Chapter 14: The Tournament For Power- Part 1
⚠️Warning 18+ scene⚠️
Kuro stirred as he felt someone poking his cheek. He gorgily woke up as he sat up, his eyes widened to see his lady snuggling against his chest.
"Um shiori-sama? What are you doing?" He questions looking bewildered.
"You've been such a good boy, I thought I'd give you a little reward" she smirked as she caress his cheek. Eyes practically stripping him to the bone.
He leans into her touch as his thoughts ran wild. he was finally getting some attention from his master.
"And what kind of reward do you have in mind, my lady?" He grinned, hoping for the best.
She leaned closer, pressing herself against him before whispering into his ear huskily.
"What do you think?" She grinned mischievously. licking the shell of his ear. he shuddered, his face flushed a delicate pink.
Here he was about to make his greatest desire come true with the person if his fantasies.
"I'm not sure what you mean, shiori-sama" he feigned innocent, trying to enjoy the moment.
"Oh I'm sure you do" she trailed her tongue over his neck teasingly, grinning on his skin as he squirmed with flushed cheeks.
Grazing her hand over is nightshirt. she unbuttoned each button with ease, exposing more skin to salvage.
He panted with anticipation as his arousal only grew more for his master.
He groaned as he felt a hand caressing up his clothed inner thigh, trailing up to his family jewels.
"Tell me want you want..." She spoke seductively, teasing the bulge that was already pulsing with need.
"I ... I want you...!" He admitted groaning.
"As you wish..." She unzips his pants, staring at the affect she had on him as he watched her intently.
She licked her lips, staring hungrily at his Cock. Leaning her head down.
⚠️End of smut here⚠️
Kuro jolted awake, his breathing uneven as he stared blankly at the wooden ceiling above him. A faint warmth still lingered in his chest from the dream he had just escaped from.
"…Tch." He clicked his tongue softly, rubbing a hand down his face.
Pathetic. How could he allow himself to think such indecent things about his master while lying beside her?
His crimson eyes drifted toward the bed.
Haruna slept peacefully near the edge, hugging the blanket with a lazy expression. Beside her, Shiori rested quietly beneath the moonlight spilling through the curtains. Her pale skin almost glowed silver under the night sky, strands of white hair scattered across the pillow like silk.
Kuro's gaze softened instinctively. She must've stayed up studying magic again…
That woman rarely slept properly. Half the time she buried herself in books, strange diagrams, or those bizarre inventions only she seemed capable of understanding.
He slowly lifted the blanket and immediately frowned.
"Seriously?" His face twitched in irritation at the obvious bulge beneath his clothes.
Kuro sighed deeply before glancing back toward Shiori. His eyes traced her sleeping figure for only a moment longer before he forced himself to stand.
Dangerous. Very dangerous.
Sharing a room with his master was already enough to make his heart unstable. Sharing the same bed? That was torture.
Not because he disliked it, Quite the opposite.
Shiori trusted him enough to sleep beside him without fear. That alone meant more to him than words could describe.
But Kuro did not trust himself. Not when she looked so defenseless. Not when every small thing she did managed to invade his thoughts so easily.
He quietly made his way toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
The dim candlelight illuminated his reflection.
As a former slave, he was a weapon once controlled by monsters wearing human skin.
The cult that summoned him had treated him like nothing more than a beast. Orders, bloodshed, punishment. his entire existence had revolved around destruction. He had long accepted that he would die as someone else's tool.
Then Shiori appeared.
She had every right to treat him as property. His soul was literally bound to her.
Yet she never once acted like his owner.
She listened to his opinions.
Respected his choices
Allowed him freedom.
Even when he failed, she never looked at him with disgust.
To Kuro, that was far more terrifying than cruelty. Because kindness made him want things he should not desire.
He sat down heavily on the latrine, closing his eyes. His imagination betrayed him immediately.
Soft fingers. Cold purple eyes staring down at him.
That calm voice whispering his name.
"Ah… Shiori-sama…" A shiver ran through him as his breathing became uneven. His cheeks flushed darkly while messy black hair stuck against his forehead.
By the time he reached his limit, he was left panting quietly in the empty bathroom.
"…Ridiculous." yet despite his embarrassment, one thought lingered stubbornly in his mind.
If only that dream could become reality someday. After calming himself, Kuro stepped back into the room and froze.
Shiori was awake. She sat cross-legged on the bed while scrolling through the strange glowing device she always carried around. The pale light reflected against her expressionless face.
