MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Road to Power
Selene was kneeling to him, whatever unease she'd felt actively hidden as her breathing was steady, but her posture was noticeably tense. The chains had vanished but she remained, shackled by something infinitely more powerful—his will.
Aric raked a hand through his dark hair, exhaling heavily. They were now also fully active in the Submission Chain between them, and he could feel that — the connection, the power, the unspoken awareness that she was his.
But he wasn't satisfied. One conquest was not enough.
The system had tapped into something in him — something far stronger than simple lust. Dominance. Control. The desire for total control.
And to seize power, he required above all a single devoted servant.
He needed an army.
He set his gaze upon Selene, still kneeling, her violet eyes marred with ambiguity.
"You dedicated yourself to me," he said, his tone smooth yet authoritative. "Do you regret it?"
She swallowed, but didn't immediately reply. Good. She was thinking. Processing. Adapting.
Finally, she shook her head. "...No."
Aric smirked. She's already changing.
He came to her, turning her chin up until she met his eyes. "Then prove your loyalty. "Tell me, Selene—what has become of your father, Duke Vaelis?
There was something in her eyes—fear? Caution?
"The capital," she admitted. "In the center of the Crimson Kingdom."
Aric hummed in thought. The Crimson Kingdom—a realm governed by corrupt lords and treacherous politicos, where power was determined by lineage and riches. A place ripe for conquest.
And now he had a way in, thanks to Selene."
[Quest Activated: The Ascension In The Crimson Kingdom]
[Goal: Gain Influence Over Nobility]
[REWARD: SYSTEM UPGRADE – ROYAL DOMINATION]
Aric's grin widened. Perfect.
He shifted his gaze to Selene, his eyes cutting. "We're leaving. You will take me to the capital."
She hesitated. "If he sees me with you, my dad will—"
"Your father won't do anything," Aric interjected smoothly. "Because by the time we get there, you will no longer be his daughter."
She inhaled sharply.
"You will be my tool. My voice. My way into the kingdom from the interior, he went on. "And if you do me well…" He drew in closer, his breath a whisper at her ear. "You will be rewarded."
A shudder passed through her.
And just like that, her destiny was sealed.