«Stephanie, in exchange for both of your services, that is, your recent help in organizing my qualification and the next step of getting the papers I need, I will give you a copy of the movement technique that exceeds the Stone heritage by a large margin. It's not like mine, though. But the technique is quite decent, anyway.»

In fact, Kyon had been considering a way to earn money by selling a variety of techniques, including the ones from the Stone heritage. But it was a bit of a minefield. He could get himself executed, imprisoned or blackmailed. It wasn't a smart idea to enhance the development of his potential enemies. Anyway, he was still working on it...

The girl immediately perked up.

«Great! Wow! It's… It's amazing! I will ask my dad today. You'll get your papers in a couple of days.»

«Uh-huh. Don't tell anyone about it. It will be our secret, okay.»

«Okay.»

«Alright. Now you may go.» - Kyon looked at the door.

«But… I thought we were going to practice together!»

Kyon looked her up and down. The girl's outfit wasn't exactly appropriate for training.

«I've come straight from an important meeting!» – She hurried to justify herself, straightening her short skirt. – «I didn't have time to get back home when you called. Never mind. Please, let's practice. I don't think my outfit is going to restrain my movements so much.»

Kyon looked at the big clock on the wall, thought for a while and nodded.

«Alright. We'll practice for an hour.»

«But you promised we'd have some good practice!»

«I promised we'd practice together.» - Kyon snapped.

«Let's… Let's practice at least for three hours, ple-e-ease.» - She folded her hands pleadingly.

Stephanie understood that the technique of movements was a real treasure worth of all her efforts, but the opportunity was too good to miss.

Kyon rolled his eyes and agreed:

«Alright, we'll have three sessions, each an hour long.»

«Thank you, Kyon! Let's get started?»

The first session began. They didn't use any attacking techniques, only the battle fists and pure force to accelerate body movements. Kyon gave Stephany a head start in 12 stages of development to make faster, but even so, her skills weren't good enough to attack him or just to touch. She could feel his incomprehensible skills that made her heart beat faster.

Kyon noticed something strange going on during the fight. Stephanie was moving unnaturally smoothly and slowly. She seemed to be dancing, only her dance teacher must have been a cripple. Why the h.e.l.l was she taking such an absurd position? What for? Why sticking her a.s.s? Waving her hair like a broom... Are you alright, girl? Who are you trying to seduce here? You are not Juno! She is a wild cat that moves naturally, grace is in her blood! She could seduce anyone! You, however, are fake. You are no better than an old lame drunkard who decided to dance after the third bottle, revealing her talent of a dancer all of a sudden.

Kyon's eyelid twitched when the girl flashed her lace underwear. She couldn't help it, anyway. When Stephanie attacked him, she bent her leg, and her skirt had no choice but to pull up. And then again! Are you messing with me, scheming minx? Kyon didn't expect from Stephanie so a.s.sertive and at the same time so inept attempt at seduction, but he understood why she was behaving like this.

According to the logic reigning in this world, beauty was as important as talent for development. It should be emphasized in every possible way. Ladies often wore clothes that exposed their backs, shoulders, neckline. They preferred short skirts with stockings or tights. It was important not to overdo things, as Kara did at the party. But even in the case with Kara, no contemptuous glances had ever fallen upon her. Her beauty, status and most important power were the only things that mattered. She was too important and powerful. Even if Kara had arrived only in her underwear, everyone would be slightly surprised or embarra.s.sed, but they would never judge her. She was too authoritative.

Anyone who saw this n.o.ble and inaccessible beauty could only drool and desire her... Desire her! Hence the motivation to become stronger to get a more prestigious (beautiful) wife. The society encouraged any effort of development, which expanded the boundaries for the most powerful and beautiful creatures of this world.

Most of the girls, contrary to the above, are unwilling to show too much to the strangers or people out of their circle (which can not be said about demons), but they might use this secret weapon as the most insidious way of seduction. That's what Stephanie was doing right now. She was seducing the young mind of the mature and promising guy. Kyon was "worthy" in her opinion, so she stepped on pride and dignity to achieve her goal. Did she deserve to be ridiculed and despised? By no means. Kyon had already inwardly praised her nice attempt, but...

{You are not my type, fool.} – Kyon thought, shaking his head and continuing to pretend he didn't notice her eloquent and too explicit hints.

About half an hour later, the door opened, and Juno entered the hall, s.h.i.+ning like the sun. She was dressed in a tight training uniform that emphasized the curves of her slender body in a delicate, sensual way. Her long hair was in braids to keep it out of the way during the training. Juno's natural charm was so great that everything around her faded and lost the color. The slowly blossoming flower in her soul had only enhanced her magnetism.

