“Aiee!” Gerard said upon seeing Kotori.

He was in a pitiful state. His arm was hung at a weird angle which gave Kotori the impression that it was not a simple fracture and just a clean break. His fancy clothing were all ruffled and disordered after being tossed from the carriage.

“You’ve been a naughty boy,” Kotori told him

Gerard was in a state of pain and it took him a moment to recognize Kotori

“You!” He said in pained breaths.

Gerard was watching the girl who had eluded him now be launching a surprise attack.

It was the sort of tactic that would be expected of Gerard to use except now, he was on the receiving end.

Gerard knew the girl was smarter than he gave her credit for and he decided to reason with her.

“Girl, you know killing me will only draw the ire of the city, if you get rid of me you will be expelled from this city and barred from ever coming back,” He said calmly.

It was true, Gerard had the backing of the entire Sea Lord council behind him and if Kotori dared to lay a hand on him it would be difficult for her to avoid punishment.

Additionally, he knew he was protected by the Atlean Kingdom. Gerard was one of their main ties to the economic market of Faramouth and if he was taken out Kotori would also be at risk of drawing backlash from them as well.

A rock bullet shot out of Shu and shattered next to his face. Gerard instantly jumped in shock. He had a weak heart that was not meant for combat and even the slightest hint of danger was enough to trigger defensive reflexes.

He looks back at Kotori who was looking at him with no hesitation in her face. She didn’t seem to be fazed by his thinly veiled threat

He realized that Kotori had no qualms about the protections that Gerard had put in place. She was a person who didn’t particularly care about the laws of this world if they got in the way of her goals.

Gerard panicked. He valued his life after all.

“Look! I can help you! You want Fawks back on the council I can do that!”

“You want a girl like her?” He said gesturing towards Arene

“I’ve gotten plenty more, many of them even prettier than her!” Gerard shouted.

In his mind, women were property after all and could be given as gifts. He had plenty of girls that were even prettier than Arene. If Kotori was such a cold heart person to do this she would be appeased by such a gift right?

Gerard felt a pain in his left wrist.

He looked at his left hand to find it falling off his wrist.

Umi had just amputated his hand with a [Water Blade]

A “kukukuku” Sound could be heard from Umi.

She had gotten bored and cut off Gerard’s hand. She disliked him immensely. The way he looked at her in her human form was a look that she would only let Kotori use when looking at her.

“AHHHH!” Gerard screamed upon seeing the severed stump on his wrist. The wound seemed to not bleed for a moment. As if Gerar’s body hadn’t realized it had been cut.

Then a fountain of crimson blood began to gush from the wound.

Kotori instantly used her Healing song to close the wound. It would do no good if Gerard was to die of blood loss before she was done with him after all.

Gerard started to crawl away from Kotori. He was trying to get away now. Whatever Kotori had planned for him, was not something he wanted to be a part of.

[No, you’re not getting away from me.] Kotori thought while smiling wryly

She pulled out a toy she had found on the ship.

A small thin metallic collar showed itself in Kotori’s hands.

Gerard instantly realized what it was.

“No! not that!”

Kotori gave a devilish smile as she wagged the slave collar in her hand

“You are very familiar with this item right?” she said.

Gerard had often used the slave collar to enslave women and make them his “toys” Arene would’ve been another one of those targets if she didn’t get rescued by Kotori.

Gerar couldn’t resist as Kotori put the slave collar on him. Despite her looks, she was much stronger than the average man even when not mana buffed.

He was in a pitiful state, sniveling like a child, his eyes filled with fear.

“Take it off!” he said while scratching at his neck trying to pull it off.

[Gross…] Kotori thought. Gerard was squirming on the ground like a worm and Kotori hadn’t even given him an order yet.

[Well, first thing’s first I want an apology] Kotori thought. She now had full control over his actions and he would experience pain if he tried to resist her.

“Give me a heartfelt apology” she ordered

Gerard seemed to resist for a moment before the pain of the collar began to overwhelm him.

“I’m shorry!” he said slurring his words through the pain and splaying on the ground in a crappy dogeza. It was obviously a stance he had never used before and thus was unused to.

Kotori was gaining a sadistic satisfaction after seeing the man who had tormented her beg on the ground.