The Strongest Curse Master

"Delores, I'm pretty sure this isn't the way home," Ace said, frowning as Dame Wasp informed him that their route wasn't leading back to town.

Delores didn't bother answering. Instead, she suddenly shot up into the sky, piercing through the clouds and rocketing higher—hundreds of yards above them—before coming to an abrupt stop.

Just as she was about to interrogate him, as she had practiced in her mind all the way there—not that she needed to, but considering it was Ace, she decided it was necessary—she heard Ace murmur in awe, "It's beautiful..."

"We're not here for sightseeing," Delores snapped as she did one last careful scan of their surroundings, making sure they were far from any prying eyes or ears.

Satisfied, she turned to Ace, and with a sharp and demanding voice, she asked, "Come clean. How did you get your hands on a mutant rust worm that was cursed by Elinor's signature curse when you were with me—on the terrace—watching Elinor leave the city? And just so you know, 'I just happened to pick it up' is not the right answer."

Ace scoffed, shaking his head as if she were being ridiculous. "Whoa, what's with the third degree? It's not like I stole nuclear codes or something. You could've just asked me earlier."

Delores' glare hardened as she barked, "Then stop stalling and answer me." She didn't have time for his snark and couldn't help but think, 'Why can't he just give a straight answer for once?'

Ace sighed, then smoothly launched into his explanation—one he had carefully prepared and rehearsed in his mind beforehand for Elinor.

"I didn't pick it up. After I left you on the terrace, I ran into this weird, tall guy covered in full-body plant armor. He called himself Apex and claimed to be Elinor's friend. He handed me a wicker vase with the mutant rust worm inside, said it was cursed by Elinor, and asked me to pass it along to her. Apparently, the thing killed her friends, and she wanted to torture it to vent her anger or something. It sounded harmless enough, so I agreed."

Ace delivered the lie flawlessly—not a single stutter, not a single misstep, raising no doubt in Delores's mind if he was lying. Ace couldn't help but grin like an idiot, thinking he had gotten away with it.

But then, A deep voice, laced with an eerily commanding undertone, cut through the air like a knife, making both of them jolt, "I know for a fact he's lying."

"Holy crap!" Ace yelped, whipping around toward the source. It was Elinor's father. Ace's stomach dropped wondering if this guy has been following them the whole time? He couldn't help but ponder, 'Does a glorified Void-tier curse master really have nothing better to do than stalk us?'

"What the fuck are you doing?" Delores snapped, her voice sharp with genuine anger. She turned on the second prince of the McSuile family, her glare dripping with disgust. Without caring for proper etiquette, she asked him, "You were following us? Eavesdropping? Seriously?"

But the bastard wasn't even fazed. Instead, he grinned—ear to ear—like he was enjoying this. Ace squinted at him. Is this guy a masochist?

"It's been a while since you addressed me informally, Del," Elinor's father said, his tone almost… endearing.

Ace's eyes widened upon hearing Elinor's dad address Delores as 'Del.' He couldn't believe his ears. Then, a thought crossed Ace's mind as he glanced between them. Suddenly suspicious, he couldn't help but think, 'Are they... ex-lovers?'

Nonetheless, he dismissed that thought as quickly as it arose, recalling that Elinor liked to address Delores as her aunt, and the latter did not seem to object to being addressed as such. Thus, it implied Delores and Elinor's father were as close as siblings, but something had transpired between them, causing Delores to distance herself from Elinor's father, while he awaited her forgiveness until the present.

Delores's entire body went rigid upon hearing Elinor's father address her endearingly as 'Del.'

"You don't get to call me that," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Only my friends and family can."

For the first time, Ace saw true malice in her eyes. And that was when it hit him. Delores wasn't being polite to Elinor's father out of respect for his status. She just… didn't care about him. She treated him just like a stranger who also happened to be her superior.

