The Allure of Surrender

Saranya narrowed her eyes, savoring the faint, bloody sweetness on her tongue. She relaxed her body, curling softly into Paresha’s embrace.

“It’ll be alright…”

All she and Paresha had to do was remain safely here. As for the deck above, Kaelan’s strength was beyond doubt; with the little witch there, the demons would never breach the deck and reach them.

It was impossible. Absolutely impossible.

She only needed to hide behind Kaelan.

‘Because… because she was gravely wounded now, and there truly were no other options, was there…?’

After all, if she simply acted submissive and focused on pleasing her mistress, her mistress, once satisfied with her service, would naturally protect her with utmost care.

Paresha, standing before her, was a priestess who had honed her skills through experience. She commanded the Church’s influence, possessed organizational expertise, and could hold her own against enemies—making her worthy of Saranya’s trust.

The girl adored her, willing to offer everything unconditionally to her and Kaelan, their two masters. According to Kaelan’s vision, Paresha would rank third among them. Therefore, if they allowed the girl to assist them, coordinating the internal affairs of the dungeon…

Under Saranya and Kaelan’s tutelage, a completely subservient Paresha could then control and corrupt even more witches within the dungeon for their own purposes.

‘Yes, this… this would be perfect, wouldn’t it?’

From fleeing her homeland to raising a banner, organizing an army against the demonic tide, and then falling to Kaelan’s demonic thrall—half-forced by her mistress to scheme in Vero City, preparing for the demonic disaster…

Throughout this journey, Saranya had clung to her ideals, every waking moment. Even as Kaelan repeatedly lowered her moral boundaries, she had still striven to establish a peaceful order in this dark, foul world—not just for herself and her mistress, but for all other refugees to live in peace and prosperity.

Yet… she had been thwarted time and again, until today’s encounter with such bizarre and terrifying events: losing Talia, experiencing the flesh-and-blood fusion with her own brother, and being targeted and intimidated by demons she had never seen before.

Finally, cradled and comforted in Paresha’s arms, she began to entertain a different notion entirely.

She felt as though she had reached her limit.

‘Her state of mind… it had shifted.’

She was so weary. Had she not given enough? Was it possible that from this moment on, she could simply escape, hide, and rely on others to care for and protect her?

Of course, she knew such behavior was both cowardly and ignoble. Acting this way would transform her into the very trash she had once despised.

‘But no matter what, she couldn’t deny it felt incredibly comfortable, could she?’

With everything she had accumulated so far, she could choose to simply lie back in a tavern or manor. Even amidst the demonic disaster, she could still enjoy a peaceful life, letting those around her handle everything.

To be a useless hedonist, doing only what she desired, indulging in carnal pleasures every single day.

The allure of such a thought was truly potent.

As if seeking some form of encouragement, Saranya spoke softly, her voice weak.

“Paresha, you must be loyal to me and Kaelan.”

“Mhm…”

Paresha’s tone was sweet and tender. As she spoke, she rubbed her brilliant golden hair against Saranya, stirring a subtle tremor in Saranya’s heart and causing her expression to ripple.

“I want you to promise me… promise me that you… you are… mine…”

Suddenly realizing she was unconsciously mimicking Kaelan’s tone, speaking words that gravely betrayed her true self, Saranya was instantly silenced. Her expression swiftly dimmed.

She was gradually transforming into Kaelan’s image. On one hand, she willingly became a s*ave beneath Kaelan’s heel; on the other, she was now employing the same tactics as her mistress, in the same domineering manner, to possess the weaker Paresha. She was extending the twisted tendrils of their relationship to entwine around the young priestess.

‘She was so despicable…’

“Xiao Sha promises—”

Yet, Paresha did not despise this version of her. Paresha understood what she desired and unhesitatingly offered her body and soul.

This was practically… a religious sacrifice. Paresha had sacrificed herself to Saranya.

The young girl leaned her lips close to Saranya’s ear. The arm wrapped around Saranya’s side tightened, as if Paresha wished to mold her into her own soft body.

“Xiao Sha will forever, forever belong to you and Mistress Kaelan…”

Saranya was unsure if the young priestess had seen through her retreating thoughts. But at the very least, Paresha accepted Saranya’s abnormally fragile state and her unequal dominance over her. Not only did she accept it, but she was also desperately trying to fill the sense of unease that arose from Saranya’s twisted ideals.