Kuro narrowed his eyes slightly.
That object again.
He had asked about it multiple times before, but Shiori only brushed him off with vague answers about it being "special technology" only she and her brother could use.
Honestly, there were many things about his master that made no sense.
Her knowledge alone was abnormal.
Agriculture.
Economics.
Architecture.
Politics.
Military tactics.
Every random idea she introduced advanced their territory years ahead of ordinary kingdoms. Even her clothing styles looked completely foreign compared to this world.
Sometimes Kuro genuinely wondered if Shiori had fallen from another realm entirely.
Just who are you… Shiori-sama?
Shiori's POV
I sat on the bed scrolling through my phone, half-listening to the silence of the room.
I could feel Kuro staring holes into me after leaving the bathroom, but I ignored him and continued scrolling.
Knock. Knock.
I frowned immediately
Who in the world was bothering me this late?
I stood up and opened the door with visible annoyance.
"Look, I already paid for this room, so unless the building is on fire—" I paused.
"…The prince?"
Well. That was unexpected.
He no longer wore those flashy royal clothes from earlier. Instead, he looked strangely ordinary in a black coat and simple white shirt.
And now that I looked closely…
Elf ears, interesting.
The guy awkwardly avoided eye contact like he regretted existing.
"U-Um… may I come in?" he asked quietly
.
"…Sure." I said letting him in . He stepped inside cautiously.
Kuro immediately stared at him like he was seconds away from committing murder while Haruna continued sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of the tension.
I returned to the bed while Kuro stood protectively behind me. The prince sat down stiffly in a nearby chair before finally speaking.
"So… what was that about earlier?"
"Hm?"
"What you told me!" he snapped, frustration leaking into his timid voice. "You knew my opponent was cheating! If you knew, then why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
I blinked slowly.
"…So the match would've been canceled and you'd win by default?"
"Of course!"
Wow.
That was genuinely pathetic.
"It's your fault I lost!" he yelled. "Now I'll never become king!"
but Kuro beat me to it.
"So in short," kuro said flatly, "you lost and are now blaming Shiori-sama for your own incompetence."
The prince stiffened.
"My, my," Kuro continued coldly, "falling for such an obvious trick and then throwing a tantrum afterward. How embarrassing."
"What did you say?!"
"And when criticized, you immediately lose control of your emotions," I added casually. "You lack tactical awareness, overestimate
luck, and hesitate during critical moments. Honestly, you were doomed from the start."
"Shut up!"
Ah. Guess I struck a nerve.
I leaned back slightly.
"No wonder your real family abandoned you to this kingdom."
The room fell silent as The prince's eyes widened.
"A ruler willing to gamble away his heir during a tournament?" I continued calmly.
"Perhaps they were afraid you'd ruin everything eventually."
"…Take that back." His voice changed completely.
Low.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
"Hm?" I looked at him lazily.
"You can insult me all you want…" His fists trembled violently. "But don't you dare insult my family."
"I'm merely stating facts based on observation."i smirked. "Your reaction proves my point."
"How dare—!"
He raised his hand instinctively.
"Shiori-sama!"
Kuro moved instantly—
SLAP!
Everyone froze, including Haruna, who woke up with a startled squeak.
The prince stared blankly. My hands remained together after clapping them loudly.
"What?" I asked innocently. "If you're going to throw a dramatic fit, at least make it entertaining."
The boy looked completely confused.
I grinned. "Let's play a game."
"…What?"
"A game. Rock, paper, scissors. If you win, I'll tell you exactly how your opponent cheated."
"And if you win?"
"You owe me a favor. You see I came to this town so I could open a store." The prince narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"You want connections to a trading company?"
I winked. "Maybe."
After hesitating briefly, he sighed.
"…Fine."
"Ready…" Kuro announced reluctantly.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
The prince confidently chose paper, i chose scissors.
"…What?" His face lost all color.
"But—how?!"
I shrugged. "You assumed I'd start with rock because most people do. So you picked paper as a counter."
His eyes widened.
"But your mistake was assuming I wouldn't predict that logic beforehand."
The poor guy looked spiritually destroyed.
"The game was decided before it started," I said bluntly.
He slowly dropped to his knees. Kuro looked disappointed. Haruna looked entertained.
"I'll… recommend you to a company," the prince muttered weakly.
"Oh, I changed my mind."
"…What?"
"I said you owed me a favor." His expression stiffened.
"But you specifically implied—"
"Did I directly say that was my request?"
