Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Flower of Evil, Aira #11
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"Lies are just pouring out of you. I can't hold back anymore."
Snap.
As Aira flicked her finger, a spraying sound of blood—shwaaak—rang out.
The Plow Hero clamped his mouth, trying to stem the gushing blood, and collapsed to the ground.
"Mmuuuaaaagh—!"
"B-Big bro—!"
"Bro—!"
Two burly men burst out from that alley again.
They were the human traffickers from the Black Robe Gang who'd fled earlier. It seemed they'd chased after us despite claiming to run away.
They pounded on the Plow Hero Darjen's shoulders and arms.
"Bro—! You okay—!"
"Uuumaauuagh—! My mouuuth—!"
"T-They cut your tongue—! That bitch is a mage—! She uses magic—! You fucking bitch—!"
No need to explain the situation.
The Plow Hero Darjen had been in cahoots with the human traffickers from the start. The act he'd put on earlier was all to lure us to their hideout called a "safe house."
Those who'd followed in good faith...
Probably a good number had met the same fate up till now.
It was clearly a tactic that worked well.
But I had known this hero was fishy from the beginning.
From the moment he spouted nonsense about his heroic duty and refused the reward I offered—it already reeked of suspicion.
I can say this with certainty: in this rotten world, no one offers selfless kindness for free.
If someone does exist, the odds are extremely high that they're the worst and most dangerous psycho. And there was a psycho right next to me.
"Don't badmouth Theo—."
Aira growled, her hair bristling up, and the surrounding walls rumbled.
"Run—!"
"Hiiiek—! Hweeeek—!"
"Bro, let's run—! We can't beat a mage—!"
The thugs turned tail and fled.
Snap, snap.
But as Aira flicked her fingers a few more times, blood sprayed—shwaa—from their ankles, causing them to collapse in a heap.
"Hieeek—!"
"W-What the—! M-My ankle—!"
Aira's precise psychokinesis had sharply severed their Achilles tendons. But she wasn't satisfied with that—she spread her palm wide.
Then, as if grasping something in midair, she slowly clenched her fist, and screams like tearing flesh echoed from all around.
"Griiik—! M-My chest—!"
"Huu, hweee, c-can't... breathe—."
It was clear Aira fully intended to kill them. That's why I hadn't wanted her hanging around thugs like these.
I had to stop Aira.
"Miss—no, Lady Aira—. I think that's enough. They've already lost the will to resist."
"Theo, are you saying we should spare these thieves invading my kingdom—?"
"But isn't a hero involved? The Church might reprimand us."
"The Church? I'm not scared of them."
I'm scared.
Crunch.
"Guek—!"
"Grurk, cough, hack—."
As Aira clenched her fist, the men's agonized screams grew even louder.
If we stayed like this, they might stop breathing in seconds.
And killing a hero might bring Inquisitors from the Church of Radiant Flame. Wasn't that a death flag too?
In fact, Aira's royal authority weakening and leading to her execution ending partly stemmed from souring relations with the Church.
So I had no choice but to hurriedly use my trump card, one I'd been saving.
"Lady Aira, do you really need to dirty your hands with the blood of lowly scum like them? Besides, you're staying at my place tonight."
"At your place, Theo? Me?"
"Yes. It's late. No way we'll make it back to the palace in time. It'd be best to stay at my home. But bloodstains... they're hard to clean."
"Your place, Theo. You wouldn't even let me in before. And now you're saying I can stay over?"
She stopped.
Aira slowly unclenched her fist and clapped her palms together—clap.
Thanks to that, the men who'd been shrieking in death throes collapsed like marionettes with cut strings. All three seemed to have passed out.
"Theo, I've always wondered where you sleep."
Aira's eyes no longer registered the Plow Hero or the traffickers. Just as I'd predicted.
"Now I get to find out what it's like—. Lead the way—."
"Then I'll handle these guys myself."
With Aira beside me, expectant like a kid who'd gotten a wrapped present.
Swish.
I drew a small stick from my belt. It looked like dynamite, and in terms of sparking flames, its purpose was similar.
Scratch, fwoosh.
I struck a match on the wall, lit the rolled paper fuse—hiss—and it began to burn.
Soon, it whistled—whiiing—loudly and shot a massive flare into the sky.
Bang.
The signal to summon Aira's Royal Guard.
Like a Buster Call or the Three Admirals deploying.
Guards stationed around would collect these men in under a minute.
Guess I ended up using it after all.
It was too conspicuous; I'd wanted to avoid it.
* * *
"So this is your place, Theo. Smaller than I thought. Like a doghouse."
Aira took one look at my home in the central street and called it a doghouse.
Of course, to her, "doghouse" was just a factual assessment, devoid of malice.
Aira, who'd never lived outside the palace her whole life, was used to grand buildings.
The doghouses inside the palace are actually fucking huge.
Bigger than my place, even.
Wait, now that I think about it, isn't that why revolutions happen?
The current Aira might seriously say something like, "No house? Just live in a doghouse then?"
When she returns to the palace tomorrow, I need to start by shrinking the sizes of those palace doghouses. And explain commoners' doghouse sizes to her.
Shit, my to-do list keeps growing.
But the biggest issue among those tasks was Aira poking around every corner of my home.
It only had a bed, desk, a few books, wardrobe, emergency rations—nothing exciting.
"You sleep and wake up here every day, Theo."
Compared to her lavish chambers, this bare space was like treasure to Aira; she inspected every nook and cranny.
...She won't notice the basement, right...?
...Maybe divert her attention?
"I never imagined I'd host Lady Aira in such a humble abode. Please wait a moment. I'll prepare some warm tea before you retire."
Truth be told, I had no desire to let Aira into my personal space. Because of the basement.
That's why I'd politely refused her subtle hints about visiting.
