Chapter 03 [arc two]

The slave girl was led out of the office and into a hallway. She recognized it from the visual novel, specifically the K route. They were in the area where the main character stabbed the ogre king after being kidnapped by him. Thinking about it now made her anxiously bite at her nails. There was a thumping, indistinct sound that came from the hall's walls. She didn't ask what it was, as he was focused on guiding her. His hand was on her arm, clenching it to keep her in place. His skin felt weird in an oily way that reminded her of a lizard.

It disoriented Karilyn from how deep they were going into his lair. Its doors opened with his palm placed in a circle that scanned them. The white carpet felt solid, but she could feel it shifting into place whenever she stood too long. She felt really uncomfortable in such a strange, otherworldly place. Her skin was crawling with all the noises and movement that overwhelmed her senses. Timidly, she bit at her thumbnail as the man opened a large, black door. The door was in a far-off section that isolated it from the rest of the hall.

Once his hand was scanned by the circle, it didn't open. Instead, the circle flashed blue, and a screen popped up that she couldn't understand. All the letters in this world looked like an alien version of Kanji, so she didn't even bother. Any past attempts to decipher it only made her feel dumb. He tapped at the screen, swiping past some square shapes before turning towards her. The man looked pleased by whatever he had read and pushed her towards the door. She stumbled and nearly fell into the door, unsure of what to do.

"When the circle flashes green, put your hand on it. You'll feel a tiny zap, but that's just the system confirming your identity." The ogre king said with a calming tone of voice. He must have noticed her torn nails that she had been chewing on.

Karilyn wanted to ask why the system needed to know who she was, but stayed quiet. Now wasn't the time to stand around and ask questions. If she wanted to stay on the man's good side, she had to shut up and follow directions. So, she obediently stood and waited for the circle to turn green. Like a clock, it ticked and began to change. The first flash showed orange for a minute before turning back to white. Then it turned red and buzzed loud enough for her ears to hurt. Finally, after what had to have been five minutes, it was green.

Not wanting to miss her chance, the slave hurried and slapped her palm on the circle. A light went over her skin and scanned it, zapping her lightly. It then beeped as she saw a large animation pop on the screen next to it. It was telling her to move her hand back and wait. She was grateful to know that something in this world wasn't in an alien language. Quickly, she moved back and bumped into the man. She flinched, expecting him to yell or get annoyed with her behavior. It was pathetic for her to act this way, but she was a jittering mess.

"It's alright. The zap can be painful for first-timers. Besides, it worked." The man dismissed her fear and went back to grip her arm.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

She looked down at the ground, her face paling as she became overwhelmed with her anxiety. "Okay. So, what happens now? Are you going to keep me here or something?" The woman figured that this was where she'd be locked away.

The king laughed, amused by her comments despite her panic-stricken expression. At that moment, she heard a clicking sound, and the door slid into the wall. As it disappeared, she was able to see what looked to be a bed. Then she made out a large bookshelf and a medium-sized aquarium. Her stomach dropped, and she wanted to run back to where they had come from. It was a bedroom for what looked to be a teenage girl. She was sick, as she didn't know who this was originally meant for. In the game, the main character never saw this.

Anytime the player character stayed with the king, it was in his bedroom or a guest room. Besides, the two should have even met in the game. They only truly spoke face-to-face halfway into the story. And at that, the main character only found out about his existence after the ritual. So this wasn't for her, and it couldn't be for any other human woman. The man had no lovers when the story started, having grown reclusive and sadistic. Any woman he had loved died before the war.

"Don't expect me to lock you up in a cellar in chains. You can stay here. Simply put your handprint on the door to lock and unlock it. The bed is a waterbed, so if you would like a new one, just let me know." He dragged her in, and the door slid automatically back into place. The room’s ceiling lit up a soft pink color, and everything powered on around them.

Karilyn watched the walls in the room shift and form new furniture. A vanity popped out of the wall, and long, mechanical arms made it possible for a mirror to be attached to it. They elevated the bed and slipped an under-bed dresser with built-in stairs beneath it. A closet came into view, and like the bedroom door, its twin doors slid open to reveal articles of clothing. Seeing it all happen so fast made her feel extremely overwhelmed. She was at a loss for words and gawked at the man, who just continued droning on.

He was acting too calmly for the situation they were in. It was like he wasn't his prisoner but merely a family member he had staying over for the weekend. Compared to Kaname, his behavior was perfect; he wasn't beating her for simply breathing. But she knew all too well that his kindness could be a mask. The man was supposed to be the big bad who became possessive of the player's character. He was meant to lose to Kaname and die of a broken heart after the final chapter. Karylin was supposed to be scared silly and running for the hills.

But God. She was tired of it all. No amount of game knowledge could have prepared her for all this. She didn't want her legs broken again, and she didn't want to pass up a warm bed. If she stayed here, she would have a fresh set of clothing and a dinner that she wouldn't have to beg for. Even if this was all some sort of sick game, she was relieved. With hesitancy, she rubbed her face and tried not to cry again. This was all so goddamn stupid.

"Dinner will be ready in two hours, so you can use this to entertain yourself." He handed her what looked to be a remote for a television. He noticed her teary eyes and stopped. "Are you comfortable with this? If you don't feel like it, just say so."

Karilyn struggled to answer. She should just accept the remote and play along. "I'm fine. I'm just a little shocked by everything. How do I pay you back for this?"

He squinted down at her with his emotionless white eyes. He let go of her arm and sighed. "The payment, which was done incorrectly by your master, was exchanged. I need nothing from you as long as you remain my property, willing or unwilling. Do you understand?"

Karilyn felt like the words had slapped her in the face, and she winced. Everyone here saw her as an object, and it hurt pretty bad. "I understand."