"…No."
"Exactly."My grin widened.
"For my favor…"
The room suddenly felt colder.
"Your body, status, and everything tied to your name now belongs to me."
Silence.
The prince just sat there rethinking every life decision that led him here.
"So. What's your name?" I asked
"…Min." he muttered, trying to process that his entire life had been trading as collateral for a children's game.
I just stared at him unbothered
"Lame." He looked offended.
"Since I own you now, you need a better one."
His eyes widened instantly.
"You… want to name me?"
"Obviously."
I pointed dramatically. "From this day onward…"
I paused for effect. "Your name shall be Eliot."
The newly renamed half-elf stared blankly into space. Regret radiated from him like sunlight.
{Location:Melvialine Palace}
Morning sunlight spilled through the palace halls while servants hurried around preparing refreshments for nobles and guests.
Eliot, now dressed in a butler uniform against his will, stood nervously outside Shiori's room.
Stay strong, Min.No—Eliot.Whatever.Pointis, don't become her toy.
He inhaled deeply before knocking.
"I'm coming in…"
The door creaked open, Eliot froze.
Shiori sat near the balcony quietly reading a book. Her silver hair drifted softly in the breeze while evening sunlight illuminated her figure like a painting.
For a brief moment, she looked less like a person…
…and more like some distant spirit observing the world beneath her.
"So," she said without looking away from her book, "why are there barely any competitors in this tournament?"
Eliot hesitated before answering.
"We used to be a respected kingdom," he admitted quietly. "But during my adoptive father's reign… everything collapsed."
His expression darkened.
"Allies abandoned us. Trade routes failed. Corruption spread. Then my parents died while seeking aid from another kingdom."
Shiori listened silently.
"My grandfather was forced to rule again because I was too young…" Eliot clenched his fists. "And now that I finally had a chance to prove myself… I failed."
"…How foolish.
He looked up in shock."If you truly think losing one meaningless game destroyed this kingdom," Shiori said coldly, "then you're an idiot."
Eliot froze.
This girl had outplayed nobles, manipulated wagers, and secured access to the palace within days.Her intelligence was terrifying.
Could she actually—
Could she save Melvialine?
Hope slowly returned to his eyes.
The following days became unbearable.
The tournament victor, Axel, continued gaining support while Eliot's confidence crumbled further.
One afternoon, Shiori suddenly spoke while reading in the study.
"Why do you want to become king?"
"Huh?"
"Are you afraid of losing your place in the royal family?"
"No."
"Then why?"
Eliot lowered his head.
"My grandfather accepted me when nobody else would," he admitted quietly. "Even though I wasn't truly related by blood… he still treated me like family."His expression softened.
"I want to save this kingdom for him."
Kuro crossed his arms.
"So you genuinely love this country?"
"…I do." Haruna smiled warmly.
"That's nice."
Shiori closed her book."Unfortunately, your dream will never come true."
Eliot's face paled.
"As long as someone else takes the throne first."
Before he could ask what she meant, another figure appeared down the hallway.
Axel.
Beside him stood a priest.Eliot immediately tensed.
"It's already coronation day…" he whispered.
Axel ignored him completely before pulling out an old bracelet.
"Min Melvialine," he said mockingly, "I heard this belonged to your grandfather."
Eliot reached for it and Axel deliberately dropped it onto the floor.
Silence.
Then Axel leaned closer.
"Your family lost once already," he whispered cruelly. "Don't repeat their mistake."
Eliot froze completely, His expression shattered.
"And this," Shiori said calmly while picking up the bracelet, "is exactly why you're hopeless.
She tossed the bracelet back toward Axel.
"As someone who respects wagers, I believe the winner should keep the prize."Axel smirked arrogantly before walking away.
Eliot remained kneeling silently.
Broken.
Defeated.
Then Shiori walked past him casually.
"So," she said lazily, "how long are you planning to stay on the floor?"
Eliot looked up weakly.
"Don't you want your bracelet back?"
His eyes widened.
"What… are you talking about?"
Shiori turned slightly, a dangerous grin forming on her face.
"We're going to take back this kingdom."
Kuro smirkedHaruna cheered happily.
Eliot stared at the white-haired girl in disbelief as hope slowly reignited inside his chest.
And somewhere deep within himself—
He realized following her might completely destroy his life.
…Yet he followed anyway.
For now, Shiori's original plans could wait.
Because before anything else—
She intended to conquer Melvialine.