14. A bargain with the demigodd

Anna's heart raced as she faced the demigod, but it wasn't fear, but uncertainty about what the half-human truly desired. In this tense standoff, handing over a maiden felt profoundly wrong to her, and not informing her about it until now was even more offensive.

"What do you take me for?" The demigod's voice thundered, echoing off the castle walls. Anna's eyes darted back to the young princess, who shrank away in terror, clinging tightly to her mother.

Anna wanted to move, to heed the King's command, but an invisible force held her rooted to the spot; not fear, but a supernatural grip she sensed was coming from the demigod himself.

"A whore?" he challenged, his voice dripping with disdain, yet the King's stern expression remained unchanged.

"I thought perhaps," the demigod continued,

"That if I can't extract a single tear of Naiad from you, I could instead claim what my father failed to provide, a maiden unafraid who would bear you a son."

A wave of dread washed over Anna at that thought. She considered warning the King that this was a disastrous idea. After all, she was barren in the real world, which meant she might not even be capable of conceiving. Sending her away with the demigod for that very reason, could make things a lot more complicated.

"Come closer, Anna!" the Queen called out, her eyes gleaming with a mix of fear and anticipation. Despite the peril posed by the demigod, she seemed thrilled at the idea of getting rid of a maiden who had shown no interest in the King.

"She can't move," the demigod interjected smoothly, as if toying with her,

"Not until I permit it, and not until you explain to me why I can't get a single tear of Naiad."

[System Notifications]

[New task!]

[Convince the demigod to give the King more time by offering yourself]

"Um, that's a bad idea..." Anna whispered to herself, anxiety lacing her words.

[You are Anna, so you must continue the plot; backing off now would waste precious time.]

Summoning her courage, Anna realized she had to act. It was time to turn this dire situation to her advantage, even if it meant risking her own fate.

Anna took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, she tried to block out the demigod's bickering but his voice was too loud and all over the place. She just needed him to stop talking for a moment to chip in.

"I offer myself, my lord," Anna spoke up, and everyone paused, with their brows raised in confusion.

Even Anna was confused for a second because she didn't know why those were the first words to escape their lips.

"What?" the demigod's gaze narrowed, his expression unreadable, the King's face turned pale while the Queen's eyes sparkled with excitement. As for the princes and other servants in the room, their jaws were dropped.

"What did you just say?" The demigod asked, his voice low and menacing.

Anna swallowed hard, trying to process her own thoughts.

"Why did I offer myself again? This is certainly a death wish." But then she recalled what the King had said about the maiden being bold.

"I offer myself, my lord." She repeated, trying to sound confident,

"In exchange for more time. I'll go with you and... do whatever it is that you need me to do."

[ +30 exp ]

The demigod's face remained impassive, yet Anna could perceive a flicker of intrigue flickering behind his eyes. She knew she had to maintain her composure just long enough to get a response from him.

"Go on," the demigod said, his voice dripping with curiosity. He sat down, leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs and rested a thoughtful finger on his knee.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Anna stepped forward after the force holding her back was released. But before she could articulate her thoughts, the King's voice boomed through the room.

"Anna, no!" he barked, springing to his feet.

"You are not permitted to speak unless called upon!"

The demigod's gaze snapped to the King, and fury flashed within his steely eyes.

"Silence, mortal," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"This matter does not involve you."

King Charlie's face flushed crimson with rage, even though the fear of challenging a demigod dawned on him. His eyes, however, remained locked on Anna, a mix of concern and anger swirling within them.

A pang of guilt squeezed Anna's heart. She could sense the King's desire to handle this situation himself, his fierce protectiveness was clear, yet she understood the urgency of the task at hand.

"My lord," she began, her voice steady despite the storm inside.

"I may not be the ideal maiden you envision, but I am eager to learn, to adapt, and to do whatever it takes to aid you in achieving your aspirations. If a son is what you desire, then… " Anna swallowed hard, her heart racing like a drum in her chest. She was about to tell a lie and she knew it, but the task requires that she must.

"I will bear you a son. In return, I implore you to grant the King more time to find the tear of Naiad." She added, even without knowing what it is, or its purpose.

The demigod's expression remained inscrutable, but a spark of amusement flitted behind his eyes. He stood up briskly, drawing closer to Anna within the blink of an eye and conspiratorial whisper escaping his lips.

"Tell me, Anna… what makes you think you're worthy of being my companion?"

"Dear lord, what a fool she is," King Charlie muttered under his breath, the tension in the air thickening as Anna stood her ground.

"Who told her that she could bargain with the demigod and he'd just agree? She is going to throw my entire kingdom into chaos."

"Hold on brother," Charles who was seated next to him whispered back,

"Anna is different, she might just be on to something."

Anna's heart skipped a beat as she met the demigod's gaze, this was one of those questions that she hated to answer because she never really knew what the listeners expected to hear. But Anna knew that she must be careful enough to tread a fine line between confidence and humility.

"I am not worthy, my lord," she said, trying to sound sincere,

"But like I said earlier, I'm willing to learn, to grow and to become whatever it is that you need me to be."

Anna chuckled in her head as she waited for the demigod's response,

"So much for not letting any damm man control me or tell me how to live my life."

[ +20 Exp.]