The stable was damp, smelling of old wood and wet leather, with the sounds of horses breathing in the distance.
The alchemist was bound to a thick post, her arms tightly pulled behind her back, her body leaning slightly forward because of the restraints, and her white hair falling to one side of her face, sticking to her cheek from sweat.
One of the guards looked at her slowly from head to toe, a crooked smile on his face:
"Strange woman from the start."
The second chuckled lightly:
"Yes… an old woman with the appearance of a young one, and on top of that, she doesn't mingle with men… suspiciously alluring."
The first tilted his head slightly, glanced at her lips, then at her chest pressed by the restraints, and muttered:
"Since she's tied up… maybe I should try her."
He began unbuckling his pants, his eyes never leaving her tense body.
But a cold voice cut through the air:
"No one touches her… not until we catch Garon's brother."
They turned to see Iron standing at the door, his shoulder resting on the frame, his eyes narrowed with a gleam of possession.
The first guard said defiantly:
"And what's your business? You came days ago and now you're giving orders?"
But the second placed his hand on his chest, pushing him away:
"Leave him be, there's no use in trouble now… the wolf raid is near, and we don't need losses."
They withdrew slowly, the stable door closing behind them.
Iron's footsteps began approaching, each tap of his shoe on the wooden floor sounding slower than the last.
He stood before her, his eyes scanning her as if testing every inch—from the tense shoulder to the bound waist—then bent slightly, his hand touching the post near her face.
"I never imagined you like this…" he said softly, his warm breath on her cheek, "…helpless, and bound… after all your claims of strength."
She tried to turn her face, but his closeness made her feel a strange heat in her chest, and something heavy in her stomach.
"You think you've won?" she said sharply, but her eyes didn't meet his for more than a second.
He smiled, letting his gaze slowly drop to her lips, then to the curve of her neck, before returning to her eyes:
"I don't think… I know."
Her fingers, tied behind her back, trembled despite herself.
"What exactly are you planning?"
He came closer until she almost felt the edges of his body touch her, whispering in her ear in a tone filled with a hidden promise:
"Don't worry… you'll find out soon."
Then he smiled as he stepped back slightly, but his eyes stayed fixed on her:
"And you'll thank me… on top of that."
The stable returned to silence after the guards left, except for the sounds of the alchemist's heavy breaths as she stared at Iron in silent hatred.
But before he said anything…
Ding!
[Side Quest: Breaking the Taboo of Pleasure – Stage Two Completed]
"Loyalty by Mouth" successfully executed.
Rewards:
Obtained: Devil's Contract – allows you to sign a contract with anyone under specific terms.
Iron blinked slowly, then left a ghost of a smile on his lips:
"…Devil's Contract, and the Third Eye of the Libertine… impressive."
Then he laughed lightly with sarcasm, but suddenly cursed loudly:
"Damn! I could've fucked this alchemist while she was bound… that would've been a damn thrilling scene!"
He looked at her for a second, from head to toe, then sighed:
"And why the hell did I have to play the cold villain in front of them? Ughhh… it would've been fun if we were three against one, that would've been a historic night."
He daydreamed a little, his eyes half-closed as if reimagining the scene with perverse touches, then smiled to himself like a little madman before shaking his head and returning to his usual expression:
"Ah… Iron, you dog, focus. Not much left… just a little more, I have to keep playing this role. This world is merciless… and you know how to deal with monsters while smiling."
He clenched his fist hard until the cracking of his joints was heard, then relaxed it into his pocket.
He recalled the moment before all this… just hours ago, he was sitting with Garon's brother, that fool whose name he still didn't remember, but the kind who survives… just like Iron exactly.
He sat across from him, took a cold sip of wine before saying:
"The alchemist? She's deceiving you, just like she deceives everyone. You better disappear from here… tonight."
But before standing, he pulled a small bottle from his pocket and handed it to him:
"Take this… visit her before you run. Put it on the shelf without being noticed. Don't ask… just do it."
The fool agreed immediately, no questions, no hesitation.
God… I love this kind of fools, they shorten the road for me.
Iron smiled remembering the scene, then looked at the moon above him now:
"You know what's funny? I didn't even bother to memorize his brother's name… yet here she is, bound with the animals while he's free."
The night was heavy as he walked on the dirt road outside the village, his steps slow but his mind boiling.
He opened the mental system window, returning his gaze to the latest reward:
[Devil's Contract] – Activated
Note: This contract is not for the weak. It is like a slavery contract… you are the master, and the other is a slave until death. But with special conditions that may turn against you.
Iron stopped walking, his eyes fixed on the words as if they were a sentence written especially for him.
For the first time in his life, it occurred to him that this might be… a bond.
Not the bond of the scum he was used to, where he was always the weaker party, but a bond where he is the master… the final word is his, and the other party has nothing but obedience.
He smiled slowly, his lips curling into a small curve carrying a hint of ecstasy:
"Master… this time I'm the one holding the reins."
Then his eyes tilted, and a more cunning thought slipped into his mind:
"Or maybe… I'll use it on Zara. Oh, imagine my princess how you'll look kneeling to me… willingly."
He let out a short laugh, continued walking as if the road had become lighter under his feet, but that thought kept circling in his head like a nasty song that never stops.
Alright, I'll continue for you in the same tone:
As if the song suddenly stopped, silence returned in his mind, and a cold feeling crept into his chest.
Damn… the semen mission from the barren man… I completely forgot. And worse? The only man who can complete it… is the very one who poisoned him with his own hands.
Yet Iron's mind started calculating the possibilities:
"Well… as long as Garon is in a pitiful state, I have to hurry before he wakes up or dies… whichever comes first."
But he suddenly remembered something else, his eyes lit up as if recalling a favorite meal:
"And the best part remains… fucking Selena and completing the taboo pleasure mission."
He stopped in the middle of the road, clenched his fist tightly, raised it to the sky, then suddenly… a hot tear rolled down his cheek.
"I can't believe it… finally I'm going to lose my virginity!"
He let out a half-hysterical, half-choked laugh, then wiped his face with his hand:
"I'm excited… and scared… scared as hell!"
He looked around to make sure no one could hear him, then continued in a low but charged voice:
"Imagine… Iron the Great, who laughs in the face of death, trembling because he's about to put his dick into something real for the first time… what a damn honor!"
Then he bit his lower lip and continued in a deeper voice, as if savoring the words:
"Selena… you beautiful hellish piece… I'll make you curse the day you thanked me."
He laughed to himself, but his laughter suddenly died, and his gaze returned to the task list:
"Barren man… Selena… seven days… wolf raid… and a new slave under the Devil's Contract."
He let out a long breath, then said with a crooked smile as he kept walking:
"This week's plan: steal the semen, fuck the wife, kill or save the husband… in the order that amuses me most."