Chapter 219: The Female Clan Members’ Meeting
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 219: The Female Clan Members’ Meeting
Jung Hayeon sat up in Blood Dagger’s tent after what felt like a long time. She glanced to her side and saw Blood Dagger, his eyes quietly closed. Just looking at his face made her blush for no reason.
Truthfully, she wanted to spend a little more time like this, but the fact that she had to leave for a meeting was a source of stress.
The reason was the female clan members’ meeting, presided over by Mev, the clan’s official mistress. Normally, they would spend time together until midday, but the meeting had been scheduled for early in the morning, forcing her to leave early. It was one of her minor grievances.
‘How sly of her.’
Mev never held morning meetings on her own turn. She had the excuse of needing to spend time with Laveua, but the fact that she only ever scheduled them when Hayeon was with Blood Dagger was a source of personal frustration.
This was especially true recently, as the time they could spend together had been growing longer.
After preparing a meal for Blood Dagger for when he woke up, she stepped outside and saw the other female clan members already making their way over. A few goblins and orcs greeted her, and Jung Hayeon responded with a polite nod of her head.
Before being a clan executive, her status as one of Blood Dagger’s women afforded her a rather high position within the settlement.
“Unni.”
“Ah… yes. It’s you, Ahyeon.”
Baek Ahyeon, with whom she had grown quite close, spoke to her from the side. Jung Hayeon nodded slightly and replied.
“How have you been lately?”
“The same as always… I suppose my faith is still insufficient to conceive the Savior’s child…”
This girl, Baek Ahyeon, who thought of Blood Dagger—no, Taesung—as a god, sometimes had a frightening look in her eyes, but she was one of the few people in the settlement Hayeon felt a connection with. The fact that they were both originally human helped, and recently, they had even begun to share a small hobby.
“Ah, the method you told me about seems to be quite effective, Unni. It was a great help in purifying the prospective converts.”
“Oh, was it?”
“Yes.”
She was undoubtedly talking about the underground interrogation room. Since Baek Ahyeon’s facility operated under the guise of a religious organization, it had many restrictions. Jung Hayeon had mostly used the underground prison, but since Blood Dagger had been frequenting it lately, she thought it might not be a bad idea to visit Ahyeon’s place sometime.
As she continued walking with Baek Ahyeon, she saw that a large number of female clan members had already gathered inside the tent. The very young Green Skins were not allowed to participate, but Kim Yoora and Nicole were there, holding hands. The elf, Alisha, and Choi Eunju were seated together in one corner.
Even the women from the production jobs were in attendance; Lee Jihee, who lived with Lee Wanyong, was also visible.
Jung Hayeon’s gaze fell on Choi Eunju, and she felt her lips go dry. Blood Dagger and Choi Eunju had been spending a great deal of time together recently. It was a bit of a sorry thought for Baek Ahyeon and Mev, but his tastes were firm, and Choi Eunju fit them just as well as she did.
Because Choi Eunju also possessed formidable martial power, the other clan members were pinning their hopes on her rather than on Baek Ahyeon or herself, who had failed to conceive for so long. There was a perception that a strong woman would bear a strong child.
Just as the meeting was about to begin, the tent flap opened and another person entered.
Ggrrrrrind.
A frightening sound came from beside her. Hayeon turned to see Baek Ahyeon grinding her teeth, glaring at the newcomer. There was only one person who could provoke such a reaction from Baek Ahyeon.
‘Jang Ye Ri.’
As expected, she was staring at Jang Ye Ri with burning eyes, still furious about having the Ring of Covenant taken from her.
“Hmph.”
As if sensing the glare, Jang Ye Ri simply turned her head, dismissing Baek Ahyeon’s greeting. In a further provocation, she brought the Ring of Covenant to her lips and kissed it, causing Baek Ahyeon to flinch so violently that Hayeon had to restrain her.
“Why is that woman here?”
“Well… I’m not sure…”
There was no way for Jung Hayeon to know. She guessed it was probably to keep Choi Eunju’s recent rise in check. The way Jang Ye Ri sat down in a corner looked incredibly regal. At a glance, one might even mistake her for the queen presiding over this meeting.
The time for the meeting drew closer.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
The Goblin Three Sisters began to enter, carrying Mev on a palanquin. Though no longer a chieftain, Mev was the undisputed mistress of the clan and the only one to have produced an heir. She looked majestic, her expression a little arrogant.
“Make way for Lady Mev!”
“The mother of Laveua!”
“The mother of the clan!”
Seeing her make such a grand entrance on a palanquin, even in this cramped tent, made Mev seem strangely cute, and Jung Hayeon let out a small smile. Baek Ahyeon was still glaring at Jang Ye Ri, who continued to smile serenely.
Choi Eunju, on the other hand, looked confused, as if she didn’t know what to make of the situation. It was her first time attending a female clan members’ meeting, so she seemed a bit nervous. Nicole and Kim Yoora raised their hands toward Mev in a sign of respect.
Finally, once Mev was settled in her seat, the meeting—or what passed for one—could begin.
“Ahem!”
