Chapter 119: Are You Going to Enslave Me? (13: Thanks to Yuan Xingmu for the Alliance Leader)

Clang.

Under Herbert's bewildered gaze, Valentina suddenly sprang up, first bonking her head against the ceiling, then, after dropping back to the ground, quickly scrambled backward until her whole self was pressed flustered into the corner of the wall.

Scared-in-corner. jpg

She stared wide-eyed at Herbert, her gaze flicking every so often toward the ring, and asked in a flustered voice, "Y-you-you! What are you suddenly doing?"

Watching Valentina's slick little combo, Herbert was left dumbfounded — he hadn't expected her to react this strongly.

Huh?

That's strange.

"You actually know what this means?"

Herbert glanced curiously at Miss Hungry Dragon, never expecting that this illiterate of hers would actually know the correct way to use a ring.

No — how come you happen to have so much common sense in this particular area?

"I-I know! Hmph!"

Valentina huffed, putting on a show of composure: "Don't think I don't know anything — Wendi taught me!"

The two had chatted quite a bit during this period, and Herbert also knew that Wendi was the name of that female mage who had once been Valentina's subordinate.

An outstanding talent who had simultaneously served as her subordinate, nanny, cook, elementary teacher, and all sorts of other miscellaneous duties.

But the problem was — even if Wendi had taught her, isn't your current reaction still a bit off?

Herbert raised an eyebrow, didn't step closer to provoke Valentina, and just stood outside the cage asking, "Given your reaction, what exactly did she teach you?"

Why so worked up?

"She…"

Valentina blinked, tilted her head, and said uncertainly, "She said this is called a ring? Anyone who puts on a ring will be… bound by a contract? I think that's how it goes."

The corner of Herbert's mouth twitched, and he explained, "Uh, if you absolutely have to put it that way, I guess it really is kind of like a contract?"

After saying that, he shook his head helplessly, feeling regret and apology for his earlier doubt.

Honestly, Herbert, oh Herbert — how could you doubt her IQ?

Does she understand?

She understands my ass she does.

"Right, a contract!"

Valentina stared at Herbert, relaxing her vigilance a little, but still squinting as she said, "So, are you trying to forcibly enslave me now?"

"Ahem, of course not!"

Herbert gave a light cough and said with an upright air, "How could I ever do something so despicable?"

Although "corruption" is actually a kind of option too, to be fair.

If Herbert had truly chosen that route, then from the very start he would have chosen a completely different way of getting along.

Suppress and destroy the body through tyrannical violence, corrode the mind through seductive rhetoric, then supplement it with all kinds of temptations as traps — over and over, without end.

No one could keep their sanity forever under such torment and devastation; eventually a crack would appear, and the enemy would slip through.

In the end, her spirit would be thoroughly broken, her mind twisted, until she was completely reshaped into his form.

It might be very difficult, and the process might take a long time, but with the help of Nie Nasha's power, it was entirely doable.

It's just that, well, Herbert couldn't be bothered.

That kind of approach was simply boring.

Too dull, and too lowbrow.

Corruption routes may be easy to use, sure, but how could they ever compare to pure love for fun?

Long live pure love!

Valentina looked at Herbert suspiciously, and finally relaxed too, humming as she walked out from the corner.

"Hmph, as if you could! No one can enslave a great dragon!"

She had completely relaxed.

Then, out of habit, she scooted up in front of Herbert, hooking her tail tip around his calf — the gesture and demeanor utterly natural.

Over the course of this one month together, she had already completely grown accustomed to Herbert's presence, and under his strong, repeated, many-times insistence had agreed to keep her tail even in human form.

After a few weeks of desensitization, she no longer saw anything wrong with it.

Actually, the reason Miss Hungry Dragon had reacted so intensely just now wasn't only because she had remembered the female mage's words.

Mainly because, the instant she saw that ring, a powerful intuition had suddenly erupted from deep within her.

!!!

In that instant, Valentina seemed to glimpse a blurred fate.

Just like when her mother had driven her out of the nest back then, just like the first time she had laid eyes on Wendi, she seemed to feel that she had arrived at certain crucial moments that would decide the future.

She had reached a key node of fate!

And after coming back to her senses, Valentina realized that the key to fate actually wasn't in that ring.

That sort of thing couldn't decide her future.

What had truly set her instincts on alert was actually Herbert!

And then…

Miss Hungry Dragon completely let her guard down.

If it was him… well, then it didn't matter.

Would he hurt me?

Who knows.

Hmph.

If he dares treat me badly, I'll definitely bite him hard and teach him a proper lesson!

But then again... hmph, I doubt he has the guts!

After secretly preening to herself for a while, Valentina finally remembered the matter at hand and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, what exactly do you want to do?"

Herbert shook his head, already somewhat used to her excitable temperament, and toyed with his ring as he said, "Didn't I just say? I hope you'll come away with me."

"Come away? You mean leave this place?"

Miss Hungry Dragon had thought she'd misheard, but now that it was confirmed, she didn't feel delighted—instead, she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"That's right!"

Herbert painted a bright, beautiful future for her: "It won't be giving you complete freedom, but you can leave this place with me for a period of time."

"You can go out and breathe fresh air, see how the world outside has changed, soar freely through the sky once more... what, you don't want to go out?"

He watched Valentina's tightly furrowed brow and found it a little strange, raising an eyebrow.

Hmm?

What's wrong with you?

You were clearly trying to tempt me into letting you out at the very beginning—so why, now that the moment has actually come, are you the one hesitating?

You really are a cat!

Whatever I tell you to do, you just have to do the opposite, huh?

Valentina looked at Herbert, her brow slightly easing, and asked calmly, "So, after the benefits, it's time for the drawbacks, isn't it?"

Then, what's the price?

She may be a bit simple, severely lacking in common sense, but she was still a legendary dragon who had fought for most of her life—she knew that everything in this world comes with a price.

What price would she pay along with regaining her freedom?

"What do I need to give? My flesh and blood? Scales? Teeth?"

"Of course not."

"Then... oh! I know!"

Valentina suddenly blinked, thought of another more plausible possibility, and asked with some excitement:

"Do you need me to go beat someone up? Or destroy a city? Raze a fortress? Wow! Let me tell you, that's what I'm best at!"

???

"Wait!"

Herbert's expression changed and he hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth, saying anxiously, "Stop! Shut up! Nobody's asking you to do any of that!"

You beast!

Shut the hell up!

(End of chapter)