Crimson Servant

My vision was dark, but years of training had allowed me to calm down reflexively. In this darkness, my other senses became more acute. I heard the gurgling water, felt the warmth on my skin, and the special smell became more and more familiar in my nasal cavity.

A grassy smell with a mint flavor.

This stimulation pulled my mind into a familiar environment, and the soft touch covering my face became increasingly familiar.

The darkness parted from my eyes and turned into a pair of delicate palms in the light. I saw a strand of hair come into view, and then the upside-down cheek quickly broke into view. Nora Sebas, this woman's smiling eyes were like an upside-down crescent moon.

"Wow!" She tried to scare me, using the way of teasing a baby, blowing her breath on my face, and she could bite my nose if she got closer.

"Childish." I wanted to turn away and avoid it, but Nora moved her palms to both sides to hold my head down, pressing it on her thighs.

"Quiet, John, we're not done yet."

She continued the baptism, dipping some water from the stream beside her and stroking my face methodically. Forehead, eyes, cheeks, lips, jaw, neck... Nora tried to push her fingertips to my collarbone, but quickly gave up, must be because her arms were not long enough. This process would last for an hour or two, with Nora deciding when to start and Nora deciding when to end.

We have conducted this kind of baptism many times. Nora is flexible in many aspects, but is very stubborn in tradition. This kind of baptism ceremony for young children originated from her hometown, and Nora always performed it meticulously.

"I'm not a child anymore." I say this every time.

"Yes, so now you have to make up for your childhood. In the Pearl Sanctuary, every young seedling must be baptized once a week for at least fifty years."

"This is unreasonable. I may not even be able to live that long."

"Then you have to work hard, Little John."

Although I was extremely reluctant every time, I felt happy about this relaxing activity. No longer thinking about troubles and trivial matters, he fell asleep comfortably under Nora's touch. I occasionally get jealous of the druids from Pearl Sanctuary because they share a common homeland with Nora. If I were like them, I would be able to feel her attachment to the place more deeply every time she mentioned it.

"Our hometown is the most beautiful harbor in the world. The blue sea, the shining beach... John and I met in a stream there. At that time, it was foraging for food at the bottom of the river and came ashore for the first time..."

Nora always talks about the lobster that shares my name, and she has an indelible feeling for her first love.

"John has a pair of scary eagles, but he is actually very timid. Oh, this is the same as you..."

I gave up arguing and pretended to listen, which was the fastest way to get Nora to end the topic.

"When we go back, I will take you to see John. He must still be in that stream, continuing to look through the mud and waiting for me. Haha, he is a dedicated lover."

Yes, I'm looking forward to it too, I will definitely bake it and prevent the formation of the most twisted family in the world.

I couldn’t help but glance at the back of Nora’s hand. On the back of her left hand, the scars of the thorn ring were shocking. Nora was tight-lipped about the mark, and every time her face turned dark and sad. I didn't ask her again, but I secretly launched an investigation myself. It was a popular punishment among some druids, using special plant venom to leave indelible scars on the skin.

The Ring of Thorns means [Eternal Exile].

She couldn't go back, so I patiently listened to her dreams and closed my eyes to relive the beautiful vision she promised.

Finally, I couldn't stand this tragic self-consolation anymore and changed the topic to me.

"You haven't said how you met, you and Mariana, and Frances. I'm actually more curious about this."

Nola's eyes became brighter, immersed in a more real excitement.

"It was an adventure. We discovered we had a lot in common with each other and became friends, except for Francis, who was like a candy bar that couldn't be shaken off."

Daily vilification, but we all know Francis doesn’t care about that.

"A few of us separated and reunited, and finally the three of us reunited and decided to go to Juantris together... and then we found you."

Nora and I tacitly skipped the original purpose of the three of them and my past, leaving Juantris hopeless.

Nora’s fingers stopped. I think she was finally satisfied this time. Looking at her masterpiece, my radiant skin, Nora showed a nostalgic expression.

"You were not as obedient as you are now. We spent a lot of time trying to appease you when we were keeping vigil separately."

I have no nostalgia for the past, but I can't bear to interrupt her at this moment.

"That's definitely not humming a few lullabies."

The outrageously wrong conjecture aroused her desire to reveal.

"You were a big guy at that time, and you were not well-behaved at all. We all used special methods with remarkable results, and finally managed to appease your violent temper. Well, let's start with Francis' method."

Those methods must be terrible, I thought to myself.

Her fingers started rubbing my face.

"Francis, in order to restrict your movement, I removed your joints. The dark elf pressed directly on you, and a leather jacket tied your head to prevent you from making a sound."

This is very Francis, but I don't feel bad about him at all, maybe because he is straightforward with me, and he has always been like this.

Nora was very dissatisfied with my reaction, so she rubbed a little harder.

"Mariana, you know her talent in illusions. It's easy for Mariana to invade your chaotic brain. She makes the least movement when she disciplines you. Mental hypnosis, I explained to her, we should train you A healthy life, but you still spent more time sleeping than awake."

I thought of Mariana's calm look. She always gave the most correct answers logically and clearly, made the most appropriate actions, and was a model of correct and clear expression. I admire her very much, she is a person worth learning from.

I found the language pattern of Nora. The methods she described increased the ethical level in terms of sequence. Perhaps Nora wanted to imply that her plan was the most humane and friendly.

I have prepared words of praise.

"Last of all, it's me. You know me, little John. I treat you as my own. I have extraordinary patience and expectations for you. I value your health very much, both physical and mental. For your irritability Temper, I had a patient and detailed communication with that chaotic 'you'. In the end we finally reached an agreement and we became the best and closest friends."

"Can you summarize it simply? Don't use such general modifications." I have a weird idea in my mind, and I feel that this idea is fitting the facts.

"I used [Animal Taming] on you, and the effect was remarkable."

My mind went blank, and the compliment I had prepared came out of my mouth.

"Nora, you are so gentle."