Prince of Wives

by Jason Hale

  He could now vent some of the hatred within his heart!

  He aimed his spear at Nier' heart and was about to deliver the final blow when a slow clapping sound echoed from his back.

  *Claps* *Claps* *Claps*

  Instantaneously, all the gathered individuals turned to face the clapping's origin and Nier' aside, all were mortified to see the green haired teenaged youth standing with his back leaning against a tree.

  "You? What the hell are you doing here? How come we didn't see you before?"

  Toward Koloman's stupor, Konnor replied with a mild laugh.

  "Haha, I'm afraid someone of your level can only see me if I allow him to."

  He took a step forward and appeared by Nier' side.

  "You? Alas…"

  At first, when she heard the clapping sound, Nier had expected the sight of her elder brother, or at least someone able to bring the news back to him. But seeing that the interruption came from Konnor, she lost all hope in survival.

  With his cultivation level, there was no way he could reverse the situation.

  "Heaven is really helping me today. Go, kill them both!"

  Koloman roared, causing his teammates to pounce onto Konnor with weapons drawn.

  However, Konnor remained undaunted.

  "Helping you? Tss, tss, I'd say I don't know how many times you have been cursed by heaven to come across me at this critical moment.

  Third Circle Spell: Judgment Lotus."

  Konnor lifted his palm, causing three white-violet circles to appear around him.

  A violet lotus rose from his palm, it bloomed, releasing dazzling rays of white light that spread across a hundred-meter radius.

  "AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

  The five assailants howled as their eyes burned into nothingness and life left their collapsing bodies.

  Chapter 57 - My Intentions Are Pure!

  Konnor made sure to focus his spell's offensive power on the five to avoid harming either Nier or Koloman.

  "A mid-grade Third Circle Spell? This…how could it be?"

  Koloman staggered and fell on his rear. Although he possessed no affinity for magic, as a nobleman of a duke's house. He was well versed on the topic. Using a spell whose level surpassed the caster's cultivation was in theory not impossible, but the results were often disastrous.

  Spells first drained the mind, and when it didn't have enough to offer, they siphoned the body, sucking as much life force as necessary to power the circles.

  Konnor's spiritual cultivation was only at the Grand Priest Rank. To use a third circle spell of the lowest grade should at best cause him to cripple himself and at worse to die from exhausting his lifeforce.

  However, he was safe and sound.

  To say nothing of Koloman, even Nier, a spiritual cultivator, had a hard time comprehending the current scene.

  "Unless…his physique is powerful enough to completely ignore the strain. But how could that be?"

  Konnor paid no heed to their stupor and shifted his attention back onto Nier.

  "Apologies."

  Before she could register his voice, he struck the middle of her forehead with his index, causing a stream of spiritual energy to infiltrate her mind and knock her out.

  His eyes then fell back on Koloman.

  "Do you want to live?"

  Those five words restored the gravity of the situation within Koloman's mind.

  Sweat quickly spread on his forehead while his limbs trembled, and his eyes widened from fright.

  "I already told you, I don't like repeating myself."

  "Yes, yes I want to live! Please spare me!"

  Konnor's lips curled into a radiant smile.

  "That will depend on your performance. My offer is simple. Your freedom in exchange for your life."

  The pentagrams and demonic glyphs of the Master-Servant contract flew into the air, carrying with them clear demonic energy signature. Sensing it, Koloman almost soiled his pants.

  "Demonic…demonic energy…you are…of demonic blood. The Divine Lords have mercy on me."

  "Hahaha, mercy is in short supply. Only my will can save you.

  If you choose to willingly sign a contract of eternal servitude, I can spare your life and take you as my servant. That is your only road to survival."

  Konnor's nonchalant stance and indifferent tone further oppressed Koloman who didn't doubt his desire to behead him.

  Instinctively, he crawled toward Konnor's feet and kowtowed, keeping his face firmly pressed against the ground in a show of deference.

  "I…just want to live. Whatever you want from me, I will give without a second thought."

  His lips quivered, fear coating his every word. In the face of death, there was no trace of dignity left within his body.

  Seeing his pathetic display, Konnor sneered.

  "Tss, tss, tss. Where is the might and arrogance with which you portrayed yourself? What about the dignity of an Uradel noble? You won't even try to resist?"

  If his words caused discomfort within Koloman's heart, he showed none of it.

  "I won't take the chance. To be dignified, you first need to breathe. All is smoke and ashes once you're dead. And I cannot die…at least not until I slake my thirst for von Juras blood."

