Chapter 193: Mev
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 193: Mev
“The man is utterly contemptible.”
That was the first thing Jang Ye Ri muttered after storming into my tent for the first time in a long while, pouncing on me as if she wanted to devour me whole. She seemed incredibly stressed, as if she had come here just to blow off steam, and it appeared there was a reason for it.
“What is it?”
“It’s the King of the South. I already knew he was a lecher, but he truly is a contemptible man.”
“Is that so.”
“It is. Hmph. I heard he has a son around the same age as the Sword Saint, yet he keeps sending me letters. If it weren’t for your request, I would have torn him to shreds with my own hands. What a wretched man. I’ve heard he has countless wives and concubines, but still…”
It was a rather famous story that the man had built a Sun Palace in the South to maintain a harem. Hearing Jang Ye Ri speak like this, it was only natural that I grew curious about the contents of his letters. When I gave her a slightly inquisitive look, she immediately rose from her spot.
The leather covering her body fell away, revealing her voluptuous figure, but Jang Ye Ri didn't seem to mind. No matter how many times I saw it, her unreal physique, combined with her confident demeanor, certainly made my heart pound.
Presently, she took out a letter and, imbuing it with magic, sent it flying toward me. I reached out and caught the letter she had thrown.
“Hmm…”
- My dearest Queen of the East, ever since I laid eyes upon you, every night… I cannot sleep… You are my… If you ever have the time, I wish to share… this yearning heart with you…
I couldn't bear to read any further and immediately burned the letter on the spot.
“He’s a madman.”
It would be strange not to get angry when someone hits on your woman so directly.
“It was infuriating enough when he kept staring at me with those strange eyes when we briefly met at the conference before. He was a toad-faced bastard. The thought that he was having all sorts of lewd fantasies about me makes my anger boil over…”
As Jang Ye Ri’s body trembled, I gently pulled her into my arms. I was just as angry, but for now, I wanted to comfort her.
“You are with me now, are you not?”
At my words, Jang Ye Ri slyly began to stroke my member.
“You are truly a seductive one. A very seductive man.”
I felt as if she had stolen the line I was supposed to say. While I was momentarily flustered, Jang Ye Ri spoke again.
“Even if you didn’t comfort me like this, I would still grant your request. Exchanging words with that man is nauseatingly irritating, but it is something I must gladly endure for your sake.”
“Thank you.”
“Hmph. No need to thank me. I am receiving my payment like this, am I not?”
Her eyes glistened with lust. It seemed she would be crying for surrender soon enough, yet she was so confident. As if realizing she would be the one knocked out in no time, Jang Ye Ri licked her lips and laid her body down on my thigh.
We had already burned through our passion once, so it seemed she wanted to have a conversation while our bodies were intertwined.
“It seems what you said was more or less correct.”
“It appears the King of the South has a connection to the Spiders, rather than the Sword Saint in the West.”
“Your evidence?”
“A bounty has been placed on you and the other Named Green Skins.”
This was new. Back when I was in the West, it was common for bounties to be placed on important monsters or those who had killed many humans, but I knew that wasn't what Jang Ye Ri was referring to.
“Hmm…”
“I’ll get straight to the point. As you already know, information about you is top secret in these Eastern lands. The stories about the Weapon Merchant had already spread, so I couldn't stop them, but I have complete control over any information about you. Your appearance, your form, your equipment—nothing is known. After all, most of the victims from that time are dead.”
I nodded. I already knew this. The information that had spread during my time as the Weapon Merchant was under Jang Ye Ri’s control, and all those who had sided with Jang Gi Young at the time were dead. Only those who participated in the revolution, like Park Han Cheol and the Greenbelt clan members, were with Jang Ye Ri now. I figured that, with a few exceptions, most didn't even know about the existence of the Brother's Land at the eastern edge of the continent.
“To be precise, it was right after you told me you encountered the master of the Spider Clan.”
After she finished speaking, Jang Ye Ri handed me a few documents, just as before.
- Demon of Blood and Flame, Bounty: 3,000,000 Gold
- A demon that summons a giant hand of fire. Extreme caution advised.
There were no pictures or drawings, but it was clearly referring to me. When I was with the master of the Spider Clan, I had definitely summoned a giant hand of fire and been wreathed in flames. The only ones who saw that were that woman and the explosive-casting magician who fled midway through.
I hadn't used my weapon-switching ability, so I figured they wouldn't notice the connection to the Weapon Merchant unless they dug deep.
“If the Spider Clan were the only ones who saw you in that form, it’s correct to assume they have a connection. They probably told the King of the South that you ruined their plans, and…”
“The King of the South put out the bounty.”
“That is most likely the correct answer. Of course, you’re not the only one.”
- An Orc swordsman who hides his body, Bounty: 800,000 Gold
That was probably Gark. It seemed the explosive-casting magician had also escaped safely. I couldn't be sure if they had set up a base in the South, but what was certain was that the Spiders had some kind of connection there. Goff and Black Spear weren't listed, but I saw a few others whose identities I could guess.
