"You've got guts, lord…" Pain said while wearing a maid uniform. "I know that I swore to serve you, but this… Isn't it a bit degrading?" We all were standing in a high end clothing store in one of the bigger cities of the Zagria kingdom. Since the cat girls only had the ill fitting outfits that once belonged to Diana and the dragon girls were far too voluptuous to fit in them entirely and were wearing robes, I decided to treat them to something new.
"It's either this, or going but naked." I responded. "Now choose." Pain thought for a second and began undressing. "I changed my mind, the maid outfit is mandatory." I stopped her. "Having you nude might bring me some problems in the future."
"Then, can I just pick out my own clothing?"
"No offence, but your choice in clothing is far more provocative than just having you nude."
"This isn't fair! Hey, Alfa, help me out here, won't you?"
"I have no qualms with this outfit." Alpha answered, wearing a maid uniform.
"Still, having a 'Greater dragon' dressed in this… Why does it have to be this in the first place? Couldn't you have just chosen something else suitable?" Pain addressed me. "Besides, the Beast girls got to choose their own clothing."
"Why the maid outfit? I just wanted to torture you two a bit. Elizabeth and Lilia have no issues in wearing clothes like this, but you two - mighty and powerful 'Greater dragons'... I wish to see you suffer the humiliation." I smiled. "It's a shame that Alpha is taking it so well though…"
"So all of this is just for your sick pleasure? I expected more from 'Lord Wrath's successor'..."
"I've told you that I dislike 'Dragons', so it's a given that I'd torture you for fun. I hope that you learn quickly, because it's not just the outfits. From now on you two are going to become proper maids. I hope that the experience is as unbearable as I think." I was so looking forward to seeing that.
"But… But that's…" Pain protested.
"No ifs or buts, just blind obedience, am I clear?"
"...Yes."
Elizabeth, who was browsing for clothing with Lilia, approached. "What is it, have you found something that's over the budget?" I asked.
"No, it's just that I overheard your talk." She looked worried. "Is it true that they are… "She looked at the 'Dragon' girls. "Is it true that those two are real 'Dragons'?"
"And what if they are?"
"It's nothing… I know that you said that they are here to protect me and my sister, but…" She looked at them, got closer to me and whispered. "Are they trustworthy?"
"One is too scared to disobey, the other is too grateful to disobey. In other words, those two are as tame as puppies." I answered.
"Scared? Scared of you? Just who are you?"
"Who else but the god of destruction himself…"
Elizabeth chuckled. "I never took you for a jokester, I almost believed that those two are actually 'Dragons' in disguise."
"They are and I am."
"I'm sure that they are powerful, seeing just how powerful you are, but calling them 'Dragons' is a bit much, isn't it? If someone other than me heard that, a mass panic would spread."
"I'm not joking, those two are really…"
"Yes, of course, if you say so…" Elizabeth smiled.
This girl deserves a punishment for ignoring my words. I waved the owner over. "I'll take everything that fits her." I gestured to Elizabeth.
"Yes, of course, sir."
"Wait, no! Sir Adam, that's too much, I could never accept!" Elizabeth cried.
"This is your punishment."
While Elizabeth was frantically trying to stop the merchant from packing half the store, Alpha approached. "I might have been in seclusion for centuries, but I don't think that this is how you're supposed to punish someone."
"Through my short life I've noticed that different kinds of people react to different types of torture differently and started implementing the right methods for the right people. Elizabeth is someone that can endure anything for the ones she cares about, but can't take anything from them in return. She also has this complex of being lower than the rest and not deserving anything, she feels that everything that she gets is wasted on her. If I ever need to punish her, or if I ever just want to have fun, I simply spend exorbitant amounts on her and watch her brain struggle to compute.
"I don't know if this is cruelty or disguised care…"
"I care for no one and nothing, but myself and my fun. There's nothing else to it."
"Says the man that went to the effort of subjugating two 'Greater dragons' in order to protect someone."
"To protect my own fun. Don't read into it. Anyway, We have everything, let's pounce." I went to the counter to pay, it amounted to 3000 gold in total, human tax probably making up half of it. "You, girls, hungry?" I asked.
"Yes!"
"I could eat."
"Affirmative."
"3-3000 gold…"
"Good, let's go."