Mev nodded her head repeatedly in satisfaction, her gaze sweeping over the other Green Skins, including Jang Ye Ri, Choi Eunju, and Alisha.
“Thank you all for attending on time.”
“Mev! Mev! Mev!”
As expected, the goblin contingent cheered for her. Whether it was due to the influence of the Three Sisters or their own small stature, the goblins were particularly fond of Mev, and it was obvious she was enjoying the popularity.
“As you know, we will soon be departing on an expedition!”
“That’s right! I heard we’re crossing over to the continent in the East!”
“A new land!”
Several Green Skins responded to Mev’s words. Amidst the excitement, Mev spoke calmly.
“The participants have not yet been chosen, but you must not get carried away. While there are many female warriors who can fight, it is right for the Green Skins who have chosen the path of a mother to remain here and calmly await our victory.”
She spoke quite eloquently; it seemed like a prepared speech. The gathering was meant to comfort the Green Skins who would have to be separated from their husbands. Hayeon couldn’t help but notice how thoughtful she was being. She felt she could understand why Blood Dagger placed so much trust in Mev.
“It is wonderful to see so many Green Skin mothers working for the prosperity of the clan. And not just the Green Skins. The humans, too, are doing their best to leave behind descendants!”
Mev gave a slight nod, and a human woman slowly rose from her seat. It was Lee Jihee, Lee Wanyong’s girlfriend.
“She is not a Green Skin, but she is the wife of the capable human, Lee Wanyong. He, along with Orbo of the Shield, has recently made great contributions to the clan!”
“Lee Wanyong is a good fellow.”
“Not a bad human.”
“This woman, too, is doing her best for the prosperity of the clan. Lee Wanyong is working hard on his duties in the East.”
In other words, she was pregnant.
“The great and honorable chieftain, Blood Dagger, has said that the children of humans will be raised alongside the Green Skins.”
Jung Hayeon already knew this. She suspected it was part of a plan to eventually accept all the human production workers as Green Skins, but it didn’t seem like a bad policy to her. Mev nodded, and Lee Jihee bowed her head shyly as she spoke.
“I will do my best for the clan.”
Of course, everyone erupted in cheers. In the midst of it all, Mev spoke again, her voice a little lower.
“Everyone is doing their best. It is right that you, too, make a little more effort.”
Her words were directed at none other than herself, Baek Ahyeon, and Jang Ye Ri.
Jung Hayeon pressed her lips together. Did they think she didn’t want to get pregnant? The thought of starting a family with Blood Dagger made her incredibly happy just by imagining it. There had even been times when she’d looked at Laveua and Mev with jealousy. But it wasn’t as if she could get pregnant just by wanting to.
The chances were already low, and Blood Dagger was careful about contraception, so there was no way she could succeed.
Jung Hayeon thought Mev was being a little heartless. It was as if the frog had forgotten its days as a tadpole.
Of course, she knew there was no malice intended, but she couldn’t help but lower her head. Baek Ahyeon, too, had her head bowed.
Although they had a reliable heir in Laveua, the Green Skin belief was that the more children, the better. Naturally, she and Baek Ahyeon, who frequented Blood Dagger’s tent, were the subject of all the Green Skins’ expectations.
She could now understand why Mev had been so anxious before. Mev nodded and began to speak again.
“It would be best to have heirs amicably, but if it keeps getting delayed, then next time, I’ll have no choice but to… I… I will…”
“There’s no need for that.”
It seemed her goal was to declare that she would bear the next heir herself. But the one who cut Mev off was none other than Jang Ye Ri. Many of the Green Skins turned to look at her as she rose slightly with a lofty and noble posture.
Jung Hayeon gulped. She had a feeling Jang Ye Ri had shown up to this meeting for an entirely different reason.
Even Mev’s eyes wavered as she stared at Jang Ye Ri, who was now stroking her own stomach. The way she caressed her belly with a gentle smile, as if holding something precious, made it seem as though another life was growing inside her.
“I have conceived an heir. It hasn’t been long, but it is a demon child, like him. I haven’t told him yet, but he will find out soon. It will likely be a healthy baby boy.”
“Woooooooooah!”
“The Queen… the Queen of the East! She did it!”
“The Queen of the East has done it!”
The situation could only result in an explosion of cheers. Jung Hayeon lifted her head without realizing it, and Baek Ahyeon stared at Jang Ye Ri with a look of utter shock.
“Uh, ah, eh? Eh? Ah, eh? I… I see. Y-You did it. Finally. Th-That’s a relief.”
Mev’s words began to stumble. She was flustered by the unexpected turn of events.
“That’s right. You no longer need to carry that heavy burden alone. I must rest for the time being, so I won’t be able to visit the settlement often, but it can’t be helped for the sake of the child. Huhu… You all will have results soon, too.”
The ripple effect of Jang Ye Ri’s single statement was immense. Although it pained Hayeon deeply that the next one wasn’t her, the words somehow planted a seed of hope. Cheers for Jang Ye Ri continued to echo through the small tent. When Jung Hayeon unconsciously turned her head, she saw Mev, her face a mask of complex emotions, looking as if she were about to cry.