"Bro, What Brings You to the Lake?"
"Bro, what brings you to the lake?"
"Came to meet a druid."
“Responsibility? What do you mean by that?”
“Because of that forest you wrecked, there are victims.”
“Victims... you don't mean them, do you? The ones who kept interfering periodically...?”
Guess all that sneaking around sharpened his instincts.
“Yeah.”
“But who the hell are they?”
“Druids. And that's not all.”
“......”
Dmitri shut his mouth with a dumb look on his face.
“Why do you care about those guys, boss? They're the type who'll survive just fine if you ignore them.”
“Today, that druid's mom robbed a bank. I was gonna let it slide if I could, but since you're involved in why she had to steal, I don't have a choice.”
This all happened because he drained most of the vital energy from Behindbell Forest. He needs to take responsibility.
I always keep business and personal matters separate.
“So, what kind of responsibility...?”
Dmitri blinked at me.
“Take this milk to Behindbell Forest once a week. Call for Lila and say DG Convenience Store manager Do-jin sent you. She'll come out.”
“But boss, druids have never gotten along well with us vampires since ancient times.”
“So you're not gonna do it?”
“That's not what I meant.”
Dmitri hesitated for a moment. What excuse is he cooking up?
“I'm just worried she won't believe me.”
“Hm, fair point.”
Dmitri's my loyal part-timer, so it's fine, but Lila's a different story. She has no idea he's one of my employees.
Can't go myself either—too busy.
“Here, take this.”
“This is...”
I handed Dmitri the golden leaf I'd gotten from Lila.
“This leaf will prove you're my employee.”
“Did the druid give it to you personally, boss?”
“Yeah.”
Dmitri narrowed his eyes at the golden leaf and shook his head.
“If she gave it to you herself, I shouldn't be the one holding it.”
“What's so special about it?”
“It's a sign of trust from that druid. Proof that you've earned her favor. She wouldn't like some other being holding it. That's all I know.”
So even proving it with the leaf won't work.
“......If you received the leaf from her directly, boss, you probably don't need to prove anything.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Druids are magical beings, like us.”
“So you can do it?”
“I can. I'll go see her next week.”
What's so special about this leaf that he's going this far?
I'd taken it lightly, thinking it was just a substitute for money.
Seems like it's more important than I thought.
I should look into it.
There are druids at the lake, too.
“I trust you'll handle it well.”
“Yes, sir!”
Lila's matter was more or less settled.
“Dmitri.”
“Yes, boss?”
“If a woman exposed to your charm resists, does that ever happen?”
“Resists... you mean?”
This guy's tangled up with Luna, too.
Come to think of it, he's got a lot on his record.
“Yeah. Have any women ever resisted a vampire's charm?”
“Hm, well, I've heard of it. Beings with strong magical resistance or those who've reached a high level can resist.”
“I see...”
“Something going on?”
I glanced at Dmitri as he asked.
Definitely a handsome face. The kind that could make most women swoon.
Not all vampires are this good-looking, but this guy has universal appeal.
“Nothing much. Just one more question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Has a woman whose 'wavelength' doesn't match ever fallen for your looks anyway?”
Right as I was about to hear his answer, a customer walked in.
“Welcome to DG Convenience Store.”
The late-night customer was a woman. Dressed plainly, she headed to the beverage aisle and grabbed three bottles of barley tea, the stuff that's popular for dieting.
I don't know if it actually works, but I'd heard it was all the rage among female customers.
“Um... could you ring these up for me?”
She shyly handed me the three bottles of barley tea.
“Milady, allow me to ring you up.”
Dmitri flashed her a kind smile and stepped in.
“Ah, no thanks. I don't need that. I want the manager to do it.”
“Sure thing.”
She brushed him off coldly.
What the hell? Dmitri just got shot down hard?
Normally, one word from him and they'd melt, handing over their items for him to scan.
Made my life so much easier.
But not this time?
The woman who'd firmly rejected Dmitri handed me the barley tea again.
