Chapter 180: Jang Ye Ri's Visit
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 180: Jang Ye Ri's Visit
The moment I slowly opened my eyes, the sight of the wrecked tent filled my vision. It was because I’d gotten more excited than I’d realized. Jang Ye Ri, as if seeking compensation for her long wait, had clung to me relentlessly. I had to admit, the reason things had gotten so out of hand was that the new sides of herself she kept showing me were incredibly stimulating.
From the cloth-covered bed to the tabletop and even the pillars supporting the tent, nothing was in its proper place. It was a complete and utter mess. Whether it was because we were both demons, or because Jang Ye Ri and I were just that compatible, I couldn't say. But as I recalled our spectacular night, strength surged in my lower body once more.
I sat up slightly and turned my head.
And there was Jang Ye Ri, looking at me with her legs propped up against the wall. When our eyes met, she slowly lowered them and straightened her posture as if nothing had happened. Her utterly composed expression was a little disarming. We’d gone dozens of rounds, but there was only one mistake. No, it wasn't so much a mistake as me being unable to time it right, thanks to her holding on so tightly.
Still, that posture was quite unexpected. Mev also used to put her legs up after we were finished, which made me seriously wonder if the action was surprisingly effective. Jang Ye Ri had boasted, but getting pregnant wasn't that easy, so I decided to take it lightly. Mev's case was truly a stroke of heavenly luck. Looking at Baek Ahyeon and Jung Hayeon, I knew there was nothing to worry about.
“You're awake.”
She was incredibly nonchalant, as if she had no memory of last night. But when I extended my arm slightly, she instantly closed the distance and fell into my embrace.
“Your embrace is warm.”
“As is yours. I wonder if you were satisfied last night.”
I already knew she’d gone beyond satisfied and soared through the heavens, but I asked out of sheer mischief. The Queen of the East, Jang Ye Ri, must have sensed my intent, as her cheeks puffed out slightly.
I stroked her head once before speaking again.
“Don't you have to leave early this morning?”
“There’s still a little time. To be honest, I don’t want to move from this spot… but it’s a gathering of representatives from every city, so it’s a shame I can’t miss it.”
“Hmph…”
“You’re not hoping I’ll leave quickly, are you?”
“Of course not.”
That was half-sincere. But I was quite curious about what would happen at that meeting, so I couldn't keep her from going. In truth, it didn't matter; she was independent and had a strong sense of responsibility, so she would get up on her own regardless of my will. I started to recall the conversation we’d had yesterday.
A summit between the rulers of the East, West, South, and North was a rather interesting event. The host of the meeting was undoubtedly the Sword Saint, so I couldn't help but wonder what they would discuss.
How had the Queen of the North changed? What did the southern fellow I’d never seen look like? How had the Sword Saint grown? Were they opponents I could defeat? And finally, the biggest question of all: would Choi Seulgi make an appearance at that meeting? I turned to Jang Ye Ri and spoke.
“By any chance, can you keep the Ring of Covenant active once the meeting starts?”
“That won’t be a problem. It seems you’re curious as well.”
“How could I not be? It’s a meeting where the leaders of the humans are gathering. It can’t be helped. Other Green Skins may not care, but I’m very interested in this sort of thing. I won’t let it negatively affect your city.”
Jang Ye Ri nodded her head. It was, of course, a sign of affirmation. After spending a little more time with me, Jang Ye Ri finally rose. It was time for her to leave. She kept looking back at me, and I felt a little sorry for her. Watching her, I spoke.
“I’ll take you to the edge of the city.”
“R-Really?”
If we rode Ibar, we would probably arrive in no time. There was a route between the Brother's Land and the great eastern metropolis that only the clan executives, Jang Ye Ri, and I knew about, so I figured we could get there without being spotted by other humans.
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
Receiving her warm smile, I stepped outside. It seemed Jang Ye Ri and I had woken up much earlier than I thought, as the other Green Skins appeared to be sleeping. Aside from the Orcs standing guard, there was no one else in sight. It was the crack of dawn, just as the sun was about to rise. I’d thought I was a little tired, and now I knew why—I hadn’t slept much at all.
If I felt this way, then Jang Ye Ri, who had been holding her legs up to the sky, probably hadn't slept a wink.
“Aren’t we leaving a bit early?”
“I have much to prepare.”
Jang Ye Ri’s voice was tinged with regret. It seemed she had gone to great lengths to make time for this. As we walked slowly toward Ibar’s den, the wolf himself came bounding out. He knew I needed him. His face showed he was in a great mood, and I stroked his neck and head.
“A magnificent wolf. The East once succeeded in capturing one, but I heard the humans failed to tame it.”
“These creatures can’t be tamed just because you want to. They choose their own masters.”
Feeling my touch, Ibar let out a pleased growl. Seeing this, Jang Ye Ri unconsciously reached out a hand. To my surprise, Ibar didn't shy away from her touch. It was the first time I’d seen this, and I found it a little fascinating. Ibar usually hated being touched by others or having anyone but me on his back. I didn't know if he had matured, or if he had taken a liking to Jang Ye Ri, a fellow demon and a powerful being in her own right, but my mood lifted as well.