Regardless of their relationship, there was history between them—something ugly and unresolved. And judging by the way she was glaring at him, as if she wanted to tear him apart, Ace found himself leaning even more strongly toward the belief that it was Elinor's father's fault.

"Fine. But that boy is lying." Elinor's father asserted with a firm voice. His gaze locked onto Delores as he added, "I know the man he's talking about, and he's currently in the custody of EAD Matthews. If you don't believe me, call her yourself."

Honestly, he wouldn't usually concern himself with something this trivial. But since his daughter was involved, he had no choice.

Based on what Senior Atticus had told him about his daughter—and what he had seen her curse spells were capable of firsthand—Elinor's father was starting to worry that his daughter might be taking shortcuts. Shortcuts that were taboo… even forbidden within their country and family.

From what he had learned so far, he knew for a fact that "Apex" had been with Elinor when she attempted to access the third underground floor during the chaos.

Later, Senior Atticus had taken Apex into custody, leaving Elinor in control of the third floor. By the time Atticus reached the eighth underground floor, he had handed Apex over to the Matthews.

Then, after Elinor left the city—having killed the mutated rust worm that had possessed Sir Beyton in his holding cell—Delores and Ace had literally watched her leave.

So how the hell could Ace claim that he had run into Apex after Elinor left the city?

His story just didn't add up. It was obvious to him that Ace was lying. But the boy didn't even flinch. And worse of all Delores seem to be more than willing to buy whatever he was selling.

"I have no reason to lie about this." Ace shrugged, completely unfazed. He even confidently permitted Delores, "Go ahead. Call Matthews."

Elinor's father narrowed his eyes at Ace, observing his confidence. He couldn't help but mentally compliment Ace for being a very good liar. However, he also wanted his daughter far away from scoundrels like him. That was the reason he pushed his daughter into the C.I.B., where he could monitor and control her every move without her realizing it. Yet, somehow, she ran into this parasite who had managed to attach himself to Delores and, most likely, Janice.

"No need. I trust you," Delores said, surprising Elinor's father—but not Ace.

Ace knew better. Delores didn't trust him. Not after all the times he had abused her trust for his own benefit. But right now, she seemed far more pissed at Elinor's father than at him. So, Ace figured she only said that to spite him. Still, he had no doubt that the moment she was sure Elinor's father wasn't spying on them, she'd double-check his story. Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

After that remark, without another word, Delores turned her board and shot forward at neck-breaking speed, heading straight for Ace's home.

But then—suddenly—she stopped. As if an invisible force had yanked her to a halt. It was Elinor's father. He was blocking their path with a pair of cold and intimidating eyes.

"You might trust him, but I don't," he said, each of his words as sharp as a blade's edge cutting through the silence of the night sky. "If I don't get the truth out of him, you'll have to leave here without him."

Delores's bosom heaved in rage, but before she could snap back, Ace sighed and cut in, "Delores, just call Matthews and be done with this. One call, and it'll be clear who's lying and who's telling the truth."

He said it so he could void the inevitable fight between Delores and Elinor's control freak of a father. He just wanted to go home—to crash into bed and forget this whole mess ever happened.

"Fine, I am only doing this because you asked me to," Delores agreed with Ace, making a point to show Elinor's father that she was not doing it to appease him but because Ace wanted to prove his innocence. And retrieved her cursed phone.

The coldness emanating from Elinor's father continued to intensify at a frightening speed, causing Ace to worry he might become collateral damage in their sibling conflict.

"Delores, what is it? Hurry, I am a little occupied here," Matthew's impatient voice sounded from the cursed phone's speaker. She seemed to be preoccupied dealing with the Samsara Cult and its nest of curselings.

"Is the boy Sir Atticus handed to you still in your custody?" Elinor's father asked while Delores struggled to find the right words to inquire about Apex. Matthew went silent, a little taken aback to hear Elinor's father, but still answered, "Yes, I locked him up in the holding cell on the 8th underground floor. Why? Is something the matter?"