A Familiar Face in the Underground
The distance that would normally take thirty minutes to walk was covered in just four minutes, allowing me to send the taxi off without being late.
“Phew, it feels good to really run like that for the first time in a while.”
I had almost forgotten about it recently, but I really do love running. It had become so natural that I did it without thinking, but now I straightened my back and checked my posture as a Mare. I could feel the eyes of those around me gathering.
Being the center of attention was nothing new, so I simply ignored it and continued walking along the sidewalk. Eden’s central plaza on a weekday was still packed with tourists. The one difference was that there were no soldiers from Xenuma in sight. Well, with a full mobilization order in effect, it would be stranger if there were soldiers on leave in Eden.
While I walked along with those thoughts, I noticed a young girl staring intently at me from up ahead. When I looked back at her curiously, she tilted her head in thought before beginning to walk briskly toward me.
The small girl who barely reached my chest asked with a puzzled expression, “Are you Elisha?”
“Yes, that’s right. But who are you?”
“You don’t remember me?”
Instead of answering, the girl looked surprised and pointed at her own face as she asked again. But I truly didn’t remember.
“I’m not sure…”
“Aww, come on~ Bend your head down for a second.”
I lowered my head as she gestured and brought my ear close. She whispered in a tiny voice, “I’m the Abaddon Queen you saved from those rowdy men before. The one who met you together with Maria unnie.”
“Oh… Ohhh! It’s you.”
Now that she mentioned it, the memory finally came back. There was no facial data to recognize her by, but the situational data from our meeting remained, so I barely managed to recall it.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“Ugh, don’t even get me started. The child hit puberty and it’s been such a headache. I barely managed to put her to sleep just now.”
“Ahaha, sounds like you’re doing fine.”
The Abaddon Queen inhabiting the girl’s body pouted, but it only came across as adorable. She sighed at me as I simply smiled, then asked, “Anyway, I came to see Maria unnie. Please guide me.”
“Hmm? Can’t you just go to the city hall and request an audience?”
“I asked, but the audience requests are so backed up that it would take months. And claiming we know each other would be awkward given our identities.”
“That’s true. It hasn’t been officially announced yet.”
Due to the need for stabilizing domestic and international affairs and improving public perception, the matter of symbiosis with the Abaddon had still not been announced. In such a situation, it would be difficult for a girl who was essentially a stranger except for her connection as an Abaddon Queen to claim familiarity.
“Alright, I’ll guide you. But she’s probably in the middle of work right now. Let’s go in the evening.”
“Thank you, Elisha.”
The girl quickly took my hand. As we walked hand-in-hand down the central street, I asked, “Did you come to Eden alone? What about the parents you came with before?”
“My parents are spending some quality time together. I came separately to meet Maria unnie.”
“I see. Hmm, is there anywhere you want to visit?”
“The Underground City. I heard the angels there are incredibly attractive?”
“I’m technically an angel too, you know. What about me?”
“Of course you’re attractive too, Elisha. But since I’m here, wouldn’t I want to see Eden’s famous Underground City and its angels?”
“Fair enough.”
But there was one problem.
“The Underground City is off-limits to minors. Aren’t you still young?”
“Isn’t it the guide’s job to take care of that somehow?”
“Uhh…”
She spoke so confidently that I had no response. As expected, entering the Underground City required identity verification. It was usually a simple check, but age restrictions made it more complicated. Since the Underground City was a massive pleasure district built explicitly for adults, minors were naturally prohibited.
“No, even if it’s Lady Elisha, bringing such a young girl into the Underground City…”
“I’ll keep a close eye on her. I’ll vouch for her identity as well.”
“That would be difficult, I’m afraid.”
The Blackman on duty at the checkpoint of the underground elevator scratched the back of his head with a troubled expression.
“Both Lord Havid and the Great Mother have strictly forbidden children from entering.”
“Ugh.”
Both my sister and Havid lived lives of utter debauchery themselves, yet they were surprisingly strict about this. As I wondered what to do, Jadin’s face suddenly popped out from behind the Blackman.
“Yo~ Eli. What are you doing here?”
“Jadin? What are you doing here?”
“I told you I got a job. I’m the captain of the Underground City Security Force.”
“Your new job was with the security force?”
“Captain, sir!”
