Seeing that her big sister Medusa had finally given in—with a reluctant nod and a deep, frustrated sigh—Stheno slithered forward eagerly, making a dragging sound softly on the ancient stone floor.
Her snake hair hissed in excitement, like a bunch of venomous whispers echoing through the vast, dimly lit halls of their timeless home.
Stheno was the middle Gorgon sister—the fiery, hot-tempered one. Her emerald-green scales shimmered beautifully under the flickering torchlight, catching the glow like rare jewels on a serpent's skin. She looked dangerous and stunning all at once.
A binding vow wasn't some casual agreement. Nope—this was a heavy-duty restriction, a rule carved straight into the universe.
It locked onto your soul like unbreakable chains. No matter how strong you were—immortal, monster, or even a full-blown god—if you broke the terms, the universe would punish you hard. Pain, madness, loss of power... or worse.
And if you flubbed even one single word during the chant? Boom—instant disaster, like an eternal curse exploding on everyone involved. That's why Medusa had tried so hard to stop her earlier. These vows were delicate, like thin glass, but they hit with the force of a massive hammer.
But damn, why are they risking something this huge just to let me stay? Hyun-woo wondered, his stomach churning with nerves. Is their hatred for men really that intense—like, deep-enough-to-gamble-their-immortal-souls intense?
Should I be worried they're overdoing it... or that they truly see me as a threat? Part of him wanted to back out, but another part knew he had no choice. Without this vow, these sisters might've turned him to stone on the spot.
"You know, I was kinda half-joking about the whole binding vow idea," Hyun-woo said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous laugh that echoed faintly. Then, unable to hold back his curiosity, he added, "But seriously... why go this far?"
It wasn't Stheno who was standing closest to him; instead, it was Medusa who answered. She exploded like a volcano finally blowing its top. Her snake hair writhed wildly, hissing louder, and her veiled eyes flashed with old, burning rage.
"Why do you think, huh?!" she yelled, leaning in so close Hyun-woo could feel her powerful aura making the air feel heavy and electric, a stormy scent rolling off her. "You walk in here—an outsider, a fucking man—and expect us to just trust you blindly? What the fuck do you even know about us? About the shit men like your kind have pulled on women... on sisters like ours for fucking centuries?"
Her voice trembled with old wounds—hints of betrayals, cruel curses, heroes who hunted them like trophies. It was heavy, like carrying the pain of myths come to life, making Hyun-woo feel small and awkwardly guilty just for having a dick.
But right as Medusa geared up for more—her fists clenching, breath coming in hot puffs—Stheno shot her clawed hand up sharply.
"Sister, that's enough," she said firmly, her tone protective and commanding. "No need to dump our whole tragic backstory on this cute little intruder right now."
Medusa froze mid-rant, her snakes calming with grumpy rustles. She didn't argue—she just let out a frustrated huff, hot air puffing from her lips, and turned her face away, shoulders stiff like she was biting back tears or a scream.
"You little shit," Stheno growled at Hyun-woo, spinning on him with those slit green eyes narrowing into deadly, glowing slits. "Look what you did—you pissed off my sister."
She thrust one clawed hand forward, palm out flat, and jerked her head at him. "Copy me. Repeat every goddamn word exactly. Fuck it up once, and I'll petrify your sorry ass myself before the vow even kicks in."
Hyun-woo let out a huge, relieved breath, his knees almost buckling. Holy crap, for a second there I thought she was gonna kill me on the spot. Thank fuck for Ebonara—she must've pulled some major strings with that favor to force these two scary Gorgons to protect me instead. Without her, I'd be a statue by now... or worse.
Pulse racing like a drum, he lifted his hand to match hers. Their palms hovered inches apart—close enough for him to feel a weird static tingle in the air, like the universe was already listening. He'd never done anything like this before; it felt thrilling and terrifying, sending chills up his arm.
Stheno inhaled deeply, her chest rising, then her voice dropped into a deep, rhythmic chant.
"By the threads of fate and the eyes of the divine, I, Stheno, vow this: While you, Hyun-woo, dwell in our home, you shall not harm us, betray us, or lay a hand on us without consent. No tricks, no lies, no fucking around. In return, we grant you shelter and safety from the outside world until Ebonara returns."
She paused dramatically, and whoosh—her palm lit up with a faint, eerie green glow, like emerald scales. The universe was answering. Stheno shivered just a little; it felt like an icy snake slithering coldly up her arm, a nasty reminder of how much she was gambling here.
"Now you," she barked, eyes locked on his. The air hummed with tension—one wrong move, and everything could go to hell.
Hyun-woo swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry, and started repeating. His voice cracked embarrassingly on "fucking around," making his face heat up. But he felt that same electric tingle zap across his skin, like static crawling everywhere.
"By the threads of fate and the eyes of the divine, I, Hyun-woo, vow this: While I dwell in your home, I shall not harm you, betray you, or lay a hand on you without consent. No tricks, no lies, no fucking around. In return, I accept your shelter and safety from the outside world until Ebonara returns."
The moment he finished, the air around them hummed—like a deep, invisible vibration you feel in your bones during a thunderstorm. For a split second, a thin, glowing line of golden light shot between their palms, weaving like a magical thread before snapping tightly into place with a soft pop that only they could sense. Then it vanished, leaving the hall silent again.
But Hyun-woo felt it lock in deep inside—a heavy, pressing weight around his heart, whispering loud and clear: Don't fuck this up, dumbass.
Stheno lowered her hand slowly, a smug smirk tugging at her scaly lips despite her usual grumpiness. Her snake hair settled with satisfied hisses.
"There. It's fucking done," she said, voice dripping with triumph. "Break even one tiny part of it, and the cosmos itself will rip your pretty little ass apart. Slowly. Painfully. Now move your butt inside the garden before I decide to change my mind and turn you into a lawn ornament anyway."
From the side, Medusa let out a long, tired sigh, shaking her head as her own snakes rustled in annoyance. "You always rush into these things without thinking twice, sister," she muttered, her voice calmer now but still edged with frustration. "But... yeah, it's sealed. Properly this time. No going back."
Hyun-woo nodded fast, a wave of relief crashing over him—he was safe from instant death (probably). But nerves twisted his gut, too. This vow protected him... but it also chained him here, in this massive, mythical home packed with immortal, drop-dead gorgeous monster girls who despised men thanks to eons of asshole gods and heroes.
What the fuck could possibly go wrong? Probably everything.
Before he could fully process it, Medusa added coldly, "Oh, and one more thing, you 'thing'—you're only allowed in the outside garden. No stepping foot inside the main house. Got it?"
With a casual flick of her hand, magic shimmered, and a comfy-looking stone chair materialized in the lush outer garden—just past the hall's arched doorway. It was surrounded by twisting vines, strangely glowing flowers that smelled sweet and intoxicating, and deep shadows under an eternal, starry twilight sky. It looked peaceful... but isolated as hell.
Hyun-woo sank into it gratefully, the cool stone soothing against his back. He barely mumbled a "thank you" before both sisters turned away—Medusa with one last annoyed huff, Stheno shooting him a final warning glare.
Then—a swirl of dark mist—and they vanished completely, leaving him alone in the quiet, magical garden. The echoes of their hissing faded, replaced by gentle leaf rustles and that hypnotic floral scent.
Hyun-woo leaned back, gazing at the enchanted stars above.
"Well... fuck me," he whispered, a shaky laugh escaping. "Stranded in monster girl heaven with two snake hotties who'd rather stone me than talk. Thanks a lot, Ebo," Hyun-woo said sarcastically.
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Chapter 16 is now available on Patreon.
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