Tales of a Seductress

TOAD – Chapter 58

TOAD – Chapter 58

Since Oberon had come to escort me somewhere, I would naturally follow him. He didn’t take me particularly far. After making a gesture for the guards to wait at the door, he opened a large set of doors and stepped aside for me to enter. I gave him an elegant curtesy befitting a king and then walked into the room. I tempered my arousal to the best of my ability. It would have been nice if he was taking me someplace to have sex, but I could only be so hopeful. He had already shown me that intercourse wasn’t in our near future.

It only took a single glance before I knew where he had taken me. Whether it was the sight of rows of books, the smell of paper and ink, or the seemingly quiet atmosphere, this was undoubtedly a library. He closed the doors, sealing us off alone. He probably hadn’t brought me here to have some librarian roleplay, so I remained silent as I waited for him to speak.

“Well?” He asked, gesturing to the place around him.

“Yes?” I responded.

“What do you think?” He sounded slightly annoyed.

“It’s a library.”

“Yes, I’ve done some inquiry into your past. I’ve been told that you enjoy libraries.”

At first, I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but that’s when I remembered my time in Nidia. I had spent quite a lot of time in a library. That had a lot to do with me having just arrived in this world and feeling desperate for information. I had used the king’s library and played with the king too. It had all been about gaining an advantage and making sure I survived in this harsh world. As a college student, it wasn’t like I was averse to reading, but outside of a royal setting, books were rather rare.

That’s when I realized why he was looking at me so expectantly. Even after a year of living in this world, I still had the common sense of a person from my world. Every city had a library three times the size of this one. To me, this wasn’t that impressive of a sight. We had printers and could pump out copies of just about any book ad nauseam. Meanwhile, this collection of books was probably mostly hand-scribed. Each book was a small treasure, and having them all together like this exhibited an enormous wealth.

This library was larger than the one in Nidia and considering this was just the demon king’s mansion, and not even a part of his palace, it showed the enormous wealth and status it’d take to create such a thing. Thinking I enjoyed books, he was more or less gifting me with this library. He was pulling a Beauty and the Beast on me, to say the least.

“I don’t know what to say...” I put my hand to my chest, using my full range of deception to appear speechless and enamored.

“Hmm...” He grunted; the sudden change in my expression must have given him doubts. “I had as many books imported here in the last three days as I could manage so that you could feel comfortable.”

This library wasn’t here already? He had it made? That was something else. Maybe he wasn’t as big of a dead fish as I had thought. Perhaps there was still hope for romance from this hard man.

“If you wanted to make me wet, you could have just slid your hand up my skirt,” I answered moving to touch him.

“Grr... always with such thoughts. Is your mind nothing but filth?” He replied angrily, avoiding my touch and turning away. “The library isn’t purely a gift. It comes with stipulations.”

“And those are?” I asked innocently, a small smile on my face.

“You have three days to act the part of a presentable lady. In three days, I will bring you before the council and announce the wedding.”

“Is that all?” I asked incredulously. “I could go now. I think you’ll find I’m a very good actress.”

“I have no doubt, but that is not what I mean.” He exhaled loudly. “In this mansion, you are relatively safe, but out there, there are more than just assassins to worry about. As my queen, you will be pulled into the political intrigue of the demon world. Many crafty young lords and ladies will seek to use and exploit you. This is something I can’t allow. You cannot become a weakness for me.”

“I’ve dealt with political intrigue before...”

He snorted. “Yes, I’ve heard. You were tricked into embarrassing yourself, publicly embarrassed the royal family, was turned into a human sacrifice, and then caused the entire country to collapse.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. When he said it like that, it sounded like I had done a bad job.

“Don’t place a snake into a cage with rats and be surprised about what she eats.”

He looked me in the eyes for a few moments and then sighed. “I’m... sorry...”

“Oh?”

“In truth, I’m already well aware of your condition. I hadn’t realized how... difficult a situation your current disposition has put you in. Perhaps I’m the only one who can truly understand what you are going through.”

“How is that?”

“We are both pinnacles of our species. It is a problem with our very makeup. Human beings were never intended to hold as much mana as those of us at the higher levels. Our very existences place pressure on this world that makes it hard to withstand. This is why even simple things like procreation become more difficult the higher your level becomes. The only way to even speak with commoners is by forcibly restraining ourselves.”

I slowly dropped my arms, feeling like his words were at least trying to be sympathetic. “You’re not wrong.”

He stared at me, seemingly in thought for a few moments, before snapping his finger. The door opened, and the Truthsayer walked in. I watched as the demon lord turned to him. The other man bowed, holding something up that I couldn’t see in front of the demon lord’s broad backside. Oberon took the item, and after shooting me a quick look, the Truthsayer retreated from the room.

“Do not think that I haven’t considered your presence from the moment I proposed to you. I may be a busy man, but you have been at the forefront of my mind. Since your arrival, I have been considering ways we might be able to contain...” He turned around a looked at me for wincing. “You...”

I noticed that he was holding what looked to be another choker in his hands, and narrowed my eyes. “Another restraint?”

“You may consider it an opportunity. You should not wear it all the time, as it can become dangerous. You are not required to wear this one, but I believe it may help.”

I frowned as he offered me the choker, cautiously taking it and swiping it. I immediately used Examine to look it over.

{Necklace of Numbness – Removes tactile sensation.}

“Tactile sensation?”

“After some analysis, I’ve concluded that your body is extremely sensitive. You become easily aroused because even the slightest breezes can stimulate you. Even feelings of pain end up becoming pleasure for you, so it’s like you’re being sexually stimulated constantly.”

“That’s true...”

“Then, this necklace will remove your ability to feel anything. I say it’s dangerous because any injury you received you wouldn’t be able to feel. It also can become addictive. People who get used to feeling nothing find the mere act of sensation to be painful. However, given your high regeneration ability and the fact all pain is converted to pleasure, then I believe you might be uniquely suited for this item.”

“I see...”

“At the least, it would allow you to get by for longer periods, and to think more clearly in normal situations. This is the best I can provide you for now.”

“Then... I will take it.”

Although I was willing to use it, it did leave me with an itchy feeling on the inside. I had already survived in this world by becoming emotionally numb. I could barely feel happiness, anger, or joy anymore. Every emotion was a mere fabrication of my deception. Now, I was going to become physically numb. I’d feel nothing on the inside, and nothing on the outside. Could I even call myself human at that point?

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