Chapter 819: The Rough Method
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 819: The Rough Method
Candlelight.
Red wine.
Flowers.
Steak.
And the beautiful strains of classical music.
The setup for a candlelight dinner was always the same—clichéd and utterly lacking in novelty.
But perhaps what made countless young women so enamored with this scene wasn't the arrangement or the originality. It was the ambiance created by the elegant notes and the flickering amber glow, and the beloved sitting just inches away across the table.
"Young Master..."
An stepped into the romantic dining room. Her gaze didn't linger for even a second on the meticulously prepared decorations; her eyes fell directly on Muen’s handsome face, instantly overflowing with a tenderness as soft as water.
"Come, sit."
Muen rose with a smile and gallantly pulled out a chair for An.
"Young Master, I..."
"Don't refuse. Tonight, you aren't my little maid, and you don't need to serve me. This is a romantic dinner that belongs only to the two of us."
Muen took An’s small hand in one of his and wrapped the other around her supple waist. With just a single look into his eyes, An felt as if the bones had been sucked right out of her body. She obediently followed Muen’s lead and sank into the plush chair.
Once she was settled, Muen returned to his own seat and clapped his hands. The light, airy classical tune shifted abruptly into the sultry wail of a saxophone. The long, winding notes were mellow and evocative, instantly heightening the suggestive atmosphere at the table.
"Young Master, where is that pest?"
Only then did An notice there were only two place settings. No space had been reserved for that "pest," and the candlelight, arranged like stars around a moon, seemed to burn for the two of them alone.
"Didn't I say? This is a romantic dinner for just you and me."
Muen naturally wouldn't answer a question about Ariel’s whereabouts—that was a trap waiting to happen. He simply gazed into An’s eyes, his voice dripping with heartfelt sincerity:
"Here, there is only you and I. Nothing else matters."
"Young Master..."
Hearing those words, which rang with absolute truth, the affection in An’s eyes grew so thick it seemed ready to spill over.
"Young Master... do I look beautiful right now?"
Having confirmed that this was a private space for just the two of them, An immediately shed all her pretenses. Her expression remained poised and flawless, the image of elegance and efficiency etched into her very bones.
But her gaze, her tone, and the increasingly heavy, heated fragrance of her breath were all laced with a soul-snaring provocativeness.
It was a question any girl might ask in such a moment, but coming from An’s lips, it carried an indescribable, exotic allure.
"Beautiful. Truly beautiful," Muen answered honestly.
An must have received a tip-off from someone, because she wasn't wearing her usual maid uniform. Instead, she wore a deep purple gown.
The dress featured a plunging V-neck that perfectly showcased the steep peaks and deep valleys of her cleavage. But the scenery didn't end there; her shapely collarbones and her flawless, white swan-like neck were rare treasures of this world, sparking an irresistible desire to explore.
"You look very handsome too, Young Master."
An’s lips curled into a smile. Her eyes reflected the handsome man across from her, now dressed in a fresh formal suit, whose every movement was enough to make countless girls swoon.
But it wasn't just his outward appearance that made him so intoxicating, so mesmerizing.
"Young Master is the handsomest of all," An whispered.
Hiss...
Muen suddenly felt a jolt.
It wasn't because he couldn't handle An’s limitless praise, but because as she spoke, Muen felt a mischievous, silken foot begin to stroke his calf.
An rested her chin on her hand, gazing soulfully at Muen. Her upper body showed no sign of anything unusual.
But beneath the tablecloth, a long leg perfectly encased in black stockings had already crossed the boundary. Her toes worked with nimble coordination, climbing steadily up Muen’s trouser leg.
Step by step... toward the highest, deepest point...
"Too naughty."
Muen clamped his legs together, forcibly pinning the slender foot before it could reach the final danger zone. He put on a stern face.
"We're eating."
"Are we?"
An’s face was a picture of innocence. She lightly bit down on her silver fork, her eyes full of flirtatious intent. "I'm being very well-behaved."
