Thump. Thump. Thump.
I knocked on the door leading into the head maid's chambers. The door opened, and an eye poked out from the crack. Immediately, they made a noise of surprise, their eyes widening as they opened the door. The head maid was an old, straggly woman with graying hair. She had many wrinkles on her face and walked with a hunched back. She had served the royal family for many years, according to the information I was able to find.
"You're a… you came…" The maid changed her expression of surprise to one of reverence and gestured for me to come into her room. "My lord, this silly girl came earlier saying that you would visit personally later to provide punishment. She's refused to leave my presence under your orders. It seems I shouldn't have doubted her word."
The head maid pointed to the young maid. She had several bruises which suggested that she might have had to fight to gain entry into this room. Perhaps the old maid was spryer than she looked, and had tried to remove the younger one by herself. Either way, with tears in her eyes and her body shaking, it looked like the maid I had ordered to wait here for punishment had gone through much grief to follow my orders. This only made me more pleased.
"Do not feel guilty if you were rough with this maid." I explained to the old woman, "Her crimes are of the highest caliber."
"My lord, if I may, this really isn't necessary. She's spoken her crimes to me, and I think I should properly punish her. You need not worry…"
"Insubordination. Betraying the throne. Treason. Do these crimes seem light to you?" I responded, shooting the young maid a glare as she dropped her head, not refuting a word of it.
"M-my lord… truly, you exaggerate."
"She openly showed disgust for her lord. This was not a single time, as I'm sure you're aware." I eyed her arm, where several fresh lashings seemed to have been added. "She clearly hates the male heir, me, and by extension, she shows disdain for the throne. Do you deny it, girl?"
The girl's eyes shot to mine, and after a second, she gritted her teeth. "I do not! You're a filthy devilkin! The devil's killed my parents in the last war. You look just like them. I will never believe you are worthy to be my King!"
"Aeryn!" The head maid called desperately. "Keep your mouth silent or I will keep it silent."
"She answered my question." I sighed, shaking my head at the head maid's blank look.
"My lord…" The head maid wrung her hands. "This girl has been on our staff for years. I hired her personally because she had such a pitiable background. She is a hard worker, my lord, and has done much for our kingdom."
"How can I continue to allow a maid like her to work in the castle, knowing how she feels about me."
"We… we can put her separate from you, my lord. At the very least, have her work in the stables."
"So, my horse can throw a shoe she attached, and I can break my neck? No, there is simply no way I can trust her…unless…"
"Unless?" The head maid asked, walking right into my trap.
I hid my face, even as I smirked. "Unless I were to make her a slave. Only enslavement magic would allow me to rest easy with her in the mansion."
"That's outrageous!" The girl herself, Aeryn, stood up and cried.
"Enslaving a maid as punishment? Only a devil… ahem… I mean, my lord, this is truly an evil thing you suggest."
"How so?"
The head maid looked at me with disbelief while Aeryn only glared at me darkly. I could tell that this might have been one of my first slips since coming here. I was taking some risks. For example, I wasn't even 100% certain there was an enslavement spell at all. I had only guessed that such a magic would exist in this world, and slavery didn't just mean slapping someone in irons and calling them owned. However, given how flippantly god had ordered me to enslave my own sisters, my assumption was that slavery was common in this world, as was the enslavement magic. Only upon seeing the faces of these two maids, did I realize that enslavement was some sort of taboo in this world. That shitty god screwed me over again.
Ah well, it wasn't like I didn't prepare for this possibility. The moment I came here, I had already mentally prepared myself for exposing some of my weaknesses. However, I was still hoping for more information from the head maid, so I only stared at her blankly until she shook her head and started to explain.
"The enslavement magic is a unique power of… the devilkin species. Even now, they have left many of those from the other realms entrapped in their enslavement magic. During the war, they would often capture human troops, enslave them, and then force them to attack their own friends and family. Due to the insidious nature of enslavement, the slaves had no choice but slaughter family, friends, children… no one in this castle has the capacity to use enslavement magic, no one, except for…" Her voice drifted off.
"Except for me." I finished.
The head maid shook her head determinedly. "My lord, we don't know for certain. You were not born of the devilkin. Even though you resemble a devil, you may not be one in that respect."
"There is only one way to find out…" I spoke softly, looking down at my hands. "Go to the library and fetch me any manuscripts that might describe how enslavement is performed."
"My lord, this…"
"That's an order!"
"Ye-yes, my lord." The head maid looked uncertain, but with a small frown and a quick look at the maid who'd be enslaved, she turned and left the room.
