*Thump thump thump!*

Rogue opened the door to find a bizarre demon standing there. The demon had only half a horn, and a long scar across his bulging chest was still bleeding.

Rogue glanced at the wound. Fluent in Demon tongue, he said, "Come in for treatment."

The half-horned demon shook his head and pushed a silver-haired girl—about 1.3 meters tall—from the corner by the door.

The girl was filthy, her hands shackled. Her clothes were mere tattered rags covering her private parts. Her skin was fair, but scars covered it everywhere, including fresh whip marks and dried bloodstains. Her once-beautiful silver hair had lost its shine from grime.

But most striking were the dragon horns on her head and the tail behind her. This girl was no ordinary maiden—she was a young dragon. Surprisingly, one of her dragon horns was broken.

Rogue was puzzled. As the interrogator for the Demon Lord Army and a part-time priest skilled in healing magic, why was this young dragon girl sent to him? For treatment?

The half-horned demon said gravely, "Rogue, this one was sent by Lady Aria’s orders. As you see, she’s a young dragon and a slave."

"I understand," Rogue said in a low voice, his long bangs hiding his eyes. "A young dragon is indeed valuable. After healing her, we can sell her to fund the army’s outposts. The Dragon Clan is immensely wealthy; she should fetch a good price as a bargaining chip."

Rogue looked up at the little girl. She instinctively shrank her thin body, trembling uncontrollably. Her beautiful eyes, hidden by silver hair, flickered with fear and terror.

He was used to such scenes and felt no emotion. "Don’t worry. I’ll follow Lady Aria’s orders and heal her."

"No," the half-horned demon shook his head. "Lady Aria’s orders are not that."

"Then what is it?"

Not to treat her? Then why send her here? For interrogation?

The half-horned demon said gravely, "Lady Aria wishes for you to raise this young dragon as a pet."

"A pet..." Rogue had never received such a task before.

"Like the demon hounds at the gate," the demon added. "Priest Rogue, you should understand Lady Aria’s meaning. She doesn’t need an obedient slave."

Rogue was silent for a moment. "This shouldn’t be my job."

"That’s not my concern. This is Lady Aria’s command. Within two months, she expects results."

The half-horned demon threw the bloodstained iron chain to the floor, covered his nose, and left as if the place reeked. He hated humans. Though human blood was delicious, their smell made demons retch.

Rogue, long accustomed to such scenes, thought deeply with his head down. Finally, he looked at the young dragon girl. Her shackled wrists and ankles were rubbed raw, and unique silver-red blood dripped.

Rogue picked up the iron chain and said expressionlessly, "Come."

The girl didn’t understand his words. Afraid of the unfamiliar surroundings, she didn’t move.

Rogue frowned slightly and gave the chain a tug. The girl stumbled. Noticing his impatient expression, she hurried to his side in panic. Hunched over, her shoulders trembling, the clinking of her ankle shackles made her look even more pitiful.

Leading her to his backyard, Rogue couldn’t understand why Demon King Aria sent this girl and ordered him to raise her as a pet. How was he supposed to raise her anyway? He had no experience in this. He had methods for interrogation, but no confidence here. But since it was a task, he would try.

As far as Rogue could remember, he had been in the Demon Lord Fortress, deep underground, facing the red moon day and night. He had stayed for three years. During that time, he learned much. He was brought back by Demon King Aria three years ago. According to Aria, he had been critically injured, near death, and lost his memory before that. She had saved him. Rogue couldn’t remember his past, so he believed Aria, living as a human and surviving in the Demon Lord Fortress.

In this world, the gods no longer cared for mortals. Countless natural disasters oppressed the living environments of all races, and conflicts never ceased. Recently, a newly formed Hero Squad came to vanquish the Demon King, sparking a new war. Under Demon King Aria’s attention, the manor he lived in was also his workplace. The small house in front was his residence, while behind were "prisons" for those to be interrogated.

This Young Dragon Princess was no exception. Rogue led her through the grounds to a small warehouse-like building in the corner, narrow and cramped. Four meters long and three wide, the floor was covered in straw. Small holes for air dotted the walls, and only a small window at the top showed the dark red sky. The cramped space heightened oppression. Rogue’s interrogation methods often targeted the mind.

He threw the little girl inside, her shackles still on, closed the door, and left. He didn’t know Dragon tongue, so he said nothing.

Leaving the room, with a wave of his hand, the special room turned transparent, allowing him to see inside easily. Facing the unfamiliar darkness, the young dragon girl struggled to crawl to the corner, seeking a hint of security. But with every movement, the shackles and her wounds added to her pain, and bloodstains spread on the straw.

This detention room was filled with magic arrays. The walls were made of special materials to hold powerful captives, completely magic-proof. Only Rogue, with special permission, could use magic inside. Though she was just a young dragon, she was still a dragon, and in her dragon form, not to be underestimated. Rogue thought this was the safest place.

His eyes flickered slightly, and in his vision appeared a string of mimic text only he could see:

Lilitha Aurelianus (Young Dragon)

Race: Silver Dragon (Bloodline 100%)

Favor: Unknown

Current Status: Fear (Past experiences and unfamiliar environment make her uneasy)

Current Need: Death (52%)

Current Need: Torture (37%)

Current Need: Food (8%)

Other Needs: Unknown (3%)

This was his ability—to simply know others’ states.

Rogue raised an eyebrow. What had this young dragon been through? Setting aside her desire for death, according to his ability, in Lilitha’s mind, she needed to be tortured to get food. She had lived in abuse for a long time at least. Leaving aside the difficulty of raising her as a pet, pulling her back from this state was already a challenge.