Ethan watched her closely, amazed. If she was truly corrected, the week was worth every second of effort. But he wondered how deep the "conditioning" went. Would she still be submissive if he wasn't holding her down?
He didn't think she would answer honestly if he asked. And he didn't want to push his luck by calling her a "bitch" again now that she was back to her full Satan-class power. Some of the things they had done in that room were... extreme. He worried that if he did that too often, he wouldn't be able to enjoy normal sex anymore.
Katereia's inner thoughts were just as chaotic. She kept her face expressionless because she was afraid that if she slipped, she would reveal her total submission. In reality, if Ethan had barked an order at her right then, she probably would have dropped to her knees.
She picked out some clothes—choosing a sleek leather outfit—and watched Ethan clean the room. She had realized her strength was back midway through the third session, but when he entered her, she had felt no desire to resist. Even as his actions became more perverted, she had felt a transcendent pleasure.
She had told herself she was just doing it to gain power and lower his guard. But after a week, those excuses were hollow. Her body was physically exhausted; even with her Satan-class endurance, her sensitive areas were numb from the constant friction. Dual-cultivation restored stamina, but it didn't reset sensitivity.
If it had, she might never have let him stop. The thought of being his slave dog forever had crossed her mind more than once.
She caught herself staring at his strong body and licked her lips. Ethan looked over, but she quickly masked her expression.
Ethan finished cleaning the room with magic. "Leiya-chan, the three days are long gone."
He looked at her, dressed in her leather gear. She looked stunning without those glasses and with her hair down. "You haven't left yet. Are you planning to stay and keep being my dog?"
Katereia didn't lash out at the insult. Her eyes just flickered. "The 'dog' thing... was just part of the deal we made."
She tried to sound firm. "The deal was for three days. You kept me here longer. Aren't you going to compensate me?"
She rejected the 'dog' title but didn't protest the nickname 'Leiya-chan', Ethan noted. Progress.
Both of them were playing a game, neither wanting to admit they wanted to continue the arrangement.
"Compensation? For what?" Ethan teased. "You recovered your power after about three hours, didn't you? You could have left at any time. A 'weak' Devil like me couldn't have stopped you."
Katereia's face turned bright red. Ethan had intended to reveal that the "Magic-Sealing Dew" had worn off early to crush her pride—to show her she had stayed because she was a "bitch" by nature, not because she was forced. But the "drug" had actually worn off even earlier than he expected because of the dual-cultivation.
If she had possessed an iron will, she could have killed him days ago. Instead, she had stayed.
Her power had grown significantly. She was now a high-tier Satan-class, though still likely below Sirzechs.
Katereia didn't attack. She just snorted, opened a magic circle, and teleported away.
Ethan felt a mix of disappointment and relief. Disappointment because his "pet" was gone, and she was the first woman he had taken who hadn't stayed by his side. Relief because a powerful enemy had left without starting a fight.
He realized he had hit a wall. He had been on the verge of reaching the Satan-class midway through the week, but despite dozens of more sessions, he hadn't broken through.
Maybe there's a sort of 'diminishing return' or 'resistance' to dual-cultivating with the same person too much, he theorized. It sounded like a hassle, but it made sense for his specific power. If that were true, he was destined to be a "playboy" if he wanted to keep growing.
He would have to find another Satan-class female to test his theory.