The Price of Submission

‘Hmm, such altruism with unclear motives. Humans truly are a strange and foolish race…’

Regarding Saranya’s plea to spare Vero, the demoness neither agreed nor refused. She propped her chin in her hand, pondering for a moment.

“I apologize, but Vero is a vital port city, not just for your nation but for this entire continent. Whether to advance upon it is not a decision I can make alone.”

“No! If you wish for my cooperation, you must—”

“Do not push your luck!”

‘Ugh…’

The demoness uttered an arcane incantation, releasing the purple lightning spear from her grasp. The bolt of electricity began to revolve around her, a menacing display meant to intimidate Saranya below.

“You have no choice, pitiful insect.”

“I…”

Saranya lowered her head, utterly defeated.

The demoness was correct. This transaction, this selling of herself, was nothing more than a whim, a convenient way for the demoness to claim her. It was an act of charity, if anything. In her current predicament, Saranya truly had no right to bargain.

“Hmph, it matters little whether you agree or not—”

The demoness’s tone grew impatient, her pupils flashing with infernal light. The purple lightning spear suddenly soared high into the air, then plunged directly towards Kaelan!

“Bid your master a final farewell!”

“No—! Please, no… I agree, I agree to your terms…”

The crackling of electricity exploded in her ears. Saranya cried out in despair, her legs giving way as she crumpled to the floor.

“I’ll go with you… take me to your Grand Sovereign Baroang! I’ll obey your every command… just don’t hurt Kaelan…”

The lightning spear hovered mid-air. Directly beneath its tip, the dying witch still clutched Saranya’s hand, desperately trying to push her small body upright.

“Mind your words! How dare a lowly ant such as yourself call Him ‘Lord’? You will address Him as Grand Sovereign Baroang!”

“Yes… yes… Please, honored ones… please take me to your… esteemed… Grand Sovereign Baroang…”

The demoness before her was the architect of all this misery, yet Saranya was forced to grovel before such an enemy, all to secure the lives of Kaelan and Paresha.

There was no other way. Truly, no other way at all…

Saranya’s eyes were bloodshot, her whites streaked with resentful veins. She forced herself to swallow the unprecedented, searing humiliation.

“W-woah… woah… woah-woah-woah—”

Hot tears streamed from the corners of her eyes, splattering onto the wooden floor beneath her with soft, wet thuds.

Saranya wiped away her tears, then gently embraced her master while still kneeling.

“Even without Xiao Ya, please, Master… protect Vero well.”

“…”

“Liar…”

In stark contrast to Saranya’s gentle demeanor, Kaelan responded with a look of sorrowful hatred, her voice distorted by how tightly she clenched her teeth.

“You liar…!”

“Eh?”

“You said you would only be loyal to me. You explicitly promised me…”

Kaelan’s fingers tightened, her nails digging deep into Saranya’s forearm. Blood immediately welled up, spilling out to form dark crimson rivulets on the floor.

“Xiao Ya… you are mine…”

“Master…”

Their eyes met for only a moment, yet Saranya understood Kaelan’s gaze perfectly.

Kaelan did not want her to submit to these two demons. Kaelan would rather destroy her.

“Don’t keep us waiting too long, demon thrall.”

The demoness arched an eyebrow, then gripped Saranya’s shoulder with one hand—

“Don’t touch her!!! Don’t touch her, don’t touch her, don’t touch her, don’t touch her, don’t touch her!!!”

Kaelan’s shriek tore through the air, heartbreakingly shrill. She ripped herself from Saranya’s embrace, springing up with a face contorted by madness, and bit down on the demoness’s pale hand.

The little witch made contact.

The demoness’s eyelid twitched slightly. She glanced at the bloody puncture marks left by the witch’s teeth on her hand, then casually waved her other hand.

“Noisy.”

A dull ‘thump’ echoed in the air. The little witch, already at her last gasp, shrieked as she was violently flung away like a kite cut loose from its string.

Judging by the demoness’s brutal force, Kaelan had truly enraged her this time.

“For one of such filthy, lowly blood, you have done well enough. You lack the power to protect her, so there is nothing to regret. Accept this reality.”

The demoness narrowed her purely black eyes. Unlike her attitude towards Saranya, her golden pupils were filled with utter contempt when she looked at Kaelan.

“Half-elf… mongrel.”

Not far away, Kaelan’s small body slammed heavily against the cabin wall, leaving a bloody smear before slowly sliding to the floor.

Kaelan’s body convulsed violently. Fresh blood gushed from her mouth and nose simultaneously, and the witch completely lost the ability to move. She could only stare with wide, beautiful crimson eyes, filled with a painful, endless, despairing hatred that bordered on madness, fixed on Saranya and the demoness.

“Kaelan!!!”

Saranya struggled to rise, attempting to break free from the demoness’s hold.

But the next second, the lightning spear, now raised beside her ear, made her feel as though she had plunged into an icy abyss, utterly paralyzed.

“You don’t want anything to happen to your master, do you?”

With a clear undertone of threat, the demoness leaned close to Saranya’s ear and softly whispered her command.

“Kneel.”

Saranya didn’t move, but the demoness’s arm suddenly applied more pressure, forcing her to drop back to her knees with a thud.

“What’s wrong? You just said you’d obey my every word. Have you forgotten so quickly?”

Humiliated by the demoness’s words, Saranya clenched her jaw, her sharp canines piercing her lip. A coppery-sweet taste of blood spread through her mouth.

“Look… oh… just look at you…”

The demoness’s voice held a touch of morbid appreciation. Her bitten hand slowly slid down Saranya’s shoulder, tracing the tense line of her jaw, before her fingertips lightly, provocatively, hooked under Saranya’s chin.

“Fitting… perfect… How could that filthy half-elf ever be worthy of such a rare beauty…?”

In the latter half of her sentence, the seductive demoness’s tone acquired a hint of avarice.

“To possess you, if not Grand Sovereign Baroang, then at the very least… it must be me…”

“Get out… get out!”

Endless humiliation spread through Saranya like wildfire, threatening to consume her entirely. She violently pulled away from the demoness’s touch, her entire focus now on her collapsed master.

“Your master, she will die.”

!

“I mean, if you continue to be so rebellious… she will die.”

These simple words, however, hooked Saranya, her heart aching with sharp spasms. She buried her head, gasping wildly.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry! I won’t dare again… I’ll be obedient… please let her go…”

Having received Saranya’s apology, the demoness rubbed the teeth marks on her hand. She then lifted her gaze, scrutinizing Kaelan in the distance with a vengeful stare.

Then, the demoness slowly rose to her feet, leisurely lifting one leg to reveal the tip of her dark boot. She gently placed it upon Saranya’s bowed head.

Saranya’s entire body stiffened, instantly rigid like a stone statue.

Right before Kaelan’s eyes, the demoness slowly ground her boot against Saranya’s head, crushing and trampling her dignity bit by agonizing bit.

“Call me Master.”

“Ma… Ma…”

“What’s this? Do you not wish to acknowledge your new master?”

“No… Ma… Master…”

“…”

“Aaaaaaaah—!!!”

Spurred by this torment, Kaelan finally found her voice again, a shriek so desolate it no longer sounded like a young girl, but rather the death wail of a small animal.

Finally, the demoness curled her lips into a cruel smile. She turned her head, looking at her male counterpart.

“Red, I’m done playing. Let’s spare this demon thrall’s life and kill the other two.”

Within the cabin, Saranya’s desperate wails echoed.