  The hatred within the last words was as clear as a waterfall.

  "Very well then, let's sign the contract."

  The words were spoken, the pledges made, and the Master-Servant contract established.

  "Now, I will not take your life, but considering that you've humiliated my woman in the past and harassed her in the present, you can't escape punishment.

  Castrate yourself, remove everything and scram. When I need you, I will let you know."

  Koloman's eyes widened in disbelief. The thought of losing his manhood filled him with dread. However, Konnor's words echoed like divine commands he couldn't resist. He summoned an energy dagger and sliced off both his balls and rod.

  "AAAAAAARGH!"

  Blood gushed from his groins and his scream pierced the sky. Without another word, Koloman dragged his bloodied, emasculated body and left.

  "Why not just kill him?"

  The System's voice echoed within Konnor's mind.

  "Dead he serves no purpose. Alive, the possibilities are many. Since I can make us of him, why waste his worth? Planting a spy within a duke's house is not easy.

  Moreover, dying is simple. It is living that is difficult. Fret not, I have plenty of hardships in stores for him."

  "You truly are a demon."

  "Naturally."

  Konnor placed Nier on his shoulder and left for a more secluded location.

  ...

  Nier woke up to the sight of Konnor half-kneeling by her side. His face stood dangerously close, and his lips almost brushed hers.

  "What are you doing?"

  She yelped and tried to step away but realized she was far too weak to make a move.

  "Relax, I'm just admiring beauty."

  His serious tone and lack of apparent ulterior motive caused Nier to blink for a few seconds.

  "You're admiring a man's beauty? I didn't think you'd swing that way."

  Konnor lightly chuckled and shook his head from left to right.

  "Shouldn't you first thank me for saving your life?"

  "Humph! If it wasn't for those despicable worms using my fight with a Monstrous Beast to sneak-attack me, I could have butchered them in less than ten moves!"

  Nier snorted, but seeing the skepticism within Konnor's eyes, she was outraged.

  "What? You don't believe me? Let's fight! Today I must show you my might!"

  She tried to stand up, only to fall back on her butt due to her wounds and current weakness.

  "Ouch! Why didn't you stop me? When the ill try to stand, shouldn't you as the caretaker coax and keep them down? Useless…"

  She complained while rubbing her sore butt.

  Konnor was speechless.

  "Hum, hum. In any case, I must thank you for s
aving me. Your merits are not small, you just saved the Holy Flame Empire's number one treasure. Don't worry, when we return to the outside, I will ask my father to properly reward you!"

  "Brat-Prince."

  Konnor didn't know what to say and thus, spoke the first few words that crossed his mind. It had been a long time since he came across someone who thought so highly of themselves!

  Wasn't this the perfect example of a spoiled brat?

  "What did you say? By the way, aren't you the one that knocked me out? Also, what did you do with the bastard serpent?"

  Konnor ignored the questions and turned his attention to the severely wounded left thigh.

  Without warning, he tore off the fabric around the wounded part and lifted Nier' leg.

  "What are you doing?"

  Confusion flashed within her eyes as she saw his face approach increasingly closer to her wounded thigh.

  "Healing you. Don't worry, it's not going to hurt."

  Without another word, Konnor planted a kiss on the wounded part of Nier' thigh.

  "What the hell? Damn sexual deviant let go of…"

  But before Nier could finish her complaint, pink mist spread from Konnor's lips and dived into her wound. A gentle, soothing force spread through her body and warmed her from the inside.

  "Ahh…that feels good…really good. Don't stop…"

  The Flesh Healing Kiss was one of the rewards Konnor obtained from the system and allowed him to heal external wounds with a kiss.

  The kiss carried on for a minute before the wound fully healed, and Konnor retracted his lips.

  "Wait…why did you stop?"

  "You're healed."

  "Are you sure about that? I can swear I still feel sore. You should double check."

  Nier waved her leg at Konnor's face with doe eyes, causing his lips to curl into a mischievous smile.

  "Don't worry. We still have your chest wound to deal with. Let's focus on that first."

  Instantaneously, Nier snapped out of her little delusions. And wrapped her arms around her chest in a defensive stance.

  "No need. It can't be that serious. I'm sure I will recover with some rest…yes."

  Her silver doe eyes seemed terrified at the notion of him seeing her chest.

  "How could that be? You've been seriously wounded and might die from blood loss if left untreated. Who knows, maybe there is even poison in the wound. We need to make sure all eventualities are checked.

  In any case, we're both men. What are you afraid of?"

