Chapter 5: I’ll deal with you slowly when I get back

“Sister Aisha.”

“Oh? Calling me so sweetly all of a sudden?
Let me guess, Charis—you want to know what this is, right?”

Aisha shook the small bottle, the heart-shaped bubbles inside churning more intensely.
It was hard not to think of props from “mind-altering” stories.

“Yeah, we agreed I’d apologize to your satisfaction.
Why pull out something like that?”

“It’s our backup plan, of course.”

“Backup… plan?”

Charis knew deep down that these heroes didn’t trust her.
No matter how friendly they seemed, their interest wouldn’t override their fundamental hostility.
Unless something could completely shift her allegiance—that must be the potion’s purpose.

“I call this magical potion the Contract Potion.
If your apology doesn’t satisfy us, you’ll have to drink it and become an obedient pet.
Then Luline will drop her charges, I’ll have more time to study you, and since Ophelia’s taken an interest, we can’t let you slip away.”

Aisha smiled, seemingly negotiating with Charis.
But Charis had no room to refuse.

‘Who knows what they’ll deem satisfactory! Run now? No chance—Ophelia’s watching my legs, and there are two others.’

‘Maybe I can only rely on heartfelt words. They might soften and let me go.’

Charis looked at them, racking her brain for words to avoid punishment.

“Thought it through, Charis?
Or shall I, Sister Aisha, start pouring this potion down your throat?”

Aisha rubbed the bottle, her violet eyes gleaming with excitement.

“I’ve thought it through.
I’ll apologize to your satisfaction.”
Charis raised her head.

“Oh? Let’s hear it then.”
Aisha gripped the potion bottle, pausing her fiddling.

“Good sisters… please hear me out!
I only meant to kindly collect your corpses.
Taking off your clothes and grabbing a little reward wasn’t intentional.
Touching your bodies was an accident—I absolutely didn’t mean to disrespect you!
I love humans; I’m a good dragon!”

Charis puffed out her chest, her expression righteous and shamelessly bold.

“Hm?”
Aisha blinked.
Charis’s answer was even more brazen than before, now laced with pride?

“Sigh…”
Luline shook her head, clearly unimpressed.

“Forget it, Aisha. Hand me the potion—I’ll make her drink it.
You two, help hold her arms and legs.”
Ophelia demanded the Contract Potion, and Aisha passed it over without hesitation.

“Wait, wait! I apologized with all my heart!
Why are you still making me drink it!”
Charis panicked, but Luline and Aisha’s strong hands seized her arms, pinning them tightly.

“Binding Curse.”
Aisha muttered, and a purple glow shimmered across Charis’s body.

“Ugh! What’s this?”
Charis couldn’t move, only able to watch as Ophelia uncorked the potion bottle.

Pop~

The cork made a soft sound, and a potent herbal scent rushed into Charis’s nose.
Her brows furrowed, her sky-blue eyes blinking rapidly in panic.

“Vile dragon, you’re Charis, right?
Chasing you took some effort, and you dared mock me while running.
Yet you’re so polite to them?”

“You were trying to kill me! I didn’t even touch your body!”

“Still haven’t figured out your place, huh?
Still arguing? You’ve got some guts.”

Ophelia’s voice carried clear resentment.
Luline and Aisha’s expressions remained unchanged—a silent understanding among comrades.

“Isn’t there any room for discussion?”
Charis tried one last plea.

“None.”
Ophelia aimed the bottle at Charis’s mouth.

‘Wasted my breath! Damn sword saintess!’

“Do it! I’ll never forget you!”
Charis stubbornly turned her head.
When facing Ophelia, she always felt a spark of defiance she couldn’t suppress.

“You!”
Ophelia’s eyes widened, her hand trembling with the potion.
“Fine! Down it goes!”

Ophelia pinched Charis’s mouth, forcing open a reluctant gap and shoving the bottle in.

Gulp, gulp.

The black potion, thick with herbal bitterness, flooded her mouth.
Charis was force-fed, struggling to breathe as the bitter liquid filled her.

‘This is awful! How can anything taste this bad!’

‘Damn sword saintess! You must be enjoying this, tormenting a weak young dragon like me!’

Charis thought scavenging garbage was better than this.
She forced her eyes open, glaring at Ophelia, who was pouring the potion.

But beyond Ophelia’s anger, deep in those crimson eyes, there was a fleeting hint of something elusive—disappointment?

Charis only noted it vaguely before the entire bottle’s contents slid into her stomach.

“Pfft… cough, cough, cough!”

Charis spat out the empty bottle, clutching her chest and gagging.
Her body surged with restless energy, especially around her lower abdomen.

‘It’s so itchy… what’s taking root in my stomach?’

Charis touched her belly, but even as the sensation faded, she couldn’t figure it out.

“Aisha, here’s your bottle back.
This dragon’s our pet now, and we’re responsible for her, right?”

As if retaliating against Charis’s defiance, Ophelia yanked the ice chain hard.

“Ah… why’d you pull so hard!”
Charis glared resentfully at Ophelia, who towered over her.
Why bully a young dragon?

“I’ll pull my pet’s chain as hard as I like, Charis.”
Ophelia dangled the chain, and Charis bit her lip, unable to escape.

“Alright, Ophelia, let me test Charis.”
Aisha reached out, and Ophelia nodded.

“Here you go.”

The ice chain passed to Aisha’s hand.
Charis glanced over silently.

“Charis.”
Aisha clapped, calling her name.

“What?”
Charis frowned, but her body involuntarily turned to face Aisha.

“Come on, loudly call Ophelia ‘Master.’”
Aisha clapped again, and Charis’s body slowed, a faint purple glow overtaking her blue eyes.

“No way… ugh… Master Ophelia.”

As soon as she spoke, Charis’s eyes widened.
The words had slipped out uncontrollably!

‘No! Mind control! When did this happen!’

“Ophelia, happy with Charis’s title for you?”
Aisha turned with a grin, and Ophelia’s expression softened slightly.

“Thanks, Aisha, but… let’s not use these methods.”
Ophelia knew it wasn’t heartfelt, just the potion’s effect.

“But it’s fun to hear, right?
Such a cute little dragon girl, one of a kind.”
Aisha bent down, lightly pinching Charis’s cheek.

“Don’t pinch my face!”
Charis swatted Aisha’s hand away, hating the pain and humiliation.

“Hahaha… Charis, you’re quite different from a typical pet.
Come home with us.”
Aisha raised her brows, and Charis glanced back at the forest.

Her days of wandering without a home were over.
But now began her days of being dragged home by heroes.

“We’ll deal with you slowly when we get back.”
Ophelia muttered, eyeing Charis.

“Oh…”
Charis bit her lip.

“Done talking? Let’s move out.”

Luline spread her hands, casting a teleportation array.
The group vanished from the Demon King’s territory.