04. Do You Know Who I Am?
04. Do You Know Who I Am?
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"Do you... like me... or something?"
"What?"
After the talk with the Chief Instructor wrapped up and we got back to Yu Ina's mansion, I suddenly heard that out of nowhere.
Her face flushed red like a new bride, her gaze wandering without a place to land.
Her super embarrassed look was pretty fresh.
Well, she's always had a subtle variety of facial expressions anyway.
That said, when I first saw her, she totally gave off cool, sharp beauty instructor vibes, but lately I keep thinking she's cute for some reason.
"It's not like I want to, but! If you say you lo-like me... ugh... then I'll make an effort too..."
Her eyes squeezed shut, trembling as she spoke—that was the charm point. The A-Class guys would freak out if they saw this. Especially Pantre or Tweed, who've gotten burned by her before...
"As if. Why would I like you?"
"W-what?!"
Poke her a little and she instantly blows up, tossing her embarrassment aside.
"You bastard! Then why did you propose?!"
"Propose? What are you talking about? I was just showing mercy by saying I'd let you off as a wife instead of making you a slave like originally planned."
Is her head a flower garden or something?
How does she interpret that as a proposal?
"Ugh... argh...! This is humiliating!"
"Life is humiliation. Didn't you know?"
I brushed past her, who was steaming mad from the head up, and threw myself onto the bed.
The overall vibe is medieval, but the bed's quality is top-notch, so just lying there pulls you right into sleep.
"...Excuse me."
Eleonore climbed up next to me as I savored the fluffiness on the bed.
A pure blonde elf beauty with hair flowing.
And she's got that bold, lewd side too.
'Well, that was probably forced to seduce me.'
Still, the fact that she could blurt out stuff like that without hesitation doesn't change.
If we properly enjoy the night, it'd turn into a super happy relationship.
"You're gonna get in big trouble someday... really big trouble!"
"Yeah. Next villain line."
"Hmph. Still spouting nonsense."
She shook her head while grumbling nonstop, then climbed onto the bed.
"At this point, that arrogance is a talent. Arrogant jerk."
And then she lay down next to me like it was the most natural thing.
Normally, I'd be lying next to Eleonore.
For the record, the bed's huge—big enough for four people, even including Bari.
"You're not doing that today? You were talking pretty lewd earlier."
The way she teased Eleonore relentlessly to seduce me...
If you'd only seen her usual self, you couldn't even imagine it, but I've been seeing it for nearly a week.
It was insane.
"...That's already over."
"Still gotta try one last desperate move. You never know."
"Clan Head-nim said she'd accept your proposal. So that's that."
"I told you it wasn't a proposal."
"...Anyway."
What a funny girl.
So if the Clan Head decides it, that's the final word?
"Yeah? Kinda anticlimactic. Life-or-death stakes and you give up that easy."
"...Hmph. Just so you know, it's definitely not because I like you."
"Yeah. I'm not doing it because I like you either."
"...You don't lose a single word. That part of you is seriously annoying. You know that?"
"Nope, don't know. Don't wanna know."
Yu Ina's face twisted up like she was looking at a hopeless case.
"Whatever. What's the point of talking to you. Just go to sleep. Tomorrow... will be a day that sticks with you for life."
"Can I touch your boobs?"
"W-what? Out of nowhere what... eek?"
I touched them.
Molkang-molkang.
A bit different feel from Eleonore's or Bari's.
Softer, maybe?
Slap!
"What the hell are you doing right now! Get off!"
"What's the big deal. We're basically married starting tomorrow."
"Not yet! You... you... pervert!"
"You groped Ellie's boobs all you wanted."
"That was..."
"Yeah, yeah. No rush anyway."
I got drained plenty by Bari, so not really in the mood...
"Looking forward to our first night tomorrow."
"..."
Yu Ina bit her lip hard and turned her back.
But do they even have that kind of culture?
"Y-you think I'd allow... something like that?"
"If you don't want to, fine. Then I'll play with Ellie."
"Y-you?"
She'd almost dozed off next to me but jolted awake.
"What, 'play'? You've been begging me to pound you all this time. Right?"
"..."
"Y-you... you're gonna fuck another woman even with a wife?!"
Yu Ina shot up from turning her back and chased after me.
What a obvious question.
"Yeah. That's the plan."
"H-ha... haha... isn't that too brazen?"
"Do you like me?"
"As if. Not a shred of affection."
"Then it doesn't matter. You don't wanna fuck? Then I'll fuck someone else."
