"Even the shittiest of luck comes with an expiry date, Eren. Mine did when a certain someone stumbled into this separate dimension."
She paused after a few minutes and continued in a voice that was laced with amusement:
"Arthur Renar was in the C-Rank at that time. On the verge of achieving his breakthrough. It seemed that he had been stuck in that rank for quite some time.
So he decided to achieve a forced breakthrough by adventuring into the unknown. That's how he found this place, by his and my sheer luck. Fufufufu!"
Eliza looked upbeat when she thought of how her plan to revive herself was rebooted after Arthur's arrival.
"That idiot entered the first floor of the C-Rank tower and faced his tribulations. Additionally, he made it to the next rank and survived seven days on the first floor.
Ideally, I wouldn't have bothered meeting with him. I might have killed him to vent my frustration."
Eliza said and shook her head. Then she sighed in irritation before verbally marching on:
"The world had moved ahead and changed so much while I was inside here. Creating a "clean slate" was even more difficult now than before. Plus, now I would have to be wary of newly risen Sages as well as the old monsters that could be aware of my identity.
Then I looked into Arthur's memories through the dungeon's mechanism and found out he was a duke-to-be candidate for the Edinburgh kingdom. I realized then that I'd need someone of at least Arthur's status to make things happen without worrying about exposing my identity outside.
Hehe! That day, I found the right pawn in him who could invest his wealth and resources in my project. I made Layla meet him and offer him a deal he couldn't resist."
Eren saw a smile sprout on Eliza's face when she said this. He knew this smile. It was the same smile he used to have when his machinations on a group of people were about to become fruitful.
"A ranker's progression after they break into B-Rank and above is heavily influenced by their progress in the way of the elements. I told him through Layla that I could help him expedite his progress into the way of the elements if he takes on the whole "clean slate" project under his belt.
I also told him he would have the true reward of the tower's first-floor clearance even if he was no half-blood, to begin with. Plus, he'd be able to get access to the old paths of magic that weren't seen in the continent anymore because of how complicated the politics of the ranking society had gotten.
I would provide the research roadmap for the whole project as well as the knowledge related to it, which my clan had gained in the past. He would just need to make sure the project ran smoothly and the outcome was delivered successfully to me."
Eliza chuckled as she said this. Eren came to understand how deeply woven Eliza planned to revive herself when he heard and understood how things had taken place.
"So this was enough to bait him?"
Eren asked out of curiosity. Eliza shook her head before continuing:
"No. The guy was too ambitious for his rank, I must say.
Arthur was finally sold when I told him I would allow a certain number of Anthropes and other human rankers to visit the separate dimension. That is if he kept the news of its existence within his circle.
He immediately entered into a binding contract with me through Layla. The project would eventually even out after he farms the place through other participants, he must have thought. This will enable him to get his hands on even more exclusive stuff.
The fish had taken the bait. Now I just had to reel it in slowly. He had access to just enough of the project's research content that could be used in the development of an artificial demon beast. I kept him waiting for the rest of the rewards."
Layla waved her hand and a statue of a seven-headed serpent appeared at the place of the giant's skull. It was half as big as the skull. But it looked eerie and had strange vibes attached to it.
Only the first head of the statue was facing forward. It looked like the rest of the heads were still asleep. Eliza continued while looking at the statue:
"This statue was the reward he most desired. This was what kept him on track. But it's not like the guy is completely loyal to the cause.
I know what is he up to. So it's fun to watch him trying to double cross me. I knew he was planning to delay on his part of the deal. He wants to use his bastard son as an example to test out and fulfil his own personal of goals. He wants to make him the half blood ranker of an artificial demon beast."
Eliza looked at the statue and smiled. She continued soon after:
"But everything had been still under my control. That was until the artificial beast managed to escape. I thought I would have to wait longer to find you through Arthur's hands. But turns out I didn't have to.
With you here, I'm one step closer to reaching my goals. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this."
Eliza thought of something and replied with a certain passion in her eyes:
"Hehehe!
The time I spent here was lonely, Eren. Have you ever witnessed such a long period pass by you?
I kept my mind busy by writing down my desires. Today, I've found my audience in you."
Eliza raised her right hand after she said that. Immediately, the green flames that were surrounding the duo disappeared only to get consolidated and wrapped around her raised hand.
She started speaking slowly. But the intent she had as a Sage ranker seeped through every part of the surrounding and made her voice echo inside Eren's psyche as he watched her and listened to her helplessly:
"Deep within me
I spark my fire
Let no man
Douse my desire
To soar the skies, I did try
For my lost pieces, my heart did cry
But I let that not stray me
I let myself not betray me
For I'll rise once again
From the ashes of those who I blame
A purge shall begin anew
When I light my Enderflame!"
AN: Lay your weary head to rest…
