The sound of firm, rhythmic boots echoed from the cathedral's side corridor. These weren't the dragging footsteps of someone consumed by fear like the priests earlier. These were the steps of someone accustomed to giving orders, someone who believed that the sword at their hip was the law.
I didn't turn around. I simply continued to inspect my clean fingernails while sitting comfortably on the King's throne I had just seized.
"Father! What is happening here?!"
The voice was piercing, filled with authority and rage.
A woman burst through the remains of the shattered cathedral doors. Her appearance didn't reflect the typical princess I used to see on fantasy game loading screens. There was no puffy dress or excessive jewelry. She wore a tight, navy blue military uniform with gold accents on the shoulders, highlighting her athletic curves. Her blonde hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her eyes... ah, her eyes radiated an arrogance I knew all too well.
It was the gaze of Top Tier players who felt themselves invincible.
"Princess Elena... do not come any closer!" King Alaric whimpered from the floor.
The woman, Elena, stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing the pools of blood and the severed remains of her finest knights. Her gaze shifted to me. She didn't tremble. Instead, she drew her slender rapier and pointed it directly at my throat from ten meters away.
"You... what kind of monster are you?" she hissed. "How dare you sit there after slaughtering my troops!"
I stared at her blankly. In my vision, a small system window appeared beside her head.
[Target Analysis: Elena von Solstheim]
[Level: 85 (Grandmaster Knight)]
[Condition: Extremely Arrogant, High Military Loyalty]
"Level 85?" I murmured softly. "In my old world, a level like that wouldn't even be strong enough to carry my bags."
"What did you say?!" Elena lunged.
Her speed was decent. By the standards of ordinary humans, she might be considered a genius. But to me, her movements appeared sluggish, like a video played at 0.25x speed.
I didn't move from the throne. I simply flicked my finger.
Clink!
A golden ripple opened directly in the path of her attack. A black chain with a multi-pronged spearhead—[The Chain of Gleipnir], one of my spoils from a god-hunting event—shot out and coiled around Elena's wrist.
"What—?!"
Before she could finish her sentence, I pulled the chain with a light jerk. Elena's body was dragged violently forward and slammed onto the floor right at my feet. Her prized sword was sent flying to who-knows-where.
I leaned forward, grabbing her blonde hair to force her to look up at me.
"Let go! You bastard—!"
Slap!
I struck her face with the back of my hand. Not too hard, but enough to make the corner of her lip bleed and cut her words short.
"Listen, Little General," I whispered right into her ear. "I just made a deal with your father. He gave this kingdom to me so he could stay alive. And what do you think is a king's most precious possession besides his crown?"
I brushed her reddening cheek with my cold fingertips. Elena trembled, not out of fear (not yet) but out of overflowing rage.
"I will kill you... I swear it on my honor..."
"Honor?" I chuckled. "Honor is a luxury reserved for those who have power. You? You have nothing now. You're just a piece of attractive meat in the middle of this blood-soaked cathedral."
I pulled the chain tighter, forcing her into a degrading kneeling position before my throne.
"From this day forward, you are no longer a General. You are no longer a Princess. You are my toy. You will be the 'dog' that carries my swords, that cleans my boots, and that shows me just how rotten this world is."
I glanced at King Alaric, who could only weep silently in the corner of the room.
"Your father has already handed you over to me, Elena. Right, King?"
Alaric could only nod slowly, his face a mask of ruin. Her own father's betrayal seemed to be a deadlier blow than my phantom chains. I could see the light in Elena's eyes slowly fading, replaced by pure despair.
This is what I love. Breaking someone's psyche is far more entertaining than simply reducing their HP to zero.
"Now," I stood up, still holding the chain wrapped around her neck and hands. "Lead me to where you keep the military maps and the royal artifacts. If you make a single mistake... I will make sure your father dies a very slow death before your eyes."
I yanked the chain, forcing her to crawl as she stood.
"Move, General. Lead the way."