At night inside the master bedroom.
Su Nian lay prone on the soft velvet bed, a pillow tucked beneath her and a quilt draped over her, leaving only her small head of blonde hair exposed.
Those eyes, usually as cold as snow, were currently fixed intensely on the screen of her magic phone.
Her fair fingertips tapped rapidly across the light display.
The screen showed a tower defense game with a cute, chibi art style — [Demons Must Die].
Countless pixelated, ugly monsters of the Demon Race were baring their fangs and claws, swarming toward her magnificent base along a fixed path.
She was fully concentrated, commanding a miniature “Su Nian” hero who shared her chibi appearance and wore a Stellar Long Dress.
This mini-hero unleashed various gorgeous spells, coordinating with rows of magic towers to blast those monsters into dust.
After the tower defense game was updated to include the hero system, it had taken the entire Continent by storm.
Consequently, magic phones had become so popular they were constantly out of stock.
Watching her avatar as a hero leading human armies to crush the Demon Race felt… quite good.
“Boom — !”
“Ultimate move, summon Little Green!”
Following a magnificent Giant Dragon attack summoned by her chibi hero, the final wave of monsters was wiped out.
A line of golden text slowly emerged: [Perfect Victory].
‘Not bad, not bad. Games really are a great way to shift focus.’
Later, when that bastard tried to lay hands on her or use those lewd methods to break her will, she would play games.
She would focus all her attention on the game, detaching herself from her physical sensations.
She would use the slaughter and victory within the game to combat the humiliation and degradation of reality.
‘Perhaps… this can effectively delay, or even stop, the Affection Level from continuing to rise.’
‘Yes, that’s what I’ll do.’
Su Nian let out a long sigh of relief, finally allowing her tensed body to relax slightly.
***
From outside the door came a familiar sound.
Su Nian sighed.
It was time for today’s “welcome ceremony” again.
Every night, she was required to greet the Horned Demon Master while kneeling as he entered the room.
Fortunately, the ritual had been simplified quite a bit.
Once the Horned Demon entered and she called out “Welcome, Master,” she was soon allowed to move freely.
Having finished that shameful ritual, Su Nian mechanically placed red tea, freshly squeezed fruit juice in a crystal goblet, and a plate of exquisite desserts adorned with plump berries onto the coffee table.
Every movement was as precise as a programmed script, without a single unnecessary tremor.
After finishing, she didn’t even look at the man on the sofa.
Without a word, she turned around and walked straight back to the wide bed.
‘Hmph, I don’t want to talk to him.’
‘Who told this guy to do those things at the Magic Academy? What if we were caught?’
Su Nian sprawled back onto the bed, her weight creating a graceful curve in the soft velvet mattress.
The magic phone’s light screen hovered before her eyes, becoming the only source of light in her vision.
As long as she immersed herself in this square foot of virtual reality, she could temporarily forget the ridiculous memory of pouncing on the Horned Demon earlier.
She could forget everything she had experienced on that cold desk in the Academy office not long ago…
She could also ignore the presence of the other person in the room.
However, her self-hypnosis was short-lived.
A tall shadow silently loomed over her.
The light was blocked out, and even the air temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
Immediately after, a deep, playful voice sounded right against the shell of her ear.
A warm breath brushed against her sensitive earlobe, sending a fine tremor through her.
“Having quite a bit of fun, aren’t you, my Holy Lady?”
Su Nian’s body stiffened abruptly.
Her fingertips subconsciously gripped the silky velvet sheets beneath her, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She didn’t turn around.
She simply buried her head deeper, her long golden hair cascading down to hide her flushing face.
She was like an ostrich cornered by a hunter, using this most childish method to try and escape the dangerous beast behind her.
As Chu Tian watched her act like an ostrich refusing to face reality, a trace of a smile silently spread through his dark eyes.
‘What new trick is this little wildcat playing?’
Back at the Magic Academy during the day, he had indeed misunderstood her.
He had been too impatient.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
This little wildcat before him was haughty and as proud as a peacock; she wasn’t the type to be moved by that Third Prince, who was all show and no substance.
‘So, is she throwing a tantrum now? Is she mad that I misunderstood her, or that my punishment during the day was too much?’
‘Interesting.’
Chu Tian leaned down, moving even closer to the girl.
That aggressive masculine scent unique to him, mixed with the fresh scent of soap from a bath, overbearingly entered Su Nian’s nose and seized all her senses.
“Could it be that your Master…” His voice dropped even lower, carrying a wicked, suggestive magnetism, “… isn’t as fun as this game?”
Boom!
The words exploded in Su Nian’s mind.
Her cheeks instantly burned, a scorching heat spreading from her neck all the way to her ears.
‘What is this Horned Demon saying!’
‘To say such shameless things out loud… he really is an irredeemable pervert!’
“Don’t disturb me, I’m about to clear this level!”
Seeing the man’s hand about to touch her magic phone, Su Nian immediately rolled over, presenting her back to him.