_________________________________________________________________________
The five of us sat in a fine inn in the upper side of town. As usual, the food that the cat girls ordered came out faster than mine and the 'Dragons'' and I was getting sick of this treatment. If not for my fascination with the beast men, I would have left long ago.
The cat girls were polite and waited for an hour or so until the rest of our food arrived, but, even then, Elizabeth wasn't really eating, just pushing her food around in her plate. She was fairly quiet ever since the shopping spree in the afternoon and I was starting to feel that I had pushed her a bit too far with this one.
"Why aren't you eating?" I asked.
She lifted her eyes "Why did you buy all those clothes for me?"
"because I wanted to and I had the means to do so, those two are the only requirements that I adhere to. Is there a problem with how I spend my money?"
"It's just… Why me? Why would you spend it on someone like me? Why would you get me bodyguards? Why would you treat me so well? Why aren't you asking for anything in return?" She started tearing up.
I smiled. "I don't ask, if I want something, I take it. As for you, watching you and having you close is all that I need. It amuses me to bully someone as pure and innocent as you to no end and when you have as much money and power as me, this trade is still in my favor."
"Still, this is…"
"Just indulge me, take everything that I buy you for my sake, for my fun and we will be even."
"... I'm a bit tired, please excuse me to my room." Elizabeth said, stood up and rushed to the second floor."
"Sister, wait!" Lilia took a few more bites and rushed after.
"Is this still fun for you?" Alpha asked.
"You know, I don't appreciate your condescending tone. Do I have to remind you of your place?"
"There's no need to worry…" Pain interjected. "Elizabeth is confused, not sad or angry. She went up because she needed to get her thoughts in order."
"Right… I forgot that you can read minds, do you do it naturally or is there effort required?" I asked.
"Depends, I can feel strong emotions naturally, but have to concentrate and actually try to peer into dreams, influence them or read minds." She stopped for a second. "For example, you feel relieved that Elizabeth isn't sad or angry at you, lord. Now you're thinking that it's a good thing that you build a mental barrier in your head and that I can't read your thoughts." She smiled. "Yes, such a flimsy barrier is nothing to me. This is revenge for this outfit."
"First of all, I don't care about her, second of all, fuck you! Black magic is tough to control." I retorted and got up. "Anyway, I'm going to get some shut eye as well, cya."
"I can tell that you're lying, you're thinking about erecting a tougher barrier around your mind and about talking with…"
"Okay, okay, just shut up already!" I interrupted.
"You should sit down and give her some space for tonight. She'll talk with you tomorrow, trust me, lord."
"And what do you know, Alpha? Are you 'Dragons' love experts or are you killing machines? Just stay out of it."
"She likes you, there's no doubt about it, it hasn't been long since we met, but I can tell that much. It's normal for lovers to fight, don't worry, you two are going to make up soon enough, but right now, it's better to let her be." Alpha declared.
"Congrads, genius, you weren't even able to deduce that the two of us aren't a thing but you still dare to give me romantic advice?"
"You two aren't together? Really?" Pain asked. "From reading your minds and feeling your emotions, I thought that the two of you were definitely dating. Why though? She obviously likes you and you like her, so why?"
"I have my reasons to stay away and I'd appreciate you not digging for answers in my head."
"Is your little friend incapable? Was that the reason you took out your frustration on me?"
"I see I haven't beaten you enough… Let's step outside for a bit, shall we?" My mask was covering my irritated face, but my voice was still carrying it.
"You know there are ways to fix it, right? Alpha can work her magic on you and you'll be as good as new."
"Look, my dick is fine, can we stop talking about it and just go to sleep already?" I sighed. "I'll give her space." I stood up again and went to my room."
_________________________________________________________________________
Alpha
"Well?"
"Well what?" Pain played innocent.
"I know you looked it up, what's up with 'Lord Wrath's successor'?"
She laughed. "He thinks that he's cursed or something, he thinks that Elizabeth will die if he gets close to her. That's what happened to everyone else."
"Ridiculous, curses don't exist in this world, so he can't be cursed."
"Here's the fun part, our master isn't from this world."
"What do you mean?" I was intrigued. "How can someone be from another world?"
"He was summoned here from another world by 'Lady Love' herself to save this world.
"That man saving the world?"
"I know, right? Hilarious!"
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