Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: You Are My Concubine - 2
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Yeti hide was inherently tough enough that no ordinary blade could pierce it. To survive in frigid regions, it carried thick layers of fat, and the skin, evolved to endure biting icy winds, wasn't easily torn. Especially not one possessed by a vengeful spirit.
But Sian sliced off the Yeti's arm with ease.
Famed sword Robera.
Before that blade, forged with ancient techniques, the Yeti's hide might as well have been a leaf.
Sian thrust Robera high and bellowed.
"You damn Yeti, daring to lay a hand on my family?!"
His golden eyes gleamed with a savage glare. Sian's killing intent, evoking the Black Tiger—the mountain lord of the Titan Mountains—was more than enough to terrify the Yeti. Yet the vengeful spirit forced it onward.
"Aaaah! Ian, you reeking butcher scum! It's all your fault, your fault—I lost everything!"
True to form for a vengeful spirit consumed by grudge, its power surged with its most hated foe right before it.
Something erupted from the Yeti's shadow and lunged at Sian.
"What the—?"
Flustered for a split second by a phenomenon unlike any in his twenty years as a hunter, Sian swiftly regained his cool and cleaved through every black tendril hurtling his way with Robera.
"Kuhahaha! Fleeing like a whipped pup—die! Die already!"
Mocking Sian through the Yeti's maw, the vengeful spirit tormented him with its awakened curse. It seemed to revel in the spectacle, like a cat batting at a mouse, the Yeti twitching like a drugged beast.
"Hey."
Regrettably, the vengeful spirit wasn't a cat—and Sian was no helpless mouse, but a tiger.
"You wouldn't happen to be that gimpy bastard, would you?"
"G-gimpy?! You filthy cur!"
"Yup. That pointless ego gives you away."
His eyes now adjusted to the shadow curse, Sian closed in on the spirit at his leisure, swinging his sword loosely as he spoke.
"They say a monster that devours a human gets haunted by the soul, becoming a vengeful spirit. Normally, I'd put one down mercifully out of pity. But not you."
Sian's muscles swelled; he was no smaller than the Yeti by comparison. Dropping into a predator's crouch, he locked eyes with the spirit and declared.
"Gonna slaughter your own daughter?"
The words barely left his lips when the ground beneath him cratered. He exploded forward in a snow-churning blur too fast for the eye to track.
Aiming to carve into the Yeti's exposed right flank—its severed arm leaving it defenseless.
"Fool!"
But the spirit scoffed, blocking the strike. It had reattached the arm using its shadow curse.
"Think I'd fall for such a obvious move?"
"Smarter than you look. Should've used that brain while you were alive."
Sian showed no dismay at the blocked attack. Infuriated by his calm, the spirit thrashed in a frenzy.
"You bastard! Am I a joke to you?! A JOKE?!"
"Hilarious."
The spirit whipped the Yeti's forepaw straight at Sian's face.
"Oppa!"
Elin gasped in horror, terrified her brother might die because of her.
But her fears proved unfounded—Sian caught the massive forepaw one-handed, effortlessly.
"Could've ditched the ego and lived simply. Instead, your stupid pride dragged everyone down."
"Shut your trap! That smug mug of yours is about to... huh?!"
The spirit faltered. The Yeti's body could pulverize trees with forepaw strength alone. Yet Sian was overpowering it through sheer force.
No aura, no magic, no divine grace—just raw human physique eclipsing a monster.
"Hey, do vengeful spirits feel pain?"
"You freak of nature!"
"Bet it'd hurt."
Sian wrenched the forepaw clean off with his grip alone. Pain lanced through the spirit possessing the host body, forcing it into spasms.
"Kaaaaagh!!!"
"Thought so."
"Die! Die!"
The spirit lashed back with shadow curse, but the veteran hunter saw it coming. A single sweep of Robera bisected the shadows, then methodically hacked off the Yeti's remaining limbs.
"Kaaaaagh!!!"
As the vengeful spirit and I went berserk.
Even at midnight, a handful of villagers emerged from their homes, drawn by the uproar.
While they gawked in shock at the Yeti carcass, only Tom approached me with advice.
"To finish a vengeful spirit for good, burn the body."
"Any reason why?"
"Dunno the details. Holy Knights from the Holy Kingdom always torched 'em."
