Beast Enslavement: A Failure's Path to World Domination

*SPLASH

The freezing bucket of water brought Arc back to consciousness, dazed. His gaze wandered around the room he was in, right after they were drawn to the iron maiden resting on the wall of the old-fashioned, grimy room with a few candles as the only source of light.

His gaze noticed different equipments in the room— spears,pliers, whips, chains, trays of hot coals among others. If there's something they all had in common, it's that they could be used as torture devices.

His memory started coming back after noticing he was bound by chains attached to the ceiling and three soldiers—two females and one male were before him.

"Healing complete. Go ahead Sir Oberon"

The short female soldier said, rather indifferently. Arc was knocked out earlier and brought to this toture chamber because the soldiers assumed he was one of the kidnappers and wanted to get information out of him.

They had subjected him to all kinds of toture— lashings, stabbings, boiling oil, hot coal brandings and even attacks using ygg. They'd toture him till he was half dead then heal his wounds and go again. At this point, he'd lost count how many times he's passed out or how many days he's been here.

[67 hours and 12 minutes]

"Just tell us what we want to know and it'll be over soon!"

The bald male soldier with a scruffy beard and thug-like face growled with animosity.

"I.... already told you. I....met....her in the forest and helped...her... escape. Just....ask....Ms Selene"

"Don't you dare call the Princess by name you filthy mongrel!"

The man lashed out, launching a flame spell at the boy. He took a deep breath and continued.

"Because of you monsters, the princess hasn't woken up from surgery yet and we have no idea if she'll ever wake up..... So give me the location of your base before I kill you!"

The man said, pointing at Arc and preparing to launch an even more destructive spell, but was stopped by the taller woman.

"Sigh— we're getting nowhere like this."

The woman stepped forward, moving closer to Arc and placing her palm on his chest

"Bridge"

She chanted. Her hand phased through his skin and he felt unimaginable pain in that area.

"The heart is a delicate organ, y'know. So fragile that you feel so much pain just from me touching it"

Her long fingernails dealt multiple consecutive layers of damage as her palms caressed his heart. She looked at him with dark, cold eyes.

"Tell us the truth before I play your organs like a musical instrument"

"I've... already.. told you"

"Sigh— Saya, prepare your healing spell... I'm going to crush his heart"

The short girl's expression turned to one of terror as she tried to stop her comrade... However, she had already started squeezing Arc's heart like a sponge causing the boy to scream in pain.... The girl wasn't going to make it in time. But then—

"Sir Oberon, Lady Carla, Lady Saya!..."

A servant screamed rushing into the room

".....The princess is awake!"

Carla stopped squeezing Arc's heart upon hearing the news and rushed out of the torture room with the servant and Oberon.

Arc exhaled a sigh of relief

"Thank Goodness"

"Thank goodness is right"

Sayo replied to him while healing his injuries

"Huh?"

"Once the princess confirms your story, we'll all owe you far more than an apology. I wouldn't blame you if you want us executed"

She said, smiling softly as though she yearned for death

"This torture will be over soon, but that's not why I'm happy"

She looked up at him in shock and caught a gentle smile on his face, looking at her

"I'm just glad she's okay"

She fell into silence for a few seconds, staring at him.

"Huh? Is there something on my face?"

"Aside from burns, no. You're a weird one, alright"

She finished healing his injuries a couple minutes later and left the room to see the princess.

[Well, isn't she nice? Probably the only normal person in this shithole]

"I'm sure they were all just on edge with Ms Selene in a coma"

[Still though, torturing you feels kind of extreme, especially since they don't have the full story. I'm getting a strange feeling]

"Haha, you worry too much. This was all just a big misunderstanding"

[..... I hope so ]

"Haha....*huff huff.... I won't die here, trust me I.....I'll return to the cradle..... A...my"

The room fell into silence for a long time after that with Arc eventually falling asleep.

*SPLASH

He was awoken by a bucket of cold water again. This time around, aside from the three soldiers, Selene was also before him.

"Ms Selene! I'm glad you're—"

"—alright" was what he intended to say but he stopped right when Selene stepped back with an expression of fear in her eyes. Saya broke the ice.

"Princess....can you identify this boy?"

"He is.....one of the people who kidnapped me...."

No one was more shocked by that statement than Arc. His eyes widened in shock trying to figure out a reason for her lie.

