Chapter 30
Written by Bayzo Albion
I jerked back, realizing too late that it was futile. The blade should have sliced through flesh and bone, but... at the last instant, it froze, barely grazing my skin. No pain, no blood—as if the strike had never happened at all.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I snarled, leaping back to a safe distance, my heart thundering in my chest like a war drum.
"So you really are human..." Her voice carried genuine astonishment, her eyes widening slightly as she sheathed the katana with a fluid motion. "I thought you might be an intelligent monster wearing a human guise."
"You just tried to cut off my hand," I said, my tone as cold as frost, arms crossing over my chest to steady the surge of adrenaline.
"I offer my sincere apologies," she replied, dipping into an elegant bow, though her gaze remained sharp and calculating, like a predator assessing its next move.
"And what if I *had* been that monster?" I pressed, my voice low and edged with suspicion.
"Then you'd become... a valuable asset to the village," she said, twirling the hilt of her blade idly in her hand, her expression unchanging.
"So you'd chain me up and turn me into an obedient slave?" Anger flared within me, straightening my shoulders, a hot ember igniting in my core.
"Well... yes," she admitted without a hint of shame, her bluntness only fueling the fire.
Something dark and viscous stirred in my chest, rising like bile to my throat. Betrayal burned inside, leaving a bitter, acrid taste that twisted my thoughts into knots of resentment.
*Maybe it's time to teach her a lesson?* whispered the inner voice, slick and venomous.
*System: Can I enslave her?* I asked mentally, testing the waters.
> Hint: To apply the Slave Seal, you must:
> 1. Subdue the target's will.
> 2. Apply a drop of your blood to their forehead or abdomen.
My lips curled into a crooked smirk, unbidden.
"Heh heh heh..." The low chuckle escaped me, sounding sinister even to my own ears, echoing in the quiet clearing.
*I was just kidding! You really want revenge?* my second self interjected, frantic now. *I was playing the villain role, nothing more. Don't do this, you hear? You don't want to become a soulless monster, do you? You dreamed of eternal life in paradise... Has everything changed?*
I didn't respond.
Instead, I stepped forward and pulled the Baroness into a tight embrace. Her body was warm, yielding, radiating a sweet, ripe peach scent that stirred something primal and shadowed within me. I inhaled deeply, savoring the fragrance of her hair for a few stolen seconds, letting it wash over me like a forbidden elixir.
Then, I began channeling my life energy into her—slowly at first, but with total commitment, threading the power through every fiber of my being. Her breaths grew ragged, her eyes glazing over as focus slipped away, her once-fierce presence dimming like a candle in the wind.
Her knees buckled, and she slumped in my arms like a delicate porcelain doll, too weak to resist as I retrieved the magical rope from my spatial pocket.
Who would've thought it'd come in handy so soon? I'd bought it in the village on a whim—a discount caught my eye, and a vague "what if" nagged at me. Now, this enchanted silk cord felt like destiny, its subtle glow humming with potential as I worked.
I bound her methodically, each loop falling into place with precision—wrists, shoulders, chest, waist. At first, she barely noticed, lost in the overwhelming void of her fading strength, her body trembling faintly against mine.
When the rope finally secured its intricate pattern, the Baroness snapped back to awareness. She lifted her gaze to mine—cold, detached, as if we were pawns in someone else's twisted game.
"What are you planning to do to me? Kill me?" There was no fear in her voice, no plea—just icy composure that sent a shiver down my spine. "You're angry because I mistook you for a monster? Offended that I called you an intelligent beast?"
"Exactly," I replied, feeling a poisonous tug inside, like venom seeping through my veins. "And I see it as betrayal."
"I don't recall swearing loyalty to you," she shot back, her eyes locking onto mine without flinching.
*A solid point,* I conceded inwardly.
I smiled slowly, a predatory curve to my lips.
"I was starting to think the plot wouldn't thicken. I even considered ramping up the difficulty..." I murmured half to myself, straightening up and looking down at her with a wry grin. "Well, let's dive into our first real conflict."
With a sharp tug, I ripped off my shirt—it was ruined anyway. The fabric tore with a protesting rip, fluttering aside to expose my torso. Cool air brushed my skin, but her warmth chased it away almost immediately.
