Chapter 31
Written by Bayzo Albion
Freed from the ropes, the Baroness moved instantly—her hand snapping to my throat, eyes burning with the fury of someone who'd just tasted restraint.
*Not yet! Endure. The time isn't right... Yes, like that...* My second self, once pleading for restraint, now reveled in the intensity, a dark thrill coursing through us both.
"Sorry..." I rasped through the constriction, lungs burning in protest.
Her grip loosened gradually, resolve giving way to a subtle tremor, her breaths heavy and uneven. Playing my part like a seasoned performer, I gasped for air dramatically, coughing raggedly, contorting my face into one of helpless vulnerability.
She loomed over me, her expression laced with open disdain. But beneath it flickered something deeper—raw, instinctual. The intoxication of power. Dominance. Her aura shifted; she was the huntress now, and I her quarry, the reversal sending a forbidden rush through my veins.
The forest held its breath around us. The tension between us ignited, sharp and undeniable. Her dominance pressed down like heat itself — not cruel, but absolute. Every breath, every glance carried that dangerous rhythm between control and surrender.
When it finally broke, the silence felt heavy, trembling with leftover heat. Her shadow lingered over me, proud and breathless, and the air still trembled with what had passed — something too fierce to name, and too real to forget.
– – –
I seized the opportunity.
Unnoticed, as if by accident, I nicked my finger on the thorny bark of a nearby tree. A bead of blood gleamed in the sunlight, and with a casual, effortless motion, I traced it across her skin. This time, the slave mark ignited in a blinding crimson glow. Its outlines hissed and seared into the tender flesh of her abdomen like scorching acid, filling the air with the sharp tang of ozone and raw magic, a scent that prickled my nostrils and sent a thrill down my spine.
The Baroness twitched weakly, her muscles straining in futile resistance, but she had little strength left to fight. Her magic ebbed away like a receding tide, her mind clouding over, and her once-unbreakable will cracked like brittle glass under immense pressure. She fought to the bitter end—her breaths coming in erratic gasps, her body quivering with defiance, her fingers clawing convulsively into my skin, leaving faint red trails that stung with a mix of pain and exhilaration.
But... suddenly, her gaze dulled, consciousness flickering out like a snuffed flame. Her form went limp in my arms, collapsing against me as she breathed softly and evenly against my chest, her warmth a stark contrast to the storm that had raged moments before.
> Interface: Conditions met. You've acquired a slave at level 303. Level up: 1 → 2.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE — SLAVE SEAL CONFIGURATION]
The Slave Seal has been initialized. Please select behavioral restrictions for your slave.
Suggested options:
— Suppress Will
— Punishment Feedback
— Pain Reinforcement
— Obedience Override
I stared at the glowing list, disgust rising in my throat.
"No. Absolutely not."
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Kindness parameter detected.
Adapting Seal to Master's moral preference.
The following minimalist restrictions have been applied:
— Slave cannot inflict lethal harm upon you.
— Slave cannot flee beyond permitted range.
All other freedoms remain intact.
A final line blinked:
[Would you like to review advanced settings?]
[YES] [NO]
I exhaled and dismissed it with a tap. "The system got it right. That's enough. I don't want a mindless puppet. She should stay herself."
I ran my hand through her hair, reveling in its silky smoothness, the strands slipping like cool water between my fingers, and whispered quietly:
"That was... magnificent."
With a faint smile, I brushed a kiss against her cheek, her skin soft and yielding under my lips, carrying the faint, lingering scent of wildflowers and exertion.
Pulling a bed and a warm blanket from my spatial storage, I gently laid her down, tucking her in with care. In sleep, her face transformed into something serene and almost vulnerable—it was hard to believe that just hours ago, this woman had embodied ruthless power, ready to tear me apart. The soft rise and fall of her chest under the blanket stirred an unexpected tenderness in me, a quiet moment amid the chaos of our encounter.
Opening my storage again, I retrieved a crate of wine. The first bottle popped open with a soft, satisfying cork release, and I took several greedy swigs. The liquid burned pleasantly down my throat, spreading a comforting heaviness through my limbs, replenishing the energy she'd so mercilessly drained from me. Each swallow brought a rush of vitality, the rich, fruity notes mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest, grounding me in the here and now.
*Nicely played,* drawled my inner voice with a sly grin. *It looked like we were about to dominate her, but in the end, she turned the tables. Result? You're the victim, she's the predator. Perfect setup. Better to be the prey than the hunter... after all, we're on the side of Good.*
I chuckled softly, tilting my head back and taking another pull from the bottle.
In that moment, I didn't even try to argue—my inner voice was spot on.
