Chapter 44: Visit.
"Her skin is so soft! Her hair is soft too!
Ultimately, Mother gave in to the allure of cream puffs, offering herself to Dachia in return for the guaranteed possession of the bread in the bag.
Dachia was thrilled, gently stroking Mother''s hair on herp and lightly poking her cheeks.
Chomp, chomp.
Mother concentrated on eating the cream puffs, her face stern, indifferent to whether Dachia was enjoying herself or not.
"Can I feed you myself?
At her smirking question, Mother lifted her head, looked at Dachia, and silently raised the middle finger of her left hand. Dachia continued to y with Mother, arranging her hair in various ways.
"Oh, right. Priest Marnak.
"Yes. Speak.
She asked me, caressing Mother''s cheek.
"I don''t think Carmen will be released so soon. What are you nning to do in the meantime?
I had a n I had already considered. The n was to find the holy relic sealed with Mother''s divinity in this vast capital.
The problem was that I hadn''t decided yet if I could share this n with Dachia.
As I stared at her, Dachia tilted her head and smiled.
"Why aren''t you answering?
"I''m wondering if I can tell you my n.
"Wondering...?
A faint wrinkle formed on Dachia''s pale forehead.
"I even swore I wouldn''t reveal your secret to anyone, but you''re saying you won''t trust me? I thought we had established trust between us.
''Kill, kill!''
Mother, seated on Dachia''sp, chuckled, saying it served her right. I responded while looking at Dachia, who felt deeply betrayed.
"If I didn''t trust you, I wouldn''t have mentioned that I was thinking about it in the first ce. I''m just being cautious because I''m worried that thedy might misunderstand me.
"I won''t be surprised no matter what I hear at this point. Please feel free to talk!
As Dachia pounded her chest and boasted, Mother used her breasts as cushions as if she didn''t care and leaned on them, munching on the cream puffs.
I made up my mind as I looked at Dachia, whose eyes sparkled with childlike curiosity.
"Then I will trust and tell you. Listen to it, and don''t misunderstand.
"Okay. I''m ready not to be surprised no matter what you say...
"I''m going to visit a demon''s friend tomorrow.
Her two golden eyes blinked repeatedly, bewildered.
"What?! ''A demon''? I didn''t hear it wrong, did I?
I replied with a smile.
"You heard it right.
***
Two men walked through the back alleys of the bustling capital.
The third prince of the Dragon Kingdom, Batis Draco, frowned.
"Is it still far? Why are we going round and round? Huh?
"lust a little bit further.
Only a little while ago, he exined that the Ilech headquarters was not a ce where anyone who wanted to go could easily enter. Hilden, the head of the eastern branch of Ilech, hurried along, ustomed to the scolding.
''It''s almost time for someone from the HQ toe to greet us.''
There was no way the headquarters did not know that the third prince of the Dragon Kingdom had arrived in the capital. Usually, when they found out that someone of this importance wasing for them, the headquarters sent personnel to apany these distinguished guests.
A man with a very ordinary-looking impression walked out between the alleys.
"Follow me. Third Prince.
"lust move quickly.
The man nodded and quietly took the lead, guiding our way. A deep furrow formed on Hilden''s forehead as he followed him. He was displeased with the situation. Very displeased.
''That bastard didn''t mention my name on purpose.''
The longstanding conflict between Ilech''s headquarters and its four branches-east, west, north, and south-had been a constant issue. More urately, the headquarters had a tendency to covertly disregard the four branches.
This was deeply intertwined with Ilech''s history. Originally, the organization known as ''Ilech'' was founded in the capital of the northern kingdom. The four branches-east, west, south, and north-were defeated and subjugated after a power struggle with Ilech.
As a result, while the heads of the four branches were technically high-ranking officers within Ilech, they were treated as lesserpared to the headquarters. Indeed, there was a significant disparity in status between them.
Regardless of whether there was a difference in level, it was all repugnant. Hilden stared at the man ahead with such intensity, it was as if he wanted to bore a hole into the back of his head with his gaze.
"What on earth are you doing?
Hilden was taken aback by Batis'' abrupt question.
"Uh, what? Oh, nothing.
Batis poked Hilden''s head in response.
"Quit daydreaming and focus on how you''re going to help me. Got it?
''As if guiding you here wasn''t enough. What more do you expect me to do?''
Hilden felt this was unjust, but he managed to maintain a calm facade, concealing his true feelings as best he could.
"Yes, I''ll do my utmost!
Batis nced at him and turned away, seemingly uninterested. Hilden was once again infuriated by this dismissive attitude, but as always, he kept his feelings to himself.
They entered the underground passage leading to Ilech''s headquarters. On the other side, a blue-haired woman in robes was exiting the headquarters, escorted by another member of the organization.
