Chapter 316 - Poor Males Addicted to the Beasts' Venom! (4)
“Are you insane!? Do you wanna die by my hands today!?”
“N-no, honey... that's not what I...”
In a noble district somewhere, inside the tea room of Baron Cardi's mansion. A noblewoman dressed in finery let out a shrill scream that could shatter the mansion's windows.
After her outburst, she hurled the teacup in her hand toward Baron Cardi's leg with a ghostly glare, venting her rage. Marcella, Baron Cardi's wife, grabbed him by the collar and started shaking him.
“You hopeless piece of trash! I give you a little slack lately, and now your guts are spilling out!?”
“Guh, guhuk...! H-honey, just a sec, let go...!”
The mansion servants sighed, leaving the bickering couple alone as they cleaned up the shattered teacup. Normally, they'd intervene to protect their lord, the baron. But after hearing what he'd just said, they sympathized with Marcella's fury and shook their heads.
It was a fight everyone in the Cardi household knew all too well. The fact that she'd gone straight for the collar-grab meant the baron had crossed the line—again—and his words had been recklessly foolish.
“I can't even...! What? You wanna take us to a strip club where other bitches are dancing naked? With your daughter too!? That's just a fancy way of saying you wanna die!”
Up until the tea time started, Marcella had been the picture of a proper noblewife. But Baron Cardi's suggestion to take her and their daughter to a strip club for “entertainment” was more than enough to strip away her dignity.
“Get a grip, you lunatic! You're the head judge protecting Rardia's families!”
“Kuh, kuh...! H-honey, hear me out...!”
“Hear what!? Your last words!?”
Marcella shoved the baron away and hugged an antique chair like she meant to snap it in half. The servants, pretending to comfort her as she leaned on the table fuming, ignored the fallen baron and fanned her while offering a fresh teacup.
“I must be crazy... Marrying a nutjob like you without realizing... I should've known better than to believe your promise of never cheating!”
“...Ahem. But you forgave that one after I satisfied you in bed...”
“Wanna die for real!?”
“Ah, u-uh... S-scary, honey. Calm down and listen...”
The baron grumbled a bit, testing the waters, but all he got was his wife's even fiercer roar. Cringing, he braced himself to spin some excuse to drag her along.
“Haa... Fine. Let's hear your bullshit. What is it?”
“W-well, mind your manners... N-no, actually, the club I mentioned is run by Yin-su and Lady Ceres...”
“...Yin-su? Lady Ceres? And Rardia's lord is running a strip club with a monster, serving half-naked girls to men?”
“Y-yes! Lady Ceres and Yin-su created a high-class club even nobles can enjoy, and that's...”
With a pitiful look, Baron Cardi watched Marcella's face as he continued, wrapping his explanation in as much flattery as possible to avoid offending her. He described the Neto Arena club, dressing it up nicely.
Marcella listened to his pathetic pitch with a dumbfounded expression, then sighed and rubbed her temple after he finished.
“Haa... So, you helped Yin-su with some legal stuff, and now she's inviting me and Martina as VIPs for a treat.”
“Exactly! Noblewomen and rich commoner wives go there often too! I hear the women's VIP room is like a ladies' gathering spot...”
“Why the hell would they meet at a place like that... Tsk. Just focus on the shops in the noble district...”
“B-but honey! Martina's 20 now. Wouldn't it be good for her to experience some entertainment?”
“You bastard...! Keep talking crazy!? Why would a noble lady take 'entertainment' from strip club girls!?”
“B-but... what if later she has to... recei...”
“Think before you speak, you freak!”
Marcella slammed the table, and the servants nodded in agreement. Feeling bitter at having no allies, Cardi hunched his shoulders and sipped his tea in silence.
Marcella turned away from her husband and drummed the table thoughtfully, lost in silence for a while.
“...There, it's not one of those 'full-service' strip joints, is it?”
“...O-of course not! Ahem...! I always get your permission before meeting other women, right?”
“You've skipped asking way more times... Haa...”
For a human male in Essentia, her husband had decent stamina and equipment. Marcella wanted to monopolize him every day, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop his affairs.
If she'd known, she never would've fallen for his sweet whispers in their youth.
But having succumbed to this playboy's charms, Marcella could only curse her poor taste in men now.
Damn this freak... If he'd brought home some bastard kid, I'd have divorced him in a heartbeat...
She put up with his cheating because he at least showed remorse and cleaned up after himself. If he'd been shameless or their Esser affinity had dropped, she'd have thrown divorce papers at him on the spot.
So damn annoying... What's the point of all that stamina if he doesn't use it on me every day...