“Three bottles of Barley Nation, total 78 silver.”
“Oh, and manager, have this to perk you up.”
The customer who gave me the barley tea covered her face and hurried out of the store.
It was the complete opposite of how she'd acted with Dmitri.
Ding.
Dmitri shrugged as he watched her go.
“Guess that answers your question. Women whose wavelength doesn't match—like virgins—find me a bit uncomfortable. The extreme ones get outright disgusted, like her.”
“So virgins whose wavelength doesn't match start off with a natural dislike?”
“Exactly. Varies by degree, but that's how we vampires evolved. Makes it easier to find matches.”
“......That's a new one.”
Virgins instinctively show their dislike.
“Wait, so is that why Sylvia and Elena opposed you working with us at first?”
“Like I said before, our wavelengths just don't match. Haha.”
Dmitri laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
“Anyway, no woman whose wavelength doesn't match has ever fallen for my charm. So, what's this about?”
I shook my head.
I couldn't say, Luna took one look at your face.
If she's fallen for him, better she confesses herself.
“Nothing. Get back to work. Time for me to head out.”
Already 2 a.m. My shift was over.
Having Dmitri as an employee made this so convenient.
I could actually sleep at night!
The store's invincibility effect reduced fatigue, but not being able to sleep at night was brutal.
“Don't bring women into the convenience store. I can see everything.”
“No worries! I won't betray your trust, boss.”
I trust you. It's the women I don't.
Empire noble ladies are vicious. You have no idea.
After warning Dmitri firmly, I left the store.
Before bed, let's check this first.
I tucked the golden leaf into my chest and headed to the lake.
I put on my wolf mask and arrived at the lake.
The guards guided me, and as soon as I opened the door, the scents of perfume and warm skin assaulted my nose.
Pinkish-purple lighting bathed the lobby.
It was so intense, you couldn't even make out faces clearly.
Under that light, faces took on the look of demons drunk on desire.
The guests—men and women alike—had come to find partners for the night.
The staff sold smiles to earn money from them.
I scanned the lobby for Robinson.
“You're here.”
Robinson was in the center of the lobby, greeting guests with a salesman's smile.
“Busy?”
“Huh? Bro?”
Robinson's eyes widened when he saw me.
I never came here unless Madam specifically called or I had business, so it was understandable.
“Just finishing up guiding these guests, then I'll be right with you.”
“Take your time.”
I waited while Robinson matched the guest with a woman.
The guest was a fairly young man, and the woman looked unfamiliar to him.
Maybe practicing how to handle women.
Wrong place for that, though.
If he was nobility, a socialite party would be better; if commoner, some tavern.
But I wasn't nosy enough to say it.
Especially since I'd tried all that and failed.
No need to meddle and ruin the kid's memories.
“Bro, what brings you here? You always said the lake's vibe wasn't your thing.”
Robinson grinned after matching the guest.
“Well, about that.”
“Don't tell me you're finally gonna do it? That chronic issue cured... Ow!”
I flicked his forehead hard for the cheeky remark.
“Bro's flicks hurt for real. I'll die if you keep it up.”
“That's the point. No more bullshit.”
“Ugh, so what's up?”
I told Robinson, who was rubbing the spot, why I'd come.
“Came to meet a druid.”
“A druid...”
There was only one druid at the lake: Catty, who worked as one of the lake's women.
Robinson's eyes narrowed.
Even here at the lake, druids commanded top prices due to their race.
Everyone assumed wanting one meant craving something out of the ordinary in bed.
“Bro, your tastes are bolder than I thought... Ow ow!”
Thwack!
I flicked his forehead again.
“Can I? Or not?”
“Catty has no guests tonight. Probably can, but what's this about?”
“Got something to ask her.”
I thought of the leaf hidden in my chest as I spoke.
“Got it. Wait just a sec.”
Waiting was fine and all.
“But do I have to wait in a room like this?”
Right as I was thinking of giving Robinson another flick for sticking me in an even more blatant room than the lobby.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.