Under the table, another silken foot glided over, once again advancing toward the target.
"You dare try again?"
Muen reached down and grabbed it, feeling its incredible softness and smoothness. He said fiercely:
"Are you trying to force me to change the menu?"
"Do you want to eat?"
An blinked, the silver fork popping out from between her red lips with a soft plop. "If it's the Young Master... you can."
"..."
Muen’s breath hitched instantly, his blood surging. An’s foot didn't need to go any further; it was a hair's breadth from the target.
He had to admit, when she was alone with him, An was far more uninhibited and proactive than anyone else. You didn't even need to lead her; the initiative of an elite maid could take you to an indescribable paradise.
However, Muen managed to suppress the rising heat for the moment.
"Be good. This kind of 'special performance' isn't for right now. Let's save it for a more suitable setting."
Muen picked up his wine glass. "First, let's have a toast to this moment, shall we?"
On the wall behind An, the clock went tick-tock, tick-tock.
After clinking glasses, Muen took advantage of An tilting her head back to drain her wine to steal a glance at the clock.
According to his calculations, Ariel—who wouldn't know how to use the Duke’s manor’s complex bathing system—would take at least forty minutes to reach the battlefield. Adding time for dressing and grooming, it might take even longer. Therefore, as long as this "battle" ended quickly enough, he had plenty of time.
A flash of confidence crossed Muen’s eyes. It seemed everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.
It was just a matter of time management. Having survived so many shitshows, he was already a master of—
"Young Master!"
Just then, Noah hurried in, looking panicked. He leaned in and whispered something into Muen’s ear.
"What?"
Muen’s eyes widened. "That fast?"
*
"Dammit, how do you use this thing?"
The Duke’s manor, the bathroom.
Beside a bathtub so massive that seven or eight girls could bathe in it together, Ariel was scratching her head in frustration at several mechanical knobs.
Just as Muen expected, Ariel, who had grown up heating water for wooden tubs, had never seen the manor’s automatic hot water system. Without help, she had no idea how to operate it.
First, she turned the knob toward the blue area on the left. Water gushed from the stone lion’s mouth, but it felt like it had just been pumped from a deep well—it was freezing.
Too cold. Can't wash in that.
Then she turned the knob toward the red area on the right. The water immediately became warm... but it was a bit too warm. Ariel tested it with a fingertip and found the only difference between this water and boiling water was that it wasn't actually bubbling yet.
"What kind of junk is this?" Ariel grumbled. "Left is too cold, right is too hot... how am I supposed to wash?"
Did she have to fiddle with the knob like she was cracking a safe until she found the perfect center point? And then wait for the water to slowly fill this giant tub?
Was this a joke? It was just a bath; why did it have to be so complicated?
Muen’s calculation had actually been quite accurate. For Ariel to fully master the manor’s bathing system and enjoy a comfortable soak, it would have taken at least an hour or two.
However, in his desperation to defuse the crisis, he had forgotten one very important thing.
Aside from when she was blinded by handsome boys and romance, in most situations... Ariel was incredibly clever.
"It's just warm water, right?" Ariel’s lips curled into a smirk. "Isn't magic way faster?"
With a surge of mana, she used water magic to draw a massive amount of clean water into the bathroom, quickly filling the entire tub.
Next, Ariel plunged one hand into the freezing water and whispered:
"Burn."
With a boom, fire erupted within the water. A massive cloud of steam filled the bathroom, only to be quickly dissipated by the rising heat.
Ariel maintained her Divine Flame Blessing while monitoring the temperature. Once it felt right, she immediately stopped and plunged her naked body into the tub.
"Ah... that's the stuff." Ariel leaned her head back, happily soaking.
The entire process took less than three minutes.
Of course, Ariel wasn't the type to soak for long. Once her body was warm, she hummed a little tune and quickly scrubbed away the grime.
*
"That fast?"
Hearing the news that Ariel had already finished her bath and was outside getting dressed, Muen felt his heart skip a beat.
