Master of Minds, Master of Me

I’m so excited. At last, all this Selection bullshit is done. I’m heading toward the meeting, the one where I choose my Queen. Since I already convinced my father once, I know I can convince him again to let me have my pretty flower as Queen. My mana has luckily been a lot calmer too. I did have to ask for help from Theodore, though. Which wasn’t easy, since he is all bundled up in his Tower now that Florentia has started working there too. I really am curious how those two are doing, but now I can’t stalk them anymore. And Theodore tells me nothing. So that fun is over.

I face the door to the meeting room and open it.

“Your Highness! I’m so happy you are here. I think we have absolutely great choices to present to you.”

Okay, let’s do this. You can do this. Just convince them with your mighty speech that Lo is the only right choice there is. Just like before. I go and stand in front of the large table and say exactly what I said the last time.

“Is Lorelia Helesantra one of them?” My voice is stern and serious.

Count Trive looks at me in silence for a while before answering.

“Yes? How did you know?”

I’m just about to burst out with my mighty speech when my brain registers what he just said. So instead, I say,

“She is?” My tone is confused.

“Yes. We honestly weren’t sure whether she should be chosen, since her family brings no value to the Empire. She has no significant assets or connections. But her results during this Selection were so much higher than anyone else’s that we just couldn’t ignore it.”

Really?

“Show me.”

He hands me the papers, and I look at her exams.

I mean, sure. I know my pretty flower is smart. She has more common sense than most people. But I didn’t think she had faked her results the last time that much. Of course, there was the clear advantage that she had taken those classes before. But still, I’m honestly surprised. So was my prepared all-mighty speech for nothing?

“What is it, son?” My father looks rather confused.

I turn toward him, smiling so fucking widely.

“I choose her.”

I give him the papers to take a look at, and he does.

“Your Highness, don’t you want to hear about the other two we chose?” Count Trive squeaks in my ear.

“No need. I choose her.”

Goddammit, my pretty flower made this easy for me.

“Her results are pretty impressive indeed, so I have no objections to the matter. I think we should value intelligence over family assets. And the teachers have described her as calm and calculative. I think someone like her would balance your whims nicely.”

I grit my teeth. No need to get angry that he still probably thinks that, with my nature, my kids will spread chaos or something. Let’s just smile and agree with him, since he is on my side on this.

“I totally agree with that, Father. So… if we are all done here, I’ll take my leave.”

I turn to head toward the door.

“Wait, is this really it?” Count Trive squeaks again.

I think I’m starting to understand why Theodore always calls everyone squeaking rats. I force myself to turn back to them and smile politely.

“I made my choice, didn’t I? What else would there be?”

“I’ll send the marriage proposal to the Helesantra household. I can’t wait to meet this young lady. See you at dinner, son.”

I’m glad that my father is supportive. That doesn’t happen too often.

“I can’t wait to show her to you. I know you will like her.”

I bid my farewell and exit the room. I think I just got a permanent smile on my face. I can’t wait to see her in the Throne Room. Although it’s a little shame I can’t take her virginity against the throne anymore. But I’m always ready to worship her, just like last time.

---

I sit on the throne and wait for her to open that door. I’m so excited. I know we have seen each other every day lately, but still, now she is my fiancée.

Fiancée.

I grin. I love calling her that so much. My pretty little fiancée.

Soon the door opens, and I lay my eyes on her. And I swear my heart halts and my whole existence ceases to exist at the sight of her.

She is wearing a white dress. I haven’t seen her in one for a very long time. It’s the same dress she wore the last time she came here. I love the sight of her in every dress; she would look gorgeous, probably even in a trash bag. But something about that white dress tickles my brain.

I’m not sure if it’s because she looks so innocent and pure. Something I would love to break and ruin. Or if it’s because the color reminds me of a wedding dress. Like a promise of our future together. That she is mine forever.

Last time, her mind was panicking when she entered the room, even a little scared. Now she is calm and definitely horny. So clearly, she is thinking about what happened the last time. I can’t blame her. It was hot as hell.

She walks sternly, hands behind her back. Her cheeks redden as she closes in. This time, she starts climbing the stairs without stopping at the bottom. Confident. Coiled. But she gets more nervous as she draws closer. Nervous about what?

I keep leaning lazily on the throne, just enjoying the sight of my future Queen, knowing that this time I really get to marry her. And hopefully live happily ever after, if we beat my mana problem and her curse, of course.

When she reaches me, she comes to stand before me.

“So, pretty flower. Ready to be mine?”

She nods shyly. So. Fucking. Cute. My heart really can’t handle this woman. Can you die from a happiness overload or something?

I’m just about to lift my hand and grab her when she suddenly kneels in front of me. And I just stare at her with wide eyes.

“Lo? What are you doing?”

She averts her gaze; the embarrassment is so high that I'm afraid her mind might burst from it at any moment.

“I…” She falls silent for a while before clearly forcing herself to speak. “I have an early engagement gift for you.”

“What?”

Okay. I said that way louder than I should have. An engagement gift? Is that why she has been holding her hands behind her back?

“I mean, it’s not much. More like a symbolic thing.” Her voice is so quiet that I barely hear it.

I’m so fucking curious right now. What could it be?

“What is it?”

She is feeling so awkward. Does she really fear that I would dislike her gift? I would never dislike anything she gave me. Even if it were a rock from the garden, I would still treasure it.

She clearly struggles to speak, so I nudge her. I lean closer and lift her chin, making her face me.

“You’d better show me the gift if you want to be the obedient pretty flower.”

She swallows. Slowly, she takes her hands from behind her back and places them in front of her, showing me her gift.

A belt? No, it’s not a belt.

“I just want to prove to you that I’m really yours, Felix. I’ll give you my everything, my faith, and myself. My soul was quiet and empty until you taught it to scream with desire. You are free to do anything with me.”

She slides her gift around her neck, and I just stare at her like a man possessed.

It’s a leather collar.

When it’s tightly around her neck, she offers the leash to me. She stares at me with her brown button eyes, making my heart, my stomach, and probably every internal organ I have go crazy.

“So, may I worship you this time?”