[Host. I'd advice you to complete your task.]
"It's impossible." Anna mumbled, her back slouched into a perfect curve. Her eyes turned gray, and her spores stopped glowing, her orchid marks turned pale.
As she walked past servants, they screamed and jumped to the side, terrified of incurring her wrath.
"Heh," she laughed bitterly. "Do I get villain points for that?
[Host, you cannot fail this task. If you begin the president of failing tasks this early, your life here will become difficult.]
"It's only an hour of blindness. I'll be fine."
[True. But the hidden penalty for repeated task failures is at my discretion. Complete your tasks, host.]
Anna straightened.
Wait, that sadistic system sounds serious.
The light came back to her eyes, turning them a soft pink.
Anna's heart skipped with fear. She shivered, hugging herself tightly. The system did sound scary. But at the same time, Leon was scarier.
However, the eerie tone of the system made goosebumps cover Anna's body.
Hidden penalties. She didn't want to wait around and find out.
She turned, calling out; "Leon!"
She ran. She tripped over her gown, hearing it rip. She came across a deer eared servant carrying a flower pot.
"Where is the General?!" She asked, her voice coming out harsher than she intended.
The servant screamed and dropped the pot, falling down to his knees. "The barracks! Your highness!"
"Where are the barracks?!"
He pointed a finger so shaky that Anna had trouble figuring out where he was pointing to. "There! The…the large building in the distance!"
"Thank you! You may leave!"
Anna continued running. She breathed fast, sweat pouring from her pores and matting her fine hair to her face and neck.
Safe to say, Princess Orchid never did a day of cardio.
Anna Carson worked at a desk for nine years.
"Her stamina is shit," Anna grumbled, breathing heavily even though she had barely made it halfway to the barracks.
The system continued to count down.
Ten minutes left.
Anna didn't know which fear was stronger, fear of a hidden penalty or fear of being decapitated.
She got to the barracks. The guards stationed front of the massive iron gates immediately opened it without asking any questions.
"Where is the General?" She asked one of them.
"In the grand hall, your highness." He replied. His voice was shaking but he tried to hide it.
Anna yelled her thanks and ran inside.
The grand hall was a great understatement. But Anna wasn't in the mood to admire the architecture.
She easily spotted Leon, he stood a head and a half taller than all the buff and imposing beastmen in soldier uniforms. They surrounded him, and he addressed them, his voice carrying authority and power through the air.
For just a second, Anna was distracted.
He's so fine! Gosh! I've always liked a man in uniform! She squealed to herself.
"Leon!"
All heads turned in her direction.
The soldiers sucked in sharp breaths, their mind racing with various thoughts, none of them good, as to why the Princess came down to the barracks.
"She never comes here."
"Yeah, she said were too filthy and we disgust her."
"What is she doing?! She looks half mad."
"Do you think one of us offended her?! Are we gone?!"
"Pray for the General, she came here for him."
"Ah, the angry wife! Sad to think that's how our dear General died!"
Anna heard their whispers, thanks to her super cat hearing, but that was the least of her worries.
[two minutes left.]
Her eyes focused on Leon. She dragged herself over to him, heaving and breathing loudly through her mouth.
"I need to talk to you," she wheezed, her voice sounding like that of a dying rat. She reached out, and her hand fell short. As she was about to slam face first into the ground, two powerful arms caught her.
Leon had no idea why he had moved closer to that woman.
He summed it up to his chivalrous pride as the General. Nothing more. If anything, he would have liked to see her face plant into the ground.
But.
What was she even doing? Looking like she's been in a cat fight. Her fine hair was messy, her clothes torn, and was she missing one of her sandals?!
"Heyyyy," she smiled, reaching out to touch his face. He was so warm, unnaturally so. Like a walking heater. His body was hard as rock, and he smelled good Anna wanted to cover herself in his scent.
Leon would have jerked back, if it weren't for the multiple pairs of eyes pinned on him. He was the General, and at all times he must show a respectable and responsible character. Even if it meant stomaching her touch which made his skin crawl.
On the other hand, Anna was losing her mind.
Her heart raced like crazy and she couldn't believe she was this close to Leon without losing her head!
His skin is so smooth! And his eyes are like my favorite energy drink. Heh, now I want an energy drink!
She shoved those thoughts away.
Right now she had to seduce him. Even though people were watching. And whispering.
Anna batted her long lashes. "I came to see you?" She whispered.
"I can see that." Leon's reply was cold.
"Will you let me touch your face?" She asked. Her hand still hovered mere inches from his face. She was scared he'd bite her hand if she touched him.
He gave a stiff nod.
The soldiers coughed. One of them let out a high pitched laugh, one that was more of fear than amusement.
Anna's face turned red, and her ears twitched like crazy. Her spores bloomed, filling the air with a sweet aroma.
The final piece of the puzzle fell in place!
Leon's hands itched to drop the murderous princess. But the first inhale of her sweet smelling spores made his head go blank. The muddled voices signaling a late stage one corruption went quiet. And for the first time in months, Leon had a peaceful mind.
One that lasted all of two seconds.
Anna quickly grasped the understanding of her spores. They reacted to emotions. So if she gave a negative emotion, like the intention to hurt—
The soft pink spores turned a dark, venomous purple.