Chapter 252 (2): No Turning Back

“Oh, there’s something I forgot to tell you. You’re now my...” Wayne paused. “How do I put it? Servant, follower, slave... Same difference. If I die, you know what will happen.”

Senna’s eyes lit up. “I’ll die, too?”

“No, I’ll be reborn in your body. As for how I’ll come out... Well, there are many ways. After all, I’m an ancient god replica. I can’t be measured by common sense.” Wayne squatted before Senna, laughing heartily at her flat stomach.

Senna was so numb that even when she realized that she was naked, she didn’t bother covering herself up. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

This is no fun. This woman’s basically broken. She doesn’t have much sense of shame left.

Wayne huffed, patting her on the shoulder and telling her to put on some clothes. He was relieved that Veronica wasn’t here, or he wouldn’t have been able to explain himself even if he was covered in mouths.

Senna dressed herself blankly. Every time she felt resentment, a random part of her body would collapse. It happened repeatedly as she put on the clothes, so it took five minutes for her to complete the simple action.

Wayne considerately waited for her to finish getting dressed before he gave her orders. His shameless, punchable mug made Senna burn with hatred. Half of her arm snapped and fell to the ground in a pile of white goo.

The white goo slipped under her clothes and regenerated her arm.

“You still have your dragon blood, Senna, only I’ve replaced the great dragon as your evolution path.” Wayne patted her on the shoulder encouragingly. “You’ve lucked out. One day, you’ll be thankful to Master Silvia. Not everyone is as fortunate as you are. It’s the ancient god we’re talking about. Many will beg on their knees for this chance!”

Senna didn’t want any contact with Wayne, but her body disagreed and yearned for his touch. When he patted her shoulder, her thoughts and body both expressed their joy, even yearning for more.

She disagreed.

Wayne inserted his hand into his chest and extracted a beating golden heart. “Split the dragon blood into two parts, Senna. No, actually, split it into six parts. I’m giving Master and Veronica a gift.”

Senna frowned fiercely. “You’re so nice to them. How could something as dis—as strange as you are have human feelings? I don’t understand at all.”

His form as a faceless humanoid figure with tentacles and a large chest eye made it hard to believe that he still retained human emotions. She couldn’t figure out why Wayne would care about Silvia and Veronica.

Because of their beauty? Silvia and Veronica were beautiful, and they were mother and daughter. But she didn’t buy that Wayne’s libido was intact. How could someone feel sexual desires for a different species? Hunger would be a more convincing explanation.

“I can’t help it. I’m a sentimental person, and both Master Silvia and Veronica have been treating me well. Of course I have to return the kindness.” Wayne threw Senna a derisive glance. “Genuine feelings beget genuine feelings. Since you don’t even dare to trust someone, you won’t understand such simple feelings.”

“I can be genuine, too!” Senna bit out.

Please give her another chance. She didn’t want to lead a pathetic life like this.

“It’s too late.” Wayne shrugged. “I own you now. You can’t even fight back, so why does it matter if you’re being genuine?”

His words hit her like an arrow to her chest. It hurt. She couldn’t accept how far she had fallen.

“What, do you need a hand?” Wayne offered helpfully. “I have a few practical tricks that will strike a blow on your ego. You’ll get used to it over time.”

Senna’s expression turned icy. It seemed that Wayne could hear her thoughts.

“More or less. As I said, you can’t resist me now. Your thoughts have been shaped by me, so it stands to reason that I can hear your thoughts.” Wayne gave her a pointed look, speaking directly to her mind. “You’re my master’s master, so I’m willing to leave you with some dignity. Please play along, or I’ll have to opt for another method.”

Senna lowered her head, clenching her fists.

“Stop daydreaming. Split the dragon blood now, and I’ll give you the heart. It’ll allow you to reshape and regenerate your flesh and blood with your thoughts so that you won’t have to pick up your arm when it falls off.”

Wayne handed her the heart.

Senna quickly took it, saying stiffly at his approaching face, “Thank you.”

“Thank who?”

“...”

“Forget it. I promise to let you have your dignity. You may continue to call me by my name.”

“Thank you...” Senna sighed in relief. She produced six sealing bottles and split the dragon blood into six portions with a secret technique.

