[Analysis complete...]
[Subject: Rin]
[Sge was cursed to take the form of a small snake. She should have perished. But instead, she survived in the darkness of the cave, evolving into a massive python.]
[Her mind has fully adapted to a reptilian way of thinking, causing her to forget who she once was.]
[She has even lost the ability to speak.]
[Although she can still say or hear a few words.]
My system chimed in with the explanation.
Meanwhile, Rose had already conjured her dark whip. Without hesitation, she lashed it at Rin with full force. Before I could react and shield her, the whip struck.
WHAP!
The sharp sound echoed through the castle.
But to my surprise, Rin didn’t even flinch. The only thing the whip managed to do was shred the coat she had been using to cover herself, leaving its torn remnants to flutter to the ground.
Like a child unaware of what was happening, Rin blinked in surprise, then picked up the torn fabric. With tearful eyes, she rushed toward me, holding up the ruined coat as if asking me to fix it.
I sighed, shielding her from the sun with my hands and gently pulling her into the shade inside the castle where she felt safer.
She was just like a child—completely oblivious to how the world worked.
The fact that she was standing there completely unclothed didn’t even register to her.
I turned back to Rose, who was still frozen, staring at Rin in stunned silence.
Her attack hadn’t so much as fazed Rin.
That realization alone was enough to crush her confidence.
I walked over and patted her shoulder. "I get it, Rose. I had the same reaction. Rin is so overpowered that none of our techniques can even scratch her."
Rose dropped to her knees, looking utterly shaken.
"H-How? How is she still alive? How is she this powerful?" Her voice trembled. "Even just standing near her feels suffocating."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Maybe I just don’t notice it since I was already struggling to breathe from all the miasma in the air."
She stared at me in disbelief. "How did you... become friends with a monster like this?"
I scratched the back of my head. "Well... funny story, actually."
But before I could explain, something else caught my attention—something I hadn’t considered before.
My Sexdusa ability had never worked on Rose. Yet, it had worked on Rin, who was far more powerful than her.
Just as I was about to question it, my system provided an answer.
[Sexdusa is a charm-based skill.]
[Individuals with high resistance to charm, like Rose, are unaffected.]
[However, Rin has spent the last 50 years in isolation. She has never experienced charm before, so her resistance to it is nonexistent.]
I frowned. That seemed... weirdly complicated.
But at least I wasn’t her next meal.
Just then, I heard a familiar, irritating voice echo from inside the castle.
"Oh my, what do we have here? A little lost stray with absolutely no shame? Sitting around naked as if this were your personal palace—how bold."
I turned toward the voice and saw Evelyn, standing there, arms crossed, smirking in amusement as she looked down at Rin, who was crouched on the floor.
"Tell me," she continued, "is this some kind of desperate seduction attempt, or are you just too dim-witted to realize that civilized demons wear clothes?"
Rin simply looked up at her, then smiled. She pointed to herself and muttered, "Rin."
I sighed and folded my arms, walking over to them. "Well, if it isn’t my esteemed teacher—the one who shoved me into the abyss to die."
I expected her to at least look surprised that I survived. But instead, she just scoffed, looking at me like I was an annoying bug.
"I must say, I’m a little disappointed in you." She clicked her tongue. "I thought you’d have made it out yesterday, but you spent the entire night in that pit? Wht didn’t you die."
My brow twitched. "Were you expecting me to die?"
She smirked wickedly. "It would’ve been better if you did." Then she sighed dramatically. "But, I suppose a promise is a promise. I have no choice but to teach you how to fly. Come on, let’s go."
I narrowed my eyes. "No high cliffs this time, right?"
She waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. We’re just going outside."
Then, she glanced at Rin with a sneer. "And who is this shameless creature that doesn’t even have the decency to bow before me? I am a princess, you know."
I patted her shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. Never mind about that. Let’s just get this over with—I’m running out of time."
As we headed outside, I passed by Rose and muttered, "At least give Rin something to wear."
Then, without looking back, I left for my training.
It was complicated, to say the least.
"In life, the weak bow to the strong, and the strong rule over the weak. That’s my mom’s favorite motto. If you want to fly, you have to embrace it," Evelyn said, sitting on a stool with her legs crossed. She wore a balloon-shaped red dress that might have been adorable on her—if she weren’t such a pain.
"That’s biased, if you ask me. Not everything requires strength or ruling over the weak. Take flying, for example—there are no weaklings to dominate when I’m in the air."
She sighed. "I’m clearly wasting my precious time here. If you’re here to learn, then forget all your human ways of thinking, human! That’s the only way you’ll excel!"
"Fine," I grumbled.
"Our motto applies to everything. Even when you walk, you should step as if you’re superior to the ground beneath you. When you eat, show the food it’s beneath you. When you hunt, make sure your prey knows who’s in charge. No matter what you do, assert your superiority. Understood?"
I exhaled deeply. "Yeah, kinda."
"Good. Now, prove it—to the air, the sky, and everything around you. I heard you conjure magic through imagination, but don’t rely on that when trying to fly! Just float with superiority. No magic. Your resolve alone should be enough!"
Not that any of it made sense, but I spent the entire day trying to convince the air that I was superior.
By nightfall, I wasn’t sure if I was learning to fly or losing my mind.
TBC