My Demonic Farm: A Progression Fantasy LitRPG

As Theo read the letter's content, his brows knitted together, showing his confusion and heavy emotions within him. The words from his late grandfather seemed to pull at his heartstrings, leaving him with more mysteries than clarity.

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Hello Theo, My Boy.

I trust you're up to no good, as usual. Before we get down to serious matters, let me spill some family tea – Alina, though she plays it cool, fought like a wildcat as she wanted to make you the next successor. That girl admires you more than you realize. It might be hidden deep down, but it's there, bubbling in her heart.

Now, let's talk business, my boy. I've got a proposition for you. If you're willing to sign over the 11% shares you inherited from your parents to Alina, she'll become the rightful head honcho of the Lewis empire, booting Eren off his high horse during the next company board meeting.

In return, she'll hand over a special box to you. Inside, you'll find the key to unlocking the truths about your parents, secrets buried for far too long. But to get this box, I'll need you to part with your stake in the Lewis business empire. I know it sounds like a puzzler, but trust your grandpa. Everything will come together in time.

With all my love, mischief, and blessings, Your ever-handsome, ever-wise, and one-and-only Grandpa.

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Theo's eyes flickered with a tangle of emotions as he reached the end of the letter.

A sigh escaped his lips, he was amused and in disbelief at his grandfather's playful tone in such serious matters. The warmth, humor, and love of the man he'd admired all his life flowed in every word, hidden between the lines of an offer that both intrigued and troubled him.

His grandfather wanted him to hand over his remaining share of the Lewis business empire to Alina, all in exchange for a seemingly ordinary box that held secrets about his parents. He would be left with nothing, and the weight of the decision gripped his heart tightly.

Yet, he understood that his grandfather knew him well enough to trust that he would agree to this unequal arrangement. The mystery of his parents, the void of memories from his forgotten past before the age of thirteen, beckoned him, leaving Theo with no real choice but to accept the deal.

With a quiet resolve in his gaze, Theo folded the letter and placed it in the chimney. Unlike before, this time the flames consumed it easily. He watched, knowing that the words were meant for him alone.

Beside him, Alina's eyes widened, a silent protest in their depths. She had wanted to read the letter too, curiosity nagging at her. But she held her tongue, respecting that this was something intended solely for Theo.

Her delicate heart ached for him, understanding the complex emotions he must be feeling, yet realizing that she wouldn't fully comprehend the weight of the decision before him.

As Theo finished burning the paper, he turned to Alina, his expression serious yet tinged with curiosity. "Did you bring the paper and pen?" he asked.

Alina's hand trembled as she reached into her hobo bag again, pulling out a file and a pen. Her grandfather had prepared these months ago, knowing she would be too conflicted to do it herself.

'I can't believe Grandpa made me do this, even though I didn't want to,' she thought, her heart aching.

The girl handed Theo the file and pen, her eyes filled with complicated emotions.

"Where's the box?" He inquired, his gaze searching.

"One second," Alina replied, her voice slightly hesitant, as she took it out from her bag and spread her palm to hand over the intricately designed crimson box.

She trusted Theo completely but was conflicted about the whole situation. Though uninterested in taking the share, she knew that she had to play her part to prevent Eren from gaining power over them so he wouldn't assassinate them. Her fate, it seemed, had been decided by her grandfather.

Theo's gaze was drawn to the mysterious box, his eyes filled with jumbled emotions. Without hesitation, he signed the paper, exchanged the pen for the box, and then handed everything back to the girl.

"Do you really have to leave?" Alina's voice broke slightly, showing her concern.

"Why would I leave?" Theo responded, puzzled.

"Oh... I thought Grandpa wanted you to do something for him, something that required you to leave," she said, her words tinged with relief.

"No, he didn't say anything like that." Theo's voice was low, almost a mumble.

Alina's nerves tensed visibly; she bit her lip and her gaze dropped to her feet. With a deep breath, her eyes lifted to meet his. "Thank you for saving me."

Theo's brows furrowed, a glint of surprise briefly showing in his gaze. He wondered, ‘How did she find out?’

Yet, he simply nodded in response, allowing his eyes to lock onto hers for a short yet heavy moment.

"I'll take my leave, Big Brother," Alina finally said. Her words were filled with emotions she wished to express, yet couldn't.

This was the first time she had called him big brother yet Theo didn’t show any reaction. He knew he couldn't tie her to emotions that would hinder her path as a new leader of the Lewis empire, so he felt it was better to decline all her advances towards him to be close.

A tense silence clung to the room. Alina waited for him to speak, her eyes almost pleading. But Theo's expression remained impassive, etched with an icy detachment.

Disheartened but not entirely surprised, Alina half-heartedly turned and left. A tinge of sorrow engulfed her thoughts, but she blamed no one but herself for his lack of response.

Theo, on the other hand, waited for her to depart. He waited until her footsteps had faded into a distant sound before he attempted to close the door. Just before the latch clicked into place, his dog burst into the room, its tail wagging.

This was his bedroom, where the maid had already set his dinner on the table. He sat on the couch, taking a moment to relax. The house was empty, both of the maids were outside shopping for groceries.

