Chapter 36: Who rewards whom?

To an ordinary person, a kiss on the cheek from a beautiful heiress with a wealthy family’s resources would be cause for days of joy.

But Charis wasn’t treated as a person—Ophelia always called her a pet!

‘That infuriating Ophelia, kissing my face without asking!
Let go of my mouth!
I don’t want this reward—I’m the one rewarding you!’

Charis resisted, stretching her neck back desperately, but Ophelia’s tight hug held her in place.

“Stop… stop it! Someone’s watching!”
Charis protested, and Ophelia realized her mother was behind them.

Ophelia quickly released her, letting go of Charis’s face.

“Ugh… you ambushed me.”
Charis covered her cheeks, stepping back, clearly unhappy with the kiss as a reward.

“Ahem… how did you survive?
Where’s the monster?”
Ophelia’s face flushed, breathing deeply to calm herself.

“I took care of the monster.”
Charis stated plainly.

“You? Took down that huge monster?
That was a curse stripped from my body.”
Ophelia glanced back—her mother was checking Penny’s vitals, likely confirming she was fine.

“I used methods I know.
Don’t ask how.”
Charis tilted her head up, feeling entitled to keep her secrets.

Since absorbing the Calamity’s power into her innate dragon scale, Charis felt stronger, even tempted to escape.

“You won’t tell me?”
Ophelia found it odd—Charis exuded a newfound, elusive confidence, her words tinged with pride, maybe arrogance?

“Nope, but here’s the deal: I saved your sister, so you owe me.”
Charis reiterated her demand—she wasn’t letting that slide.

“Reward… what do you want?”
Ophelia frowned, not unwilling, but sensing something off.
Charis’s trembling legs suggested she might collapse.

“I want—huh, why’re there two of you?”
Charis clutched her head, swaying as dizziness hit.

The silent Demon King Talos finally spoke.

“Charis, the innate dragon scale is powerful, but your weak constitution can’t sustain the filtered Calamity power long.
It has a cooling period and slight side effects.”

“Demon King! You didn’t tell me earlier!”

Learning her power-up had a cooldown and side effects, Charis regretted sprinting back with Penny on her back.

Her vision darkened, her body pitching forward.

‘Someone catch me!’

Thud.

‘Huh? Did I land on something soft?’

‘My head’s spinning… can’t hold on.’

Charis lacked the strength to open her eyes, her consciousness swallowed by a chaotic whirl.

…

“Mom, because of her, Penny was saved.
I beg you, treat her as an honored guest, not an enemy.”

“I’ll vouch for her with my teacher’s honor—she won’t harm innocent humans.
She’s not like cruel demons.
I’ve raised her long enough to know.”

“Thank you, thank you for understanding.
I’ll ask her about Penny’s situation later.”

The conversation came in fragments.
Charis’s consciousness was faint, catching only snippets of Ophelia’s words.

Dim light, soft bedding, and a faint perfume scent filled her nose.

Charis woke.

‘My muscles ache so much—what a killer side effect.
Did I just run a marathon?’

Charis barely opened her eyes, seeing a pale gold chandelier above, then turned to catch the sunset’s glow through the window.

“It’s almost evening?”

Her stomach growled, whining for food.

‘Gods, give me some food—I’m too hungry to move.’

Tap, tap.

Light footsteps approached the door.
Charis thought the gods answered, turning to look.

Click.

The door opened inward, and Ophelia walked in, carrying a tray, still in her light blue dress, warmed by the sunset’s nostalgic hue.

“You’re awake.”
Seeing Charis’s wide eyes, Ophelia wasn’t surprised, offering a smile instead.

“If I didn’t wake, I’d starve.
Is that food for me?”
Charis, lying down, couldn’t see the tray clearly but sniffed—definitely meat.

“Yup, didn’t want you starving.”
Ophelia brought the tray, setting it on her lap, sitting on the bed’s edge to watch Charis.

“I can’t get up.”
Charis wanted to eat on her own, but she had no strength left—speaking was already an effort.

“Weren’t you all cocky, making demands?
What’s this about not managing?”
Ophelia teased, cutting the steak on the tray with a knife and fork.

“I’m not done—I’m just resting.
Tired, that’s all.”
Charis refused to admit defeat, making Ophelia chuckle.

“Tired?
That’s not tired—that’s magical essence reserve depletion.
I thought you’d run back again.”

Ophelia propped her chin, smirking, her red eyes narrowing as if mocking Charis’s stubbornness.

“So what if I didn’t run back?
You didn’t solve the problem either—I did better.”

Charis declared her contribution.
In this fight, her strategic escape and outsmarting the Calamity trumped Ophelia’s reckless charge.

“You, huh.”
Ophelia set down the fork, reaching for Charis’s cheek.

“What’re you doing?
No pinching, or I’ll take it as you admitting I’m right.”
Charis couldn’t resist—if she lost her voice, she’d be even more frustrated.

“Not pinching.
Look at you, scared, neck buried in the blanket.”
Ophelia only poked Charis’s cheek, no intention to pinch.

“Great, teasing me now, bullying me when I can’t move, huh?”

“Exactly, bullying you.
But after that, I haven’t forgotten to thank you.”
Ophelia pulled back, forking a piece of steak and holding it to Charis’s mouth.

“I’ll feed you.”

“Uh… eating in bed?”

Charis swallowed hard, hesitating because Ophelia seemed unusually gentle, unlike her usual harsh tactics.

“Can’t your little pet move?
What’s wrong with the master feeding you?”

“Ugh, I’m not… at least not willingly your pet!”

Charis felt the need to clarify—she was fighting for freedom, a goal unchanged from the start.

“But you willingly saved my sister, right?”

Ophelia’s question stumped Charis.

Sure, she acted on Talos’s advice to gain the Calamity power, but the choice to intervene and carry Penny back was her own instinct.

“Not talking now?
Didn’t expect you to be so righteous.”

Ophelia smiled, her face glowing in the sunset, genuinely happy.