Chapter 37 - Misunderstanding
Chapter 37 - Misunderstanding
037
"What."
Liens Gamartri let out an involuntary groan at the absurd answer.
Sex, of all things.
To think such a raw, explicit word as sex would come out of such a small and cute guy!
It felt like all common sense was collapsing. Her eyes twitched parreu, and her hands and feet trembled deol-deol.
"Ah."
Realizing the situation belatedly, Dennis's face turned completely pale.
Even if he was running on empty. To just blurt out something like that.
Viewed through the warped medieval mindset overflowing with murderers, that recent "slip of the tongue" was something where he'd have nothing to say even if he got raped.
Fortunately, the people who heard this were all high-ranking knights or adventurers.
Thankful that he hadn't blurted this out on the street, Dennis twisted his neck to look at Edel.
"...."
Her face hardened.
Was it serious? No matter how rude a woman she was, saying something like this was completely thoughtless.
"Ugh, fine. If that's what you're into. You must be dating, then... Haha!"
Just where and how much did she pay to make him blurt out something like that?!
Could it be that she didn't just open a training center, but a large-scale guild instead?
The rumor that she spent gold coins like water actually seemed to be true.
'Edel, that crazy bitch.'
Marien shook her head slightly, expressing pity for her peer, who had once been the target of her revenge and also her object of admiration.
Seeing that, Edel broke her hardened expression and opened her mouth.
"It seems you guys thought I was lying. How is it? Does it feel like facing the truth?"
"Ugh...!"
The truth, my ass!
If anything, her suspicion only grew worse. No matter how she thought about it, there was no way a violent woman like Edel Baz could've landed a "man of her dreams" like that without paying him.
"Now that your doubts have been cleared, I'd like to get going."
Wearing a victor's smile, Edel subtly wrapped her arm around Dennis's waist.
She could sense her victory. It was all thanks to Dennis acting much better than expected.
'I was a bit surprised, though.'
For this seemingly idiotic guy to say something that could break through the situation! A wave of slight emotion even washed over her.
"...Yeah, to be honest, I did suspect you. I thought there was no way a violent woman like you would have a boyfriend."
Finally revealing her true colors, Marien cut down Edel raw to her face with an unbothered expression.
Normally, Edel would have brought out her fists, but she quietly listened to those words.
Because no matter how much a victor is torn down, history always proves that the victor wins out in the end.
"But I still have lingering doubts."
"What is it?"
"There's no way a guy looking like that would have sex with you."
Objectively speaking, Edel was quite a beauty.
Even Dennis, who had grown used to Karl's face, would blankly stare and admire Edel's face, so that said everything.
But even with that face, Edel had remained a virgin well into her mid-thirties, and the reason was precisely because of her horribly trashy personality.
And knowing that personality better than anyone, Marien bit her lower lip so hard it bled and said, practically shouting:
"Put your hand on your chest and think about it! Everyone in this city knows what you've done, yet you suddenly got a lover out of nowhere? Don't make me laugh!"
"W-What? Watch your mouth, you crazy bitch!"
"Prove it!"
At those words, shouted as if vomiting blood, once again, all attention in the banquet hall focused on them.
Prove it? How was she supposed to prove they were lovers? Edel found herself looking at Dennis without realizing it.
"If you two are really lovers, then. You should be able to share a kiss right here on the spot, right?"
"A kiss...!"
From Marien's standpoint, it was a half-abandoned method of proof. If Edel really spent gold coins like water, she'd at least be able to manage a kiss.
Unexpectedly, however, this method worked, because upon hearing those words, Edel suddenly began to hesitate.
'As expected.'
She must not have spent enough money to cover that, huh? As rumored, she really seemed to be struggling with financial difficulties.
Marien wore a triumphant smile. What if they actually did it here? She wouldn't have been able to beat Edel anymore.
If the woman who warped her own personality was still living happily... She might just go crazy.
That was how much she had run all the way toward this day.
'If you were just destined to run a training center, why the hell did you shine so brilliantly back then!'
Once upon a time, she was an insurmountable wall.
