96. Warrior Lord Splash (5)
Rosta Buckle, the fifth-ranked Warrior Captain, was a renowned elf knightess famed as a master of the shield. She had saved countless comrades from the brink of death with her Holy Shield, and she often wielded that same shield to strike down the threats menacing her kin.
Alongside Ardena Valencia, Rosta Buckle stood at the pinnacle of elf knightesses—a valiant Warrior Captain of indomitable strength and unyielding spirit, revered by elves across the land.
"Could I possibly shake your hand?!"
A green-haired woman huffed excitedly as she begged Yushin for a handshake. He extended his hand, and she bent at the waist nearly ninety degrees, clasping it reverently with both of hers. She acted just like a die-hard fan finally meeting her long-adored idol star. Her face radiated scorching ecstasy and pure joy.
Having shaken hands with Yushin, she fidgeted awkwardly, grinning like an idiot. "Th-thank you...!"
"And who might you be?"
"Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. I am Rosta Buckle, Warrior Captain of the Liberia Elf Kingdom, holder of the fifth seat among the Warrior Captains!"
The elf woman named Rosta Buckle beamed ear to ear as she spoke. If Bariteon Trident had seen her like this, he'd have scoffed, "Try being that polite to your senior sometime."
"You alone, Sir Yushin, have consecutively slain a pillar of the Six Demon Kings—Tyranny and Raging Flames. It is the greatest honor of my life to behold the noble visage of the hero whose fame echoes across the continent!"
Isn't that a bit of an overestimation? Yushin felt a twinge of unease at Rosta's flushed, impassioned display. To receive such fervent support from a beauty rivaling Ardena in elegance...
Rosta hung on Yushin's every gesture with rapt attention, staring piercingly at his face and vowing never to forget his noble features.
"Rosta."
Ardena spoke up. She'd been watching the onslaught with clear displeasure and now stepped forward as if to intervene. Rosta backed off. In her overwhelming joy, she'd come on too strong without thinking. Knowing her own stubborn personality, she worried she'd been rude to her revered Demon King Slayer and quickly apologized to him.
"No, I should be the one thanking you. To earn the admiration of a knightess as beautiful as a pure white lily flower..."
"I-I'm embarrassed..."
Rosta's face turned beet red at Yushin's honeyed words, shaking her head vigorously.
He had changed. After slaying the Raging Flames Demon King, Yushin had begun receiving advances from countless elf beauties, awakening to the fact that he was now a popular guy.
I'm a popular guy. So even if I say something a bit cringey, they'll all love it, right? This is nothing like that elementary school kid who confessed cluelessly and got his crush transferred away.
If all these beauties like me, I guess I can afford to be a little bold.
"Hahaha!"
After sending Rosta on her way, Yushin burst into roaring laughter, reveling in his skyrocketing popularity. Ardena sighed deeply at the sight.
Did he hit his head in battle or something...? With over a week in a coma, aftereffects weren't unlikely. Ardena decided to drag him to the hospital under the pretext of buying him parfait.
Dismissing Ardena's persistent pleas to check into the hospital, Yushin strolled the palace gardens with Allen, admiring rare flowers, trees, and herbs. There were all sorts of exotic plants—even Allen, who had zero interest in botany, lit up at the sights.
"This one's pretty."
What caught Yushin's eye was a gemstone flower made of shimmering blue crystals, resembling a cornflower. But unlike a cornflower, its petals gleamed like dazzling jewels.
The gardener gifted him one, and with delicate care, Yushin adorned Allen's hair with it. The crystalline flower, radiating clear blue light, sat elegantly atop her head.
Allen froze at the sudden gift, her face flushing crimson. "Th-thanks..."
"Suits you perfectly."
"Yeah."
Yushin was utterly relaxed. He dished out skinship and cheesy lines he'd never have dared before without a second thought.
I'm a popular guy. I have a duty to make all the women in this world happy.
Yushin strutted about, convinced his prime had finally arrived.
'Gotta treasure this.'
