The Demon Queen's Royal Consort

The sun was rising, birds were singing, and a gentle, comforting spring breeze stirred the curtains in a luxurious room. Lying in a large bed, with a mattress of the highest quality, soft sheets, and exotic down pillows, a young man stirred, showing faint signs of waking up.

My eyes opened with difficulty, as if they were glued shut. My body felt as though it was floating above the overly soft mattress. The confused and scrambled memories made it hard to tell whether I was dreaming or awake.

"Did I die? Am I in heaven?"

The sensation of disconnection pulsed in my head, and my chest burned strangely, as if it had been scrubbed with a rough sponge. The overly vivid colors tormented my senses, almost like a bout of astigmatism.

A sweet, delicate fragrance began to calm my senses; a faint floral aroma filled the air, soothing my body.

Still lying there, I stretched slowly, reaching out my arms, legs, and fingers, followed by a long yawn. That's when I realized I was in a luxurious bed, in a room with unfamiliar architecture. Two 1.5-meter lamps adorned the sides of the bed, casting a soft white light, now dimmed by the sunlight pouring in through the windows and balconies.

The high, vaulted ceiling was made from a dark material that resembled obsidian. The walls, covered in wine-colored velvet tapestries, displayed intricate golden embroidery forming symbols I struggled to recognize.

"Symbols of the Aurea Noctis family," I thought, feeling my memories slowly return, just like the ones I inherited from Glenn in this world.

An arched window without glass revealed a deep blue, cloudless sky. "Beautiful!" I mentally exclaimed. In front of the bed, two large sliding doors opened onto a spacious balcony with a view of the mountains.

The image of the room sharpened. Along with the symbols, there were also depictions of knights and mages defeating mystical creatures, beings that only existed in legends.

As my mind cleared, I remembered the recent events.

"Am I still alive? What happened?"

I got up, the sheets wrapped around my waist, revealing my nudity. I walked to the balcony, and the view took me by surprise.

I could see a magnificent castle, standing tall on a rocky cliff. The place I was in seemed integrated into the complex, like one of the towers separated from the main structure.

The castle, dominating the center of the landscape, rose above a steep cliff, surrounded by deep ravines winding through low-hanging clouds. The sense of grandeur was overwhelming.

The towers had cone-shaped blue roofs, reminding me that I was no longer on Earth. Memories of the former Glenn flashed in rapid bursts, brain spasms. Seeing all of this was so different, especially for me, having spent three years in a hot, stuffy, dark cave. Everything seemed magical.

In the distance, towering mountains with snow-capped peaks added to the sense of security the place radiated.

A crystal-clear waterfall cascaded down the slope, creating a thick cloud of steam that deflected the sunlight, casting beautiful rainbows across the day.

The structure reminded me of the cenacle from the final trial, where the mere presence of that terrifying woman had nearly killed me.

"What happened in the end?" Doubt began to gnaw at me.

Then, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I turned around and saw a shadow sitting in a chair near a small table in the room.

My heart raced. The figure was shapeless, and the only thing I could distinguish were her eyes. 'I've seen those eyes before.'

"You were there, weren't you?" I asked, fear creeping in as I summoned the courage to approach.

The figure didn't answer, but I could feel her eyes probing me, as though nothing could be hidden from them.

"What happened? What do you want from me?" My heart pounded. Nervousness overtook me, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Why did I wake up in this luxurious room? Are you going to keep using me as a guinea pig?"

Losing control, I shot a barrage of questions, hoping for at least one answer.

The shadow began to solidify, and features emerged. Sitting in a comfortable wooden chair with cushions, a woman dressed in light, matte armor, yet well-crafted, with pointed ears, brown skin, firm, determined light brown eyes, and long, beautiful blue hair was finally revealed.

Her legs were crossed, and an imposing, impenetrable aura radiated from her. Unlike the cenacle, she didn't harm me, but instead, instilled deep respect and devotion.

She wore two daggers strapped to her calves, and her entire presence seemed cloaked in a mist that my eyes couldn't focus on for too long, unless she wanted me to.

And that's what happened: moments later, the mysterious and imposing aura calmed, and I was able to make out the details of her face, as well as the beautiful breasts that the armor couldn't completely conceal, presenting themselves firmly like well-built columns.

Her legs were sculpted in a way I had never seen before, perhaps the result of intense training. But my analysis was interrupted by her voice, firm and sharp.

"Yes, I was there," she said bluntly.

I swallowed hard at the abrupt response.

"You passed. There will be no more tests for you, Glenn Carborex," she said, bringing a hand to her chin and sizing me up with sharp eyes. "Or should I just call you Glenn, since your family was wiped out from Atlas?"

'Interesting, no reaction,' Lesley thought.

This was information I already knew, and I felt no emotion about it. After all, I had never lived with those people; all I inherited were old memories from this body, slowly drowned by three years of slavery.

"You have sharp senses, Glenn. You recognized me even though you're not Awakened," Lesley observed. 'He's got good eyes, typical of a djinn.'

Glenn tried to organize his thoughts and resume his questioning, but before he could speak:

"Sit down. You need to eat. And we need to talk."

There were only two options: sit and talk or jump off the balcony to certain death. 'Both would probably lead to my death.'

Dragging the sheet across the floor, Glenn pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the woman.

"My name is Lesley, and I'll be your handler," she said, her voice betraying clear dissatisfaction.

"Will I live?" Glenn asked, feeling his courage return.

"Yes, you will!" she said emphatically.

Swallowing hard and forcing the words out, he asked:

"What will it cost me? How much will it cost?"

"Everything," she replied coldly. "Living will cost you everything."