Category: Escaping Corruption: I’m Not the Dragon King’s Little Darling Wife!

24. A Lowly Mistake

Calysia was definitely playing the emotional card again.

Don’t be fooled by her rhetoric, this person just wants to lure me into having a litter of dragon whelps, and then whisper sweet nothings, and then make me have even more dragon whelps, it must be like this!

Who wants to have children with her?

“Master Calysia, let me help you back to bed,” Reina said with a smile.

Implying that the Dragon King wasn’t fully awake and was still talking in her sleep.

Calysia wasn’t angry or offended. She touched her hair, which was messy from her poor sleeping posture last night: “Mmm, Reina, it’s time for me to wake up properly. Help me brush my hair.”

Reina complied.

Standing in front of the vanity mirror, she suddenly felt that all of this was superfluous.

Calysia’s hair couldn’t be described using human standards. It was naturally smooth and neat without any need for care. Later, Reina realized that she just wanted to use this opportunity to interact.

After tidying Calysia’s hair and clothes, Reina started washing vegetables and cooking. During this time, Calysia remained quiet, surprisingly allowing Reina some peace of mind.

But during breaks in her cooking, she still had to take the time to tidy the Dragon King’s room.

When she went up to the second floor, she found that the Dragon King’s room was quite tidy, the sheets and quilt neatly arranged, a stark contrast to yesterday’s “disaster.”

The words Calysia had spoken lingered in her ears until she finished cooking.

…The Dragon King isn’t lazy, nor is she trying to create work for me. She really tried her best.

Reina served Calysia’s meal as she had yesterday, but her mind was elsewhere.

And this trace of sadness was also caught by Calysia.

“Is something on your mind, Reina?” Calysia patted Reina’s head.

Reina was about to tell Calysia to stop touching her, but this time, Calysia hadn’t really taken any liberties, so she swallowed her words and instead sighed:

“I’m just surprised that Master Calysia actually tidied her own room.”

“I’ve always been like this. I’ve never changed.” Joy flickered in Calysia’s eyes.

Reina’s mind went blank.

For the first time, she was speechless in front of the Dragon King.

If the Dragon King didn’t know she was the protagonist, did that mean she wasn’t playing the emotional card, but was simply being kind to her?

Putting aside her immense obsession, Calysia was indeed a gentle person.

And she, Reina, was still thinking about how to rally humans to overthrow the Dragon King’s rule. Wasn’t this biting the hand that feeds her?

Damn it…

Reina clenched her fists secretly.

What are you doing, Reina? She’s clearly testing you. She doesn’t know who the protagonist is, and she’s not as simple as you think!

Reina shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking.

Just then, Calysia took her hand—this action was exactly the same as in her dream!

“Is something bothering you?” Calysia showed a hint of concern.

“I…”

“Something happened just now, didn’t it? I can sense my vassal’s emotions to a certain extent.”

Calysia smiled gently, as if teasing her.

At this moment, her eyes didn’t seem like mere dragon eyes, but all-seeing eyes that could see through everything, leaving Reina’s feelings completely exposed.

So, I was exposed after all. But what should I say?

Reina held her breath.

She couldn’t hide this matter any longer. Confessing now was better than being dealt with after being discovered.

So she nodded and knelt on both knees: “I’m… sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm?”

“I took the liberty of persuading a human, her name is Ann. I made her… serve us.”

Reina recounted everything that had happened in the church, about Ann’s fall.

After listening to Reina’s account, Calysia thought for a few seconds, then covered her mouth and laughed. She was happy, but it made Reina’s hair stand on end.

Why is she laughing?

Did she discover my ulterior motives, my intention to lead humanity, my hidden memories? Is she planning to expose my lies and “devour” me?

Is she going to punish me for hiding this, take me to bed and have her way with me to satisfy her needs?

Is she going to completely control my mind, turn me into a puppet, and make me serve her?

No, no!

Reina suddenly realized a crucial and lowly mistake.

Assuming her original intention was to eliminate humans and help the Dragon King, it wasn’t something she should have hidden.

Now that she had knelt and confessed her mistake to the Dragon King, wasn’t she admitting to having malicious intentions?

She would never have made such a lowly mistake before.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity to Reina.

Her lips trembled involuntarily, and she began to imagine the scene after her identity was exposed.

Calysia would tie the poor blue-haired girl to the bed and pour endless magic power into her Dragon Mark. A torrential downpour outside, pale lightning casting cruel shadows on the walls, the entire room filled with her screams, and finally, the screams fading away in the rain, leaving only submissive gasps!

But Calysia didn’t do that.

“Reina, you did well.”

“Eh?”

“You were actually able to find clues about humans. There are many treacherous plots brewing among the humans now. Eradicating them will make me, the King of the Four Realms, even more revered.”

Seeing this, Reina followed up: “Humans are heinous sinners who are trying to betray the Four Kings of the Realms.”

“Actually, it’s not just humans. The demon forces are in chaos now, with constant factional strife. Even the aloof dragon race will inevitably make mistakes due to their arrogance… Reina, you did very well.”

Saying that, Calysia began to stroke Reina’s chin, like petting a cat, and then casually caressed her jade-like neck. Reina didn’t know why she subconsciously leaned into the touch.

“Hoxas’s death should already be known to many, and new undercurrents are inevitably stirring. Those with ulterior motives will gradually emerge, and at this time, a newly risen powerhouse will stand at the summit.”

“And that’s you, Reina~”

Calysia smiled:

“Therefore, I’m certain that everything you do is for me.”

“You are my most outstanding subordinate, the most beautiful dragon, and also the person I cherish the most.”

Saying that, Calysia wrapped her arms around Reina’s waist and pulled her closer. Reina lost her balance, her feet slipping, and she fell into Calysia’s embrace. She sat on Calysia’s lap, their eyes meeting, their lips only a hair’s breadth apart.

“Eh?”

Reina’s heart pounded, her blood rushing, at a loss for what to do.

Still waiting for punishment and reprimand, she was suddenly trusted by the Dragon King. She was still immersed in finding ways to cope with the punishment, but unexpectedly received Calysia’s affection instead.

“Master Calysia, then this isn’t… mmph!”

She originally wanted to reprimand Calysia, but suddenly realizing the Dragon King’s trust, she had to retract her somewhat presumptuous words. This subtle feeling made her instantly lose the ability to resist.

“Since Reina agrees, then I won’t hold back~”

“Who agreed…Ah—mmph!”

Seeing that Reina didn’t resist, Calysia reached out and touched her Dragon Mark.

A tingling, electric sensation made Reina involuntarily let out a strange moan, instantly draining her of all strength to break free from Calysia.

“Have you forgotten what’s on the schedule?”

“It’s seven in the morning now.”

“And I’m in a good mood~”

23. Purifying Light

“…”

Ann’s eyes were slightly moist. She stopped struggling and stared blankly at the corner of the basement, seemingly processing the information she had just received.

Reina didn’t miss the opportunity and continued: “Humans who fall into mid-ranking demonhood regain their sanity and memories, and your power is just right.”

“You will be like me, possessing your own personality, not a mindless walking corpse.”

“I will give you the right to choose.”

Reina wasn’t naive enough to think that with Ann’s current state, she could lead her to find other humans and immediately become their leader. That was wishful thinking.

It might be feasible, but it would require not only disguise but also creating time gaps in her maid duties.

And if Calysia discovered these little actions, the consequences would be unimaginable.

If she could obtain information about humanity through the demonified Ann, it would definitely be a worthwhile trade.

But Reina’s ambition didn’t stop there.

If she could use this girl to create a puppet, she could simply give orders to that puppet and achieve the same goal of leading humanity and overthrowing the demons.

As if to confirm the truth, Ann’s voice, filled with despair, held a hint of questioning: “Miss Reina, my father clearly raised me without complaint. Why… why would he do this to me?”

“Would you harm a pet after feeding it?”

“I…”

Ann nodded, a mixture of tears and laughter on her face.

“Then… I can’t collude with demons either. That’s an act of evil. The Goddess of Light wouldn’t allow me to do that.”

Reina also laughed:

“Becoming my subordinate isn’t about joining some friendly club. It’s about superiors and subordinates. I’ll use you to kill humans, and you’ll use me for revenge.”

“Don’t misunderstand, Miss Ann. We just need to have aligned interests.”

“As for the Goddess of Light?”

Reina suddenly remembered the “Goddess of Light” in the mysterious space.

“She’s long dead. Perhaps she’s already been captured by the demons, bound and demonified.”

“…”

Ann nodded.

After another minute, she finally looked up and met Reina’s gaze. There was no anger or sorrow from being deceived, but a twisted expression after a painful struggle, and a fire of hatred burning in her eyes.

