I had pretty good timing. It didn't take long after I had been given my order - the cake was better than I'd expected and the cream mixed beautifully with the tea, though I hadn't been able to try that one yet - when it started.
It wasn't anything special, really. A simple mistake, a group of troublesome customers and them asking just how he would make up for it. He would try to placate them, but one of them would touch him inappropriately - and he would slap that hand away on reflex. The funny thing was, he wouldn't even react like that because of being touched. Though he would always shiver in disgust, he didn't react like that anymore. No, usually his fear would outweigh that disgust, but this time there had been another factor. The magic that person possessed felt absolutely revolting to Kai. Right now, he wouldn't be able to feel magic often, mostly only seeing it. So when he will feel that person's magic, and when it will feel so horrible to him that would be what surprised him enough to get himself into a predicament that would lead to him being beaten up badly by the old man standing behind the counter.
It really wasn't a big incident, just an awful amount of unlucky moments aligning. In fact, it was so little of an incident that I didn't even realize it had begun at first. Only when the old man glanced towards me nervously did I notice that the other customers had quieted down and one of the people sitting three tables over had grabbed the slave by his waist. I knew that it was Kai right away. He was as beautiful as the novel had described him. A sharp jawline, soft and sun-kissed skin, raven hair and I knew if I would be closer I'd have also noticed his lavender eyes.
He'd been from a land in the south originally, hadn't he? Was it that place next to the desert that I'd taken over about twenty years prior to this day? I think so, but I wasn't too sure anymore. He did look like I may be right, though.
The old man was half way to the table when Kai slapped the man's hand away. Only when he did, did I take a closer look at the group. And, oh. Oh, well. That changed a lot, actually. Skin like stone, scales or feathers growing on their heads, glowing eyes… They were a bunch of fucking psuklith!
Those golem-like moss-for-brains shouldn't even be here in my territory. They were something that Leyal, the sixth rex, had created. Golems formed from especially hard metal, combined with the soul of an ogre and the heart of a minotaur. How long ago had that been? About two thousand years, maybe? Well, anyways, the point was those creatures were mean, strong, dumb and violent, just right up Leyal's ally. And they were also, besides the ones still living with Leyal, inhabiting an island my territory was currently at war with.
Whether they were my citizens or not, psuklith causing trouble in my territory at such a time was just blatant disrespect. I'd intended to chime in anyways, but now things were a bit different.
Putting my fork down harshly, I took my cup of tea and walked over there in long strides, making it there before even the old man had reached them. I could see my knight holding back the owner, thoughtful as she seemed to be. Good.
The group of troublemakers didn't even notice me, but Kai, who'd stumbled back against the wall and stuttered out some apologies, did notice. In fact, his eyes focused on my aura for but a second, before he became so pale one might have thought he was dead already. I would have to talk to him later to tell him that he needn't be so scared of me, but for now I ignored the human and focused on the demons.
By the time I had reached them, which was but a few seconds after I'd stood up but felt like an eternity, I took a sip from my tea. I at least wanted to have tried it, after all. Actually, it was really good. Damnit. Such a waste… Still, I didn't say anything as I purred the hot liquid onto the head of the person who'd just grabbed Kai.
Silence. A few gasps. One person failing to hold back an amused snort. Kai whimpering as he flinched back even more.
Then, the psuklith turned around to look at me, shock and anger clearly visible on his face. I simply smiled at him, the dripping cup still in hand. "Oh my. Would you look at that? It seems you'll have to go home and take a shower now. How unfortunate - you won't be able to disturb people any longer."
I could feel Eve snickering silently against my neck.
The still shocked, but now even angrier demon in front of me looked at me and gritted his teeth. He could tell that I was powerful but I almost got the feeling he didn't know who I was. I scoffed at that, leaning in closer. "You have some nerve" I said as I pinned him against the table easily "to come to my territory and cause such a ruckus." Finally there was recognition flickering through the guy's eyes, followed by fear. Liking his reaction, I stood back up. Making eye contact with each one of them, I crossed my arms and warned them: "If that pesky little bitch wants to vent her anger with war again, she can feel free to sent a declaration. If that isn't Leyal's intention, I suggest you leave now and make sure that I won't hear anything else about your group. Ever."
They didn't answer, but I did see one of them giving a breathless nod. So even these idiots were able to realize when they should back down. Interesting. I'd thought they'd be too stupid, judging from the way they had dared to act like this at all. I didn't say anything else to them, just motioned with my head for them to scram. They did.
There was a long moment in which no one moved. Again. They all waited for what I was doing, again. Holding their breath, trying to figure out what was going through my head, what I would do next. They were frozen in time as they watched, I could feel their gazes, and they watched on and on as they waited for the moment I moved next.