Seeing Allen beam goofily over a single flower—if Valua Kingdom knights witnessed it, they'd be stunned. The "Rocksfield Mad Dog," terror of battlefields who devoured allies and enemies alike, reduced to a lovestruck girl...! Her victims numbered in the thousands, her savage reputation so fearsome that only the dimwitted second prince had dared pursue her.
"Oppa, you're extra sweet today?"
"'Cause I'm a popular guy."
"Huh?"
Allen's eyes widened at Yushin's out-of-left-field reply, muttering, "Oppa must be having one of his mental episodes again..." and brushing it off.
"Hello."
"You're the famed Demon King Slayer, right?"
Two women with spring-cherry-blossom pink hair approached. Their faces were strikingly similar—clearly sisters. Seira Leon was the more mature high elf beauty with fuller curves, while Emily Leon's smaller frame and dimples when she smiled exuded cuteness.
"So, what brings you to me?" Yushin asked.
Seira and Emily blushed shyly. "We wanted to thank the benefactor who saved our homeland and kin."
"Of course, it's only natural."
"We represent the Leon family in expressing our gratitude."
"If you ever need anything, lean on House Leon. As high elves and fellow Warrior Captains, we'll support you with everything we have."
The Leon twin sisters cooed flirtatiously, showing their goodwill. Receiving thanks from total beauties like this lent credence to Yushin's "popular guy" theory. He was thrilled his bravado wasn't baseless delusion.
Meanwhile, Allen felt her elation from the flower gift crumple. These random bitches sniffing around Oppa with their filthy intentions... She itched to wedge between them but held back, scraping together what little patience she had. Her last outburst had put Yushin in a tough spot, after all.
"How does a human wield lightning?"
"Tell us how you ended a Demon King's immortality!"
"We'd love to hear about toppling Tyranny's Demon King, Agares!"
"More than that, how'd you beat Sabnack? Sabnack!"
Yushin, playing the popular guy to the hilt, answered the twins' eager questions with full sincerity—their blooming beauty and endearing charm drawing him in. If Allen hadn't poked his side, he'd have spilled every last secret.
"Oppa, let's check out somewhere else."
Allen spoke up, hooking her arm through his and yanking him away. Yushin wanted to chat more with the Leon sisters, but overpowering Allen's strength was impossible.
Ardena and Allen snarled at each other with just a glance—their relationship was that toxic. Mortal enemies. Blood feud. No words could capture the high elf and human's utter disdain.
Yet lately, they'd started sharing a common gripe: elves latching onto Yushin far too eagerly.
From Warrior Captains to elf maids, even palace guard knightesses were showing him cautious affection.
"Like bitches in heat, stinking up the place."
"Don't nitpick."
"You think I can't smell you sluts wafting your pheromones around Oppa?"
Allen's superhuman senses far exceeded human limits—sight, hearing, smell all razor-sharp. Every elf approaching Yushin or flashing secret interest reeked of the same cheap scent: females luring a male.
"And you're no different."
Allen's golden beast-like eyes narrowed at Ardena, who flinched and averted her gaze—guilty over her own "disciplinary" hard play with Yushin.
"I admit many women are courting Yushin. But whom he chooses is his decision alone. I know you and he go way back, but that doesn't give you veto power over his relationships."
"Why not? I'm his fiancée."
"He's never acknowledged that even once."
Ardena and Allen glared, locked in a staring contest. But it didn't last—some mystery elf bitch might be seducing Yushin right now. They'd assigned Alonne and Leticia from Valencia and Santander castles as surveillance, but unease lingered.
"I..."
Ardena hesitated long, then finally spoke. "I harbor feelings for Yushin."
Allen's face twisted in fury. She'd suspected this woman liked Oppa. But hearing a rival confess outright was another matter. Rage boiled deep in her chest. Without Yushin Gilliard as a pacifier, she'd have settled it with Ardena then and there.
"So? You want my blessing? Fat chance. We'd duke it out right here first—I'd never allow it."
"Same to you. I can't tolerate some ill-mannered wench like you as Yushin's mate."
"...You wanna fight?"
"If you charge, I'll meet you head-on."
Their razor-sharp glares clashed in the air, nerves fraying in a tense standoff.