The clock on the wall ticked precisely, telling Muen that he hadn't lost track of time during his passionate interaction with An. Ariel really had finished forty minutes early.
This wasn't just a margin of error; Muen had misjudged the situation from the very start!
The time gap didn't exist. Ariel was only about fifteen minutes behind An. Once Ariel left the bathroom and found him missing, she would eventually find her way here...
And when she saw this scene—a dinner prepared for An but not for her—Ariel would 1,000% explode on the spot.
What would happen next wouldn't just be a "shitshow"...
It would be a Shura Hell!
The enraged Soaring Phoenix protagonist would surely go on a rampage, leaving the entire Duke’s manor in a river of blood!
That was not a scene Muen wanted to see.
"Hmm? What are you two talking about?"
Seeing Noah so anxious, An’s brow furrowed slightly, a hint of suspicion flickering in her eyes.
"It's nothing."
Muen was only startled for a moment before his expression returned to normal. He had seen plenty of storms; he could handle this.
He waved his hand, signaling Noah to leave lest the girl crack under the pressure and spill the beans. He then interlaced his fingers, putting on a look of feigned distress.
"Just a small, unexpected problem. I was a bit surprised, that's all."
"What kind of problem?" An asked nervously. "Can I help?"
"It's fine. It's just that bastard Pink Bear. He shattered his kneecaps kneeling on a durian and is practically dying now, so he can't handle state affairs. A shipment of military supplies going to the front lines through Campbell channels needs someone to make a decision," Muen said.
"Which means?"
"I'm sorry." Muen took An’s hand, looking pained. "I hate to interrupt our candlelight dinner, but it's an emergency involving the front lines. Those supplies can't wait. I might have to step away for twenty minutes. Wait here for me, okay?"
*
Candlelight.
Red wine.
Flowers.
Steak.
And the beautiful strains of classical music.
When Ariel pushed open the door and saw all this, she thought for a moment she had traveled back in time to the moment An had set a death trap for her.
But there was one difference.
This time, the seat across the table wasn't empty. A handsome blond man sat there, and the soulful gaze that met her as the door opened immediately made her heart race.
"Are... are you waiting for me?"
Ariel nervously fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, her cheeks flushing as she looked away.
The slight annoyance from her earlier clash with An vanished instantly in this wonderful atmosphere.
"Of course."
Muen’s smile was clean, his tone natural, as if he had been waiting there from the start. "Why else would I be sitting here?"
"Where's that slutty maid?" Ariel peeked around the room. "She's not here?"
"Let's not talk about anyone else right now. This moment, this place, belongs only to us."
As always, Muen didn't give Ariel a chance to lead the conversation into dangerous territory. He rose quickly, gently took her by the waist, and guided her to her seat.
Ariel gave a small wiggle of her hips to show her "displeasure" at Muen’s sudden intimacy, but she didn't offer any real resistance.
"You prepared this specifically for me? How cliché."
Ariel looked around. Although she had seen a similar setup once already, it meant something different coming from a different person. Her words were dismissive, but her eyes were sparkling.
"Clichés have their merits. A cliché means your feelings can be conveyed more clearly, doesn't it?" Muen smiled. "Think about it. If I put an abstract statue here, even if the theme was 'I love you,' would you be able to feel what I was trying to say?"
"No, I don't understand statues," Ariel answered matter-of-factly.
But after answering, she realized the confession hidden in Muen’s words. She felt a bit flustered and gave him a light kick under the table.
"Sweet talker!"
"It's not sweet talk. It's the truth slipping out by accident."
Muen caught Ariel’s foot as she kicked, though his eyes twitched slightly. Do you two hate each other so much that even your moves are identical? Always going for the lower body.
Ariel wasn't wearing black stockings, nor did she have a habit of wearing fancy accessories, but her bare foot was just as smooth and soft, and it felt very pleasant to the touch.
"Pervert!" Ariel huffed, though she didn't pull her foot away from Muen’s hand.
"It's not being a pervert; it's expressing my affection for you. Every part of you is like this."
