Claude's eyes widened. "Really? This time, don't disappoint me, Sun. You've been at this for over seven years with nothing to show for it." His voice was laced with skepticism.
"No, My Lord! This time, they survived—two of them!" Sun's ears perked up, his tail wagging in excitement.
Claude rubbed his chin. "You sound confident."
"I am!" Sun practically panted, his breath ragged with enthusiasm.
Without hesitation, he opened a dark portal beside him.
Claude took one last glance at the corpse.
"Before we go—scatter the body in the forest. Make it look like a beast attack. Be careful with the blood; take too much, and it'll turn into poison."
Sun hesitated. "But, My Lord, we're only staying the night. Isn't it fine to just leave her?"
Claude didn't answer immediately. They stepped into the portal, emerging into a dark, damp corridor.
The sound of water dripping echoed through the stone walls, accompanied by distant, wailing cries.
Rows of cells lined the hallway—an underground prison, the heart of the Chaos Hound's domain.
Claude finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "The hypocrite church will need someone to blame for her death. I won't let an innocent take the fall."
Sun's tail stilled. He looked at his lord with admiration. "My Lord, you are truly kind. I'm lucky to serve you."
Claude scoffed. "If you feel that way, then show some gratitude by finally learning to take on a humanoid form." His tone was nonchalant as he stepped into one of the cell rooms.
Sun's ears twitched. "Ugh… That's hard, My Lord…" He muttered, following after him.
Inside the cell, a woman sat motionless on the damp floor. Her golden hair, once vibrant, was matted with filth, its luster dulled to a muddy brown.
The tattered dress clinging to her frail body was stained with sweat, dirt, and the remnants of childbirth.
Blood and amniotic fluid pooled beneath her, a stark reminder of the life she had just brought into the world.
Claris barely seemed alive, her vacant eyes staring at nothing. In her trembling arms, two newborns wailed, their cries echoing through the dimly lit chamber.
One was humanoid, with soft, dark purple hair, wolf-like ears, and a small tail curling around its body. The other was a tiny hound, its fur damp and its body weak yet full of life.
Claude smirked as he reached down and lifted the humanoid child. The baby squirmed, its tiny nose twitching as he gently poked it with his finger.
"Amazing," he mused. "So she can be a baby maker after all."
For years, Claude had been experimenting with Sun, trying to breed the perfect Chaos Hound. Moon and Star had assisted, but their lack of intelligence often slowed the process.
The difficulty lay in the opposing forces of dark and light affinity—most offspring never survived past the womb, and Chaos Hounds only mated once a year, further delaying their work.
But this time, it seemed Sun had finally succeeded.
Sun wagged his tail proudly. "It's my first time seeing a Chaos Hound born in humanoid form too! My Lord, this one might be strong—just as you wished."
Claude hummed in approval and activated Appraisal Magic.
Dark energy swirled within the humanoid child, a vortex of raw potential. Strong—stronger than even a normal Chaos Hound.
However, his excitement dimmed when he examined the other pup. Just an ordinary Chaos Hound.
"A shame," Claude murmured. "No trace of light affinity… But this one is already stronger than a normal Chaos Hound."
But then his gaze shifted to Claris. "Is she dead?"
Sun's ears twitched. "Ah… No, but she hasn't responded since giving birth."
Claude narrowed his eyes. He nudged Claris's leg with his boot. "Oi, are you still alive?"
The woman flinched at his voice. Slowly, she lifted her head, recognition flickering in her hollow gaze. Horror and hope warred within her expression.
"I… I gave birth as you ordered…" Her voice was hoarse, her lips cracked from dehydration.
"Can I… leave this place now?"
Claude tilted his head. "Don't you want to raise them?"
Claris's breath hitched. Her body trembled as she stared at the baby in her arms. And then, suddenly—she dropped it.
The infant let out a sharp, heart-wrenching cry.
Claude clenched his jaw.
"T-That's a monster!" Claris gasped, her face contorted with hysteria.
"That's not my baby!" Her sobs tore through the chamber, raw and broken.
Claude rolled his eyes. The wailing of babies, combined with the pitiful cries of a grown woman, grated on his patience.
'Well… not unexpected,' he thought. 'She was forced into this, after all.' His grip on the humanoid child tightened.
He sighed, then turned to Sun. "Do your pups need breast milk to survive?"
Sun shook his head. "No. They can eat fresh meat—carcasses if needed. They're already born with fangs."
Claude examined the humanoid baby's mouth. Unlike its sibling, it had no visible fangs.
"We only need a female human for reproduction," Sun continued. "All of our kind are born male."
Claude smirked. "Understood."
He crouched in front of Claris, the baby still cradled in his arm.
"You have two choices," he said, his tone deceptively light. He lifted the infant slightly.
"Take this."
Then, from his coat pocket, he pulled out a dagger. The steel gleamed coldly in the dim torchlight.
"Or take this."
Claris's breath hitched. Her eyes darted between the baby and the dagger.
"Y-You said I'd be free!" she cried.
Claude grinned. "Death is a form of freedom."
Whatever hope she had shattered in an instant. Her body trembled violently, her hands clawing at the damp floor as she knelt before him.
"Please," she whispered. "I just want to see the sun again… I'll do anything—just let me out of this cursed place."
"I won't tell anyone about what happened, I swear!" Her forehead pressed against the ground, her pride long abandoned.
If it was Claris in the past, it was impossible for her to do this. She was too arrogant, too prideful.
But now, this kind of thing was normal for her since this was the only way she could get clemency.
Claude sighed. "If you're looking for pity, you've come to the wrong person."
His eyes were ice-cold. "I don't pity you. I don't pity any of you—humans, holy people, all of you mean nothing to me."
Claris clenched her fists.
"Now, choose."
Her breath came in ragged gasps. Tears streaked her dirt-stained face as her trembling fingers reached for the knife—only to hesitate.
Then, in one swift motion, she snatched up the baby instead, cradling it close to her chest.
Claude smirked. "Good choice." He stood, brushing off his coat.
Sun hesitated. "My Lord, you didn't have to—"
Claude cut him off. "The humanoid pup doesn't have fangs yet. He'll need her milk to survive." His tone left no room for argument.
Turning back to Claris, he loomed over her. "Raise this child until he no longer needs you. Then, you can leave."
Her breath caught. "R-Really…?"
Claude's voice darkened. "If you ever grow to love that child, then make sure he learns to bow only to me."
"But if you choose to hate him, then keep your mouth shut and say nothing at all."
Claris flinched but nodded weakly.
Claude turned to Sun. "Make sure this domain becomes a proper environment for them to grow."
Sun perked up. "What kind of environment?"
Claude's eyes gleamed. "Recreate my old home. The scenery, the warmth—everything." His voice softened, almost nostalgic.
"Make sure they grow up healthy. Make sure they grow up happy—until they become useful to me."
Sun's tail wagged. "Understood, My Lord. I will do as you say."
Claude exhaled, stepping out of the dark cell. As he emerged into the night, the full moon bathed him in silver light.
He gazed up at the sky and smirked. "What a lovely night."