Chapter 453: Proof of Existence (41)
Chapter 453: Proof of Existence (41)
I struggled with everything I had to maintain my sanity.
A sweet fragrance tickled the tip of my nose. A soft sensation brushed against my skin, and the friction of supple flesh provided a pillowy touch. The scent was so dizzyingly intense it made my head spin.
Had she lit some kind of incense?
A surge of carnal desire slithered up my spine. It would have been better if I could circulate my mana, but perhaps due to the effects of the restraints, the mana within my body wouldn't budge.
My senses were exceptionally sharp. It felt as if every fine hair on my body was standing on end.
The only reason I managed to hold onto my reason was entirely thanks to my companions.
Senior Elsie, Celine, and even Lia, who had been missing.
The lives of three people were currently resting on my shoulders. I was relieved they were all alive, but there was no telling what would happen to them if I lost consciousness.
Only after reminding myself of that fact several times did my breathing begin to steady.
The girl simply stared at me without a word. Her hazy golden gaze seemed to lick over my face.
Though she did occasionally rub her hips against me suggestively.
It was still bearable. A voice strained with a groan leaked through my teeth.
"Where... is this...?"
"A hideout prepared somewhere in the Holy Kingdom. And the love nest where you and I will live, Brother!"
The answer came instantly, as if she had been waiting for the question.
However, a hollow laugh escaped my lips. My eyes scanned the surroundings once more.
It was a secret room.
Faint sunlight filtered in from above, but the absolute amount of light was lacking. Furthermore, the interior, devoid of any furniture or decorations, was bleak beyond belief.
To anyone's eyes, it was not a place meant for human habitation.
As if to prove this, a dog bowl sat in front of Senior Elsie. Looking closer, the restraint around Senior Elsie's neck was also modeled after a dog collar.
It was a cruel hobby.
The shocking part was that Senior Elsie was actually being treated better than the others. I couldn't see any food or water near Celine or Lia.
At the very least, I was glad they had received basic first aid.
For reasons unknown, the girl didn't seem to have any immediate intention of killing my companions. I felt a sense of relief at that hypothesis.
Naturally, a mocking tone slipped from my mouth.
"Is it the fashion these days for love nests to have people hanging from the walls?"
"Aha, so that's what you're unhappy about? Don't worry! As long as you accept me, we'll live a life that everyone will envy."
The girl leaned her upper body against mine, overlapping our forms. The cozy sensation of her chest, the fragrant scent of her skin, and her thick, seductive voice struck my five senses in succession.
"Wealth and fame? Delicacies? Debauchery? Just say the word! I can give you anything... as long as you don't forget that you belong to me."
The whisper, which had formed a cheerful rhythm, turned cold at the very end. Even those golden eyes, which had been stained with ecstasy, momentarily held a chill.
The girl showed a peculiar obsession with me.
Was it because I was family?
It was a strong deduction. On the day the decision was made to abandon her, I was the only Percus who didn't participate in that choice. Therefore, I was the only person she could truly call 'blood kin.'
However, there were points this hypothesis couldn't explain.
The girl liked me as a woman, not as a younger sister. This was evident just by how she constantly confessed her love.
But why?
Was it because she hadn't gone through a normal upbringing? If so, there was a possibility she couldn't properly distinguish her own emotions.
I still lacked enough clues.
In truth, it didn't really matter to me right now. My companions' lives were on the line; what did it matter what her feelings were?
The girl was still preoccupied with me. Seizing that opening, I subtly flowed a bit of mana toward the restraints.
The mana still wouldn't budge. However, as I began to apply the 'Principle of Release,' I felt a thread-like aura tapping against the restraints.
As expected of the secret technique of the Great Witch, one of only three Masters on the continent.
If she showed just a little more of an opening, I might be able to undo the restraints.
I decided to probe the girl first.
"I don't recall saying I'd become yours yet."
"Well, of course not! You're going to say it starting now. Here, look."
The girl slowly stood up and began to look around at the bound women.
The first target was Celine.
My childhood friend, who had yet to regain consciousness, was letting out pained moans with her eyes closed.
The cold sweat trickling down her cheeks testified to the nightmare she was having.
"First, Sister Celine! I'd like to 'educate' her more if I could, but she's my precious trade partner, right? So I'll let her slide for now!"
The girl's cheerful, smiling demeanor shifted instantly as she moved to the next person.
Defiant golden eyes were looking up at the girl. Though the two looked identical, as if looking into a mirror, their appearances were polar opposites.
Lia was covered in dirt and wearing a tattered dress.
And the girl was looking down at her, clad in a jet-black priestess uniform.
Lia was gritting her teeth as if the situation was utterly infuriating. In response, the girl let out a short, mocking laugh.
"And our fake... I should have killed her and gotten rid of her long ago, but she's a special specimen, you see? So I'll let her live for now. Research data is precious, after all."
"Don't make me laugh."
It was a fierce voice that scraped against her throat.
