My job list is full of alien girls.

Chapter 26 Succubus

"How about I help you?"

【Enchanting Eyes】

Looking into those faintly glowing red eyes, even though he couldn't see her face clearly or even know her identity, Rhodes felt a unique sense of intimacy from her, as if she were a friend he had never met...

Just as Rhodes was stunned, Alina's voice suddenly rang out from his consciousness space.

"White hair and red eyes? A demon?"

[Charm Resistance]

Upon hearing her words, Rod blinked, only then belatedly realizing what had just happened.

"Who are you?"

"Um?"

The hooded girl stared in astonishment at his eyes, which had regained their clarity. Through those clear black pupils, she saw another glimmer of emerald light.

It didn't work? How is that possible?

Could he be an elf?!

But the effect of the Enchanting Eyes didn't disappear...

The hooded girl, startled and uncertain, instinctively turned her head away, not daring to look at him again, but just then she met the probing gaze of the shopkeeper next to her.

"The two guests know each other... huh?" The boss was startled, staring blankly at her, then looked up at the wandering knight beside him.

"..."

The hooded girl silently gripped her wand, pulled down her hood, and prepared to run away.

【Enchanting Eyes】can only temporarily increase the recipient's favorability and attitude towards you, but it cannot directly control or command the other party to do things for you.

"I, you, you all..." A confused red light flashed in the boss's eyes, which then instantly became extremely firm.

Unexpectedly, this distinguished guest with the mysterious magic wand was willing to help him...

The swordsman before me is appreciated by someone as noble as her, and he has shown such great strength. Entrusting my weapon to him must be a very reliable choice!

Since that's the case, why not give her some face?

"Since you two distinguished guests know each other, then I won't beat around the bush any longer." Before they could react, the boss slapped his thigh and said with great enthusiasm.

"I'll give you this elven bow for half price," he said excitedly as he jumped in front of Rhodes. "It'll only cost one gold coin, and I'll also give you a quiver of armor-piercing arrows that I made myself, at cost price."

He was still struggling with the decision in his mind. One hundred and sixty silver coins was indeed a bargain price, but if he really let this person go, the bow that had weighed on his mind for many years would probably continue to gather dust in the warehouse.

For a craftsman with aspirations, money is nothing more than a mundane thing that can improve one's forging skills and make one stronger; those who are obsessed with money will only tarnish one's craft.

Only when a true strongman uses his weapon can his skills be known to all and can he gain the true glory that belongs to the dwarves!

He wanted to let that elf from back then know that the elven bow he forged was the strongest!

He wanted to slap that bastard in the face hard and make him come back and apologize to him!

At that moment, any lingering hesitation vanished instantly, leaving only one unwavering thought: I must sell the bow to him! As long as I can establish my reputation, I don't care how much money it costs!

"Huh?" Rod was stunned for a moment, and was about to say something when he was interrupted by the boss.

"However, I have one additional request," the shopkeeper said loudly, looking up at Rhodes, "I forged this bow and arrow. If anyone asks you where you got such a fine weapon, you must mention my shop, [Fire and Steel Craftsman]!"

"Okay." Rod thought about it and the price was reasonable, and the request wasn't unreasonable, so he counted the money and handed it to the boss.

He has enough money for now, and the rest can be used to buy supplies, so he doesn't need to waste time going to other weapon shops.

The shopkeeper took the money, stuffed it into his pocket without even looking at it, and rushed into the shop.

Although he wasn't tall, his steps were incredibly light, and he quickly brought out a new deerskin quiver.

"Here you go," he said, tucking the item into Rhodes's arms. "There are twenty armor-piercing arrows in the quiver, all made of top-quality materials. They can withstand your temporary enchantment. Don't you dare ruin my bow with those junk!"

"Thank you," Rod nodded in thanks.

"What's the use of just saying thank you?" he muttered. "If you achieve great success, don't forget to tell us about our agreement. Also, if you can't repair this weapon, remember to come find me, and I'll give you a 20% discount... no, a 30% discount!"

"If you get any good forging materials, feel free to contact me. I'll prioritize arranging them for you; the guild has to pay a processing fee..."