Her voice carried a hint of a pout that she hadn’t even noticed herself.
She had decided.
She would be a bit reckless tonight.
It would be for the best if she completely annoyed this bastard!
Even if he punished her severely… it didn’t matter.
This way, she might be able to recover a bit of her hatred for him and bring that damned Affection Level back down to the negatives.
‘That’s right! I’m not afraid of the Horned Demon at all!’
She had completely figured out this man’s bottom line.
The Horned Demon Bastard would bully her and use various ways to humiliate her so she would gain a large amount of Humiliation Value, but he wouldn’t act like a true villain.
He wouldn’t trade her body for power or resources, he wouldn’t expose the privacy she actually cared about, and he wouldn’t hurt the people around her.
Since the worst-case scenario and the things she feared wouldn’t happen, what was there to be afraid of?
‘Let’s see what he can do to me!’
“How about we make a bet?”
Instead of getting angry at her ignoring him, Chu Tian’s lips curled even wider.
His smile held a smug playfulness as if he had already seen through everything.
“I bet that next, you won’t even be able to pass the easiest difficulty of this game.”
“The easiest difficulty?”
Su Nian felt as though she had heard the world’s biggest joke.
She whipped her head around and sat up on the bed, straightening her back, which was strikingly outlined by her black silk nightgown.
Her sky-blue eyes were currently filled with the pride and disdain belonging to a Saint Level powerhouse.
“Hmph, I can pass the highest difficulty with my eyes closed!”
“Then let’s do this,” Chu Tian said, extending a well-defined finger and wagging it gently in the air.
“Play the easiest difficulty once. I’ll stay beside you and interfere, and we’ll see if you can pass.”
“You name the stakes.”
Su Nian’s eyes instantly lit up.
A sharp glint flashed through her blue eyes as she quickly calculated in her mind.
‘Isn’t this just a free opportunity? Does this arrogant bastard think that verbal and physical harassment can affect the mental concentration of a Saint Level powerhouse?’
‘Simply ridiculous!’
“If I pass, what do I get?” she asked immediately, her tone full of anticipation, afraid he would back out.
“You name it.” Chu Tian looked casual, leaning lazily against the headboard as if he didn’t care what the stakes were.
“One month!” Su Nian blurted out, proposing the price she desired most.
“For the next month, I won’t have to perform that ceremony to welcome the Master!”
“Deal.”
Chu Tian agreed exceptionally quickly — so fast that Su Nian was momentarily stunned.
He paused, a certain light flickering in his dark eyes as he added, “But if you fail, tonight… you have to do exactly as I say.”
“No problem!” Su Nian agreed instantly, her voice crisp and full of confidence.
One month of freedom in exchange for one night of humiliation.
This was a fantastic deal for her!
‘Stupid Horned Demon, his brain really isn’t that sharp. To compete in schemes with me, he’s still a bit green!’
‘Hehehe…’
Su Nian was secretly delighted, already envisioning a happy life for the next month where she could escape that shameful ritual.
As for the Horned Demon’s so-called “interference,” she had prepared for the worst.
If this guy acted shameless… then she could just test her method of using the game to shift her attention and prevent her body’s Affection Level from rising.
Two birds with one stone!
Su Nian took a deep breath, pouring all her belief in victory and her desire for freedom into her fingertips.
She tapped the [Demons Must Die] icon and selected the easiest “Beginner Village” map.
The light screen brightened, and the familiar chibi “Star-Moon Saintess” appeared in the center of the screen, looking valiant.
The game officially began.
The first wave consisted of the weakest cannon fodder.
They waved crude wooden clubs, staggering along the preset path.
Su Nian’s fingertips flew across the light screen like an elegant dancer.
Basic arrow towers rose at key corners, and the mini-version of “Su Nian” waved her staff, sending beams of brilliant Holy Light precisely into the densest crowds of monsters.
Everything was smooth and pleasing to the eye.
It all seemed so easy and relaxed.
Su Nian even had the spare attention to glance at the man leaning against the headboard beside her.
He was just watching quietly, the corner of his mouth quirked in that playful smile that made her teeth itch.
He didn’t seem to have any intention of “interfering.”
‘Is he scared? Hmph, it’s too late to realize how ridiculous your boasting was!’
Su Nian’s smugness began to flare up again, and the corners of her lips curved upward uncontrollably.
However, just as the second wave of monsters spawned and she prepared to place a crucial frost tower for slowing enemies in the middle of the path…
An unexpected change occurred.
“Mmph!”
A sudden, startled gasp escaped Su Nian’s lips.
Her body jerked violently, and her fingertip slipped uncontrollably.
That frost tower, which was supposed to precisely block the path, was thrown crookedly into a useless corner at the edge of the map.
‘What is that?!’
Su Nian whipped her head around.
In her sky-blue eyes, wide with shock, was the reflection of a small object the man was holding…
It was an exquisite clip, looking like some kind of ornament.
Hanging from the end was a pink bow, and a tiny golden bell was tied to the center of the bow.