Leon prepared to leave, the Radiant City’s dazzling pearl—who was reputed to detest male contact—grasped his arm.

She produced a sealed letter.

Originally intended as a final severance—“Take this money and stay away from my daughter”—it now became a gift born from glimpsing his pure heart.

“You likely have no home or money here… Even fighting evil requires shelter and supplies. Stay in this room for now…”

“This is too generous…”

After some modest refusal, Leon happily took the offer and slipped away—turning down a free home from a wealthy woman was foolish indeed.

He sensed this might be a “take the money and go” ploy… Well done. Bring it on!

He desperately needed seed money; he could repay later once he had the means.

After he left, the third party, Talia, spoke in shock and disbelief.

“He just left like that?!” This was Saliman Sudar—the city’s most brilliant pearl—and Leon simply walked away?

“Yes. He doesn’t care…” Watching his unwavering retreat, Saliman felt dazed.

The thought that the chains that had bound her for years vanished so lightly, and that her nightmare mattered little to others, stirred complex emotions.

“Leon Sudar…” She now remembered the name of the justice-driven “Knight of Righteousness” etched in her mind.

Perhaps she could try to trust him.

As Leon hurried away, truly pressed to uphold justice and boost synchronization rates,

[If the synchronization and satisfaction levels reach a certain point, the hero spirit rejoices and may grant a soul technique or soul trait…]

This was the grand prize he hoped to claim within his remaining fortnight—a source of great power for a hero.

Soul techniques are the heart’s origin, the most unique part of the self.

On the path of the extraordinary, soul techniques complement the physical and professional skills, revealing unique traits or talents when the body and abilities reach a certain level.

Soul techniques embody the being’s total abilities and personality—not necessarily the strongest, but absolutely unique, infinitely evolving, and the cornerstone of power most suited to the individual.

Leon did not yet know he had just been struck by the very soul technique he longed for.

[Soul Power: Do Not Harm Me (Silver): Inquire into the target’s true feelings about oneself (Saliman), receiving an honest answer.]

[Note 1: The target must have thoughts related to oneself; the more focused the target, the better the effect.]

[Note 2: The target must respond verbally or through action to reveal their inner truth.]

This was why Saliman had dressed so elegantly—to compel Leon to look at her seriously and answer her inquiry, enabling the use of this ability.

Its origin lay in the mind reader’s “Perceive Malice,” but enriched by her soul power to achieve this subtle form of mind reading.

Thanks to this power, Saliman had earned a reputation as a mind-reading enchantress in commerce, paving her way to becoming a magnate with a secure foundation.

Yet awakening a soul technique often meant inner turmoil and reckoning—not always a blessing.

[Saliman: Why do you all deceive me? If you had told me the truth from the start—whether about family inheritance or heirlooms—I would have given it up willingly. If I had a choice, I’d sacrifice wealth and honor to return to the days when I had family and friends…]

Now, what fueled Leon’s drive to act was the soul power of the hero spirit Surl.

[Soul Power: Wall Breaker (Gold): Your will is your hammer. By channeling your will and anger, this extraordinary power can partially bypass the enemy’s defenses.]

[Can unseen evil be ignored? Can crimes behind walls be covered by deaf ears?]

[No, never—The last words of the “Pure Justice” on his final day.]

Though simple in description, this power was terrifying. In its era, it was known as “Justice Unstoppable.”

Ordinary knights could detect evil but not to the extent of ignoring defenses so completely.

Most extraordinary powers depended on the enemy’s resistance; this ability to see through armor was rare and had low success when the target wore protective items.

But in Surl’s hands, noble-born defenses and magical artifacts were meaningless.

Leon sensed that even while swinging his sword, he still wielded this power; otherwise, his frail body couldn’t have cleaved through armor so effortlessly, slaying foes like children.

[Surl: Unstoppable justice? No, I’m just a coward. I only want to tear down that wall—the one that blocked me in countless nightmares… Mother, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…]

——

Time rewound slightly. This was hours before Leon met his fiancée, unaware of events unfolding.

He did not know his sudden troubles were tied subtly to the city’s internal strife.

The Radiant City had risen anew after the great calamity, famed for its extraordinary material industries.

With these emerging industries, a tumultuous era had come—old royal nobles clashed beneath the surface with rising nouveau riche aristocrats.

In short, as production transformed, the new nobles beat the old, vying for power and industry shares. The new nobility, wielding real power, walked with arrogance in the Radiant City.

Yet today, the mood of the new noble, Baron Labor, soured by sudden news.

His son was dead!

“Died in such a dishonorable way…”

Death was one thing, but the shameful manner of passing disgraced the Labor name, fueling the baron’s rage.

Just yesterday, in the dock district, his third child—a wild, undisciplined brat—was found to be a serial killer from the slums!

Caught red-handed by a meddlesome wild paladin, he was executed on the spot!

How reckless! That was a Labor heir! How could a commoner dishonorably execute him?

The carefully maintained calm shattered, his multifaceted eyes trembled with hatred.

Normally, if his child died so, the killer would already be dead… but now he could not erupt in fury.

“I heard of your son’s misfortune. Truly saddened…”

The woman seated at the table—a viscount from the old noble Sudar line—had come to offer condolences.

On the table lay a property deed—an asset in a commercial district—a “condolence gift,” or rather, “compensation.”

Some things need not be said outright. The viscountess spoke only trivial pleasantries.

In a few words, she expressed sympathy and sorrow for the “victim.” Was it consolation? No.

“The culprit is also a Sudar. I stake my word on this. Now, will you accept compensation, or wage a full war?”

This was the unspoken message beneath the noble’s kindly veneer, from the serpent beauty smiling sweetly before him.

Saliman Sudar, viscountess, a legendary political and commercial prodigy.

Young yet strikingly successful in several high-stakes gambles, she had consumed several bankrupt noble houses to rise, reviving her family and gaining the support of the city lord’s royalist faction. The old nobles sneered behind her back, calling her a venom-tipped temptress, a dishonorable traitor.

After all, the Sudars were newcomers, part of the new nobility.

At this hostile meeting, she smiled as always, but her words struck at Labor’s weak spot.

“By the way, the princess may visit soon. I should receive her. She’s quite interested in your weaving factory. Perhaps you might invite her for a tour… She’s also fond of curious cases and crimes. Maybe you could gather some stories to share with her during the visit.”

In this friendly invitation lay a subtle implication.

Your son’s death was utterly disgraceful—perhaps a stain on the Labor name—you wouldn’t want things escalated to the point the royal family intervened.

In the end, Baron Labor sighed. Revenge for his son would have to wait.

His industrial plans were still underway; too much attention from above was ill-advised.

“Thank you for your concern. No need to invite the princess. No need to stain her eyes and ears…” His face stiffened as he accepted the compensation; his multifaceted eyes glinted with unhidden rage.

Opposite him, the enchantress smiled purely, her innocent expression befitting her youthful age—still a girl who should be in the academy.

Hours later, the charming Sudar viscountess, having settled the “fiancé” issue, stood in the police station’s reception room, struggling to force a smile.

She looked at the man before her—the one destined to be her lifelong partner but who had caused trouble upon first meeting.

She had prepared many contingencies for a clingy, immature, or violent man, but never imagined encountering a true old-fashioned knight, a strange fellow who preferred justice over beauty and wealth.

“Such a man shouldn’t deceive or harm me…”

The mind-reading enchantress, facing the straightforward lizard knight, inexplicably felt a flicker of reassurance.