Chapter 150: A temporary solution
After they shook hands, sealing the agreement, Evelyn looked directly into her eyes. Tiamat was still carefully analyzing all the optimal points to begin the "treatment" she had planned. "So... what now?" Evelyn murmured, clearly anxious about what was to come while Tiamat pondered.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Lyana shouted, still pinned to the ground by Tiamat's pressure, as if she were being crushed under tons of iron.
"Oh, right." Tiamat said, snapping her fingers and releasing Lyana. The pressure vanished instantly, and Lyana quickly stood up, positioning herself between Evelyn and Tiamat. "Who are you?!" Lyana demanded, refusing to believe that Strax was still in control. She had spoken with him before and knew how he normally behaved, but this person was different—someone she didn't trust at all.
"Why don't you just stay quiet?" Tiamat retorted, and once again, Lyana was slammed into the ground, her face pressed into the forest floor, as everyone else watched in shock. "Is that really necessary?" Monica asked, having already realized that Tiamat had taken Strax's place.
"She refuses to stay quiet. That's the problem with servants who are too devoted to their duties; they're always ready to sacrifice themselves for their master at the slightest provocation. I understand her feelings, but this is a bit much, don't you think?" Tiamat said, gesturing towards Lyana, who was biting her lip to endure the pain she was in.
Evelyn glanced at the woman, who was clearly desperate to attack the person she believed was Strax. "Ugh..." Evelyn sighed, placing a hand on her forehead, and let out a heavy breath. "Fine, release her," she said to Tiamat. "She'll just get in the way," Tiamat responded calmly.
"If she does, I'll cut off her arms myself," Evelyn replied, this time with such seriousness that it piqued Tiamat's curiosity.
"That's the gaze of someone who's lived a long time... She's not human," Tiamat thought. She had her suspicions, but now? Now it was almost certain. No one with that appearance could have that kind of look—one of someone who had truly lived a long time.
"So be it." Tiamat said, releasing the pressure on Lyana once again, who slowly got back up. "If you do that again, I'll—" "You won't do anything. You've got two broken ribs. It's better to use your mana to heal yourself before you suffer internal bleeding and die," Tiamat interrupted mercilessly. "Listen to him. Now go heal yourself.
Unlike me, you have time, so don't interfere," Evelyn ordered, causing Lyana to lower her head slightly in shame. "I'm sorry, my lady..." she murmured, moving away from them.
"Let's get this over with. I'm going to inject mana into you. Just accept it; don't resist, or the process will have the opposite effect." Tiamat, in Strax's body, extended her hand toward Evelyn, her red eyes glowing with more intensity than usual. She was aware that time was short, so she focused completely, knowing that every second counted as Evelyn's condition deteriorated.
The gentle touch of her hand met Evelyn's, and immediately, a sensation of warmth spread through the young woman's ravaged body as she felt something entering her.
"Don't resist, just relax," Tiamat instructed, and Evelyn nodded, lowering her defenses almost entirely. Her body wouldn't be able to resist anyway, so she simply accepted what she was told.
Evelyn felt a pressure coursing through every part of her body, dispersing through her veins and mana channels. It was as if several warm threads were running through her, from her fingertips to her toes. Gradually, she felt her mana flow more smoothly and less harshly, like a river flowing through certain points where she previously couldn't even feel the mana passing.
The pain that had once consumed her muscles and slowly drained her energy began to fade right before her eyes. It was replaced by a calm, serene sense of relief. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her body; her shoulders felt lighter, her body more responsive, and she could finally relax and breathe more easily for the first time in years after suffering from this affliction.
"That... that's really comforting... it seems to have worked," Evelyn murmured between breaths, her surprise evident, though she had no complaints. She felt the mana flowing more naturally now, even though she was still far from being completely healed. It was a huge relief.
"I told you it would work. I keep my word," Tiamat replied with a slight smile, her eyes never leaving Evelyn's. "But remember, this is temporary, and I won't always be here to do this. I don't even know if I can do it again. You've gained a few months, maybe less, depending on your emotional and physical state. The real problem is still there, and you're going to need to find a permanent solution...
I'm not sure what constitution you have, but it's too strong for you."
Tiamat's words... or rather, Strax's words struck a chord with her. Despite her attempts to hide it, he still sensed her constitution? "What a surprising man..." she thought, as she nodded. She knew it was too good to be true and that this was only temporary. For now, this was the best thing that had happened, and that was enough for her.
"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly, her voice steadier than before.
"Don't thank me yet. Just don't die before you manage to repay me somehow," Tiamat responded, her expression now more playful... Well... it wasn't Tiamat anymore.
"Tsk, you're back," Ouroboros said, noticing the Dragon Queen appearing within the spiritual contract space. "Oh, is she jealous?" Tiamat teased, wanting to provoke Ouroboros a bit, after all, she had won this round...
"Don't provoke me," Ouroboros replied, her eyes glinting dangerously, but Tiamat didn't care. She shrugged and looked at Ouroboros. "It must be tough, huh? Not feeling the master connected to you so intimately... It was like our souls were making love deeply while I felt him completely inside me," Tiamat said in a rather provocative tone, aiming to taunt Ouroboros.
All that dragon wanted was to feel her master's virility inside her, but she couldn't!
Ouroboros narrowed her eyes, her expression darkening. Tiamat's provocation hit her like a direct blow, stirring something deep within her. The truth was that, as powerful as she was, Ouroboros couldn't deny the intense desire to connect with Strax in the same way Tiamat had. That spiritual connection, that intimacy, was something she desperately craved, but it was still out of her reach.
"You talk too much, bitch," Ouroboros replied, her voice low and controlled, but laden with menace. "But know this: the connection you experienced was just a fraction of what I will be able to achieve. When my time comes, the bond I'll have with the master will be far deeper than anything you can imagine." She spoke like a prophet... but well...
Tiamat smiled, but there was something dark in that smile. "Ah, Ouroboros, always so confident. But maybe you should accept that there are certain things that aren't meant for you. Some connections are about more than just strength... they're about compatibility, about mutual understanding, and the master and I were made for each other."
Ouroboros clenched her fists, trying to control the growing anger within her. Every word from Tiamat seemed to poke at an open wound, but she refused to give Tiamat the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. "You may have had your momentary victory, but don't be mistaken, Tiamat. This is just the beginning.
I will be the one standing by the master's side in the end, and when that day comes, nothing will tear me from him."
Tiamat laughed softly, a sound that reverberated through the spiritual space. "We'll see, Ouroboros. We'll see."
These two women were ready to go to war if necessary, just to have their master to themselves, but... well... that was between them, and Strax... he didn't care at all about their enmity. After all... he had already decreed something...
They would both be his, whether they liked each other or not; they'd learn by brute force if necessary.
Silence hung in the air as the sound of Tiamat's high heels echoed while she headed back to her own domain... Her golden palace shone even brighter after all... She had won this time.
Ouroboros remained seated on her throne, even angrier as she watched her walk away. "Enjoy it while you can, Tiamat. The game isn't over yet," she murmured to herself.
A lost war was beginning.