Ryo went back to his room with a content smile on his face. Even though he knew that his father was a loving father, he was still intimidated when he first saw him and the impression lasted until earlier. His father looked so cold most of the time but he was the warmest inside.
He decided that he won't let his father's intimidating looks hinder him from being spoiled. His mother too. He would overlook their intimidating auras anytime to experience that warmth again.
After idling by his bed for a while, he finally summoned the shadow he was going to dominate. His aura, combined with his father's, that shadow would surely be under his control completely. Although the process might be challenging, he's not afraid to face it.
"My liege." It said with a respectful bow when it appeared.
"I'm going to name you that's why I summoned you."
Even though it doesn't have a face, it looked delighted upon knowing that it would be bestowed a name by its dear master. Its wings were even shaking slightly from excitement.
"I'll bestow you the name Zillthai."
The moment the name was bestowed on it, it seemed to absorb the darkness in the room. The pressure coming from it was getting stronger signifying its evolution. It quickly formed into a ball of darkness and once it was done absorbing the darkness, the ball of darkness exploded with a heavy pressure in its wake.
It revealed a still dark entity but this time, it already has hands, mouth, and a barely visible slit on its supposed to be face, was probably its eyes.
Zillthai smiled so widely it actually reached its eyes, revealing sharp teeth. Its wings fluttered in delight, before it could even speak its gratitude to Ryo, he immediately attacked it with his pressure in a probing manner.
"Now kneel for me, your master, Zillthai." Ryo said, looking straight at it with authority.
It showed its resistance of getting dominated by increasing the pressure he was already exuding, as if telling him that it will only abide by his command if he could overwhelm it. The pressure it exuded was really no joke. If he only relied on his own aura, he might've lost.
"I said, kneel." He said, increasing his pressure over it greatly.
Their pressures clashed and it fought his pressure stubbornly by giving all its pleasure. Ryo was at a disadvantage from that. Sweat rolled down his forehead, he was having a hard time but he didn't waver.
Instead, he straightened his back more as he looked strongly at Zillthai, the veins in his bulging as he released all his pressure.
"KNEEL!" With the tremendous aura he released, it was completely overwhelmed and fell to a kneeling position as runes started appearing on its chest.
The runes that appeared was the proof of its complete submission to him. Even though it was completely dominated, it still looked at him with its wings fluttering incessantly, apparently elated from having a powerful master.
"This humble servant swears my undying devotion to you, my liege, as heaven and hell as my witness. May I suffer from eternal agony and damnation in the event I displease my liege." It said like it was swearing its oath to a God.
Ryo felt a little uncomfortable when he felt the worship in its voice. He was only able to dominate it because of his father's aura. Without it, Zillthai would probably look at him in disdain for being weak if he had failed.
Even though he was exhausted from their bout earlier, he remained standing proudly. It would be bad if he didn't appear to be as strong as Zillthai originally thought. He doesn't want it to have a bad first impression of him.
"Rise. Now prove yourself useful to me."
…
He was currently bathing in the newly built hot springs in their manor as per his request. It has been awhile since he had the time to relax like this. He was busy with Rei's matters these days although most of the time, he was just slacking off.
Yesterday, when he dumped all the work to Zillthai. Their conversation just went on like this,
"Zillthai, investigate Rei and his nanny for me. I want you to do it without getting caught, understand?" Rei said while lying down on the sofa sideways and lazily dropped a grape on his mouth.
"Yes, my liege." Thankfully, after naming it, Zillthai's croaky voice changed into something deep and pleasant to the ears.
"Oh and collect some evidence too. I don't care how you'll do it, just don't leave any trace that might alarm the enemy. I want results as soon as possible, got it?"
"Yes, my liege." Zillthai's voice was still filled with reverence, making Ryo feel a little bit uncomfortable so he immediately sent it away.
Naturally, he doesn't care how Zillthai does it because he can't even think of ways on how it'll happen. He wasn't so smart to begin with. He wasn't one for scheming too.
Although he's sensitive and could avoid some traps laid out for him, he just can't use his brain to formulate any scheme.
It required too much brain use and high intelligence. He'd rather use brute force or if possible, he just doesn't want to get involved at all. Or if he could he would just silently avoid it.