She finally understood. Those last words were just self-deception.

There were no gods left in this world.

“Miss Reina, I agree to join you.”

“Mm.”

Reina smiled and waved her hand, and to the astonishment of both Ann and Fire, she casually broke the chains binding Ann with gravity magic.

At this moment, Fire, standing beside them, could hardly contain her excitement.

As expected of Miss Reina!

Using human weaknesses and a wealth of knowledge to make this human willingly fall, even offering information voluntarily, saving the trouble of interrogation!

“Fire, let’s go up.”

When the priest saw the three of them emerge from the basement, his jaw almost dropped:

“La… Lady Reina, I must remind you, that human is a powerful combatant. Don’t let her escape…” The priest remembered the kick Ann had given him when she was struggling.

But he never expected that Ann wouldn’t even glance at him, walking straight to the podium and leaning against the prepared thorny cross without any fear.

“No need, I’ll do it myself.”

“This…?”

The priest couldn’t believe his eyes. When he saw Reina’s confident gaze and Fire Dragon’s proud expression, he understood!

—This is advanced hypnosis magic, as expected of Lady Reina!

The priest coughed, regaining his composure.

He took out a black scripture, opened it to a certain page, and began to chant strange, incomprehensible incantations.

In response, the demonified humans below finally reacted, raising their hands and mechanically chanting in adoration.

“Long live the Purifying Flame…”

“The King grants rebirth, grants everything…”

“Long live the Four Kings of the Realms!”

At that moment, a strange black flame erupted from the scripture, streaking across the sky and converging beneath the cross where Ann stood.

The flames engulfed the thorns, burning brighter and brighter, binding Ann’s limbs like chains, locking her tightly to the cross.

Ann showed a pained expression, but she quickly accepted reality, closed her eyes, and quietly waited for the flames to consume her.

Suddenly, the cross floated into the air, and together with the black flames, transformed into a pure black sun in the sky.

“This is demonification.”

Reina murmured to herself.

It was the first time she had seen pure black flames without any impurities.

The flames were instantly extinguished, replaced by more black thorns.

The black thorns completely enveloped Ann’s body, like a completely sealed black plant-based garment, fixing her to the cross, but the outline of her female form could still be vaguely seen.

“It seems she wholeheartedly accepted the demon’s power, which is why the process was so smooth. If she were unlucky, it could have taken three days of burning with no result,” the priest said with emotion. “It won’t be long before she breaks free from the thorns and completes her transformation!”

Reina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Fire looked at the thorns happily and said:

“After she finishes demonifying, let her help me and my sister with chores.”

“Don’t you hate humans?” Reina chuckled.

“It’s rare to see a human demonify as thoroughly as Ann. Now, I can’t even smell the stench of humanity on her anymore.”

Saying that, she glanced at the priest: “Much better than some!”

“What are you saying? I’m a true believer…” The priest’s beard bristled with anger.

Reina wasn’t interested in their strange interaction. She first agreed to Fire Dragon’s suggestion, as that was what she had intended to do anyway.

Fire also completely understood Reina’s meaning.

Recruiting troops and expanding their power, capturing humans was like catching mice, it couldn’t be rushed.

She had long felt that some of the useless people around the Dragon King should be replaced. Hoxas was one of them. With Reina around, she was sure to fix the current state of the Dragon Realm.

Perhaps, they could even rule the world.

Before Reina left, the priest, Fire, and Ann all looked at her retreating figure with envy and admiration.

But only Reina knew that she was in such a hurry simply because she hadn’t bought groceries yet!

Expanding her power could wait, there was still a dragon at home who hadn’t eaten!

And just now, to persuade Ann and observe her demonification, she had wasted too much unexpected time. This wasn’t the quality of a proper maid.

Reina quickly rushed to the morning market, took out the silver coins she had scrounged up from the nooks and crannies of her room, and bought some fresh ingredients. After checking off everything on the list in her small notebook, she hurried back to the villa.

At the villa’s entrance, she glanced at her watch: “6:45”

Good. Considering Calysia’s habit of sleeping in and her morning grumpiness, she still had almost thirty minutes to cook.

But as soon as she opened the door, Reina was almost shocked into unconsciousness by the scene before her:

The arrogant Dragon King was already dressed, holding a small broom, and gently sweeping the dust under the sofa.

She was already awake.

And she was actually sweeping the floor!!

For a moment, Reina didn’t know what to say. She could only quickly put down the basket, walk up to Calysia, and snatch the broom away.

Calysia, having her broom taken away, looked somewhat angry: “Little Vassal, why did you take my weapon?”

“Master Calysia.”

Reina bowed slightly. “You doing this is disrespectful to my work.”

“I just want to sweep the floor.”

Calysia crossed her arms and said matter-of-factly. She had just woken up, and her face was slightly damp.

“If you’re interested in housework, you can help me clean the windows.” Reina retorted, walking up to Calysia and smoothing the wrinkles on her collar.

Calysia, however, shook her head: “I only know how to sweep the floor.”

“Huh?”

Reina thought to herself: You only know how to sweep? If you can even do that properly, I’ll burn incense and worship Buddha!

Unexpectedly, Calysia lowered her head reluctantly and said somewhat awkwardly:

“Now, you can’t blame me.”

“Didn’t you say before that I just needed to sweep the floor, and you would do the rest?”

Reina’s heart skipped a beat.

22. “Become My Subordinate”

That damned Calysia!

She had specifically hidden the agate in her clothes before leaving, but was she still exposed?

Fortunately, she hadn’t grown a tail yet. If she truly transformed into a complete dragon, the idea of leading humanity to victory against the demons would become a huge joke—because she herself would be a demon!

Although Reina adhered to the “lone wolf” creed during the game, it didn’t mean she denied the value of teamwork.

She still held a sliver of hope for the human girl.

Her true identity was the village chief’s daughter, a nun named “Ann.”

Ann was an important NPC, a kind-hearted cleric with a voluptuous figure who guided the protagonist—but Reina didn’t think Ann was particularly beautiful, far from her own level or Calysia’s.

If she could obtain information about humanity from Ann, or gain her trust, then the path of leading humanity, a path Reina was familiar with, could still be pursued.

“Fire, can I ask her some questions?” Reina glanced at the admiring subordinate beside her.

“Yes, Lady Reina, but I wouldn’t recommend it…” Fire said hesitantly.

“Actually, we’ve already interrogated her once, but she refused to say anything. So, we were hoping that she wouldn’t lose too many memories after demonification.”

Hearing the word “demonification,” Ann suddenly became anxious. She cursed in the direction of the two:

“Even if I become a demon, I will resist to the end! Don’t think I’ll submit to you!”

Fire didn’t reply. She walked behind the chair and was about to remove Ann’s blindfold when Reina shook her head in refusal. Fire understood and returned to her side.

Before approaching Ann, Reina made a “shush” gesture to Fire.

Then, she walked up the steps behind her, opened and closed a door as a distraction, and returned to stand two steps away from Ann.

“Your name is Ann?”

“So what if it is?”

“Why hasn’t anyone come to rescue you?”

“…” Ann remained silent.

She’s not stupid.

Reina lowered her voice slightly:

“Miss Ann, my true identity is human.”

“…What?”

Ann’s voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself, marveling at how ridiculous this lie was.

“The demon just now has left. We’re the only ones here now. Relax, Miss Ann.”

Reina glanced back at Fire Dragon, whose face was filled with shock. After three seconds, she understood and tried to suppress her presence, stealthily moving closer to the basement door.

She couldn’t hide her envy and admiration: As expected of Lady Reina, this tactic is truly foolproof!

First using vision, then using hearing, bold yet meticulous. No wonder she’s the woman chosen by the Dragon King!

“Don’t be absurd.”

Ann’s voice wavered slightly.

But a person wandering in the desert for three days and nights, on the verge of death, would investigate even a mirage.

“I’m not lying to you, Ann. I’m truly human. I can prove it to you.”

“Go ahead…” Ann’s voice now had a distinct sob.

“Your father is the village chief, Donald. He used to be a soldier. After retiring, he became a blacksmith and had you with your mother. This was before the Eternal Night Era.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.” Ann feigned indifference.

Reina didn’t mind. She whispered in Ann’s ear, softly enough that Fire couldn’t hear:

“I used to be the maid Reina at Master Flosis’s house. If I were demonified, I would have lost all my memories and personality. I wouldn’t be able to lie to you.”

“Is… is that so?”

Ann’s voice became even softer, almost inaudible. She suddenly remembered something:

“What about that demonic aura?”

“…”

She was stumped.

Honestly, there was no way around this. She couldn’t tell her it was the Dragon King’s doing.

