The Bet's Verdict, The Spy Elis
"Mmm..."
Seria rubbed her eyes as she woke. The sun was already high in the sky. Yet her mind still felt foggy. The long-suppressed pleasure had hit her even harder because of that. For the first time in ages, she'd had a good dream. She couldn't remember the details, but it had been warm and comforting. Being held in the strong arms of the man in her dream made all the world's worries melt away.
"Huh?"
Only then did she realize she was completely naked.
Why?
Slowly, the events of the previous night unfolded in her mind like a panorama. The five days of agony from her bet with Morris. Surrendering to inescapable pleasure. She'd begged and fawned over him, clinging to Morris.
It... wasn't a dream.
Seria had declared defeat to Morris. She'd lost her chance to return to the Siegfrieds. Shame welled up. Self-loathing gripped her for not enduring.
I'm insane.
Asking him to ruin her completely. How could those words have come from her mouth? Even she couldn't believe it.
Abandoned by the emperor, then throwing myself at the man who reduced me to this.
Even her last bastion as a woman—her virginity—had been taken. Tears gathered in her eyes. The sheets proving her deflowering had long since been cleaned away spotlessly.
Seria held back her tears.
What's this?
There, on her lower abdomen, was a translucent tattoo. A heart shape just below her navel and above her pelvis.
When did this happen?
She recalled Morris saying to prepare herself since she'd lost the bet.
A mark.
Proof that she'd submitted to him and abandoned everything. Clearly etched so she'd feel humiliated every time she saw it.
Filthy bastard.
Seria ground her teeth. That's when—
"Awake?"
Morris entered the bedroom, impeccably dressed. Seria, meanwhile, wore not even underwear.
"You slept soundly. Was last night that good?"
Morris gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.
"Don't... touch me."
She covered herself with the blanket and swatted away his arm.
"No need to be shy now."
He spoke calmly while sipping coffee.
"I've already seen everything."
"I... didn't lose to you."
"Still stubborn, I see."
"Last night was... just a mistake. That wasn't the real me. I wasn't in my right mind."
"That doesn't change that you lost your virginity."
Morris's gaze drifted to her lower body. Her grip tightened on the blanket, creasing it deeply.
"Remember this: You lost the bet, so you do exactly as I say."
"I... know."
"The bet was on House Siegfried. As the loser, you forget them completely, right?"
She wanted to slap that sneering face. But she had no strength for it.
"Naked yet unable to remove the choker around your neck—a powerless trinket. That's your place. Don't forget it."
Even his belittling words left her speechless.
"I didn't expect perfection from the start. But fix that arrogant tone. I won't indulge your whims forever."
She clenched her teeth.
"Understood, sir."
"Then we're done. Off you go."
"Like this?"
"Should I dress you myself? I could make you tentacle clothes if you want."
"N-not... that."
"No covering with the blanket either."
"......"
"No greeting? Your master shows mercy—aren't thanks in order?"
"Thank you... sir."
"Out."
Seria wrapped herself in the blanket and left. Every step made her lower abdomen throb.
Am I really losing my mind?
Even now, recalling last night. Her core kept heating up. It was a first. Unlike the torturous teasing and denial. It had filled her completely. A solid presence deep inside. Emptiness hit whenever he pulled out. To fill it, she'd craved him again.
Status executed, alone ever since. But in that moment, she'd felt consoled by another's presence.
That's all it was.
Her mental fortitude had just weakened then.
No way I fawned over him from pleasure.
Seria steeled herself. No more temptations.
But why did Morris's crotch, glimpsed as she left, keep coming to mind?
It was so firm.
Not just his muscled chest and arms. Even that massive thing.
I'm crazy.
Seria shook her head vigorously. Erasing those growing memories would take time.
"Hm."
I examined the aphrodisiac seal I'd etched on her body. Nearly invisible in its translucence, but soon it'd gain power. Then Seria would realize: no escape.
Imagining her arrogant expression crumbling again felt exquisite.
Drives me wild.
Tormenting her was undeniably addictive.
"Minister, are you in?"
The red-haired maid entered. Elis. The emperor's spy. The spy whose cover I'd blown.
"What brings you?"
"Didn't we agree to meet during the day? You've avoided me these past few days, so I took the liberty."
I recalled the promise from the night I exposed her—the next day, we'd meet.
"Ah, right. We did."
