Chapter 23 The Fallen Kingdom’s Princess, Part ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Sniff…You took my first…how could you…?”
Alusia’s sobs shook the thin sheets as she curled on the bed.
It had been a month since she and Kanata met, a month filled with chaos and uneasy peace. Word had spread of the Dungeon’s existence, and demons of all sorts had come seeking shelter.
Before long, over three hundred residents gathered under Kanata’s protection, expanding the Dungeon’s living quarters beyond a single floor. The main residential area, where Kanata stayed, now stretched up to the ninth floor.
Demons occupied the fifth through seventh floors, while the eighth was reserved for food production and mining—ensuring everyone’s livelihood.
It left Kanata’s DP reserves perpetually stretched thin.
But not everything ran smoothly. Rumors of the Dungeon’s wealth drew ambitious intruders, forcing Kanata into constant skirmishes over the past fortnight.
Because of these fights, the matter of Mercurius Kingdom, promised to Alusia, remained postponed, and she complained every time Kanata held her close—her grievances sharpening day by day.
”Come on…you’re just going to have to give up,” Kanata said, voice calm as a dozen demons froze before him.
They had attacked with a small squad from their three-hundred-strong force, but traps within the Dungeon and fifty elite warriors from the Ogrekin, Lizard, and Harpy tribes had scattered them with ease, delivering the prisoners directly into Kanata’s hands.
”Uh…Angola-san, right?”
”El, it’s Anguula-san,” a voice corrected softly from Kanata’s shoulder, though it didn’t matter.
”Never mind. Pass this along to Anguula. Honestly, we have no time to play with you. Oh, and your fort? Consider it a compensation fee. Clean it up; we’ll collect later.”
The Lizard Tribe dragged the captives away, planning to rough them up thoroughly before tossing them outside—sparing their lives, but not much else. A few might not survive, but Kanata shrugged internally.
”Master, what do we do with these?”
The Ogre commander Gaou arrived, flanked by a few female soldiers. Lust gleamed in the eyes of the captured ogres; they were waiting for Kanata’s permission.
”Sorry, leave them. Don’t touch them yet.”
Disappointment flashed across Gaou’s face. Ordinarily, prisoners would be at their mercy, but looting and assault were strictly forbidden.
”Wake up!” Kanata splashed water on the unconscious women, forcing them awake.
”Where…am I?” one whispered, dazed.
”Do you understand your situation?” Kanata asked. She looked around, then hung her head in resignation.
”Now, I want answers.”
Still, the woman said nothing. Kanata roused the others, but they too fell silent, mirroring their leader.
The first woman must be the leader. Kanata approached her again.
”You attacked our territory without permission. Now you’ve been defeated and captured. Do you understand that your fate rests in my hands?”
She remained mute.
”…Very well. Gao, pick a woman from the five standing there.”
”What are you planning?” the leader finally asked.
”It doesn’t matter if uncooperative prisoners exist or not,” Kanata said. “They’ll help calm my soldiers. Not sure if you know, but ogres are…energetic.”
Before the words were out, Gaou lifted one of the female soldiers.
”I’ll take her,” he said, tearing at her clothes with his brute strength. The other ogres cheered at the reveal of her surprisingly glamorous figure.
”Wait! Don’t touch Rena!”
”What are you babbling about? You don’t say anything, but don’t touch me? Wake up, will you? …Gaou, one’s not enough. You can take the others too.”
The soldiers flinched, glancing at their leader with desperate eyes.
”Wait…I will talk…please…stop him…”
”Stop him? Ha! You’re a prisoner. Know your place!”
”Please…anything…just make him stop…please…”
The leader lowered her forehead almost to the floor.
”First, state your name.”
”Annamira Miller. Anna. Eldest daughter of the Miller Family in Zecut Territory. Please…don’t touch them…no matter what happens, I don’t care.”
Kanata’s gaze swept over the group.
