In the early morning, just outside the castle, the Spider King admired his hard work. The once desolate fields now bloomed with crimson clover blossoms.

“To think I've achieved this in just one night. Magic is amazing!” He wiped a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.

The Centauri Champion reached out to pluck a fresh blossom. “Yes, well done, Spider King. I, no, all of us Centauri, appreciate this.” The blossom went into her mouth, and she chewed it with great gusto.

“Well, you helped me, so no thanks needed. But, phew, I feel tired... Any more and I’d have to dip into negative mana.”

She let out a deep breath, a snort only Centauri could make when excited.

“Tired, you say? Shall I carry you back to the castle?”

“Carry? Haha, like give me a princess carry? Or a piggyback ride? Haha, no, I think I’ll manage.”

“But I insist! It’s the least I can do,” she said, kneeling beside him. “Come on, hop on.”

“Haha, you can’t be serious.”

“Do I need to beg?”

“...”

“Okay, I’ll beg. My King would honor this humble mare by gracing her with your...”

“Stop it! This is embarrassing... Fine, you can give me a ride.”

“I’m happy to be of service. Hop on.”

“Just don’t mention this to Warrior Leader Jr. It'll get jealous, you know.” He mounted the Centauri Champion. “Hey, I’m not too big, am I?”

“My King, you’re of perfect size. Not too heavy, not too light.”

“I can’t believe I’m riding a Centauri...”

“Hold tight, here I go, [RelentlessCharge]!”

“No! Be gentle with me!” He'd never believed it would be him screaming this line. “Slow down, take it easy! I’ll fall!”

She ignored him, galloping even faster. “I told you to hold tightly!”

“Then pardon me!” he said, hugging her tightly.

His hands embraced both the strength and softness of her lethal weapons. That's just how it worked when riding a Centauri, unless there was a harness or something—which would be even more improper.

She didn’t seem to mind one bit, happily galloping through the clover field.

“How is it? Am I quick enough? Should I go even faster?” She sounded excited.

“Please don’t! I’ll fall!”

“Hold tighter, then!”

“I am!”

“Tighter! I’m going to go Faster!” And faster she went.

The Spider King clung on like his life depended on it.

“Hey, you’ve missed the castle gate,” he couldn’t help but notice.

“I’m taking the scenic route.”

“...”

“Am I faster than Warrior Leader Jr.?”

“Yes! Like five times! Please, slow down.”

“Exactly! I should be your royal mount, not it.”

“Denied!”

“Why?!”

“... No reason.”

“I’m going to go Faster!”

“No!”

“Are you holding tight?”

“Yes!”

“Hold Tighter! [SpeedBoost]!”

“Ahhh!!!”

And so he held on, as if his life truly depended on it.

...

Even the formidable Centauri Champion didn’t have endless Stamina, hence she was forced to drop him by the castle gate eventually. The ride had been... Fast. And despite all the shouting, it wasn’t unpleasant, it was quite the opposite but he would never admit that. Whatever she had tried to prove, she had proven it.

Hurriedly, before the jealous Warrior Leader Jr. could catch wind of this, he dismounted.

“Thank you for the ride. It was AMAZING,” it was the Centauri Champion who said it with a grin.

“Stop that, people will misunderstand!” he replied quickly.

Indeed, this mare was rather sweaty, her hair disheveled, and her attire a mess. They had been gone for the entire night... just the two of them...

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“Misunderstand what exactly?” she said, her smile mischievous.

Before he could answer, a spider messenger, a tiny fellow, tugged at the hem of his trousers.

“Morning, King. You have a guest. In your office.”

“A guest?”

“Yes, the Oni Shaman. Please come.”

“Oh, her...” he muttered, following the spider.

“I’ll leave it to you. See you at the breakfast table, my Rider, my Spider King,” the Centauri Champion said something unessesary, making sure the other mares heard the extra title.

“If Warrior Leader Jr. comes after her, it’s her own fault. I’ve warned her,” he muttered to himself.

As he followed the spider, thoughts of the Oni filled his mind. It was likely they wanted to negotiate, but he had no intention of dealing with them. Their crimes were too great to forget or forgive.

Still, perhaps—just perhaps—they had something to offer. If so, he was curious.

With no particular expectations, he stepped into his office. There she was, the Oni Shaman. It struck him that he had never gotten a proper look at her before—the de facto leader of the Oni convicts.

She clearly belonged to one of the demonic races. Her skin was red, her eyes yellow, and her horns, also red, protruded from her forehead. Her white hair was tied back in a long ponytail. She was slim, with a delicate physique, a stark contrast to the otherwise muscular Oni. But she was a Shaman, after all.

Like from all of the convicts, the spiders had confiscated her clothes, replacing them with a spider-woven Spidery Jumpsuit. The garb was a marvel of spider ingenuity, extremely durable and nearly impossible to stain.

For some reason, the top of her jumpsuit was undone, hanging loosely at her waist. Her chest was there for all to see, but worry not, it was bound in white bandages. Why bandages? Who knows? Who cares?

Despite her crimes, the spiders had made her feel welcome. They’d brought her a plate of sliced tomgrape, and she even had something to drink.

Wait... this was his office. And the glass in her hand was his glass, the glass containing white, creamy liquid. She was halfway through it.

“...” It was too late to stop her.

Their eyes met. The Oni Shaman quickly finished her drink, her expression curious. He just hoped the milk the Centauri Champion had left yesterday hadn’t spoiled—it would reflect poorly on spider hospitality.