His eyes landed on the enigmatic box on the table. He reached for it, intent on solving its mystery, but found it locked. As he turned it over, examining each intricately crafted inch, a rhythmic thumping began to emanate from within the box—subtle yet unmistakable.

*Thump!*

It was as if the box had a pulse, a heartbeat, as if it were not an object but an entity.

Suddenly, The box lashed out as if it had teeth, biting deep into the flesh of his hand, and Theo leaped up from the couch in shock.

"Argh!" He groaned, dropping the box to the ground. He clutched his hand, blood oozing from the wound, his face twisted in pain and shock.

Before his very eyes, the blood dripping onto the floor was absorbed by the box. It was as if the object was drawing life from his blood, feasting on his life essence. His heart pounding, Theo stared at the box, now lying innocently on the floor.

‘What had just happened?’ The pain in his hand was real, but the rest felt like a bizarre dream.

And then, as if the universe had torn up its own rulebook, the room was thrown into chaos. Chairs and tables levitated, spin in the air, swept up in an invisible maelstrom. Theo's eyes widened in amazement, darted around. He stumbled back into the couch, its cushions offering him no comfort, his mind racing to make sense of the unbelievable scene that defied explanation.

"What's going on?" Theo thought. He didn't know if it was magic or something else, but he was both thrilled and amazed. Was this magic, or had reality itself fractured?

A light, brighter than a thousand suns yet softer than a feather's touch, burst forth from the fallen box. It enveloped him, a tidal wave of illumination, blinding him to all else.

Then, as quickly as it started, everything went back to normal. The room was quiet, and Theo was gone. All that remained was the room, engulfed by the stillness, and the bewildered barking of a dog that had no inkling where its master had vanished to.

<<<<

[System Initiating]

[Scanning Current Host]

[Host Status: Theo Leywin - Active]

[Retrieving Previous Environment Data]

[Previous Environment Status: Inactive]

[Checking Host's Inter-dimensional Travel History]

[Primary World Detected]

[Establishing Connection to Primary World]

[Connection Established]

[Initiating Seamless Transition for the Host]

[Analyzing Host's Physical and Mental Status]

[Transition Safety Protocols: Active]

[Transition in Progress...]

[Primary and Secondary Body Synchronization in Progress]

[Primary and Secondary Body Synchronization Complete]

[Soul-Body Synchronization in Progress]

[Soul and Body Successfully Merged]

[Residual Memory Integration: Ongoing]

[System Calibration: Adjusting to New Environment]

[System Update: Checking for any inconsistencies]

[No inconsistencies found. System Stable.]

[Transfer Successful. Welcome Back, Theo Leywin]

>>>>

***

Back in the lively newsroom, Sarah and Mark, looking both astonished and curious, were ready to dive into the unprecedented twist of the day.

Dressed in her blue jacket, Sarah began with a tone of disbelief, "Good evening, everyone. I'm Sarah Wilson, and beside me is Mark Robert. Today's events at the Lewis empire board meeting have left everyone, including us, in sheer astonishment."

Mark, still processing the news, added, "Exactly, Sarah. The world had expected Theo Lewis, the favored grandson, to inherit the company's reigns. Ryuk Lewis, however, left no share for Theo, appointing Eren as the next head. And now, out of nowhere, Alina Lewis has ended up becoming the next head and CEO."

The screen shifted to a chaotic scene outside the Lewis Business empire headquarters, where Jane and other reporters swarmed around Alina, who was surrounded by bodyguards. Microphones were thrust forward, and questions were being thrown at her.

With excitement in her voice, Jane asked, "Alina, did you ever imagine becoming the successor of this colossus Lewis empire? Did you aspire to follow in your grandfather's footsteps?"

She spoke, her voice tinged with a hint of pride, yet her expression remained an icy facade. "No, I don't want to follow my grandpa's footsteps. There's another person I respect more than my grandpa or anyone else. I'd rather follow his ideals. He's always helped me from the shadows, even though I've showed him nothing but dislike and hatred."

A murmur ran through the reporters, and Jane, her brows furrowed, questioned, "Who is this person, Alina?" It wasn't only her; everyone was curious to find out who this person was, the enigma that had somehow surpassed Ryuk Lewis in her heart as the perfect ideal.

The girl's eyes gleamed with respect and affection as she declared, "My big brother, Theo."

Time seemed to freeze in that instant. The cameras zoomed in, capturing her expression for small details as it was beamed onto countless screens worldwide. Reporters exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes widened in disbelief.

Unable to mask her own surprise, Jane asked, "Why, Alina? What has Theo done to earn such admiration?"

With a mysterious smile, Alina announced, "I'll tell you all another day." And with that, she turned, leaving the interview and everyone present — including the reporters, the audience watching at home, and even the readers — in a state of mystified intrigue.

The new head of the Lewis Business Empire had made her mark, and the world was left to wonder what lay behind her unexpected rise to power and her strong admiration for her brother, Theo.

Back in the studio, Sarah and Mark exchanged glances, the effect of Alina's statement was visible on their faces.

Sarah concluded, "Well, there you have it. A family drama unfolding with unexpected twists. The Lewis empire has indeed given us a story that promises to keep us all guessing. Stay with us for more updates on this unfolding saga."

Still in thought, Mark nodded, "Absolutely, Sarah. This is one story that's far from over."