"... Although, he was just a henchman. I don't think he knows anything"

[What the hell is she on about?!]

"Then he shall be executed!"

Carla proclaimed, her eyes filled with rage.

"No, don't!...."

Selene protested, grabbing Carla by the arm

"....He's just a child, he didn't know better. I'm sure he can still be saved for their evil ways so please don't..... for me, Carla?"

Carla stared at Selene's determined eyes and sighed.

"Fine, we'll send him to the mines. Is that okay, Princess?"

"Yes! Thank you Carla!"

She happily jumped on the tall female soldier with Oberon trying to calm her down.

"W-What the hell?"

[Oh? Seems like even happy go lucky idiots like you have limits]

Arc ignored I's taunt, instead focusing on the lying Princess before him

"I met you in the forest after saving you from those bandits and you asked me to help you get home, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING RIGHT NOW?!"

"Aaahhhhhhhh"

The Princess screamed at his outburst, covering her ears. Carla and Oberon reflexively fired high level spells at Arc, knocking him out instantly.

The next time he awoke, he was wrapped in chains, sitting at the back of a transport vehicle. The only other person in the vehicle was Selene, sitting opposite him with her legs crossed and staring at him .

[You're on your way to the mines. A prison in the kingdom of Baldur for high profile criminals. Congratulations, fool. A criminal record or two is a prerequisite for the overlord of 9 realms, haha]

"M-Ms Selene.....Why?"

"I'm sorry, boy..... it's just.... when we met you were such a kind and innocent boy, so much so that I couldn't help it...."

A smile formed on her face. However, it wasn't a gentle one like he saw in the forest, it was a creepy, sadistic and almost sinister smile

"I want to see you defiled"

Arc couldn't understand her motivation and all he could do was reply with a

"H-Huh?"

"We wouldn't have had to do it this way if you hadn't rejected me. This is your fault, y'know"

"R-Rejected?"

"You chose becoming a hunter over me! How cruel can you get?! That wasn't nice"

She pouted.

"W-What? You did this because you don't want me to leave?YOU SUBJECTED ME TO ALL THIS JUST BECAUSE OF THAT?!"

"Just because? That's just rude, why else will I do this? There was no way to change your mind, it was clear the determination in your eyes.... perhaps there's someone you want to see again?"

Amy's face popped into his mind at that moment and he turned his face away. Selene's eyes turned cold as ice.

"Nevertheless, all I have to do is break that determination and make you mine"

Arc couldn't even begin to fathom her thought process, but one thing was clear

"Y-You're crazy! I'll never give in to you!"

"Hahahaha, I've heard that before from people way bigger than you....they all submitted to me in the end and so will you"

Her yandere smile grew way bigger than before and Arc could clearly see the drool emanating from her mouth and twisted look of elation on her face.

"I got Carla to reserve a private room for your.... rehabilitation. We're going to have so much fun, hehehe"

The vehicle stopped and Selene fixed her expression back to the "prim and proper princess".

*CREAAAKK

"WE'VE ARRIVED!"

The soldier who opened the back of the vehicle growled at Arc before removing the locks binding his chains to the vehicle and dragging him out of the vehicle

"Stay strong and never give up, boy. Once you've paid for crimes, why don't you become one of my personal knights?"

She asked with a smile that somehow expressed concern for his wellbeing. Arc didn't respond because he knew it was just an act— a facade to fool everyone else.

He was surrounded by walls once again, but it wasn't the walls of the hallowed training grounds known as the cradle, it was a prison filled to the brim with Baldur's worst criminals and even worse, Selene intended to make him submit to her.

He had no battle oriented beast with him and only 100 coins in his system. The situation was dire and he was stuck....well, at least until his two tier 9s are back in action.

Arc had a single thought in his mind.....

"I just have to keep a low profile for three weeks and some change. Then, I will escape from here"

Just then he noticed prisoners coming out of the other transport vehicles that arrived with his. More so, the prisoners were people he recognized.

"Huh? Isn't that...."

The first person who caught his attention noticed him as well and responded with clear murderous intent. Well, who wouldn't after losing to a twelve year old which then led to your capture and torture by Baldur soldiers? Rei certainly would and so would the other twelve onis.

Arc's plan to keep a low profile went up in smoke before he even set foot in jail