Chapter 5: The Emperor’s Fury

It was an unfamiliar ceiling.

No.

‘After seeing it for three years, I should be used to it by now.’

That old ceiling, I don’t know why I can’t get used to it.

Whenever I wake up, I’m always startled.

It was the same now.

No, maybe this case is a little different.

“Ugh, ugh…”

My head was pounding.

It felt like this after staying up for two nights and then sleeping for only two hours the next day.

Did I stay up all night yesterday?

‘Now that I think about it, what did I do yesterday?’

Memories that wouldn’t come to mind for some reason.

Is this how it feels when you drink alcohol and black out?

Everything was blurry, as if someone had poured water on the book of memories.

“Ugh…”

My face crumpled.

To recall the memories, I carefully dug through the blurry film.

Then, the memories began to surface little by little.

‘Right. I couldn’t finish making the potions.’

So I got scolded by the Emperor, and feeling wronged, I got angry.

After that…

“Gasp…!”

I, who had been lying on the bed, shot up.

It finally came to mind.

The contract I made yesterday morning.

‘I have no memory since making the contract.’

Did I collapse?

If so, why?

I clearly remembered the process of making the contract.

The problem was that I had no memory after that.

No matter how much I dug through the tangled threads of memory like a moment ago, nothing.

That meant I had lost consciousness immediately after the contract.

‘It must have been proper, right?’

Blood Oath.

Just the name sounded ominous.

If I had had a choice, I definitely wouldn’t have even attempted to make the contract.

‘But Professor Ariella said it wasn’t anything bad.’

Since she said that, there’s probably nothing serious.

She was almost the only person at the academy I could call my ally, after all.

‘Though she sometimes does unexpected things.’

Sometimes, whether intentionally or not, she would press me with her chest.

She said she did it because my reaction was funny, even when I told her not to.

“Ha…”

As a man, I felt like dying.

‘Still, it was soft.’

The firmness felt within that softness.

It wasn’t bad.

But.

This was a quite complex issue.

Good, yet something felt alien.

Was it anxiety?

Anyway, I felt an unexplainable unease.

Right.

‘Let’s stop thinking about it.’

[Flap flap.]

My face turned red for no reason, and I quickly fanned my face with my hand.

That wouldn’t cool me down, but…

At least I needed to calm down somehow.

‘I also have to think about the future.’

So, I sat quietly on the bed and took some time to calm my mind.

It was at that moment.

[Clatter.]

The door suddenly opened.

“Kyaak…!”

Startled by that, I fell backward onto the bed.

And a shadow fell over me.

“…What are you doing lying in bed? Oh my, your face is red. Were you doing something lewd?”

“W-What…! No!”

At that, I jumped up and shouted.

“Hmm…”

Then Professor Ariella looked at me with narrowed eyes.

Even though she was wearing clothes.

Her gaze was so blatant it felt as though I were naked.

“Stop… Stop it…”

Shrinking back at her gaze, I pulled up the clothes that were slipping down my shoulders and said.

[Pffft..!] “Okay. If you say so, I can’t torment you anymore.”

Letting out a small laugh, Ariella finally averted her gaze.

Looking back, she was always like this.

She would only back off when I acted like a woman.

As if she knew I was a man.

“More importantly, how’s your body? I was really surprised when you suddenly collapsed yesterday.”

[Tap…!]

A soft touch on my forehead.

Lost in thought, I suddenly opened my eyes at the sensation.

“Perhaps it was because of overwork… I gave you a potion, so you should be fine.”

“A po, potion?”

‘The Emperor gave me a potion?’

“Yes. It was a little difficult because you kept closing your mouth even when I forcibly opened it, but! Still, I managed it well somehow.”

Saying that, Ariella winked.

That much was fine.

Until her pink tongue licked her lips.

[Slurp.]

Licking her lips with a sticky sound, she gave a suggestive smile.

Her saliva-moistened lips gleamed glossily.

My eyes widened in horror at the sight.

‘Cra, crazy bich..!’

What on earth happened while I was asleep?!

My face, which had just calmed down, started turning bright red again.

And Ariella.

She wasn’t a woman who would miss a ripe apple.

“What were you thinking about for your face to turn red?”

Ariella, who had found her prey, smiled brightly.

At the same time, the hand that had been checking my temperature on my forehead began to move.