No, in the end, it was the Dragon King’s doing!

Once again, she cursed Calysia in her heart.

“I can’t prove that it wasn’t me. I know very little about demons.” Reina told the truth, keeping her words ambiguous.

Then, she stopped talking, intending to give Ann enough time to think.

A minute later, Ann finally reacted.

“Are… are you here to save me?”

She seemed to be suppressing her despair and tears.

“I… I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“Why wouldn’t we come?” Reina asked, picking up the thread of conversation.

“Because…”

Ann choked up, but she wasn’t crying, she was complaining.

“My father… when he was transporting food supplies, he was discovered by the demons. Then, he pushed me out.”

“…”

Although Reina was shocked, she wasn’t surprised. So far, everything was proceeding according to her predictions.

“Your father betrayed you?”

Ann nodded with difficulty.

Reina’s heart trembled. She tried to recall the village chief’s request in the game, and the information about his daughter.

“What about your other companions? I remember you had a good friend.”

“He sided with my father. I still remember, he shouted hysterically, trying to make me take the blame.”

Ann’s voice grew softer and softer, even she was starting to lose confidence, as if the heavy truth would crush her frail body and suffocate her.

Is this the most difficult world?

Reina lowered her head.

Ann’s combat strength was quite strong, around level 30, considered top-tier in the novice village.

If she hadn’t been framed by her own father, how could she have been captured so easily?

Reina remembered that the village chief’s daughter had a very close friend, practically a best friend. The type who would lash out at scumbags.

If even her best friend had betrayed Ann, Reina couldn’t imagine who else could save this poor nun.

Even more infuriating was that this poor girl was still sticking to her principles, keeping her mouth shut for the sake of humanity.

“Damn humans,” Reina muttered to herself.

This kind of human, even under her leadership, wouldn’t amount to much. Even as weapons, they were just a group of cowardly people who couldn’t even wield a knife.

She took a deep breath. Just now, she had made a bold decision.

“I’m sorry, I can’t save you, Miss Ann.”

Ann let out a soft “hmm,” as if this answer wasn’t unexpected.

“But I have some questions for you.”

“Go ahead, Miss Reina,” Ann said in resignation.

She didn’t know which organization Reina belonged to. Perhaps she was a human traitor, or perhaps a demon spy in disguise. In any case, she couldn’t be one of the village chief’s… her father’s people.

She was most likely in league with the demons. There weren’t that many surviving humans here.

But she suddenly thought, she might as well tell this Miss Reina, who was willing to speak kindly to her before her death, everything she knew.

This was her last remaining value.

“Does your father love you?”

“Huh?”

Ann looked at her in disbelief.

Shouldn’t Reina be asking her other questions? Like the location of the human base, escape routes, hidden information… She remembered all of that.

“He has always loved me and my mother,” Ann said, biting her lip.

Reina shook her head:

“As far as I know, your father, Donald, had a child behind your backs. To hide it from you, he even beat your mother. Of course, your mother passed away long ago, so the matter was dropped.”

“What… what did you say?”

Reina sneered: “I also know that your mother originally wanted to tell you about this shocking, morally depraved matter, but your father beat her to death and used his authority as village chief to cover it up as an accident.”

“My mother… didn’t die in a hunting accident? You’re lying…”

“Not only that, but your father also has a secret affair with your best friend. Have you ever heard the moans coming from near Toni’s room?”

“He… no, wait… how…?”

Ann gradually became frantic and confused.

She carefully considered Reina’s words, piecing them together with her fragmented memories, finally forming a complete picture.

So much so that she couldn’t refute it.

Finally, her brain, consciousness, and every cell in her body were repeating one sentence: Reina is telling the truth.

“No… how could this be? How could this… Sob, sob, sob, Father, why? Ah…”

Reina didn’t say anything more.

Her goal had been achieved, and the effect was remarkable.

This barrage of words wasn’t some trickery or emotional manipulation, but a recounting of real events that had happened before the Eternal Night Era, events she had learned about through various side quests she had personally played through.

Finally, when Ann’s mind went blank, and she could no longer even understand human language—

Reina removed Ann’s blindfold, looked at her with her azure dragon eyes, and smiled:

“Become a demon, become my subordinate, become a pawn of the Dragon King, Ann.”

“Neither humanity nor your father loves you.”

“But under my and the Dragon King’s protection, you can take revenge on them.”

21. Mysterious Space

So quiet…

Darkness.

This place was boundless, vast and empty. Opening her eyes or closing them made no difference.

The church, Fire Dragon… everything, absolutely everything, had vanished.

She seemed to be walking on a black ocean, each step creating circular ripples.

…It seems the prayer connected me to a strange space, both illusory and real.

Suddenly, a golden streak, like a few glowing feathers, appeared out of thin air a few hundred, or perhaps thousand, meters away from Reina.

Reina walked towards it.

As if responding to her anticipation, the golden light emitted by the feathers grew brighter, and more feathers sprouted.

As the light intensified, the feathers multiplied, growing faster and faster. In a short time, they accumulated, transforming into complete golden rays, weaving and converging. After a shimmering, particle-like effect, they formed a complete shape—a golden, floating young woman.

The woman appeared before Reina like a giant, her fingers interlaced and raised before her chest in prayer. Her beautiful skin and slender, pristine body were completely bare, her legs drawn together and curled up in front of her, as if protecting something, or perhaps struggling for survival in a tight space, appearing somewhat pitiful and desolate.

Reina carefully observed her details.

And on this beautiful woman’s body, there were several pitch-black iron chains, fastened to shackles on her feet, legs, and waist.

The other ends of the chains were connected to pieces of purple crystal emitting an ominous aura, like black holes exuding miasma, distorting the space around them.

A beautiful jade-like neck was bound by a collar. The holy maiden had become a slave shackled by darkness, imprisoned in this bottomless abyss.

And seeing the cruel chains on the pure white feathered wings, Reina confirmed a startling truth:

“The Goddess of Light? No…”

She braced herself for a possible battle, ready to fight.

But this goddess didn’t seem to have the ability to resist.

After walking around the “Goddess of Light” for a few dozen steps, Reina’s calmed heart began to tremble.

The woman’s praying hands obscured the cherry on top, and her legs covered her vital parts, but Reina could still see a savage, twisted purple mark on the “Goddess of Light’s” chest through her translucent body.

It was the Dragon Mark!

After carefully observing the woman’s face and hair, she realized that her body was identical to her own current body.

That wasn’t the Goddess of Light at all, but herself!

“A reflection of my true self? Heh…” Reina recalled the priest’s words and broke out in a cold sweat.

But why did she have wings? What did this represent?

And what were those purple crystals?

With these questions in mind, Reina suddenly found herself moving through the air, flying towards the nearest purple crystal.

No… the purple crystal was moving towards her, matching her movements!

Seemingly out of curiosity, and not sensing any danger from the purple crystal, she gently touched it, feeling a warm, refreshing magic power that made her drowsy.

Reina lost focus for a moment and found her hand being drawn towards the purple crystal.

“It’s Calysia’s magic power.”

“So this is how she controls me?”

“If I can break these shackles, does that mean I can escape corruption?”

A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.

She noticed that among the ten purple crystals, including the one in front of her, three were vibrating slightly, emitting more miasma, almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

They seemed to be waiting for something, like birds in a cage gently pecking at the bars, yearning to fly free, urging Reina to unlock their chains.

“Can I shatter these three crystals now?”

“If I do, the chains on my hands will disappear, and Calysia will…”

“Yes, I’ve decided.”

Reina chose to shatter the crystals.

The crystal in front of her happened to be vibrating.

Calysia, I’m sorry.

Reina stopped thinking and focused on what might be the first step to escaping corruption.

She reached out and placed her hand on the crystal, which clearly sensed the rhythm of Reina’s heart and reacted.

Seeing the chains tremble, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed to be working. Was she about to succeed?

But the next second, she sensed something was wrong.

The chains didn’t break, and the crystal didn’t change. Instead, the chains suddenly retracted towards the “Goddess of Light,” bringing the purple crystal with them!

Before Reina could react, the chains had completely retracted. The moment the purple crystal touched the translucent body, there was no expected collision. Instead, they merged, becoming a part of the “Goddess of Light’s” body!

Damn it, I was tricked!

No, was it a misjudgment?

The golden, pure white body was being eroded by darkness. A faint purple tinge appeared on her arm.

Suddenly, an indescribable feeling, accompanied by the trembling of the Dragon Mark, began to invade Reina’s body. She knelt on one knee, her lips twitching, her eyes vacant.

It was the same feeling as when magic power was injected into the Dragon Mark, yet also slightly different.