Sipping the sweet, throat-searing wine, I pondered deeply:
*Did God create paradise just to test what kind of god humanity would become?*
Tossing aside the empty glass, I summoned the world management panel. Endless lists of parameters and settings scrolled before my eyes, a digital cascade of possibilities and restrictions. But the longer I scanned them, the clearer it became—my omnipotence was an illusion. Yes, I was the god of this realm... but not an absolute ruler. Rules bound me here, unbreakable chains I couldn't alter, woven into the fabric of this existence like invisible threads.
"I don't understand a damn thing," I muttered, rubbing my temple as the wine's warmth fogged my thoughts slightly.
A sudden rustle made me whirl around. Amid the branches flitted a tiny creature—a boyish fairy with translucent wings that shimmered like dew-kissed glass in the sunlight. He froze for an instant, locking eyes with me, before darting into the underbrush, vanishing among the trunks with a faint, ethereal hum.
"Odd..." I frowned. "I definitely didn't create fairies in this world."
I didn't have to wonder long. Soon, uninvited guests appeared in my sanctuary. First came the elf Siesta, with that same fairy perched on her shoulder like a living jewel. Following her was Iris. We exchanged polite but terse greetings, the air thick with unspoken tension, the forest's ambient sounds—distant bird calls and whispering leaves—underscoring the awkwardness.
"You here to kidnap me and use me... for your purposes too?" I asked with a sardonic edge, emphasizing the last words, a smirk playing on my lips.
"No," they chorused, their voices overlapping in firm denial.
"Then why show up?"
Siesta shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot before hesitantly speaking:
"We... we'd like to live here. With you. In this forest."
I let my gaze slide over them slowly, a grin tugging at my mouth:
"If you'll agree to become my slaves—I'll take you under my wing."
They consented almost immediately, without hesitation, which honestly caught me off guard. Why had the Baroness resisted so fiercely? Why refuse to belong to me?
The answer came from Siesta.
"There's a hefty bounty on your head," she said softly. "The whole village thinks you're an intelligent monster."
"So the Baroness wanted to capture me for the reward? Lock me up in the village?" I narrowed my eyes, piecing it together.
Siesta shook her head.
"Not exactly. The Baroness has been loyally serving Irdan from the start. He's the head of our village... and he values her highly. She's the strongest among us."
"Wait..." Iris interjected, eyeing me skeptically. "You're saying you defeated the Baroness? Alone?"
Doubt laced her tone, almost a challenge that hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown.
I glanced at the sleeping Baroness. She lay on the bed, her chest rising and falling in gentle rhythm, her face utterly peaceful. No one looking at her now would believe that mere hours ago, she'd been a whirlwind of fury and might, poised to rip me to shreds. The contrast stirred a strange mix of triumph and pity in me.
Siesta followed my gaze, then turned back to me.
"How did you beat her?" she asked quietly. "Do you harbor some great power inside?"
I smirked, tilting my head slightly.
"I outsmarted her... more than defeated her."
In that instant, a light, tickling sensation prickled along my spine.
Spinning around, I caught the Baroness's fingers twitching, a slender blade glinting in her hand.
She was trying to kill me. Even in her sleep.
The slave mark activated instantly, halting the strike. The edge didn't penetrate deeply, but it left a thin, burning cut, warm scarlet blood welling up and trickling down my skin.
I traced a finger along the wound, staring at the crimson droplets, and grinned:
"Well... might as well use this to my advantage."
Approaching Iris and Siesta, I lightly smeared my blood across their skin.
> Interface: Iris (level 20) has voluntarily become your slave.
> Interface: Siesta (level 50) has voluntarily become your slave.
> Interface: Configuring basic slave seal settings...
I nodded in satisfaction, then shifted my gaze to the Baroness, who—despite her serene expression—now stood behind me, still asleep, her presence a silent shadow.
"Thanks for the assist," I smirked, giving her shoulder a gentle shake.
"Why didn't you use the Holy Sword on him?" Siesta demanded, crossing her arms and shooting the Baroness a suspicious glare.
She opened her eyes, awakening in a flash, frowning as she narrowed them:
"Because he's human, not a monster," she stated, her tone dripping with disdain, as if it were the gravest insult imaginable.
"No way!" Iris exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.
"Not funny," Siesta muttered, her brow furrowing.
I grinned:
"Speaking of the Holy Sword... hand it over."
My voice turned firm, almost commanding, cutting through the air like a blade.
The Baroness flushed as if slapped:
"You bastard! I'll never give the Holy Sword to your filthy hands! Go to hell!"