Karry looked straight into Louis's eyes.
Louis froze.
"How is this possible?"
The crowd behind him was frightened.
Karry slowly stood up from his bed. His eyes were glowing red.
However, his entire body was trembling and shaking.
"AAARGH!"
He screamed.
"Move back!" Louis shouted.
Suddenly, Karry charged toward them with the intent to kill.
"Jikki! Order him to stand down! His seal is not gone—he has lost his mind!"
"Yes!" Jikki immediately replied. "I order you, my slave, to stand down!"
The moment those words were spoken, the seal on Karry's arm darkened.
"KGHH!"
Karry fell to his knees.
Louis stared at him carefully.
"Even though he is the holder of that eye, he is unfortunate because he is infected. Just like our superior ancestors, they were able to hold back their infection through this power, but they still died after a decade while enduring its pain. That eye requires the blood of infection. It is my first time seeing a slave possess that eye, and the slave seal cannot be undone simply because of it."
Jikki looked worried.
"What should I do? I haven't even asked him what reward he wants."
Louis nodded.
"You should prepare yourself. He may ask for it."
Jikki lowered her head shyly.
"That's why I selected him."
Louis sighed.
"What a particular individual."
However, his thoughts were elsewhere.
This may bring our temple to a higher status. I need to hope that this slave will make us worthy of the Sand Emperor's direct order.
Meanwhile, Karry remained where he was.
His body was still trembling, but somehow he managed to endure it.
Slowly, the crimson glow faded from his eyes and they returned to black.
Karry's thoughts:
I don't know what happened to me.
I can sense the monsters.
I can hear their land.
I can understand the sand calling to me.
My instincts have become like those of a beast after awakening this eye.
Something inside me has changed, and I must control it.
My eye must not appear before Jikki again.
Then he paused.
Oh... I don't have to worry.
She can use the seal command on me.
Looks like I was worried for nothing.
A short while later, Jikki entered the room.
Karry was calm because his eye was no longer active.
"Well, there is no trigger right now because it is not a major order related to the reward," Jikki said. "But tell me, what is your reward?"
Karry hesitated.
"Well, mine is..."
Jikki immediately looked away.
"It is for my body, right? I was prepared. I even thought about giving you a small preview as a reward."
She started removing her clothes one by one.
Before she could continue—
"That's not what I wanted!" Karry quickly interrupted. "Please wear your clothes."
Jikki froze.
Then she looked at Karry and immediately ran into the next room in embarrassment.
Karry covered his face with both hands.
His face felt hot from embarrassment.
If she had continued, I don't know if I could have endured the strange instincts inside me.
Thankfully, I managed to endure this eye awakening.
But I need to stay focused.
I should use this wish for the Sand Sword Techniques.
I must not forget my mission.
A few minutes later, Jikki returned.
Her face was still red.
"Sorry about that, but I was prepared. You know, I thought every boy would wish for that as a reward."
She sat down awkwardly.
"I only thought that because of conversations I overheard before."
Then she looked at Karry.
"But you were different."
Karry remained silent.
"You talked to me differently. You didn't want that as your reward."
She paused.
"But after you tried to attack Louis earlier, I thought you were charging toward me too. Louis was simply in the way."
Jikki shook her head.
"That made me think you were like the others."
Then she smiled.
"But thank you."
Karry looked away awkwardly.
Jikki laughed nervously.
"Now I almost wish you had."
Karry immediately replied,
"Don't make me do that. I won't do it."
Jikki quickly waved her hands.
"I am just joking! I only met you today. How could I do something like that after only one day unless it was part of a reward?"
Then she became serious.
"So, what do you actually want?"
Karry answered without hesitation.
"I want to study the Sand Sword Techniques."
Jikki blinked.
"Oh, you mean Sand Arts."
A smile appeared on her face.
"Okay. I'll teach you."
Then she pointed at him.
"But for that, you must obey what I say."
Karry nodded.
"As you wish."
[End of chapter]