“Who’s that? There’s no way that child would visit at this hour.”
Rising from his chair, Raven pressed his ear against the door, cautiously listening to the sounds outside.
Light and lively footsteps, followed by another set of footsteps that carried a bit more weight.
Judging from the sporadic voices, it seemed that two women were approaching his room while conversing.
“Why would you set up such a strong barrier for just a kid? You’re quite thorough, aren’t you?”
“The one who taught me to never be careless in any situation was you, Master.”
“Well, you’ve never been one to lose a verbal match.”
Even though the conversation was held quite a distance away, Raven’s acute hearing caught every word clearly.
It seemed Bella’s previously mentioned mentor, Sione, had arrived.
To avoid unnecessary suspicion, he stepped back from the door and pretended to read a book.
It wasn’t necessary to remind himself that the Vennian tribe had excellent physical abilities, including acute hearing.
After flipping through a few pages, the door, which had been tightly shut, finally opened.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
When the curt-faced Sione asked this out of courtesy, Raven suppressed a snort.
It was a ridiculously audacious question coming from the person who had imprisoned him in a room with only a small window.
“It looks like you’re doing well. You must’ve been at ease without me in sight.”
“Ah, even that little one talks back pretty well.”
Raven furrowed his brows slightly as he looked at the girl who had abruptly joined the conversation.
‘So this must be the mentor Bella mentioned.’
Although Bella had warned him that her appearance would seem much younger, standing next to Sione made her feel very unfamiliar.
He wasn’t particularly interested in the affairs of demons, but as Raven, who grew up in a human village, it did feel somewhat alien.
“My name is Elga. What’s your name, kid?”
“……Ask the person next to you.”
“It’s rude to ignore someone standing right in front of you. You’re Raven, right?”
“Yes.”
When the curt boy finally met her eyes, Elga seemed intrigued.
“So you’re the kid Vlady located with the crystal ball. Seems like you’ve handled the task he requested well.”
“Master, you shouldn’t freely mention the Lord’s name when others are around. At least use his title.”
“Ridiculous. I’ve been watching him since he was in diapers. Isn’t it funnier to start using his title now?”
Raven squinted as he watched the mentor and student bicker.
If you want to fight, go outside. What’s the point of making a racket here?
“Speak your business and leave. Don’t disturb someone trying to read.”
“Ah, sorry about that. Can you spare a moment?”
“I’d prefer it if it wasn’t too lengthy.”
Observing the boy who responded maturely despite his young age, Elga inwardly clicked her tongue.
She had assumed that being born into the Vennian tribe meant he’d had a hard life, but it seemed the world had aged him prematurely.
“You may already know, but I’m the one who asked Vlady to bring you here. We need your help.”
“……I didn’t come here because I wanted to. I was brought here without any explanation.”
“I apologize for that. We had some sensitive issues that couldn’t be disclosed. Vlady, who brought you here, isn’t the friendly type either.”
“So it seems. But why should I help you? I see no reason, nor any benefits for me.”
He had responded with biting words on purpose, but in truth, Raven’s inner feelings were different.
If only Bella would promise not to act recklessly with her own body, he had been somewhat willing to help her.
In the short time he had observed Bella’s attitude toward him, he felt her sincerity, and the way the little girl was struggling to survive did not seem significantly different from himself.
Moreover, he was disgusted to the point of nausea at a family that would leave a sick child alone and not show up even once.
He himself had been abandoned by his demonic father and spent a difficult childhood with just his mother, so he had some desire to be of assistance to Bella, however small.
“Spit it out if you have something to say. Let’s hear it.”
“Hard to find in the youth these days, but originally, the honor of a vampire comes from paying the proper price. If you help me, I will reward you accordingly.”
“Reward… you say?”
“Don’t you find it painful to live a life being chased by someone simply for being of the Benian tribe? I will put an end to it. I’ll help you live a free life.”
“…You’re talking nonsense.”
Thinking that Elga was trying to manipulate him by exploiting his weakness, Raven bit his lip tightly.
From his distant childhood, the people around him were filled with those who wanted to exploit him and his mother.
The villagers used to swindle his mother, who was barely getting by helping with tailoring and farming, even going so far as to threaten their lives simply because they had given birth to a Benian.
Initially, having never encountered proper human company, it was somewhat natural that he could not trust Elga, who spoke of a fitting reward.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