After another cycle of energy recovery, Juno had come to work out in her usual gym (she always trained here in her free time) and decided to peek into the room a.s.signed to her a.s.sistant's training. Oh well, the nasty creature was there!

Juno's eyes were icy cold and hostile as she looked at her former servant. Stephanie realized that she was no longer alone with her target and hastily murmured:

«Well then, I'd better be going. So long, master.» - As Stephanie was leaving the room, she said goodbye to the patriarch's granddaughter as it should be.

Juno looked up and down at the frivolously dressed girl, her eyes hard with disdain. Then she turned her gaze on the hated a.s.sistant:

«You look so good together, master. You should marry her!» - Juno repeated the phrase she once said.

«Don't be so jealous, little sister.»

When Kyon a grimace of disgust on her cute little face, he grinned complacently.

«Never… Call… Me… Little sister!» - Her cold, arrogant voice was addressed to an ordinary servant whom she would gladly get executed right now.

Kyon was surprised at the nerve of the girl. Where did she get it? He had never given her a reason to humiliate himself... Except perhaps that slap that Bai had given him. She looked a couple of years older than she was. Kyon thought it was pretty funny, but he had put Juno in her place.

«Kneel!» - Kyon said imperiously.

Juno pulled away, startled.

«No…» - The arrogant girl started to object, but when she saw the evil grin on the face of her newly-acquired relative, she looked down at the floor. After a few seconds of hesitation, she knelt with a bitter expression on her face. Kyon came up to her and patted her head casually as if she was his obedient dog. - «Good girl. Never forget, you are just my slave and student, a pretty mediocre one. By the way, what happened to your manners?»

Her resentment and humiliation were so strong that she wanted to cry, but her att.i.tude had significantly changed over the past couple of days. She had firmly decided not to show her weakness, especially from the outside, and even more so, in front of him. That's why Juno said through her gritted teeth in a very firm voice:

«Officially, you are my close foster relative. I am not going to observe any good manners in your presence! ANY! End of story! Don't even start arguing with me, because I'm right! And don't you dare get me on my knees and pat me!»

Laurel laughed loudly. Juno had surprised him once again, breaking his expectations. He adored this trait of hers! She was truly unbreakable!

«Alright, I like your confidence. I also want to beat you to a pulp, but I won't.» - He wouldn't do it only because his energy didn't harm her anymore. Otherwise he would have beaten her hard today. Very hard. – «Let's make a deal. I'll turn a blind eye to your att.i.tude, give you ten thousand spheres and clear your key by ten percent. I will even tell you three secrets, you choose! All you need to do is to cause me any damage. At least a scratch.» - Kyon's sounded arrogant and dismissive. He had an extremely low opinion of her fighting skills.

Kyon's words hurt Juno, especially his mentioning about three secrets! She felt excited and eager to win. He had evoked her feeling of rivalry with Elsa. Juno had never defeated her sister, and it looked like a long-awaited chance, only instead of her sister, there was a self-confident villain in front of her.

Juno rose quickly from her knees and clenched her fingers into fists. Her eyes were burning with an urge for revenge and self-confidence. She looked like a hero who was going to defeat the last bad guy at the cost of her life.

Kyon studied her face with amused eyes:

«I am busy today, and tomorrow most likely, too. Alright, since my obedient slave-sister has come herself, here's a task for you…»

Kyon handed Juno a piece of paper and ordered to engage her servants to acquire everything according to the list. He would be expecting the delivery in his room tomorrow morning.

Juno's lips quivered, but she did not object. She looked at him as if he was a total nutjob and psycho. - {What is he going to do with fifty birds?!} – Juno was about to leave when she remembered something. She reminded Kyon through her gritted teeth that he had to clean her key. After he had done what she asked, she was gone.

Kyon made a tsking sound. "She is annoying." No, not like this. "SHE IS ANNOYING!!!" That's how enraged he was by the cheeky girl who constantly needed to get her key cleaned. If he hadn't been cleaning her key, she would have made a hundred more attempts to finish him off like then in the mansion. However, his talent restrained her like cage for a fierce, freedom-loving predator. He wanted to beat her up and torture her to death, but he had no way to show her at least a part of the former h.e.l.l. The elemental energy didn't affect her, so he had to play a role of the good-natured master. If he ordered her to fight without pure power and beat her with bare hands, it would arouse suspicions. What's the point of training in this way? To enhance the level of the battle fist? Development was way more important! Besides, Juno's body had become stronger. It was hard to leave even a little bruise on her, and even that would cause unnecessary suspicions. It was stupid to apply any painful holds. How could he punish her then?

And then a brilliant, fantastic idea flashed across Laurel's mind! Why didn't he think of it before?!