Chapter 89: Tiny Terror II
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"Ta - da," she declared again, because apparently this was now her signature move.
Elena stared for two seconds.
Then she nodded once.
"Fine," Elena said simply. "We will treat this as a child."
Bat Bat’s eyes widened.
"I am not child," Bat Bat protested instantly.
Elena’s gaze sharpened.
"You are," Elena replied.
Bat Bat’s mouth opened. Then closed. Then it opened again. Then she looked away, offended.
Sekhmet almost laughed, but he kept his expression steady.
Elena turned to Sekhmet.
"You want me to teach her," she said.
It was not a question.
Sekhmet nodded.
"Yes," he replied. "Teach her basics. Manners. Behavior. Social understanding. She peed on people."
Elena’s eyes narrowed.
"You want her to stop peeing on people," Elena translated.
Bat Bat gasped.
"I only pee on enemy," Bat Bat argued.
Elena’s eyes remained cold.
"You will stop," Elena said.
Bat Bat’s wings twitched like she wanted to fight, but she didn’t.
Sekhmet felt satisfaction.
Elena had not even raised her voice, and Bat Bat was already negotiating with her own pride.
Sekhmet continued, "Bat Bat’s growth depends on learning. She has a knowledge percentage. It is low."
Elena blinked.
"Knowledge percentage," she repeated.
Sekhmet nodded, careful not to say too much about the system.
"It is a... growth condition," he said. "Teach her, and she will mature."
Elena’s eyes flicked toward Bat Bat.
Bat Bat was currently attempting to climb the bedpost like a monkey.
Elena’s mouth tightened.
"She needs discipline," Elena said.
Sekhmet nodded.
"Exactly," he replied. "You are the only one I trust with this."
Elena’s expression softened for half a heartbeat. Not sentimentality, but pride. The kind of pride a master artisan felt when someone acknowledged their skill.
Then her face returned to steel.
"I will do it," Elena said.
Bat Bat stopped climbing and stared.
"You teach Bat Bat," Bat Bat said slowly, as if realizing she had been assigned a boss fight.
Elena walked to the bed calmly.
Bat Bat instinctively scooted backward.
Elena’s hand moved like lightning. Not violent. It was accurate.
She caught Bat Bat by the back of her outfit collar — without hurting her, without squeezing, just enough to hold her like a naughty kitten.
Bat Bat flailed.
"Hey," Bat Bat protested. "No grab Bat Bat like meat."
Elena’s voice stayed calm.
"First lesson," Elena said. "Do not run."
Bat Bat glared.
"I was not run," Bat Bat lied.
Elena did not blink.
"You were," Elena said.
Bat Bat’s cheeks went red.
Sekhmet watched and felt relief. "This would work."
Elena turned to Sekhmet.
"You will be here," Elena asked, "or you will be gone."
Sekhmet answered honestly.
"I will go to the library," he said. "I have my own learning to do."
Elena nodded once.
"Good," she said. "She will not perform for you."
Bat Bat froze.
"What perform," Bat Bat demanded.
Elena ignored her and looked at Sekhmet again.
"Tell the girls," Elena said, "that they are not to disturb this."
Sekhmet nodded.
"I will," he replied.
He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Also, do not let her bite anyone."
Bat Bat gasped.
"I bite only bad monsters," she protested.
Elena finally looked at Bat Bat with real annoyance.
"You will not bite anyone," Elena said.
Bat Bat opened her mouth to argue.
Elena leaned closer.
"Do you want meat for breakfast," Elena asked.
Bat Bat froze.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Yes," she admitted immediately.
Elena nodded.
"Then behave," she said.
Bat Bat nodded fast.
"Yes," Bat Bat promised.
Sekhmet stared. "So the secret to controlling Bat Bat was not fear. It was breakfast."
He almost respected it.
Sekhmet turned and walked out of the room, trusting Elena to handle the storm.
He did not go far.
Because he heard the servants before he saw them.
Whisper whisper whisper...
The corridor outside Sekhmet’s room already had three young maids pretending to carry folded cloth while standing suspiciously still. Their eyes were too bright. Their posture was too eager.
They noticed Sekhmet instantly.
Three heads snapped up like curious birds.
"Master Sekhmet," one of them said sweetly, voice thick with admiration. "Good morning."
Sekhmet’s expression stayed neutral.
"Good morning," he replied.
Another maid leaned forward slightly, trying to peek past Sekhmet into the room.
"Master," she said, "we heard... strange sounds last night."
Sekhmet stared at her.
"What kind of strange sounds," he asked calmly.
The maid blushed. "Uh... um... like... wings," she said quickly.
Sekhmet’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
"You heard wings," he repeated.
The maid nodded too fast.
"Yes," she said. "Wings."
Sekhmet’s voice stayed flat. "There was a female summon," he replied.
All three maids’ eyes widened.
"A summon," the first whispered, half jealous, half fascinated. In Null, summons were impressive. In Dawn House, a summon meant the master was doing dangerous and exciting things without telling them.
The third maid stepped forward.
"Master," she asked carefully, "is the summon... pretty."
Sekhmet stared at her. Then he answered honestly.
"Yes," he said.
The maids’ faces twisted with jealousy immediately.
The first maid muttered, "Of course it’s pretty."
Sekhmet sighed internally.
Before they could ask more, Elena’s voice sliced through the corridor like a knife.
"Enough."
Elena stepped out of the room holding Bat Bat by the collar again, Bat Bat now wearing a tiny blood-red outfit that looked like it was stitched from the same fabric as royal curtains.
Bat Bat’s wings were red. Bat Bat’s ears were red. Bat Bat’s expression was furious.
Elena’s expression was calm.
The maids froze.
Elena’s gaze swept over them.
"You," Elena said, pointing at the three girls, "do you have work."
All three nodded instantly.
"Yes," they replied in chorus.
Elena’s eyes narrowed.
"Then do it," she ordered. "Do not disturb Sekhmet today. He has work to do."
The maids pouted.
"But Elena—" one started.
Elena lifted one eyebrow.
The maid shut her mouth instantly.
Elena nodded once, satisfied, then turned to Sekhmet.
"I will begin the lesson," Elena said.
Sekhmet nodded.
"Thank you," he replied.
Elena’s gaze sharpened slightly.
"This is going to be a problem," Elena warned.