With her out of the room, it was just me and the maid. She continued to glare at me darkly, although if I looked at her big doey eyes long enough, I could see the traces of fear within them. She was a pretty girl, with a small frame, a tight butt, and pale soft skin. If her life was as rough as the head maid suggested, she had managed to get away without too many physical scars, remaining quite a beauty. Thinking of how close I had come to sex recently, as soon as I started thinking about her in that way, part of my young adolescent body started to react. I could only cough and readjust myself.
"So, you seem to be okay with being enslaved," I said casually, causing the maid to frown deeply.
"Of course I am not okay with it. However, my Lord has ordered it, so I must do it."
"You could always run."
The maid blinked. "Run?"
"I'm just one man, after all, and a young and somewhat useless prince to boot. I think it wouldn't be too difficult for you to push past me and flee the castle. The head maid might even help you."
"I would never!" Aeryn stood up and hit the table loudly, her face twisted in anger. "I would never abandon the kingdom like that!"
She seemed to be even angrier that I suggested she run than at any of my previous accusations. I could only cover another smile on my face.
"Very well, then, if you do not wish to run, then bow down as my slave, right now."
"Tss…" Aeryn hissed, but she also didn't hesitate as she walked up to me, and then got on all fours, speaking with her head down to the ground. "As my lord commands."
I reached down, and she shook slightly but didn't resist as my grey hand touched her soft skin. A second later, I sent my hand down her blouse grabbing one of her boobs. She gasped and started to pull away, but a quick look at me and she stopped resisting. Even though she closed her eyes and had a sickly expression, she bared it as I felt her chest. It was soft and warm, and while they weren't even on the same scale as the one who called herself my mom, they were comfortable.
"Is that what this is about then?" The girl asked bitterly, "You wish to have me?"
"Yes…" I spoke simply, causing the girl to blink in surprise. "I will have all of you, every night, for the remainder of your life. Will you obey?"
The girl's expression grew flatter and distant until all light seemed to have left her, but in the end, she nodded. "As my lord commands, I shall follow."
I nodded, receiving the answer I had wanted. Putting my hand into my robe, I brought out a knife. Aeryn stared up at the knife fearfully for a moment, but rather than threaten her with it, I sliced open my palm. Immediately, inky black blood began to leak out, filling my palm up. I lowered my palm, now half-filled with blood, down to the girl's face.
"Drink."
The maid didn't understand my order, but like before, she didn't hesitate, she leaned forward and drank my blood. She didn't stop at sipping it either. She sucked down the blood like she was afraid of letting any of it leak on the head maid's carpet. Once she had swallowed every last drop, she sucked on the wound too, like my hand was ice cream that she refused to lose any of. I finally had to pull my hand away roughly from her grip, immediately wrapping it in a bandage I had prepared.
The maid collapsed wide-eyed on the ground. Her face grew flushed and she started panting. Her body felt weird. I knew that her senses were being heavily altered. Likely, despite finding me repulsive, her body was reacting favorably to mine.
"What did you do to me?" She panted.
"There are two interesting facts about devilkin blood. I only just learned about them when I had stopped by the library before coming here. The first fact is that devilkin blood when diluted, is a potent aphrodisiac. The effects have just started for you, but the agony has only begun. In about an hour, you won't be able to think of anything but sex. With the amount of blood you just consumed, if you don't join with me tonight, you will likely mentally break."
"W-what… wh-why… how can this be, I-I'm a virgin…" She panted.
"The reason that devilkin blood hasn't become popular in the other territories comes with the second fact about devilkin blood. Blood that isn't diluted enough is a poison. The result of that poison is the enslavement spell."
"Sl-slave…" She said, putting her hands between her legs like she needed to pee. "You… you sent the head maid away, but you already knew how to enslave me… you… you really are a devil."
"You already knew I was a devil, or you wouldn't have looked at me with such disdain and disgust." I shrugged. "However, I'm a devil with plans, and I need you to fulfill them. That is your punishment. You will be my slave, my maid, and my confidant. I would have rathered not needing to strip you of your free will, but I can't afford to make mistakes. If I am to save this kingdom, and the human race, I can't afford to leave loose ends."
"Y-you want to save the kingdom?" Aeryn asked, her eyes wide.
"You may see me as just a devil, Aeryn, and I don't blame you if you do, but I do care about things. I plan to bring my five sisters back and enslave them just as I've enslaved you. I will bring this kingdom back together. That is my mission. That is my promise."
"…" Aeryn could only stare up at me as if seeing me for the first time in her life.
"Return to your seat, we have one more thing to accomplish before we can take care of… your situation."
Aeryn blushed, but she listened to what I said. She stood up and sat in a chair, looking uncomfortable as she twitched in her seat. "What thing?"
"I already said… I don't like loose ends." I shrugged.
As if to punctuate my words, the door opened and the head maid walked in. She looked between me and the other maid but didn't seem to suspect anything as a moment later she walked the rest of the way in and gave me a perfect curtsy.
