24 – Here Comes the Pain

I caught Xenora's fallen body. I almost shouted at the keeper, but I held back, even signaling my subordinates not to attack.

"We didn't come here to fight!" I gave them a warning. "Let me handle this!"

I know their feelings, but I can't just let go of the keeper, either.

"I just wanted to test your skills as a demon lord." The keeper looked at the traces of blood on her greatsword. "But it turns out that your lackeys are very loyal to you."

"Let us kill her, Your Majesty!" Phisovia cried out in rage. Her red hair became very long again and swayed wildly. "She doesn't appreciate us coming on good terms!!!"

The keeper did not respond, just stood relaxed. Meanwhile, my subordinates are getting restless.

Should I allow them to attack the keeper? I have to take care of their feelings as leaders. They hate being humiliated like this.

I don't want my value to go down in their eyes.

"More..."

My gaze fell downwards, finding that Xenora's face was already red, and her expression showed no pain. She actually looks like a woman who is having sex.

"More..." She groaned again with a heavy breath. "Give me more pain!!!"

Suddenly, she jumped out of my hand and landed on the keeper's shoulder.

The keeper did not have time to react when her neck was clamped by the legs of the black-haired succubus. Then, Xenora twisted her body, making a terrible cracking sound.

Xenora then jumped up and landed on the ground. Meanwhile, the keeper fell with her head turned completely in the opposite direction, which should have been impossible.

I was speechless when I saw Xenora's swift movements. She seemed unaffected by the gaping wounds on her body.

"Hey..." The succubus came up to the keeper with steps like a drunken man, kicked her victim, then coughed up blood. "I need more pain…. Fight me again…. Hey…."

The keeper did not answer at all.

I pressed the pause button, bringing everything to a complete stop, then I opened the profile section of my game UI.

I lined up the profiles of Xenora and the keeper, and their names turned yellow, a sign that their power was balanced.

When I just met the keeper, I did the same with all my subordinates that I brought. At that time, the color of Xenora's name was yellow, but the keeper's name was orange.

This means that back then, the keeper was stronger than Xenora. What makes her so strong in such a short time?

I checked Xenora's profile one more time and found a new text underneath.

[Hidden Perk Revealed]

[Xenora will get stronger the more pain she feels]

Ah, this is getting interesting. It turns out that a perk can relate to a character's preferences.

"She probably isn't dead yet!" I shouted. "Restraint her body!"

At first, Garthur and Szur were going to hold onto the keeper, but Phisovia got ahead of them. She pressed the keeper's hands and feet with her hair.

I went to Xenora and wiped the blood that was on her mouth. "Are you okay?"

Xenora, who seemed to be lost in thought, flinched and nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She just nodded again.

"I don't think that will be a problem, my lord," Phisovia added. "A wound like that won't kill her.

I grimaced. The slashing wounds on Xenora's body were still terrifying, even though the bleeding had stopped. "Really?"

"She's starting to wake up, my lord." Phisovia narrowed her eyes at the keeper.

The pale purple-haired woman did start to move a little.

I squatted near the keeper, then adjusted her head to its original position. In just a second, she opened her eyes.

"Don't expect me to join you." The purple-haired woman tried to free herself but to no avail.

"Allow me to do 'that,' your majesty?" The little creature began to approach the keeper's chest. "Perhaps I can manipulate her fears to obey you."

"Get away from me, you ugly creature!" The keeper snapped.

Phisovia covered the pale purple-haired woman's mouth with her hair. "Shut up and listen to our lord's words!"

The keeper looked at each of us with an expression full of disdain.

Honestly, I could have used the same method as I did the religious leader or the mayor of Silkdale city. Even I can ask Charlia to seduce the keeper. The target of the succubus doesn't have to be a man, after all.

However, she will be under my direct leadership. I don't want her to feel forced to become my subordinate.

What's the point of having disloyal comrades?

"Try to ask yourself, keeper," I spoke in the woman's ear. "What do you do after this? Return to the human race? You're not the same as them anymore, are you? Or will you be here doing nothing?"

The keeper stopped moving.

"Maybe you're used to being alone in this place." I felt my heart being squeezed. What I'm about to say hit me pretty hard. "But life without purpose? I know a warrior like you won't be able to stand it."

I signaled Phisovia to release the restraint on the keeper's body. At first, the red-haired succubus frowned but ended up doing just that.

"I consider we're even. Ritor has damaged your precious house, and you injured one of my subordinates." I smiled at her, who looked confused, probably wondering why she was released.

"Are you sure, my lord?" Phisovia whispered to me.

"Well, if she does something like that again to any of you, then I won't hesitate to finish her off," I answered the red-haired succubus, then spoke again to the keeper. "You've seen our abilities, right? Yes, we may not be able to kill you, but that doesn't mean we can't restrain and torture you forever."

I could see a slight tremble on her body as she rose to her feet. It made me smile a little. Even though I don't want to force her, that doesn't mean I'm against using a little threat.

At the very least, it will make her listen to me.

"I want to ask you a few questions, keeper."