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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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“Are you a puppy? Do I need to potty-train you?”
“Hic… ugh…”
I forced her to look down at the mess she’d made. Shaara Phrygia, accustomed to privilege and elegant manners, saw the vomit and the wet stain, the evidence of her humiliation. The pain wracked her body, making it difficult to stand, but she understood.
Her arms trembled. The shame of wetting herself, especially before another person, was undoubtedly a blow to her pride, but she was in too much pain to care.
“I’ll give you another chance. Speak.”
“I… I’m the Golden Lord’s daughter… Like Russell, I can…”
“That’s not it.”
-BAM!
My fist slammed into her stomach again.
“Aagh…”
I released her hair. She clutched her stomach, writhing on the leaves. The beauty of this method was that it inflicted excruciating pain without causing lasting damage.
“Think again.”
“Sob… I’ll… give you everything… You can be the next Golden Lord… I’ll…”
“…Still not getting it.”
The offer of the Golden Lord’s position gave me pause, but I dismissed it. That wasn’t what I wanted.
“This… isn’t enough? It’s… everything I have…”
She trembled as my fist approached again, her back pressed against the punctured tree trunk. She had offered everything she possessed, her inheritance, her hand in marriage, her wealth, her status. She couldn’t comprehend my refusal. I knew what she was offering, but that wasn’t the point.
She still didn’t understand.
“P-please… stop… I’m going to… die…”
She grabbed my pants leg, tears streaming down her face. The slaps had stopped, but her split lip continued to bleed, her swollen face making it difficult to open her eyes. She was unrecognizable as the elegant Phrygia heiress. She had never known fear or pain, and this first encounter was overwhelming.
I gently stroked her arm.
“You won’t die.”
She wouldn’t die, not from this. She didn’t know how much I was holding back.
“What…?”
“You won’t die from this. I’m an expert in this field. Trust me.”
“I… I can’t feel my legs… It hurts… I’m going to die… Please stop…”
“Why should I stop? I told you to give me a reason. That wasn’t a reason.”
She could still talk. She was fine. I grabbed her wrists, lifting her arms. Her stomach was exposed.
“What…?”
-BAM!
Another thud.
“Aagh!”
“Phrygia, don’t make me the bad guy. You tried to kill me. This is just… reciprocation.”
“Hic… hic…”
She vomited again, clutching her stomach, gasping for breath, her short, ragged breaths like hiccups.
“You tried to kill me, so I can kill you too. Think about it. You’re good at thinking. If you tried to kill someone, and they found out, what’s the first thing you should do?”
“I… I…?”
I practically spelled it out for her. She trembled, then spoke,
“So… what do you want…?”
“If you don’t know, then…”
I took a step towards her, and she flinched, falling backwards.
“No! I… I’ll do it…!”
She sat up, her knees together, her hands clasped, her head bowed. The dogeza, the most abject form of apology.
“I apologize… I… overstepped… my boundaries…”
Her voice trembled as she continued, expressing remorse, offering restitution.
I was impressed.
Shaara Phrygia, apologizing? It was a momentous occasion. She was even using formal speech. She clearly hadn’t been taught manners.
“Finally. If you do something wrong, apologize and offer restitution. Got it?”
“Yes…!”
She nodded, her head still bowed.
“Good girl, Shaara. You can do it.”
She had apologized of her own accord. Remarkable progress. I patted her head, offering praise. She looked up shyly.
“D-does this mean… it’s over…?”
“No. If words were enough, duels wouldn’t exist.”
A single apology wouldn’t suffice. She looked devastated, but she didn’t run. She seemed to understand that would only provoke me. The Phrygia heiress, considering my feelings? The training was already showing results.
“But you seem tired. I’ll give you something… to help you relax.”
I pressed two fingers against the pressure points behind her ear and under her jaw.
“?!”
She convulsed, like a frog electrocuted, coughing violently.
“Cough! Cough!”
Blood poured from her eyes and mouth. She looked like she was dying, but she quickly realized…
“Feeling better?”
“H-how…?”
…that she felt… better.
“I told you, I’m an expert. You’re healthier now than before. How do you feel?”
She had experienced unimaginable pain, but her body was in peak condition. I had stimulated her pressure points, restoring her vitality, purging the excess blood from her face, repairing the burst blood vessels. A process that would normally take days was accelerated. Despite the blood loss, she was healthier than before. Her skin glowed.
A fleeting smile crossed her face. She thought it was over.
“Now, shall we start again?”
“…Again?”
“Repetition is key.”
Psychopathy might be innate, but it could be managed with proper training. My methods might be unconventional, but I would teach her social skills. She would learn the meaning of respect, the fear of consequences.
The night was long. She broke, and I rebuilt her, again and again.
Lucia was in a foul mood. Atlas was absent. He had mentioned being tired after yesterday’s events, but it still bothered her. And coincidentally, Shaara Phrygia, who had clashed with Atlas the previous day, was also absent. Ferda claimed she often secluded herself when upset, but something felt off.
Lucia couldn’t do anything but wait.
The following day, both returned. Shaara seemed her usual self, but Atlas was unusually cheerful, even humming.
“I had some… frustrating experiences lately, but today was… productive.”
She didn’t understand, but she was glad to see him smile. As they walked down the hallway, a group approached. A familiar flash of long, golden hair. Shaara Phrygia.
“!”
Lucia stepped in front of Atlas, protectively.
“Don’t mind them. Let’s just go.”
“…Okay.”
Atlas chuckled, patting her arm, and they continued walking. Lucia braced herself for a confrontation, but something unexpected happened.
-Bow.
“Good morning.”
Shaara Phrygia bowed slightly, greeting them.
“Wh-what…?”
Lucia was stunned. Phrygia, who never acknowledged anyone, had just bowed. What was she planning? Lucia stepped in front of Atlas again, but Phrygia frowned.
“What’s wrong, Russell? It’s just a greeting. Are you refusing my greeting?”
She had a point. It was just a greeting. A normal, polite greeting.
“Good morning. Lucia, it’s just a greeting. Let’s go.”
Atlas responded casually and continued walking. Lucia marveled at his maturity, his ability to forgive after yesterday’s events.
“Y-yes… good… morning…”
She didn’t like it, but there was no reason to refuse. She returned the greeting and followed Atlas. A small voice whispered in her ear.
“Yes, Master Atlas…”
Master… Atlas…?
She turned around. As they passed each other, Lucia met Shaara Phrygia’s gaze. Her gaze was fixed on Atlas, not on her. It was a fleeting glance, but Lucia was certain. Phrygia hadn’t greeted them both. She had addressed Atlas with respect, using an honorific.
What happened last night…?
Lucia’s confusion deepened.
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