"...Then it's fine if I fuck another guy too, right?"
"No way."
"What? What bullshit is that!"
"You're my property."
Yu Ina sleeping with another guy?
Absolutely not allowed.
The moment that happens, that guy and his whole family get uprooted.
"Ha..."
Yu Ina just flapped her mouth, too speechless to speak.
"I've felt it from the start... but you're really arrogant and selfish."
"Yeah. I've got the right to be."
"...Can I just hit you once?"
"Nope."
"Hmph."
This time she really turned away, fully pissed.
The next day.
Normally Yu Ina would head to the Academy first for work, and me and Ellie would go to class on time, but with this massive marriage contract between me and Yu Ina, classes got canceled outright.
Well, makes sense since even the Chief Instructor's coming to notarize it.
"In the courtyard, right?"
"Yeah. They said it's starting soon."
"Alright. Let's go."
I took Bari and headed out of the mansion.
Even I could feel the massive flow of energy.
Plus, the mansion still hadn't been repaired from half of it getting blown away.
"You're here."
Yoo Tae-hee, the Clan Head I toyed with plenty yesterday, greeted me with a cold face. Next to her stood Yu Ina all dressed up, the Chief Instructor looking tired, and two women I'd never seen before.
"We'll handle everything as thoroughly as you demanded yesterday."
She could at least introduce them, but straight to business.
Guess the rude ones aren't me—it's them.
"Yeah."
I'd demanded a bunch of clauses.
The most important one:
In exchange for Yu Ina and Ryu Si-hwan's marriage, the existing slave bet contract is voided. The marriage cannot be annulled for the next 100 years, and if broken, Yu Ina becomes Ryu Si-hwan's slave.
That clause.
If they marry to null the slave bet and then immediately divorce, it'd be pointless.
So I added that on purpose.
100 years is basically a human lifetime, but nothing to the Noblesse, so they accepted easy.
Of course, I'm not planning to live just 100 years or let Yu Ina go after.
It's just to block the cheap divorce trick.
There were other clauses too, and Yu Ina, me, the Clan Head, and the Chief Instructor all gathered to review them in detail.
I had Bari's help, of course.
Result: perfect.
Yu Ina officially becomes my wife today.
It's only been a few weeks since coming to the Otherworld and I'm already married—feels kinda weird... but whatever, it's the Otherworld, and I'm not planning on just one wife anyway.
Plus, we bicker a lot, but Yu Ina's an ideal bride candidate.
Pretty, great body, personality... is a bit weird, but good family, cheat-tier race.
She's more than qualified as my wife, right?
"Ha... a real human..."
"...Yeah. A real... human."
While we were milling around after the review, the two women approached.
The ones who'd been by the Clan Head earlier, new faces.
All black-haired like Yu Ina with similar features—probably sisters or mom.
"Who're you guys?"
"...A human talking down to us?"
"Then what's your excuse for talking down?"
"..."
The women couldn't retort and shut up like they'd eaten honey.
Soon the short-haired one spat it out in disbelief.
"Wow... so ridiculous I can't even speak."
"Then don't."
If you can't speak, don't.
"..."
I walked past her with her jaw dropped.
Her and the other woman's gazes followed me.
"Let's begin. You two, hurry up."
"Y-yes! Clan Head-nim."
At the Clan Head's call, the two women hurried after.
Definitely Yu Ina's family.
Women from the clan at least.
Wooong.
With everyone watching, Yu Ina and I stepped onto the large Magic Circle glowing with strange light.
With all the conditional clauses, replacing the old contract, and a 100-year lifespan, it was pretty flashy.
"Magic really is a tough field, huh."
"Of course. A musclehead like you couldn't do it in a lifetime."
"Musclehead? Random. That how you talk to your husband?"
"Just stating facts."
"Who was it that fell for this musclehead and did the slave bet again?"
"Ugh... th-that was because I got caught in the mood...!"
"And that's why you call me musclehead."
"Ughhh! So annoying!! Why are you so annoying!!"
"Why so annoying? 'Cause you're incompetent. Can't beat me."
"Every word pisses me off!"
"Yeah. I know. That's the point."
Yu Ina writhed around in agony.
Wish she'd realize everyone's watching.
"...Let's begin. Chief Instructor-nim, notarize."
The Clan Head reached out toward the Magic Circle, and Ha Yeon-seo nodded.
"I, Ha Yeon-seo, hereby declare that I shall notarize this contract in the name of the proud 『Noblesse』's prestige, my family's honor, and my own name."