The bell above the café door jingled as Elara stepped inside, her sharp gaze sweeping the cozy interior. The warm smell of coffee mingled with the faint, metallic tang of enchantment dust in the air. It didn’t take her long to spot him. Sitting by the window, sunlight cascading over his black hair like a damn halo, the man looked like he’d been ripped straight from an action drama poster.

How does someone wearing that much black manage to glow? she thought wryly. Is this why they call him the Crystal Guild’s golden child?

Nicknames like that had never interested her. The government’s relentless marketing of S-Class Raiders, treating them like celebrity heroes, was enough to make her roll her eyes. But Eryx Arcanis? He had more than his fair share of titles: golden child, the most handsome raider, and most famously, the Prince of Darkness.

Without hesitation, Elara strode over and dropped herself into the seat across from him. Her bag hit the floor with a heavy thud as she crossed her arms, her wary eyes locked onto him.

“I didn’t expect to meet the infamous Elara Max here.” Eryx’s lips curved into a faint smirk, his voice smooth, unhurried.

Elara snorted. “Sure. So, the Crystal Guild’s favorite lapdog runs errands now?”

He didn’t flinch at the barb. Instead, he leaned back, lacing his fingers together as if her words amused him. “I’m here to brief you on Raid #1125,” he said, sliding a folder onto the table and opening it with precise, practiced movements.

She watched him flip through the papers. Why the hell did that sneaky old man send his number one raider to handle grunt work meant for interns?

“It’s a multi-guild raid,” Eryx began, his tone cool and professional. “Time-based clearance. The domain spans ten acres, populated by up to Level 2 monsters. Standard rules apply: the guild that acquires the domain core keeps it.”

“Got it,” Elara said, her tone dry as sandpaper.

“Your conditions,” he continued, his voice steady, though his eyes flickered briefly, “are as follows: $15,000 commission fee, no tracker—granting you solo clearance freedom—and you keep all monster spoils collected.”

Elara raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. “Too good to be true, huh?”

“I’m just the messenger.” Eryx gestured toward the folder. “Everything’s in the contract.”

With a skeptical glance, she began flipping through the documents. At first glance, the terms seemed solid, but trust wasn’t something she handed out lightly—especially not when guilds were involved.

While she skimmed the pages, Eryx’s gaze drifted to her eyepatch, a stark black against her pale skin and silver-white hair. He’d heard the whispers, the rumors about how she’d lost her eye. No one had ever seen the injury, and if she’d gone to the Healer HQ, she could’ve restored her sight. So why hadn’t she?

His thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing. She glanced at the screen before dialing.

“Z,” she said, her voice low and even, “I’m sending you a scan of this contract. Tell me if it’s sketchy.”

A moment later, a voice crackled through the line. “Got it. Give me a sec—oh, hey, this has standard conditions but crazy benefits. Who’d you blackmail to get this?”

She rolled her eyes. “Then I’m good to sign?”

“Don’t tell me you slept with someone to—”

She hung up before he could finish.

Eryx raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. His enhanced hearing had caught every word, and now a new question simmered in his mind: Who the hell is Z?

Satisfied with Z’s confirmation, Elara grabbed the pen and scrawled her signature across the contract before sliding it back to Eryx. “Done.”

He tucked the folder away with a practiced efficiency. Just as she stood to leave, he spoke again.

“I have a question.”

She paused, turning slightly to face him, her expression flat but curious. “Make it quick.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward, intrigued by her no-nonsense demeanor. He leaned forward slightly, his tone casual yet laced with something sharp. “What did Jaxon do—or say—to get all his bones broken?”

A slow, wicked smile crept across her face. “Oh, is that the gorilla your guild sent a few weeks back?”

Eryx waited, his curiosity deepening.

Her grin widened, and the spark of dark humor in her eyes sent a jolt through him. “He told me I should stop playing pirate and just join the guild.”

Eryx chuckled, low and amused. It was a rare sound, more intrigue than mirth.

As she turned to leave again, he called after her once more. “Do you have time to spare?”

“Why?” Elara glanced back, genuinely curious now. What could the Prince of Darkness possibly want with her?

Eryx rose from his seat, his imposing frame towering over hers. His movements were deliberate as he closed the distance between them.

Her eyes flicked over him, assessing. He wasn’t as bulky as the muscle-bound A-Class raider she often fought, but his aura screamed power. The whispers about his shadow-manipulation abilities flickered in her mind.

“Something tells me there’s more to you than just the one eye,” he said, stepping closer. The deep violet of his irises gleamed in the dim light, and for a moment, the tension between them hung heavy, charged with unspoken challenges.

“Careful, Eryx Arcanis, they say curiosity killed the cat.” Elara tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a smirk. “And I’m a dog person.”

He leaned in, his voice a soft murmur. “Good thing I’m not a cat.”