Chapter 448: Walking Disaster
Chapter 448: Walking Disaster
’Hm? Steele?’
Alex stared at the woman in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly. He felt a strange sense of familiarity with her face. For a brief moment, he wondered if she was somehow related to Marcus.
’Is she from the same family?’ he thought.
Without wasting another second, he focused on the translucent screen floating in front of his eyes and continued reading the information.
[Natalia Steele]
[Status: Matriarch of Steele Family]
[Realm: Middle Stage of Apex]
[Loyalty: 0%]
[Interest: 10%... 20%... 30%... 50%... 90%]
Alex’s expression remained calm on the surface, but internally, he was genuinely shocked.
’Matriarch of the Steele Family...?’
He had expected her to hold some level of status, but this was far beyond what he had imagined.
’Is she Marcus’s mother... or grandmother?’
The thought crossed his mind for a second. If she really was related to Marcus, then things were about to become much more interesting than he expected.
He quietly observed Natalia, who was still sitting there with that same small, unreadable smile on her face.
He wasn’t particularly surprised by her realm. Someone holding the title of Matriarch of the Steele Family was expected to be at such a high level. What truly unsettled him was the rapidly rising Interest percentage on the screen.
It had already shot up to 90% in just a few seconds.
Alex was still staring at the status screen when suddenly, the system reacted on its own.
[!!! Alert]
[!!! Alert]
[!!! Alert]
[Unique Trait Detected]
[Trait: Succubus]
Alex’s eyes widened slightly.
’What...?’
This was the first time the system had ever given him an alert like this. It had never reacted so strongly to anyone before. Even when he scanned powerful individuals, it had never shown something like this.
Without wasting time, he quickly asked internally.
’Lilith... what is this trait? Is she not human? Is she actually a Succubus? Do they even exist?’
Lilith’s calm voice echoed in his mind a moment later.
"No. She is not a Succubus. She is still human. However, she has developed a rare bloodline trait known as ’Succubus’.
Alex’s brows furrowed slightly.
’A trait? What do you mean?’
Lilith continued in her usual composed tone.
"Traits are extremely rare. Most cultivators never develop one in their entire life. Those who do, become exceptionally powerful in that specific area. The woman standing in front of you has developed a high-grade Succubus trait. Because of this, she naturally emits a powerful seductive aura that can influence emotions and desires."
"To put it simply... she is a walking disaster for anyone even one realm lower than her. Most men would find it difficult to resist her charm."
Alex stayed silent for a second before asking again.
’Is she really that dangerous?’
Lilith replied without hesitation.
"Her type can’t be trusted in any case. People with Succubus traits are naturally manipulative and dangerous. You should remain extremely cautious around her."
Alex quietly looked at Natalia again.
She was still sitting there with that same small, innocent smile on her face, completely unaware of the conversation happening in his mind.
Yet something about the way she looked at him made him feel like she was already dissecting him in her mind.
’This woman... is dangerous.’
Alex was still looking at Natalia when another voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Why are you standing there, Alex? What happened?"
He blinked and shook his head slightly before turning his gaze toward the large office desk. President Miranda Whitman was now sitting in her chair, looking at him.
Alex quickly composed himself.
"Yes, Ma’am," he replied and nodded before closing the door behind him.
Miranda leaned back in her chair and spoke in a calm tone.
"Come here," she said. "Let me introduce you to one of the most important guests of this university."
Before Miranda could finish, Natalia let out a soft laugh.
"C’mon, Miranda. Don’t already make this hard for the young man," she said playfully. "He’s already looking stressed because of the exams."
Her laugh was light and pleasant, like the clear ringing of a bell. Yet, there was something strangely hypnotising about it. For a brief moment, Alex felt his thoughts slow down.
Natalia was still sitting there calmly with her legs crossed, that same small smile on her lips. But now that she had spoken, Alex could clearly feel it... the strange, alluring aura that naturally radiated from her body. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was definitely there, gently pressing against his senses.
Alex stayed quiet and simply looked at both women, waiting for them to continue.
Natalia slowly stood up from her chair.
She turned to face Alex directly. Her movements were graceful and unhurried, as if she had all the time in the world.
"You must be Alexander Hale," she said in a soft, pleasant voice. "She was just talking about you."