The Blackman belatedly saluted. Jadin casually returned the salute, then looked at the girl peeking out from behind me and said, “Your kid?”
“No. Just an acquaintance.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll take responsibility, so let her through.”
“Yes, sir!”
With just one word from Jadin, the girl’s entry was approved.
“This feels unfair somehow. Wasn’t I supposed to be upper class?”
“You have status but no authority. I have both status and authority.”
“Now that I think about it, how did you suddenly become captain of the security force?”
“It’s because Sister-in-law took a liking to me. With Havid’s guarantee and the fact that you’re his woman, my background is solid and I have proper justification.”
Jadin grinned slyly in that annoying way of his. The girl who had been staring at him intently finally met his eyes.
“Whoa, little lady. First time seeing a handsome guy like me?”
“Are you really Elisha’s man, mister?”
“Mister?! Call me oppa.”
“No thanks. You smell, so don’t come near me.”
“Cough.”
He seemed genuinely hurt by the girl’s reaction and suddenly became depressed. The girl was covering her nose with her sleeve, apparently bothered by the Blackman’s distinctive pheromones.
“Anyway, we’re going to tour the Underground City now. What about you? Aren’t you busy?”
“Not really…”
“Cheer up. She didn’t mean it maliciously.”
“That actually makes it worse, you know? Anyway, if any problems arise because of the little lady, it’s my responsibility, so keep a close eye on her. I’ll come find you tonight, so don’t sleep and wait for me.”
“Okay, got it. Have a good day.”
I waved back at him as he turned and walked away. With the problem resolved and Jadin gone, the girl and I stepped into the underground city.
“Was that man really your lover, Elisha?”
“Hmm, he is a man of mine, but I guess you could call him a friend with benefits. We have sex, but we’re friends first.”
“Isn’t that the same as being lovers?”
“It’s a bit different. We’re close friends who also have sex.”
“So besides that man, you have other close male friends you have sex with?”
“Yeah, about three?”
Excluding Jadin, there were Dahgon, Gwangnam oppa, and Guardian. So three close male friends I had sex with. The girl’s face twisted as if she had heard something she shouldn’t have.
“Ugh, how promiscuous. I’d rather you were a prostitute who only does one-night stands.”
“Hmm.”
Personally, I thought prostitutes who slept with anyone for money were more promiscuous, but since it was a difference in values, I decided to let it go.
The girl quickly became absorbed in the splendor of the Underground City and forgot about the previous topic, excitedly looking around. She seemed especially interested in the angels—probably because they shared the same Abaddon nature.
“Are all the angels here symbiotes with their own kind?”
“Yes. The angels now were created for the sake of our kind.”
“To think there are so many of our kind here… This really is a dreamlike place.”
The girl looked genuinely happy just knowing there were so many of her own kind.
“Are there no others of your kind where you live now?”
“In the village where I live, I’m the only one. But there’s a child who accepted me, so I’m not lonely.”
“What’s the child’s condition? Have you completely taken over her body?”
“No. After many conversations, we decided to share the body. I still hold the dominant control, though.”
“How kind of you to listen to your tamed host’s opinion.”
“Hehe, she’s so kind and cute. It makes me want to take care of her naturally.”
Perhaps because they had grown up together from a very young age, she was unusually soft toward her host for an Abaddon Queen.
“Aren’t you anxious being separated from Maria unnie, Elisha?”
“I was a little anxious at first, but I got a new owner and it became okay.”
“That’s a relief. What kind of being is your new owner?”
“Elisa is…”
I told the curious girl about Elisa, concealing what needed to be concealed.
“You’ve found a good owner.”
“Yes, she’s a good owner.”
“Do you think I could become a good owner too?”
“From what I see, you already are.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
In my opinion, a girl like her was already a good enough owner. A good owner was someone who listened to her host, took care of her, and helped her grow. If she wasn’t a good owner, then who could be?
As we walked through the Underground City chatting like that, a man suddenly blocked our path. When I looked to see what was going on, I saw a drunkard who had clearly been drinking heavily since early morning. He was staggering, reeking of alcohol, and staring intently at the girl.
The man, dressed in obviously expensive clothes, slurred as he spoke, spitting saliva everywhere. “Just my type… *hic!* How much?”
“Excuse me?”