Having said that, Muen quickly let go and sat back in his seat before Ariel could kick him again in embarrassment. He couldn't take these intimate actions any further, or he might get too immersed to escape later.
"Come, try this." Muen tapped the silver plate in front of Ariel.
To deal with Ariel, food was the best weapon.
The plate didn't contain the demon sheep meat An had prepared earlier, but a real steak with beautiful marbling.
"Nanwell Prairie Cattle. Top-tier beef, even by continental standards. Prepared specifically for you." Muen teased, "Since you came to the manor, the quality of our meals has gone through the roof."
"Really?"
As expected, Ariel showed great interest the moment Muen mentioned it. How good could the continent's top beef actually be?
With that thought, Ariel wielded her knife and fork with the precision of her swordplay, carving the steak into a dozen pieces in the blink of an eye.
But just as she speared a piece and was about to put it in her mouth, she looked up and saw that Muen hadn't moved. He was just watching her with a smile.
She hesitated for 0.05 seconds.
Ariel extended her fork toward Muen and turned her head away. "Here."
"Hmm?" Muen looked confused. "What's this?"
"I'm feeding you!" Ariel’s cheeks flushed a deep red. "Can't you tell? Stupid!"
"...Feeding me?"
The Ariel who loved food so much was actually feeding him before she ate?
"Well, consider it an apology for earlier... for breaking so many of your things. Of course, I was careful! I only broke unimportant stuff! If you think that's not enough, you can deduct it from the hundred million you owe me," Ariel said, pouting.
"..."
Unimportant...
Father would be heartbroken to hear that. The things you called 'unimportant' were his favorites...
Despite his thoughts, Muen maintained a tender smile. "Don't worry about it. The Campbell family is wealthy; those things won't hurt us."
"Are you going to eat it or not!" Ariel stomped her foot, her embarrassment deepening.
"I'm eating, I'm eating!"
Before Ariel could snap, Muen bit the piece of steak off the fork. Instantly, the rich aroma of fat filled his senses, and the firm yet juicy texture was unforgettable.
But what was even more unforgettable was the joy in the girl's eyes.
"Ah..."
After feeding him, Ariel closed her eyes and leaned her head forward.
Muen blinked, finally realizing Ariel wanted him to feed her too. She was usually so shy, yet she could be so brave at times like this... Truly cute.
Muen’s lips curled into a smile as he cut a piece of meat and sent it into Ariel’s cherry-red mouth.
"Is it good?"
"Mmm!"
After tasting the legendary top-tier beef, Ariel’s body instinctively curled up in delight, her feet kicking wildly under the table. Only when she reached a certain point did her whole body suddenly relax.
"It's so good!"
"Then eat more. If nothing else, the Duke’s manor will never run out of ingredients."
"Mm-hmm! I won't be polite with a guy like you. I'm going to eat you out of house and home!"
Ariel happily waved her fork. "Come, it's my turn to feed you."
"Alright..."
And so, in this pleasant atmosphere, the two began a happy game of feeding each other.
Time flew by. If no one interrupted, this happiness seemed like it could last forever...
Unfortunately...
"Ahem!"
A forced cough came from outside the door. Muen was jolted out of his reverie.
Wait! Now is not the time for this!
Muen looked at the clock and realized that twenty minutes had almost passed!
"What's wrong?" Ariel was still enjoying the delicious food. Her happiness was simple, and the plates were already stacking up beside her. Of course, half of that was Muen’s doing.
"I'm sorry, Ariel. Because that bastard Pink Bear shattered his kneecaps kneeling on a durian and is practically dying, he can't handle state affairs. A shipment of military supplies going to the front lines through Campbell channels needs a decision, so..."
Muen took Ariel’s hand, looking pained. "I might have to step away for a bit."
"Eh?"
"Not long, just twenty minutes. You must wait for me here. Don't go wandering off!"
"Is that so?" Ariel looked a bit confused but nodded anyway. "Then go ahead."
*
At the very last second of the twenty-minute mark, Muen finally made it back to the original dining room.