She chanted a name:

“Master Calysia, Calysia… Master Calysia…”

“Mmph…”

Her voice carried a seductive moan.

“Pant… Calysia… I’m Calysia’s…”

“Master…”

As she spoke these words, she suddenly realized that the image of herself kneeling, about to collapse on the ground in shame, had disappeared. Now, she was praying silently, and the strange eerie wind and indescribable scenes vanished, as if it had all been an illusion.

However, the blush from her intense reaction hadn’t faded.

Recalling her enormous body and those black chains, Reina was certain that just now, a part of her body or soul had been fundamentally changed.

Because she felt something…

Reina stopped praying and tentatively reached out, discovering that her hand and arm were now entwined with familiar purple magic power.

She had actually learned a skill!

This was the first ability she had learned since coming to this world.

“[Gravity]”

Had she gained the ability because she touched that purple crystal?

It seemed that the so-called space was a place for Calysia’s vassals to upgrade their skills, not a way to break free from vassalization!

A nice new ability, do you like it? Traded your self-respect for it!

Reina recalled her earlier words and felt like her whole body was burning!

If Calysia found out, she would be done for!

“Lady Reina!”

Suddenly, Fire hopped over.

The priest was in tears, kneeling on both knees, as if he had just watched a touching TV drama.

The two Dragon Knights standing guard at the door witnessed the descent of a miracle. Reina’s status in their hearts rose again, and they couldn’t help but kneel before their new Commander, pledging their loyalty.

“This is the demon chosen by that great one.”

“She must have the power to change the world!”

Reina didn’t care about the others’ gazes. She quickly suppressed her inner excitement, looked at the priest, and said calmly: “Where is the human prisoner?”

The priest had initially doubted Reina’s strength, but after witnessing the previous scene, he was completely convinced, his heart filled with sincerity: “Lady Reina, you don’t need to ask us lowly demons. She’s in the basement.”

He walked to a corner, opened the door leading to the basement, and guided the two of them down.

“Excuse me.”

Reina didn’t waste any time.

The basement was about 100 square meters, quite simple, and filled with the damp smell of dust. There weren’t many goods here, it was somewhat empty.

Fire snapped her fingers, instantly lighting several candles on the walls.

And Reina had already spotted the woman imprisoned in the dark basement:

A blonde woman in a nun’s habit, sitting quietly on a wooden chair, her hands and feet shackled to the chair, the tight shackles on her full legs, clad in white knee-high socks, a shocking sight.

She was tied to the chair like this, even her eyes were covered with a black blindfold.

The young woman had also felt the suffocating, terrifying miasma in the church just now. She knew that a powerful demon was approaching her.

She took a breath and said in a cold voice tinged with fear:

“I won’t tell you anything, demon lackey. You might as well just kill me.”

Damn it, she was really taken for a high-ranking demon.

That damned Calysia!

20. Like the Descent of a Demon God

Demonification, the village chief’s daughter.

She had to seize this rare opportunity. She might even find the first human besides herself.

As a competent maid, she needed to have excellent time management skills, and now was the time to put them to the test.

Reina’s schedule clearly stated “wake up at seven,” so now, after accounting for travel time, she had about 40 minutes to assess the situation.

The village wasn’t large. The church was 800 meters from the market.

Wood Village’s church was no different from the churches Reina had seen in movies and TV shows.

Its towering exterior and solemn patterns served as decorations, and several human-shaped statues stood on the walls. Severely weathered from years of neglect, they now appeared somewhat comical.

Entering the church, countless worshippers sat in neat rows… if they could still be called “human.”

Like the villagers on the streets, their eyes were vacant, like robots with clockwork and puppet strings, their movements strange. Overall, they were clearly more bewitched than the normal villagers.

And seeing their uniform black attire, Reina confirmed her earlier deduction.

“These humans stink!” Fire covered her nose, her expression disgusted.

The two Dragon Knights guarding the gate quickly saluted Fire Dragon and Lady Reina, not daring to show any disrespect. This was the only relatively normal scene she had encountered.

On either side were dim stained-glass windows. If it weren’t for the chandelier overhead, seeing them on a full moon night, Reina would have been absolutely certain that a zombie crisis had broken out.

Fortunately, these “humans” weren’t noisy, just sitting quietly in their chairs. The skin of some of them had already begun to ulcerate, growing strange tissues… like scales, or overgrown bones, things that shouldn’t exist on a human body. Just looking at them was horrifying.

These guys couldn’t be underestimated.

Reina recalled the old woman who had attacked her. She was around level 20, which was undoubtedly a nightmare for the protagonist in the novice village.

Even ordinary human soldiers in the previous difficulty level were only between levels 20 and 30.

If this group swarmed her, their destructive power would be astonishing, comparable to a well-trained human squad.

—But because of my identity, they no longer seemed hostile towards me.

Reina’s gaze quickly shifted to the priest on the church podium.

Like the other worshippers, he wore a black robe, with a prominent silver cross as decoration on his chest… It was an inverted cross.

The priest’s face was wreathed in a blissful smile, his kindness as thick as his white beard. If that beard were unkempt, it could even rival that of an orc from the snowy mountains.

And Reina was certain that this person was definitely a demon… his eyes were pure black, and she could clearly see his deformed body beneath his robe with her naked eye.

Seeing the two of them, the priest’s voice trembled with excitement:

“Good morning, Fire Dragon. May I ask who this beautiful lady is?” He hurriedly stepped forward, not recognizing the woman beside Fire Dragon.

“The current Knight Commander, Lady Reina~” Fire Dragon quickly introduced, looking quite proud.

The priest’s pitch-black pupils widened abruptly:

“Oh—! It’s you, Lady Reina! You are like a goddess, pulling out the light from within me!”

“Please, spare me the pleasantries, Father. What should I call you?”

“Grindle, I am Grindle, beautiful Lady Reina.” The priest bowed: “I’ve heard that the Dragon King graced our village with her presence for an important matter. So it was for you, a descended evil god!”

Grindle, so it was him.

The priest of the novice village, an NPC character. He played the role of a stern figure in the village, maintaining a strict attitude towards everyone, including the nuns under his command.

Reina’s impression of him was rather bland.

She just didn’t expect him to become more cheerful after demonification. It was truly lamentable.

“Mr. Grindle, when was the last fire in Wood Village?” She suddenly asked a seemingly out-of-the-blue question.

“Twenty-one years ago. Is something the matter, beautiful Lady Reina?” The priest bowed.

Reina smiled but didn’t answer.

So, he still retained memories from his time as a human.

Just then, Fire leaned close to Reina’s ear and whispered:

“Father Grindle used to be a human, but he actually broke through and became a mid-ranking demon. That’s how he regained his consciousness. He’s the strongest demonified human in Wood Village, so naturally, he became the leader.”

“Can they evolve infinitely?” Reina asked.

“I don’t know, but the stronger the human, the stronger they become after demonification.”

Fire seemed angry, veins bulging on her face:

“So, why give humans the chance to be demonified? Wouldn’t it be better to just kill them all?”

Reina smiled and shook her head.

—It seemed she really hated humans.

She looked up and saw a cross covered in thorns behind the podium.

“That cross over there is the execution platform for demonified humans. They are tied there and then consumed by the [Purifying Flame],” Fire explained.

Following the thorns upwards, she saw a statue of the Goddess of Light hanging upside down in the church, also covered in black thorns. Bloody tears streamed from the statue’s eyes, as if they could drip at any moment, symbolizing misfortune and ill omens.

—But clearly, this was just a prank.

The priest bowed slightly:

“My ladies, before the ceremony begins, please allow me to offer a prayer for both of you, as a token of loyalty to the Dragon King.”

On the way here, Fire had told her that anyone participating in the ceremony had to pray to one of the Four Kings of the Realms. Not participating would be disrespectful to Calysia.

Outside, Reina still had to pretend to be devoted to Calysia.

At home, it might be a different story.

“Wasn’t the Goddess of Light swallowed by darkness?” Reina said half-jokingly.

“It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter!” The priest waved his hand. “We were never followers of the light. Why should we worship the God of Light? As long as our hearts are filled with gratitude towards the Four Kings of the Realms, we can still pray!”

“Legend has it that those who pray can see the truth, see their true selves, and discover opportunities within. Such an excellent demon as yourself will surely achieve amazing feats!”

Reina had no interest in praying in the game, but this was a practical way to increase “luck.”

If her luck was high enough, it could improve the quality of dropped equipment in dungeons and reduce damage variation, a valuable but somewhat flashy attribute.

However, this was the first time she had prayed to a hanging statue of the Goddess of Light. Perhaps her luck would decrease instead.

“I’ll go first,” Fire said.

