Chapter 9. Hallucination and Hypnosis
"To dare point a sword at Dmitry."
I continued calmly. "Are you in your right mind?"
Mana swirled at my fingertips.
"As a knight of Siegfried, I cannot tolerate this scene! You dare! You dare!" Musk's sword gleamed sharply.
"Isn't this what you expected?"
"What?"
"The lady of Siegfried, stripped of her status through status execution, sold off to the Magic Department's Minister, infamous for his cruelty. Did you really think nothing would happen?"
"At the very least... you..." Musk ground his teeth as he muttered.
"At the very least, I thought you'd have some basic manners. From when we crossed swords on the battlefield..."
"Quiet."
I cut off Musk's words. Seria was staring at us with unfocused eyes, as if she'd taken some mental damage from the hallucination induced by the lizardman essence. The effects wouldn't last long. There was no point in dragging this out.
"Drawing a sword on the head of House Dmitry is a grave offense."
I released the mana gathered at my fingertips.
"Kuh!" Musk hurriedly raised his sword with his right arm.
The attribute-less explosive spell, Mana Bomb.
Boom!
My magic collided with his mana-clad sword and detonated in midair. The shockwave made our clothes flutter.
"Damn it."
Musk, pushed back, grimaced. He tried desperately to regain his stance, but even with two good arms, he couldn't beat me. The glory of the "Flash of the Left Sword" that once illuminated the Empire was long gone.
Kaboom!
"Argh!"
Before Musk could steady himself, I pummeled his body mercilessly with Magic Missiles I'd cast. All of them struck major mana pathways. He probably wouldn't be able to use mana for a while without his whole body going numb.
"Guh!" Musk, trembling all over, finally dropped to his knees.
Even a Swordmaster would struggle to fully withstand an assault from the Empire's greatest mage.
I approached the kneeling Musk.
"I have no idea why you're so angry."
"What?"
"You say I've disgraced Siegfried? I can't make sense of it."
I glanced at Seria, who was still staring at us with dazed eyes, and continued. "Like you said earlier, doesn't House Siegfried have no daughter?"
Musk's eyes widened as he checked Seria's condition.
"You bastard, don't tell me!"
"That's enough."
I sealed his mouth.
"Mmph!"
"Insulting Dmitry is a heavy crime, but considering how you've helped today, I'll let it slide."
Snap! I flicked my fingers.
The sword on the floor floated up lightly and slotted into Musk's scabbard.
"Will you leave now?"
Musk struggled to open his mouth, but without mana, it was futile.
"Tell Duke Siegfried this was helpful. Sebastian, please see the guest out."
"Understood, Master."
Musk flailed as Sebastian dragged him away.
Thud. The door closed.
I approached Seria, slumped on the floor.
"I... I'm... the disgrace of Siegfried...?"
She was mumbling about the hallucination from the lizardman essence. Musk had clearly shouted it at me. But to Seria, lost in her hallucination, it sounded like he'd directed it at her—the disgrace of Siegfried.
The talk of no daughter in Siegfried. Of only sons existing.
She must have interpreted it differently. His loyal retainer, a faithful servant of Siegfried, treating her as nonexistent. Every action screaming that Siegfried—her father—had abandoned her.
Even someone as tough as her couldn't help but be shocked by Musk, who had absolute loyalty to the family, treating her like she didn't exist.
"Do you get it now?"
Seria looked up at me with shocked eyes.
"Siegfried has abandoned you. You're no longer Siegfried."
"I'm not... Siegfried...?"
"That's right."
It wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to go this far.
But if I don't do it this way...
She wouldn't break her stubbornness. It would be trouble for both of us going forward. I had to crush her spirit to some degree.
Seria bit her lip hard, avoiding my gaze. She seemed to be steeling herself, but her pupils trembled.
"Don't you understand what it means when even a loyal vassal of Siegfried ignores you?"
"......"
She couldn't answer.
I sat beside her and whispered in her ear. "So forget Siegfried now. It means you can forget all the complications under me."
I reached out and gently cupped her breast.
"Ngh..."
Seria bowed her head in shame, her face flushing. Her body twitched, but she didn't resist like before. My heart pounded fiercely at her obedient attitude.
It wasn't just due to Sexual Sadism.
Breasts so full and beautiful they could embrace the whole world. The moment I felt that soft touch, Choi Yoo-jun's pent-up desires surged.
I have to hold back.
A storm of inner conflict raged, but my expression remained calm. Morris Dmitry's perfectionist nature was a big help here.
The bracelet made from lizardman essence didn't just cause hallucinations. It had a weak hypnosis effect too. When the wearer was lost in hallucination and mentally weakened, a light hypnosis was possible.
Tick, tock.
I unbuttoned her maid outfit one by one.
Seria lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes were unfocused, hazy. Her dreamy gaze suggested she wasn't fully grasping what I was doing.
"Seria."
I spoke her name.
"Abandon Siegfried and accept a new life. If you do, I'll grant you happiness."
Tick.