  However, the wicked smile plastered on his face made his words sound untrustworthy and filled her doe eyes with fright.

  "It's exactly because we're both men. You seem to have…unique tendencies…"

  "Don't worry, my intentions are pure."

  "Why can't I believe you?

  With one hand, Konnor grabbed Nier two wrists and forced them against the tree at her back, then grabbed her collar with his free hand.

  "The situation is urgent, sorry but I must offend you."

  "Anselm Kracht, don't you dare!"

  She struggled but to no avails. With his one free hand, Konnor pulled her robe all the way down to her waist, revealing her wounded, bandaged chest that hid two small mounds.

  "No wonder you're so shy. The goods really do need some buffing. But don't worry, I've never determined a woman's value based on her chest."

  Nier tightly clenched her teeth and exploded in an outburst of rage.

  "Son of a bitch! You are small! Your ancestors are small! All the men in your family are small! How dare you make fun of me?!"

  Right now, she no longer cared about her identity being exposed and instead focused on fighting for her dignity!

  Alas, Konnor's next words rendered her speechless.

  "Why are you so sure? Wanna check?"

  Deep-seated confidence shone within his eyes as he stared into hers.

  "You…said what?"

  She trembled, flustered and unsure of having heard him right.

  "I can let you check the size if you want. Don't worry, my intentions are pure. It's just to make sure you get your facts right and to make us even."

  Chapter 58 - You Make Me Feel Like Lamb

  Although she posed as a prince and acted in a brash and arrogant manner, Nier was after all a sheltered teenaged princess with little experience of the world. Konnor's retort took her by surprise, her cheeks were flushed red, and she didn't know what to say.

  So she did the only thing she thought sensible in such a situation.

  "Help! Help! I'm being harassed by a lecher! Help!"

  She cried for help.

  "Are you that eager to reveal your assets to the world?"

  Konnor's words brought her back to earth, reminding her that getting help in the current situation wasn't such a good idea.

  "Hum…okay, I will trust you…but please don't take too much advantage of me. Also, stop bullying me…"

  Once again, Konnor was speechless. Where was the military discipline and might that girl initially displayed? Was it just a decoy? Or did getting exposed force out the "dainty lady" side of her?

  "Alright, I promise not to take too much advantage of you."

  "Promise?"

  "Promise."

  "Ok…"

  Nier' struggle ended, and she closed her eyes to wait for the impending "offense."

  Seeing her body tense up, Konnor couldn't help but let out a mild chuckle.

  "Why are you laughing?"

  "Nothing, I just find you very cute."

  He then unstrapped the cloth covering her chest and placed a soft kiss above her right breast where the wound resided. The same soothing force spread from his lips, causing tingling warmth to tease Nier from the inside.

  "Anh…damn, why does it have to feel so good?"

  She writhed against the tree, fighting the growing urge to press him harder against her chest as her heart furiously beat against his lips.

  But when she was finally unable to resist, Konnor's lips left her breast, ending the magic, and causing a sense of loss and emptiness to fill her belly.

  "Why is your work so fast? Can't you learn to take your time and not end things prematurely?"

  "You're healed. What else do you want me to do? It's starting to feel like you're the one taking advantage of me and not the other way around."

  He shrugged while wiping off the blood from his lips, and intensifying her shame.

  "Hum, hum. Stop tooting your own horn. Who wants to take advantage of you? I was just…hum…confused for a bit."

  She tied the cloth around her chest, fixed her robe, and after making sure her two wounds no longer had any issue, stood up.

  "Thank you again for all your help. If there is something I can do to repay you, I won't hesitate."

  Her serious, straightforward tone left no room for doubt.

  "Koloman is still alive. If you want to do something for me, don't report him to anyone. Your family included."

  Confusion flashed within her eyes.

  "Why not kill him? If you don't get rid of him today, he will bite you with twice the might tomorrow!"

  "Don't worry. I have other plans for him. Just do me this favor, alright?"

  Konnor had risen from the ground to stand at her front. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her feel oppressed.

  Subconsciously, she took three steps backward.

  "Alright, alright. Just stop staring at me like that…"

  "Like what?"

  "Like a wolf…you make me feel like a lamb…"

  What an honest reply. Hearing it, Konnor couldn't help but flash a wolfish grin and stride toward her.

  As he advanced, she retroceded, until her back pressed the tree and he cornered her with his arms. Anxiety filled her in a heartbeat.

  "What…what are you doing?"

  She stammered. Konnor's face drew increasingly closer to hers while his arms and proximity left her little room for escape.