But I knew I couldn't refuse if she ever commanded, "I'm going to your house."
So I'd prepared in advance: premium tea leaves worth two gold coins a handful, and a tea set worth five.
Once she drinks this, she'll be out like a light since she sleeps fast.
Slurp. Not bad for my brewing—a fine chamomile tea.
"Here you are, Your Majesty—."
As I brewed it and entered the bedroom from the kitchen.
Smolder, smolder.
Something like charred ash was sending up black smoke from the carpet.
The smell of burning was intense.
Not just any burning—burnt protein.
Aira spoke to me.
"A small, filthy creature was hiding in your bedroom. I burned it. You really should move. From tomorrow, live in the palace."
"You burned it—."
The smoldering pile showed no signs of life anymore.
No idea what it was, but it was about palm-sized.
My vision swam.
My one sole emotional refuge, the one that barked woof-woof...
Clatter, clatter.
Seeing the teacup shake in my hand, I steadied myself. This wasn't the first time something like this happened.
"It's delicious. You're surprisingly good at brewing tea, Theo. Better than the head maid, even."
"Well—I was bought into the Liones family as a tea-serving slave, after all."
"Elga, huh? That guy doesn't even sip tea. You're wasted on him."
"......"
"More importantly, why the sour face? You sick?"
"No, Your Majesty is gracing my chambers with her presence tonight—what reason would I have for a bad expression?"
"What? Sounds sarcastic."
Sharp girl.
"No, not at all."
I forced a smile.
Should've at least named it.
It barked woof-woof, so Woofy or something...
Scratch, scratch.
Right then, something scratched at my window.
I turned to see a tiny beast clinging to the glass, pawing at it.
A squirrel with striking stripes.
One with a scar slashing across its left eye, just like mine.
━Woof-woof.
What the hell. Didn't that just burn to death?
My mind reeled.
While I spaced out, Aira got up from the bed and opened the window.
The squirrel scurried in, climbed her leg, and perched on her shoulder.
"It's a barking squirrel. Must be a nest nearby."
"A barking squirrel?"
━Woof-woof.
"Yeah, it barks like a dog. That's why."
Aira examined the squirrel hopping between her hand and shoulder.
"Anis sis said barking squirrels don't warm up to people. This one's different, though. Yours, Theo?"
"No, not really—. I don't keep pets."
My eyes darted between the squirrel and the charred remains on the floor. So what was that burnt thing?
Before I could ponder, Aira spoke.
"Then the scorpion I burned earlier wasn't a pet either? Good thing. It creeped me out, so I torched it on sight."
"A scorpion?"
Why would a scorpion be in my house?
"W-Wait a sec—."
I immediately checked my home's barrier stones. Sure enough, there was a small dog-sized hole near the front door.
It was man-made.
Someone had definitely sent that scorpion to assassinate me.
And I knew one person who used scorpions—or so my knowledge went. But they shouldn't appear yet. I'd look into it tomorrow morning.
━Woof-woof!
"I wanted one as a kid. But sis said they're untamable, so just watch from afar."
Aira looked utterly serene. Thinking it might boost her affinity, I jumped in.
"Want to feed it?"
"Feed it?"
Aira took the almond I handed her and offered it to the squirrel.
She smiled as it deftly snatched it from her hand.
"Eats well."
Her brightest smile lately.
Does Aira like animals?
We're alike in that way.
A tiny bit of closeness.
━Woof-woof!
After devouring the almonds from Aira, the squirrel scurried back out the window.
Aira watched its stripes wistfully but soon yawned sleepily.
"Bedtime. But tomorrow, move to the palace immediately. A house with scorpions? No good."
"Understood."
Aira shed her outer robe, leaving just a loose shirt and stockings, and slipped under my covers.
"Theo, your scent's everywhere."
"My apologies. I didn't expect you tonight—shall I buy fresh sheets?"
"No. It's nicer than I thought. Fresh and earthy. It's fine."
What kind of smell is that? An insult?
Anyway, as I prepared to lay out on the carpet, I worried about more scorpions lurking.
But sharing the bed with Aira? Impossible.
As I agonized, Aira spoke.
"Come up here. I can't sleep without holding something."
"Really?"
Jackpot.
No scorpion would dare approach a master mage like Aira.
I climbed in without hesitation.
The bed was spacious enough for two—I'd bought it big, hoping someday I'd have a girlfriend here. But work kept me too busy.
Too busy just surviving.
Come to think of it, lying in bed with a girl?
My heart pounded hard. Aira was a tyrant, but pretty enough to be called the Flower of Evil. And she smelled nice.
Of course, nothing would happen even sharing a bed—.
Rustle.
Then Aira's arm wrapped around me.
Like I was a giant teddy bear or pillow. Probably that's my role right now.
I couldn't face the queen, so I turned my back.
Truthfully, being alone with Aira like this was a golden opportunity.
To carry out what I'd imagined and planned, I needed serious talk time with her.
But now that the moment arrived, with just my lips to move, I hesitated.
What if she refuses? She might really chop my head off.
In my ear, Aira murmured softly.
"Theo, why'd you hide it from me?"
"...Hide what?"
What got found out?
The basement?
Raising the squirrel?
So much to hide; tension spiked. Would she strangle me from behind?
"That you're a half-nymph—."
"Ah—."
"And thinking about it, I don't know anything about you, Theo."
Rustle.
Her hand, which had slipped out by my armpit, now trailed across my stomach.
She tugged up my shirt, slipped under my waist tie, and caressed my skin.
When those cool, slender fingers softly coiled around my member—. My whole body felt gripped by a giant hand; my vision blurred.
It was the first time Aira had touched me like this.
"...L-Lady Aira—?"
"I'm curious too. Does a half-nymph really suffer the hybrid curse—?"