Melodrama (2)
Melodrama (2)
The children, hearing the Saintess's words, glared at Dojin with thrilled expressions.
"Did you hear? Husband, she said husband......"
"That elf over there called him 'bugun'?"
"What's 'bugun'?"
"Isn't it like husband?"
Dojin peeled the Saintess off his body while listening to the children's murmurs.
"No, if you show your face like that in front of others......"
"It's fine! That's why I put up the barrier!"
The Saintess said that, puffing out her chest and starting to smile confidently. At that picture-perfect sight, the expressions of the children watching from behind hardened rigidly.
And they alternated looks between the elf, the Saintess, Seoyun, and Ga-hee.
"......This looks like no chance for our Ga-hee."
"Ga-hee, give up. Be born as an elf in your next life."
"W-what nonsense are you spouting!"
While Ga-hee was fuming, Seoyun stepped forward and carefully pulled Dojin into her bosom.
Whiik- Seoyun hugged Dojin to her chest and rested her chin on his shoulder, glaring alternately at the Saintess and the Elf Queen.
"This one's mine."
At her flat tone, Dojin felt like his heart had stopped. But she didn't stop there and kept provoking them.
"Whether husband or 'bugun', you need my permission first."
And the Saintess and Queen, accepting the provocation, responded flatly.
"—Treating your husband like an object isn't good, you know? It's even in the scriptures?"
"That object of yours used me like a toy. If you're the owner, take responsibility."
Tok, Seoyun tossed Dojin far behind her and stepped forward. The Saintess, the Queen, and Seoyun began glaring at each other simultaneously.
In the hair-trigger situation, the tense atmosphere ready to explode at any moment, Dojin subdued all three of them nonchalantly.
"......All three of you, shut up."
"Yep!"
"No, wait... that's not what I meant by hating it."
"......Seriously, prepare yourselves later."
Watching Dojin suppress all three with a single word, the children freaked out and started smacking each other's arms.
"Whoa, he's a demon."
"How many women has he strung along......"
"But doesn't that make you curious instead?"
"How good must his technique be to handle them like that?"
"Kyaaak! Who's saying what!?"
Gossip came from behind his back. Dojin ignored it as best he could and ordered the Saintess.
"For now, cover your face again, and Queen, you too... if you're coming, come along."
He didn't say it to Seoyun but pulled her arm and hugged her into his embrace. Then he whispered in her ear.
"Who said you're mine......?"
"You, are mine."
"Guess I need to show you who's boss."
Having controlled the three, Dojin turned to them and opened his mouth.
"We're here to watch our colleague's play today... so if you're not gonna be quiet, get out now and never come back."
"Ahem, ah- How famous your colleague is, even in the newspapers, super popular in our Holy Kingdom too!"
"Uh, rumors spread to the Elf Kingdom too! That's why we came! What was her nickname, the small... small swan?"
Hearing Dojin's words, the Saintess and Elf Queen desperately made excuses, appealing their innocence. Dojin sighed and asked them a favor.
"......Don't cause a scene inside?"
"Yep!"
"I got it......"
Adelange, who had followed the troupe leader, passed by the troupe members reeking of female scents and approached Eunha.
The troupe members knew Eunha was favored but didn't particularly envy her for it.
Eunha's talent was too outstanding to be jealous of, and in the art world anyway, one genius dragged along the masses of mediocrity.
Patrons came to see geniuses like Eunha, and the money they sprinkled let the mediocrities like them eat.
It was stupid to demean or envy Eunha without knowing that basic common sense. It was worse than cutting off your nose to spite your face.
As always, the troupe leader brought Adelange to Eunha, and Eunha, now used to it, spotted Adelange and spoke first.
"......Um, Adelange-nim?"
"Hm, what's up?"
"My friends are coming to cheer today... can we watch together?"
"Friends?"
She wanted to be alone with her today, but whatever, she could wait a few more hours.
Adelange nodded, snapping her fan open with a tak, and Eunha smiled happily, looking at her.
At that smile, Adelange licked her lips. No matter when she saw it, it was a splendid smile—no, a splendid scent.
'If only her friends smelled that delicious too.'
Thinking that while waiting for her friends, an unpleasant cleric scent started approaching from afar.
Adelange frowned and looked that way. The scent grew thicker. And once it exceeded a limit, Adelange easily knew who it was.
There weren't many clerics who gave off a scent like this.
At least, she couldn't believe two clerics with this scent were nearby.
Yes, this was the Saintess's scent.
"......Eunha-yang."
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"By any chance, those friends...... are they clerics?"
"—? No?"
"No, you say...?"
She wondered how they could smell like this if not clerics, but realizing Eunha wouldn't lie to her, she quietly waited for the friends.
And shortly after, Dojin appeared.
With the Saintess and Elf Queen.
'No, you said no!'
Startled, Adelange looked at Eunha. But she was still pretending not to know anything.
No matter how much the troupe's top star actress, this level of acting wasn't easy. Realizing that, Adelange looked where her gaze was directed.
"Dojin!"
