Tales of a Seductress

TOAD – Chapter 51

“So, how does this work?” I asked.

The demon king had finished his speech. I understood the general desire. He wanted a woman that could bring him a child, and he believed I could do it. However, I wasn’t level 90 yet, so I wouldn’t be able to make him a child.

The demon king leaned forward, a serious look on his face. “I slaughtered the monsters, but the demon children have been captured safely. They will be raised and taken care of and fostered into new demon lines.” The Demon King stated. “That is, as long as you marry me.”

“I see…” I tapped my long nails on the table. “And what about all the people I killed? That vampire noble… and that truthsayer too. I killed a lot of demons, you know.”

I didn’t have the energy in me to lie anymore. I had adopted a position that whatever happened, happened. If my blunt words shocked the demon king’s sensibilities, it didn’t show on his face whatsoever. He seemed to take my words into serious consideration as if we were in some negotiation.

“As for your previous misdeeds, I do not care about them. I can protect you from my enemies. The fiasco on the border was a disaster waiting to happen. I had only done it as a delaying tactic. I will be performing another in a few days. I must admit that this visit was a bit of a detour. As for destroying that vampire noble, it is only unfortunate. Their allegiance has always been questionable. Unfortunately, they never forget any slights. I will make sure they are properly compensated and satiated though. As long as you marry me…”

“Yes, I get it, I must marry you and then have your children.” I cut in, not even attempting to sound reverential.

His lips tightened a bit at the corners, but he otherwise continued. “You won’t be able to bear my child right away. To reach this point, you will need to level. I wish to level you rather quickly. It is currently spring, so I would like you to be pregnant by the fall.”

“Half a year?” I raised an eyebrow. “What’s the rush?”

“I have many plans, and I will not be able to have a child after they have begun.”

“So, this is a one-chance opportunity, huh?” I responded.

He nodded. “Exactly, so you can understand why I won’t take any precautions. I need you to reach level 90 as quickly as possible, and then become pregnant with the next demon king, my child.”

“You’re saying that like you think you won’t be demon king in a short while.”

There was a brief silence. “I will not say any more on my plans until you are my wife and we are bound. Do you agree?”

“I’m still not sure what I get out of it.”

His eyes flashed. “Did you think being a queen would have no perks?”

“Not at all…” I gave a throaty chuckle. “It’s just that I could get a king on my own. Castles… I’ve had those. As for all of these enemies, you assume that I care. The only thing in life that brings me any joy anymore is sex, and you’re suggesting that I give that up for security and safety. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t sound like a good trade to me.”

“I have your children!”

“I did birth them.” I shrugged. “Besides, I can have more. Although, I do suggest you be careful what you decide to do with my children. I also hold grudges.”

He slammed his fists and rose. “And you should watch who you threaten?’

I smiled. “Not a threat, just a warning.”

As cool as I was sounding, it all came from my Manipulation Art. I would have been shaking and crying if this was the me from before I came to this world. I was very shaken by his words. I was cornered now, and the only reason I was talking was to try to feel out his desperation and to get myself in a better position. It was all false bravado and hope. If he choose to force things, I knew there was almost nothing I could do.

After a few tense moments, he sat back down and turned his head away. “I’ve already found out everything about you. I’m very well aware of your proclivities. If you’re worried that I will restrict your access to your entertainment, then you won’t need to be.”

My eyebrows rose, but the only word I trusted myself to say was, “Oh?”

“Although I could force you to fight monsters to rapidly level, or even drink experience potions, isn’t your best leveling come from having intercourse? Ultimately, mates will be found so that you may more quickly reach my level. I understand the difficulty of reaching past level 90, and if you have to sleep with half of the country to do it, I will make it so.”

I would be lying if I didn’t admit I was a little stunned. I hadn’t expected him to be so open about such a thing. To marry a woman and let her sleep with other men? Wouldn’t that make him into a laughingstock for the entire kingdom? The only reason I could imagine that he’d put up with it was that he wanted something else more. Did he want to have a child that badly?

“Then, I suppose you’ve left me no reason to refuse.”

“Yes…” he responded. “Then we should go.”

“Already?” I asked. “I haven’t finished yet.”

“Then finish your meal, and then we will go, I will wait.”

I didn’t know what I was expecting, but he truly just sat there and waited. It was a peculiar feeling to have this bruting man sitting across from me and watching me eat. When I said I had no reason to refuse, he had taken that as acceptance, although it was said with a certain amount of sarcasm. I hadn’t been that hungry, and once again had only been difficult for the sake of being difficult. I wanted to test the man’s patience, and he seemed to have far more than I could have imagined.