”So…you’ll face the ogres yourself?” he asked, watching as her face paled in terror while she desperately nodded.
He ordered the women escorted to the mansion.
”Master, this one…Rena…is she no good?” Gaou asked, holding her out.
”Not yet. Leave her with me. I’ll tell the succubi to deal with you guys. They’ll handle the fun.”
Gaou sighed, tossing Rena aside, and with the others, trudged toward the pleasure district.
…Thank the succubi.
After battle, adrenaline ran high for both humans and demons. The only way to curb such arousal was through the opposite sex. Looting satisfied this, but unchecked, it complicated governance. Subjugated enemies rarely obey willingly.
So Kanata forbade assault, instead relying on succubi to pacify the soldiers. They had their own standards—only high-ranking succubi would entertain those who had proven themselves. The soldiers, unaware, fought fiercely in hopes of gaining favor.
Returning to the mansion, Kanata was presented with the female prisoners again. Half-forced into a bath, naked, they now stood before him, the weight of captivity pressing on every trembling shoulder.
They had been bathed, stripped of her garments not only to cleanse away the grime of captivity but to ensure she carried no hidden weapons or contraband. Standing naked, she became a living proof of innocence—or at least, that was the pretense. In truth, Kanata simply enjoyed the view, and the heightened shame served his DP purposes—a mingling of pleasure and practicality.
”First, state your names,” he instructed.
One by one, starting from the right, the girls obeyed.
”I’m Rena…a commoner,” the girl at the far right mumbled, hands flailing to cover her chest and groin, restrained by handcuffs that allowed only nervous, ineffective movements. Her silver-blue hair cascaded to her waist, swaying softly as she shifted. Though the youngest-looking of the five, she was undeniably beautiful—Gaou’s judgment had not been off.
”Sheila Zem Akart,” the next announced, “adopted daughter of the noble Akart family in Zecut Territory.” She appeared older than Annamira, with shoulder-length golden hair usually tied in a ponytail, now let down to prevent any hidden contrivances. Among them, she had the largest chest, an impressive sight that would send shivers of pleasure to anyone who dared…
”Saria Des Thermal,” another said, “serving Lady Amisa of the Arcus Territory.” Her strawberry-blond hair framed a slightly upturned, sharp-eyed face. Though smaller than Sheila, her presence exuded a subtle, enticing energy, suggesting a latent M disposition. Kanata noted, with a faint grin, that she might be particularly fun to train later.
”Amisa Grayladd,” came the next, “heir to the Grayladd family.” Despite her prisoner status, she carried herself with imperious confidence, her soft pink hair meticulously braided—a mark of pride and etiquette she refused to compromise. Saria had assisted during the exchange, but the braid remained intact, a testament to her unyielding spirit.
Finally, Annamira Miller—Anna—stood, still pale and trembling, her light brown hair catching the flicker of the room’s lanterns.
”Let’s get one thing straight. You attacked uninvited and got defeated. We bear no blame. Under normal circumstances, you would have been killed. Understand?” Kanata’s words made all five girls tremble in acknowledgment.
”Which means I hold the authority to decide your fate. Your survival is solely my whim. Do you understand?” he added, letting the implication sink in. The girls nodded, save for Amisa, whose hesitation prompted Saria to gently guide her into compliance.
”There are a few options for your treatment. First, accept life as prisoners and wait quietly until ransom arrives.” Rena’s face twitched—being a commoner, she had no family to pay for her release.
”If ransom is delivered, you go free. If not…well, you know the consequences. Be sure to write your letters properly.” The girls nodded again, Rena’s eyes glistening with tears.
”I’ll ask my father to cover Rena’s ransom too,” Annamira promised.
Rena sobbed at the declaration. A touching display of loyalty, Kanata noted, even if the likelihood of payment was slim.
”The second option is slavery—automatic if no ransom is paid. If you want to spare your families the burden, you might as well accept it now,” he said with a sly glance at Rena, Sheila, and Saria. Their fates, tied to wealth and noble favor, were tenuous at best.
