Fierce Beast Karyl (3)

Only silence hung in the dark room. No sound, no light, not even the slightest movement—a perfectly still space. Karyl's yellow slit eyes alone gleamed in the darkness, constantly shifting shapes.

"What the hell are you scheming?"

Finally breaking the silence, Karyl's voice was still thick with hostility. You'd slap a black magic Chain Collar on her, claiming you were going to use her as a slave, and now suddenly you're laying her on a soft bed and telling her to sleep? It'd be weirder not to suspect something.

But I was sincere. I'd never had any intention of humiliating or antagonizing Karyl from the start. I'd brought her here precisely to avoid a future where she killed me—why would I do something that extreme?

I plopped down on a chair far from the bed and spoke to her.

"Does the world have strategists who lay their goals bare? Of course I wouldn't tell you."

"Talking like you're somebody special—don't get delusions of grandeur. No matter how you dress it up, you're just a trash villain."

"If that's how it is, then go to sleep already. Why can't I force this with the chains?"

I crossed my legs arrogantly, and Karyl sneered at me.

"Got a fetish like that? Hunting sleeping prey is pathetic enough, but jumping a sleeping victim? No shame at all?"

"I have no shame. I act only for my goals."

"You're filthy. If we'd met in the wild, I'd have killed you on sight."

Karyl cackled with laughter—not from amusement, but from enmity and mockery. The beastkin's laugh was pretty chilling. Her lips curled up, but her eyes still glared at me, and her forcibly prone body twitched like it wanted to pounce. Her tail was probably swishing back and forth under the covers, sizing up its prey.

But none of that mattered.

"Fine, whatever—just sleep. You probably haven't rested properly stuck in that slave market."

"How could I sleep easy with you staring like that? The slave market bastards didn't pull crap like this on me."

"I went out of my way to give you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a comfortable position for a beastkin, and you're still suspicious?"

"What?"

"Beastkin find it more comfortable to sleep prone than flat on their backs like humans, right?"

I'd seen it plenty in the game. Beastkin companions always slept prone. Even with close allies, they had an instinctive aversion to lying on their backs and exposing their bellies.

It was my way of being considerate.

"That was... really just for that?"

"Yeah. So relax and sleep. I won't come near the bed."

I finished speaking and crossed my arms tightly, signaling no more talk. Karyl stared at me, huffing heavily. But it was only for a moment—exhaustion from being caged in the slave market weighed on her, and her eyes began to droop. After lying prone on rough, filthy floors forever, crashing on a soft bed would make anyone sleepy.

Sleep well.

"Don't get any funny ideas... If you come even a step closer, I'll wake up and devour you..."

"Do whatever."

"This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠isn't a bluff... I can still handle anyone who approaches..."

Even her final threat trailed off as Karyl slipped under the covers and drifted into sleep.

With nothing but the sound of Karyl prone on the bed, breathing steadily, the messages started popping up noisily.

They couldn't read my exact thoughts, it seemed. No need to mutter to myself and convince the gods. Waking the freshly asleep Karyl with careless rambling was the last thing I wanted.

"Noisy as hell."

I swatted away the persistent alert windows and sat still, watching Karyl sleep. I couldn't leave her alone—who knew what she'd do. Not because I wasn't tired from waking up recently, but because I didn't know when she'd wake. The quiet peace was tense as hell.

I kept watch on Karyl, waiting for her to sleep deeply and wake on her own. Another alert popped up beside me, still as a carved stone.

Karyl woke after four hours. Her ears perked up as she frantically scanned the room. When her golden eyes met mine, her fierce gaze sharpened instantly.

"Not a dream, huh."

"Even beasts dream?"

"What's weird about talking like humans? Idiot."

Karyl growled at me. I stood from the chair and approached her.

"Four hours enough? You looked exhausted falling asleep."

"You think you could sleep easy in this situation? Use your brain."

"I'm using it plenty—no need to worry."

Reaching her side, I yanked off the covers. Karyl, prone in nothing but short underwear with a hole for her tail, twisted her body, tail stiffening.

"Ashamed 'cause you're female?"

"Shut up! I hate being female too!"

Karyl roared savagely. Hearing her say she hated being female felt oddly thrilling—like a heroine in an ero-manga right before falling. Not that she meant it that way, of course.

True to being marked by the divine beast Tigrion, Karyl aspired to be the ultimate hunter at the top of the food chain. She preferred hunting stronger prey over mating, biting throats over suckling young. Her female body was nothing but an inconvenience.

Breasts swollen for nursing and seduction hindered movement; muscles built slower than males'. Worst was the hormonal surges she couldn't control—her body heating up despite no desire to flirt. During heat, Karyl turned ferociously violent, channeling urges elsewhere.

"I know. That's why you bind your chest so tightly with bandages."

"Yeah. Wish I could rip 'em off."

"Too bad, can't be helped. Want fresh bandages?"

"Too bad...?"

It was. Setting aside her ferocity, Karyl was stunning. Pondering my words, she soon twisted and gnashed her teeth.

"Filthy bastard! I'll bite you so you never think vulgar crap again!"

"Pass. I like my confidence. You might too."

"I'll kill you!"

Three seconds after her scream, I was still breathing—the Chain Collar held. I ordered her to follow and left the room.

Walking the wide corridor with Karyl, servants fled to rooms or corners. Only one approached.

"Yenika?"

"..."

Yenika bowed silently. Dark circles worse—she still hadn't slept.

"Couldn't sleep worrying about me?"

"Yes."

"Don't trust me, or ignoring orders...?"

"My apologies."

"No matter. I have a task for you."

I checked the black magic on Karyl and pointed to the bathroom.

"Go in, strip, and stay still."

"Grr..."

Karyl ground her teeth and entered. I ordered Yenika.

"Wash her. Scrub every speck of filth—she can't move, so no worries."

"Pardon?"

Yenika stared blankly, then nodded and headed in. Would've been a sight, but peeking was rude. I waited far from the bathroom.

"You."

Yenika, soaping Karyl's body, called out. Karyl, drenched tail and soapy, scowled grumpily.

"What."

"What happened in the room?"

Yenika's tone was off—emotion creeping into her usual cool voice, formality heated. But to Karyl, still polite, she answered casually.

"Slept."

"Don't lie."

"Not lying. Slept on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his bed."

Yenika's hands paused. Karyl continued.

"Ordered me prone on the bed. Couldn't move, had to obey. But he was nicer than expected?"

No lie. But to Yenika, ignorant of details, it sounded suspicious.

"What the hell is Vermin? Does weird stuff, now has you bathed. Maybe..."

"Stop. Say no more."

Yenika cut her off.

"Look at that temper. Like master, like slave."

"I'm no slave."

"Washing me on his orders?"

Karyl mocked. Yenika bit her lip, finished silently, and bound Karyl's chest tightly.

Vermin called Karyl right after. Yenika sidelined again.

"Clean now—taking her for a walk."

"Who you calling a dog bitch!"

"Know you're worse than a dog slave. Yenika, sleep properly this time."

Vermin left with Karyl. Alone again, Yenika touched her smaller chest, muttering.

"Why..."

Then, a strange voice echoed in her mind.

Yenika whipped around. Empty corridor. Before puzzlement settled, the voice echoed again.

"Who are you?"

"Delitoph, I presume."

Yenika sighed. Caught, Delitoph's whispers halted. Yenika fixed her purple eyes and declared firmly.

"Regrettably, I will never betray Master Vermin. So please leave."