I pressed her against me, channeling my energy with renewed intensity. Without the barrier of clothing, the transfer accelerated, and I felt her weaken further, her soft, heated skin yielding under my grasp, her breaths coming in shallow gasps that stirred the air between us.
I undid her garments slowly, letting the moment linger. Even the enchanted rope seemed to cooperate, loosening where it pleased. Layer by layer fell away, revealing only hints of her shape, the air heavy with tension and the faint, dizzying warmth of her presence.
Once we were both laid bare, the act became something else entirely — a flow of power, not passion. I reached inward, letting my own life force surge through the contact of our bodies, seeking the rhythm of hers. The drain was immense, but I held it steady, guiding the current until her fading spark met mine.
Her breath hitched, a faint glow pulsing beneath her skin as my energy replaced what had been lost, burning through her veins like dawn chasing away the dark. For a heartbeat, I felt her essence brush against mine — wild, trembling — before it yielded and settled into balance.
Seizing the moment, I drew my wooden sword and nicked my finger, letting drops of blood fall onto her exposed abdomen. The crimson rivulets traced intricate paths, coalescing into the symbol of the Slave Seal.
She tensed sharply, eyes widening in fury. She struggled, but it was too late—the mark was taking shape. Yet, just as the ritual neared completion, the symbol cracked like fragile glass, shards dissipating into the air in a wisp of smoke.
She fixed me with a stormy glare—a blend of rage, indignation, and something she fought to conceal. In that instant, she was breathtaking, her icy demeanor only amplifying her innate allure.
"So that's your game! You scum!" Her voice dripped with hatred, yet threaded with unyielding pride. "There's no forgiving you. How low you've fallen in my eyes..."
*She's adorable when she's angry...* The thought crept in uninvited, a warmth softening the edges of my resolve.
Unable to resist that fiery charm, I leaned in and brushed my lips against her cheek, feeling her freeze in my hold—not from terror, but bewilderment at what might come next.
The Baroness erupted, opting for action over words—her sharp teeth sinking into me with desperate ferocity, like a wildcat refusing to yield, her bites a storm of defiance.
I only chuckled. Despite the sting, I ran my hand through her silken hair, stroking her head as one might soothe a temperamental pet, the strands slipping like liquid silk between my fingers.
"You're so cute..." I murmured, my tone almost tender, the words hanging in the charged air.
Her cheeks flushed crimson, but the fire in her eyes didn't dim. The atmosphere between us thickened, electric with unspoken conflict, her fury a palpable heat against my skin.
*Maybe tell her that instead of pain, it just tickles?* my inner voice teased mockingly.
"Why so angry?" I asked lightly, as if her rage were a passing cloud.
She seethed, shoulders quaking, breaths erratic.
"You..." Her voice cracked with outrage. "I'll never forgive you! I'll kill you! You've defiled me with your treachery!"
"You hate the idea of being my slave that much?" I inquired with a lazy smile, tilting my head.
She fell silent, fists clenched so tight her knuckles whitened. Yet in her anger, her features took on an almost childlike charm, stirring an urge to release her... to let her unleash that fury, even if it meant enduring the storm myself.
*Say no to sadomasochism! Don't go down that slippery slope, brother!* my inner voice wailed. *Just don't admit you fantasize about being overpowered by a beautiful woman! Don't say it! SNAP OUT OF IT!*
"I'm sorry," I said suddenly, surprising even myself, the words tumbling out on a wave of unexpected remorse. "I... regret this."
She didn't reply. Instead, she lifted her head, met my eyes... and spat squarely in my face, the act a defiant punctuation to her silence.
I raised a hand, wiping it away slowly, the warm saliva trailing across my skin. In that moment, I knew what came next.
I began untying her, but first infused the magical rope with divine power. The silk strands stirred to life, as if awakening with their own sentience—a obedient yet perilous serpent attuned to my will.
I embedded a command: if my life faced threat, it would ensnare her instantly, quelling any resistance. A safeguard, in case this volatile game spiraled beyond control.
I'd resisted using divine energy like this for so long, but temptation won out, a seductive whisper overriding caution.
The knots unraveled, granting her freedom—and she lunged without hesitation. Her fingers clamped around my throat, squeezing with vise-like force, my neck creaking under the pressure as pure, scorching hatred blazed in her eyes.