It was thrilling, truly. I savored the moment as best as I could, taking in the little rush of control in full. Oh, this feeling! How I'd missed it. I had the power to lead this situation in any direction I wanted. Would I have my knight chase after them? Would I have this establishment closed? Would I banish them? Would I just return and pretend nothing ever happened? Would I slander this place in high places? Would I lash out at the people around me? It didn't matter. Because whatever I would decide, the others would follow my lead. They wouldn't have any other choice. I was free, and this moment belonged to me entirely in my freedom. There was nothing and no one who would be able to hold me back right now.
Ah! How I loved this. I had forgotten how I'd yearned to feel this, how easy it had always been to get addicted to this feeling, how my magic swished happily as it satiated me through the content I felt pulsing inside my veins with every moment they kept looking at me like this.
Honestly, I was now contemplating to take drastic measures just because I could. I desired it.
But I didn't. Instead, I looked over to where Kai was still backed against the wall, now paler than ever as he obviously tried to steal away. Too bad, but I wouldn't let that happen on my watch.
"And as for you…" I begun, now fully turning towards him. He flinched hard enough for a book to fall from the shelf behind him. It was loud in the silence, but neither of us acknowledged it. Instead he carefully raised his head when I addressed him, though he never looked at my face. Still, I noticed a little gasp as his eyes focused to a spot right next to me.
My magical aura. I knew that that was what he was looking at right now. He'd seen it before, I knew that. Not when his own kingdom had been added to my ranks, but a few years later when I'd returned from the seventh rex's place. I'd been too far for him to see my face, but he'd been mesmerized by my magic so much that he would have still recognized it years later when he lead the revolution. How had the narration described it again? Like golden glitter drizzling around me and purple fog swirling with every move I made, was it?
It wasn't as though I could just acknowledge him looking at my magic this entranced, though. There should be no way for me to know about that. Yet, at least.
Instead, I took a closer look at him. And, ha, seriously! Why was it that the hero always got the good genes? I knew that this wasn't a fictional story, at least not in this dimension, but still! Fucking MC-buff… Well, not like I could complain, though. Not now, that I had my initial body back. A face better than this didn't exist for me. So I could forgive him for the luck of getting that pretty face. Actually, it worked in my favor.
Taking another step forward, I took his chin in between my thumb and index finger. That little bit of soft touch was enough to get a gasp out of him. And the touch tasted… sweet. Enchanting. How vexing, to think that I wouldn't be able to taste this much more. At least not if everything went according to plan. After all, I couldn't allow myself to earn his ire so I couldn't just do as I pleased. I knew he wouldn't forgive me should I even try to seduce him.
"Hm. As sweet as ripe grapes… Not hard on the eyes either. I wonder, would your noises be just as enjoyable?" I chuckled, even though I saw the horror building in his eyes. Of course it would. After all, this very situation was what he'd been afraid of since his home had become my domain, wasn't it?
The domain of lust and love. Many of my subjects were gaining strength through desires. Succubi, incubi, vampires, chuiaels, encantados, fossegrim, nymphs, satyrs… A lot of different creatures in whose very nature it was to fulfill their desires tended to gather under my rule. It was a natural instinct for them, seeing how I was the very symbol of lust. And gaining the interest of one such demon as a slave, especially as a human slave, had usually only one end to it. And from that horrid book I knew that when Kai had realized that he was now trapped in such an environment, he had only wished not to end up in the hands of someone who might be interested in feeding off his body.
In other words, no matter how alluring my magic was to him, I was the person he least wanted to see him as pretty. With a face like his that was a favor I wouldn't be able to do him, though.
'Forgive me. But I'll take good care of you, don't worry. It won't be like what you fear.'
Releasing him from my grasp, I took a step back and gave him a quick once-over again. Then, without turning around, I spoke to the old owner: "I like this one. Give him to me as compensation for this waste of time. I'll pay you half the usual price."
There was something desperate in Kai's eyes as he heard that, but I ignored it. I knew that I would be treating him a lot better than this piece of trash who didn't even know a treasure when he'd been working right in front of him. When the old man didn't protest, I placed my hand on his shoulder, right where I knew the mark would be located. With just a quick push of my magic, the bond to his old master was broken and replaced with mine. His only reaction was a wince and a whimper. Was it painful? I didn't think it was supposed to. Well, maybe since it was not only my first time doing this but also something I had forcefully accomplished without regard to the laws of this spell.
After that was done, I put a simple sleeping spell over him and motioned for my knight to carry him. She did without question. Giving the stunned owner his money, I walked out. The door wasn't even closed before the other patrons started gossiping loudly. What tedious people…