Liora now sat inside a luxurious carriage, the kind only nobles or royalty could afford.
Her mistress, Lady Selarin, stared silently out the window, saying nothing.
Liora wasn't someone who trembled easily, but the woman's presence was so overwhelming, she found herself bowing her head without thinking.
In demon years, the princess was clearly the equivalent of a human in her middle-age phase But what did someone like her want with a lowly slave?
"Why so tense?" Lady Selarin finally spoke, her mesmerizing eyes turning to meet Liora's directly.
"I…" Liora hesitated, swallowing hard. She didn't know how to speak without offending the Solareign.
"There's no need to worry," she said softly, surprising Liora. Her tone was completely different from the commanding voice she'd used at the auction. One delicate finger reached out, brushing aside a strand of Liora's bangs. "I won't harm you."
Did that reassure Liora?
Absolutely not.
She wasn't about to develop Stockholm syndrome, thank you very much.
"You do realize I can sense your emotions, right?" the woman added, clearly amused.
"Oh…"
"And besides…" she paused, her eyes flashing red. "I killed everyone at the auction."
Liora fell completely silent, swallowing her shock with effort.
No wonder there was still a faint scent of blood clinging to the woman before her. Moments ago, she'd reassured her with a gentle touch, and now this? A bloodbath?
She was not beating the allegations.
"Tell me," the old woman paused, her gaze sharp. "What do you think of power?"
She was clearly testing Liora, trying to determine if this girl was a worthy purchase or just another one to discard. Compared to the other demons obsessed with power, the woman carried herself with a calm restraint. More tamed, almost resigned.
"You cannot lie to me. I see the truth."
Liora gulped, knowing the woman demanded brutal honesty. That was fine. She always had plenty of opinions.
"Power," she began, voice steady despite her disdain, "is a curse disguised as a gift. It promises control, yet enslaves those who crave it most. It breeds corruption, and in the end, consumes everything it touches."
God, people who craved power always made her cringe.
She understood them, though, some sought power because the world worshipped it, leaving them no real choice but to follow suit.
But romanticizing wrongdoing just because it looks "cool" was utterly wrong.
So many ended up on the wrong side, blinded by how glorified it seemed.
They glamorized being manipulators, villains, or outright evil.
Like, seriously, stop it, edgelord.
It doesn't make you cool. It just broadcasts your deep insecurity.
Attention seeker much?
"PPFFFT—" Selarin tried to stifle her laughter but ended up bursting out loudly. Liora flinched. What was so funny? Was she being mocked? Was she about to be killed after all?
"I… uhhh…"
"Don't worry… it's just a fresh perspective…" Selarin's expression softened more than ever.
What just happened?
***
When they arrived at Selarin's estate, the atmosphere was quiet, devoid of any visible staff or presence. The place was impeccably maintained from the polished walls and pristine tables to the carefully arranged ornaments and spotless ceiling.
Yet, perhaps due to the princess's advancing age, the estate itself seemed to carry a sense of aging too.
"Are you perhaps wondering why it's so silent?"
"Yes..." Liora nodded.
"I don't like welcoming people into my estate. Only a maid and a butler reside here. You'll meet them soon."
"Then why did you take me? What about the gold?"
"I took the gold back, my dear."
"Then why?"
"Don't misunderstand. I did it for every slave they held in that place."
So the system wasn't lying. This woman truly was eccentric, someone who defied traditions. But that didn't mean Liora could trust her. In a secluded estate like this, someone of high rank could study, or commit atrocities with no one to stop them.
"I see..."
"You're doubting me."
Liora hummed. "Yes, I am."
"Fine. I'll make myself perfectly clear," she said, stepping closer and lowering herself to Liora's eye level. "I'm taking you as my disciple."
"Again, why? I'm just a powerless human who happens to be immortal. I barely have any strength in me. It would take endless patience to draw anything out."
"Not power," the old woman said, shaking her head. "But knowledge. I was once a general, a leader of armies, but I found wisdom and knowledge. And you, immortal as you are, will live to learn far more than I ever could. Perhaps, one day, you'll help not just this Empire… but the world."
"But I don't seek anything."
"You can still save the world on your own terms. The spotlight isn't required."
"But… I'm human."
"It's rare to find a demon who shares my mindset," Selarin murmured with a tired sigh. "And you ask far too many questions... but perhaps that's part of your charm."
She gently took Liora's hand and began leading her down the long, echoing hallways of the estate.
The floors were polished to a sheen, reflecting the soft glow of crystal lamps.
Each wall they passed was adorned with ancient portraits and relics, an evidence of a rich, powerful lineage.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a towering set of double doors. Selarin pushed them open with a mere touch, and Liora gasped.
They had entered a grand library, easily the largest she had ever seen.
Countless shelves stretched upward toward a domed ceiling, where an enchanted skylight mimicked the stars.
"This..." Liora whispered. "This is incredible."