After she punched me in the gut, I couldn't breathe and dropped to the ground. I spat out saliva, my body exhausted.
She didn't stop, delivering a powerful kick to my face, though she clearly held back. I flew backward again.
A smile played on her lips, the look of pleasure evident.
"My, my, did I hit too hard?" she mused, looking at my injured body as I struggled to kneel.
"Fuck," I muttered. "What's wrong with this woman?" Before I could stand, she vanished, then launched another kick at my face. I managed to block it by crossing my arms to protect myself.
She clasped her hands and said, "This is the end of our training." She smiled. When she turned, I spoke.
Barely standing, I said, "Can I skip our second training tomorrow?"
She turned back, a little irritated. Beating me up had relieved most of her stress; she'd been looking forward to playing with her "perfect toy," and was annoyed she wouldn't get to.
I sighed. "I need to do something important."
After a few minutes, she reluctantly gave up, disappointed, and left.
Clara mostly spent her time training or fulfilling her duties as a kingdom elder. This often left her bored—until the main character came along.
The MC showered her with care in the story. She never showed her sadist side, continuing to act good and innocent.
When she was about to confess her feelings to the MC, demons attacked, and she was eventually killed by one.
From the novel, the demon that killed her was the size of a building. Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps.
I sighed and shook my head. Late that night, I walked to the Empress's chamber and knocked.
The Empress, secluded in cultivation, opened the door, slightly annoyed. Her beautiful red eyes were irritated, and her red hair, though tied up, cascaded down her shoulders.
She looked at me curiously, but her expression remained aloof and cold.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice soft, her irritated expression softening slightly.
I spoke like a gentleman. "My Lady, may I have some of your time?"
She nodded. We sat in her chamber on the sofa. The Qi here was far stronger than outside. If I cultivated here, my progress would skyrocket, especially with the Divine Fruit.
She asked, "My dear servant, what brings you here?" Her voice was deep and alluring.
I smiled and made up a story. "My Lady, while on a mission in the forest, I saw a giant serpent, probably a 6-star beast, protecting a huge amount of mana crystals."
My voice resonated in the chamber. The Empress was intrigued and smiled.
"You're quite useful, aren't you? Fine, I'll trust you, but if you do anything funny, don't think your head will remain attached." Her voice was full of warning, and a killing intent filled the air.
Goosebumps erupted on my skin. I forced a smile. "Why would I do that? I'm loyal to you, My Lady." She nodded and waved her hand.
"We're leaving tomorrow morning." I smiled and bowed deeply before leaving.
Since she still didn't fully trust me, I needed to gain more of her trust. I walked back to my room and finally collapsed onto my bed—not soft, but comfortable enough.
Shit, I thought. Does Clara think I'm a masochist? My body ached, but I felt my mana become denser, enhanced by the training.
I fell asleep, not bothering to cultivate. The next morning, I prepared myself and waited outside the Empress's chamber.
When she opened the door, her rosy, alluring scent washed over me, making me blush.
She looked at me, then grabbed me. We flew. It was my first time flying; I was scared at first, but soon got the hang of it.
She protected me with a barrier, shielding me from the wind. After two hours of flight, we reached the forest—a beautiful landscape filled with trees and animals.
It was vast, concealing the giant serpent in its secluded depths.
We landed, and I did my best to find the area. A few more hours passed, during which I sometimes got lost. Finally, we found the serpent.
She sensed a danger and enveloped me in a barrier the giant serpant spat a purple liquid so fast I didn't react. It obliterated the surrounding trees, but I was protected. Otherwise, I'd have melted like butter.
She floated, eyeing the giant serpent, half blue and half purple.
"It's evolving to 7-star," she scoffed, and they engaged in a fierce battle. The surroundings were obliterated, but her barrier protected me, and she also created a protective barrier around the mana crystals.
I felt the aftershocks of their fight. It took half an hour to subdue the serpent. She beheaded it and stored the monster within her magic ring. With the monster gone, we saw mountains of mana crystals. With such a bounty, they wouldn't have to worry about funds.
She smiled, storing the crystals in her magic rings. She looked at me with a satisfied smile, nuzzling my hair as she teleported closer.
"You really are quite useful," she murmured. In her eyes, I saw subtle possessiveness, a desire to keep me by her side. She quickly dismissed this thought, wanting to closely monitor me and see if my surprises would continue.
Surprise flickered on my face as she gently played with my hair; I blushed.
She chuckled. "I know you want a reward. Tell me what it is?" Her voice was sweet, teasing.
My face reddened, but I composed myself, taking a few deep breaths.
"I wouldn't have done it without you, but how about access to the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion?"
She nodded. "Anything else?" Considering how valuable I'd proven myself, one more request wouldn't hurt. And I hadn't tried to betray her, or sell her out. A smile touched her lips as she waited for my answer.
I nodded. "May I spend a night in your chamber?" My voice held a hint of playful teasing.