The girl looked confused, not understanding what he meant. The man spoke again.
“Are you deaf? How much for you to spread your legs?! *Hic!*”
“Eek…”
The girl seemed frightened by the shouting man and hid behind me. It had been a while since I’d encountered a situation like this. My body was much taller than the average woman with a larger frame, giving me an imposing presence, so customers rarely acted this rudely and ignored me outright. I wasn’t sure if he was too drunk to think straight or if he had some kind of backing, but his behavior toward a minor was inappropriate, so I stepped forward.
“That’s enough. Please leave. This child is not a prostitute.”
“Who the hell are you? *Ugh.* What, you gonna take her place?”
“You seem quite drunk. If you continue to cause trouble, I’ll report you to the security force.”
“Do you even know who I am?! I belong to one of Tarykin’s prestigious noble families…!”
CRACK!
Before the man could finish, a liquor bottle struck the back of his head, and he collapsed forward. Wondering what was happening now, I looked up to see a handsome man holding a liquor bottle in one hand and clicking his tongue.
“Tsk, how undignified. What a disgraceful scene.”
The man nudged the fallen man’s head with his foot, then spoke to those behind him. “Take this trash outside and dispose of it. What a stain on the nobility.”
“Yes, sir.”
Two men who appeared to be his attendants stepped forward, lifted the collapsed man like a sack of garbage, and disappeared into the crowd. Now that I looked around, quite a large crowd had gathered to watch the commotion.
“Miss, are you unharmed?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
“As a noble of Tarykin, I offer my apologies on behalf of that trash…”
The handsome man began speaking with an elegant smile, but when he saw my face, he stopped mid-sentence and stared at me intently. I didn’t know why, but I could sense the girl felt uncomfortable, so I spoke up to leave.
“Thank you for your help. May we take our leave now?”
“Wait, aren’t you Elisha?”
“Yes? Have we met before?”
I didn’t recognize his face at all. I wondered if I had met him somewhere and forgotten, so I asked. When I didn’t deny being Elisha, his face brightened and he pointed at himself.
“It’s me, Ed! Ed! We met at Angels’ Haven!”
“Hmm?”
“From Tarykin…”
He paused, glanced at the surrounding crowd, then continued in a low voice. “Let’s move somewhere else first. There are too many people here.”
“Yes, let’s find a quieter spot.”
We followed him as he led the way, his attendants clearing a path through the crowd. Taking the girl’s hunger into consideration, we entered a private room at an upscale restaurant.
Once we were seated and had ordered food, the conversation began.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Edward Duke Dreculle of the great Dreculle noble family of Tarykin. Do you remember me now?”
“Hmm… At the Haven…”
“I even had my family crest engraved on my lower abdomen?”
“Crest? Ah!”
Now that he mentioned the family crest, it came back to me. Was this the young noble I had given female body training to? Had that boy grown into this man already?
“Wow, you’ve grown so much. I couldn’t even recognize you.”
“I did grow quite a bit after returning home. I thought I’d never see you again, so I’m truly glad to meet like this.”
“I’m glad to see you too.”
“Who is the child beside you?”
“Ah, she’s like a little sister to me.”
“Hello.”
The girl bowed politely. Edward smiled and accepted the greeting, then examined me closely.
“You’ve changed beyond recognition. That golden mark on your forehead, the tattoo running from your lips to your neck, and that indescribable tail.”
“A lot has happened.”
So much had happened. Thinking about it now, it was hard to believe everything had taken place in just the past two years.
“Still, I’m glad you look healthy. Have you given up on becoming my concubine?”
“Yes. Even if I wanted to now, my status makes it impossible.”
“Hmm? Can’t angels marry?”
“No, it’s not that… Do you know my surname?”
“No. I don’t.”
He shook his head.
“My name is Elisha Drivique. Officially, I am Maria Drivique’s younger sister.”
“Uh… You mean that Maria? The ruler of Eden?”
“Yes. That Maria.”
His pupils trembled at the unexpected name. I nodded to confirm. After sitting in stunned silence for a while, he quietly drank an entire glass of water before speaking again.
“Um… Please forgive my rudeness all this time.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Between us.”
“Ahem. It seems I must give up on making you my concubine after all.”
An awkward silence settled between us as he closed his mouth.