Edel Baz, who became a Sword Master at the tender age of 16, was the object of everyone's admiration and everyone's goal.
Marien hated her for it.
If the hurdle had been lower, she might have been able to forget her—the one who became a loser in life at the moment she succeeded.
But Edel was far too massive a wall to Marien.
And before that wall could even be climbed over, it collapsed on its own.
Just how terrible this sight was to her could probably be understood by looking at her warped personality.
"Wait a minute. I can't do something so obscene in a place with so many people!"
It was a remark fitting for an old maid.
A mere kiss was nothing more than light skinship that lovers could do even in this otherworld carrying a medieval mindset.
Knowing that fact all too well, Marien raised her staff with a sneering smile.
"You're saying you can't? Don't tell me that Edel just lied right now? Oh, I haven't heard that you became an actress."
"Ugh-gh!"
Making her out to be a mere liar wouldn't change anything in particular.
It was just that Marien wanted to deal a finishing blow to Edel, who had tumbled down into the abyss.
A Sword Master who lied about having a lover just for the sake of pride, even buying a male prostitute to boot.
It would make for an entertaining piece of gossip to be consumed at tomorrow's aristocratic banquet.
"I never knew you'd turn into a liar. Back in the day, you were a woman from whom dignity naturally oozed from your very body. But now you're putting on a play by buying a male prostitute."
"I-It's not like that!"
"If it's not, then prove it."
Marien practically sensed victory.
Even though it hurt to think she spent a massive amount of gold coins just to turn Edel into a liar.
The very fact that she had inflicted a blemish upon that "Edel Baz" made her joyful.
"If you can prove it. I'll give you this right here."
Marien opened her sub-space and pulled a green book out from inside.
'The Black Magician's Book?'
He could tell just from the spontaneously unpleasant aura radiating from it.
Why on earth was that book in Marien's hands? Dennis wanted to ask right away, but he exercised patience.
"It's a book I acquired during the last cultist subjugation. Just bringing this to the church will not only shower you with dozens of gold coins, but your fame will return as well."
"...!"
"Of course, there's no way this will ever end up in your hands."
Edel naturally looked at Dennis.
It was just a kiss. A single kiss wouldn't just shatter their doubts, it would also win them that book.
But would Dennis allow that? Probably not. No normal person would allow even a kiss for this kind of "acting."
At least according to the common sense of an old maid like Edel.
'I have to get that.'
The moment Dennis saw the book, a deep sense of possessiveness welled up in his heart. If he could get his hands on that, he'd be able to learn new black magic.
If that happened, he could probably take on slightly more difficult requests next time.
If he went with Karl, he might even be able to do things fit for a C-rank adventurer.
"Edel?"
"U-Uhn?"
What the old maid Edel considered a "kiss" was something strictly done between people who deeply loved each other from the bottom of their hearts.
It was like a taboo that the two of them, bound by a contract, could never dare cross.
Therefore, when Dennis bent Edel's waist and kissed her, it was a massive shock to Edel.
"Huh."
Marien and Edel could only stare blankly at Dennis's face.
"You said you'd hand over that magic tome, right?"
Marien had no choice but to hand over the book.
After the banquet ended. Edel and I walked down the street together.
A lot of things happened. I can only call it eventful.
Still, since I gained a lot... it was a valuable day.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"You... today, to me."
Edel muttered heavily, staring straight at me. She really looked like a crazy person.
"About the kiss? So what about it? Acting like a boyfriend was part of the contract. Honestly, I don't know why everyone makes such a fuss over something so simple."
Even in a world where chastity roles were reversed, isn't a kiss something lovers can easily do?
Just how devoid of romantic experience was this woman? She seemed to have knowledge practically equivalent to a newborn baby.
"Let's get going. Someone might see us."
"Yeah."
So she said, but Edel only followed after seeing me take the lead first.
She had a completely out-of-it look on her face... It makes me doubt whether she'll actually be able to teach me the techniques she promised.
"That's how it is. In the end, even that guy fell for me."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing~ Let's hurry."
She has a rather ominous look on her face...