RISE OF EROS

Castor's determined response surprised Andrew. While it was true that they had been friends since they were very young and were close, especially after the death of their respective parents, which brought them closer, they had always maintained their independence.

Certainly, they supported each other and were like brothers, but each always followed their own path, that is why he was surprised that Castor accepted so quickly, even though he had told him that he would practically have to follow him for life.

Despite all these thoughts, Andrew said nothing, and wanting to respond to his friend's trust in him, he stood up decisively and approached him, placing his hand on Castor's shoulder.

Like Oliver and Marie, Castor felt a strange force come over him, and soon after a large amount of information came into his head. He felt as if hours had passed, but it had really been seconds.

Shortly after Andrew removed his hand from Castor's shoulder, and the characteristic guardian seal appeared. Castor had already come out of his trance-like state, but he still could not speak as he was in shock from the information he had received.

It was a normal reaction because he had just learned that his childhood friend, with whom he had grown up and struggled in the slums of Calci, was actually a candidate for the god Eros.

Thanks to this new knowledge, he finally understood the reason why Andrew wanted to set up a brothel. From a very young age, Andrew had always had this ambition, and Castor as his friend had heard him rant his delusions many times, who would have thought he had achieved his goals?

Still, he never expected that all this was because he was a candidate for the god Eros. Now everything made sense, what better place to get what he needed as an Eros god than a brothel?

After a few minutes when Castor finished processing all this information, he looked at Andrew still amazed, but quickly returned to his usual attitude and said, "You had it well hidden. I thought you were crazy when you said you wanted to create the best pleasure house in the world."

Andrew laughed at Castor's comment, as it brought back memories of him as a child saying that, which to a child sounded like babble. Although Andrew had the mind of an adult from an early age due to memories of his past life, being reborn into this world as an infant, some of the innocence as a child still lingered and he would say silly things from time to time.

"Well, I understand many things now, but I also have many questions," Castor said putting on a strangely serious expression. "Ask away, don't hold back," Andrew said with a smile and Castor started asking his questions.

"I more or less understand about the guardian seal you granted me, if I understood correctly, I will strengthen myself through sex and eroticism right?", to which Andrew replied, "Yes, but the girls of the Heavenly Palace won't be of help, as they are kind of like my dependents, so they won't be of much help to you".

"I assume courtesans from other pleasure houses are the same aren't they?", Castor asked again and Andrew again replied with calm, "Well, since they are women who are in the business of selling their bodies, they won't give you much benefit, unless you find a very exceptional one."

Andrew paused and continued, "Simply put, they should be women of great beauty or special skills." Castor nodded in understanding and asked again, "So, what's this about the lover's pact that Brother Oliver mentioned?"

The way Castor addressed Oliver now had changed because as fellow guardians, they really were like brothers, so it sounded fitting, then Andrew explained.

"Since Oliver and Marie are a couple and at the same time holders of the guardian seal, they don't want to have multiple partners, so, to maximize their gains from the guardian seal, they will perform a ritual that will allow them to enhance each other."

"What do you intend to do?" asked Andrew already knowing the answer. "You know me, I prefer to be free, but if I find a suitable mate, I might consider such a pact," Castor replied just as Andrew had imagined he would.

"I figured you would say that. Still, I recommend you do as I do. Get a group of loyal wives because when I ascend you will too, and conquering a goddess will be complex up there, hahaha."

Everyone burst out laughing at Andrew's comment, even Oliver laughed because although his words were pretentious, they knew it wasn't entirely a joke. After a few seconds of relaxing, Andrew resumed his seriousness and said, "Well, since Oliver and Marie will be gone for a few days, Castor you're in charge of security."

"No problem," Castor replied seriously. After that, they talked about some other issues and ended the meeting. Oliver didn't want to stay away for too long, so he decided to finish the ritual quickly, so he informed Marie, and soon after they left.

Before they left, Oliver warned Castor of the spy hiding in the shadows. Both Oliver and Castor had noticed that there was someone watching them, but they had not been able to identify the spy, so he was very skilled and must have been on guard.

What they didn't know was that when Oliver and Marie left, Raven followed them, as Oliver along with Andrew was one of his main surveillance targets. Obviously, he would not leave Andrew unguarded while he followed Oliver, he left the same agent he had sent to follow Dino, keeping watch.

