Chapter 2289: Arrogation
"d.a.m.n, that"s pretty rough..."
After hearing Black Percher recount the events of her past, it was Izayoi who gave voice to the thought in everyone"s mind. They knew the origin of any significantly powerful Demon Lord would be marred in tragedy, but it hadn"t prepared them to hear a direct recounting of their origins.
"I feel sorry for her..."
Chiming in after Izayoi, Yo was moments away from suggesting they just let Black Percher go when Sandora stated, "Tragedies and misfortunes do not give a person the right to impose suffering unto others. If Vahn hadn"t been here to prevent it, everyone in Kouen City might have succ.u.mbed to the Black Plague. Demon Lords might be pitiable existences, but it is their potential victims we need to be concerned with..."
With her expression forming into a pout, Yo muttered, "But still...isn"t she powerless now? We were able to stop her before there was even a single victim in the Little Garden. It doesn"t seem right to imprison her for doing as her nature dictates..."
After spending several years in Danmachi, Yo had come to understand that not everyone had a choice in how they thought and acted. A G.o.d of War couldn"t choose to be a pacifist, and a G.o.d of s.e.x certainly couldn"t decide to be abstinent. Black Percher wanting to spread her pestilence was a.s.suredly a bad thing for her potential victims, but it didn"t change the fact she was also a victim of circ.u.mstances beyond her control.
Thinking of a "solution," Yo said, "We should hand them over to Vahn. If it"s him, he should be able to help."
Hearing Yo"s suggestion, Black Percher began to pull at her bindings as she shouted, "Why is everyone trying to p.a.w.n me off onto that pervert!? No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Just no...!"
Not expecting Black Percher to throw a tantrum, even Weser and Ratten were surprised, the latter asking, "Did something happen? You"re acting a little strange, Pest-chan..."
Snorting through her nose, Black Percher, also known as Pest, turned her head and said, "I don"t want to talk about it...also, I told you not to call me Pest-chan in front of others. It makes me seem like a child..."
Speaking out before Ratten, Izayoi chimed in to say, "That"s an interesting thing to say after throwing a mini tantrum..."
Directing a hate-filled gaze towards Izayoi, Pest growled, "Eat cow dung, you headphone-wearing brat...!"
With Izayoi spreading his hands and helplessly shrugging his shoulders, Yo tried to guide the conversation back on track, insisting, "I still think it"s the best option. I wouldn"t be able to sleep peacefully knowing Pest-chan is suffering because of something she didn"t have control over. There has to be a way for Demon Lords to coexist with people in peace..."
Unashamedly derailing the conversation a second time, a cheeky smile developed across Izayoi"s face as he jokingly mused, "Oh? I didn"t think you would be getting any sleep now that-"
"Izayoi...!"
With a red hue developing through her cheeks, Asuka grabbed Izayoi by the collar before dragging him off someplace private. This ended up being for the best, as, shortly after the duo"s departure, Yo left even the scantily clad Ratten speechless by muttering, "Vahn always gives his girls enough time to recuperate..." in a pouty tone.
"Yo..."
Though she was personally acquainted with the truth contained in Yo"s words, Sandora didn"t think they should be revealing it to others.
Tilting her head to the side, Yo asked, "What? It"s the truth. I don"t like when people have misunderstandings or try to vilify Vahn. He is one of the kindest and most caring people I know."
Suppressing a sigh, Sandora returned an empathetic smile as she said, "I am well aware of that. Still, there is a time and a place for everything..."
Directing her gaze to Pest, Ratten, and Weser, Sandora appended, "Even if the stakes are low, this is still a time-sensitive interrogation. We"ll decide their fates once the Gift Game has concluded. In the end, it"s ultimately a choice each of them has to make. Vahn would never out-and-out compel anyone to obey him. If anything..."
Stopping herself before she could reveal the fate that awaited the trio if they didn"t agree to a compromise, Sandora s.h.i.+fted her gaze to Ratten, asking, "What about you? What"s your story?"
Raising her brows, Ratten chimed, "Oh? Not going to get your Little Red Queen to use her powers? Perhaps her Gift has a limit to the number of times it can be used~?"
Before Sandora could answer that it was none of Ratten"s business, Yo beat her to the punch, stating, "That"s wrong. So long as she has enough Spiritual Energy to support it, Asuka"s Gift can be used as many times as she wants. Thanks to Vahn, she can almost use it without limit."
Realizing Yo was the type to speak her mind without restraint, an amused smile developed across Ratten"s face as she playfully remarked, "My, how incredible. Perhaps I should try my hand at winning the Sage Dra-I mean, Vahn"s favor..."
Though her words sounded like she was just messing around, Ratten was actually being serious. She was willing to give her life to protect Pest, but that didn"t mean she wanted to die. Her decision would ultimately depend on Pest, but she would much rather become a slave of the "merciful" Sage Dragon Emperor than rot away in Salamandra"s Dungeon.
With that thought in mind, Ratten earned an adorably pouty glower from Pest by lightly b.u.mping into her and suggesting, "Come on, Pest-chan. I don"t want to spend the rest of my life locked away in a prison cell..."
As someone that had previously died in prison, Pest wasn"t even remotely amused by Ratten"s words. Fortunately for the busty Demoness, they also helped to remind Pest of the severity of their present situation. It was her decisions moving forward that would ultimately spare or endanger each of their lives...