The moment he pushed open the door, a figure lunged at him, greedily seeking his scent.
"Too slow..." An kissed the corner of Muen’s mouth. "I was starting to get impatient."
"Haha... sorry. It's all Pink Bear's fault. He's such a bastard," Muen laughed nervously.
However, An, who was still seeking a kiss, suddenly frowned. "Why do you smell like steak?"
"Ah..." Muen’s mind raced. "That... I got too hungry on the way, so I grabbed a bite. Yeah, that's it. I've been so tired today, I haven't even had a chance to eat properly!"
"Really?" A flash of pity crossed An’s eyes.
"Come." She pulled Muen to the table and sat him down, then climbed into his lap and picked up a plate. "Open up, Young Master. I'll feed you."
"Eh?"
Muen froze. His mind flashed back to the massive stack of empty plates he and Ariel had cleared in just twenty minutes. Those portions were nothing to Ariel, but they were more than enough to fill him up!
"What's wrong?" An’s brow furrowed. "Does the Young Master not like me feeding him?"
"No, I love it..." Muen answered instinctively.
"That's good."
An speared an entire steak. Just as Muen thought she was going to feed him the whole thing in one go... An suddenly took a bite, tearing off a small piece, and then leaned her mouth toward his.
The meaning was clear.
"You bad maid."
Even though his stomach was full, Muen wasn't exactly a man of iron will. How could he resist such a temptation? He leaned down and captured both the meat and An’s lips.
*
"Ahem!"
"No, I have to step away again."
The time of painful pleasure didn't last long. Twenty minutes felt like the blink of an eye.
"Leaving again?"
"Can't be helped. Who told Pink Bear to be such a bastard? Twenty minutes again..." Seeing An’s gaze turn suspicious, Muen gritted his teeth. "Ten minutes. Ten minutes this time. Wait for me."
"...Fine."
An rose from Muen’s lap, returning to her role as a dutiful maid. But as she watched Muen’s hurried departure, her eyes flickered with thought.
*
"I'm back!"
"So slow!"
"Sorry, got delayed a bit."
"Hmph. Since the dinner was good, I'll forgive you. Let's continue."
"Ah? Again?" Muen rubbed his bloated stomach, his face pained. "Can we play something else?"
Ariel was confused. "What do you want to play?"
*
"Ahem!"
Halfway through a new kissing game, Muen was forced to let go of Ariel.
"Sorry, I have to step away again."
"Leaving again?"
"It's all Pink Bear's fault! Wait for me for twen—no, ten minutes! I'll be back in ten minutes!"
Muen hurried off once more.
*
"I'm back!"
"Young Master, I've been waiting so long."
"It's all Pink Bear's fault. Come, let's stop the feeding game and try something new..."
*
"Ahem!"
"Sorry..."
*
"I'm back!"
"So slow. I'm already full."
"Not slow... let's continue!"
*
"Ahem!"
"Sorry..."
*
"I'm back!"
*
"Ahem!"
"Sorry..."
*
"I'm back!"
*
"Ahem!"
"Sorry..."
*
"I'm back..."
*
"Ahem!"
"Sorry..."
*
"I... I'm back..."
After an unknown number of trips back and forth, Muen collapsed into a chair, panting heavily. He looked like he had lost all will to live.
Dammit.
In my past life, those time management masters in TV shows could handle seven or eight girls at once. Why am I struggling so much with just two?
Was it because of that first mistake? One wrong move leading to another?
Let this be a lesson. In this treacherous shitshow, one wrong step can lead to total ruin!
After a moment of lamentation, Muen pulled himself together. For him, this two-on-one dinner wasn't over yet. He hadn't reached the point of total defeat.
"Come, An, let's continue. Where were we?"
Muen stood up, intending to resume the game and dispel An’s suspicions.
But...
"An?"
A voice as cold as ice pierced Muen’s soul like a dagger.
Muen looked up stiffly. He saw Ariel, her face dark as iron, her voice freezing:
"You called me An?"
