"Young Master?"
Before Elle could finish speaking, the black ribbon in Will's hand gently covered her eyes.
She obeyed immediately, like a well-trained dog ordered to sit still. Even though her eyes were covered, she instinctively lifted her head, trying to locate her master. The direction was slightly off, but her effort was clear.
"Listen carefully, Yiel."
Will leaned closer to her erect wolf ears and gently pinched the tips. He felt Elle's body shiver.
So… her ears are that sensitive?
The touch was pleasant, soft and furry, just like Sanqi's ears before. Will resisted the urge to drop his work and start rubbing them.
"I love you very much. So… in your eyes, in your life, in the darkness of the long night, there can only be a light like me…"
"…?!"
Will thought he had delivered it perfectly. If someone tied a black ribbon over the eyes of a protagonist in the future and spoke like this, the normally calm, ruthless, and rational character would surely be terrified! Exactly the effect he wanted! He felt satisfied. Even if she was a little slow, as long as she followed his instructions, she would learn it eventually, right?
"Yiel, are your ears red? Are you okay? Is the collar not fitting properly?"
"No, no, no… Yiel, Yiel, it's fine! I just… I just have to imitate the young master, right? No problem! Please leave it to Yiel!"
"Ah? Okay…"
"Young Master, sit still properly!"
It was the first time Will saw Yiel so eager and energetic. She seemed almost desperate, using more force than he had applied when tying the black ribbon over his own eyes.
The warm afternoon sun disappeared in that moment, and Will felt a chill along his body in response to the tension.
Great!
Will was secretly thrilled. Isn't she a quick learner?
Yiel knelt between Will's legs, adjusting her position so she could get closer to his ears.
"Then… then… Master… listen carefully… Yiel… I… I, I, I…"
In the darkness, Will could sense her body heat, smell, and the subtle disturbance in the air as her body pressed close. Her temperature seemed slightly high, and she tried to lower her voice, making it sound almost teasing in his ears.
But then, after a series of stutters, Yiel stopped. She couldn't finish.
She was doing exactly as her master said—but for some reason, when it came to saying the word "like", her mouth froze.
Will's heart raced.His breathing quickened.…Why is this happening?
She was obeying, doing it for him, yet she couldn't even say two words.
Will waited… but nothing followed.
"Yiel…?" he asked tentatively.
He only felt his chest pressed by Yiel's head.
"Woo…"
Then came soft, quiet sobs.
Will removed the ribbon gently.
"I like… the young master the most…"
She lifted her head shyly, like a golden retriever approaching, speaking with a mix of embarrassment and innocence.
Behind her skirt, her recently washed wolf tail twitched so vigorously it seemed to blur.
"Is this… okay?"
Will sighed.
No!
Absolutely wrong!
Why can't this girl learn to be a yandere?!
"No, no, no! You're still a long way from graduation!" Will tapped her head firmly with his Three Hundred Questions on Darkness notebook.
"Wu… Master… if you hit me again, I'll forget everything I just memorized…"
"Alas…"
This was a tough challenge for Will.
Compared to the other two "losers" he hadn't met yet, Yiel—the timid, obedient maid who had always followed him—had high potential. Her high EQ offered possibilities, but her low EQ said otherwise…
She was the character farthest from darkness.
In terms of combat, the original work only mentioned her strengths in defense and magical absorption, with limited offensive ability focused on the Holy Shield.
Personality-wise, she had been abandoned as a child. Even though Will rescued her and kept her close for years, she remained sensitive and weak. She had witnessed the protagonist face difficulties and danger without daring to intervene.
IQ-wise…
She was… completely dense. Overly complicated concepts were almost impossible for her to grasp.
But this wasn't a problem for cultivation strategist Will. He had chosen her development path wisely:
Strengthen defense—if she can't be struck, she can be firmly controlled.Brainwash subtly—teach through memorization, shaping her subconscious.
"Forget it. Tonight, go over the first fifty questions again."
"Okay. But, Yiel has a question!"
"Ask."
"Master… why do you… insist on teaching Yiel these things?"
"Well… this is, of course, to allow Yiel to love correctly in the future and get the person she desires."
Yiel froze, ears twitching as her brain struggled to process the reply.
"Because… because Yiel doesn't really care… whether she can get the person she likes… she's fine as things are… he… he doesn't care about me."
Her gaze flickered toward Will, then quickly away.
The person she liked? She couldn't imagine it. Now, her only wish was for the young master who gave her a place to live to be happy.
Feelings like liking or love were foreign to her. She was like a pet waiting faithfully by her master's side. Few pets dared to act beyond their master's orders, right?
But when the young master spoke, she felt as though he hinted that one day he might loosen the leash he held.
Yiel shivered slightly.
Then Will grabbed her shoulder. He applied some strength, but in front of Yiel, whose physical fitness surpassed most, it caused only a mild discomfort.
Will made a terrifyingly serious expression:
"No! You! Don't! Think like that!"
"Ah?"
"Ahem… slightly out of control…"
Will picked up the black tea and sipped it. Though a little cold, it still tasted good.
"Let me tell you a story."
"Okay."
"Once upon a time, there was a cute little hound who loved its master but didn't understand its own feelings, nor how to express them. Whenever the master was scolded or mistreated by the adventure team, the hound never stood up, never confessed its feelings. It simply watched silently."
In the original story, Yiel stood by while the protagonist was mistreated, never daring to intervene. Now, in her mind, the hound became herself, the master became Will. She imagined him being driven away, clutching the dog's ears, crying.
"Until one day, the master was taken away by the adventure team. The hound could only watch, helpless, as the master disappeared into the blizzard, walking farther and farther away."
Yiel imagined the young master carrying a backpack in the snow, his short brown hair blowing in the wind, moving away with every step.
"But then, one day, the master returned, bringing a fire-breathing dragon. Instantly, the puppy's kennel turned into flames."
This referred to the original event, where the protagonist had been expelled and joined the dungeon side in anger, defeating Yiel with a dungeon boss. Yiel pictured Will, glasses pushed up, smiling mischievously as the fire dragon roared.
"The hound watched as the master returned with a new pet and flames, finally realizing it could not gain the affection it desired. Silent waiting only led to a fire—and it was too late…"
Will paused.
He was really proud—he could retell the original story clearly and understandably. Yiel would definitely grasp it!
"Just like that, the beagle who failed to graduate from the Blackened Love course became a pitiful loser in the flames, unable to get the love he wanted, sitting on the ground, shedding pearls and wiping tears with his paws…"
"So you see, you have to study hard, so that one day you can firmly control the person you like in your hands—"
But as Will turned, he saw Yiel crying, gazing at him.
"Wu… Will… will the young master also leave me to find Charmander?"
"What did you hear?!"
Just then, the servant pushed open the waist-high metal gate of the small garden.
"Um… Excuse me, Master Will. The Adventurer's Association sent an anonymous letter for you, and someone has been dispatched to deliver it."
Adventurer's Association…A letter…Could it be…
"Mr. S's reply has arrived!? Has he found a way to restore the Extreme Flame Meteor?!"