The gaze of the Blue me Priest and Batis met briefly. They passed each other without showing any interest. Once the blue-haired woman waspletely out of sight, Hilden expressed his admiration.
"Wasn''t the woman who just passed by exceptionally beautiful?
Batis shrugged his shoulders, responding nonchntly.
"Not interested.
"What?
Hilden was taken aback by the unexpected response. It was not the kind of answer he expected from a man who used to entertain women daily when he was at the Eastern Branch. Batis smirked.
"Why would I bother looking at every woman who passes by when so many are already clinging to me?
His answer was surprisingly candid. Hilden, intrigued, asked another question.
"Why then, are you so obsessed with Lady Dachia?
Was it not his possessiveness towards the famously beautiful Lady Dachia?
"Well...
Batis hesitated mid-response and abruptly pped Hilden on the back of his head. Hilden, caught off guard, yelped. Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Ouch!
Batis patted Hilden on the back of his head, admonishing him.
"Quit your whining. You''re only going to get hurt asking too many questions, so don''t provoke me.
''Provoke you?!!!''
Hilden seethed inwardly, ring at the man from headquarters walking ahead. In the brief moment when he was struck by the lizard prince, he noticed the man shrug slightly.
Once the guide waspleted, he was certain the man would spread the news that the Third Prince of the Dragon Kingdom was ustomed to hitting the back of the head of those from the Eastern Branch. Naturally, his reputation would be tarnished. Despite being aware of the impending situation, Hilden was powerless to prevent it.
''Fuck....''
"We''re here. Let''s go in.
Following the door opened by the guide, the two entered Ilech''s headquarters. A new person from headquarters walked out of the building and weed the Third Prince of the Dragon Kingdom.
"Wee to ''Ilech.'' Third Princes Batis Draco.
"Don''t bother with greetings. Let''s get right to the point.
"Yes, you can follow me.
Hilden instinctively tried to follow Batis, but a staff member from headquarters halted him.
"You may now return to the Eastern Branch.
Mixed feelings of relief and resentment for being so tantly dismissed flooded Hilden''s mind.
''Yeah, damn it. This is better. Time to go home.''
"lust tell him to follow us.
The man bowed his head deeply in response.
"ording to the rules, individuals from other branches should not interact with the person who came to headquarters for a request...
p!
The man from headquarters who had just been pped spun around. Batis red at him, visibly irritated.
"Hey. Do you find me amusing? Huh? If I say something once, you should understand. Don''t interrupt me. I''m asking just one more time. Can he? Or not?
The man sighed deeply and replied.
"Sigh. Head of the Eastern Branch. You may follow us...
Smack!
Batis''s hand struck the man''s head. The man, who had been hit and knocked off bnce, fell to the floor.
"How dare you sigh like that? Ha, have you lost your mind? Hey! Hurry up, bring a new guide to rece this disrespectful brat! Hurry up! And you. Follow me.
"Yes, yes!
Hilden silently cheered as he watched the headquarters staff member writhing on the floor.
''lust as I thought, this lunatic doesn''t care about time and ce!!! I knew it!!!''
It felt as though a century-old grudge was being washed away. Hilden thought it wouldn''t be bad to watch the headquarters staff suffer a bit longer.
"Hey, why aren''t you following me?
Hilden shed a broad smile at Batis and responded with a firm voice.
"I''m going! I''m right behind you!
***
"Are we sure we''re in the right ce?
"It seems so, ording to this...
A dpidated building barely stood before us, a structure so precarious that no one would be surprised if it copsed at any moment.
Dachia and I had left Sajita to rest at the dorm. Upon our departure, I opened the pouch given to me by the demon lord. Inside was a small metal badge shaped like a ck butterfly, along with a simple map. We had arrived at this location by following the map''s instructions.
Dacia surveyed the building, then cautiously broke the silence.
"Should we go in?
"Yes, let''s proceed.
"Hold on.
lust as we were about to enter the ramshackle building, a man in bulky clothes obstructed our path.
"I don''t know who you are, but this is my home. You can''t just...
I silently presented the ck butterfly badge. The man, upon inspecting the badge, ceased his objections and stepped aside.
"Enter.
Upon entering the decrepit building, we immediately discerned that the shabby exterior was merely a facade. It was simply the entrance to a basement.
Dachia nced at the flickering lights lining the hallway wall and turned to me.
"Isn''t it a bit eerie that there''s no one in this long corridor? Perhaps it''s because this is where the friend of a demon resides?
I responded with a grin.
"It seems this ''friend'' has a preference for dark, gloomy ces, much like mold. Regardless, we''vee this far. We might as well proceed.
Dachia swallowed hard and nodded in agreement.
"Right. We''vee too far to turn back empty-handed.
We continued our journey down the dark underground passage.