Louriel: "Finally you came back to me, my beast."
Her words caught me off guard for a moment. I wasn't sure how to respond, but I found the courage to say, "Hi, Louriel. How are you? Do you miss me?"
She seemed surprised at first, then her expression shifted to amusement. "Yes, I missed you very much. It's painful to watch my beast causing chaos in the city while driving an old tank. You've been so wild that I considered capturing you and chaining you in my basement."
I didn't know how to react. Should I feel happy that she missed me, or worried about her wanting to bind me in her basement? I glanced sideways. Both my disciples were looking at us with curious smiles. Then Roman said, "Master, I have a bad stomach, so I'm heading to the bathroom." He got out of the car. Lu Xiaoran turned to me, his expression serious, and said, "Good luck, Master." He followed Roman's lead and exited the car. They didn't go far, just standing by the convenience store in front of the parking lot. Meanwhile, Winston stood by the car like a professional butler, not getting inside. With both of them gone, I felt nervous and tried to talk to Louriel. I internally called out to the system, "Please suggest something." Louriel watched me with an amused look.
System: "Host, you're not very good at talking to girls. You proposed to her during your first meeting, and now you're flustered while talking. Just have a normal conversation, open your heart, and give your mind a break. Take a deep breath and believe in yourself. You can do this."
The system sounded like a friend trying to boost my confidence, but Louriel wasn't just any girl. She was someone the system couldn't fully understand. If I had to gauge her strength, I'd say she was incredibly powerful. I noticed for the first time that Winston, standing outside, was an undead creature skilled in shapeshifting. I could barely tell at a glance.
Taking a deep breath, I said, "Listen, Louriel, I might have gotten flustered and proposed in the heat of the moment, but I'm a playboy at heart. I have some values. I want my future wife to love me for who I am, not just for my looks or race. So let's take this relationship slow and get to know each other better."
I spoke seriously, looking straight into her eyes. She looked shocked at first, then gave me a look of contempt, as if I had done something wrong. With a cold expression, she said, "I think you misunderstood, Mr. Vik. I'm not here because I'm in love with you or because of your proposal. I summoned you because you're practically my property. That magical circle where we first met? I paid a high price to summon a strong beast, but you came instead. So, you're my summoned beast, and I'm your master. Be a good pet, or I'll punish you."
Saying this, she pulled a collar from beside her seat. The collar was gold-plated with purple gems, and it had a name written on it in shiny red paint: "VIK." Below it, it read, "PROPERTY OF LOURIEL STARGATE. IF FOUND WITHOUT OWNER, CALL XXXXXXX3545. ADDRESS: HORIZON GUILD HEADQUARTERS."
What is this? A dog collar? She really wants me to be her pet. There's definitely something wrong with her. Is she some kind of psycho?
System: "Don't judge her too quickly, host. Maybe she has a pet fetish. This kind of role-play is popular now."
I shot back internally, "I don't want to wear that collar or be anyone's fetish." I gathered my courage and said, "I think there's a misunderstanding here, Miss Louriel. I accidentally got summoned to your magic circle while trying to teleport. I'm not a pet you can bind with a collar."
She dismissed my pleas, saying, "I don't know how or why you got summoned, but I know you're my summoned beast. I can't leave my property outside. If you have a problem with that, feel free to fight me for your freedom." As she spoke, she released some of her aura. Her eyes turned dark with a purplish hue, and her shadow extended, revealing many undead and strange creatures ready to fight. I really didn't want to confront her, but if it came to it, I might have to resort to violence. So I pleaded again.
Vik: "Louriel, if you force this, you'll have my body but never my heart. Please, give me some time." I acted as if I were in a drama, tears ready to flow, hoping to evoke some sympathy. To my surprise, it worked. Louriel looked stunned and thought for a moment before saying, "Yes, you're right. I don't like things that aren't willingly mine."
Vik: "Exactly. Now we can move on to getting to know each other."
Louriel: "No, that sounds like a hassle. I think I should make you undead. That way, you'll be loyal to me forever. I'll have both your body and soul."
I wasn't sure if she understood what I was trying to convey, but she suddenly laughed. "Haha, you fell for my joke! You should see your face. You're making a funny expression!" With that, she began laughing. I was confused by her sudden change in demeanor. Then she continued, "Okay, I won't joke anymore. Actually, I want to meet you because I'm curious about the man summoned to me. If you don't want to be my companion, that's fine. You can still work for me. I run a guild called the Horizon Guild, and I'd really like you to join."
With that, she handed me her business card and said she had important work to attend to. I stepped out of the car as she drove off with Winston. I still didn't fully understand what had just happened. Just moments ago, she wanted me to be her pet, and now it was all a prank. I suppose that's what they call a woman's mood swings.
System: "Host, maybe you should have considered her pet play offer. You might have a hidden interest in being a pet."
Vik: "Really?"
Pov: Louriel
Louriel, while driving away from the police station parking lot, looked serious, her earlier playfulness gone. She silently thought, "Did you confirm what I asked you to do?" No one answered her as an internal voice responded in her mind.
"AFFIRMATIVE, HOST. THE TARGET IS CONFIRMED TO HAVE A SYSTEM OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. THIS SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT AND NOT CONNECTED TO MAIN SYSTEM SPACE, SO I CAN'T PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION."
Looking at the collar she had prepared for Vik, Louriel said, "You're strange, my beast."