He sighed in satisfaction as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the hot spring. His enjoyment didn't last long when he suddenly heard a voice.
"My Liege." Zillthai's voice broke the peaceful atmosphere.
"Gah!"
Ryo exclaimed in surprise because of Zillthai's sudden arrival. He almost slipped and sank deeper in the water. Thankfully he was able to grab on the rock formation nearby.
His heart would've beat furiously about now if only it was beating. He clicked his tongue and glared at Zillthai. Feeling his master's dissatisfaction, Zillthai immediately assumed a dogeza position to ask for forgiveness.
"Please punish this servant for this servant's impertinence, my liege." Zillthai said, his voice filled with remorse for causing dissatisfaction to his precious master.
"You're banned from disturbing me whenever I'm bathing. Disturb me only if my life is in danger." Ryo said as he masked his surprise with a dissatisfied expression.
"Your grace is immeasurable, my liege." Zillthai said, smiling so widely as if he was intoxicated. Its eyes were filled with worship.
"What are you here for, anyway? Don't tell me you've already accomplished what I assigned for you to do?" Ryo said with a smirk, amused by his own remark.
Zillthai looked at Ryo with worship in its eyes as it relayed the information it gathered after a day's observation.
"It is as you say, my Liege. This servant collected a few pieces of evidence that could prove the nanny's crimes. Also, the nanny is indeed controlling Sir Rei although she couldn't control him entirely. It turns out that inside the nanny's body, a phantom resides and has full control over the nanny's body. This servant overheard that, in the upcoming full moon, Sir Rei's soul will be destroyed and the phantom inside the nanny would then take over Sir Rei's body." Zillthai said seriously as it handed the items for sorcery to Ryo.
Ryo gaped at Zillthai's report. Not only because the nanny was a phantom but also because Zillthai moved really efficiently. He observed for weeks but the only thing he found out was that Rei was being manipulated by that nanny.
'It sure is convenient to have Zillthai.'
He smirked, trying to hide his glee as he observed the tools for sorcery. The tool's shape was so weird that he couldn't make up what it's supposed to be for. He could only faintly feel the dark magic emanating from those tools.
'It doesn't matter. I'll just hand this to my father anyway.'
He looked back at Zillthai to order him something again but he stopped when he saw the look on Zillthai's face. It looked like a puppy asking to be praised.
Ryo's eyebrows twitched from this thought. He was about to tap its shoulders when he remembered that Zillthai doesn't have a physical body so he could only retract his hands and smile at it.
"Good work, Zillthai. You really accomplished your mission splendidly. I'm deeply satisfied with these results."
"Anything for you, my liege."
If Zillthai had a tail, it would probably wag its tail from excitement and happiness for being praised by its master.
'It would've been better if he could transform into a dog or a person.'
Ryo, being the face-con he was, could only internally sigh with regards to Zillthai's appearance. Zillthai looked at its master's retracted hands and was slightly disappointed that its master didn't touch it. It could only weep in regret internally for not having a physical body.
"That's all. Withdraw for now." Ryo said and waved his hands.
"Yes, my liege."
Zillthai blended into the darkness once more as if he was never here at all. Ryo wiped his body as he contemplated the new information he received.
He never thought that the nanny was a phantom. He thought that the maid was just using a magical device to carry out her deed.
He was planning on just commanding Zillthai to look for it then destroy the said magical item but since it was the workings of a phantom, he'll have to hand this matter over to his father.
Phantoms can only be dealt with using holy magic. Phantoms are elusive beings that always hide in the darkness. They also don't have physical bodies so they could hide in dark spaces wherever they want. Although they're not so powerful.
They could only instill fear or possess their victims. They could only possess their victims if the victim's mental health had already deteriorated beyond saving. This can happen by constantly disrupting their mental health through fear.
Although they have those abilities, they're not considered a threat to vampires. They're like just mosquitoes hovering by their ears. They were just considered a kind of annoyance, just like garlic.
They can only affect vampires if they're powerful enough to breach their mental fortitude and exposed to their manipulation for a very long time.
Ryo clicked his tongue as he pieced the clues together.
_____________________________________________
A/N:
Dogeza: Kneeling on the ground and bending to prostrate oneself while touching one's head to the ground. It's used to demonstrate respect for someone in a higher position, as a profound apologies, or to request a favor from that person.