Hisha laughed at her response, getting to his feet and biting down on his bottom lip.
He looked to the ceiling while he pushed back his hair to calm his agitated soul.
Turning his attention back on her, he had a smirk. "You're feisty, and I think this thing between us could work."
Pesa narrowed her eyes and raised the corner of her lips. She wasn't going to be some weak female in front of him just because of his status and power.
"You think you have it all, don't you?!" She sneered and spat, flipping her hair back once more. "You think the others love you for you?! Think of countless that were forced into this, how can a man be this cruel?"
Hisha was taken aback by what she proposed, he already knew this fact, but hearing it from someone else who had the guts to say it to his face struck a chord.
A flash of his life in his world caused him to stagger back. He was always invisible to the specific human species called females, and he had never cared.
He was already getting used to this world thanks to HTC and Kritz, a fresh new start at possible love and being noticed.
[No! You can't be affected, remember?! Most especially by your harem!!!]
HTC warned in Hisha's thoughts, the transparent screen flashing and glowing as though reflecting its rage.
Covering half of his face with his hand, he burst out in a peal of crazed laughter. "Am I cruel?"
His green eyes involuntary glowed as he stared down at her. His suppressed anger and frustration were on the verge of blowing in her face if she said another.
Squatting back down, he held on tightly to her chin, "giving you a chance to redeem yourself is my way of being nice, do you get that?"
Pesa's eyes doubled in size as she felt his demeaning Sux seeping out and coating his body, forcing her to submission.
She lost all power to talk back and avoided his gaze like a plague.
[10 Sux exhausted]
Hisha scoffed and had a smirk at her reaction. Letting go of her chin, he clicked his tongue. "You are trying to turn me into the monster I had tried to keep at bay? If you want me to be, I could be specifically for you."
Pesa flinched at his words, this wasn't the way she wanted the conversation to stir in, with her ability gone, she felt more like the humans than her kind and she hated it.
Left with no choice, she chose to go with the only option she was given and mumbled, "I will do it."
Hisha pretended he didn't hear her words and urged her to repeat them.
'How low can you go?!' She thought with contempt and held his glare when she had seen the aura around him had dispersed.
Gritting her teeth, she knew he was trying to establish a form of dominance over her and completely subdue her.
"I will participate in the tournament." She repeated.
"How about you start by treating me as a harem should?" Hisha requested and folded his arms.
Pesa's mouth gaped open, she wasn't going to concede so easily. How could he ask that of her even though he knew her deepest intentions?
"You need to earn that, my lord." Pesa forced a smile and was satisfied with the flash of anger on Hisha's face.
If he thought he could order her around then he was as vile as she thought he was.
[She's trying to get on your nerves, host]
'Thanks for the information, HTC.' Hisha sarcastically replied.
"You would be placed in a room and on close watch until the tournament begins, you are not allowed to leave without my permission." He explained.
Raising his hand towards her, the clasps on her wrists clicked open.
Pesa broke her fall with her hands on the floor just in time. "Anything you say, my lord."
"Your abilities would only be restored to you when you need them for a duel until you fulfill your end of the bargain, other than that, you are forbidden from using your ability as it would automatically be blocked for the time. Do not try anything that might hurt you if you want to activate it." He stated coldly.
Pesa gritted her teeth, from his words it sounded as though he had thought about everything ahead of time. She was as good as powerless against him without her ability, her fighting skills obviously couldn't match up with his nor his quick reflexes.
'This wasn't what I was promised by those three!' She thought with regret, clenching her fingers, refusing to say a word.
Looking at her wrists, her eyes brimmed with tears as they began to sting more than she had realized when she was struggling. Red welts mixed with blood had formed around them.
Hiss!
She winced at the pain and strain her hands had gone through. Her hair covered part of her face as she lowered her head, but she didn't care, if that was a way of hiding her pain, she would gladly stay that way till he was done speaking with her.
Hisha paused and observed her, he could notice her body trembling slightly. He couldn't tell if he was going to regret his next actions.
Scooping her up from the floor, he adjusted her in her arms easily. "Hold onto me properly, I wouldn't want any more damage to my name because you didn't hold on as I told you to."
[Are you sure that's the only reason you're helping her?]
'Shut it, you degenerated system.' Hisha snapped in his thoughts.
[Ouch!]
Pesa let out a gasp of surprise when she swooped off her sitting position and into his arms, but did as she was told, putting her hand around his neck and holding onto him tightly.
'Is he helping me out?' Pesa wondered and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
His hand gently held onto her, pulling Pesa closer to him, and felt her body heat up from their touch. "I need to tend to your wounds, as much of a monster as you think I am, I can't be that cruel to those who are meant to be close to my heart."
Hisha wasn't required to explain why he had done what he was doing, but when she stiffened in his arm, he needed to assure her he meant no harm to her just because they had started on a bad foot.
After that, he never gave her another glance as he walked toward the door.
Pesa had wanted to speak, but smiled and leaned her head into his chest. 'Maybe he's not that bad after all.'
[Exp+2]
Hisha raised a brow at the notification and held in a laugh. 'You would have to prove yourself anyways, I won't accept this so easily.'
The door flung open as soon as he approached it.
"How about we check out your room while tending to your wounds?" He offered, looking ahead as he walked in the said direction.
Pesa knew his words weren't necessarily a question but also a statement, she was bound to be in the prepared room one way or another.
Giving a nod, she accepted her fate. If it meant she could personally see to what extent he could go in his actions, she would let it slide for the time.
'I will have my revenge another day.' She thought with a sigh, closing her eyes as she drifted to sleep.
*****
A/N
Thank you [Lucien1] & [Drai_] for your gift and [Irish_Kings] & [Sweets] for the GT.
My heartfelt appreciation to those who vote with powerstones on my book constantly or happened to devote them currently.
Do use your comments, summoning pens, gifts, votes, and golden tickets to request faster/more updates.
What are your thoughts on Pesa? Would she be worth investing time in the next chapter?
¶ Would you want to see them interact? Put an inline comment with a 'yes' if you'd like to.
Or
¶ Would you want to see Solara and Zui and the rest of the harem interact? Put an inline comment with a 'sure' if you'd like to.