She walked to the podium, glanced at the statue above her, clasped her hands together, lowered her head, and performed the prayer gesture Reina remembered.

“…”

Nothing happened.

After Fire finished praying, it was Reina’s turn.

She imitated Fire’s actions, intending to just go through the motions.

As for having faith in the Four Kings of the Realms, Reina couldn’t do it.

Because one of the damned Four Kings of the Realms was waiting for her at home to cook, or she would starve to death soon!

That image couldn’t possibly inspire any faith in her!

The prayer began.

She began to recall Calysia’s gentle smile in her mind.

Suddenly, a gust of eerie wind extinguished the light from the chandelier overhead; a noisy and terrifying buzzing sound filled everyone’s ears, making them want to cover their ears, yet they couldn’t help but listen to every note in detail.

Beneath their feet, dark magic seeped from the wooden floorboards, like countless tiny slimes slowly emerging from the cracks, floating into the air and turning into wisps of demonic energy; around them, vaguely wriggling black shadows appeared on the walls, like figures of dark gods from the Primordial Era, performing a demonic dance in the mortal realm.

“Whoosh—!”

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through, shattering the church windows.

Immediately following was a ground-shaking tremor, as if the prayer had just awakened an ancient, ferocious beast.

At the center of the storm, Reina stood unmoved. Everyone knew that all of this was caused by her.

Fire’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Reina’s prayer to stir up such a dark storm. Excitedly, she exclaimed, “As expected of Lady Reina!”

“Oooooh!!” The priest raised his hands, his fleshy face contorted, and let out a creepy laugh: “Such darkness, such cruelty, such madness—like the descent of a demon god!”

But Reina didn’t react. She just stood there quietly.

In her eyes, the world had fallen into a completely opposite state.

The church, the demonified humans, Fire Dragon, the cross, the statue, all disappeared, leaving only her thin figure standing in the boundless, silent darkness.

“Where is this?”

Reina murmured to herself.

19. It’s All Calysia’s Fault

When they emerged from the hot spring, Reina was utterly exhausted.

Calysia, who had been the cause of Reina’s exhaustion, was also tired, but due to the difference in stamina and abilities, she still had plenty of energy left and personally carried her little vassal to bed.

—Calysia’s double bed, of course.

The single room that had been prepared was now meaningless. Reina didn’t have the strength to get out of bed, or even to crawl out from under the covers and move to another room.

At this point, Reina was utterly despondent. Closing her eyes, she would recall the scene of the Dragon King covering every inch of her body with soapy bubbles, and then giving her a full-body massage.

But due to her exhaustion, she was forced to relive those embarrassing and heart-pounding scenes, waiting for the arrival of the next day.

“Mmph…”

Remembering a certain moment, Reina suddenly let out a sound that even she felt was inappropriate.

Damn it, if this continues, she really will fall!

—Looking at Calysia, who was holding her, she thought.

Vassals were naturally inclined to obey their masters and would even develop a matching mental state in response to their master’s actions.

Even more fatal was that Calysia never tormented her.

If vassalization was reshaping her “reason,” then Calysia was influencing her “emotions.”

Unlike the scenes she had imagined, Calysia hadn’t truly “hurt” Reina so far.

In everything she did for her own satisfaction, she considered Reina’s feelings.

What Reina feared most was gentleness.

“It’s clearly taking advantage of me, but why… why does it make me feel this way, damn Calysia…”

The dragon tail wrapped around her thigh was gentle, the hand holding her was gentle, and even her words never contained any insults.

But Reina was confident that as long as their current relationship didn’t change further, she would eventually find a way to break the situation—as long as she could withstand Calysia’s affection until then.

She subconsciously touched the Dragon Mark.

“Could I have already been exposed?”

“It’s only the first day.”

“Impossible.”

Reina shook her head, pushing the thought away. She buried herself under the covers, refusing to engage in any more mental exhaustion tonight.

Starting tomorrow, she had to step up her game.

Her consciousness gradually blurred, the day’s fatigue churning in her mind before finally washing ashore, creating small ripples.

…

“Wake up, Reina~, it’s the hour of the dragon~”

Calysia’s sweet voice woke Reina up. She opened her eyes and subconsciously stretched.

As if the previous night’s fatigue hadn’t been fully digested, or perhaps it was the human part of her rejecting the magic infused into the Dragon Mark, Reina still felt sleepy.

She wanted to close her eyes, puzzled by the heavy weight in her arms.

Am I hugging a watermelon?

At this moment, Calysia was kneeling beside her, looking at her with a gentle smile… Something felt strange. Is this Calysia?

“Good morning,” Calysia greeted.

“Yes, good morning,” Reina replied naturally.

Pulling back the covers, Reina broke out in a cold sweat.

The thing she had warmed in her arms wasn’t a watermelon at all!

It was clearly an egg with deep purple markings! A dragon egg!

And that wasn’t the worst part.

Reina noticed that her stomach was slightly swollen.

Without even thinking, she knew that besides the dragon egg in her arms, there was another unlaid egg in her belly!

“Ahh…?”

“No… why? What happened?!”

“Reina~”

Calysia was a little surprised by Reina’s panicked expression. She gently took Reina’s hand and said:

“Wife, we’ve been together for so many years, and I’ve never seen you so scared.”

“Calysia, I…” Reina trembled. She wanted to stand up and berate Calysia, demanding to know why she had gotten her pregnant, but she was quickly captivated by Calysia’s sincere gaze and calmed down.

As if sensing her concerns, Calysia smiled:

“Mood swings during pregnancy are normal, but I promise, I’ll go through this with you, Reina, just like before.”

Just then, a sweet voice called out.

“Mama!”

A blue-haired girl clung to Calysia’s back, making eye contact with Reina.

The girl looked seven parts like Reina, with small wings and a tail, her little dragon wings flapping up and down. Ignoring the dragon features, she was a miniature version of Reina!

Seeing the girl, Reina felt like she had been struck by lightning: So, we already have a child.

Reina lowered her head weakly, accepting the reality, and subconsciously touched the dragon egg and her own belly.

Calysia gently kissed Reina’s forehead.

At that moment, her hand gently climbed onto Reina’s breast, just like what had happened before.

Reina put up a token struggle before realizing something was amiss.

She couldn’t move at all, as if her actions were bound by some kind of paralysis spell!

Reina tried to resist the invisible force, and before she succeeded, she heard Calysia’s words in her ear:

“Reina, let’s have more~ more~ children!”

“Ahh—!”

Don’t come any closer! Don’t touch me there…

No…!

Finally, Reina threw off the covers and jolted awake.

“Gasp—”

It was just a dream.

Reina was relieved to have escaped the dream, yet also felt a tinge of regret.

She didn’t know where the regret came from, and she didn’t want to think about it.

…Anyway, it was all that damned Calysia’s fault! It was all her fault!

That wicked woman just wanted her body, how utterly despicable!

No matter how long the night was, she couldn’t go back to sleep—fortunately, it was 5:30 in the morning, and she had slept for a full seven hours, it was time to get up.

She glanced at the moon outside the window and then at Calysia beside her, whose tail was wrapped around her fair thigh, as if understanding where that familiar warmth and sense of restraint came from.

“Sigh…”

“Calysia, I’m going out to buy groceries, wake up~”

Calysia’s tail loosened its grip on Reina’s thigh. This time, her sleeping posture was acceptable.

She wanted to praise Calysia in her heart for correcting her mistake, but after recalling the events in her dream, she dismissed the idea.

In short, buy groceries first.

Reina changed into her maid uniform. Yesterday’s hot spring trip had washed away her fatigue and the lingering scent of both of them. When she opened her eyes, she found herself more refreshed than she ever was waking up for an 8 AM class.

This was the mental resistance brought about by the improvement of her attributes.

Before leaving, Reina didn’t forget to tuck a pillow into Calysia’s arms—she didn’t want to come back and immediately have to tidy the Dragon King’s bedroom and be pulled into her embrace again.

The air was fresh, with a hint of coldness.

The morning market was no different from the evening market. The villagers, as usual, maintained the operation of this false world.

Before she could buy the tomatoes she wanted, Reina saw Fire waving to her in the distance.

Fire ran over excitedly, like an adoring fan.

“Lady Reina, Lady Reina! Are you here to buy groceries?”

Reina nodded:

“Yes, you’re up early~”

“I don’t usually get up this early.”

Fire scratched her head, a little embarrassed:

“In ten minutes, there’s a ceremony. I need to stand guard at the church to prevent any accidents.”

Wait, wait, wait, it’s 5:45 AM now, are you kidding me?

—Reina complained inwardly.

It seemed that correcting the unreasonable work schedule was the top priority after taking office. As long as Calysia didn’t interfere, she was confident she could manage them well.

