'I know I can't lie, but he also knows that,' Kyle thought. 'Talking about these things openly is rarely a good idea. Directly addressing such things can quickly ruin sothing that wouldn't have been ruined otherwise.'
This situation was similar to a boss asking their employee about their political or religious beliefs. If these things weren't addressed or talked about, everyone could still keep their opinions to themselves, and they could keep working together.
Yet, by addressing them, a personal rift could be created between the two parties, ruining the working relationship.
"Well, Kyle said, "it's complicated."
The Lord just nodded, motioning for Kyle to continue.
"I made a couple of close friends in the Array of Stars, and I don't want to betray them, but I also can't deny that I have accepted this job. Without the Cult's help, I wouldn't even have these friends, but at the sa ti, I also can't say that I'm fine with betraying them."
"It's a conflict between what I should do and what I want to do. I can't say that the Cult has treated badly. In fact, you've treated very well. You did not co to to ask to join you. You left that decision up to . Sure, I would've probably died if I didn't join at so point, but that's more the fault of the situation I was in."
"I don't want to betray everyone I know, but if I co clean to the Array of Stars about my affiliation, one or both of you will kill . So, I'm kinda stuck in a bad situation. Do you see the problem?" Kyle asked.
The Lord nodded. "This is why the Cult operates on a basis of cooperation. You must have a certain freedom in your choices. Strong-arming works on the vast majority of the mbers, but trying to force the truly powerful mbers into doing what the Cult wants will cost us."
"We do not tell our powerful mbers what they need to do. They are free to offer us sothing of value, and we will repay them in kind. This is an unbreakable decree of our God. Power must be respected."
"You have shown your value, the Lord said. "By forcing you into sothing, we might lose a valuable partner. We can and your terms of employnt as a Parasite."
"You will make so promises, and we will make so promises. For a start, assuming you also promise us so things, I can make an oath to our God that neither I, nor any of the people I control, will force you to do anything you do not agree with until you beco an Immortal."
Kyle blinked a couple of tis in surprise.
'Until I'm an Immortal?" he thought. 'That... that's so far away! I might never even beco an Immortal!'
"What about afterwards?" Kyle asked.
"An oath is binding," the Lord said, "but when the duration of an oath ends, it doesn't necessarily an that the Seeker who spoke the oath will imdiately do the opposite. In this case, it just ans that the possibility is back on the table and can be renegotiated.
Kyle furrowed his brows.
It still sounded a bit sketchy, but that was already better than what he had currently. Right now, the Lord could just order Kyle to get to information gathering, and there would be no way for Kyle to refuse without dying.
"What about mbers of the Cult?" Kyle asked.
"I can not make an oath involving people I have no control over. I can only swear that I will also not try to influence them or circumvent the oath with indirect ans. If one of the other Lords gets involved without my permission and forces you to do sothing, I would die, assuming I included them in the oath," the Lord explained.
Kyle sighed. "Yeah, I can see that, and yes, I would be interested in the oath. What do you want to promise?"
"First," the Lord said, "I want you to swear that you will not talk about your affiliation with us until you're an Immortal. Your oath will end when our oath ends."
Kyle nodded. He wasn't planning on doing that anyway.
"Second, we want you to consider us when you need help," the Lord said.
Kyle blinked in surprise.
That was... a weird promise.
However, before Kyle could ask any questions, the Lord continued talking. "Since your terms of employnt will change, the old relationship between duty and reward is no more. In the past, you were essentially buying our help on credit. Now, you need to repay us for our last act of assistance before we will give you another one."
"If you want help from us, you need to give us sothing in return."
"I get it," Kyle said with a nod. "Yes, I can promise that as well."
"Lastly," the Lord said, "we want you to promise us that you will not share our secrets with people not part of the Cult of Final Fate. This oath may also be limited until you're an Immortal."
Kyle nodded. "That's fair. I accept."
The Lord nodded and spoke a lengthy oath. It was worded very accurately and deliberately.
From what Kyle could hear, there was no way for the Lord to circumvent the oath.
When the Lord was done, Kyle spoke his oath.
All of his oaths were also limited to the first Nine Realms. As soon as he beca an Immortal, all oaths would be null and void.
"Does that calm so of your worries?" the Lord asked.
Kyle nodded, "It did."
'I an, it's not perfect, but at least there's not as much uncertainty anymore. Previously, it was possible that the Lord could force to betray my friends whenever he wanted. Now, I'm safe until I'm an Immortal.'
"Who knows how things will look by then? Will I still have friends?"
"Now," the Lord said, "am I right in assuming that you didn't reach out to just to check in?
Kyle scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, so things have happened. I didn't exactly call you to get so help, but to hurt two Organizations that are currently ssing with . I thought giving the Cult so information about them would hurt them."
The Lord nodded, "Tell ."
Then, Kyle told the Lord about the Secondary Sector and what had happened.
"There are so interesting bits of information in your story," the Lord said. "The Head of Dawnlight will most likely beco a Legendary Crusher, making him one of our eligible targets. We could send soone to assassinate him."
"But you do not want that to happen for two reasons," the Lord said.
"Two? Kyle thought. 'I can only think of one.'
"You have the talent and capabilities to kill him yourself, the Lord said. "I would assu you would want to kill him yourself."
"That's the reason, yes, Kyle thought as he nodded.
"However, the other reason is more important, the Lord said. "If we arrive in the Secondary Sector, the Contrast Empire can justify sending several powerful Seekers there as well. If a random criminal dies during that event, nobody would notice or care."
'Oh shit!' Kyle thought as he felt like he had just dodged a bullet. 'Right! The Cult can attack any place they want, and the Contrast Empire can react!'
"There's also sothing else that you told about," the Lord said. "You just ntioned it as a random comnt and didn't go into the details, but this bit of information can actually earn you a lot of points with us."
"Oh?" Kyle asked. "What?"
"We do know that the Contrast Empire and the Array of Stars are holding secret battles with each other," the Lord said. "You said you were part of one of these battles."
"While we do know about the battles, we do not know the location of their secret arenas. You've been in one of them."
"You also told us that the local Countess and the local Chief Overseer are present during these battles."
The Lord looked with interest at Kyle.
anwhile, Kyle started to sweat.
His words could end the lives of two Immortals.
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