Wayne had asked for six rather than two because of Megan. Based on his own relationship with Mona, he firmly believed that Megan was Auston’s lover, only Silvia didn’t know. Since she was part of the family, too, he included Megan in his gift-giving list.

Each of them would get two portions, so six portions it was. And six was a common multiple of three and two, so if Megan didn’t need more dragon blood, Silvia and Veronica would each receive three bottles.

“Senna, you know the draconic language, don’t you?”

“Some, but not much.”

After splitting the dragon blood into six portions, Senna pulled her shirt up to press the beating heart to her chest, watching it blend into her body to transform her vitality into something almost immortal. She wasn’t sure how to feel.

Was she sad? But her new evolution path was more advanced than that of a great dragon. Was she happy? But why would she be happy when she had lost her autonomy?

“Arrange your schedule so that you can tutor Veronica on the draconic language at night,” Wayne said. “I don’t need the lessons. Just package your knowledge on the language and send it to me through your thoughts. I want all the other knowledge you have, too. I’m not picky.”

Senna nodded. She didn’t reject it on the grounds of the church’s rules. Whether she admitted it or not, her faith was no longer in the Goddess of Nature, and going forward, she would have little connection to great dragons.

The change of her faith didn’t stop her from using Nature’s divine arts. It was as if she had opened up her options through a loophole. Thinking about that made her feel marginally better.

Finding an excuse to comfort herself, she sent Wayne the packaged knowledge on the draconic language and the corresponding draconic magic, as well as the different formulas of the Life Alliance’s divine arts.

While the transmission was underway, they were able to carry on with their verbal conversation.

“What’s the curse of dragon blood, Senna? How did you break it?”

“The curse is related to evolution. Consider Silvia and Veronica dragonlings. White dragons are the initial stage, with the most possibilities...”

Senna explained slowly. The evolution of dragon blood consisted of several stages. Both Silvia and Veronica were at the initial stage, not even able to transform into white dragons fully. Once they reached the peak of white dragons, their evolution would enter the second stage.

It was time to make a choice!

Great dragons came with endless possibilities. Through their choice and the Laws they comprehended, they could develop in different ways. In this stage, a dragon’s color might change.

Senna, for example, had reached the second stage. Among the three faiths of the Life Alliance, Nature was her primary base. She could be considered a green dragon due to her appearance.

“At the second stage, the curse of dragon blood will trigger. We’re not actual great dragons, but people who have acquired dragon blood by slaying dragons and stepped onto the path of evolution...”

“The dragonslayers may not have to pay the price, but those who possess dragon blood must...”

“I didn’t manage to lift the curse of dragon blood. Instead, I made a deal with a mysterious great dragon, who postponed my curse. In return, I gave her the divine arts of Nature and promised to spread dragon blood in the Chosen Land. That is how this palace came to be.”

Senna glanced at Wayne. “I avoided the curse and prevented it from triggering, but I know how it can be bypassed. The answer is faith. The goddess’s blessing would allow me to lift the curse...”

Wayne heard her clearly with the thoughts he had left in her. It turned out that Senna had wanted to lift the curse through her faith, but the goddess showed no interest in her and didn’t offer her any help. She had no choice but to seek an alternative solution. Luckily, she found someone to trade with.

“But... I no longer have to worry about the curse,” Senna said with a strange expression. “If you want to help Silvia and Veronica, just change them like you changed me.”

Wayne’s expression turned strange, too. He could tell that Senna simply wanted to make Silvia suffer the same fate because she was furious that she couldn’t have revenge for her misfortune.

His thoughts told him that Senna hadn’t lied. That was one way of breaking the curse. Dragon blood was insidious. Only a more insidious and advanced existence would be able to spare her from the curse.

In other words, as long as a bigshot asked the great dragon for amnesty, the great dragon would forgive the misunderstanding.

“What a practical great dragon...” Wayne muttered. At the end of the day, raw power was the most persuasive language.

“That’s how the curse can be lifted, Wayne.” Senna took a step forward. “When are you going to help Silvia? Given how much you respect her, you aren’t going to stand by and do nothing, are you?”

Wayne’s eyes twitched. He had forbidden the thought, but this woman was still thinking about avenging Silvia. Did she take him as a pushover?

Splat!