“Would you like to go together, Lady Reina?”

“No, thank you.” Reina shook her head. She had no interest in the ceremony. Going home to cook and start the day’s work was her priority.

Adapt to the situation before the target appeared.

Fire was a little surprised:

“Really? I heard that the subject of this ceremony is the village chief’s daughter. I can’t believe she hasn’t been [Demonified].”

Demonified?

The village chief’s daughter?

A storm brewed in Reina’s heart.

“I’ll go too.”

18. Bath Time

The matter of the schedule was settled. At night, Reina put away the clothes that had dried in the humid air, cleaned the living room, dining room, and bedroom, and it was almost time to rest.

Out of boredom, she went to the library, intending to learn about the history of this world—there were several thick, heavy books there, recording not only magic but also many historical events.

Successfully escaping the Dragon King, Reina, with her tired mind, began to read these notes and found that her previous deductions were almost entirely correct.

Much of the recorded actual history wasn’t shown in the game, further indicating that the game she had played was at best a “demo” of this world.

From the Primordial Era to the Era of Light, and now to the Eternal Night Era, each period was recorded in relative detail.

She quickly browsed through this important information.

Most ways to obtain information while by the Dragon King’s side involved reading. For a moment, Reina recalled many famous quotes about reading that she had once scoffed at.

She picked up a dusty, purple leather book, seemingly a history book recording the past few decades.

The book stated that in the Primordial Era, demons arose, causing wars and chaos everywhere, and making life difficult for the people.

The Goddess of Light chose a hero-like figure, a “Chosen One,” to fight against the demons. After countless trials and tribulations, the Chosen One finally sealed the rampant demons in four different worlds. However, the demons wouldn’t give up and would attack humanity in the distant future.

Reina remembered that the original plot was that the Goddess of Light was injured while fighting the Four Kings of the Realms, and thus was forced to open the four realms, allowing a new “Chosen One” to defeat them. This involved a lot of metaphysics and legends. In reality, the Goddess of Light didn’t provide any substantial help.

But the truth recorded in the history of this world was chilling.

“Darkness swallowed the Goddess of Light. The Four Kings of the Realms occupied the human world, devoured the sun, and ushered in the Eternal Night Era.”

The Goddess of Light seemed to have died, and it might have been her fault!

Reina covered her head, closed the book, and looked for other potentially useful materials.

But suddenly, the door opened.

Reina knew without thinking that it was Calysia coming to interact with her.

My longed-for peaceful night!

“Reina, let’s take a bath together~”

Calysia walked into the library, bringing with her a faint fragrance. She was still wearing her nightgown, the thin fabric outlining her graceful curves, making it hard to refuse her invitation.

“Can’t you bathe yourself?” Reina looked up.

She couldn’t possibly be asking me to scrub her back, could she?

No, there seemed to be such a thing as dragons helping each other bathe, but that was limited to intimate interactions. Ordinary dragons had special ways to clean their wings and tails!

Calysia tapped Reina’s forehead:

“I’m going to help my lovely personal maid bathe. You’re not used to your dragon body yet.”

“I haven’t grown a tail or wings yet…” Reina sighed.

A level 40 dragon could grow wings that blotted out the sky, so why couldn’t she?

Of course, not having these dragon-specific features didn’t bother Reina.

She was rather glad she hadn’t grown those corrupted organs, permanently marked on her body like a brand of shame. Every time her body changed, she felt further removed from humanity.

For example, her vision and sense of taste. Dragons were clearly more sensitive to smells and light. Bright and shiny objects aroused her interest, like how boys liked cool mecha and girls liked expensive bags, a natural inclination.

She believed she absolutely couldn’t be influenced by this subtle shift, otherwise, she might not even realize she had already fallen.

“Shall I help you grow them?” Calysia said with a playful smile. Clearly, she had a way.

Reina quickly shook her head, remembering the feeling of the Dragon Mark being toyed with. She definitely wouldn’t accept the Dragon King’s magic power so easily. “I’ll find a way myself. I won’t trouble Calysia.”

“That’s true. They’ll grow eventually.”

“Reina, I’m serious. If you don’t let me help you bathe, you’ll be very uncomfortable.”

Seeing Calysia’s seriousness, Reina agreed.

She took off her clothes in the changing room and looked in the mirror. Although it wasn’t the first time she had seen her own body, this time she was absolutely certain that the woman in the mirror was far from “human.” Even without a tail and wings, she would be mistaken for a dragon disguised as a human.

Whether it was her originally sacred and pure aura or her eyes, they reflected the fact that she was the Dragon King’s vassal.

The difference this time was that Reina found the Dragon Mark on her chest more pleasing to the eye.

Putting on a bathrobe and walking out of the changing room, she bumped into Calysia, who had already undressed, and was then carried into the bathroom in a princess carry.

The spacious bathroom was brightly lit, precious magic stones like fragments of a rainbow bridge hung in every corner, emitting dazzling light. The brightest among them, an orange gem, was as bright as an incandescent lamp.

—This wasn’t a bathroom at all.

Rather than a bathtub for bathing, it was more like a small living room for enjoying hot springs. Tables and chairs were placed “on shore.” It was one of the most astonishing features of the entire villa.

She remembered seeing similar scenes in some TV dramas or games, and she couldn’t help but marvel at its spaciousness. The entire villa seemed to have been built around this bath, and even cleaning it had taken quite a bit of effort.

The clean, steaming water was like a fairyland, adorned with beautiful flower petals~

“Mmm~”

Reina submerged herself in the water, feeling the sensation of the water against her skin. The weight on her chest created considerable resistance as she moved, making her blush slightly.

Being able to quietly enjoy this wonderful hot spring after a day’s work was surely the normal life many people dreamed of. However, a pair of mischievous hands suddenly attacked Reina from behind, catching her off guard.

“Eh?”

“Hee hee, I caught you!”

“…Gurgle gurgle.”

Reina sank into the water. She suddenly remembered that this wasn’t the dreamlike night she had longed for, but a bathhouse horror orchestrated by Calysia!

Calysia said, “Reina, you might not have noticed, but the ‘water’ here is actually 230 degrees.”

“230 degrees”

“…”

“Huh?”

Reina’s expression went through a series of changes, from “I see” to “What’s going on?” to “What did you say?!”

If she were to analyze it, the water temperature felt like around 40 degrees Celsius, just right for soaking and relieving the day’s fatigue.

But what did 230 degrees even mean?

Was the thing she was soaking in really water?

No, no, was she really human?!

“Gurgle gurgle—!”

Lost in thought, Reina’s feet slipped, and she sank into the water.

At the critical moment, Calysia wrapped her arms around Reina’s waist, swam to the edge of the pool, and surfaced. Her legs bent in a graceful arc, and in a compromising position, she held Reina and said:

“Although you might not have noticed, a layer of transparent dragon scales has already formed on your skin.”

“Just hot water is no longer enough to satisfy you.”

Saying that, she reached out and, from an extremely embarrassing angle, grabbed Reina’s ample bosom.

“It’s all your fault for seducing me. Now, let me satisfy Reina~”

17. That Damned Schedule

Calysia finally began to eat.

She hadn’t eaten normal food in seven days. Strictly speaking, a powerful being like her only needed sufficient magic power to remain unaffected.

So, although she maintained her elegance, her eating speed was still quite rapid.

As for Reina, she was fuming: Dummy? Is the food I made not delicious?

Previously, when Calysia was bedridden, Reina would often make her warming food. Braised rib soup was a regular on the menu.

But Calysia would often chew the meat together with the bones—a dragon’s bite force was incredibly strong, and if she wasn’t careful, she would swallow the unpleasant bones along with the meat.

So, Reina developed the habit of deboning the meat. To give the mushrooms a chewier texture, she also specifically adjusted the cooking time.

In short, she had made considerable improvements to the texture of the food.

But Calysia didn’t appreciate it at all!

She even called her a dummy!

She called her a dummy and ate so heartily, adding insult to injury!

Damn it, she shouldn’t have cooked for her in the first place. She should have just bought her some nutritionless sandwiches and drinks, starved this Dragon King to death, or at least made her crave good food until she regretted her words and missed Reina’s cooking!

“Reina, open wide~”

A spoon offered to her mouth forced Reina to snap back to reality.

In the spoon was a cooked shrimp, coated in a sweet sauce like melted agate, its tender flesh reflecting the dim light of the dining room.

“Eh? Ah…”

“Is it delicious?”

Of course, it was delicious. It was her cooking, how could it not be?

But Reina still had to maintain a respectful and reflective attitude, like a proper subordinate, and said:

“I believe there’s still room for improvement. If Your Majesty is dissatisfied with anything, please let me know.”

