Chapter 228 - Pleading
However, Valentina's expression became cold, as if the surprised gazes from the patriarchs meant nothing to her. She even paid no mind to Roy and Dennisa's bitter gazes as if they were just stray dogs who stare at passersby.
"Senior Azrael, what do you mean? How can she help our children?" Herwin Clive asked with an expression of disbelief.
Damien said directly, "Using her blood because of her Blood Seed. It has certain properties that could possibly alleviate the backlash of the pills Roy and Dennisa had taken. Of course, simply her blood is not enough as it would instead worsen their conditions otherwise. I need to concoct a new pill with her blood mixed into it."
The patriarchs looked at Valentina as if she was their sole hope. However, Valentina's expressions didn't change as she turned a blind eye to their pleading gazes.
Damien said in a firm voice, "Patriarchs, don't worry. I will concoct two pills using her blood and—"
Valentina vehemently shook her head as she interrupted him, "Sorry, Master. I cannot help those who tried to hurt Damien. I already agreed to your agreement, so you cannot force me to do this as well. You already promised me that you wouldn't force me to do anything else. I am prepared to accept any punishment from you."
Herwin and Harvey's expressions fell for the second time as they felt as if fate was playing with their hearts by giving and taking hope from them in succession.
"You insolent child! How dare you refuse your Master's orders," Damien raised his hand as if he was going to slap Valentina.
Valentina shrunk her head back as she shut her eyes close as if preparing to get slapped. However, her voice didn't falter as she said with her eyes still closed, "Master can punish me as much as you want, but I won't agree to this."
"You!!" Damien's tone became incensed, and his hand froze in mid-air as if he didn't know what to do with her.
"Sigh.." Damien let out a frustrated sigh as if he was having a hard time not knowing how to deal with this.
Herwin and Harvey were shocked and angry that Valentina was being so unreasonable and even refusing to listen to her own master!
They had never seen such an arrogant disciple who disrespected her master by refusing to listen to their orders. Masters were like gods to their disciples. Their every order was like a heavenly decree they should listen to unless they don't want to succeed in the Ethereal Way.
And Alchemist Azrael was no ordinary master nor a pushover. He was the world's most talented alchemist and a Peak Level Heaven Ethereal Realm practitioner just a half-step away from breaking through the legendary Profound Ethereal Realm practitioner.
Valentina should feel as if the gods took pity on her and blessed her for being the personal disciple of such a master like Alchemist Azrael.
But instead, here she was outright refusing to follow her master's wishes.
Damien said to the patriarchs in a weary tone, "It's my fault. Because I wanted her to break up with Damien, I forced her to follow my agreement, but at the same time, I also promised that I wouldn't force her to do anything else since I thought her love life would be the only obstacle. I never thought that such a situation would arise."
He continued, "Even though she is an unruly disciple, she is the only one I got and looked after as my own daughter. So I made that promise as compensation for her agreeing to follow the agreement. I am truly sorry about this, patriarchs. I am quite helpless here. Unless she is willing to help us, we could only wait and hope for the best."
The patriarchs didn't know what to think. Alchemist Azrael's words sounded convincing that they understood that Valentina was not simply his personal disciple but something more as well. They could see that it was hard for him to do something extreme to Valentina and force her to obey him.
After all, it seemed like they shared a father-daughter relationship, and if a father truly loved her daughter, would he be able to take extreme actions on her?
They already understood that Alchemist Azrael had to be forceful to make an agreement with Valentina that she would break up with Damien if Roy wins the challenge against Damien. And that seemed to be a huge sacrifice from Valentina's side, as they could see how infatuated she was with Damien.
But how was that all going to help them? They never felt so helpless ever before in their lives. Anything they wanted they could easily get by snapping their fingers, nor did anyone dare to refuse them.
But here, a young girl was refusing illustrious figures like them, and even if they wanted to, they couldn't force Valentina as she was not a nobody but the personal disciple of the Alchemist Azrael.
They already understood that Damien cared very much about Valentina, so if they behaved or tried to be rude with her, Alchemist Azrael might become hostile with them and thus, lose all hopes of saving their children.
Their power, status, and influence apparently meant nothing to her seeing her stone-cold face, and compared to Alchemist Azrael; they knew in their hearts who had a higher status. And apparently, they thought that Valentina was so arrogant because of her master's status.
Dennisa's fists shook as she tried her best not to direct her hatred at Valentina nor see the contempt and disdain in her eyes. She was reduced to a state where her fate rested in the hands of her enemy, and it was completely unacceptable to her.
Roy was not much different, and his face trembled seeing how strong Valentina's feelings were for Damien that she didn't even hesitate to refuse to help them.
At this time, he bitterly wished Damien to drop dead and directed all his anger at him for even existing in the first place.
However, both Roy and Dennisa didn't even move a muscle as they were too ashamed of their own appearances to look at Valentina and feel humiliated by her gaze, especially Roy, who didn't feel like a man anymore after having his manhood crippled.
Herwin and Harvey didn't know how to convince Valentina to help their children. They were only used to using force and coercion to make people listen to them, but this was a situation where they couldn't use their usual tactics.
The only option left was to beg. But how could powerful existences like them beg before a young girl, centuries younger than them? How humiliating and loss of face would that be for them even if no strangers were present in the room.
How could they lower their heads to a youngster when they have never done such a thing before.
But at the same time, the future of their families was resting on Valentina's hands, and she could either crush it with her hand or help them.
They were no fools and understood how much Valentina hated both Roy and Dennisa to the roots since they tried to torment Damien while Roy was trying very hard to make Valentina his woman.
With such hostility towards them, how could they convince her to help them?
But seeing her indifferent face, they knew the only chance they could save their children was by throwing away their arrogance, pride, and dignity to beseech Valentina to put aside her hostile feelings and help them.
So far in their lives, the people they had to plead, or bootlick were all supreme existences that one could count with one's hand.
But now, they were forced to contemplate whether they should beg a young girl.
With a sigh of helplessness, Harvey asked Valentina in a very polite tone, "Fairy Valentina, can you reconsider your decision? After all, they are your senior brother and sister studying in the same school. It isn't good to always maintain a bad relationship towards them, don't you think so?"
However, Valentina didn't even glance at Harvey, making his face go red in shame and anger. This is the first time he talked to a youngster this polite that even he felt strange talking like this.
He felt like choking Valentina on the spot and forcing her to help Dennisa but could only helplessly clutch his fists.
Herwin saw how Harvey just lost face and wondered if he should face such humiliation as well, only to get ignored by her. But thinking about Roy and the future of his family, he didn't want all that he had built over the centuries to go to waste. Even he had lost count of how much blood and corpses he had to step on to gain all that power.
How can he let go of all that for his pride and ego?
He tightened his fists and pleaded in a bitter tone, "Fairy Valentina, please help them.. They are our future, and I am sure you also don't want the sin of destroying the future of our families on your head."