"Oh, Eunha. You look pretty?"
"Hehe... really?"
'That man......'
Adelange looked at the man called Dojin and sniffed his scent. Nothing.
Impossible. Unless it was a bug or a rat pup, even homeless in the slums or a newborn baby had a distinct scent—nothing?
'The two—no, three people next to him covering it.'
Rather than his uniqueness, she attributed it to the people around him.
The Saintess, the Elf Queen, and one with a piercingly cold scent.
In the midst of such distinctive and varied scents, a normal man's scent could be buried.
"Ah, this is our troupe patron......"
"I've heard a lot. You like art, right?"
Hearing Eunha, Dojin looked at Adelange and extended his hand. She ignored the gesture, lightly waving her fan.
"......What, it's only natural for the art world."
"Ahaha, you're a fine person."
Dojin withdrew his hand without minding the refused handshake. The women behind him cared more that he didn't touch an outsider woman than the refusal.
"Ah, right. Dojin."
"Yeah?"
"We're going to the afterparty now...... wanna come?"
"Afterparty?"
At those words, Adelange's eyes flashed open as she glared at Eunha.
If she invited Dojin here, the Saintess and Elf Queen tagging along would surely follow him to the afterparty.
And if that happened, sneaking Eunha away to suck her blood would be impossible.
Trying that in front of powerhouses like them would get her identity exposed and burned on the spot.
'That bitch......'
She'd prepared everything for today, and now this ruin. Feeling slightly annoyed, she frowned.
As if sensing it, Eunha approached Adelange and asked.
"Adelange-nim, mind if I bring him?"
"I don't care. Actually, something urgent came up today......"
"Oh my, feels like you're skipping because of us. Don't, come with?"
When Adelange said she suddenly had plans and couldn't go to the afterparty, the Elf Queen, somewhat catching on, stepped forward and spoke to her.
"If we're uncomfortable, we'll leave, so don't worry."
"No, it's not that, but......"
"Then it's fine! No problem, right?"
"...It really is an appointment."
"What appointment?"
Celestia's eyes turned cold. She slightly bowed her head to whisper in Adelange's ear.
"If you run now, I'll just kill you here?"
You mosquito bitch.
Celestia smiled faintly at her.
"—!!"
Adelange realized her whole body had gone rigid.
She'd underestimated her danger.
Elves grew strongest by the World Tree, and elves wandering outside the Great Forest couldn't show their true power.
Thus, rumors of elves in human society were downplayed.
"This one will join too."
"......Really?"
"Of course, why would I lie? I'm the Queen!"
But Dojin was here now.
A being who held the World Tree in a human body, practically demigod.
Unaware of him, Adelange nodded vigorously, intimidated by the Queen's strength.
"......On second thought, it doesn't seem that urgent."
"Yay!"
The afterparty included troupe members, Dojin's group, and various VIPs invited by the troupe leader.
And naturally, VIPs had tiers—the Saintess, Queen, Adelange, and Dojin's group enjoyed the afterparty in the shop's innermost spot, boasting top security.
Of course, the atmosphere here was the worst.
"Husband-nim! Try this!"
"Bugun, this is tasty. Want some?"
"Hey, eat this."
With multiple women clinging to one man begging for attention, a nerve war was inevitable.
Adelange watched the mood and subtly voiced wanting to leave.
"......It's about time to go."
"Oh my, shall I escort you?"
And predictably, the Elf Queen didn't let it slide. She shook her head and nodded that she'd stay till the end.
'What the hell is this man......?'
Adelange looked at Dojin, wondering what kind of guy he was to have such beings fawning over him.
Having observed humans for centuries and deceived them, Adelange found nothing special about Dojin.
'Need to escape quick......'
She bit her lip hard, a trickle of blood flowing from her mouth. This was it. Adelange let blood drip, staining her clothes messily.
Then, as if by chance, she brushed her chest and stood.
"Hm, got a stain on my clothes... the bathroom......"
"Where you going?"
"Ba, bathroom......"
"Yeah? Orion, escort her."
"Huh? Why suddenly......"
"Go if I say go."
"I was gonna go to the bathroom anyway, I'll go with."
Then Dojin stood and offered his hand to Adelange.
Chance. She quickly accepted his escort to the bathroom.
But escape was impossible. The Queen was still watching her, and using any ability would bring her running to subdue her.
In the end, only one way to flee this seat.
"......I don't like sucking husband's blood much."
"Huh? What did you just......"
"Shut up."
Adelange pulled Dojin, bringing his nape to her mouth. Vampires could suck reason from blood to make them thralls.
Dojin's nape was before her eyes. Just sink in fangs, make him her thrall, and use him to escape.
Thinking that, Adelange bit his nape.
Kwaduduk—!
"Kyaaak!?"
Her teeth shattered with a crack, mouth exploding in pain.
As Adelange clutched her mouth in agony, Dojin turned and asked.
"You, what are you?"
"Mmph, mmph-!"
Adelange finally realized why she couldn't smell him.
He too, was a monster.