“Reina, I have an idea.”

Calysia’s tone became low, as if she had just made some important decision, though her hand holding the fork didn’t stop moving.

Reina nodded slightly: “I’m all ears.”

“Actually, I initially thought that the role of a personal maid should integrate attending to daily life, protecting the Dragon King, and handling related affairs. Besides that, it would just be trivial matters. That’s why I chose you.”

Reina’s resentment swelled: So many things, you’re really asking me to do all of it alone?

But in this cruel reality, she could only obey.

“Yes.”

Calysia carefully observed Reina’s expression. At the same time, her somewhat melancholic and sorrowful expression turned into a sly smile:

“Now, I have a different opinion.”

“Since you’re my personal maid, don’t leave my side. Cook for me, do my laundry, boil water every day…”

These are all within the duties of a maid.

…Reina originally wanted to say that, but after hearing the next sentence, her throat felt like it was blocked by a stone, unable to make a sound.

“And then, lay some dragon eggs, incubate them for me, take care of our daughters. Hmm, let me think, their names will be…”

“Wait, Master Calysia!” Reina immediately interrupted her, stopping her wild thoughts.

She suddenly remembered something—in the game’s world, women could have children through special methods!

What if Calysia, in a moment of impulse, got her pregnant?

But for now, that wasn’t Reina’s biggest worry.

She suddenly remembered, don’t dragons lay eggs?

After getting pregnant, not only would she have to consider all sorts of mentally exhausting things, but she would also have to incubate eggs. And who knows how the dragon hatchlings would view her as their mother.

…No!

I don’t want to be a mother!

Reina’s face flushed crimson. She wanted to flee the scene, escape this troublesome place. Having children for the Dragon King and becoming a mother was absolutely out of the question!

“I refuse!” Reina shook her head frantically.

“Oh, right, a personal maid also needs one more quality.” Calysia pretended not to hear her:

“Never disobey my orders.”

“This is for your physical and mental health!”

In her desperation, a flash of inspiration struck Reina. She suddenly thought of the perfect counter-strategy.

She picked up a fork, scooped some salad and meat into a bowl, mixed them thoroughly, then poured the beautiful mixture onto Calysia’s plate, and said calmly:

“I’ve looked at your schedule. You still have many things to consider, don’t you?”

Hearing the word “schedule,” Calysia’s expression changed subtly. Reina knew that even if it was just a little, her mood had shifted.

Seeing that Calysia had almost finished eating, Reina made up her mind, cleared her throat, and continued in a serious tone:

“First, you have to return to the Dragon Realm next week, but due to the conflict between the Beast King and the Blood Queen, we need to choose a respectable method. I suggest continuing to use the large teleportation magic circle. The dragon race’s dignity cannot be shaken, but please pay attention to their movements.”

“…”

“Second, I believe you should pay attention to the trolls’ movements. They are naturally warlike and unpredictable.”

“…”

“And one more thing, you need to meet with the Silver Dragon Guardian, Ged.”

The Dragon King’s expression was complex.

Reina continued:

“Therefore, maintaining your health is essential. This is my responsibility as your maid. Eh? Master Calysia, let me wipe your mouth~”

Calysia shook her head, finally unable to bear it any longer. After Reina wiped away the food residue accidentally stuck to the corner of her mouth, she said:

“Reina, what is the most important quality for a dragon?”

Reina complained inwardly: Please, Your Majesty, how would I know? I’m human! How can you ask a poor, weak woman to think about things a strong dragon should consider?

“Strength, elegance?”

“Yes, therefore, I must prove our strength and pride to all races.”

Calysia crossed her arms and said.

“Reina, bring me my schedule. I need to make some changes.”

Reina nodded slightly, went to the office on the first floor, took out a black leather notebook with a golden border and the evil dragon emblem, and returned to the dining room.

“Turn to the second to last page and cross everything out.”

Calysia was clearly sulking.

Reina lightly marked a small “x” on each scheduled item with a pen.

She was surprised to find that all the neatly written items crossed out were tasks to be carried out in the next few days, including the things she had just mentioned.

After completing the Dragon King’s instructions, she looked up:

“Then, may I ask how should we plan the schedule starting tomorrow?”

“I’ll read, you write.”

Calysia said seriously.

“7 AM, play with Reina.”

“Um… huh?”

Reina felt something was wrong, but she still complied, recording every word like a secretary.

“9 AM, ten-minute break, continue playing with Reina.”

Reina’s pen started to tremble.

“11 AM, half-hour break, eat the food Reina cooked.”

“1 PM, nap with Reina.”

“3 PM, play with Reina.”

A chill ran down Reina’s spine.

“5 PM, play ♡♡play with Reina”

“7 PM, after eating the food Reina cooked, continue… Why did you stop writing?”

Reina said with a grievance:

“Your Majesty, this isn’t a normal schedule at all.”

“Then let me simplify it…”

Calysia grinned mischievously, looking at Reina’s flushed face with triumphant eyes, and raised her seductively fair thigh:

“My future schedule is very simple: Happy, play with Reina. Not happy, play with Reina.”

16. Dummy

“Calysia, let me explain…”

Reina’s voice trembled.

She really wanted to remain calm, but she couldn’t stop her body from shaking, and her eyes started to well up.

“This… this is a misunderstanding.”

“The misunderstanding of you presumptuously forcing a kiss on the Dragon King?”

“I…”

For a moment, Reina didn’t know what to say. She froze, her mind blank, silenced by the Dragon King’s questioning.

Calysia’s hand released Reina’s shoulder, but her tail still refused to let go of her thigh.

Calysia touched her lips:

“In the courts of the other Four Kings of the Realms, a mere commoner looking directly at the king is punishable. Any physical contact is a capital offense.”

“And me? I just don’t allow others to approach me. If any commoner dares to trespass into my room, no matter who they are, they’re dead.”

Calysia lifted the quilt and sat up, bringing her legs together and supporting herself with one hand while the other lifted Reina’s chin.

She teased:

“Reina, are you a commoner?”

“I’m not.”

Reina’s briefly stalled brain finally restarted. She quickly regained her composure, and the light returned to her eyes.

A few drops of sweet dew remained on her lips, carrying the Dragon King’s rich fragrance.

“I’m your personal maid. Phew, Master Calysia, I’m innocent. Taking care of you is my job and duty,” Reina said seriously.

“Then why did you kiss me?”

Calysia’s expression was playful, as if she were playing a game with a small pet.

“It’s because Calysia’s sleeping posture is terrible!” Reina simply told the truth.

She sat up angrily, looked directly into the Dragon King’s eyes, and finally vented her frustration.

Her cheeks puffed out slightly, and she let out a long breath, starting to “rant”:

“You can kick off the quilt in three minutes, and if you don’t hug a pillow, you can even roll onto the floor!”

“Master Calysia, with all due respect, you don’t look like a dignified Dragon King at home at all. How about practicing being more elegant?”

This barrage of words stunned Calysia.

She looked at her thighs a little sheepishly and realized that Reina had even changed her clothes.

The floor and walls of the room were spotless, the previously annoying stains were gone, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air, intertwining with Reina’s intoxicating scent, like a freshly brewed fine wine.

On the bedside table, there was also a plate of sliced watermelon.

“Did Reina do all of this?”

“It couldn’t have been done by a commoner, could it?”

Reina broke free from the loosened tail, got out of bed, tidied her maid uniform, said nothing, and prepared to go downstairs to cook.

Calysia didn’t stop her abrupt departure.

“Reina…”

Her face flushed slightly, she covered her cheek with one hand, her little tail wagging excitedly.

To reassure Reina, she deliberately suppressed some of her obsessions and desires.

But Reina didn’t play by the rules at all. She teased her when she had desires, and then tempted her when she felt nothing.

“It was clearly mine to begin with.”

Calysia stood up, put on her shoes, sat back on the edge of the bed, and muttered softly:

“Seducing me again, aren’t you afraid of being played to pieces by me?”

…

After going downstairs, Reina broke out in a cold sweat.

It was the first time she dared to say so many disrespectful things in front of Calysia.

Would a normal maid lecture their master like that?

Definitely not, absolutely impossible!

But Calysia was also strange.

She didn’t punish her, didn’t scold her, and even let her leave.

Could it be that Calysia had a masochistic streak? She hadn’t tried that before. If it worked, perhaps maintaining a tough attitude could create a diversion.

Reina pondered silently, her brainstorming not affecting her work progress at all.

The blanched pork was cut into large square pieces, bacon and cheese were placed in an iron pan, and ground beef, along with a secret sweet sauce and onion rings, were put into the oven.

