Volume 5 Chapter 0100: Resisting the Tyranny of the Father - I, The Dragon Overlord

Rosalind knelt on the ground, her two pairs of dragon and demon wings folded at her sides, her entire form curled inward as her forehead touched the earth. This posture starkly contrasted with the previously menacing and proud queenly demeanor she displayed. Louie remained seated on his throne, observing her for a long while before slowly standing. He descended the lengthy steps to Rosalind's position and extended his right hand toward her, mirroring her earlier lethal gesture toward Fro'mo's head. An overwhelming fear gripped Rosalind’s heart. Though she kept her head bowed, she could feel the approach of that hand, heightening her terror to its peak. She understood that should a powerful divine avatar have unfettered access to her head, even as an abyssal lord, she would meet instant death. For a fleeting moment, Rosalind found the notion of rebellion swelling within her. She was now an abyssal lord, fortified by the will of the Abyss. Within her domain, she was akin to a deity. Perhaps she could defy her father's tyranny. However, this thought was promptly quashed. Rosalind was startled by its mere emergence, realizing it was futile to challenge her father. Despite her status, all she had stemmed from his gifts—the Burning Legion she commanded existed due to him. As the queen of the first layer of the Abyss, she knew those strange, modified demons and dragons would not heed the Abyssal will. Even if she were an abyssal lord, her father could command them to betray her with a single order. Moreover, opposing a being of supreme divine power would inevitably spell her end, regardless of her status. Suppressing her dread, Rosalind allowed Louie's hand to descend. Yet, instead of capturing her head, Louie grasped Rosalind's delicate chin, lifting her face with a firm hand. Their dragon eyes met: one cold and aloof, the other shrinking like a threatened child. "In that fleeting moment, you pondered rebellion against me, Rosalind!" Louie looked down at her, eyes betraying no emotion. "Indeed, betrayal comes as naturally as eating or drinking to a demon." Rosalind's expression shifted through several emotions. Though she wished to deny it, she ultimately admitted, "…Yes, my Father. In that moment, I harbored erroneous thoughts of defiance." She knew denial served no purpose. When a god decrees something, even the unfounded becomes reality. Such is the absoluteness of gods! "Then why did you not defy me, Rosalind?" Louie's hand tightened slightly on the half-demon, half-dragon's delicate chin, the pressure causing even the dragon's bones to emit a creaking sound. A flash of pain crossed Rosalind's face. She endured the agony to reply, "…Because you are the great true god, my Father and creator!" "…Everything I have you bestowed upon me. You possess absolute power and authority. I understand that any betrayal of mine is a mere jest to you, and you could crush me like an insect with ease." "I apologize, Father! I repent for my foolish thoughts and beseech your forgiveness. For this transgression, I am willing to accept any punishment, any punishment whatsoever!" Rosalind worked to display a smile, her highborn and prideful demeanor morphing into that of a beguiling succubus, charm blossoming on her bewitching face, as she sought to appease Louie. "Oh? Any punishment, you say, even if it means your death?" Louie's smile turned cruel as he spoke slowly. Rosalind clenched her teeth, her emotions tumbling tumultuously, answering in a tearful voice filled with fear, "…Yes, my Father! Even if you choose to end me, it is but my just desserts." "Hmph, you lie, Rosalind!" Louie edged closer, reducing the gap between them to mere inches. The dragon's breath, replete with burning heat, potent venom, and the Abyss's intoxicating sweetness, brushed against Louie’s cheek. "You are not genuinely willing to accept my punishment; you are afraid, you are terrified, you are angry, you are despairing!" "…Reveal your true thoughts to me, release your desires, and let me see your genuine intent!" Louie spoke in a voice more fitting for a demon's whisper, using the foul tongue of the Abyss that nearly shattered the mind of this abyssal lord. Gradually, Rosalind's gaze shifted, showing cruelty, ambition, and a burning desire for power. Seeing this, Louie nodded in satisfaction, "…A demon should act like a demon. Don't use foolish excuses to deceive your god." "…Well done, Rosalind. A demon’s ambition and desire should be intense. I don’t need your unwavering loyalty; I need you to remember with that ambition-fueled mind that I am stronger than you, that I can snuff you out with a single fingertip. Harboring this respect for me is your faith!" Expecting unwavering loyalty from a demon is a fool's dream, even if the demon is one’s own child. Betrayal among demons could happen even with insufficient stakes, so taming a demon requires absolute power—a power that instills a terror no demon dares oppose. Anything else is mere folly. "The Blood War is imminent. I've prepared on the devil's side, but what I want this time is a thorough defeat for the demons. Even your ruled ‘Endless Abyss Plain’ shall fall to the devils, who will commence a great slaughter of demons." "…So, Rosalind, when faced with such circumstances, the failure of the Blood War, coupled with the mockery and fury of other abyssal lords, how would you respond to this?" Louie returned to his throne, his gaze fixed on the kneeling demon dragon. This time, without hesitation, Rosalind responded, "…I will follow your orders, my great Father!" Rosalind turned her back on the will of the Abyss without a hint of hesitation. "Hahaha!! Excellent, your willingness is sufficient. Once you accomplish your task, I shall grant you power, enabling you to vie for the title of Prince of Demons." "…The will of the Abyss? Ha, it’s merely chaos destined to fall to order!" Louie smirked derisively. "Now you finally resemble your two elder sisters, behaving somewhat more obediently. Becoming an abyssal lord filled you with incorrect and brazen ideas. Fortunately, it’s not too late to correct this." "…Come, serve me with all you possess, my child." Louie commanded softly. Overjoyed, Rosalind realized she had earned her father's forgiveness. The demon dragon shuffled forward on her knees before Louie at the throne, casting him a captivating glance before lowering her head. Louie rested his chin on his hand, eyes closing as his fingers drummed against the throne's armrest, sighing deeply.