Although Raven might have a chance against Castor, he sensed that for a powerful expert like Oliver to get out, he must have gone to do something important, so he decided to follow him and thus lost any chance of infiltrating the Heavenly Palace, as the agent he left behind to keep watch, didn't stand a chance against Castor.

Oliver thanks to his perception, noticed that they were being followed, but did nothing, in fact, he preferred to be followed. He was not at ease knowing that a powerful stealth expert was stalking the Heavenly Palace, when he was not present.

Oliver and Marie were out of the city in no time and Raven followed, but when they were away, Oliver grabbed Marie and accelerated his speed and left Raven lagging behind who despite all his skill could not keep up with him.

Raven knew he was no match for Oliver, but he was confident in following him without being spotted, now he had noticed that he had underestimated Oliver. Although he tried to search for his whereabouts, he could not find him, and being away from the city, he delayed returning, buying valuable time for Andrew and the others.

While Andrew continued his activities at the Heavenly Palace as usual. He reviewed the accounts and supervised everyone's work, although it was not necessary, since with Victor at the helm everything was running smoothly.

On the other hand, in a hidden room inside the imperial castle, the two pillars of the empire were meeting. The room looked like a dungeon, as it had no windows and was dark.

There was only an old wooden table with two chairs and a small gas lamp that barely illuminated the place. "Demon, what is your move? Tripia's kingdom has openly attacked us on several occasions and I think we should retaliate," Arturios said in a stern voice.

Although the damage had not been much, the moment he heard that the beastmen and elves had been attacked Arturios was angry. He had lived for over a century and had good relations with these races, as they were very important in the empire, and that had bothered him.

He could no longer tolerate the outbursts of the Tripia kingdom and so he had sought out Demon to plan a counterattack. Arturios knew that Demon, although he offered himself as a slave to the king, was only doing so to gain his trust, as he worked from the shadows and anyone would have reservations against him if he simply showed up and said he was a loyal subordinate.

For better or worse, people in his line of work were not very trustworthy, but Arturios knew that Demon was loyal to the empire, perhaps even more so than he was, so he knew he must have a plan of counterattack and so he sought him out to find out what it was.

The expressionless Demon, as he never did, spoke, "Those assholes are being too arrogant. I have already sent my agents, in a week I will have information from them and form a plan of attack."

Arturios was not surprised to hear Demon speak because he had known him for a long time and although before the king or anyone else Demon would not utter a word, with Arturios he always shared his thoughts aloud.

These two were the pillars and protectors of the empire. They were the most powerful experts and although they were very different, their love for the empire was something they had in common, that's why they treated each other as equals.

"I see, I'll wait for your notification then. The little tricks from before can be let slide, but when he laid his hand on the beastmen and the elves, they sealed their fate," Arturios said in a resentful voice in clear restrained anger.

"That's not what you have to worry about. I'm quite clear on that," Demon replied with equal displeasure. Arturios upon hearing Demon's tone of voice retreated calmly because he knew that Demon would unleash hell on Tripia's realm.

No one knew this man's capabilities better than he did, and listening to him, he could understand that Demon was upset. Only the two of them knew in the empire that the beastmen and elves that resided in their territory were more than just herdsmen and farmers.

In fact, the empire was born of these two races. While the humans were the rulers, this was only in appearance, the beastmen and elves were not as simple as everyone thought, and not even the king knew the power they held.

While this was going on, deep in the forest where the elves resided, an ancient tree over 200 meters tall and as thick as a building, five figures were gathered around a plain wooden table.

These were the five elven clan elders of the empire and whoever saw them would be surprised because their power was no less than that of Arturios and Demon. Although elves were a long-lived race, these five had clear wrinkles on their faces, showing their advanced age.

"You may come out," said one of them in a soft voice, and from the shadows a hooded man stepped out, who immediately bowed to the five elderly elves. "I imagine you bring news of Demon," spoke again the elf who had just called him."

Although the pressure exerted by these elders was monstrous, the hooded man was not afraid because although he was a fly in their eyes, he was a special agent only meant to communicate with them, so he confidently spoke, "Demon told me to inform the elders that in a week he would begin to take action."

WORDS OF THE AUTHOR

Although it is only one chapter, it is a bit longer, I hope you forgive me.