Then, she started preparing the salad and fruit tea…

A few minutes later, the dining table on the first floor was filled with dishes. Her specialty dinner was ready.

Although there were still some flaws, if this were a professional test for a maid position, it would have been a resounding success—Reina believed that the professional qualities of a personal maid weren’t just about mastering housework, but also about good time management and streamlined efficiency.

To be able to clean the house to this extent and prepare a sumptuous dinner on time at 6:40 PM.

How could Calysia resist not paying her?

“Hee hee~”

Reina lifted her skirt and let out two shy giggles.

The only flaw was that this pretense was a little too realistic.

She stood at the dining table, patiently waiting for Calysia to wake up and come downstairs.

Half a minute later, just as Reina was about to go upstairs to greet the Dragon King, Calysia came down the stairs with light steps. Her casual home attire contrasted sharply with her regal aura, making her look like a sheltered young lady, an elegant lily.

“Reina, I’m here~” Calysia smiled.

Reina walked forward, took Calysia’s hand, and led her to the dining table.

The Dragon King was surprised by the maid’s initiative, but she didn’t refuse, wanting to savor the moment of gentleness Reina offered. But when she saw the dishes on the table, she froze.

The ribs in the clear broth had been meticulously deboned to prevent the sharp-toothed dragons from accidentally swallowing them.

The cheese-baked rice had a higher proportion of meat and a thicker sauce, catering to the dragons’ carnivorous dietary habits.

The mushrooms in the mushroom soup weren’t chopped, but halved, making the dish look more substantial and appetizing.

Ice cubes were added to the large pot of fruit tea to cool it down, and the salad wasn’t dressed with the usual mayonnaise, but with yogurt instead.

“Please accept my apologies for my human-biased dietary habits, Your Majesty. I’ve tried my best to cater to dragon preferences,” Reina said confidently.

Calysia suddenly said half-jokingly: “Reina is such a dummy.”

With that, she picked up her knife and fork.

“Master Calysia, are you dissatisfied with my work?” Reina tilted her head.

Calysia just smiled, not answering immediately, but instead took a sip of the chilled fruit tea.

Reina, why don’t you understand?

These cooking methods and ways of handling ingredients, even chefs serving the highest-ranking dragons wouldn’t do it this way.

Because this wasn’t dragon dietary habits, culture, or customs at all.

These were my personal habits~

No matter how accurately you cook, you can’t change one fact.

You’ve only shared a bed with me, one dragon, and you presume that all dragons are roughly the same.

Thinking of this, Calysia couldn’t suppress her smile:

“A dummy is a dummy. There’s nothing more to say.”

15. A Reverse Forced Kiss

Reina recalled past events.

This wasn’t the first time Calysia had acted spoiled. She remembered when they were living in the village, Calysia’s sleeping posture was still a headache.

To allow Calysia to recuperate, Reina usually wouldn’t try to force herself free.

She had considered many solutions.

If the force she used to break free was too weak, Calysia’s arms would tighten like a crab’s pincers.

When in a deep sleep, Calysia was immune to tickling and teasing, a true “invincible state,” just like hibernation.

However, if she touched Calysia’s sensitive spots, she would become even more affectionate, refusing to let go even in death.

Once, she accidentally touched Calysia’s chest and was subjected to a passionate “strangulation” by her arms. If it were the current Reina, she might have even been thoroughly pampered.

In short, once she was used as a body pillow, there was almost no escape.

And waking her up directly now wasn’t quite appropriate either.

Since she hadn’t woken up, it was obvious that her body was extremely weak. As expected, transferring magic power wasn’t a simple matter. Forcibly waking her up might lead to something unpleasant.

Of course, she couldn’t rule out the possibility that Calysia was putting on an act, or was in some other state… I don’t have time to think about that much.

Reina knew there was only one way to make Calysia let go of her without being noticed.

But that so-called method was truly difficult to stomach.

“Damn it…”

Reina looked at Calysia’s cherry lips, her heart in turmoil.

Kissing in the game was just an interaction between data, with no personal involvement, so naturally, there wouldn’t be any sense of transgression or shame.

But this was reality, real reality!

It was actually kissing her.

Moreover, that damned Calysia was quite excessive, always taking the initiative to stick out her tongue and then suck hers in.

If that really happened, Reina felt it would be better to just be held.

Reina closed her eyes, accepting the current reality.

She tried to convince herself to fall asleep, but Calysia’s fragrance and the shrill whistle of the kettle downstairs made her restless.

So, she opened her eyes.

“…”

“Snore…”

The Dragon King’s warm breath brushed against Reina’s face. Her skin was as delicate and smooth as jade, without a single blemish. Beneath that human appearance lay a powerful body and immortal power unmatched by any other creature.

But she had to admit, Calysia was indeed the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, both in the game and in reality.

The graceful body beneath the nightgown was seven parts mature and three parts youthful, brimming with the beauty of a young girl.

Natural beauty surpassed all makeup and cosmetics. Her delicate lips and enchanting eyebrows were naturally perfect, like a spirit untouched by the mortal world.

If she didn’t consider Calysia’s stubborn and persistent personality, forged through hundreds of life-and-death experiences, Reina wouldn’t mind having a passionate love affair with her.

But this person wanted to corrupt her and make her bear dragon offspring! She was a wicked dragon!

She suddenly remembered the pork soaking in the bowl and the boiling water.

And the oven was also lit. Everything was ready, just needing her, the chef, to take the final step. The process would naturally unfold, and then a delicious dinner would be presented on the rustic wooden table, completing the day’s work.

She could sleep peacefully in a separate room, a bedroom free from disturbance and worldly noise, relieving the day’s fatigue and the anxiety and unease of being in another world, and then quietly wait for the next day’s… moon.

And then, carry out the bold attempt in her heart, taking the first step towards defying this world.

“Sigh…”

Reina focused her attention on Calysia’s cherry lips once more.

It was just a kiss. Anyway, Calysia wouldn’t find out. When she woke up, she could just say she was forced.

“…”

Reina started to convince herself.

Judging by the Dragon King’s appearance, she would sleep for at least another hour.

In that hour, the meat and vegetables would become less fresh, the kettle would boil dry, the oven she had worked so hard to light might go out, all her preparations would be wasted, and her plans would be completely disrupted!

“Ah, let’s do this!”

Reina decided to just get it over with. A short pain was better than a long one.

She had already been kissed against her will, so one more time wouldn’t make a difference!

She suddenly wrapped her arms around Calysia’s neck and moved her face closer.

Good, she hadn’t woken up, just as I expected!

At this moment, Calysia’s warm breath became more noticeable. Whenever Calysia’s scent filled her nostrils, Reina felt an electric shock. It was said that vassals loved their master’s affection, and it seemed to be true.

“Mmph—”

Reina gave her a quick peck.

No effect.

I can’t even fool myself, how can I fool Calysia?

This time, she decided to be bolder.

“Mmph… Mmm”

Reina felt a little breathless.

She tried to linger longer, but didn’t go any deeper, nor was she very proactive, just simply pressing her lips against Calysia’s.

Therefore, there was no noticeable effect this time either.

The sweetness between their lips made Reina’s heart race. The warmth from Calysia’s body began to gradually invade her mind, making her feel feverish.

What’s wrong with me? Why do I care about kissing a damned small-fry?!

Reina shook her head, her dragon horns poking the pillow, creating a temporary indentation.

She started to prepare again. This time, she had to win against Calysia!

“Huff—Huff—”

“Good, Reina, you can definitely do this!” Reina said in a voice only she could hear.

“Mmph…!”

Reina, bold yet cautious, kissed her.

This time, she recalled her encounter with Calysia yesterday and, following her memory, began to claim her territory.

This was the first time she dared to make a move on the Dragon King, which was no different from luring a snake out of its hole.

At that moment, the Dragon King’s heart finally stirred.

Her arms tightened, but also loosened from time to time.

She let go of her tail, which swayed restlessly from side to side. A pink blush appeared on her fair cheeks.

That’s right, Calysia, you’re quite surprised by this “passive” situation, aren’t you!

This is your weakness. I win this time!

Reina released Calysia, her expression calm on the surface, but her heart was already cheering.

She broke free from the tail that was trying to wrap around her again, lifted one leg, and greedily enjoyed the cool air through her stockings.

But just as she was leaving Calysia’s embrace, her arm was gently grabbed by those hands!

“Reina…”

Calysia’s eyes were half-closed, those purple vertical pupils fixated on her.

Her expression was three parts surprise, seven parts joy, and one hundred percent excitement, even though she had just woken up.

Reina’s face paled, and her heartbeat skipped a beat.

“Whimper~”

“Little Reina, why did you kiss me?”

The lazy and gentle voice instantly extinguished the flames of her hope.