"..."
Crap!
Muen felt the blood drain from his face and rush to his head. Running back and forth so many times had scrambled his brain; he had lost track of the order!
How could he make such a rookie mistake?
"Ariel, let me explain. I just misspoke. The name I meant to say was..." Muen tried to backtrack.
"Oh~ so you just misspoke." Ariel let out a long, meaningful "oh."
"Exactly, exactly."
"But... you didn't misspeak at all... Young Master."
"Eh?"
To Muen’s stunned eyes, the "Ariel" before him began to change. As the light and shadow faded, she transformed into An.
No, it was An. She had used magic to look like Ariel!
"An... since when did you know magic?" Muen swallowed hard.
"I just learned it recently. I wanted to give the Young Master a surprise." An looked at her hands, seemingly still unfamiliar with using mana. "It seems the Young Master gave me a surprise first."
"...An, let me explain."
"No need. I think I understand the Young Master's 'game' now. Two-timing... I can only say, as expected of the Young Master. Truly impressive."
An sighed with genuine admiration.
She had to admire him, because the Young Master was amazing, and the Young Master could do no wrong. The only one at fault was...
"Heh. Speak of the pest, and the pest appears."
An suddenly turned her head.
BANG!
The door was kicked open. Ariel stood in the doorway, her face like a still lake.
This was the real Ariel. No doubt about it. Because only she could radiate such sharp, piercing killing intent.
"Ariel, how did you..." Muen froze again.
"Heh. Do you really think I'm stupid? You think I wouldn't notice something so obviously wrong?" Ariel crossed her arms and sneered.
Behind her, Noah, tied up like a caterpillar, squirmed painfully. In a raspy voice, he mouthed, "Sorry, Young Master..." before quickly crawling away, terrified of being caught in the coming storm.
As a weak and helpless attendant, he had done his best...
"It's over..."
Seeing this, Muen’s head throbbed. A tragic sense of "this is the end" flooded his heart.
He hadn't expected his time management plan to fail so spectacularly on the very first try. He was a disgrace to pure love, a failure among scumbags!
If he was this pathetic with just two girls, what would happen when there were more?
"I'm so sorry... this is all my fault. You can punish me however you want..."
Muen slumped back into his chair, looking like a salted fish ready to be fried.
"Huh? Why would I punish the Young Master?"
An gently stroked Muen’s face. "The Young Master clearly did nothing wrong. He just wanted to give us both love. How could he be at fault?"
"Exactly!" Ariel nodded. "Muen, you're annoying, but you're clearly not the most annoying one here! It's..."
As they spoke, their gazes locked again.
Lightning flashed; sparks flew.
Cold killing intent filled the room once more, making the candles flicker and the flowers wither.
"I let you off the hook this afternoon, and yet you still came to seduce my Young Master." Steel condensed, forming a scythe in An’s hand. "A pest is a pest. Utterly shameless!"
"Heh, right back at you!" Ariel sneered, drawing Heavenly Fire. "The shameless one is you, you disgrace of a maid!"
BOOM!
Invisible pressure collided. This time, it was even more fierce than during the day. The entire Duke’s manor seemed to shake under the surging energy!
"Wait..."
Muen’s expression changed abruptly. "Don't fight! Stop fighting! If you keep this up, you're really going to tear the manor down!"
"Don't worry, Young Master. I'll spend the rest of my life paying for the damages," An said with determination.
"Me too," Ariel added, refusing to be outdone. "If that hundred million isn't enough... I'll work hard to pay you back, even if I have to eat black bread for another ten years!"
"I'm touched by your resolve, but that's not the point!"
Muen tried to stop them, but the two seemed to have completely tuned him out. Their power levels continued to climb, as if they were about to ascend and fight for three hundred rounds amidst the ruins of the manor.
Muen, unable to even get a word in, felt his vision go dark. He seemed to see his father, thousands of miles away, appearing before him. His father smiled kindly, patted his shoulder, and said:
"My dear son... this Duke’s manor, the symbol of the Campbell family, is mine, but eventually, it will be yours. As the final inheritance of our family, you must protect it well..."
