Chapter 189: I Will Never Yield

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༺ I Will Never Yield ༻

"W-wait a moment. It's a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? Then, is there some hidden meaning behind this stone they threw at me?"

Alice stammered under Frey's intense questioning.

"It's just a personal act of defiance. Our protest group has received hours of education…"

"What's important is that this stone hit me, isn't it?"

"…I-I'm sorry."

Alices slightly lowered her head, apologizing.

"Everyone! Please step back! Further violent actions are…"

She raised her voice to the protesting crowd behind her.

– Whoosh!

"Huh!?"

However, at that moment, another stone flew from the crowd, and confusion crept into her expression.

"Everyone! We shouldn't do this! We are not Frey! We stand for justice and non-violence…"

Desperation etched across her features as she attempted to approach the protesting crowd, but…

"D-don't…!"

As several stones passed close to her, she shouted with a considerably flustered expression.

"Why are you doing this? This only gives Frey a reason…"

"A reason… a reason…"

She continued, before turning her head back upon hearing Frey's murmuring from behind.

"Ah…"

Immediately, she swallowed hard.

– Drip…

She noticed blood was dripping from Frey's forehead, where a stone from the crowd had directly hit him.

"The reason has existed since the first stone was thrown, no… since you all intruded here."

"Uh, that's…"

"But I have a lot of reasons now."

Frey declared.

"...…"

Beyond Alice, the crowd displayed frigid expressions.

"That's great, good timing!!"

"The Demon King's subordinate! Go Die!!"

"There's no need to spare him!!"

Frey silently stared at the people who were insulting him in an inexplicable rage.

"Ugh."

"Huh…?"

Suddenly, Frey's face twisted in pain as his breath ragged, and then he began to wobble where he stood.

"Heik?"

Arianne was unexpectedly hugged tightly by Frey, causing her to stagger along him.

"…Phew."

After a momentary lapse of confusion, Frey retrieved a miniaturized walking stick from inside his chest pocket, planting it on the ground as he let out a deep sigh.

"…..?"

He tilted his quizzically, looking at the protesters beyond Arianne, who was now blushing hard, and Alice, who wore a pale expression, unsure of what to do.

"Something… seems strange?"

At last, Frey muttered.

"Hey."

Arianne, who had been looking in a daze until then, suddenly spoke.

"G-give Irina back…"

"…Just shut up and create a protective barrier around us."

"Uh, for what reason?"

"If I say so, just do it. Do you not care about whatever may happen to Irina?"

Being threatened by Frey, Arianne hesitated for a moment, then created a small, cylindrical protective barrier around herself, Frey, Irina, and Lulu.

– Crackle… Crackle…!

– Bang, bang!!

– Thwack…!

Rocks and clubs flying from all directions began to pound the protective barrier vigorously.

"B-break it!!"

"Uwoooo!!"

"As expected…"

Frey watched the mob beating the makeshift barrier with great eagerness.

"…It's definitely strange."

He murmured before turning his gaze to the side.

"Ah? Aaaah…?"

Frey eyes met a pale looking Alice, standing outside the protective barrier and shaking in fear.

"E-everyone… Why are you doing this…"

"Move aside!!"

"Heikkk…!"

When she attempted to pacify the angry mob, she found herself shoved aside by the people.

"...…."

Lying on the ground, she began to tremble, looking at the protesting crowd vacantly, the same people she had once educated and guided.

– Zzing…!

Right then, the protective barrier slightly opened.

"Huh, ack?"

Just as Alice was about to get trampled by a frenzied protester who held a sign as if it was a club…

– Thud…!

She was yanked into the protective barrier by someone's rough pull.

– Clang! Clang!!!

– Crackle, crackle…!

At the next moment, the people surrounding the barrier began to beat it indiscriminately.

"Ugh, ugh…"

Shocked by the sudden transformation of the people who had just been following her orders, Alice remained frozen in place, not even thinking of stepping back.

– Crash!

– Crush…!

Thereafter, only the sound of the barrier and the people colliding echoed.

"Do you see it?"

"Heiik…!"

Frey approached Alice, who was frozen while staring beyond the protective barrier, and whispered in a cold voice.

"Is this what you call a 'nonviolent protest'?"

"I-I-I, I… I…"

Alice's voice trembled as she stammered for a moment before finding the words to respond.

"I-I'm sure just a little while ago… we were all still laughing together while listening to the education…"

"So, what happened to those statements?"

"T-that's…"

"See it with your own eyes. Don't avoid it."

Frey grabbed her face, forcing Alice's gaze on the faces of the people.

"Ah…"

The people Alice had once believed to be good and under her control now angrily pounded on the protective barrier.

"It is truly foolish to intrude into the duchy's territory and behave in such a manner. No matter how condemned I am by the world, there should at least be a sense of propriety."