Wiping the cream from her lips, the Oni Shaman spoke. “Greetings, Shikigami, the Death itself,” she greeted respectfully.

He was aware of the moniker the Oni had given him, but he didn’t like it. “I am the Spider King. That should be obvious.”

“Ah, of course. I beg your forgiveness, Spider King.” She bowed.

She tried to hide it, but he caught her lips moving and her eyes glowing in that familiar light—clear signs of a silent Inspect skill. Then, her whole body tensed, her back refusing to straighten. She remained frozen in the bow.

“Should... shouldn’t it be... the Monster King?” she asked in a laboured voice.

Yeah, the cat was out of the bag, but he didn’t care.

“So what if I am? You’ve heard of me?”

“No, I haven’t...” she squirmed. “But isn’t that awfully close to...” she hesitated, “the almighty Demon Lord?”

“I don’t know about almighty, but perhaps it is. However, I doubt we’re similar at all, and I don’t think we should be compared. Just call me the Spider King.”

“Understood,” she straightened at last, something dangerous glinting in her eyes.

“So, what is it you wanted to talk about?”

“...” She remained silent, simply staring at him.

“Go on, I won’t bite. Say what you need to say.”

She took a deep breath before speaking. “I know magic, soul magic. I have spells that might interest you.”

Yes, he remembered that barrier, it was surprisingly tough. “Go on,” she had his attention.

She stepped closer. “And I know more than a few of the Oni Shogun’s secrets, things that might be of interest to you.”

“Oh?” he raised a brow, she had his interest.

She leaned in, her smile growing wider. “But I’m not going to tell you,” she said slyly.

Of course she wasn’t, not unless he gave something to the Oni Convicts.

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Yes, my lips will remain sealed. The precious secrets are mine to keep. You’ll have to torture me to get them out.”

Or, just make some concessions for her. Like special treatment or something.

“Right, so what do you want in return?”

“Me?” She squirmed for some reason. “No, I’m telling you, I won’t sell my secrets. You’ll have to torture them out of me.”

“Huh?”

“And t has to be you. You know I’m a Shaman, my resistances are high. Only a being as strong as you would be able to break me.”

“Huh?!”

“Yes.” She leaned even closer, right up to his ear. “If you want my secrets... you must... tor-tu-re me.”

“!!!” Why the heck was she purring like a cat into his ear?!

She leaned away, her dangerous eyes locking with his. “This is the only way," she added, the glint in her eyes ever more dangerous.

“Right...”

This woman was Crazy! The war must have been too much for her. She looked dangerously low on sanity, especially with that look she was giving him.

“Now...” She looked at him expectantly. “What will it be? What sort of evil, twisted torture do you have in mind? It better be something awful, or else I’m not spilling my secrets.”

“Right...”

Yup, she was a total nutter. But... a strange thought, as insane as the Oni was, still prickled his mind: Perhaps he could play along?

“You want my secrets, don’t you?” She squirmed expectantly.

“I have something in mind. A torture most evil, so bad it was prohibited. It’s very bad. I strongly advise you to tell me your secrets now, or else you might die.”

“My lips remain sealed.”

“Last warning. The technique I’m about to use is so terrible it was forbidden even in the Spider Kingdom, which resides in the Dreaded Place, a place beyond your worst nightmares. It’s just that bad. Last chance to reconsider.”

“Do your worst... Spider King.”

She might be mad, but she will regret it anyway.

“I’ve warned you. [Inventory].” He retrieved a single item: a green feather gifted to him by the Forest Harpy.

He wasn’t lying about this technique being forbidden in the Spider Kingdom. The last time he did something similar to his mischievous wife, she had wetted herself.

Now... how long would this crazed Oni Shaman last?

And no, he wasn’t angry that she'd drunk his milk!

...

It was already afternoon, and the Oni were as busy as ever repairing the castle. The Oni Shaman, however, was hiding in the darkness of the cellar that served as her room. She wasn’t imprisoned or anything like that. She was there by her own free will.

She sobbed into her pillow, her tears salty and full of still-fresh embarrassment. And how could she not cry? Her pride, her honour as the Oni Shaman was all gone. She had cast it all aside so easily. And the worst part? She did it of her own free will. No... she had even demanded for it.

“Bah-ah-ah...” she sobbed, her pillow soaking up her tears.

As strange as it was, when she met the Spider King and gazed upon his purple eyes, in that most crucial moment, she lost her sanity for some reason. Her darkest desires escaped the cage of her mental prison, and she ended up spouting some wild nonsense...

“Bah-ah-ah... I’m so embarrassed...” she cried, her pillow getting awfully soggy.

She didn’t know what was worse: wetting herself, telling all the secrets, or secretly enjoying the entire thing...

“Bah-ah-ah... I am the worst...” she bawled, her pillow was now completely drenched. “Look at me... making another wet mess. Bah-ah-ah.”

The only saving grace was that the embarrassment only hit her once she returned to her room.

But hey, wasn’t this strange?

There, with him, she felt one way. She was like an unhinged demon, her heart’s darkest desires were laid bare. And now, when she was alone, even if still disturbed, she felt perfectly sane(???); none of that bubbly feeling in her stomach was there anymore.

She felt one way in his presence, and another without him... What could all of this possibly mean? For some reason, she wasn’t crying anymore.

“Could this mean that I am... I am in...” She couldn’t say it. “No, it couldn’t be!”

The bubbly feeling was back, but not in her stomach—this time, it was in her chest.