- Red-Eyed Orc, Bounty: 4,000,000 Gold
- A Troll who wields shadows, Bounty: 5,500,000 Gold
The Orc of the South and Great Tribe Leader Storm Shadow. It seemed they were giving the southerners quite a bit of trouble. There were a few others, but strangely, the bounties seemed to be set quite appropriately. They matched very closely with my own assessment of the danger posed by the Green Skin chieftains.
My own bounty of three million gold was quite surprising; it seemed he possessed far more wealth than I had imagined. As my mind wandered with useless thoughts, Jang Ye Ri spoke once more.
“Actually, I thought you might not be the objective.”
“………?”
“He asked me to allow him to set foot in the East, using the demon and orc here as a pretext. Not an army, but he asked for permission to bring a certain number of troops. I don’t like it, but I wanted to hear your opinion first. He also mentioned he wanted to see my face while he was at it.”
Naturally, the southern part of the East was very close to the southern desert region. For him, it was a location he could visit without much trouble. Glancing at the letter, he certainly seemed interested in Jang Ye Ri, but if he was truly willing to move his heavy body just to see her, I doubted he was fit to lead a city.
“We should think about it first. I’m sure he has some kind of objective.”
“My thoughts exactly. It won’t matter if we wait a little while before inviting a guest, will it?”
I nodded at Jang Ye Ri’s words and opened my mouth.
“By the way, how has the Sword Saint been?”
“The same as I told you before. She and the King of the South’s son seem to be quite the lovebirds. He may be the toad’s son, but he looks human enough. Still, there’s no doubt he’s a toad. Well, they looked like they were genuinely in love, so I didn’t pay it much mind.”
Jang Ye Ri’s incredibly angry face came into view. When I spoke softly, she began to speak as if she had been waiting for it. It seemed like her own way of complaining.
“Did something else happen?”
“Of course it did. She spoke to me in a tone that seemed to be asking me to stop the slave trade. And it was in front of everyone. As the Sword Saint of the West, there’s no way she didn’t know that slaves were being distributed to the West. I confirmed that her name was on the client list. She struck first.”
“Hmm…”
I could start to picture the situation.
I’d heard they hadn’t held a formal conference, so it must have been a simple gathering to greet one another. The Sword Saint, thinking Jang Ye Ri had her transaction records, made the first move. There must have been many ministers and guild members around, not just the Sword Saint and Jang Ye Ri.
“The toad’s son standing next to her was nodding along enthusiastically. A thick-skinned bastard, even though he must know his own father built a Sun Palace and started a harem.”
“So how did you respond?”
“I said that the East no longer engages in the slave trade. When that bitch, the Sword Saint of the West, took my hand and said she was begging me, I almost summoned the Reaper’s Scythe without thinking.”
Jang Ye Ri’s body trembled, as if she was imagining the Sword Saint’s face at that moment. She seemed absolutely furious.
As I thought, Jang Ye Ri seemed a bit weak in these kinds of political battles. Her lack of social experience was an unavoidable flaw of hers. Although she hadn't suffered any tangible damage, she had been outmaneuvered in an absurd way.
The Sword Saint’s image would surely be remembered as that of a holy sword, while Jang Ye Ri’s would be that of a witch who led the slave trade and massacres.
“You’ve had it rough.”
“I would have been more at ease if we had just fought.”
That was certainly true for Jang Ye Ri. Park Han Cheol and the Greenbelt clan members must have assisted her quite a bit, but she was a Green Skin. She may have been raised among humans, but her instincts would surely remain. Not only that, but it was obvious the Sword Saint would be more accustomed to media manipulation than Jang Ye Ri.
Since the Sword Saint had struck first, even if Jang Ye Ri were to belatedly release the West’s slave trade records, people would likely dismiss it as a fabrication for some purpose or just petty revenge.
I couldn't help but click my tongue. It was because I realized my thoughts about the Sword Saint hadn't been a delusion. Looking forward, I saw Jang Ye Ri opening her mouth to speak to me again.
“So… how have you been lately?”
“I’ve been the same as always since then. I continue to train and I haven’t stopped hunting. The same goes for the other clan members, Goff, and Black Spear.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m asking about… that pregnant fairy.”
She was likely asking about Mev’s delivery. It was true that some time had passed since then, and Mev’s belly had grown a little higher. Jang Ye Ri seemed somewhat grateful that Mev had yielded a night to her back then, and she would occasionally ask about her. It seemed she was worried, especially now that Mev’s body had gotten heavier.
She could have asked herself, but seeing her act like this made Jang Ye Ri seem quite cute.
Mev was taking it easy, enjoying card games, and looked like she could give birth at any moment, but it was still a little early.
“Probably… a little more…”
It was the exact moment I was about to speak. Suddenly, someone burst into the tent. I thought it was Baek Ahyeon or Jung Hayeon. They were the only ones who could enter my tent so abruptly.
The one who appeared was Baek Ahyeon. Usually, when she saw Jang Ye Ri, she would look displeased or stare at the left hand wearing the ring with burning eyes, but for some reason, she looked incredibly rushed. Her body was drenched in sweat, naturally. Wherever she had come from, she began to speak urgently, her face and voice breathless.
Curiosity made me look at Baek Ahyeon, and at that moment, she shouted.
“S-Savior! M-Mev is…”