As Rhodes listened with a nod, he glanced at the petite figure beside him who was about to slip out of the back gate.

After the boss finished his rambling, Rhodes slung his quiver and new weapons over his shoulder and prepared to leave.

"Is she a demon? How could she be in a small place like Misty City?"

Alina, in the consciousness space, also noticed this, her tone full of doubt and wariness: "Why would she help us? And she even used charm magic on you. I feel like she has ulterior motives."

"have no idea."

"Aren't you worried she might try to harm us?" Alina was somewhat dissatisfied with his cold response. "She's a demon, for goodness' sake!"

"Hmm..." Rod thought for a moment, "She just helped us bargain, so she doesn't seem like a bad person."

"It was just a lucky accident. Everyone knows that demons are best at using those cunning tricks to deceive people..." Alina's voice grew softer and softer.

Rod didn't reply, but simply pushed open the wooden door of the blacksmith's shop and walked into the misty street.

Sunlight filtered through the mist, refracting into dappled patterns on the purple tip of the elven bow.

……

A petite figure slowly walked out from the street near the Fire and Steel smith's shop.

Aphrodite leaned against the cold brick wall, pulling her hood down to cover most of her face, revealing only a pale chin and tightly pursed pink lips.

Why do spells fail?

Her [Enchanting Eyes] is a bloodline talent inherited from her mother. Even a third-tier Templar Knight would be swayed by her if his will was not strong.

How could a ranger who hadn't even warmed up his second-tier badge break free without even a second of hesitation?

Her crimson eyes were full of doubt, then she shook her head, choosing to put the question aside for the time being.

She's out of time...

Two months ago, she, a half-demon, finally managed to escape the pursuit of the Holy See and hid in the Misty City to recuperate.

But the Templars' pursuit never stopped.

Just a few days ago, she discovered that near a hiding place in the sewers, she could still smell the remnants of the Vatican.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it... We were just one step away, how did we have to be discovered at this time..." she thought anxiously, biting her lip.

Before long, those madmen will tie her to a cross and burn her alive, just like they did to her mother.

She will never allow such a thing to happen again!

Thinking of this, Aphrodite suddenly remembered something and looked in the direction of the church.

"Could it be that guy betrayed me? No... he wouldn't do something so stupid. If our cooperation is discovered, he'll be finished too."

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

"However, we can't put all our hopes on that guy. He's still a member of the Vatican, and even if he betrayed his faith, he's not someone we can trust..."

She pulled out a small, worn-out notebook, comforting herself by looking at the ancient handwriting and fragile pages.

"The overflowing energy and other signs indicate that the seal truly exists..."

The notebook she stole from the Vatican's forbidden library shows that a thousand years ago, there was no Misty Forest or Misty City here at all; it was just an ordinary pine forest.

Until a powerful, immortal demon was defeated and sealed away in this place by the human god of magic at the time.

The monster's power was terrifying; even though it was sealed, a continuous stream of life energy still seeped out from the ground.

Over thousands of years, these dissipated, faint energies gave rise to towering ancient trees that blot out the sky, and also condensed into a thick fog that never dissipates, completely enveloping the entire land.

The human god who sealed him away back then

Fearing that the seal might one day weaken, he had his descendants live at the entrance of the seal for generations, building a small town to monitor the movements of the monsters day and night.

This city is the City of Mist.

For humans, a thousand years is too long. The descendants of the sorcerer have disappeared without a trace, and most people have long forgotten the original purpose of this city.

Everyone considers the year-round fog to be a unique local natural phenomenon, and the so-called legends are nothing more than stories to scare children into going home early.

If she hadn't escaped by chance during her imprisonment and discovered that notebook, she probably would never have known this secret.

They will probably never obtain the legendary resurrection magic that can bring the dead back to life.

Aphrodite closed the book, put it back in her pocket, and reached for her chest, pulling out an old but well-preserved thin necklace.

At the end of the chain hung an oval silver photo frame about the size of a fingernail. She gently pried open the clasp of the frame with her fingertips, revealing a diagonal crack on the crystal surface, inside which was a small, yellowed portrait.

