Chapter 3: Visual Impact

Sharvella quickly recounted the events of her first meeting with the young Lord two days ago.

The process was actually quite simple. Less than a minute after she entered his bedroom, Kaios lost consciousness. She then hurriedly called for the others to come in and fetch a physician.

During that brief window, she hadn't even had the chance to say a single word to him.

Listening to her description, Kaios felt even more certain that the original owner's sudden coma was highly suspicious. He hadn't told Sharvella about his amnesia yet, so logically, she had no reason to lie about what happened right before his collapse.

"Stand up first," Kaios said.

"Yes."

Evidently, the guards had followed his earlier instructions and washed Sharvella's face. She looked much brighter now, her facial features appearing even more delicate and beautiful.

However, Kaios noticed the heavy robe she was wearing. It looked rather bulky and completely unsuited for the current temperature. It resembled a thick winter coat, entirely unlike Old Pete's exquisite, breathable summer robes.

"Why are you wearing that? Aren't you hot?" he asked casually.

Hearing this, Sharvella looked down at her thick outer robe. As if recalling something, she gently bit her lower lip. Her face flushed as she whispered, "My Lord, you've just recovered... I was afraid..."

Kaios was somewhat baffled. "My body feels fine for now."

Sharvella gave a soft sound of acknowledgment. Taking a deep breath, she untied the belt of her thick robe and let the garment slip off her shoulders, falling directly to the floor behind her.

Kaios's eyes widened, and he froze on the spot.

Sharvella wasn't naked beneath the robe. She was wearing another outfit, but this outfit...

It appeared to be made of translucent black gauze. To Kaios, it looked like a full-body stocking, with intricate and delicate lace woven over a few key areas to barely conceal them, leaving everything else tantalizingly visible.

On her feet was a pair of mid-heeled black boots. The overall look was extremely visually striking.

Kaios instantly retracted his previous judgment. Even as an experienced man who had transmigrated from a world undergoing an information explosion, seeing this sight made the blood rush to his head and left him breathless. It was no wonder the original owner—who was born weak and had even been ordered to abstain from women until he turned eighteen—would react poorly.

The shock of seeing this could very well have killed him right on the spot.

"How is it, my Lord?"

"It's beautiful," Kaios said, his voice sounding dry and a bit airy.

Sharvella seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "You designed this outfit yourself, my Lord. I was worried I wouldn't have the chance to wear it for you to see... I wonder if I'm doing your design justice."

Hearing this, Kaios paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Are you saying that when you saw... me two days ago, I didn't see you in this outfit?"

He had assumed that even though Sharvella hadn't spoken to the original owner, she had revealed this getup. He never expected that she hadn't even taken off her outer coat.

Sharvella looked at him in confusion, momentarily forgetting to answer.

"Since waking up, I've forgotten many things, including what happened that night," Kaios explained. "So I need to confirm: after you entered the room, did you take off your outer robe before I fell unconscious?"

Sharvella shook her head blankly. "No. I didn't say anything or do anything. You just... you just collapsed straight to the floor, my Lord."

Now that was a problem.

Kaios frowned deeply. He stood up, paced a few steps, and then turned back to Sharvella. "Why do you think I fell unconscious?"

Sharvella's eyes were somewhat bewildered as she replied. "My Lord, haven't you always been nursing your health? You weren't supposed to look at women, which is why all the women in the manor and the city estate—whether guards or maids—must veil their faces. I wasn't allowed to see you either, until that day... I thought maybe it was because you saw me... so I blamed myself... My Lord, what did the physician say?"

Listening to her hesitant, stumbling words, Kaios realized her assumption—that the original owner had fainted just from seeing her face—was merely a natural conclusion drawn from her ingrained beliefs and Old Pete's accusations.

"Put your coat back on first," Kaios said, averting his gaze. That body and that nearly transparent outfit were far too tempting. Even if he intentionally restrained himself, it was hard to think clearly.

While Sharvella put her thick robe back on, Kaios returned to his seat at the table to ponder the information he had gathered so far.

He had just asked Harvey about the physician's diagnosis, as well as the assessment made by Dominic the Great Mage, which Old Pete had mentioned earlier. Harvey had said it was some sort of trauma to the heart and soul; in short, it was related to the original state of his body, there were no good solutions for now, and it boded ill.

Kaios wasn't too clear on the original owner's interpersonal relationships. However, based on what he knew so far—a young and sickly Lord had just inherited the family estate, only to fall into a near-death state immediately after; he lacked direct blood relatives but had a multitude of collateral relatives; and there was a mechanism allowing collateral relatives to petition the Holy Protection Alliance to transfer ownership of Soul Contracts—these facts alone made it incredibly hard to believe that the original owner's sudden, life-threatening coma was free of foul play.

Looking at Sharvella, who had dressed herself again, Kaios suddenly asked, "How far are you from becoming a Martial Saint?"

The question caught Sharvella off guard. It took her a good while before she replied uncertainly, "My Lord, I am currently Level 8. I'm a Middle Tier Spiritual Energy Warrior. I need at least another 4 levels to reach Martial Saint..."

"How does Level 8 rank for someone your age... how old are you again?" Kaios asked.

"I just turned sixteen, my Lord. We share the same birthday. If we're strictly talking about Spiritual Qi and Spiritual Techniques, I'm considered quite talented among Spiritual Energy Warriors who didn't come from an academy."

"What do you mean by 'from an academy'?" Kaios asked.

"It refers to Spiritual Energy Warriors or Mages who graduated from the Holy Protection Alliance's Sacred Heart Academy. They mainly work for the Alliance, joining the Punishment Knight Order and such," Sharvella explained. Fearing she had been too modest and imprecise, she quickly added, "Actually, in terms of current combat prowess, I'm not any weaker than academy graduates of the same age."

Kaios nodded. "From now on, you'll be my guard."

Sharvella blinked her beautiful, large eyes in confusion. "My Lord, I was already meant to become your Personal Guard after you turn eighteen..."

Mid-sentence, she suddenly remembered Kaios saying he had forgotten many things. Her expression grew increasingly joyous. This meant that even though the Lord remembered nothing, after seeing her, he had once again chosen her to be his Personal Guard!

"Rest assured, my Lord! Sharvella will definitely become a Martial Saint as quickly as possible and protect you well!"

Kaios didn't know the significance of the title "Personal Guard" to Contracted Servants in this world. Right now, he didn't have the time to investigate where Sharvella's obvious joy came from, because he had much higher-priority issues to resolve.