"Hmm..."
Tom's tip gave me pause. As a hunter, I itched to dissect that vengeful-spirit hide.
"Don't get stingy about it. Those corpses are curse-riddled."
"That right?"
"Yep. Burn it."
"Tch. Fine."
I smacked my lips but did as Tom said, setting the Yeti ablaze. Filthy flames roared into the chill night sky.
"Elin! Anywhere hurt?"
"No, Mom. I'm fine."
"Your neck? There's bruising..."
"I'm okay."
Elsia fretted over daughter Elin, who mustered a composed smile to ease her mother's worry.
Watching the pair, Tom tossed out a question my way, casual as ever.
"So, how'd you know?"
"Know what?"
"About the vengeful spirit attack. Tales say they bewitch folks, lure 'em in."
"Oh, that."
My hunter instincts would've pinged any monster near the house.
But the crafty spirit hadn't charged in—it cursed Elin to draw her out. I hadn't sensed her peril in time.
"Nape of my neck went ice-cold all sudden."
"Your nape?"
"Yeah. Felt like a divine oracle."
"Oracle?"
"Prayed to Lady Hestia with my wife before bed. Asked her to let me protect the family. Then bam—that night, it hit."
"And that's your oracle?"
"What else?"
"Fair point. Hestia's always aided men guarding their homes, since old times."
"Theology buff, huh?"
"Had a buddy, scholar type. Booze up, theology nonstop."
"Wait—that friend?"
"Yup. Sylvia's dad."
Tom stared into the fire, eyes misty. Their bond ran deeper than I'd guessed.
"Still, impressive work."
"Hunter's gotta hunter."
"Village knows your chops. Nah, I mean counting Elin as family. Buddy said Hestia skips aid if you don't love 'em."
"Huh. News to me."
I scratched my head, replying to Tom.
"Living together doesn't make family?"
He went quiet at my words—odd, apparently—then cracked up roaring.
"Puhahaha! Good man through and through."
"Er, thanks."
And so the grudge-haunted night faded into noisy dawn.
"Oppa, whatcha doing?"
"Safety gear."
"Safety gear?"
Hunters never forget a close call. Each one's a lesson in life or death on the hunt. Habits like mine border on obsession.
"Monster pulls a luring curse like last time? Trouble. Countermeasure time."
"Gotcha... I'ma go play!"
Bored of my tinkering, Clia scampered off.
Wish I could outfit the whole village.
Not impossible. Rally the folks, we'd knock it out quick—but winter loomed; firewood hunts kept everyone slammed. Spring project, then. Today, home only; after, I forage fuel.
"Sian."
"Elsia? Elin holding up?"
Elsia, tending Elin, approached me at work.
"Yes. Rough till morning, no sleep—but out like a light now."
"Phew... hope it doesn't leave scars."
"Sorry."
"Hm?"
Her face shadowed, Elsia eyed me warily.
"Truly sorry my husband brought harm."
Her words sparked irritation—unwarranted, at first. Mulling it, realization dawned.
I fixed her with a stare.
"Listen, Elsia. What are you to me?"
"Pardon?"
"What are you?"
"C-concubine."
"Right. You're my concubine. My woman."
I yanked her waist flush against me. She startled at the abrupt intimacy, but I cupped her chin anyway.
"And I'm your husband. No apologies needed."
"B-but..."
To her lingering unease from last night, I sealed it with a kiss.
"Easy now. I don't toss my women. Try it again, I'll blow up."
"U-understood."
Tied by my bullheadedness—or deflated by the forceful kiss—Elsia flushed, gaze skittering away.
That fragile, girlish side stirred something in me.
"Elsia, Elin's out cold, yeah?"
"Yes... fresh asleep, good long while."
I squeezed her rear, murmuring into her ear.
"Then let's make love. Right now."
"Now?"
"Mhm. Hate the idea?"
"N-no, but broad daylight... with family around..."
"They're out."
Chloe lounging living room. Clia playing. Sylvia river-washing. Leon drilling exercises I assigned.
"Worried 'bout your stamina. Barely slept, don't squander your essence."
"Relax. Stamina's my forte."
Abandoning persuasion, Elsia yielded to my advances.
We slipped off to the marriage bed. Broad daylight.