Chapter 10: Fallen in One Bite

“Fall to corruption?

You little dragon sure know how to pick your words!
Am I some demon lord in your eyes?”

Ophelia’s eye twitched, her grip tightening on the beef strips.

“You mean you won’t even do something as simple as shaking my hand?”

“Nope.”

Charis swallowed hard.
Despite her hunger, she’d sworn an oath—she wouldn’t eat anything from Ophelia!

“Fine, fine, fine.”
Ophelia’s voice and expression turned icy, a bad feeling creeping up Charis’s spine.

Whoosh!

“Wah! Why’re you grabbing my tail!”

Caught off guard, Charis was ambushed.
Ophelia had seized her tail while she fought her cravings.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Ophelia squeezed Charis’s meaty tail.
Its thin scales weren’t hard but surprisingly flexible and elastic.

“Ah… ugh, let go! You can’t touch there!”

Charis twisted, trying to escape, but the ice chain bound her neck, and her tail was firmly in Ophelia’s grip.
With her back to Ophelia, she couldn’t get far.

“Can’t touch? I’ll do it anyway!
I’ve tried reasoning with you, but you won’t listen, huh?
Today, I’ll show you who’s the master!”

Ophelia, enjoying herself, grabbed Charis’s tail with both hands and gave it a gentle tug.
Charis collapsed like a limp blanket, sprawled across Ophelia’s lap.

‘Damn sword saintess! What are you planning to do to me!’

Taking advantage of her tail’s brief freedom, Charis glared fiercely at Ophelia’s face, puffing out white vapor in frustration.

“Heh, hissing at me? You’re like a little kitten.”

“I’m not a kitten!”

“Shut it. Call me Master, and I’ll let you go.”

Ophelia’s hands resumed pinching Charis’s tail, stroking along its texture, searching for weak spots.

A dragon’s tail was unique, like a snake’s—scales covered the upper half, while the lower half had soft, grooved skin like a snake’s underbelly.
The grooves were the most tender, vulnerable part.
When Ophelia slipped a nail in and scratched lightly, Charis’s face flushed, her body trembling uncontrollably.

“That’s cheating! You’re cheating! Ah~! Stop it!”

Charis quivered on Ophelia’s lap.
Her shaking seemed to delight Ophelia, who leaned down, whispering in her ear.

“Call me Master, or I won’t stop today.
As a sword saintess, I’ve got stamina and endurance to last an hour or two—plenty to make you pass out a few times.”

“I won’t… ugh, ahh!”

Charis’s face burned, trying not to make embarrassing noises.
Her tail, usually under control, was now completely at Ophelia’s mercy.

“Pretty tough, huh? Face red like that, and you still won’t give in?
Is calling me Master that hard?”

Ophelia kept whispering.
Today, she and this dragon were locked in a battle of wills—one had to yield, and she was certain it’d be Charis.

“Charis… if it’s too much, take a step back.
Begging isn’t shameful—you’re young and already plenty strong.”
Talos, unable to bear it, tried persuading her.
But Charis stayed silent, possibly on the verge of fainting.

“I… I!”
Charis forced out a shout.

“Oh? Ready to beg?”
Ophelia perked up, pausing her hands, grinning at Charis.

“I… I need to use the bathroom! I can’t hold it!”
Charis’s tail quickly curled up, shielding her front, unable to take more stimulation.

“What? The bathroom? That’s what this is about?”
Ophelia’s expression faltered, but Charis, trembling on the bed, showed no sign of moving.

“I can’t move… can’t move.”
Charis’s voice was faint, her sky-blue eyes glistening as she looked at Ophelia.

“What, you expect me to carry you to the bathroom?”
Ophelia stood, sizing up Charis.
Charis’s expression didn’t seem fake—her brows furrowed tightly, her body curled into a ball.

“I can’t hold it! I really can’t!”

“Ugh, you stubborn little thing! Hold it!”

Ophelia, exasperated, scooped Charis up and rushed toward another door in the room.

Bang!

Ophelia shut the door, waiting outside for Charis to finish.

Minutes later, a flush sounded, followed by frantic knocking.

Click.

Ophelia opened the door, arms crossed, looking down at the small Charis clutching the saintess’s robe, her face flushed, avoiding eye contact.

“Your temper’s something else.
I thought you were tough, but you caved in just a few minutes?”

“…I haven’t given up.”

Charis lifted her head, her blue eyes blazing with unconquerable dignity.

“Tell me, why are you so hostile toward me specifically?”
Ophelia was curious.
Even if she kept pushing, Charis wouldn’t break—better to hear her out.

“You ripped off my clothes, chained me up, and forced that potion on me.
That’s two unfair things you did.”

“Oh, you hold a grudge, huh?”

“Yup!”

Charis nodded.
Ophelia couldn’t help but want to laugh, though it felt futile.

Taming a dragon was far harder than she’d imagined.
Charis had real backbone, like they were destined rivals.

“Fine, we’re done for today. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”

Ophelia opened her hand, revealing the beef strips, still intact.

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not accepting your handouts… ugh!”

Charis’s mouth was suddenly stuffed.
Ophelia shoved the remaining beef strips in, her movements swift and forceful.

“Shut up and eat.
Waste a single bit, and you’re getting no dinner tonight!”

“Cough, cough!”

Charis’s mouth was crammed full.
The meat’s savory aroma, after so long without, nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“Oh! Look at your face—crying from how good it tastes, huh? Little glutton.”

Ophelia kept stuffing, her expression growing more pleased as Charis ate her food.

Snapping out of the meat’s allure, Charis realized she was eating Ophelia’s offering.
The more she chewed, the tastier it got, her throat swallowing beyond her control!

‘I broke my oath. My vow’s ruined. I’ve fallen to corruption.’

Tears of defeat slid down her cheeks.
Charis closed her eyes, chewing as the meat’s flavor declared her oath shattered.

‘So good! What kind of meat is this delicious? I can’t stop!’

Charis didn’t notice her change.
Ophelia’s hand was empty, yet Charis was still licking crumbs off her palm!

‘It’s itchy, a bit wet… this dragon’s licking feels kinda nice.’

Ophelia finally got the result she wanted.
She loved force-feeding Charis like this.

Especially seeing Charis’s stubborn face lose its pride and soften—it was immensely satisfying!

‘The taste of corruption… uh-oh, this feels a bit wrong.’

Recalling Charis’s defiant oath, Ophelia grinned wider, not quite like a righteous hero.