Protect it...
Protect it...
Protect it...
His father's teachings and the manor's "cries" intertwined in Muen’s ears. The rising anger finally became unbearable!
"ENOUGH!"
Muen snapped his eyes open. "BOTH OF YOU, STOP!"
A third aura slammed between the two. Without a hint of "protecting the fairer sex," he shattered their colliding energies.
Sensing that Muen was serious this time, An immediately retracted her scythe and stood obediently. Ariel shrunk her neck and muttered:
"What... what's the big deal? It's your fault for being a scumbag anyway..."
"Yes, I'm a scumbag!"
Muen admitted it flatly. Then he slammed the table and roared:
"But do you know why I did all this?"
"?"
An and Ariel looked at each other and shook their heads.
"It was to make you get along! Do you understand? Peace! I wanted to stop you from being at each other's throats, to slowly learn how to coexist without trying to kill each other every day... but it seems that method was useless."
Muen looked at the candlelight dinner on the table.
"In the end, I'm really not good at this. I made a mess of it... but since you won't get along peacefully, I'll just have to use a rougher method to force you to get along!"
"Force us?"
Confusion flashed in both An and Ariel’s eyes. They didn't know how the usually tolerant and gentle Muen could possibly be "rough"...
"Mph!"
A moment later, they found out.
Muen suddenly grabbed An and kissed her hard.
An’s eyes went wide. After a moment of shock, her desire was ignited by Muen’s teasing, and she began to respond passionately.
Muen kissed her, then suddenly pinned her down onto the cold floor. He hovered over her, his expression cold.
"You disobedient maid. See if I don't punish you properly!"
"Haa... Young Master, punish me... I've been bad..."
An’s eyes were already glazed with lust. She panted heavily, her legs wrapping around Muen’s waist. Even knowing a storm of "punishment" was coming, she welcomed it with open arms.
Muen suddenly sneered. "But this isn't a punishment for you. It's a reward."
"..." An’s expression shifted slightly.
Clink.
Before she knew it, her hands had been pinned above her head. Accompanied by a cold sensation, An saw metallic shackles snap shut, binding her firmly to the leg of the dining table.
She struggled with all her might, only to find herself completely powerless. Moreover, the shackles didn't feel like they were made of ordinary steel.
"Give up. These are shackles from the Black Prison, specifically designed for high-security inmates. They suppress both Fighting Spirit and Mana. Right now, you're nothing more than an ordinary girl."
Muen reached out and gave An’s belt a gentle tug. In an instant, her dress fell away like the spreading wings of a butterfly.
Her exquisite, supple body was tinged with a faint flush, though it met only the unforgiving touch of the cold air. An writhed her hips like a serpent, but her movements found no purchase.
"You stay right here... and watch closely."
Having finished, Muen spun around to face Ariel. She, however, was already trying to slink out of the room.
"Haha... um... I think I forgot something. I'll just be going now. You two... have fun..."
"Trying to run?"
Muen hooked an arm around her waist and whispered into her ear, "We've already come this far. Do you really think you're getting away?"
"No... wait... let me go! You lecher! You pervert! Damn you, Muen Campbell!"
Ariel’s face went pale as she began to struggle violently.
But Muen’s every move struck her weak points with precision. The results of yesterday’s experiment were proving to be remarkably effective; before long, every attempt at resistance she made was rendered utterly futile.
With a heavy thud, Muen pinned Ariel down onto the dining table.
"Let go! Let me go right now!"
"Not a chance."
Muen leaned down, looming over her. "Despite what that mouth of yours says, you've been looking forward to this, haven't you?"
"I... I have not!" Ariel’s face flushed a deep crimson as she maintained her defiant front.
"Is that so?"
Muen held up the hand he had used to subdue her, deliberately letting the candlelight illuminate it. "Look. It’s already stained with your scent. Are you still going to deny it?"