13. Minova

Outside the inn where Vernox rented a room there were two demons dragging a young human girl towards the long, thick metal pole on a small elevated alter.

"Please!!!" The girl shouted, tears seem to come out of her eyes as she was being dragged.

Two demons dragged the girl and tied her to the pole that was erected. The demons started gathering around, many were bringing wood so that they will burn her and that's when,....time suddenly froze.

Vernox walked pass the other people, his pupils glowing blue and the outer part of his eyes glowed white.

He quickly untied the girl, carried her and went back to his room that he booked. But he also tied the girl's mouth and hands so that she wouldn't freak out.

All of this was done in a little less than sixteen seconds and it was possible with Vernox's current speed.

*Sigh*

His eyes turned back it it's normal form and time suddenly resumed. This was a skill of his eyes of dominion 'Time control'.

The girl opened her eyes and she saw Vernox standing by the window, looking at the people who seems to be confused as to why the witch suddenly vanished. She then noticed that she was tied up on a bed and she wanted to scream.

"I wouldn't advice that. The demons downstairs are all looking for you."

Hearing the words of this person in front of her, she calmed down a little but she was still scared. Vernox then walked towards her. She gazed at his horns and figured that he was a demon, but this demon didn't seem to have bad intentions.

"I'm going to untie you now. Don't make any noise or else those demons will come here... or do you want to die?"

She squirmed and shook her head, tears seems to want to come out of her eyes.

"Good." he untied her hands and mouth and walked back to the window.

"What made you come all the way here?" he asked as he didn't know that one. But in the game he played he met this lady.

She was one of the most powerful Recessers in the entire game, an NPC at that. But he doesn't remember seeing her at the initial stages of the game though.

"I... I was looking for a particular herbs for my experiment but... I was captured by those demons and brought here." Her voice was slightly shaking, and her hands vibrated too, fear was still evident on her.

'I know who she is but let me still ask...to blend in'

"What's your name?"

"Minova...sir." She replied him.

"I'm offering you my help to leave this place." Vernox said. What he was actually trying to do was to rope in powerful people to his side.

Although he doesn't know how she is weak now he will find out from the system later whether this world and the game world were supposed to be the same.

Vernox took his gaze back outside where the villagers has dispersed. Hearing what he said Minova looked hesitant, but after a while she agreed and nodded her head.

"Now you have two options. 1) I drop you off on the road to Camelot kingdom since I'm going towards there. 2) You join me in my quest, I can give you anything you want as a reward," he said like as if he was bargaining something, he has to recruit this girl by force.

In the game after she was well known she became part of the human army that will attack the demons at some point.

If she will stay by his side as one of his subordinates, then his power will surely rise greatly.

He won't let the humans take her back!

'Not on my watch'

"Since you saved my life...I'll... I'll join you in your quest."

Vernox smiled widely as he heard her words. He turned around to face her.

"My name is Vernox... I'm the demon prince of Azure and soon to be demon king."

A demon... was she really going to join hands with the same thing she is running from?

"Don't worry about your safety. As long as you prove useful to me, I will take care of you." he reassured her.

Minova the innocent human looked down at her hands and seem to ponder whether to follow Vernox or not.

'What choice do I have....it's not like people actually like me where I'm from anyway.'

She has always been treated like an outcast in her village as she was born with demonic energy.

The people branded her as a witch because shortly after her birth her parents died, so everyone obviously accused her.

A day when her village was attacked by the Corrupted, she found out that her energy resonates with the being's and they couldn't come close to her. When the villagers saw this they began calling her insulting names that hurt her a lot.

But it didn't stop her goals of finding a way to harness this demonic energy she was born with. Even as a human that was born with the element of darkness, she hasn't been able to use it, so she set off on a journey to find a way to harness her power.

This journey have led her to the room of this dragon kin demon that was offering help.

Minova then stands up from the bed and walked towards Vernox till she was in front of him, she then kneeled before him.

"I pledge my loyalty to you...sir."

She thought that this would be a good opportunity as she can get resources from him. Maybe if she follows an actual demon then maybe she might be able to ask him of her problem.

Vernox was delighted to hear her words. As a demon, he knew how important it was to have trusty subordinates. It doesn't mean that he trusts her already... No, it means that he has to find trustworthy people who will work with him in his journey in this world. If he can't find such people then he will make them.

"If I may ask...what are these goals you pursue?"