"So, how have you been?"
I asked to Marlene as I sat down, right now she had a serious expression on her face as she looked at me, we were right now meeting secretly in her room, next to her sat Catherine with a similar serious expression, they were looking at me as if they were waiting to swallow me up, well it's expected after the shocking thing I talked about,
"Stop with the games, tell me, are you willing to spill the location now?"
Marlene asked me with an unusually serious voice, Catherine didn't have her joyful smile as she kept staring at me, probably waiting for any moment to use her special power on me, but doing so would incite a huge problem, yet I am sure that Catherine would do it in a heartbeat, leaning myself back as I became comfortable I spoke,
"Yes, I will tell you the location of the trident of the sea but...."
At my first words, both Marlene's and Catherine's faces relaxed but hearing my but both of the stiffened again, and their expression turned for the worse,
"I need some more help"
"You!"
Catherine's face turned livid while Marlene's one became more solemn, well its normal after all the trident I spoke about is something that has been lost in the sea for ages, the one wielded by Xavier as he joined all those that live below the water, a legendary weapon similar to Durandal, one that represents the sea.
In the current age no one knows its location, it was ironically lost in the sea, or more appropriately it's being hidden by Xavier, he was supposed to pass on the location to his descendants but he unluckily ended up being corrupted before it and now the only one who knows the location of the trident is.....me.
This was a mixture of the game knowledge and the one that Xavier passed on to me, I knew about this as it was the arc in which we head to the sea with Marlene helping her to find the weapon while getting her heart, the only problem was that its location was a bit difficult for me to pinpoint and the system was asking me an exorbitant price for its location.
Luckily Xavier passed on the location of the trident to me before he turned to golden particles, thus resolving a problem of mine and I have been using that as a leverage for myself, why else would Marlene go against half of the demons for me? this weapon was imperative to her and because of it I have some control over her.
Just because Marlene looks good right now doesn't mean that the things back at the sea is okay, a huge play for power is taking place underwater and the royal family knows of it, if Marlene could get a hold of the weapon then all of this would go away, right now the location of that weapon is more important to her than anything,
"Do not use your power on me, I promise you, you will regret it"
I said looking at Catherine whose mana was getting quite chaotic, seeing it I understood that she was about to use her voice to charm me and I don't like it one bit,
"What else do you want?"
Marlene asked as she calmed down Catherine, I smiled at her calmness, normally I should tell her the location earning more of her goodwill but why the hell should I do that? I have such a juicy bait on my hand, shouldn't I use it to earn more rewards for myself? I am not retarded enough to give up such a good opportunity for some affection.
Being a simp all the time isn't going to work, plus it's not like they hate me now, instead, I am sure that Marlene now has a better evaluation of me, the reason is simple, she likes strong and upfront men, if you are a simp congratulations then you are friend-zoned but if I am a man with spine and ambition then I have her interest.
She's the kind that would take the front in a battle, a battle maniac just like Nyla, the stronger you are the more attention you have, as for Catherine well I have special plans for her,
"It's nothing much, first I want a favor of the sea"
"You know the weight of your request, right?"
Marlene asked back with narrowed eyes, the favor I am asking is one from the sea, it means that when the time comes the whole of the sea would have to move at my request, I smiled at Marlene's gaze,
"Don't worry there will be restrictions in it, like the fact that I won't ask for war, that the favor I make won't be determined to the sea and stuff"
"I will have to think about that"
"Sure take your time"
Marlene nodded her head,
"And...that's all"
I said with a wink making both of them dumbfounded, and seeing me chuckle only made them more irritated,
"Are you sure, that's the only thing you want?"
This time Catherine asked, to which I nodded my head,
"Yes, maybe I could get more but then its better if I get something else instead of it"
"What's that?"
Marlene asked, I smirked at the question as I pointed at both Catherine and Marlene,
"Both you're friendship"
My answer startled them but then they calmed down, soon they started to look at me with a bit more respect, they had understood the deeper meaning of my words,
"Sigh.....really, any normal man would jump to give us that information"
Catherine said with a helpless smile, a part of her joyful self returned,
"Well, I am no ordinary man, I'm quite ambitious"
"That I can see"
Catherine said with a chuckle,
"You know, you're the first person to make both of us swallow in our anger, and take advantage of us"
Catherine said with twinkles in her eyes, no doubt planning to make some problem for me,
"Looks like I have something to brag for the rest of my life"
"You better!"
Catherine said with her chest puffed up, her voice more cordial even Marlene was more relaxed but I haven't let my guard down, after all, I did make them suffer some, especially with the demon issue, I am sure that there would be some revenge, not something too bad but something that I will definitely feel,
"Here is the location of the trident, only one with the true royal blood can enter inside, also I will be coming along"
"You will?"
Marlene asked me with doubt, as her eyes roamed the map that I gave her, even Catherine was looking at it intently trying to get by heart,
"Yes, you see I wasn't just given the map but also a certain right, if you truly want to succeed you would need me there"
"I see..."
Marlene nodded her head agreeing with my logic which was pure bullshit, it's just that I wanted to delay the trip for now,
"When can we leave?"
"We can do it during the Academies visit to the sea"
"That long....huh"
Marlene spoke with a bit more lowered voice, seeing it I knew that she wanted to go now but I can't let that happen, the trip to the academy is important after all,
"Then I will be going, have a good day"
Saying so I exited the room, leaving behind two thoughtful women.