"My lord, it would seem that the library doesn't have any information on devilkin enslavement spells." The woman said with a smile.
"Is that so?" I responded. "That is unfortunate."
Aeryn looked up in surprise, having just heard that I had come from the library with that very information. For her, it meant that either I was lying or the maid was lying. Aeryn didn't know who at the moment.
"My lord, if I may?" The head maid had a diplomatic expression on her face. "Aeryn has never taken a single rebellious action since she has been here. Her thoughts may be bitter, but with good cause. I implore you, my lord, that we treat her based on her actions, rather than her thoughts."
"You think I should only punish someone if they act out on their negative impulses, but forgive them for just having them?" I asked, wearing a thoughtful frown.
The head maid smiled. "Yes, that's it, my lord. So, let us put this whole thing behind us and…"
"Wait, I have a question about this concept." I interrupted. "You feel that a person should be judged harshest by their actions, correct?"
The head maid looked uncertain but still gave a smile. "Y-yes, my lord. Actions are what someone should be most responsible for?"
"Good. Good." I finally smiled, causing the head maid to sigh in relief. "Thank you for that lesson."
I walked up to her and patted her shoulder.
She smiled back. "Yes, my lord."
"So, tell me, how responsible should you be for helping the elves sneak poison into the castle to assassinate me."
The head maid's expression immediately dropped. To the side, Aeryn stood up and gasped. Without hesitating, I stabbed out with the knife I had used to cut myself. It immediately sank into the weathered flesh of the old woman. She let out a gasp as the blade was shoved into her stomach with enough force to cause her to stumble back.
"You…" her voice was filled with indignation and her eyes held anger, not shock.
That already told me everything I had needed to know, had I not known enough already. This head maid wasn't much different from Aeryn. She secretly resented and hated the devil prince. She just was better at hiding it, much like the elf princess. She could smile and bow, meanwhile subverting you behind the scenes. That made her incredibly dangerous. In comparison, Aeryn was selfless and loyal and wore her emotions on her sleeve. She made a perfect slave.
"Why?" Aeryn demanded, glaring at the head maid, taking several steps forward until I stopped her with a raised hand. "Why did you betray the kingdom?"
"Betray?" The woman cursed, blood starting to drip from her mouth. "It is all of you who have betrayed the kingdom, including the king himself! This devil should never become king! I was happy to help the elves assassinate you. Happy! I covered my tracks. How did you know I was involved?"
I shrugged. "It was the little things. Your tone and behavior felt off. You were quick to argue and fight with me. The guards check guests who enter the castle, so the poison could only have been brought in by someone we trusted. Although, most damning was lying about the lack of devilkin material in the library, and trying to twist my will with lies."
"Tsk… none of that warranted death!" The woman cursed. "None of that confirmed treason!"
"It was still a gamble, but it was a gamble I could afford to take. In truth, until your face revealed your hand right now, it was mostly speculation. That's why your stab wound wasn't fatal. However, now that I know the truth, it's time to end this."
"You… devil!" She spat blood, which I narrowly avoided before swinging my blade again, this time cutting through her throat.
The old woman couldn't speak after that. I simply watched as she bled to death, blood spurting all over the floor and my feet as she desperately tried to bring in air, but it was impossible. When she finally ceased to breath, I turned to Aeryn, who was still staring at me with wide-eyed shock and disbelief. Pulling out a white handkerchief, I unsuccessfully tried to wipe the blood off my blade.
"Aeryn, your first act as my maid is to clean up this mess."
That sentence had many more meanings than one. Aeryn was only starting to realize that the path I was on was covered in blood, and she'd likely be doing this kind of job more in the future. Aeryn's body shook for a moment, but she managed to stiffly nod.
"Good." I nodded. "Once you're done with the mess, then you can come to my chambers and relieve yourself. You may want to work quickly unless you want to become a necrophiliac."
Aeryn shivered a second time but nodded again. I wasn't the same person that I was before. She was only just starting to understand that. However, even back where I was originally born, I was the guy who got stuff done. That was probably why the shitty god decided to reincarnate me. I was the kind of guy who wouldn't stop until I achieved my goals.
After cleaning the blood off of me, I left Aeryn with the much messier job. I decided not to micromanage by telling her exactly how to get rid of the body. This was a kind of test too, to see how she thought and how far she could handle. By burying her old boss, it was a good start in beginning her new life with me.
"One slave down… five to go…" I muttered to myself as I finally reached my room.
Picking up my mother, who had long since fallen into complete sleep, I returned her to where I believed her quarters to be. She mumbled a few things along the way, but I was quiet and soon she was settled back in her own bed, muttering fitfully. Heading back to my room, I waited for a certain maid to come crawling in, begging for release. It was time to take a little enjoyment from this job god had assigned me.