Chapter 204

While Natalie nudged Malice’s shoulder to get her to wake, Liz ran around and collected the wolfgirl’s discarded armor, which Natalie had peeled off with some gusto; the separate pieces were scattered around in a decent radius.

Slowly, Malice came back to consciousness. She blinked up at the five girls crowded around her. Her eyes naturally settled on Natalie. Their gazes met for a moment, then Malice sighed.

“I really lost. To a human. How embarrassing.” She grunted, rising into a sitting position. “I suppose it’s not the worst fate. At least you’re strong.”

“Good morning to you too,” Natalie said, amused. The Hellhound didn’t sound especially perturbed at her defeat—though definitely somewhat. Natalie understood. She was competitive herself. She hated losing.

Natalie held a hand out, and Malice clasped it and stood.

Malice’s nakedness didn’t apparently bother her. She scrutinized Natalie’s teammates with her earlier confidence, arms crossed and shoulders square, pushing her breasts out. The haziness in her eyes created by Natalie’s thorough fucking had mostly faded. Her legs wobbled a bit as she found her footing, though.

“Hmph,” Malice said, her attention settling on Liz. “Why are you holding my armor?”

Liz twitched in surprise. Blushing, she held the bundle of metal out. “Thought you’d want to put it back on. Sorry.”

Orange eyes flicked up and down the blushing Liz, before Malice held a hand out. Liz passed the gear over. Malice slipped into it.

“So,” Malice said, turning to Natalie. “You plan to claim me, then?”

“You know about that?” Malice had spoken vaguely about what defeat meant, but Natalie hadn’t gotten the impression she knew about the Capture Core itself.

“Of course. It was the terms of the duel.” She sniffed. “Or, rather, I know that it’s your choice. That you could discard me. But you won’t do that. Obviously, I’m more than a suitable addition.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Natalie’s team. “Especially in relation to the rest of your group. Perhaps you defeated me, but not all of you could have. I won’t be the weakest fighter, here.” Her eyes fell on Liz, again, who, hilariously, made a squeaking noise as those intense orange eyes bore into her. Malice snorted, probably assuming the timidity proved her point. In reality, Liz might be the most skilled of all of them. Healers just didn’t have the flashiest role.

Natalie ignored the Hellhound’s arrogance. She’d already seen plenty of it during the fight, so she wasn’t surprised. Plus Natalie was pretty sure it was mostly posturing. Setting up her hierarchy in the group. Like an actual wolf might.

“I’m glad we don’t have to explain it all, then,” Natalie said. “But do you want that to happen? To be claimed?”

Malice turned an incredulous look at her. “Didn’t you just force me to submit? Must I do so twice, for you?”

Natalie blushed. “That was during the fight, though. As part of a duel. Obviously, I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want to.”

The incredulous look stayed on her. Natalie shifted uncomfortably. Clearly, this woman didn’t have the same sensibilities as Natalie herself. The idea of her own thoughts on the matter being relevant seemed ridiculous to her. She was a dungeon monster; Natalie shouldn’t assume the creature thought like a human. Malice was literally throwing the word ‘human’ around like an insult.

If the tables had been turned, and Natalie had been defeated, she wondered how considerate Malice would have been in return. She didn’t particularly want to consider it. Regardless, how Malice would act in this situation didn’t change how Natalie would.

“And do you know what happens if we don’t?” Natalie added.

Malice’s expression morphed into something she couldn’t fully decipher. She looked away.

“I prefer this form,” Malice said, a bit quietly. “The others forced onto me are...” she grimaced. “Not as pleasant. I dislike being a dullard. My mind crushed in on itself. Forcibly guided by...” her lip curled up, and she didn’t finish the statement. Instead, she faced back to Natalie and glared. She even took a step forward and poked aggressively at her chest. Apparently, her defeat hadn’t made her any more subservient. “Why wouldn’t you accept my service? I’ll remind you that you barely won, human. I’ll make an excellent warrior to call on.”

Barely won? That was only true in the combat section. Natalie had definitely outclassed her in the other phase. To be fair, being able to summon an illusion of herself was kind of cheating.