“Yes, Master.” The words slipped out of her mouth instinctively.
Su Nian froze, her entire body stiffening.
That submissive posture was one she found both alien and terrifying.
She had just been protesting and fuming with rage, yet in the blink of an eye, her body had chosen to obey this bastard’s command without a second thought.
‘What… what is wrong with me?’
Images from the previous night replayed frantically in her mind, frame by frame, so vivid they made her want to die.
During the day yesterday, she was still the Star-Moon Saintess, revered by tens of thousands as she rode atop a Giant Dragon.
With a wave of her hand, she performed miracles and healed the masses.
Yet at night… on this very bed, she had done such shameful, loathsome things.
What truly made her heart tremble was the cold notification from the System.
“Favorability: 0”
That value represented the level of emotion one would have for a total stranger on the street.
‘So… that bone-deep hatred I felt for this Horned Demon bastard who imprisoned and violated me… has it simply… vanished?’
This realization brought her more fear and despair than any physical torture could.
Su Nian’s heart was in complete disarray.
‘No! It must be the influence of those status effects and that Lover’s Prison Collar.’
Once she accumulated 100,000,000 Humiliation Value and became a god, she would clear all those negative statuses, and everything would return to move back to normal!
The favorability of her body would be reset to zero, and she would still seek her revenge against the Horned Demon.
‘Yes, it must be that!’
Su Nian could only comfort herself this way, clinging to the thought like a final drowning straw.
As for going to the Magic Academy to teach, she had intended to go anyway.
It wasn’t because she was obeying that bastard’s arrangements.
Besides, leaving Shadowmoon Manor was a good thing.
If she stayed by the Horned Demon’s side, wouldn’t she just be waiting for him to bully her?
While these thoughts swirled in her head, a large, warm hand reached out toward her beneath the covers.
Su Nian shuddered, nearly rolling her eyes into the back of her head.
‘Pervert!’
***
That afternoon.
The entrance to the Red Maple Magic Academy was bustling with people.
As soon as Su Nian appeared, dressed in her deep blue Magic Tutor robes, she was overwhelmed by a tsunami of cheers.
“Teacher Su Nian!”
“It’s Lady Star-Moon Saintess! She’s back!”
Countless young magic apprentices crowded the gates, their faces filled with fervent adoration.
They waved their arms wildly and chanted her name, welcoming the hero who had performed legendary deeds during the Demon Race Invasion.
Su Nian maintained a holy, distant smile.
The magic robes, embroidered with silver runes, made her feel as though she were playing a character that had nothing to do with her true self.
Suddenly, the cheering of the crowd came to a grinding halt.
A squad of royal guards in polished armor roughly cleared a path through the crowd, and a figure in flamboyant clothing strolled over leisurely.
“Lady Su Nian, I trust you have been well.”
Prince Elvin, the Third Prince of the Red Maple Kingdom, wore an elaborate court outfit.
With a self-important, charming smile, he issued an invitation to Su Nian in front of everyone.
“My father has prepared a grand feast in the Royal Capital. He awaits your presence, Lady Saintess, to receive your formal title.”
Su Nian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Looking at the man before her—who was all glitter on the outside but hollow within—a physical sense of disgust rose from her stomach.
She had once naively thought of using this prince, who was deemed perfect by outsiders, as a point of comparison to highlight the Horned Demon’s wickedness.
She hoped it would strengthen her resolve for revenge and suppress that uncontrollable favorability.
But the result…
The memory of Elvin’s cowardly back as he was the first to flee when the Floating Fortress fell flashed through her mind.
Compared to that overbearing, aggressive Horned Demon bastard who always bullied her until her body went soft…
That man wasn’t a good person either, but he had never retreated a single step.
If she had to judge based on favorability, and the Horned Demon was at 0, then the prince before her was likely in the negatives.
‘Actually… The Horned Demon is a bit better.’
This thought struck her like a bolt of lightning, causing her heart rate to spike out of control.
For a moment, she didn’t just remember last night; she pictured herself actively pouncing on the Horned Demon.
A scorching heat rushed to her cheeks, blooming into a breathtaking crimson blush.
“Ding! Favorability +1”
In the crowd not far away, a figure stood silently, undetectable by anyone.
Having spent 5,000,000 Annoyance Value to purchase a semi-god level invisibility spell, Chu Tian was able to see everything clearly.
He saw it.
He saw his little wildcat blushing at that oily, pampered prince.
In that instant, the fuse of possessiveness in his heart was completely ignited.
‘Very well. It seems I’ve been too kind to this little wildcat lately.’
‘She’s barely out of her cage, and she already dares to catch feelings for another man.’
‘It’s time to remind her who her Master is.’
Tonight?
No.
He couldn’t wait that long!
***
On the other side.
Su Nian decisively rejected the Third Prince’s invitation, not even bothering to give him a second glance.
She instructed the enthusiastic students not to follow her and turned to walk deep into the Academy.
She needed a place to be quiet.
The independent Magic Tower prepared for her by the Academy was her private space.
She used it to prepare for classes, rest, and conduct magic experiments.
The heavy oak door closed with a “thud”, sealing out all the noise and worship of the outside world.
Su Nian leaned her back against the cold door panel and let out a long breath, her tense nerves finally relaxing slightly.
But before she could even catch her breath, the space around her warped without warning.
A heart-palpitating pressure descended out of thin air!
That tall figure, so familiar it made her bones tremble, appeared in her office, radiating a terrifyingly low aura.
“You… how did you get here?!”
Su Nian’s voice wavered; she was completely stunned.
‘This was the Red Maple Magic Academy! How did he dare!’
Chu Tian said nothing, approaching her step by step.
She was pinned firmly against the door, with nowhere left to retreat.
A large hand suddenly gripped her petite chin, forcing her to look up.
That handsome, aggressive face was currently covered in frost, swirling with dangerous fury.
Before Su Nian could squeeze out a single word of explanation, a rough kiss, heavy with the intent of punishment, crashed down, swallowing all her gasps and protests.
The kiss was full of plunder and possession, devoid of any tenderness.
Su Nian’s mind went blank; she could only endure it passively.
A moment later, she felt her body grow light as she was swept off her feet, then heavily pressed down onto the wide, sturdy office desk.
The icy wooden surface sent a shiver through her, snapping her back to her senses.
Wait, this was her office!
She couldn’t.
“You’ve grown quite bold, blushing for another man right in front of me?” Chu Tian’s voice came from above her, cold and deep.
“Hmm?”
A simple syllable, yet it carried the weight of a collapsing mountain.
“No… I didn’t… it’s a misunderstanding!” Su Nian explained in a panic, her body shaking uncontrollably.
“A misunderstanding?” Chu Tian sneered, his grip on her chin tightening a fraction.
“Then tell me, what kind of misunderstanding?”
“I… I remembered what happened last night… that’s why… that’s why I blushed!”
In her desperation, Su Nian could only bring up the extremely shameful events of the previous night to use as a shield.
“Oh? Is that so?” Chu Tian’s tone was filled with disbelief and wicked amusement, “Then I’ll just have to test you and see if what you’re saying is true!”