Chapter 3: Be my first embrace.

The only thing worth some comfort was that the environment of Star River Lane was not bad at all. Compared to the alley where those vagrants who had robbed Clay of his clothes gathered, this place felt far more like somewhere humans should live.

Standing at the entrance of the lane, the young man let out a long sigh.

No matter what, he was a transmigrator. He understood the countless schemes that proliferated in modern society and knew exactly how unreliable that kind of advertisement was. There was a good chance it involved something like a honey trap or other shady operations.

Therefore, Clay did not hold any expectations that this so-called “mother-son” gig would let him find a rich lady to latch onto.

But he truly had no other options left.

He needed to survive!

Even if it meant abandoning his dignity, he had to live.

At the very least, before he died, he wanted to take revenge on this despairing world.

The Hero deserved to die. The Adventurers’ Association needed a harsh cleanup. That maintenance uncle who demanded money from him deserved an elbow strike. And the kidney of that blackmailing physician junior of his should be stir-fried into waist flower by him.

As for what price he had to pay?

It didn’t matter.

“Are you here because you saw that notice?”

Perhaps his decision had moved the heavens. The person who appeared before him was truly a dignified and beautiful woman, not some strange burly man ready to harvest his organs.

She had black hair and red eyes, a tall and slender figure, and wore a long dress woven from thin gauze. Her fair and delicate face carried a touch of languidness.

Such a stunning woman stood there with her arms crossed, watching him from the doorway of the room in the alley.

Clay forgot to breathe.

Compared to that scrawny little girl who was the Hero, this woman was far more alluring and mature. The moment their eyes met, he felt that thinking about dying was an utterly foolish idea.

This must be the Goddess herself.

Clay quickly dismissed that thought, because the idea of doing a “mother-son” gig with the Goddess was a bit too perverted.

“Do I really look that good? Hehe…”

“Sorry.”

Even the despairing Clay couldn’t help but blush. He lowered his head in slight embarrassment.

A faintly sweet fragrant breeze swept over. In his field of vision appeared a slender, fair hand. His chin was gently lifted by those slightly cool fingers.

Drawing closer to this woman, Clay felt more and more that her beauty was too unreal.

It was like a hallucination induced by drugs.

“Not bad. You’ll do. Come with me.”

After saying that, several equally attractive maids immediately appeared and flanked his sides.

What followed felt like a dream to Clay.

Although there were no overly erotic encounters, being led deep into the rooms and attended to by a group of maids while bathing in a bathroom illuminated by crystal lamps and sparkling with brilliance was already the limit of what this little virgin Clay could accept.

After several days of living worse than a dog, this treatment befitting a top noble quickly dismantled Clay’s will to survive.

Dying in this gentle paradise would be so nice…

Being waited on for meals and massages, his body and mind greatly satisfied, the only rationality left in Clay made him want to ask these maids exactly who their beautiful master was.

But the fatigue and weakness from the past days caused him to faint very quickly.

It was very quiet.

In his hazy, muddled state, the only sound he could hear was the crackling of sparks?

Once he realized this, Clay abruptly opened his eyes.

Was someone trying to roast him?!

After the continuous misfortunes of the past days, it was hard for him not to fall into paranoid victim mentality.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

The black-haired woman stood in front of him, looking at him with an amused expression. Behind her was a fireplace with flickering flames.

“What a frail body.”

“Hey! What are you going to do?”

Unease, fear, embarrassment.

In an unfamiliar environment, stripped naked and tied to a rack by an unfamiliar woman, Clay felt his body and mind being ruthlessly abused and humiliated. He glared at her with his neck tensed.

The woman simply twirled her hair around her finger unhurriedly.

“Clay Sheens, outstanding graduate of the Imperial Academy’s forty-fifth cohort, mage specialization, proficient in necromancy. You once shone brilliantly while fighting against the Demon King Army’s cadre Fossis, Kalado, and the great general Dikatot.

Three days ago, you were kicked out of the Hero’s party due to insufficient strength…”

As she recited all his information, Clay’s expression grew worse and worse.