Alex looked at her hand for a brief moment before shaking it. Her palm was soft and warm.
Natalia didn’t let go immediately. Instead, she looked at him with a calm, almost amused expression and spoke without the slightest hint of shame.
"You’re quite handsome," she said. "The rumors actually failed to describe you properly."
Alex didn’t reply. He simply looked at her, maintaining a neutral expression.
Natalia continued, her smile widening slightly.
"You must know Marcus Steele. He’s in your class," she said. "I’m his mother."
As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly. The movement caused the top buttons of her white shirt to shift, giving Alex a clear view of the deep valley between her full breasts. They swayed gently with her movement, like a pendulum deliberately trying to draw his eyes in.
Her voice dropped into a whisper, low enough that only Alex could hear.
"I hope you like... mothers of your friends," she whispered, her eyes staring straight into his. There was a strange, captivating pull in her gaze, as if she was trying to take hold of his mind.
"I’ll be waiting beside this office."
Without waiting for his response, Natalia straightened up and turned toward Miranda with a bright smile.
"Alright, Miranda. I think I should go now," she said casually. "You can have your favourite student for yourself."
She gave one last glance at Alex before walking toward the door, her hips swaying naturally with every step.
Alex was genuinely shocked by Natalia’s blatant flirt and direct invitation. For a moment, he didn’t know how to react. But he quickly composed himself and turned to look at Miranda.
What he saw made him pause.
Miranda was sitting in her chair with a calm expression, as if she hadn’t heard anything that had just happened between him and Natalia. She looked completely normal, as though the entire exchange had never taken place.
Alex quietly walked over and sat down on the same chair Natalia had been sitting on just moments ago. He looked at Miranda and spoke in a calm voice.
"She was quite a strange one, wasn’t she?"
Miranda blinked, as if she had just come out of a light trance. She looked at Alex and smiled.
"Oh, she’s gone already?" she said. "You must not know her, right? She is Marcus’s mother... and the wife of the head of the Steele Group. Natalia Steele."
Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He felt something was off. Why was Miranda introducing Natalia again, as if he hadn’t just met her? It was almost as if Miranda had completely forgotten the conversation that happened right in front of her.
’She must have done something to her mind...’ Alex thought.
Before he could think further, Lilith’s voice echoed in his mind.
"Yes. She did."
Miranda leaned back in her chair and continued speaking with a small smile.
"And she is definitely not like Marcus," she said. "Natalia is a very sweet and polite woman. She always speaks respectfully and carries herself with grace. Even though she comes from such a powerful family, she never acts arrogant or looks down on others. In fact, she has helped this university quite a lot in the past few years."
She paused for a moment before adding,
"Honestly, I’ve always found her pleasant to talk to. She has a very calming presence."
Alex simply nodded as he listened.
On the surface, he looked calm and respectful, but inside his mind, he was slowly understanding why Lilith had described Natalia as a walking disaster.
If even someone as sharp and experienced as President Miranda could speak so highly of her after being subtly influenced, then it was clear how dangerous Natalia’s Succubus trait truly was. She didn’t need to force or threaten anyone.
With just a few words and her natural charm, she could make people lower their guard and see her in a completely positive light.
Alex quietly clenched his fist on his lap.
’This woman... is far more dangerous than she looks.’
Miranda continued speaking, but her tone had now turned more serious and personal.
She opened one of the drawers of her desk, took out a sealed envelope, and placed it in front of Alex.
"Here," she said, pushing the envelope toward him. "This is your Hall Ticket. Sorry for holding it back. I just wanted to meet you personally and thank you properly for what you did."
Alex looked at the envelope but didn’t pick it up immediately.
Miranda looked at him with a grateful expression and continued,
"I really thought I had lost him, Alex..." Her voice trembled slightly. "When I received the news that day, I felt like the world had collapsed around me. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if it wasn’t for you."
She paused for a moment, as if the painful memories had resurfaced in her mind. After taking a quiet breath, she spoke again.
"I know I can never thank you enough for saving his life. No matter what I say, it will never be enough. But if you ever need me for anything at all... you can come to me."
Miranda looked straight into Alex’s eyes. Her gaze was filled with genuine gratitude and sincerity.
"You have my word."
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