After picking at my meal for a few more minutes, I decided I had enough of wasting time, and I called the servant over to take the plate. As soon as he picked up the plate, the demon king sat up abruptly, causing him to nearly drop it.

“Where are we going then?” I asked him. “You said that you had other business.”

“It’s business that affects you.” He explained. “We’re going to the grand hall.”

“The… grand hall?”

He had already turned and walked away, so I could do nothing but stand up and follow him. I was just starting to think that this was all too easy when I reached the door and was immediately blocked by a dozen guards. One of them stepped forward nervously. They seemed to be a lieutenant in rank.

“Mistress Aria… I’m afraid that given your… proclivities, we’d ask that you wear this.”

I looked down to see him holding a collar, and I raised an eyebrow. “A slave collar?”

“Ah… not exactly.” The man blushed. “It is usually customary for a high-level noble to deliberately restrain their status while around normal people. This is done through a magical device.”

I gave him a dubious look. “I thought nobles wore protection against each other?”

“Th-that’s true to an extent.” He explained, not seeming to meet my eyes. “But even the demon king wears such a device. If he didn’t, people would fate in his mere presence.”

I could usually tell when someone was lying, and he was being truthful. I didn’t even really need that, since I had identified the object the moment that he had brought it out and had already confirmed its function wouldn’t imprison me, but merely restrain my aura. I guess aura was what they called the intangible feelings of charm and oppressiveness of magic. With a sigh, I reached back and pulled my hair into a grip and then lifted my neck, making it clear I had no intention of putting it on myself.

The man gulped, and then with shaking hands he reached out and put it around my neck. I suppose these men had been warned about what I could do. If the demon king knew everything, then is men likely knew enough. With a single touch, I could ruin a man’s mind and turn him into my slave. Getting close to such a person had to be terrifying. The choker clicked shut, and I could feel my mana breath slow in absorption. The world around me seemed to become less vivid for a moment. Once the collar was on, the men all let out sighs of relief, while I only looked around in confusion. After pulling back, the lieutenant gave a bow.

“When you reach a certain point, mana supports a lot of your base functions. By restricting your aura, you may also feel other parts of your abilities have been restricted.” He explained as he noticed my look.

I gave a short nod, although I was a bit irritated, he hadn’t said that before putting the collar on. I also reached up and touched it, and didn’t find a way to easily remove it. Did my mind not see it as a bond that was restricting me? Well, not yet… but if it did ever get in my way, I had full confidence I could remove it, so I allowed it to remain.

“The king will have you ride beside him.” Another soldier appeared, guiding a horse right beside him.

“Will he now?” I asked.

I didn’t put up a fight as I allowed these men to push and prod me in the direction they wanted me to go. In the back of my mind, I was wondering if I just walked out of one prison and into another prison. This was all still so new. That morning, I had burned the place to the ground, and now I was an incoming queen being waited on hand and foot.

Once on the horse, I kicked the sides and went into a gallop, abandoning the soldiers who were still trying to get things ready. The ones who were mounted had to hastily kick their mounts to follow while the rest scrambled to put together everything else. I rode past the columns of soldiers unperturbed and quickly came up to the demon king, who was riding ahead.

He was mounted on a massive warbeast. It was a horse, but it was so large that it could have been a monster. At the very least, he didn’t look comical riding such a beast. It only served to make him look even more like a demon. Once I reached him, he spared me only a single look.

“You put on the choker. Good. It will prevent you from being able to conceive children.”

“Yeah… I saw that function too.”

Part of the reason I was willing to put the collar on was that it had such an interesting function. The collar didn’t just restrict my aura, but it made it so that I couldn’t get pregnant. I suppose it wouldn’t do for me to get pregnant with another man while marrying the demon king. It didn’t bother me. After having so many demon babies, I thought that taking a vacation with children was a good idea.

“They are irritating, but a necessary thing for people like us.” He seemed to take my inner musings as doubt.

I didn’t have any doubt at all. The fact that he admitted its true function made me feel slightly better about him. I wasn’t an honest person, but that didn’t mean I didn’t appreciate someone straight and honest. I didn’t realize when I had decided the demon king was honest, but since the beginning of our conservation, I hadn’t felt a single ounce of deception from him.

“They say you’re wearing something similar.” I probed.

“This.” He lifted his hand, his coat sleeve falling back just enough to expose a small wristband around his wrist.

I identified it immediately and found that it did do the same thing as mine. His was a bit more powerful.

“What is it like, facing the aura of a level 99?” I asked.

“You will find out one day.” He responded. “On the day we conceive a child.”

It was clear by his tone that this was the last question he would answer for a while.

“I can’t wait,” I responded, wondering where this strange life of mine would lead next.

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