"..."

"And you, the leader of these people, will probably receive the harshest punishment."

Alice showed a fearful expression as Frey spoke.

"Did you believe you could control them? Just you, a commoner woman, against those countless clueless fools?"

"Uh…"

"It's ludicrous. You must have seen it, too, right? When there was no barrier and we were defenseless, they only threw a few stones."

Saying this, Frey picked up the stone that had hit his forehead.

"However, after the barrier closed, they rushed in, thinking now was the time, and started pounding on the barrier. Look at those vile fellows."

"No, they're not… vile…"

"Ah, the one you want to call vile is me, right? Fine, I'm vile. But…"

Frey whispered directly in front of Alice's face.

"Do you really think the frenzied crowd behind us, running rampant, can't be considered vile?"

"…..!"

"Your gaze is wavering."

"No, they're not!"

Alice shouted with her head raised high, her fist clenched so tightly that it turned pale.

"Th-that's anger towards you! It's only natural after everything you've done until now…!"

"…So, is this an acceptable action?"

"..."

Upon hearing those words, Alice was at a loss for words.

Because from her perspective, this situation was utterly incomprehensible.

She couldn't even fathom where things went wrong and how it all deviated.

"So… what should we do now? Should we request reinforcements immediately, or should we carry out an execution using magic?"

"W-wait! Just wait a moment!"

"It's quite a dilemma to decide which method we should use, isn't it?"

Frey looked down at her with a mocking gaze, then began to rummage through his inner chest pocket.

"P-punishment will be severe, so please let me handle it! After all, you have no means of controlling this situation right now…!"

Desperation gripped Alice as she clutched Frey's legs, making fervent pleas.

"…Sit quietly."

At that moment, Lulu, who had been growling and trying to intimidate the enraged crowd, began to chant as her Magic Eyes illuminated.

– Sssk…!

In an instant, all the protesters sat down simultaneously.

"....."

A short silence then began.

"Uh, um."

Frey's initial shock subsided and his eyes lit up, realizing that her Magic Eyes, unlike before, were completely fine.

"Did you say there's no means of control?"

Frey wasted no time turning the situation to his advantage.

"H-how…?"

The situation was so impressive that Alice had no choice but to become convinced by Frey's acting.

"Do you think that I, who face assassination threats throughout the empire, did not even prepare such means?"

"Ah…"

Thanks to this, Frey reinforced his confidence in his act.

"From now on, listen to me carefully."

Holding the panic-stricken Alice by the chin and pulling her closer, Frey began speaking.

"Your idealism, righteousness, and democracy that you believe in, they're all fantasies."

"Eheup…"

"Look at that foolish mob. Most people turn into idiots with just a simple instigation."

"…Heub?"

"Planting a spy in the protest group ahead of time to throw a single stone at me is child's play."

Frey's words cut through air, causing Alice to tremble uncontrollably.

"Did you think you could enlighten such simpletons who can easily be manipulated while you're the only one with such awareness?"

"Ugh…"

"You're not a revolutionary, and you're far from a hero. You're just the leader of a gang of fools."

Frey continued whispering in her ear with a chilling voice.

"No, not even that. Looking at it this way, you're no different from any other lowly woman."

"Ugh…"

Looking at AAlice's disheveled appearance, with her hair matted by dirt, Frey coldly asked the question.

"You were aiming for the position of Student Council President in your second year, right?"

"…W-Well…"

"Do you think you're anyone special? You're nothing. You can't even control the people behind you, so what right do you have?"

"Ugh…"

Alice's lowered head was forcibly lifted by Frey.

"Starting today, you're my slave."

Brushing away the dirt and dust that were tangled in her hair, Frey spoke in a low, commanding tone.

"You're not a leader who can guide everyone. You're not a Student Council President who can shake up the academy. You're not even a representative of commoners… you could be one of my sex slaves and be dominated like the ones back there."

"Ah… Ahh…"

Alice slowly began to open her mouth to respond to Frey's words.

"So, what's your answer?"

"Ah…"

Frey calmly lifted the corner of his lips as he prompted a response.

"…I understand."

Shortly thereafter, he heard Alice's response as her expression became vacant.

"I'll become your sex slave."

"Huh?"

Frey mumbled with a bewildered expression.

"…This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out…"

.

.

.

.

.

"Huh? Um… did you say?"

I was in an extremely perplexing situation.

"I will become your sex slave."

"…..???"

Alice, wearing a vacant expression, had declared that she would become my slave.

"Frey…?"

"Master…?"

"...…"

Irina, Lulu, and Arianne, all of whom had been witnesses to Alice's subordination, now fixed me with cold stares.

"W-what is this? No way…?"

The situation sent shivers down my spine, and I quickly opened the "Affection System," but…

"…But it's not…?"