The last button came undone, and her breasts, freed from the fabric, jiggled with gravity. So close her breath touched me. Each whisper in her ear made her body shudder.
"Happiness..."
She murmured blankly.
"Yes. Happiness. I'll make you happy."
I didn't specify what kind.
I kneaded her sagging curves thoroughly. Then, slowly and carefully, I kissed her nape. To gradually heat her body.
"Hah, hah."
Her breasts heaved as her breaths grew hotter.
"So entrust your body to me."
Seria, meeting my eyes, nodded. Where had that fierce woman gone?
"Tell me what you want. I'll grant it all."
"What I want..."
Seria chewed her lips and looked at me.
"Make a... mess of me."
Hearing that, my heart nearly burst.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I'd suspected hidden masochistic tendencies, but for her to reveal them so quickly...
"Can you handle it?"
Seria hesitated briefly. But soon, as if entranced, she nodded.
"Interesting."
To think a person could change so completely in one go. Under hallucination and hypnosis, Seria wasn't in her right mind. But I had no luxury to consider that.
"As you wish."
I flicked my fingers. A red candle from the reception table flew over.
"We'll start light. Don't move."
I infused mana into my fingers and slowly stroked Seria's skin on the sofa. The mana enveloped her flesh, protecting it while converting pain to pleasure—a spell for that purpose.
Now, through extreme pleasure, I'd implant a new suggestion into her subconscious.
Forget Siegfried.
If that took root, her training would go much smoother.
Her resistance stemmed from her lofty pride as a Siegfried. Crumbling that sturdy wall would achieve my first goal.
The restraint I'd implanted in her initially—electric shocks for arrogant thoughts—was just temporary.
I'll get plenty of use out of it.
Ultimately, freeing her from Siegfried.
After coating her body once with mana, I lit the candle.
Fwoosh.
The flame rose, red wax dripping down the candle.
"I'll give you what you want."
Seria watched the candle in my hand with eager eyes.
Tick.
The red wax dropped onto her white breast.
"Hngh!"
She bit her lip to swallow a moan. It must hurt like burning flesh—this wasn't low-melt wax made for play.
The pain turned to pleasure in an instant. Seria squeezed her eyes shut. I silently dripped more wax.
Scarlet wax adorned her breasts like constellations in a white sky. Each drop made her writhe, but she didn't flee. Obeying my command not to move.
I offered no affectionate words. Just silently playing the cold-blooded master.
"Hmph."
Seria bit both lips hard. I dripped wax onto her taut yet soft belly too. The more it fell, the more intensely she squirmed.
"Ngh."
Red blooms flowered around the wax spots. Like hundreds of flowers on her body—beautiful enough for her nickname, the Empire's flower.
When half the sturdy candle had melted...
"Haa, haa."
Seria, writhing in pain and pleasure, panted. Slumped on the sofa, her eyes drifted to my crotch. Like craving it. Hands twitching to grab but unable.
Definitely effective.
The hypnosis from the essence. But it was ending here. Time had passed since Musk, who'd worn the bracelet, left. The hypnosis would lift soon, returning her to normal.
3, 2, 1.
Now.
Focus returned to Seria's heaving eyes.
"Huh?"
Her face showed confusion at the situation.
"Awake?"
"Wh-what is this?"
She panicked at the wax on her body.
"What did you do to me... Kyaa!"
Electricity coursed through her, making her tremble.
I didn't answer. She bit her lip and hurriedly grabbed her fallen maid outfit to cover herself.
Still the same.
Hostile the moment hypnosis wore off. Well, I hadn't expected everything at once.
But.
I've planted the seed in her subconscious that her family abandoned her. First objective complete.
"You saw it today, right? Siegfried chose to abandon you."
"No, I'm still Siegfried. No matter what anyone says."
Her glare held firm resolve. But much weaker than before.
She'd doubt it endlessly now. Wondering if Siegfried truly abandoned her. And if the seed I planted bore fruit...
"That'll be a sight."
Pressure built in my groin.
"Get out. I don't want to see that face anymore."
Seria, glaring venomously, trembled again.
"Hnnngh!"
Whatever it was, arrogant thoughts.
Soon after Seria left...
"Master."
Sebastian entered the reception room.
"Did you recover the bracelet?"
"Yes."
Sebastian handed me the bracelet. The hallucination bracelet from lizardman essence. It had served well.
Two more uses left.
I'd need the lizard essence's effects at key moments.
I gazed at the bracelet and spoke.
"Sebastian."
"Yes, Master."
"How is she?"
"The maid, sir?"
"Yes."
"She's adapting better than expected. Probably thanks to your education."
"......Adapting."
Words unfit for the lady of Siegfried. The world adapted to her, not vice versa.
"So there is change."
"Yes."
That eased my mind. Not all in vain.
"Master, what shall we do with the maid?"
"Watch her for now and continue the education as is."
"Understood."
Sebastian bowed politely.
"Ah, and."
I looked up at him.
"Guests will come soon. Prepare."
"Understood."
I didn't want to meet her, but.
No choice.