Her finger brushed against the hair at my temples.

It moved to my ear and tapped the outer rim.

Then she used her fingernail to circle the inside of my ear.

My body trembled at the strange and chilling sensation.

“Why, are you afraid I might have kissed you?”

“Ah, no…”

“Hmm? Then what were you thinking? With your, lips.”

[Whoosh.]

“Gasp..!”

She suddenly blew air into my ear.

Warm, yet somehow sticky, clinging air.

Ariella’s breath, traveling through my ear canal, wildly disoriented my brain.

“Weren’t you imagining a kiss like this?”

“Haa…”

My body intermittently trembled.

Terrifyingly, my body didn’t feel like my own.

My heart pounded fiercely, and my eyes were becoming unfocused.

“Hmm..? Tell me.”

The rich scent of roses filled the room.

Whenever I smelled that scent, my head would spin, and I couldn’t think normally at all.

“Your true feelings. The emotions you are feeling right now.”

Ariella whispered once again.

My mouth hung open, and my eyes were unfocused.

If I had realized how I looked, I would have immediately come to my senses.

But already half out of it, I didn’t realize it.

And as she wished, my small, bright red, cherry-like lips slowly began to open.

“I, I am……”

It was at that moment.

[Bang—!!]

The old door of the cabin hit the wall with a huge bang.

“Huh, gasp..!”

At that, my consciousness, which was half gone, snapped back.

My blurry vision returned to normal, and the surrounding situation slowly began to come into view.

‘What’s happening… My dmn clothes..!’

I quickly pulled up my clothes that were precariously hanging from my chest.

If they had slipped down a little further, I might have revealed my private parts to Ariella.

“Hehe…”

Ariella hummed, watching me hastily pulling up my clothes.

“You came quickly. What a waste.”

Saying that, she clucked her tongue softly.

Ariella’s face was full of regret.

“Let’s talk later?”

[Poke.]

She poked my nose, which was stiff with embarrassment, with her finger and slowly moved aside.

Then I could start to see.

The broken door.

And beside it, the Emperor looking down at this place.

Ragrasha, that is.

“Huh, gasp..!”

My body reacted before my head could fully process.

I quickly adjusted my clothes and got off the bed to stand before her.

Then, bowing my head, I said.

“I greet the sun of the Empire.”

It was the standard greeting.

Normally, the Emperor would accept the greeting.

Yes.

Normally.

[Step step.]

The Emperor walked past me.

The bright red robe of her uniform, which she always wore, brushed against my legs.

‘What is it?’

From the moment I woke up this morning until now, my head had been in a state of confusion.

That’s how unusual the Emperor’s behavior was now.

“Hmm..? Do you need something from me?”

Ariella’s puzzled voice was heard from behind me.

And then.

“Surely you didn’t think I wouldn’t take Iris immediately…”

[Slap—-!]

A sharp sound pierced my ears.

This sound was clearly the sound of someone being slapped on the cheek.

Then who?

There was only me, Ariella, and the Emperor in this room.

Among them, no one other than me was an existence that could be slapped on the cheek.

[Creak.]

Unable to contain my curiosity, my head turned.

“…”

The situation I witnessed with my own eyes was serious.

Ariella was touching her bright red cheek and giving a wry smile.

The Emperor, standing in front of her, was scattering cold killing intent, looking down at her with emotionless eyes.

“Did I not order you to bring Iris here immediately?”

The Emperor spoke in a voice that sounded like she could devour a person.

At that, my face filled with shock.

‘Did she slap a person like that just for being late?’

Ariella was a strange person.

However, no matter what, she was better than the Emperor.

At least Ariella stopped when I said I didn’t like something.

Ariella was a hundred, a thousand times better than the violent Emperor who only tormented me.

“Sorry… I’m sorry.”

Perhaps the shock of being slapped was quite significant.

Ariella stumbled as she got up.

“Be careful from now on. Those who lay hands on what is mine do not have a good end.”

“…”

[Swish!]

The Emperor, who had been glaring at her for a moment, turned her body.

“…!”

At that, I, who had been watching the two, hastily lowered my head.

The Emperor approached me and said.

“That’s enough, follow me.”

“Ah, yes. Yes!”

I answered in a hurry.

Her strides were so large that the Emperor quickly moved away.