The child truly understood everything.

Moreover, Paresha chose to be tolerant of her, just as Saranya was tolerant of Kaelan.

“Lady Saranya, you have always been Xiao Sha’s ideal, you know… As long as I can be with you, Sister, it doesn’t matter what Xiao Sha becomes…”

The needle of corruption in Saranya’s mind now pointed to its destination. She pulled up the corners of her mouth, revealing a joyous, self-deprecating smile.

“Your ideal… is me?”

“Mhm…”

“Prove it to me…”

Saranya’s voice was hoarse, laced with a potent sensuality. She slowly drew closer to Paresha’s lips, adopting a seductive expression. With practiced ease, she began doing what she had once been least adept at: using her charms to entice others.

All her experience stemmed from Kaelan’s personal instruction, making her current actions eerily similar to Kaelan herself, as if possessing her.

Paresha could hardly bear it. Her face instantly flushed with ecstatic joy and disbelief.

The innocent girl, so utterly captivated by her first love, Saranya, flared her nostrils and parted her lips slightly, emitting a soft whimper from her throat.

After a moment of hesitation, Paresha cupped Saranya’s sweat-dampened cheeks and initiated the kiss.

Initially, the young priestess tried to take the lead, experimenting with various strange and clumsy motions, awkwardly pretending to be skilled—until—

Saranya abruptly clasped the back of the girl’s head, her fingers burying themselves deep within the pale golden strands of Paresha’s hair. Like a famished she-wolf, she unleashed a unilateral assault on the young lamb, Paresha, with astonishingly practiced technique.

“Mmmph~”

The ship swayed violently. On the deck above, the battle’s intensity showed no sign of abating. It was impossible to say whether a spell might strike them down in the next second, ending their two sordid lives.

Despair, the mother of depravity, turned such a raw threat of death into the most potent aphrodisiac between them.

Within the cramped storage compartment, in the darkest corner, the flickering yellow lamp cast the silhouettes of two passionately entwined girls onto the grimy walls.

The air grew hot and thick. The shadows of the two girls’ heads met, their breathing ragged.

At the height of their passion, Saranya suddenly pulled back slightly, gently swatting away Paresha’s restless hand.

“Paresha, you must protect me…”

“I will…”

“Good.”

“So…!”

“No. I told you, you are not worthy. Only Kaelan may touch me.”

“Yes…”

A flicker of anxiety crossed Paresha’s eyes at the interruption, but it was swiftly replaced by submission.

For Saranya, her purpose as a master had been achieved. The reward for Paresha was more than sufficient.

This was the limit.

Saranya had made her decision. Upon their return, she would resign, transferring the true power of the Redwater Gang and the Guild Alliance to Kaelan. While Kaelan’s experience was limited, they still had Nazareth, Cecilia, Aivy, and many other companions and allies to assist. This would be enough for Kaelan to manage Vero City’s affairs effectively.

As for the position of the Night Lily Knights’ captain, she would let her “daughter,” Vireta, take it. She would persuade Vireta to lead her female knights in submission to Kaelan. With the demonic disaster looming, since they would eventually fall under Kaelan’s rule anyway, it would be better to surrender voluntarily. Perhaps that girl, Vireta, might suffer a little less.

Regarding Aquilis, the mermaid, after receiving her mistress’s punishment, she ought to be far more “obedient.” The tavern’s operations could remain under her care. However, Cecilia’s ambiguous attitude towards the mermaid presented a risk, which still required her mistress’s observation. Saranya trusted her mistress’s judgment.

Lenix, the dryad now inhabiting a fox-girl’s body, would find it difficult to appear in public. Thus, she could be assigned to manage the internal affairs of the manor. By holding this dryad captive, her mistress could indirectly control all the exotic courtesans of the Tidal Mirror Hall, secure Dump’s support, and incidentally extract intelligence from the Assembly of Truth.

Everything was perfectly arranged.

Under the guise of her identity as the ranger Haia, the Guild Alliance would have no trouble gaining recognition from Vero City’s citizens. If they managed to escape this predicament, she could completely retire. If not… dying alongside her mistress and Paresha was not entirely unacceptable either.

‘So, there was nothing left to worry about, was there?’