Meeting Lia again after a long time, she seemed filled with spite. It was clear she hadn't been living in a comfortable environment.
"I'm not your fake... A merchant is someone who plays with others like toys by targeting their psychological weaknesses? You're nothing but a swindler."
It was a cold rebuttal, but the girl didn't seem particularly shaken. She merely narrowed her eyes with a hum.
Then, the girl clapped her palms together once.
It was a sign of disinterest. Her bewitching golden eyes moved to find the next victim.
"Well, we can talk about that later... and our puppy?"
An arc formed on the girl's lips once more. That expression, feigning affection, was so excessively awkward that it felt as if she were intentionally making it look artificial.
Stepping lightly, the girl reached out and began to messily ruffle Senior Elsie's hair.
A faint groan escaped Senior Elsie, who was wearing the dog collar. I could guess her mood by the look in her eyes, which were filled with irritation.
No, beyond irritation, her face was a mixture of humiliation and rage.
It was only natural. Being treated like a pet by a younger girl—it would be strange not to be angry.
Though I didn't know why I, a younger man, was an exception.
Senior Elsie's body was trembling. It was proof that her emotions had reached their peak, but the girl only wore a sadistic smile.
"It would be boring if it were just the two of us in our nest, wouldn't it? So I'm going to keep one pet dog that Brother dotes on. But you see..."
The hand that had been fussing over Senior Elsie's hair suddenly tightened.
A groan escaped Senior Elsie as her hair was yanked back. She struggled and flailed, but with both her hands and feet bound, proper resistance was impossible.
Out of pity, I raised my voice.
"Senior Elsie!"
The girl swallowed a giggle, as if this was exactly the reaction she had been hoping for.
Then, displaying Senior Elsie's pain-filled face as if showing off a prize, she issued a playful threat.
"If Brother doesn't listen to me, who knows what I might do?"
I ground my teeth.
I wanted to break the restraints and grab a sword this very instant. But I didn't even know where my equipment was, and the girl's martial prowess was beyond imagination.
I had to wait for a better opening.
A groan escaped through my teeth as I reached a cold conclusion.
Do I have no choice but to play along for now?
It was just as I reached that decision.
"...Cut the bullshit."
Those were the words Senior Elsie spat out, forcing the corners of her mouth into a twist.
The girl and I both turned our blank stares toward her.
Senior Elsie looked as if she found the situation truly pathetic.
"An attention-seeking brat like you... who's educating whom? You've never been loved even once in your life."
With every word, the smile vanished from the girl's face.
"That's why you can't feel secure without things like 'contracts' or 'master-servant relationships'... because you've never been loved unconditionally. Pfft, hahah... You expect me, Elsie Lainella, to play along with such childish games?"
"...You bitch."
By the end, the girl's expression had hardened into something as cold as it could possibly be. A blood-red whip manifested over her open palm.
"I guess you haven't been educated enough. Fine... if you want it that badly, I'll educate you myself!"
The girl swung the whip with a crack, gritting her teeth as it struck the ground.
Even seeing it again, the power was terrifying. If Senior Elsie were hit by that whip, she wouldn't survive.
So, I intervened to stop the girl.
"Stop!"
The girl, who was about to move the whip again, flinched. When her questioning gaze turned toward me, a sigh escaped my lips.
"I'll play along... Just don't touch Senior Elsie."
Senior Elsie seemed about to say something in a huff at my words, but she closed her mouth again after receiving my silent warning.
A faint dew had formed at the corners of her eyes. She seemed incredibly frustrated.
But humiliation is temporary; as long as one stays alive, the time for revenge will surely come.
The girl asked a cautious follow-up question.
"By 'play along'... you mean?"
"Do whatever you want. It's not like I can do anything while I'm tied up anyway, right? At least while I'm bound here, I'll play along."
I subtly added the condition 'while I'm bound here,' but the girl didn't seem to pay much attention to that point.
She likely felt certain that I wouldn't be getting free anytime soon.
If only I'm given an opening.
I tried my best to calm my racing heart and feigned indifference. At my nonchalant attitude, the girl finally brightened and accepted my proposal.
"Fine! Then in exchange for not touching that bitch today, Brother will play with me?"
"Sure, as much as you want while I'm tied up... but only for today."
Despite my business-like haggling, the girl simply nodded happily.
The contract was sealed.
The Bloodscale Balance manifested in the air before vanishing. The girl no longer paid any attention to Senior Elsie.
And just before the girl could hug me again—
"Before that, can I ask one thing?"
"Hmm?"
It was a sudden question. The girl tilted her head, but I continued without giving her time to think.
"Why are you so obsessed with me?"
At that, the girl stopped in her tracks.
"Hmm," she hummed, tapping her chin with a finger as she pondered. It was as if she didn't know where to start.
Her hesitation didn't last long.
Soon, the girl answered with a pure, white smile.
"Okay, I'll tell you. About my childhood."
It was a smile as innocent as a child's.