I climbed onto Ibar’s back, and Jang Ye Ri got on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. After telling the guards I’d be out for a short while, we left the settlement, greeted by the splendid morning sunlight.
“What a beautiful view.”
“It’s not bad.”
A light silence fell.
After a moment, Jang Ye Ri spoke again.
“Are you planning to hunt the Spider?”
“Not all of them. But I have a debt to repay to a woman named Park Hyeri.”
“They may be individuals, but they are also a group, and a very strong one at that. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I am willing to lend you my strength.”
It wasn't a bad offer, but of course, I had to refuse. I shook my head, and Jang Ye Ri nodded silently.
Certainly, with Jang Ye Ri's help, the task would be much easier. But avenging Najin, Kurajin, and Gaoun was, in every sense, a clan matter. Delving deeper, it was a matter for the clan, not for me as an individual. This wasn't a debt I was repaying to Park Hyeri, but a debt I was repaying for Najin and the others. To have grown this strong and still be unable to deal with Park Hyeri would be a betrayal of the expectations of those who had thrown their lives away for me.
I wasn't sure if Jang Ye Ri, who had been secretly digging into my past, knew the full story of this incident, but judging by her expression, she seemed to have a rough idea. I could feel the warmth of her hand as she silently took mine.
“A little slower.”
Jang Ye Ri spoke, and I gently stroked Ibar’s body. The running wolf slowed to a walk, and Jang Ye Ri and I were able to talk more.
It was all trivial things, like watching the passing scenery or observing the magical beasts, but perhaps because of the morning sunlight pouring through the branches, it felt incredibly romantic. As I gazed at the landscape, I heard the voice of Jang Ye Ri, who was hugging me tightly from behind, once more.
“It’s nice, walking like this.”
“It is.”
We said nothing more. We simply enjoyed the moment, moving forward at a slower pace.
*
Ragia was usually the first to wake in the Blood Dagger Clan. As the one who handled all of the clan’s major and minor affairs, she was also serving as the acting matron now that Mev was absent due to her pregnancy. She walked slowly toward Blood Dagger’s tent. She knew that a demon woman from the eastern city had visited yesterday, and that Blood Dagger had briefly gone out to meet her.
In truth, Ragia felt her position within the Blood Dagger Clan was rather ambiguous. She believed she had integrated well by now, but at the end of the day, she was an outsider who had rolled in. She wasn't particularly close with the female Green Skins, nor did she possess the charisma to unite everyone.
Ragia knew she wasn't that strong. There were many powerful individuals in this clan: Half Blade and Mirror Blade, who had been strong from the start; the Alraune magician; the High Fairy Queen Mev; the Goblin Three Sisters; Orbo of the Shield; and the elite Orc swordsmen. Nor was she the smartest member of the tribe. The goblin Hakajin and the human Lee Wanyong—though treated as a slave—both possessed exceptionally sharp minds.
When Blood Dagger first entrusted her with the position of Prime Executive, she had been overjoyed, but as time passed—or more accurately, as she was surpassed and left behind—her anxiety grew immensely.
‘Why?’
There were often times when she simply couldn't understand why Blood Dagger had entrusted her with such a position.
This clan was a tribe with high potential. In fact, to evaluate it with mere potential was insufficient. It was Ragia’s clan that had entered the continent first. Blood Dagger had succeeded, and she had failed.
Anyone could see the overwhelming difference in their caliber. Back then, Ragia had been looking up. Because she couldn't see anything at the top, she thought she could reach it. But now, it didn't feel reachable at all.
Perhaps, she thought, it was because she was watching a man who was truly ascending to the top from right beside him.
As she walked slowly, she saw the mother goblins gathering at the chieftain’s tent. Ragia spoke to them.
“I will clean it.”
“Kkireuk. Understood.”
They must have been the mother goblins coming to clean Blood Dagger’s tent right after he left. Ragia entered his tent. As soon as she stepped inside, the distinct scent of a man washed over her.
It was a scent she had smelled several times. She had never properly coupled with him, but they had been together in indirect ways, so the scent was quite familiar. Ragia slowly began to tidy the tent, lost in a thought that wasn't quite a thought.
‘Am I… in love with him?’
To be precise, she thought not. She wanted to sleep with him, but the feeling she had for Blood Dagger was likely one of respect, not love.
For no reason, the scar on her wrist throbbed, and Ragia unconsciously stroked the back of her hand. An inexplicable lust surged through her. It must have been the atmosphere, the temperature, and the scent of the room.
But Ragia kept shaking her head and continued to clean Blood Dagger’s tent.
It was then.
What caught her eye was a document. A map, to be precise.
Ragia, who had been slowly learning the human language with Hakajin, began to read the map and the text written beside it. It was simply laid out and not too difficult to understand.
‘Spider.’
It didn't take long for her to realize that this was the group to which the human who used that sound belonged. As she thought of her, she naturally recalled the other Green Skins who had died. That incident was a kind of trauma for the Blood Dagger Clan. For Blood Dagger, even more so. She thought there must have been some reason why he hadn't announced that he had obtained the map, but Ragia found herself committing it to memory.
She herself didn't know why. She just felt, for some reason, that she had to memorize this map.
It was a kind of intuition. Ragia nodded her head.