Alice's name was clearly not on the list of the Affection System.

In other words, she did not fall under my hypothesis of the 'Influenced Sub-Heroines Theory.'

"What the hell is happening?"

While her reaction might seem like she had a mental breakdown due to me… that was not the case.

Along with the church, she had received the role of the 2nd-year Student Council President and the main villain, and was known to 'never yield' to my suggestions.

No matter how many treasures I offered, how I tried to blackmail her, or even if I tried to take her life…

She was an individual who would never compromise her 'beliefs.'

However…

"What should… a sex slave do?"

A person like Alice was now kneeling before me and asking such a question.

Why did this happen?

Moreover, the lines I just recited were the exact words from the prophecy I had memorized as a script for the 'Alice Awakening' quest event.

Originally, Alice was supposed to reject my proposal here and declare, "I will never yield."

"T-the scenario is… going off course… darn it…"

"How should I call you from now on? Lord Frey? Young Master Frey? Master?"

Yet, she continued to express submission.

"M-Master? No, she can't use that title. I'm your only pet, right? The titles are overlapping with one another."

"F-Frey. Don't listen to her. Something's not right with her."

Caught in the unexpected turn of events, my arms were forcibly stretched by Lulu and Irina.

"T-trash…"

Arianne's gaze grew even colder.

"This is driving me insane…"

Feeling as though I was about to go crazy, I closed my eyes shut.

"…How is it?"

"....!"

He could hear a very familiar voice.

"Do you like this?"

"Secret Lord…?"

Alice's eyes had turned yellow, and was now speaking to me in the voice of the Secret Lord of the Moonlight Family.

"The Curse of Subordination…"

Staring blankly at Alice, my eyes immediately widened when I saw the magic circle for the "Curse of Subordination" enveloping her body.

"You, could it be…?"

"That's right, I casted the Curse of Subordination on this child a long time ago."

Hearing her speak in the Secret Lord's voice, I hurriedly used magic to cover Arianne's eyes and ears.

"Kyak!? W-what is this…?"

"She was exceptional, even among my assassins. Unlike my stubborn daughter, who deserves to be killed, she was perfectly ensnared."

Alice continued to speak in the Secret Lord's voice, her eyes vacant.

"Anyway, it seems like quite a tricky situation, so I intervened for a moment… Are you satisfied with this?"

"What do you want by doing this…"

"A deal. Of course, I want to propose a deal."

He immediately proposed a deal without giving me a chance to respond.

"I will temporarily transfer control of this child to you, starting now. In exchange, please save me."

"You?"

"Yes, please! I beg you! Because of my wretched daughter, I can't die even if I want to!"

"Hmm."

"If you save me, I will permanently transfer control of this child to you… and I will assist you in dominating the world! I promise!"

After hearing his proposal, I remained silent for a moment.

"Even though I've lost all my power, I can still command Serena with your help! And I know a lot about hidden assassins and dark magic! That should be enough to help you!"

The Secret Lord begged me with a desperate tone.

"Time is running out! That little bitch will be back here shortly! It's going to be difficult for you, too, if you no longer have control over her, right?"

"Hm…"

"She's a fitting candidate for that purpose, as you say! She has never been touched by any man's hand! Feel free to check for yoursel…"

The Secret Lord, or rather, Alice, stared at me.

"…Alright."

I replied briefly.

"The deal… is sealed…"

Alice's voice carried a hint of weariness.

"....."

Her eyes reverted to their original color, and she stared at me for a moment.

"You were right. The public is ignorant, and there is no value in enlightening them. Therefore, it's only fitting for someone superior like you to dominate them."

Immediately, with a serious expression, she replied in her own voice.

"And that goes for me as well. When does my role as your sex slave start?"

"Huff…"

I felt a throbbing headache as a result, lowering my head as I took a deep breath.

"Master, those people over there seem strange."

"…I feel the same way. Something's off."

Upon hearing Lulu and Irina's words, I turned my gaze to the people sitting idly until now.

"When I gave orders to that girl Miho or you, M-Master, it felt like I was forcing my way through an iron wall… But when I gave orders to those people, I didn't feel anything at all."

"…The composition of their mana is strange. It's not human."

Finally, after hearing their tense voices, I mumbled with a cold expression.

"Of course, it would be like that. That's because they're not human."

"...?"

"It seems like they might be the secret weapons of the Church… But aside from that, those people came from the Church, right…?"

"Is the Pope finally making a move?"

Next to me, Alice kept questioning me about the sex slave tasks.

"Please give orders regarding the sex slaves. Can we start executing them tonight?"

"I… I watched her change like that right in front of me. It's unbelievable."

And there was also Arianne, who had turned pale and taken a step back.

"Sigh…"

Unbeknownst to us, the sun had set as the eventful day passed by.

You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02