Chapter 17: I Will Feed You with Your Own Tongue

A thunderous roar echoed through the castle halls, shaking the very foundations. "Hey, Demon King Jasper! Stop hiding and show yourself!"

Jasper was so into the drama he was watching he startled with that roar and with a sigh, "Of course, right at the best part!" Then he mumbled, "Why does everyone think I'm the Demon King?" reluctantly heading towards the source of the noise. He didn't want his castle getting damaged over a misunderstanding.

In the courtyard stood a massive, snarling beast, covered in jagged scales. It bellowed again, "Demon King! Face me!"

Jasper appeared at the entrance, his expression bored. The monster looked him up and down and let out a mocking laugh. "This is the Demon King? You're so tiny! I could squash you with one hand!"

Jasper's eyes narrowed. "Size isn't everything."

A/n: Pause

The monster sneered. "Is that so? Look at you, barely bigger than a human! I've faced goblins more intimidating than you."

Jasper remained silent, unimpressed.

The monster continued, "I've heard the Demon King was a fearsome vampire, a giant among men. But you? You look like you couldn't lift a rock, let alone fight."

Jasper sighed. "Are you done?"

"Not even close," the monster roared. "I bet you don't even have any real power. Probably just hiding behind your title, hoping to scare off anyone who comes your way."

Jasper replied, "My title is not Demon King" With a smirk and weird pose he continued "I am Jasper, the Great Alchemist."

The monster laughed again, a deep, guttural sound. "Now you're lying to survive? Alchemy? That's just a fancy word for mixing potions! You think that scares me? You're even more pathetic than I thought!"

Jasper's eyes widened and he said in a serious tone, "Take back what you said."

The monster mocked Jasper, saying, "Haha You are angry because you know I'm right ehm right? Hahaha..."

Jasper's eyes narrowed, suddenly his crimson eyes glowed with anger. "You're going to regret insulting the only pleasure I have. I'll make you eat that impudent tongue of yours."

A/n: Unpause

The monster burst into laughter, clutching its sides. "Oh, I'm so scared! What are you going to do, mix a potion at me?"

Jasper's expression turned icy. "Actually, I was thinking of turning you into my next experiment. But you probably wouldn't last."

Enraged, the monster roared and charged at Jasper with incredible speed. "I'll crush you, you arrogant worm!"

Jasper didn't move an inch, dodging effortlessly.

"Take this! Full Power Slash!" The monster swung a massive claw, aiming to crush Jasper. But Jasper sidestepped, the attack hitting nothing but air.

"Is that all?" Jasper yawned.

The monster's eyes widened. "You… you're just lucky! If you have some balls, don't dodge this attack!"

Jasper smirked. "Alright, I won't dodge."

The monster unleashed a barrage of attacks—fire breath, venomous spikes, even a hidden blade from its tail. Jasper stood his ground, his blood aura deflecting the attacks without him moving an inch.

"Time for my trump card!" The monster snarled, its body glowing with a dark, ominous energy. "Ultimate Annihilation Blast!"

A gigantic energy beam shot towards Jasper. For a moment, the entire courtyard was illuminated by the blinding light. But when it cleared, Jasper stood there, completely unharmed, inspecting his nails.

"My turn," Jasper said, his voice dangerously calm. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a metallic device, attaching it to the monster's face.

"What is this?!" the monster screamed, struggling in vain.

"A little something I whipped up in my lab," Jasper replied. "Enjoy."

The device activated, forcing the monster's tongue out and twisting it grotesquely before cutting it off completely. The beast's screams were muffled as its own tongue was severed. Jasper then broke the monster's limbs with precise, brutal strikes, leaving it in a pitiful, immobile state.

Jasper calmly set up a small alchemical stove and began cooking the severed tongue in front of the monster. The beast, eyes wide with terror and pain, could only watch in horror as its own tongue was prepared as a meal.

Once the tongue was cooked to Jasper's satisfaction, he approached the monster with a pair of tongs, his demeanor cold and unyielding. He picked up a piece of the cooked tongue and held it out in front of the monster's mouth, as if coaxing a child to eat.

"Open wide now," Jasper said mockingly, his tone dripping with disdain. "Say 'aaaah."

A/n:Pa- oh nevermind

The monster, unable to resist due to its broken limbs, opened its mouth involuntarily. Jasper fed the cooked tongue into the monster's mouth, making sure it swallowed each bite with deliberate slowness.

The monster, tears streaming down its face, Jasper turned away, heading back to castle. "Clean up this mess," he called over his shoulder. "I have real work to do."

Jasper returned to the room where he had been watching his drama, eager to find out what happened next in the show. He settled back into his chair, sighing contentedly as he picked up where he left off.

The next day, Raven visited the castle. She didn't know Jasper's name, but she needed to speak with him. Standing in the grand hall, she called out, "Hey, vampire! Where are you?"

Jasper ignored the shout, uninterested in engaging with her right away.

After a few moments of silence, Raven yelled again, "You promised me a favor! What now, hiding?"

At that, Jasper appeared, his expression indifferent. "I never turn back from my word or promises. What do you want?"

Raven looked at him, her expression determined. "I want you to marry me."

Jasper paused, thinking about the dramas he had watched. He got excited and couldn't resist roleplaying a bit, adopting a dramatic tone. "Marry you? This is so sudden! How could I have known this day would come?"

Raven, confused by his actions, furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

Jasper continued, ignoring her confusion, placing a hand dramatically on his chest. "All this time, our fates have been intertwined. The moonlight, the starlight—they've all led us to this moment. Can you not feel the destiny that binds us?"

Raven, getting frustrated, rolled her eyes. "Are you messing with me?"

Jasper raised his hand as if to silence an invisible audience. "The stars foretold of a union so powerful that even the heavens would tremble. Yet, how was I to know it would be you, my dear Raven?"

Raven blinked in confusion. "I don't even know your name."

Jasper placed a hand over his heart, feigning deep emotion. "Names are but mere labels, my fair maiden. What matters is the connection we share, the bond that transcends mortal titles." he turned back to reality for a moment and said, "I am Jasper the Great Alchemist by the way"

Raven, now exasperated, yelled, "I'm serious! I need someone to marry me."

Jasper, snapping out of his act, looked at her seriously. "Why do you need to marry me?"

Raven sighed, "My marriage age has come, and as per dark elf tradition, I have to marry someone stronger than me. My family won't let me do what I want until I'm married."

Jasper smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Isn't that tradition for barbaric tribes?"

Raven was little annoyed by this assumption, glared at him. "Why do you have that kind of prejudice?"

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who assumed all vampires drink blood by biting necks?"

Raven blushed slightly, remembering that incident. "Well... will you marry me then?"

Jasper adopted a more serious tone but couldn't resist one last flourish. "Ah, a proposal of such gravity! Let it be known that I, Jasper, the Great Alchemist, shall honor this request. For never shall it be said that I turned my back on my word."

Raven, now slightly amused by his theatrics, asked, "So, you'll do it?"

Jasper nodded, his expression serious. "Like I said, I don't turn back on my word."

With that, he accepted her proposal...