Furrowing her brows in vexed contemplation, Pest hesitated for a moment before looking to Yo and Sandora, asking, "What fate awaits us if we yield to the Sage Dragon Emperor...?"
After exchanging glances with Yo, it was Sandora who answered, "While it is not my place to speak on Vahn"s behalf, he really is too kind for his own good. So long as you vowed never to harm anyone who did not wish harm upon you, he would allow you to live freely within the territories managed by the Aldrnari Empire. If you would prefer to start anew someplace else, he even has the means to return your soul to the Cycle of Reincarnation. I have personally experienced that aspect of Vahn"s power..."
Recalling that Vahn had previously offered to let her return home and live her life anew, a depressive atmosphere descended upon the coliseum as Pest hung her head in pensive reflection. Ever since Vahn had penetrated her stomach with his hand, she hadn"t been feeling like herself. She was still determined to seek vengeance against the Sun, but, at the same time, she couldn"t help feeling that such a pursuit was ultimately pointless...
Unfortunately, despite Vahn absorbing most of the negative energy and sentiments comprising her being, he hadn"t done anything about Pest"s memories. She could still vividly recall how her family had turned against her, so even if she were given a chance to return, she would do her best to bar every door and window in the castle before setting it on fire. Even if they were alternate versions of her parents, she could never, ever forgive them...
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With several hours pa.s.sing since Vahn had coupled her into a deep and profound state of unconsciousness, Leviathan awoke feeling a sensation akin to weightlessness. Her belly had deflated back to its original size and contours, but she could still feel Vahn"s presence lingering within her...
Looking down at the man sleeping peacefully with his face nestled within her cleavage, Leviathan honestly didn"t know how to describe what she was feeling. A part of her wanted to scalp him with her teeth, devouring his brain in a single bite, but a growing part of her wanted to simply hold him close. As a creature whose being revolved around death, destruction, and torment, the desire not to kill was something completely alien to her...
Unfortunately, Leviathan was still an exceptionally prideful Dragoness, so, after three full minutes of staring at Vahn"s face, she bared her teeth and growled, "You arrogant little p.r.i.c.k...do I look like a pillow to you...?"
Since he hadn"t actually been asleep, Vahn unhesitantly replied, "For now, that is exactly what you are..."
Before Leviathan could retort, a feeling of existential dread washed over her as most of her senses spontaneously dulled. When she realized what Vahn had done, she could only imagine her heart palpitating as her entire body had been transformed into a pillow.
Unable to speak, Leviathan telepathically communicated, "It was just a joke! A joke...!" in an understandably panicked tone. Fortunately for her, Vahn wasn"t the type to excessively torment people.
"Relax...it"s just an illusion..."
As if Vahn"s words had made it so, Leviathan "realized" her body was in the exact same position it had been prior to her becoming a bodypillow. The heart she had previously only imagined to be racing was beating like a drum in her chest, and, due to her panic, circuit-like lines of blue energy had spread across her body.
Despite feeling rage comparable to when Death had killed her, Leviathan was doing her best to suppress her usual fury as she grasped Vahn"s hair and said, "Never do that again..."
"Mmm..."
Though he was tempted to tell her he could do whatever he wanted, Vahn didn"t feel like bickering. Instead, he reached around to give Leviathan"s fleshy b.u.t.t a firm squeeze before biting her left nipple.
Feeling pleasure akin to electricity surging through her body, Leviathan clenched her teeth as her grip on Vahn"s seemingly indestructible hair tightened. When he eventually reached between her thighs, raising her left leg, a throaty moan emanated from her throat as the sensation she had been longing for spread through her abdomen.
Compelled by her prideful nature, a smug, ostensibly ridiculing smile developed across Leviathan"s face as she inquired, "What happened to making me serve you? Don"t tell me you succ.u.mbed to my body after a single breeding session...how ridiculous..."
A stark contrast to her words, Leviathan was rocking her hips and biting her lip with very little input from Vahn. She couldn"t stand that he hadn"t been moving, so she felt compelled to take matters into her own hands.
Instead of responding to Leviathan"s words, Vahn simply rolled onto his back, his p.e.n.i.s smoothly sliding out of her despite her crus.h.i.+ng, vice-like tightness. This caused the abyssal-black pupils of Leviathan"s s.h.i.+mmering golden eyes to contract to thin slits, a visibly aggravated look marring her countenance as she s.h.i.+fted her gaze between Vahn"s deadpan expression and his now flaccid member.
"You cheeky little..."
Though she had a veritable mountain of curses she wanted to cast upon Vahn, Leviathan"s body was primed for breeding. She craved Vahn"s seed, so much so that her instincts completely overwhelmed the other aspects of her personality. The moment his p.e.n.i.s twitched, she completely forgot what it was she wanted to say, her hands and mouth gravitating towards the nearly forearm-sized appendage as her tail swayed excitedly behind her...
Caressing the top of Levithan"s head, Vahn made a mental note to give her a chance to "decompress" once they returned to the Empire. For now, however, a faint smile developed across his face as he said, "Good girl..."
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(A/N: Alternate t.i.tles: "Izayoi is a Grade-A a.s.shat xD...","You can"t oppose fate, Pest-chan...","Does this qualify as a Tsundere...?")