That day: glass flowers on the world tree. Next: mana storm and date with Emir. Then: Baekseol relations and Magic Department backlog. Lately: Seria's training.
I'd kept postponing. Forgotten entirely.
She's come to me first.
Anxious? Wondering what I'd do?
She fidgeted with her left triceps using her right hand.
"What's wrong?"
I feigned ignorance.
"I-It's about that incident before."
"That? Ah, yes."
I leaned back leisurely.
"Forgot, actually. Been busy."
"I see."
"No need for long talk. To the point: Why did His Majesty send you?"
"M-Minister."
Elis's eyes widened. She glanced around anxiously.
"No need. No eavesdroppers or devices nearby. Who do you think I am?"
"Ah..."
After hesitating, Elis spoke.
"His Majesty sent me to monitor you."
"Why?"
"To check if you're properly managing the item he bestowed... Seria."
"He doesn't trust my word?"
"I wouldn't know. How could a mere mortal fathom the Sun's heart?"
"Then why answer so obediently?"
"Well."
She pursed her lips briefly.
"They say no one withholds from the torture maestro Minister. Even I..."
She lowered her gaze.
"Hongryeon spy, as expected. Quick on the uptake."
"Pardon?"
"Short nails, calluses on finger joints. All-female assassin group. Main combat: hand-to-hand. All members lesbians?"
"H-how?!"
"Think there's something I don't know?"
The emperor's favored assassins. Caused friction between heroine and hero once. A novel device to spark jealousy. Used so often, I'd memorized it.
I'd recited the novel's exact description of Hongryeon.
"...As expected of the Minister."
I watched her silently.
"What now? Emperor's spy exposed. Suicide?"
"You'll keep me alive. For intel."
"Naturally. Cut your tongue? I'll reattach it. Extreme poison? Highest detox spell. Don't even think decapitation—reattachment's easy."
Chilling words. Yet Elis took it calmly, as if expected.
"Understood."
"So you know nothing useful about the emperor?"
"Yes. Correct."
No need to extract memories forcibly. She was a useful card now.
"Report what you saw last time to him. How I treat her. How I train her."
"Seriously?"
"Ideally, mention I took her virginity. Made her beg desperately."
"I... saw that."
Of course. Her flushed, trembling face daily. Screaming in the garden for all to hear. Last night's sex? The whole estate heard. No soundproofing on purpose.
"As I thought."
"Yes."
"Report that too. And his reaction."
"You want a double agent."
Elis pondered. Double agent—betraying Hongryeon and emperor. Abandoning everything.
"Your only way to live."
"And if I refuse?"
"I'll make you beg for death."
Morris's eyes gleamed coldly. Elis nearly wet herself. That face—from the war, guarding the current emperor.
When he massacred the noble rebels. That expression.
Unyielding amid screams. The iron-blooded mage. Legs trembled just looking.
Forgotten prey instincts revived. Survive. Obey him unconditionally. To escape that grim face, she bowed deeper.
"I'll remember."
"Go."
"Yes."
Dismissed, Elis left. Walking back, she realized her panties were soaked.
Not urine.
Arousal fluid.
Ah.
Too late, she understood. Nearly wetting herself wasn't fear.
It was from the pleasure in that moment.
A desire to be dominated surged from deep within.
I thought my body and soul belonged to the leader.
Only she could fully dominate her.
Yet this man overwhelmed her effortlessly. Even Hongryeon's leader would be mere herbivore before him.
I can discard it.
She wanted to. To be dominated by this perfect dominator.
If he looks down with those eyes, dominates and torments me...
What would it feel like? Imagining alone made her climax lightly.
And the next day.
"Th-the research results on the Minister's sample."
Kimihi visited the Magic Tower. He handed me the report. Jane watched curiously from the side.
"Fascinating. The sample was female arousal fluid."
"Arousal fluid? Actual pussy juice? Glass flowers from piss and squirt—elves would be mortified. Wait, in that mansion, the only woman who'd spray that much is..."
Jane made a fuss at Kimihi's words.
"Jane, stop."
"Ah, yes!"
Jane clamped her mouth with both hands.
"And Kimihi, I didn't commission analysis for gossip."
"Oops, my bad. Anyway, analysis complete."
"Results?"
"As you see. Components: not human."
I took the data from Kimihi.
"This real?"
"Yes. Shocked me too. First time."
Component Analysis Report
• Human: 50%
• Transcendent: 50%
Seria was a child born between a transcendent and a human.