Chapter 18

Two weeks after Melthina came to the pioneer city to visit Raidor.

Daren Galst, the commander of a thousand knights of the Zain Kingdom, arrived at the pioneer city of Raid. Behind the young general riding a horse, a thousand soldiers he commanded followed.

"Hmm... You're faster than I imagined."

Looking down at the soldiers lined up outside from atop the city wall, Raidor snorted and muttered. Even though he had been exiled, he was still a royal. Whether they intended to welcome him peacefully or forcefully, he had expected them to come better prepared.

"That just shows how desperate our country is... Prince Raidor."

Standing next to Raidor, Melthina added. The noble lady with a refined face wore a slave collar around her neck, and a thin chain hung from the metal shackle. The treatment, akin to that of a dog, was cruel for the daughter of the prime minister, but it was fitting given that she had attempted to curse a royal.

"Our country is being cornered by the empire's invasion, and there is no other way to save it... except to rely on Your Highness...!"

"Who gave you permission to speak? I don't recall giving you any such permission."

"S-Sorry...!"

Melthina's slender body jerked, and she collapsed, losing her strength. Her white skin was slightly flushed, and hot moans escaped her rose-like lips. Looking down at her former fiancée, who now appeared as if in heat, Raidor twisted his lips in a mocking smile.

"Quite a sight. I wonder what the prime minister would think if he saw you like this now."

"..."

In response to Raidor's mockery, Melthina bit her lip in frustration and looked up at her childhood friend, still crouched. Her blue eyes, which glared up at him, showed not only resentment over her unjust treatment but also a lustful desire that Raidor did not miss.

Melthina, who had failed in her attempt to bind Raidor with a curse, was captured and subjected to severe interrogation. Admitting that the curse was her own decision and not ordered by the king or the prime minister, she faced the intense questioning with a resilience that was unexpected of a noble lady.

Raidor had already decided to return to the capital and confront his unreasonable brother, the king. Therefore, he desperately needed information about the king and the prime minister.

To gather as much information as possible from Melthina, he subjected her to an interrogation that bordered on torture... but she remained tight-lipped, revealing no information.

(Though I don't like this childhood friend, I must admit that her loyalty is admirable. What kind of loyalty must she have to be raised into such a woman?)

Raidor nodded in admiration at Melthina's selfless and devoted personality. He wondered what kind of education the prime minister had given to create such an iron-willed lady. However, he did not want to return to his homeland, now enemy territory, without the information he needed.

After much deliberation, Raidor decided to entrust Melthina to Naimilia.

"Hehehe, I know all the weak points of women. I will turn this girl into a loyal dog for you to see!"

Naimilia, who said this and forcefully patted her thin chest, cast various spells on the captive noble lady.

A curse to weaken her spirit.

A curse to strip away her caution and defiance.

A curse to make her vulnerable to pain and pleasure.

And a curse to make her experience intense pleasure when speaking to or touched by Raidor.

Naimilia had cast these curses on Melthina about a week ago, and the resilient prime minister's daughter was already beginning to break.

"Human beings can resist pain, but they cannot resist pleasure or happiness. No matter how much training they have had to endure torture, this remains true."

The mere sound of Raidor's voice now triggered near-sexual pleasure in Melthina, a noble lady who had been forced to live a chaste life. The "Witch of Destruction's" curse was eroding her mind, and while her loyalty to the country had not yet disappeared, her heart was steadily turning towards Raidor. In fact, she had already revealed a significant amount of the Zain Kingdom's internal information, though not the most critical secrets.

"She is still resisting, but it's only a matter of time. Soon, she will even kill her own family for you."

Seeing Naimilia's cheerful smile, Raidor understood, "Ah, she is indeed a witch."

"Well... The knight has arrived as planned, but is he really without any hostility towards me?"

"Nn... Of course, Your Highness. The king has ordered that if you return to the capital, you should be brought back with the utmost respect... Ah!"

Melthina, given permission to speak, answered Raidor's question while her body trembled with pleasure.

"Moreover, Commander Daren Galst is a man of integrity... He will never be disrespectful to Your Highness...!"

"Hmph, that's a new story."

Raidor's face twisted into a cold smile as he looked down at the knight approaching the city gate. No matter how virtuous the man was, his loyalty to Granard, the king who had exiled him, made him an enemy in Raidor's eyes.

(I will swallow everything, consume it all, and reclaim what was taken from me. Be prepared!)

"I am Daren Galst. By the order of His Majesty the King, I have come to welcome Prince Raidor! Please open the gate!"

Unaware of Raidor's resolve, Daren raised his voice. Raidor signaled for the gate to be opened.

Unknowingly, the cavalry led by Daren entered the pioneer city with a leisurely pace, marking a turning point in the kingdom's history.

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