Chapter 32: A Master’s Offer

Possessing a tall, yet not bulky, physique, Yalin found it momentarily impossible to discern their gender.

However, judging by their practiced movements, this individual was clearly no ordinary person.

‘Could it be those people from the Church?’

Yet, Nabel had been incinerated without a trace, leaving Yalin to doubt his identity would be exposed.

Slowing his pace, he turned and stepped into a dim alleyway.

Having been targeted, he harbored no intention of fleeing.

Though, even if he had truly wished to escape, he knew it would be futile.

After a brief wait, a shadow suddenly flitted through the deserted alley.

The shadow swiftly darted into a patch of darkness, only to emerge moments later with deliberate steps.

Throughout, Yalin’s gaze never once left their form.

Her presence already detected, she saw no further need to remain concealed.

“I wonder, what business does this beautiful young lady have with me?”

Yalin asked, spreading his hands, his voice radiating an innocent charm.

While “young lady” was merely a wild guess, if he was going to be stalked, he much preferred it be a beautiful girl rather than some hulking, unkempt brute.

“You are more astute than I imagined.”

The woman concealed beneath the black robe spoke.

Her voice was icy, devoid of almost all emotion save for an undeniable haughtiness.

Her tone alone seemed to conjure the image of a subtle curve gracing her lips.

“Yalin, age seventeen, residing in a two-story house in the west district of the slums, with one unmarried younger sister.”

“Originally a student of the Arcadia School of Magic, you later realized your lack of magical talent and transferred to the Alchemy School, where your interests lie in crafting alchemical materials and gold coins.”

“And of course, the most crucial detail… you appear to have ambiguous relationships with multiple women.”

Yalin: “…”

‘Holy crap! Doxxed! (TL Note: ‘He’ or ‘Hexi,’ a Chinese internet slang term referring to having one’s personal information dug up and exposed online, similar to doxing.)’

‘Seriously, sis, I just guessed your gender, and you immediately doxed my entire life story?’

‘That eager?’

‘You’re acting a bit ‘super female’ (TL Note: ‘Chao Ci,’ a sarcastic or exaggerated term implying someone is overly dominant, aggressive, or acting like a ‘femdom’).’

Yalin, who had initially believed he saw through her petty tricks, now realized she had thoroughly investigated him long ago.

He was utterly humiliated.

“Alright, you win,” Yalin conceded helplessly. “But I don’t recall ever doing anything to offend you?”

“You haven’t, indeed. I’m the one who has business with you.”

As the hood was removed, Yalin finally caught sight of her face.

A cascade of silver hair tumbled down, two pointed ears subtly perked, and her brown skin shimmered against golden irises, showcasing an exotic beauty in its full splendor.

She was a Dark Elf.

The Elven race dwelled in the Great Forest of Castia, south of the continent, worshipping the God of Life and Nature. They adhered to divine decrees, lived in harmony, and guarded the forest for generations, never venturing a single step away.

However, some elves, driven by a yearning for freedom, refused to be confined to one place for their entire lives.

They willingly renounced the blessings of the gods and departed their ancestral homes.

Stripped of the forest’s protection, their appearances underwent drastic transformations.

These elves became known as Dark Elves.

Having forsaken divine blessings, Dark Elves could no longer wield powerful nature magic, their strength even falling short of ordinary humans.

Consequently, most Dark Elves who escaped Castia faced near-certain death or severe injury.

Nevertheless, some, relying on formidable willpower and strength, carved out a place for themselves within perilous human society.

Case in point, the woman before him.

“Yufinika?”

Yalin recognized her instantly, his eyes widening in surprise.

“You know me, then this will be simpler,” Yufinika said with a faint smile.

Yalin felt a wave of embarrassment.

A legendary adventurer of Elanmia, capable of single-handedly traversing the Sunshadow Mountains with just a sword, striking down countless dangerous monsters from wanted posters.

It would be stranger not to recognize such a person.

“So, what could a revered adventurer like yourself want with an obscure nobody such as me?”

Yufinika’s captivating eyes narrowed like a snake fixing on its prey.

“It’s quite simple, I wish to be your master.”

“Cough, cough…”

Yalin nearly choked.

‘Wow, an alphabet game (TL Note: A euphemism for BDSM or other kinky activities often referred to by letter abbreviations) too?’

‘You’re really not even bothering to pretend, are you?’

“Miss Yufinika, your jest is quite out of line. Even Elanmia’s foremost adventurer has no right to casually enslave others, does she?”

“Or perhaps, you truly believe I’m the type of man who would do anything for money?”

Yalin stared at Yufinika, his voice laced with coldness.

‘Joking aside, even if he were a simp (TL Note: ‘Tiangou,’ literally ‘lick dog,’ a slang term for someone who fawns excessively over another, often for romantic or sexual attention), he wouldn’t simp for just anyone.’

‘Every client required rigorous selection and evaluation.’

‘Otherwise, if he encountered a lunatic who might stab him in the kidney, it would hardly be worth the trouble.’

“Oh? And are you not?”

Yufinika’s tone remained noncommittal.

Her figure suddenly blurred.

Before Yalin could even blink, a gust of wind swept up, and Yufinika instantly closed the distance, seizing his wrist and forcefully pinning him against the wall.

Her speed was so astonishing, it was twice that of Celeste.

Yalin found himself utterly immobilized, pressed firmly against the wall in a somewhat humiliating manner, unable to move even an inch.

Even at such close proximity, Yufinika’s stunningly beautiful face showed not a single blemish.

“I know a great deal about you, you see?”

Her slender fingers lightly brushed across Yalin’s chest.

“Both your mentor and the young lady from the Astria family have had ambiguous financial dealings with you, haven’t they? If that’s the case, why shouldn’t I?”

“My looks are no worse than any of theirs, and what’s more, I can offer you a higher wage than them.”

“Don’t you want money? From your black market transaction records, it appears you’re trying to synthesize some high-grade alchemical materials.”

“But if you work for me, I can provide you with any material, including those unobtainable in the black market.”

“What do you say? Isn’t that worth considering?”

Yalin remained silent.

“Are you truly unmoved even in this situation? Is it genuine composure, or merely… an act?”

Yufinika’s red lips parted slightly, her warm breath caressing Yalin’s neck.

‘Heh heh… unmoved?’

‘Joking aside, if he hadn’t managed to hold it together, he would have instantly cried out “Yes, Master!” (TL Note: ‘Hai Zhuren,’ a playful expression of submission, often used in BDSM contexts).’

‘Because there was simply no denying it—she was offering far too much.’

‘Moreover, every single offer perfectly struck Yalin’s pain points.’

‘He had been saving money precisely to purchase materials for synthesizing catalysts.’

‘However, some materials were not only astronomically expensive but also incredibly rare, impossible to acquire even with money.’

‘In desperation, Yalin had been forced to use cheaper, black market materials as substitutes, a compromise that inevitably led to significantly diminished results.’

‘But if he became Yufinika’s “dog,” all the aforementioned problems would be effortlessly resolved.’

‘The temptation was simply too immense.’

Gazing into his dark pupils, Yufinika slowly released her grip, a playful glint appearing in her captivating eyes.

“Excellent. I find myself growing fonder of you by the moment.”