Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 206 Granny

"You—are you an imbecile?"

An entire hour.

An entire hour had passed since Talia started releasing her fury; the cafeteria, now just completely unrecognizable from all of her unrelenting and unending attacks.

She stopped now, however, as she felt her breaths already clasping on her lungs; almost as if they were begging her to stop. The only thing she could really do was stare at the smiling Lowborn in front of her.

The irritation and frustration that Talia was feeling right now was at a level she couldn't even begin to explain anymore. Back when she was still at her prime, just the mention of her name would be enough to make a Lowborn quiver in their boots and shit their pants—no.

Even now, the terror that she had planted in these dregs of society should still linger and echo through the present times. She was sure of it. Even if she had been stuck in prison, being transferred from and to, she was sure the Lowborns still had nightmares of her. And yet…

…this Lowborn in front of here doesn't even avert his eyes away?

"I don't know," Rhys calmly shrugged while just nonchalantly looking at his hand, "You've called me so many things already, Talia. How about we just decide on one? How about…

…a friend?"

"You!" Talia once again raised her voice; almost gasping as she waved her arm again. Her age, now almost showing from her actions — even then, however, the already disintegrated floor still split in half.

This time, however, Rhys did not dodge at all and even stepped forward to meet the invisible blade. Well, Rhys did not actually meet the blade at all as it just dissipated before it could even touch a millimeter of his skin.

"You said you defiled Lowborns during the war?" Rhys then let out a small hum as he just looked Talia in the eyes, "For someone who thinks that my kind is disgusting, that's quite beneath you, no?"

"Your people are toys," Talia, even when clearly exhausted, still had a hint of arrogance and confidence in her voice, "To be used and discarded."

"Oh…?" Rhys then started looking around as he let out a small chuckle, "Ask everyone here who they think is being toyed with…

…you can barely even breathe without wheezing, Grandma."

Talia may have been one of the strongest people in the past—no. She may even be one of the strongest even today if given the right circumstances and avenues. But right now, Rhys was right about her being out of breath — and that was the only reason Rhys was acting this way; rugged, uncouth, and aggressive.

If it was a battle of stamina and attrition, no one, probably not even Arachnea could beat him.

For someone who used to be so high up in the food chain, being played by her food would make anyone feel extremely humiliated, but most importantly, vulnerable. Vulnerable…

…to what Rhys was planning.

Talia bared her teeth at Rhys as she once again almost hissed. Surprisingly, her teeth were still complete and even clean despite her old age.

"Defiling my kind during the war…" Rhys let out a small hum, "...I think I deserve to give them justice, no?"

"What are you—" Talia could really only hold in her already heavy breath as Rhys suddenly ripped off his shirt; revealing his body that was sculpted by the gods — and with his hair completely short and rugged, he almost looked like a beast ready to pounce on her at any moment, "You… you wouldn't dare!"

"Oh. If you think you're out of breath now…" Rhys smirked, "...Wait, 'til I'm done with you."

"No… no! Stay away, fiend!"

"I'm kidding, of course," Rhys then just let out a small chuckle as he once again looked Talia in the eyes before halting his steps, "I will not stoop to your level, Talia Talcott…

…I do not sleep with people who I think are beneath me."

"Me…" Talia's eye began to twitch, "...Beneath you? Who do you think you—"

"Rhys Wilder! Put your hand behind your head and kneel!"

And before Talia could say anything else, the guards finally arrived; fully armored and even carrying shields as they rushed to the cafeteria.

All of them made their way toward Rhys and surrounded him, completely moving around Talia to avoid her.

"Oh…?" Rhys did as the guards said as he kneeled, "Why are all of you going after—"

One of the guards hit Rhys's face before he could finish talking, but it did absolutely nothing at all.

"S…shut up, fish! You used your abilities without authorization!"

"I… used my abilities?" The only time Rhys actively used his abilities was when he cleared the cloud of dust and healed himself. Of course, it could be argued that his superstrength and abnormal senses and reflexes were a part of his abilities, but that shouldn't be the case — and in the first place…

…the cafeteria was destroyed by Talia.

"Pft…" Rhys then just let out a small chuckle as he looked at Talia while shaking his head, making sure he was hearing the mockery in his breath,

"...you needed saving from a Lowborn… pathetic."

***

"Spend 7 days here and repent for what you did!"

Rhys was thrown in solitary confinement — placed in a room that could barely even be called a room. For Rhys, it might as well be a coffin, quite literally since he could not even sit or stretch his arm from how small the space was. He could bend his knee for a little bit, but it would be better to just rest his back on the dirty wall.

Unfortunately for Rhys, his height did not help at all and he would probably spend the entire week standing up. Fortunately for Rhys… this was nothing to him, he would even consider it as rest.

The timing was perfect as well; throughout this entire process of him being incarcerated, he hasn't had the chance to be completely alone — there was consistent surveillance around him.

"Let's see…" Rhys then started looking around the small chamber as soon as his vision started to adjust to the dark, "...No cameras, that's good."

Rhys then let out a very long and deep breath before placing his hand in front of his chest. And soon, the temperature around the small room began to lower by perhaps a single degree…

…as a ball of water started to form on top of his palm.

Water control, Vicky's ability.

Throughout this entire process, he had been itching to test his newfound ability the moment he obtained it during his last interview.

The exact moment happened when he told the world that Emilia was still his sister — Rhys was confused at first as to how exactly that became the condition to fill the last remaining Heart floating above Vicky's head; maybe she was just a very family-oriented person, considering her background.

But it doesn't really matter for now, what matters is that Rhys could finally use it — and similar to Lina's Wind control, he knows how to instinctively use it; mastering it was a completely different thing altogether, however.

The ball of water started to change shape, turning flat before it hovered around Rhys. And then, with another breath…

…Rhys used the water to take a shower and clean the small room.

One would probably think this would smell bad, but not at all. The water produced by the descendants of Poseidon had a very sweet and fragrant scent.

There seemed to be another perk of having the blood of Poseidon; Rhys had heard of this but did not really think much of it, but now that he was in a situation where he had no choice but to notice it, he could not help but think of how useful it is.

He wasn't getting thirsty, at all. And not because he could practically conjure up water to drink it, but because he can't get thirsty at all; a Commoner probably wouldn't have the same perk, but Vicky was a Noble.

Most Commoners could also only control water, not conjure it up. Now that he had the ability of a Noble, Rhys could actually feel the difference firsthand.

And soon, the week passed and Rhys was finally able to stretch his arm as the guards opened the door. The guards, who were wearing masks to cover their mouths and noses from the incoming smell of feces and pee — but to their surprise, when Rhys stepped out of the small room…

…he looked even fresher than them.

They were actually also expecting Rhys to just drop to the ground there and then, but he just calmly stepped out as if he had just come from a very relaxing vacation.

"What the…" One of the guards could really only stare at the small room, only to see it cleaner than his own room. The guards even removed their masks as they caught a scent of perfume coming from the small room, "How did this—never mind. You, fish — go to the yard on your own…

…It's Free Time."

"Is... Talia going to be there, Sir?"