'Phew... I'm pathetic.'
Selene shifted, signaling that it was time to stop the massage. I quickly climbed off her, giving her space to sit up. She stretched her arms, shoulders, and neck, extending her body fully.
"Much better! I feel brand new."
Still in shock from the information Selene had given me, I sat beside her, half-catatonic.
'She seems so normal in moments like these, so natural.'
Selene sat next to me. Our eyes met again. She leaned her head toward my body, and I froze at her movement. Just inches away, Selene continued to surprise me that night.
"Glenn," she whispered.
"Y-yes..." The word barely left my mouth.
"You don't need permission to touch what's yours!"
'Huh? What's mine?'
"I think I'll revoke Lesley's role as masseuse from now on. You did much better."
Selene stood and walked sleepily toward a small but luxurious table on the right side of her room.
"Come."
Obediently, I rose and followed her. She stopped in front of the dining chair, and I halted right behind her, unsure of what she was doing.
Selene stared at me as if expecting something.
"What?" I asked.
Her eyes flicked between me and the dining chair in front of her.
"Ahh..."
I moved hastily, trying to recall the manners and etiquette the old Glenn had learned from his family.
Politely, I gripped the chair, lifted it slightly to avoid scratching the floor, pulled it back, and waited for Selene to position herself.
Gracefully, she stepped into place, and I pushed the chair forward, seating her comfortably at the table. Following her lead, I sat beside her.
"As you may already know, in three days, there will be a celebration banquet and an initiation ceremony held at the royal castle, in your honor, of course."
"What? Initiation ceremony? What's that?"
"Essentially, it's us revealing to the world only what we want them to know."
"Hm... Hold on, one thing at a time. What is this ceremony?"
"It's far easier for the world to believe, based on its outcome, that you poured every last drop of your talent into all your duels. That'll give us more leeway for... unforeseen circumstances."
"What? Why are you ignoring me?"
Selene looked at me with a sly smile.
"You'll come meet me every night until the banquet to learn proper manners and royal etiquette of the demon kingdom."
"Haaa... I give up."
"Until then, I'll instruct you on how to speak, how to act, how to eat properly, which words to pronounce, and even how to dance."
"Phew..." I sighed.
"Today's first lesson is about dining."
Selene clapped her hands twice. The golden runes in the room glowed brighter, easing the constant pressure weighing on my shoulders.
Soon, four maids entered, carrying trays of food, and positioned themselves beside the table, awaiting her orders.
"First lesson: It's all about maintaining your composure while dining."
Realizing I wouldn't get my questions answered right now, I straightened up, dredged up whatever memories I could, and focused on Selene's instructions.
"Begin serving. Your primary task will be to maintain a stoic appearance in the face of all comments made that day—whether praise or slander."
I nodded in understanding, steadying my mind and trying to enter the best mental state for the situation.
The waiters served the dishes and withdrew.
"What's the correct order of utensils at a gala banquet?"
"Always from the outermost to the innermost. And... um... if there's no dish corresponding to a utensil, you typically move to the next one."
"Perfect. Let's eat. Remember, posture."
The weight in the room intensified again. I didn't even know what percentage it was at now, but it was heavy. Heavier than when I'd first entered.
The food was an appetizer of fresh herbs and energy-rich fruits. Mimicking the old Glenn's etiquette wasn't too hard.
'Right arm slightly curved, three fingers on the utensils, mouth closed until the food approaches. Then, a light taste.'
And then, everything fell apart.
"Glenn, you have such beautiful eyes!!!" Selene's hand stroked my left thigh.
"PFFFTT!" I spat all the food in my mouth onto the table.
"Cough!" I choked immediately after.
"I told you—always keep your composure while tasting the meal. That's the most opportune moment for sharp remarks to hit you."
My heart pounded, my eyes bloodshot, my hands trembled, my leg muscles twitched uncontrollably, and my dick was hard as stone.
'What was that? She just said one sentence, and I nearly exploded!'
Selene, holding a white cloth, gently wiped Glenn's face, now smeared with bits of spat-out food.
"Remember what I told you. The mind must keep up with the body's progress, and the body must keep up with the mind's. Not everything will be resolved on the battlefield. Again!"
"Okay."
And so began one of the most unexpectedly difficult trainings I could've imagined. Maybe because the person training me could fluster me with just the tone of her voice. Or maybe, as she said, I just needed to improve my mental maturity.
**
"Have you ever slept with your queen?"
"PFFFTT!"
"So you're a eunuch who feels no attraction to someone as beautiful as me!"
"PFFFTT!"
"Let's settle this with a duel, you worm!"
"Cough... cough..." I gagged.
"We're looking for a strong warrior to mate with!"
"PFFFTT!" 'I spat everything out again! Damn you, Selene!'
"I heard you only won your duels because the queen interfered. Is that true? Or are you just a puppet?"
"PFFFTT!"
"So, you're basically the queen's pet, huh? She takes you for walks and gives you treats?"
"HRK—!" 'For the love of all deities, she won't stop!'
"They say you're only here because the queen feels guilty about something in the past. True? Or are you just a charity case?"
"PFFFTT!"
"They say Queen Selene only chose you because you're... well, you know, 'inexperienced.' True?"
'I felt my soul leave my body for a second.'
"So, actually, you're the royal demon castle's gigolo?"
"Phew..." 'I took a deep breath, tried to swallow my indignation... and failed.'
I'll admit—I thought this would be far less complicated than it actually was. Selene, in every sense, was a demon. Calculating, ruthless, wicked, perverse, and insidious.
Every one of her remarks sounded unnervingly natural, as if she were embodying someone else—someone who'd truly say such things with hidden intentions.
Not only that, but her provocations always struck during my smallest slip-ups, while eating, speaking, answering questions, even while silent.
It was like being bombarded by thousands of haters in comment sections after a terrible performance in an esports match.
'Now I understand how those pro players felt.'
**
01:40
"Phew... Finally, it's over."
I was wrecked. My clothes were stained with food, wine, beer, tea, and everything else I'd spat out.
Sprawled across the same couch where I'd once massaged Selene, my closed eyes tried to absorb everything she'd taught me over the past few hours. And I knew I'd need to use it all at the banquet.
My arms stretched over the couch's back, my controlled breathing rising and falling in a meditative state. This was how I learned, how I improved, how I replicated memories that weren't even mine.
A slight movement beside me pulled me from my self-assessment.
Opening my eyes, I saw Selene lying on the couch again, using my legs as a pillow. And this time, she'd genuinely fallen into a peaceful sleep.
'When did she get here?'
I spent a few minutes admiring her beauty, wondering how to leave. It was simple—just gently move her head, replace it with a cushion, and go. But my body refused to obey. The more I looked at her, the more I wanted the moment to last. Why? I didn't know. Something about Selene was... magnetic.
My heart raced, my blood burned, and disbelief overwhelmed me. Against my will, with a force stronger than I could control, my hands moved.
'No, no, no, no. What are you doing?'
Too late. My fingers combed through her lustrous hair, caressing her head like a baby's.
"Why does this feel so good?" I murmured to myself, continuing the gentle strokes.