Chapter 78: Inner Chamber
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 78: Inner Chamber
Jung Hayeon slowly began to open her eyes. She had woken up not in her own tent, but in Blood Dagger’s. As her eyes fluttered open, she saw the Orc, still sleeping. Brawny arms and bulging muscles. Incredibly charming fangs. She couldn’t understand why this Orc, who had seemed so terrifying when she was human, now looked so lovely.
The memory of last night was enough to make her face flush red.
As mentioned before, Jung Hayeon was the eldest daughter of a very ordinary family. After her father passed away, she was left with only her mother and two younger sisters. The family’s finances were far from comfortable, so she had to enter the workforce much earlier than others. With no particular skills to speak of, she naturally ended up in a factory, and romance was something she couldn't even dream of.
“...”
Unconsciously, Jung Hayeon gently stroked the lovely Orc. The one who had taken everything from her. He was frightening at times, but he was also incredibly dear, someone she never wanted to lose to anyone else.
Is this what having a boyfriend is like?
It was a slightly presumptuous thought. But she was certain that what she had now was something akin to a romance. Jung Hayeon slowly got dressed. At first, she hadn't been used to her lower body being covered in plants, but he loved the honey that it produced. Now, she was convinced that evolving into an Alraune had been the right choice.
Of course, she knew she had been growing more cruel as a side effect of her evolution. But when she thought about it, she couldn't quite remember if she had become cruel as a result of turning into a monster, or if she had always been that way. She recalled that even as a human, she had taken some pleasure in the murders she committed to survive.
I am superior to you. I survived.
This shallow thought continuously sent a thrill of pleasure through Jung Hayeon’s mind. She was aware of this fact. She even thought her beloved younger sister, Jung Haeun, would be shocked if she saw her now.
‘You’re too kind, Unni.’
Remembering that nostalgic voice, a smile crept onto her face. The person she was now was far from kind.
In any case, after washing up, Jung Hayeon set out. The gathering place was the tent of Chieftain Mev, the largest after Blood Dagger’s. Of course, Hayeon knew her. Mev was the goblin who had been with Blood Dagger from the very beginning. Though she was a fairy now, she was the Green Skin who acted as the clan’s mistress.
The reason for gathering in Mev’s tent today was to participate in the ‘women’s meeting.’ The female members of the Blood Dagger Clan held these meetings regularly. Of course, the meetings weren't about anything important. To her human eyes, it looked like children playing around, but the key was that they were completely serious in their own way.
Nevertheless, Jung Hayeon attended these meetings not only because it was a clan rule, but also because she felt she had recently let go of her past and completely blended in with this group. A few people had already gathered, and a boisterous noise was already spilling out of the large tent.
“It’s the women’s meeting!”
“Kkireuk! It’s the women’s meeting!”
Jung Hayeon slowly opened the tent flap and stepped inside. Though the tent was large, it was hardly enough to accommodate the numerous female clan members, who were sitting packed tightly together. The human bones hanging here and there made it hard to call this a girl's room.
“The plant is here!”
“It’s the plant! She came from the Chieftain’s tent again today!”
Of course, just like Mev, Jung Hayeon was treated as one of Blood Dagger’s wives. For someone who had never been treated with such respect, it was a rather pleasant feeling, but she couldn't let it show. She simply bowed her head to the goblins who greeted her and made her way to her seat.
Soon, the true mistress of the clan, Mev, made her entrance. The chattering goblins quieted down a little. Escorted by the Goblin Three Sisters, Mev’s entrance was nothing short of majestic. She looked a little cute, and Jung Hayeon found herself smiling without realizing it.
“The Chieftain is here!”
“Mev has arrived! Let the meeting begin!”
Mev sat solemnly on the prepared chair. It was her own tent, so it would have been more comfortable to be seated beforehand. Hayeon didn't understand why she insisted on making an entrance in front of everyone, but it seemed to be effective. It might have seemed like a meaningless act, but it had its own propaganda value.
“Hmph...”
After surveying the crowd, Mev turned her head with a very stern expression.
“One person is missing.”
Hearing Mev’s words, the Goblin Three Sisters became even more agitated than Mev and started to run wild. The tent soon grew noisy.
“It’s the snake girl!”
“Ragia isn’t here! How dare she defy the Chieftain’s words!”
“She must be punished.”
Just then, the tent flap opened slightly, and Ragia appeared. Even to Hayeon, her face was incredibly beautiful. It was a blow to her pride, but she had to admit that Ragia was prettier than her. Lately, she had often been seen with Blood Dagger, making Hayeon anxious. But for now, it wasn't something to be too concerned about. Ragia, too, was not yet a significant threat.
“Oh my. I’m so sorry. I’m just a bit of a heavy sleeper…”
She was almost certainly late on purpose. Having been dealt with quite harshly by Blood Dagger when she was recruited, she tried not to cause trouble, but Hayeon had often seen her provoke Mev in these small ways. If she had truly intended to create a factional dispute, she wouldn't have sent the women who followed her ahead.
