* * *
The kiss was wet, messy from the slickness between us.
Flustered, I twisted away, but Ateol’s hand slid lower.
Though clenched shut, my hole was still loose and pliant.
His fingers slipped in easily, scooping out his cum in slow, deliberate strokes.
The sheets grew damp beneath us.
I shuddered at the sensation but soon went limp. Is it over now?
But Ateol pulled back from the kiss and smirked.
“Why so relieved? We’re just getting started.”
“…!”
Laughing at my stunned expression, he spread my legs wide again.
Four days felt like an eternity.
Or was it five, counting by days?
It was long enough to lose track of time entirely.
Ateol barely left my side, only stepping out briefly here and there.
Otherwise, he was clinging to me non-stop.
I passed out several times from sheer exhaustion.
By the end, I was sobbing and begging, saying all sorts of ridiculous things.
…Looking back now, I wish I’d just fainted again instead of humiliating myself like that.
Other than when we slept or ate, we were at it constantly.
Ateol seemed completely out of his mind.
Of course, I wasn’t any better for going along with it.
Though, to be fair, I was more dragged into it—he came at me like a crazed beast.
Anyway, after five days, my soul finally started to crawl back.
Ateol had gone out to tend to state affairs.
I glanced down at the chains still locked around my wrists.
Whenever he stepped out, he’d cuff my wrists and ankles like this.
I doubt he seriously thought it would stop me from leaving.
I guess it was just for his own peace of mind.
I stared blankly at my wrist before slowly getting up.
I was drained.
My body was completely worn out, to the point I didn’t even feel like escaping.
I had no energy or will left.
Still, I forced myself to my feet, dragging the chain—so light I hardly even noticed it—and made my way to the window.
Naturally, it was locked.
But I pressed a finger to the latch and injected a little magic.
With a soft click, it opened without a key.
I reached out through the now-wide-open window, and a bird fluttered down toward me.
I touched my lips to its beak and sent it off again.
Its wings flapped fiercely as it soared away.
Lying back down, I closed my eyes.
A short while later, the bird returned through the open window.
It had a piece of paper in its beak.
I took the note, dispelled the magic I’d placed on the bird, and watched it fly off on its own this time.
Then I closed the window.
The lukewarm breeze that had been drifting in stopped abruptly.
Lying down, I unfolded the paper.
It was a short message, written in Cloden’s handwriting.
My expression twisted as I read through the words.
As soon as Ateol walked in through the door, I threw the crumpled note at him.
Without flinching, he bent down to pick it up and read the contents.
His eyes moved swiftly across the short sentence before he looked at me.
“When did you manage to exchange this letter? Did the bird deliver it?”
“Yeah.”
“……”
He looked caught off guard for a second, but quickly composed himself.
“I never truly believed I could keep you locked up.”
“So you lied to me?”
He didn’t respond to that.
The message was simple.
‘We’ve received word that Serta is safe. There’s no need to worry.’
It’s not like I stayed locked in Ateol’s bedroom for five days because I enjoyed it.
He used Serta.
Brought his wounded body to the imperial palace and told me that if I did what he wanted, he’d tell me where he was.
The implication was clear—if I didn’t obey, who knew what might happen to him?
But it was a lie from the very start. Serta had never even come to the palace.
He must’ve rushed out to find me right after that encounter at the cabin with Ateol.
Even bleeding like that.
Or maybe… that blood hadn’t been Serta’s to begin with.
“Why do you keep lying to me? I’ve never lied to you.”
Ateol just smiled and stepped forward.
“Don’t stand there barefoot. It’s dangerous.”
The floor was littered with broken pieces of the shackles I had smashed.
They weren’t really dangerous to me.
I kicked some of the shards toward Ateol like splashing water.
A jagged piece of metal grazed his cheek, leaving a thin red line.
Blood trickled down slowly.
He didn’t even glance at the wound as he spoke.
“The truth is… I’m not really sure either.”
“Sure about what?”
“Just… what I’m thinking. I get fixated on one thing. Do you know what that is?”
“How the hell would I know?”
“That I need to keep you close.”
I scoffed, not even trying to hide how annoyed I was.
All this happened after his “affection level” supposedly hit 100%.
Yeah, I don’t think that was affection.
More like obsession. Madness.
Or maybe some hidden berserk trigger that goes off once it hits max.
That’s what I was thinking when suddenly the status window popped up.
[Tip: Don’t give up! When affection hits 100%, something special happens!]
What a joke.
What’s more “special” than this?
Just the thought of it is terrifying.
I pulled the robe I’d left draped over my arm around me, yanked the hood low over my head, and stepped forward.
The metal shards scattered away from my feet like they were repelled by the opposite pole of a magnet.
“Ateol.”
“Yes.”
I hadn’t tested if my magic could flip the earth upside down, but I was definitely capable of suspending a man by his ankles.
The metal shards clinked together, forming a long chain that wrapped around Ateol’s ankles and hoisted him into the air.
His black cloak fell downward with gravity.
Here’s the surprising part: a handsome man is still handsome, even when he’s hanging upside down.
Bleeding from his cheek, bound at the arms and legs, he still had a faint smile on his face—as if he were enjoying himself.
Oh, you think this is funny?
Try reflecting on your actions instead.
“Promise me you won’t mess with the Magic Tower again.”
“I promise. But I have one condition.”
“You’re in no position to be setting conditions.”
“I’m the only person in this world who holds the same status as you.”
“…What is it?”
Ateol spoke.
“Promise me you won’t use your subordinates when you escape.”
“I wasn’t planning on it anyway.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
No more words were exchanged.
Leaving Ateol hanging there, I smashed the door open and left the bedroom.
“I’m returning to the Magic Tower.”
Lessa, watching me destroy all five doors leading outside, couldn’t hide his expression.
More than anything, he looked like he was dying to know what had happened in there.
“Ahem. I’ll prepare the carriage.”
Thankfully, Lessa quickly snapped back into his role and summoned the head attendant.
As I climbed into the carriage with ease, a wave of regret hit me.
How the hell am I going to deal with the aftermath of this?
Sure, I acted out of anger, but just thinking about how Ateol might retaliate already had me on edge.
Was hanging him upside down a bit too much?
The carriage arrived at the Magic Tower shortly after.
Cloden and Bell were waiting outside.
“You’ve returned.”
“We’ve been expecting you, Tower Master.”
They approached with worried faces.
No one knew better than them about the strange dynamic between Ateol and me—especially with the whole Serta incident.
The moment I entered the Tower, they asked about it.
“What about Serta? Where is he? Is he hurt?”
“Seems he’s moving around a lot. Last we heard, he was in the mountains near the capital. No injuries reported.”
I thought he might be a bit too close, but knowing him, he’d manage to keep hidden.
If he said he was safe, I could trust that.
He wasn’t the type to give false reassurance.
That blood in the cabin that day had to be another one of Ateol’s staged acts.
* * *
