Leveling Up by Seducing Milfs-Chapter 106. Trial by Corruption

Zara looked at Carmilla with her amber eyes. "A knight. I can smell the war on you."

"How many demons have you killed?"

Carmilla looked her in the eye without flinching. "Seventeen in different border fights over the years."

"How many humans have you killed?"

"More than I can count," Zara said without hesitation or shame. "War is war."

"We both know what it is."

"Yes, we do," Carmilla said. "That’s why we also know that fighting each other while the corruption destroys everything is a bad idea."

"When your life is on the line, your feelings don’t matter."

Zara’s laugh was sharp and happy. "I like you too, knight."

"You don’t mess around."

"That’s not something that happens very often with humans."

She sat back down on her throne and drummed her clawed fingers on the armrest. The quiet lasted almost a minute before she spoke again.

"Hero of Mature Hearts, I’ll make you a deal."

"Show me that your bond network is not only strong but also useful."

"Help me with a problem I’ve been dealing with, something the corruption has made worse. If you succeed, I’ll seriously consider your alliance proposal."

"But... if you fail or run away, well, you’ll already be dead, so it won’t matter."

Rick felt Sebastian’s presence on his shoulder. "That way of talk... I’ve got a bad feeling about this."

"What kind of bad feeling are we talking about here...?" Rick asked with caution.

Zara’s smile showed off her sharp teeth and dark promise. "There’s a nest of corruption about six hours from here."

"It’s spawning abominations at an accelerating rate. Three of my patrols have been killed trying to stop it."

"You should be able to handle it if your bond network is as strong as you say it is. I’ll even send a squad with you to watch and help."

Natasha said, "That’s a suicide mission."

"Exactly," Zara said. "But if you live and do well, you’ll have proven two things."

"First, that your power is real."

"Second, that you’re willing to bleed for demon interests just like you say demons should bleed for human interests."

"Equality through shared sacrifice."

Rick stared at Natasha and Carmilla. He could tell how they felt about the situation through their bonds.

It was dangerous and could have killed them, but if they didn’t agree, the talks would end right away. They had come this far, so they couldn’t turn back now.

Rick said, "Alright. We accept it."

Zara’s smile grew bigger. "Excellent."

"Tomorrow morning at first light, you’ll leave."

"My squad leader will tell you where the nest is and what dangers are known. In the meantime, do your best to stay alive."

"You’ll be quartered in the guest tent under guard. For your protection, of course."

"Thanks for having us here," Rick said in a dry voice.

When Rick was about to leave, he then remembered the communication crystal that he showed to Zara. "Do you have this?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course I have one on to communicate with my demons when they’re on duty!" Zara snapped her finger until her communication crystal appeared on her right palm.

"Then let’s... uhh..." Rick starts to think of a better way to exchange their contact, but he knows it doesn’t work like the phone he used in his previous life.

Zara pointed her crystal at Rick’s crystal until both of the crystals started glowing. "Done. You can communicate with me outside so that you can report your mission."

"Alright~! Thank you so much, General!"

As they were led out of the command tent to their assigned quarters, Sebastian let out a big sigh on Rick’s shoulder. "You just agreed to fight a nest of corruption with demon backup in enemy territory while being tested by a forty-two-year-old demon general who could kill you with one hand."

"You really know how to make good decisions."

Rick thought about it. "Do you have a better idea?"

"Not dying would be a great idea."

"Thank you, sherlock, that’s actually fucking helpful."

"To be helpful, you would have to stop making choices that put you on the edge of death all the time."

"Yeah, yeah, yap all you can."

...

The tent they were given was actually pretty nice. It had three bedrolls, a small table, and some basic supplies. The demon guards outside made it clear that they weren’t prisoners, but they also couldn’t just walk around the camp.

Carmilla started to pace as soon as they were alone. "A nest of corruption."

"She’s seeing if we’re dumb enough to die or smart enough to live through the impossible."

"It’s a fair test," Natasha said as she looked over maps and information. "We need to show her that we’re worth the risk if we’re asking her to put her whole army on the line to join forces with humans."

"Demons respect strength and results, not words and promises."

Rick sat on one of the bedrolls and thought about how hard tomorrow would be. He could feel Sylvia’s sudden spike of alarm from the Northern Peaks through his bond network.

She could tell how he was feeling because they were connected.

The communication crystal in his pack began glowing. Rick pulled it out and activated it.

Sylvia’s voice came through, and it was clear that she was very angry. "What happened?!"

"I could tell that you were getting more stressed!"

Rick said, "We met General Zara, and she welcomes us for now."

"She’s putting us to the test and wants us to clear a corruption nest to show that the bond network works."

For a few seconds, the crystal was quiet. Then Sylvia’s voice came through, and it was very low. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"If you die in that nest, I’ll bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself for being stupid."

"Then, out of spite, I’m going to start a war against the whole demon realm!"

Rick shivers hearing her say that, "That’s not helping at all...!"

"I’m not trying to help. I’m trying to say how dumb this is!"

Rick said, "I know, but now we’re in it for the long haul."

"If you back down, there will be no chance of an alliance."

Another long period of silence. Then a sigh that sounded like steam coming out. "Okay."

"But I’m keeping an eye on your condition through our bond every second."

"If I can sense that you are dying, it means I am not concerned about political matters."

"I know," Rick said, his voice full of love. "Thanks for caring."

"Caring is an understatement. You’re mine, Rick Rolland. All of you are mine through those bonds. I protect what’s mine."

When Sylvia cut the connection, the crystal went dark. Rick looked up and saw that both Carmilla and Natasha were watching him with knowing looks.

Carmilla said, "She really does love you."

"In her own scary, possessive, and possibly world-ending way," Natasha said.

Rick couldn’t help but grin. "Yeah, she does."

They spent the rest of the night getting ready for the next day’s mission by checking their gear, talking about their plans, and trying not to think too much about the fact that they were going into a demon’s territory with only each other and an untested demon squad for backup.

Rick reached out through his bond network one last time as night fell over the demon war camp and they got ready for bed. Carmilla and Natasha were always there for him.

Liora’s divine warmth from Valdris. And Sylvia’s fierce protective flame from the Northern Peaks.

Tomorrow, they would have to fight evil monsters and possibly face death.

Rick felt prepared tonight, though, because he was with the woman he loved, who loved him in return.

They would tackle it together.

Always by each other’s side.

And somehow, they would find a way to succeed.

They had no choice because...

The only alternative was to let the corruption continue, and that was simply unacceptable.