Luck is a Charm

Curtis and Dorian experienced the pain for another few minutes before Zen snapped his finger again.

Snap!

"Now do you still think I'm bluffing you?" Zen glanced at them and asked calmly.

Foams were already popping out from Curtis and Dorian's mouths as they were still suspended in mid-air.

With much difficulty, both of them shook their heads and muttered, "W-We believed you, sir. P-Please, forgive our insolent behavior."

After that painful experience, Curtis and Dorian knew better that they had messed with the wrong person this time. One who is even more decisive and ruthless than the empress.

Zen didn't bother saying anything and released them from mid-air by signaling Cecilia secretly.

THUMP!

Curtis and Dorian dropped to the ground but they didn't dare to move even an inch in fear of irking Zen to torture them again.

"Hmm, now your attitude and behavior are more likable. I hate it when people act so cocky and arrogant toward me." Zen approached them as he commented.

Meanwhile, Curtis and Dorian cursed inwardly that it was clearly him that was acting arrogant and they were the ones that were humble the entire time.

Zen glared at them when he sensed their cursing at him. Curtis and Dorian shuddered as they really wanted to curse their luck on being their shift to guard the entrance.

If they weren't the one on duty then they wouldn't have approached Krista Dragoon and inform her that the empress wanted to see her as soon as she was spotted on sight.

Zen smiled lightly as he threw two papers toward them. "I don't think you're unfamiliar with these papers right?"

Curtis and Dorian swallowed their saliva nervously as they took a closer look at the papers. 

'S-Slave contract!' Curtis cried inwardly as he slowly picked up the paper whereas Dorian was struggling to hold it in his hand.

"I don't have all day so I'm going to give you 20 seconds to sign the contract otherwise, I will make sure you experience that pain again," Zen said slowly.

Afterward, Zen retrieved a knife and threw it toward Curtis. 

Zen watched as Curtis slowly picked up the knife and gripped it tightly in his hand.

Taking a deep breath to calm down, Curtis sliced off a little bit of his thumb, with blood started dripping down and Curtis quickly pressed his thumb on the paper, confirming the contract as it needed his blood to be active.

Blink!

The paper started blinking brightly before dissipating into dust and a symbol was placed in his hand. 

Curtis looked at the symbol before smiling bitterly. He was now a slave without any freedom and with one order from Zen, he must do his best to complete it even if he was ordered to kill his wife.

Curtis dropped the knife on the ground as he remained dazed and hopeless. 

Zen didn't care about his expression and tilted his head slightly to stare at Dorian since he still hadn't completed the slave contract.

Dorian trembled in fear when he felt Zen's gaze. At the same, he glanced at the lifeless expression on Curtis.

"It's over," Dorian mumbled softly as he retrieved the knife on the ground and did the same action as Curtis, slicing a little bit of his thumb and having the blood start dripping down before pressing it on the paper.

The paper blinked brightly before dissipating into dust like before and once again, there was a symbol placed in him but instead of the hand, it was in his chest.

'Oh, it seems like the symbol appears randomly and it's not always going to be in their hands.' Zen said inwardly when he noticed the location of the symbol wasn't constant.

Afterward, Zen clasped his hand together and asked Cecilia to come out now. Since they were no longer a threat, there was no point in hiding Cecilia anymore.

Cecilia appeared shortly after and stared at Zen, 

"The slave contract seems to be smooth and successful considering the amount of time you used," Cecilia commented and couldn't help but praise his fast conduct in coercing them into signing the slave contract this quickly.

"What can I say? I'm always efficient and these two are just fools as they can't even follow the correct ruler." Zen shrugged his shoulders, almost like the slave contract wasn't a challenge at all.

Cecilia sighed inwardly at his confidence. 

"Hmm, what are you two looking at me for?" Cecilia suddenly said as she turned around to glance at Curtis and Dorian when she felt their gaze.

Curtis and Dorian remained dazed as they couldn't believe their eyesight. 

"A-A heavenly beauty appeared out of nowhere. Heavens, I-" Curtis mumbled softly and before he could continue his nonsense, Zen kicked him in the face, causing him to crash 10 meters backward.

Dorian trembled in fear as he quickly avoided looking at Cecilia in hopes that Zen would spare him.

However, Zen was a generous man and would always give them equal treatment to make sure everything is balanced and fair.

Thus, Dorian also has his face stamped with Zen's feet as he crashes backward alongside Curtis.

Zen wasn't done with his torture as he ordered them. "The two of you start beating each other up and the winner gets to be spare from the next torture."

Curtis and Dorian were dumbfounded before glaring at each other with a fiery expression. The torture that Zen mentioned was not something they were unfamiliar with as they almost felt like dying but couldn't die completely.

Shortly after, Curtis and Dorian started shouting as they punched each other and grabbed their hair, almost like two women were fighting over a man.

Meanwhile, Cecilia twitched her mouth on the scene in front of her. 

She decided to smack Zen's head and exclaimed, "You better finish this as soon as possible because I hate it when people pollute my mysterious space."

Zen rubbed his head to soothe the pain and held a pitiful expression. 

"Weren't you used to torturing others before and your methods were even worse than mine?" Zen mumbled softly in a pouting tone.