She could forgive his youth, but now Marcella was in her prime, bursting with desire. His “unavoidable” affairs, which she'd grudgingly tolerated lately, grated on her nerves.
But she'd already permitted them to some degree, and his attitude still showed regret—a frustrating bind.
As she mulled it over, an idea flashed in Marcella's mind.
“...Fine. We'll go.”
“...Huh? R-really, honey?”
“But! If that club seems shady, you're banned for life. And no other women for a while either.”
“Uh, uh...? That's...”
“You seemed dying to take us. This is fair, right? Break it, and divorce is on the table.”
“Kh-hm... W-well, no choice... B-but you'll like it, Marcella...”
“We'll see. Time to figure out your tastes anyway. Hmph.”
She turned away, still signaling her anger. In her head, a noose was forming to bind her husband.
Even if he loved the club, she'd ban it and tie him to her.
But Marcella had no idea. How often he'd visited the club in the last two weeks. What he'd enjoyed at Neto Arena. How addicted his body had become to the beasts' venom.
Unaware of that, she didn't notice his attention fixed on the special service the beasts had proposed.
Staring at his wife with a drugged gaze, Cardi clenched his fist under the table in triumph.
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“Whoa~! You actually came! Welcome, madam! Thanks so much for gracing our club!”
“Wh-what... Uh, y-yeah... Nice to meet you...”
“Baron. Is this your daughter? Ooh, you and your daughter are both such beauties!”
“Hahaha! I'm lucky with women! Come on, Martina. You know Yin-su, right? Say hi.”
“...N-nice to m-meet you... L-Lord Yin-su...”
Puhuhu. No way. Our Baron Cardi actually brought his wife and daughter?
Just two days after our suggestion, and he drags them here? That special service must've hooked him bad.
And with his wife and daughter stiff as boards, he's grinning and boozing like it's nothing. Perfectly addicted to pseudo-female mating—the drug.
Kukuku...
“Hmm... Looks like you and the young lady are new to places like this.”
“...Y-yeah... I had no idea it was like this...”
“U-ugh... D-Dad...”
“Hahaha! Sally! Another round! Come on, you and Martina—have a drink!”
Kukukuku. This guy's hopeless. Baron? Can't you feel your wife's death glare?
And your daughter looks like a bookish type... Bringing her here? Normally, you'd be dead tonight.
Your wife would've smashed your skull at home. But don't worry, Baron. I'll protect your head.
By showing your wife and daughter new pleasures. Kukuku...
“Puhuhu. Must be overwhelming at first, madam. It's pretty open here.”
“...I braced myself, but not this much... Haa...”
“The stage is for the men... Inside, there's a VIP room where noble ladies gather—the vibe's different. Let's check it later.”
“...Haa. Fine. Gotta see which ladies are slumming it here.”
Hmm. Marcella, right? Already hating my guts. Can't wait to see that face change. Kukuku...
“Lady Martina. Not used to the atmosphere, huh?”
“Y-yes... And my head's kinda dizzy...”
“Probably the smoke. It's harmless— you'll get used to it.”
“I see... Hoo...”
Puhuhu. Immune to lewd fun? A pure, smart bitch like you is prime material. Lady Martina. You'll love this debauchery soon.
“...Baron. Your wife and daughter seem tense. Family toast?”
“Ha! Great! Come on! You! Martina! Raise your glasses!”
“...This freak...”
“......”
Kukuku. Without witnesses, that glass would've cracked his skull. No can do, Baron. Our VIPs are precious.
Time to serve them our club's special booze.
“Since fate brought us together, a toast with me too? Madam. Lady. Truth is, I wanted to meet you both.”
“...A Yin-su like you, with me and my daughter?”
“Ah~. I'm thinking marriage... Wanted women's take on a tricky judgment call.”
“Oh... Lord Yin-su, marriage...?”
“Yes. The baron's told me stuff, but women might see it differently. Your thoughts?”
Talking law—their turf? Her disgust faded a bit; the daughter's eyes sparked with interest.
“Yeah... That freak—er, my husband—is head family judge but so sloppy...”
“Um... If I can answer...”
“Puhuhu. Thanks, both of you.”
“Ha! See? Their opinions'll help! Haha!”
“...Tch. Resurrecting that idiot... Haa. So, what's your question?”
“Puhuhu. Yes. Actually, there's this woman...”
Slumping in resignation, Marcella gulped her drink roughly. Watching her mom, Martina sipped too.
The wife looked ready to kill her husband. The daughter regretted coming, blaming Dad.
Our beasts' venom was seeping into the bitches' flesh, slow and steady.