The Demon Queen's Royal Consort

Seven days had passed since I woke up from my awakening and began my training routine. I had learned many new things, including the moment when a man should retreat in the face of temptation.

Two days were enough for me to experience near-death sensations three times. Each one left deep marks, not just on my body, but on my mind and soul.

The first time, Lesley pierced me with a spear between my ribs. The pain was instant, sharp, and penetrating, as if a fiery saw had been driven into my torso. I felt the cold tip of the metal tearing through my flesh, cutting through muscles and tissues until it reached my internal organs.

The warmth of my blood gushing out was almost comforting, paradoxically, as if it were proof that I was still alive. But soon came the cold, an icy sensation spreading from the wound, as if death were extending its fingers to pull me in. My vision darkened, the sounds grew distant, and the world seemed to spin slower and slower.

Until Dália appeared, her soft, warm hands glowing with the light of healing magic. The pain subsided, the warmth returned, and I took a deep breath, as if I had emerged from a dark abyss. In that moment, I realized that life was a fragile thread, and I was dancing on it.

The second time was different. Lesley hit me with a sledgehammer to the skull.

Yes, that crazy woman is out of control!

The impact was like thunder inside my head, a burst of white light that erased all my thoughts. I felt my skull give way, as if it were about to collapse under the pressure. The pain was so intense that it almost wasn't pain, but rather an absence of everything, as if my brain had been shut off for an instant.

Dizziness, nausea, and overwhelming confusion took over. My limbs wouldn't respond, and I fell to the ground, unable to move. The darkness came quickly, but with it came a strange peace, as if I were floating in a silent void.

Once again, Dália was there, her magic enveloping my head like a warm embrace, rebuilding what had been broken. This time, she actually looked at me with concern in her eyes. When I opened my eyes, I felt immense gratitude, but also a deep fear that, next time, she might not arrive in time.

The third time was the subtlest, but perhaps the most frightening. Lesley pierced my back with two throwing daggers. The pain was sharp, but not as immediate as with the spear or the sledgehammer.

I felt the blades entering my skin, cutting like hot knives, but stopping just a few millimeters from my heart. It was as if death had paused to stare at me, deciding whether it was worth taking me at that moment.

I felt every beat of my heart echoing in the blades, as if they were dancing to the rhythm of my life about to extinguish. My breathing grew shallow, and a heavy sensation filled my chest, as if I were being crushed by an invisible force. Dália, once again, came to my rescue.

Her hands glowed, and the daggers were removed, my flesh regenerating quickly. But the fear that, next time, the blades might go a little deeper, never left me.

Three near-death experiences, each with its own lesson.

But the most important lesson was: I needed rest. I needed a good night's sleep, I needed time for my innate energy to recover, and I was certain that at the rate things were going, I'd have another wild, mind-blowing night of sex with Dália, followed by a frivolous death the next morning.

So, I slept in the hand-to-hand combat training center.

The result was better than I expected. Training for the first time with all my energy intact transformed my mindset.

My reflexes were sharper, my body didn't suffer from constant spasms, and I didn't feel weakness coursing through me.

The only problem was the piercing glare, the pouty face, and the cold treatment I received from Dália during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On the other hand, Lesley was incredibly cheerful. I don't understand women, seriously, they need to be studied.

Many things had changed over the past five days. The first fundamental change was that on the third day, we received another servant in the royal consort candidate's tower.

Her name is Hera, a Djinn of stunning beauty, standing at 1.80 meters tall with brown hair, tanned skin, full breasts, and golden eyes that complemented her complexion.

She is our new gardener and alchemist, responsible for keeping the herb resources up to date, as well as those strange potions Lesley gives me from time to time.

She wasn't the only person to arrive at the complex. On the fourth day, my second teacher arrived at the royal consort's tower. And I really need to narrate the events of that day, as they were, to put it mildly, atypical.

On the fourth day, Dália and I also sat down, talked, and reached an agreement.

** Fourth day of training

Lesley and I were walking toward the magic training center on the second basement level. As soon as we reached the door, Lesley stopped and didn't open it. There was a look of satisfaction and relief on her face.

"Lesley?" I asked.

"Yes, sorry," she replied calmly. "Starting today, I will no longer be responsible for your internal energy training. You have a new teacher waiting for you inside," she added.

"New teacher?" I inquired. "I thought you'd be my only instructor for a while."

"Well, things have changed. As talented as you are in hand-to-hand combat, where you've truly shown genius beyond measure is in energy control," she said thoughtfully.

"I'm a natural warrior. My talents lie in the fundamentals of combat, both armed and unarmed, as you've seen over the past few days. But when it comes to magic and refined internal energy control, you need someone to guide you."

"That's why I haven't interfered with your energy control training. I never gave you any tips, and look at you, in just four days, you've mastered the first energy pillar," she expressed, showing contentment with my progress.

"I don't know what box you were living in before being condemned to slavery, but this performance can only be described as monstrous. Maybe due to a lack of reference, you don't understand what I'm saying, but with your new teacher, you will," she said, pointing for me to enter the magic room.

I walked slowly toward the door. My expectations were sky-high. A new teacher, finally, I'd be shooting lightning from my hands or eyes, who knows. Before entering the room, I heard Lesley's subtle warning.

"Glenn, be respectful. The person inside is not an ordinary individual," her voice carried admiration and reverence.

'Who is my new teacher, that even Lesley, the shadow of the demon queen, shows such admiration?' I wondered.

I stepped quickly into the magic room, and surprisingly, the sight was... cozy.

The room replicated a paradisiacal beach, with the sound of waves and the scent of the sea. Under a coconut tree, sitting in a comfortable wooden chair, was a man with tanned skin, straight black hair neatly combed back as if he'd used gel.

He wore light black clothes, linen pants and a shirt, his bare feet touching the sand, and he was reading a small yellow book in his hands.

But the most shocking detail of all was his muscular build.

'Damn, this is my magic teacher?' I questioned, impressed by his physique.

He was extremely muscular, with a thick, well-groomed beard that exuded authority. His body resembled that of a Classic Physique bodybuilder.

He lifted his head, noticing my presence. Our eyes met, and a slight smile formed on his face. Still seated, he looked at me with curiosity, his chin resting on his hand.

Before I could introduce myself, his index finger moved slightly, as if calling me closer. I felt an intense pulling force, and my body flew toward him at an insane speed.

I couldn't control myself, couldn't repel the energy, and couldn't stop. In less than a second, my body halted in front of him. His firm hands gripped my shoulders, and his eyes analyzed me as if performing a full-body MRI.

"Interesting!" he said in a loud, clear voice.