His sharp senses told him that this woman, who no longer concealed her aura and oppressive pressure, was terrifying and dangerous.

And she felt very familiar.

A demon?

A high-ranking demon!

Why would she appear in a human gathering place?

Clay’s thoughts were in chaos as he analyzed his situation.

“Truly unexpected. The grand mage of the Hero’s party would actually fall to such a state, even considering taking a ‘mother-son’ job to survive.”

“Who are you!”

Hearing the woman’s sinister laugh, Clay finally couldn’t hold back and roared.

“Yalith von Manchester, the Demon King, King of the Blood Race, ruler of the Western Continent, the terrifying bloodthirsty Demon Lord…”

“There isn’t enough room here for that many people.”

Clay finally fell into complete despair.

To be down on his luck and then run into an old enemy, and the most powerful and worst one at that.

Was this what it meant to kick a man when he was down?

But Yalith, seeing the despair in his eyes, instead gave a charming smile.

“Mr. Clay, actually, I quite admire you.”

She walked over to the fireplace in the room, squatted down, and poked the fire pile with a poker. The firelight reflected on her face, tinting the smile she always wore with a color that made Clay’s blood run cold.

Being admired by the Demon King was definitely not something to be proud of.

“When I learned that you sent the Hero’s younger brother to the battlefield in order to avenge his death, I knew you were a rare talent.”

“This…”

Clay didn’t dare reply. Yalith, however, began listing his past deeds as if they were common knowledge.

His outstanding battle records of controlling dead adventurers and monsters to fight enemies had been investigated thoroughly by the Demon King. Even details Clay himself couldn’t remember clearly were recited by her with perfect clarity.

“What I admire most is what you did to fulfill that village chief’s wish to see his deceased daughter one more time. Mr. Clay, how did you come up with the idea of piecing together a body that resembled his daughter using corpses from the cemetery?”

At this point, Yalith’s face was full of admiration.

“I… I… anyway, as long as the goal was achieved, that’s all that matters.”

Clay stammered for a long time. Actions that hadn’t seemed problematic in the past now made him feel guilty after receiving affirmation from the enemy.

“Don’t be shy. You should take pride in it. What I admire most is someone like you—who stops at nothing to achieve your goals, so despicable and shameless that even demons would admit they fall short.

Especially after doing all that, you still say things like…

‘My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror; everything I know and do is justice’?”

“What right does a Demon King like you have to lecture me!”

Clay, whose fig leaf had been torn away, immediately roared. Yet Yalith’s smile only grew brighter.

“Oh? Someone who’s even willing to sell his body to survive is now talking about qualifications with me? Mr. Clay, I have a proposal.”

“What…”

“How about you acknowledge me as your godmother?”

Yalith drew closer to him. Her red eyes were full of mockery and ridicule.

“As a former companion of the Hero, falling so low that you have to rely on something like that to seek survival is really too funny. I want to raise you as my daughter. It will add more fun in the future.”

“A dignified Demon King offering a high reward to seek…”

Clay wanted to retort, but then realized Yalith had said “daughter.” His pupils instantly shrank to pinpricks. “Wait, you evil woman, what are you planning to do!”

“You can piece together a daughter for that village chief. Why can’t I turn you into a woman? Isn’t this a very interesting thing… I’m willing to call it resonance between villains.”

Yalith admired his face, twisted and deathly pale from fear, and said, “From now on, I’ll call you Chloe. Don’t worry. Once you’ve called me ‘Mommy’ enough times and gotten used to being my daughter, I’ll return your past memories to you.”

“You can’t do this… ugh!”

Clay’s voice abruptly stopped. The Demon King slightly increased her pressure, making breathing difficult. Then, abundant demonic energy instantly eroded his body and erased his personality.

A biting pain came from his neck. A strange warm current spread from his shoulder and neck. The world before his eyes instantly became blurred and dreamlike. In his mind rang Yalith’s soft laughter.

“My proposal doesn’t need your refusal. Be good and become my first embrace, little princess of the demon race’s future.”