”Finally,” Kanata continued, “you can attempt to escape in your current state. From the holding area to the gate is just 300 meters. The doors will open under your strength. If you make it, teleportation magic at the exit leads to the Dungeon entrance.” The girls’ eyes sparked with hope—quickly snuffed out by his next words.
”The ogres you saw earlier? If they catch you, they’ll have their fun until satisfied. Perhaps one of you could slip by if you work together—but that’s highly unlikely. This is a game designed purely to see you punished. Even if you’re captured, the ogres will eventually tire and release you…though I can’t say how many days that might take with over a hundred of them.”
Kanata’s gaze roamed their bare bodies, a deliberate, humiliating inspection.
…A crushing shame, Annamira thought, clenching her lips. Could a man truly be this indifferent to their survival? The only safe course was to accept captivity, plead for ransom, and write the letters—but doing so meant admitting to the incursion, complicating political repercussions.
Nonetheless, she stepped forward, kneeling before Kanata.
”Please…take me. If I must be the ogres’ amusement, I will comply. But I beg you…let the others return safely to their homes.”
All eyes, including Kanata’s, lingered on her chest and lower abdomen. Her body burned crimson with shame, yet in comparison to what lay ahead, it seemed almost trivial.
The thought settled heavily in Annamira’s mind: soon, countless men would swarm over her, violating her in ways that could not be undone. Compared to that inevitable horror, being watched now felt almost trivial.
”Please…please, have mercy,” she begged, her voice trembling with desperation. “If it means everyone survives, I don’t care what happens to me. If you want me to—lick your feet, I will. If you want me to…perform…even that…then I’ll try, no matter how shameful…so please…”
Tears welled in her eyes, glistening as she fell silent, her plea raw and unwavering. Perhaps it was this desperate sincerity that moved Kanata, prompting him to offer another option.
”Very well,” he said, voice calm. “If someone offer themselves as the sacrifice to save the others, that would suffice.”
”Then—!” Annamira’s eyes snapped open, hope flickering in her gaze.
”But I will choose who is it,” Kanata added, scanning the five girls.
”Amisu. You,” he declared, voice sharp yet even. “If you are the one to become their…amusement, the other four will return safely. I understand it’s a difficult choice, so I will grant you a day. Convince yourself, persuade yourself—do what you must by then.”
A sly smile tugged at his lips as he spoke, then he dismissed the girls, sending them from the room.
Once the space emptied, El, perched lightly on his shoulder, spoke.
”Why act so cruel when you have no intention of it?”
Kanata shrugged, thoughtful. “Well, if word spreads that the master is ruthless, others are less likely to meddle foolishly. The rumors make some think I’m cruel—so they avoid trouble.”
El tilted her head, lips curling in a wry grin. “Sounds…pretty nasty for you, though.”
”Other demons are far worse,” Kanata said lightly. “By the way, which one of the girls would you…?”
El interrupted, shaking her head. “Don’t be naive. The ransom? It won’t be paid. Those girls are effectively abandoned by their kingdom. Annamira knew that, which is why she begged so desperately.”
Kanata nodded slowly, absorbing her insight.
”And don’t waste pity freeing them,” El continued. “If they return to their kingdom, they’ll be erased. Far better to use them as…Breeding Vessels than perform such a futile act of mercy.”
Kanata pondered, the weight of decision pressing down. He had planned to extract information, then release them—but with El’s counsel, the calculus had changed. He ran a hand over his chin, considering how best to proceed.
A heavy silence filled the room as he weighed duty, strategy, and the cruelest efficiency.
Notes:
• Alusia – Fallen princess of Mercuria, clings to royal pride while navigating slavery, seeking vengeance. Appears: In a cramped slave trader’s carriage, shackled and reflective. Reason: Captured after her kingdom’s fall, now a slave. Event: Transported by slave merchants, intercepted by Kanata, beginning her servitude.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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