Chapter 57 ….
Although it wasn’t intentional, I had, in the end, tamed Rishian without his knowledge.
I had infringed on his free will.
‘So… I should come clean around now.’
That would be the choice that deceived Rishian less…
‘And the path that would ease my conscience.’
If things stayed like this, a corner of my heart would keep feeling uneasy.
So… even in the worst case, if my relationship with him were to fall apart…
‘That’s something I’ll have to bear.’
…It’s not like I can keep deceiving him forever.
A dull ache throbbed near my heart. I clenched my fist and pressed it firmly against my chest.
Still like that, I took a slow deep breath, looked straight at Rishian, and began.
“Actually… I have a certain ability.”
Rishian responded as if it were nothing special.
“Muriel has more than one or two abilities, doesn’t she?”
“Th-that’s true, but this one is… special in many ways.”
I fidgeted as I answered, then let out a long breath.
After steadying myself, I spoke again.
“It’s an ability that lets me tame animals, humans—any species—so they follow me.”
My clenched hand tightened. Unable to meet Rishian’s eyes, I continued.
“…You were tamed by me too.”
“…Hm?”
“On the day we first met, you weren’t in good condition, and when I used my power to treat you…”
I roughly explained what had happened that day in terms Rishian could understand.
Things like systems and skills would probably sound too vague.
“…And that’s how it happened.”
After confessing everything, I lowered my head deeply and closed my eyes.
I was afraid to look at Rishian’s face.
My voice had trembled the whole time, and it seemed I cared about him far more than I’d realized.
“….”
Silence stretched for a long time. Just as the heavy air began to suffocate me, Rishian finally spoke.
“I see….”
“….”
“Come to think of it, there were moments when I did feel like I was being controlled by some mysterious force.”
His tone was ordinary—so ordinary that I couldn’t guess what he was feeling.
I wanted to lift my head and check his expression, yet part of me wanted to run away.
If Rishian asked me to release him from the taming skill… I would do my best to find a way.
And if, once freed, he chose to leave my side completely…
‘I’d have to let him go….’
The thought suddenly made my eyes burn.
It felt like tears might spill out at any moment. I tensed my eyes and bit my lip to hold them back.
Excuses and apologies swirled through my mind. Just as I was about to force one out—
“Mi—”
“Yes, that controlling force you used on me… it actually felt really good.”
“…?”
At the unexpected—no, bizarre—words, my eyes flew wide open.
…What did he just say?
Unable to believe it, I stammered.
“F-felt good?”
“Yes. That feeling of completely submitting to Muriel.”
“…?”
Was he out of his mind?
Well… Rishian hadn’t exactly been sane to begin with.
No, but still!
“That felt good? It suppressed your will and forced you!”
Shouldn’t he be angry?
“But… the one doing it was Muriel, wasn’t it?”
Rishian tilted his head as if he truly didn’t understand.
I understood even less.
“I know you like me… but free will is important, right? You’re human, not a beast—”
At that, Rishian’s expression turned strange.
And only a few seconds later did it hit me.
This guy wasn’t human!
‘He looks so human I forgot!’
“Muriel… there’s one thing you should be clear about.”
“O-okay.”
Rishian lowered his voice seriously, and I nodded on reflex.
‘Is he finally going to reveal what he is?’
But what he said next was completely unexpected.
“You think I only have ‘affection’ for you?”
“…?”
When I blinked in genuine confusion, Rishian looked hurt.
“Surely you don’t think I only feel affection for you?”
“Then what else is there…?”
The moment I asked, bewildered—
Check the target’s affection toward you!
▶Click!
The system cut in as if it had been waiting for this.
Why was it butting in now?
Even as I shot the status window a glare, my finger moved to press the button.
I had been curious anyway.
Rishian’s affection level hadn’t given me notifications for quite some time.
‘I’ve been avoiding checking because I was scared….’
Of course—of all days, it had to be today.
Soon, the popup appeared. I narrowed my eyes.
And finally, it came into view—
Target’s affection toward you: ∞🖤
“…?”
A sideways eight?
…No way.
Anyone who didn’t know what that was would be an idiot.
That was…!
‘The infinity symbol…!!’
How could affection be ∞?
Does that even make sense? Is the system broken?
‘Hey! System! Get it together! What kind of affection level is this?!’
But the system gave no feedback.
Which meant Rishian’s affection really was infinite.
Affection… infinite…
Is this for real…?
“Muriel, don’t you think the word ‘affection’ is far too shallow to contain something as complex and deep as what I feel?”
Yeah. I do. Absolutely.
Especially after seeing your affection level.
‘If it’s infinite, that’s not just affection anymore! What is this?!’
And on top of that, Rishian’s heart was pitch black…
Why was it black…?
That was terrifying…
At some point, the taming skill and my guilt about it completely evaporated from my mind.
That wasn’t the important thing right now…!
What I needed at this moment was a sanity check!
I edged away from Rishian and stammered,
“Y-you… what exactly do you usually think of me as?”
“What do I think…?”
He closed the distance with the eerie smile of a predator stalking prey.
“I think it’d be nice if I could swallow you and keep you inside my stomach.”
“Eek!”
I jumped and shrieked.
‘He really is crazy!’
No—wait.
Could this all be because of the taming skill?
Pressed flat against the wall, I spoke cautiously.
“Y-you know… about being tamed by me—I’ll try to find a way to undo it.”
“Undo it? Why bother?”
“It might be the reason you’re not in your right mind…!”
“No way. I’ve always been this crazy.”
“Y-you’re very self-aware!”
“Of course.”
Before I knew it, Rishian was right in front of me.
The atmosphere made it feel like I was about to be devoured.
Warning bells blared wildly in my head.
Seeing me tremble like a cornered rabbit, Rishian smiled softly and said,
“Muriel, you could just order me to stay away, you know.”
“Huh…?”
“Like you did before.”
“…Ah.”
‘Come to think of it….’
The taming skill did have that effect.
‘Both of you, stop it! Attention!’
[‘Divine Tamer’ effect activated! (Probability 9.8%)
The target obeys your command.]
Right. That.
I’d forgotten since I’d had no real reason to use it on Rishian.
Unlike our suspicious first meeting, the more I got to know him, the more he seemed like a good person.
Glancing at him, I muttered,
“You remembered that….”
“Yeah. Because it felt good.”
“…….”
Correction. He is a good person—but also crazy and a pervert.
I let out a deep sigh and pressed my forehead.
My head was starting to throb.
“I can’t use that on you again. Like I said earlier… I tamed you without your consent….”
“And what do you think I might do if you don’t tell me to stay away? I’m this close already.”
“Wh—”
Flustered, I opened and closed my mouth before stammering,
“W-what would you do?”
The smile on Rishian’s lips deepened.
His hand slowly reached out and cupped my chin.
At the strange pressure I felt in that moment, my eyes went wide and my body froze stiff.
Gazing at me with gentle eyes, Rishian spoke meaningfully.
“Guess what I’m going to do.”