“…”

After looking at Ariella for a moment, I reluctantly followed the Emperor out of the room.

But why?

As I stepped out of the room, the Emperor’s footsteps noticeably slowed down.

Exactly as if she had deliberately walked faster to entice me to leave the house.

A day passed after Iris collapsed.

“She should be awake by now. Go and bring her.”

Early in the morning.

Ragrasha ordered a knight to bring Iris to her room.

“Understood.”

The knight nodded at the Emperor’s words and left the room.

Now it was time to wait.

Ragrasha felt it for the first time in her life that day.

‘Could waiting be this delightful?’

The beautiful dress visible before her eyes.

Its size was far too small for Ragrasha to wear.

Understandably so, this dress was meant for Iris.

“What kind of expression will you show me to entertain me?”

If she tried to make Iris wear this dress, she would surely tremble with embarrassment.

However, if she ordered it, Iris would eventually wear this dress.

Because she couldn’t refuse her command.

“Hehehe…”

Tormenting Iris was an incredibly happy thing for Ragrasha.

Because it felt like she was finally winning against her older sister, whom she had never been able to surpass her whole life.

But perhaps she had become too absorbed in it.

At some point, she felt anxious if Iris wasn’t by her side.

Lest this person who brought her such happiness.

Just leave, like her older sister who died saving her.

That’s why Ragrasha installed a crystal ball in Iris’s room so she could check on her every day.

It was exactly six months after she bought Iris as a s*ave.

“Hoo… It’s taking longer than I thought.”

Ragrasha tapped the desk.

She strongly desired to check the crystal ball but did not.

When Iris was sleeping, Ragrasha did not look into the crystal ball in the room.

It was the minimum courtesy.

Of course, this was also for her own sake.

Without this restriction, she felt she would stare at Iris all day long.

More than anything, right now.

She didn’t have to worry about Iris escaping.

After all, Iris had made a Blood Oath with her.

Now, no matter where she was, Ragrasha could track her.

If Ragrasha put her mind to it, she could even burn Iris’s brain.

‘That’s what a Blood Oath is.’

The only reason Ragrasha didn’t do that was purely due to pride.

A petty pride to make Iris submit with her own hands.

The pride of wanting to break down Iris, who resembled her older sister.

[Tap tap tap tap.]

Ragrasha’s pace of tapping the desk quickened.

Iris should have arrived by now.

Why wasn’t she coming?

‘Surely…’

Ragrasha’s face crumpled.

At the same time, her breath quickened as if she had seen something terrifying.

That small bird.

The bird whose wings were broken.

Hadn’t she flown away into the sky?

Ragrasha’s mind was filled with anxiety.

Her hand frantically searched for the crystal ball.

“Iris… Iris…”

Iris’s name repeated from Ragrasha’s lips like a broken radio.

Anyone who saw Ragrasha would think Iris was a drug.

That’s how unstable Ragrasha had rapidly become.

“No. Absolutely not.”

With trembling hands, she picked up the crystal ball.

Then, she quickly imbued it with magic power.

[Ping—!]

The crystal ball made a loud noise from the powerful magic power.

[Static static.]

At the same time, the crystal ball emitted light and began to show Iris’s room.

“…!”

Ragrasha’s breath stopped for a moment at the sight.

Veins popped out on her pure white forehead.

Iris was visible on the screen.

She was laughing.

It was a somewhat broken laugh.

Saliva dripped from her mouth and flowed down her chin, and the rags she always wore were half-slipped down, completely revealing her cleavage.

“…”

Iris’s pale chest came into the Emperor’s view.

Ariella, who was slowly reaching out her hand to that chest, also.

“No.”

Everything about Iris was hers.

Her body.

Her mind.

Even her saliva.

Everything belonged to her owner.

“But she wants to take that away..?”

No, it had already been taken.

Iris’s laugh, which she had never seen before.

That had been taken by Ariella.

‘Why won’t she laugh looking at me?’

Her chest ached.

She wanted to torment her and break her.

But at the same time, she wanted her to laugh while looking at her.

It was a contradiction.

Begging for laughter while persistently tormenting was closer to sophistry than contradiction.

However.

Ragrasha was too broken to think about that.

[Bang—!!]

It was at that moment that Ragrasha’s figure disappeared.