Seeing that the Green Skins from her original group were already here, it seemed Ragia was good at staying within the lines.
“Late again today! Snake!”
“The snake is always late! Mev needs to give her a good scolding!”
“We can’t tolerate this anymore!”
“Oh my… oh my… I was only a few seconds late. Isn’t this a bit too harsh? I don’t believe the generous Lady Mev, mistress of the clan, would be so narrow-minded.”
“...”
“Didn’t you say the same thing last time!”
“You have to teach her a lesson this time, Mev!”
At Ragia’s excuse that was not an excuse, the Goblin Three Sisters shouted even more excitedly, but Mev showed no reaction.
“I am truly sorry. Please, forgive me.”
Ragia even bowed her body, prostrating herself. Watching her, Jung Hayeon was certain she was mocking Mev.
Mev was angry, but she couldn't lash out or punish Ragia when she was acting like this. If there weren't so many eyes watching, she might have said something, but for now, with a large audience, she seemed to have decided to endure it.
It also seemed like something good had happened to her, as she was quiet today when she would normally be jumping up and down. Hayeon could see one corner of Mev’s mouth curl up into a smirk, despite Ragia’s provocation.
“You are forgiven. For your sake, it would be best to delay the meeting time from now on.”
“Thank you for your grace.”
Ragia looked a little disappointed that she didn't get the reaction she wanted. It was a surprising scene, even for Hayeon. Thanks to this, Mev once again earned the trust of the surrounding goblins.
“A generous Chieftain!”
“If Blood Dagger is the strict father, Mev is the wise mother!”
“Her heart is as wide as the sea!”
“Mev! Mev!”
As everyone chanted Mev’s name, Mev subtly raised her hand. The crowd instantly fell silent. Mev looked around at them and opened her mouth.
“Yesterday, the first glorious child of the Blood Dagger Clan was born.”
“Nicole!”
“Nico-Nicole!”
“We must all show respect and gratitude to Nihab, who carried the tribe’s first child and delivered her safely. Furthermore, I too wish to express my thanks to Nihab for attending this meeting even after just giving birth.”
“Th-thank you.”
So, this was a place to praise her for her hard work, Jung Hayeon thought as she watched the atmosphere unfold. But it seemed there was a main point yet to come. Mev kept moving her lips as if she wanted to say something.
“A-and there is something important to discuss.”
“I… I heard the voice of the War God!”
In truth, hearing the voice of the War God was a common occurrence. It wasn't a topic that needed to be brought up with such force. While Hayeon and the other goblins were all puzzled, Mev began to speak powerfully.
“It was the voice of the War God telling me to bear Blood Dagger’s child!”
“.....................”
After a moment of silence, cheers erupted.
“A-amazing! That’s Mev for you!”
“The mistress of the clan must hear the voice of the War God. Kkireuk, kkireuk.”
“Blood Dagger will have an heir!”
It seemed like something incredible had happened, but in reality, she had just received a quest. Jung Hayeon began to look at Mev with pity, so subtle that no one else would notice. Most of the other Green Skins didn't seem to know, but from what Blood Dagger had told her, quests were simply the system presenting a path toward what one desired most.
A quest to get pregnant… it was heartbreaking to think just how desperately she wanted Blood Dagger’s child.
In truth, there was also a strange sense of catharsis. Everyone was cheering for Mev, but Hayeon believed that the true mistress of this clan was herself. This was an entirely different matter from her finding Mev and the Goblin Three Sisters cute. She was the only human—no, the only Green Skin—in this clan who had shared intimacy with Blood Dagger. As far as she knew, there was no way Blood Dagger would sleep with Mev in her current state.
The first reason was that the person inside Blood Dagger’s body was a human, ‘just like her.’ The second reason was that by human standards, it was impossible to be sexually attracted to a little kid like Mev.
She was a cute friend, but a little pathetic.
Jung Hayeon couldn't help but smirk. She had once talked with Mev about matters of sex. It had been incredibly amusing to watch her praise Blood Dagger’s greatness so desperately, despite knowing nothing. She seemed to have some common sense, but of course, she could have no practical experience. In other words, Mev was an inexperienced rookie. Just like her old self.
For Jung Hayeon, who enjoyed incredible things with Blood Dagger every night, a smile was the only natural response.
As she raised the corner of her lips and looked around, her eyes momentarily met Ragia’s. Hayeon quickly returned her expression to neutral, but Ragia seemed to know everything. She simply looked back at her and smiled faintly. After deciding to feign ignorance if Ragia asked anything, Hayeon turned her gaze back to Mev.
“Mev! Mev! Mev!”
“She heard the voice of the War God!”
Mev held her head high, glaring at Ragia. Not to be outdone, Ragia returned her gaze. Watching the women engage in a power struggle, oblivious to the fact that she was the true victor, Jung Hayeon also raised her voice slightly.
“Mev. Mev.”
And so, the women’s meeting came to a close.