The woman in the painting has her head slightly lowered, looking at the child in her arms and the man beside her. She is wearing a colorful floral dress and holding a babbling little girl in her arms.

If one ignores her dark red horns, black bat wings, and heart-shaped tail that are clearly not human, as well as her striking snow-white hair and scarlet eyes, she would probably be mistaken for an ordinary, beautiful human mother.

Despite being a mad and chaotic demon, the gentle curve of her lips seemed to melt ice and snow.

Beside the demon woman stood a man, his face deliberately blurred, dressed in the priest's robes distinctive to the clergy, with a silver cross pinned to his collar, somewhat out of place in such a warm scene.

Aphrodite's fingertips gently brushed across the woman's face, the movement incredibly tender.

But when her fingertips traced the man's disfigured face, the tenderness in her eyes vanished instantly, leaving only a chilling coldness and hatred.

In her scarlet pupils, madness and longing intertwined and spread like vines. Her shoulders trembled slightly as she held the necklace to her forehead and murmured as if in prayer.

"Mother, wait for me a little longer. Soon, very soon we'll be able to see each other again..."

She had been eagerly awaiting this day.

"Squeak—"

Hearing the blacksmith's shop door open, Aphrodite snapped out of her daze, her crimson pupils refocusing on Rhodes' receding figure.

It's time to find a new ally. Regardless of whether the other party can be trusted, as long as they can stall the Vatican's investigation until the seal is broken, that's fine.

"However, that guy might not be so easy to deal with..."

Aphrodite's heart-shaped tail twitched beneath her cloak as she pondered her next move.

She originally planned to use her Enchanting Eyes to make contact with the other party first, and then offer some small favors to entice him to sign a contract with her and make him work for her.

Who would have thought that things would go wrong right from the very first step?

But it doesn't matter, she still has enough tempting bargaining chips in her hand, so she's not afraid that the other party won't take the bait.

"That's the legendary resurrection magic... Heh..."

Aphrodite's expression relaxed a little, and with a flick of its tail, it followed.

Rod walked along the foggy streets, planning to buy some necessities nearby before heading home.

But he hadn't walked far when he felt that familiar feeling of being watched again.

"Hmm..." Rod said in a muffled voice, "It feels like... we're being followed again."

He had clearly hidden the package containing the new weapons he bought, so how could he still be targeted?

"Hmph, it must be that demon from before..." Alina sneered in the consciousness space. "I knew she wouldn't get rid of me so easily."

"That's how demons are. They never give up until they achieve their goal. Even if they can't get what they've set their sights on, they'll destroy it. They're a bunch of lunatics... It's really bad luck to be targeted by them."

"Um……"

Hearing her indignant words, Rod looked up at the fork in the road ahead.

Walking to the left leads to the main street of grocery stores, bustling with people; walking to the right leads to an abandoned alley where homeless people occasionally appear.

He turned and walked straight into that secluded alley.

"Where are you going?" Alina sensed something was wrong as she noticed the increasingly cold and desolate surroundings.

"Didn't you say they wouldn't give up until they achieved their goal?" Rhodes asked doubtfully. "In that case, I'll lure her out and ask her what she really wants."

"Are you crazy? Why did you come to a deserted place like this? What if she attacks us!" Alina tensed up instantly.

"We can't keep hiding from her forever, so we might as well deal with it sooner rather than later..." Before Rhodes could finish speaking, he suddenly looked behind him.

Wherever his gaze fell, the surrounding shadows and mist churned slightly.

Da da—

A petite figure slowly walked out.

"Oh dear, I've been found out after all," the girl said, patting the dew off her black robe. Her tone was as casual as if she were talking about the weather. "I thought I was hiding it pretty well."

Seeing no embarrassment at not being discovered, and facing Rhodes's probing gaze, she boldly removed her hood, revealing snow-white long hair and a pair of cunning scarlet eyes.

Sunlight filtered through the mist and fell on her face, making her skin appear almost translucent white. A sweet smile graced her lips, making her look like a lost girl next door.

"Who are you?" Rod asked directly, ignoring her question.

"You can call me Aphrodite, and as for our race..." She placed a hand on her pink lips, "Some people call us demons, while others affectionately refer to us as..."

"Charm"