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.”
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