Chapter 53: Warning
As the oldest Medusa conveyed her feelings to Nith with so much authority and emotion that he couldn’t interject, she also reached out to her current generation—Medusa. Her voice rang out in Medusa’s mind.
She began softly, apologizing for being a burden.
“I’m at fault for you never being able to feel a parent’s warmth and guidance,” she said.
The act of sacrifice meant that every Medusa died after laying an egg. To keep things secret, each Medusa was compelled to kill her husband or sperm donor.
In most cases, the latter often happened to be the case. Medusas didn’t feel a need for love and simply disregarded any affection that sprouted within them.
Perhaps it was because they were of a royal breed, but duty and tradition prevailed over everything else.
As for their tribe, the act of sacrifice became known as a curse—one that allowed them to make use of poisons despite the sanctuary’s blessing at the cost of their short lives.
“Your discontent with your strength is not an act of treason as you think it is. You’ve recognized that the act of sacrifice cannot continue for the sake of Medusas and our tribe. Given the circumstances, you extended your hand toward us and dared to oppose me and everyone else, which created the opportunity for you to break the shackles of fate.”
It had been Medusa’s concern. She accepted the risks and her shortcomings upon declaring that she’d not commit the act of sacrifice, but hearing that the oldest Medusa accepted her ways utterly erased the burden on her heart.
“You see…” the oldest Medusa’s voice suddenly became vivid and elated. “You have performed well thrashing around that hunched bastard. Keep bullying him. Bear in mind, I’ll always be proud of you, regardless of the path you decide to take.”
Never had she felt such warmth in her heart. It was a hint of parental love that Medusa would never feel again, but one she would keep in her heart forever.
As the oldest Medusa started disappearing from her throne, she directed her last words to Medusa, warning her.
“I do not remember the exact details of the act of sacrifice,” she said, her voice sending goosebumps down Medusa’s back. “I fear I may have been used by someone else. Therefore—”
“Do not apologize,” Medusa interjected. “Entrust the rest to me.”
“You shall live long enough to see our glory restored and beyond.”
–
Medusa opened her eyes.
She faced the empty wall, meaning that Nith had left her heart first. It must have been because of the warning the oldest Medusa left her. Though it wasn’t the time to think about it, Medusa unconsciously got a few ideas about it, which kept her in her heart longer than Nith.
Her tail recoiled, shrinking to a length that allowed it to sheathe within Medusa’s dress. Without thinking, Medusa left her house in pursuit of Nith.
She didn’t have to walk far, as Nith stood outside her house.
One of the residents of this prison had stopped him. He was a man born in this prison to one of the high-ranked prisoners. He had never seen the outside world and lived the life of a prince in The Alliance, treating anyone beneath him worse than cockroaches.
Slaves hated him.
But it was one of the slaves who reached out to him after Nith had disparaged them. He’d spat on the pathway and told them to clean it. This was meant to rile them up, but in essence, Nith looked down on their masters in this way.
Which meant that slaves could score a few good points with their master and make that hunched bastard pay a price.
“I asked you a question!” the man circled Nith, looking at him from various angles.
His face twisted upon seeing Nith’s expression, which was grimmer than it usually was for a reason the man would never learn about.
A palpable disgust projected itself on the young master’s countenance, and he extended his hand to grab Nith’s shoulder.
Medusa sensed a change in Nith’s mood. He’d do something stupid if he were allowed to, and the spoiled man didn’t have the experience to actually see through Nith’s strength or emotional state.
She quickly stepped in, her voice drawing the man’s attention. “He’s under me. An essential piece to the plan you must be aware of, Madak. Could you leave him be?”
With the impending war in ten days, Medusa didn’t want to waste her time with pointless prison politics. She’d rather focus on herself and her tribe, so she spoke as naturally as possible, her voice laced with honey.
Which stirred strings Medusa should have expected.
The young master ignored Nith and turned toward her, sizing her up. Those voluptuous curves and the fact that no one had tasted Medusa yet made him gulp down several times before he replied.
Madak said, “If you keep me company, I don’t mind leaving this trash alone. Company in bed—”
A foreign hand landed on his face, then.
As Madak turned his eyes to the side, he noticed it was the trash he insulted who had caught his face. Worse, the man was much stronger than he’d expected! He couldn’t pull away his hand, even when he grabbed his wrist with all his strength.
“A cannon fodder like you can only fuck those disgusting slaves who sold themselves, and even that is too benevolent for you. Just the thought that you might lay your hand on her because of me makes me so fucking pissed that I want to squeeze that face of yours to death. But lucky you, I haven’t lost myself to the point where I’d commit such a fucking mistake. Good job winning the race among other thousands of sperms. The only good thing you did in your shitty life. One on which you didn’t have any fucking input, either. If you did, you wouldn’t have been fucking born. Get lost before I change my mind.”
As he let Madak go, he screamed insults at Nith, all of which mentioned his parents. Since Nith was sure this trash meant this world’s parents, he didn’t care much about them and, in fact, even enjoyed hearing them being insulted.
He glanced at Medusa over his shoulder before walking away.
Alas, Medusa caught his wrist in no time.
She said, “Come back… home.”
