Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 487

487.

“Wait a minute. I think I just heard something crazy, no, unbelievable. That, that guy is Elquines’s… contractor? Not just a potential candidate, but already a contractor?”

“Yeah.”

The answer was short compared to the flustered question, but that made it all the more intense. Lamias, taking a deep breath, turned to look at me again. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“…When did a human summon Elquines?”

“It’s been longer than you think.”

“……”

“You dared to touch my contractor.”

“……!”

“Do you understand the situation now?”

Crash! A loud noise echoed. It was the sound of a huge ice spear landing precariously between his legs. Lamias’s face turned white.

“Wait, just a minute! I didn’t know! And I’m also your contractor…!”

A belated protest was about to follow, but he was slammed back into the floor even faster. Of course, the result wouldn’t have been much different even if he had spoken properly. Ellyuen, standing on Lamias with one foot, smiled coldly as he struggled.

“My contractor is Lamias. Not you.”

“I, I am Lamias…!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Duke Sepion.”

“Aaaaaagh!”

Lamias despaired as he grasped the intention. The rule that he should thoroughly follow the status of the play was backfiring on him.

What followed was a familiar sight. The only difference was that Lamias was in the position once occupied by Kanos and Ifrit. I don’t know if it’s Ellyuen’s misfortune or mine that all three are related to me.

More than that, is it okay to make such a fuss at this hour? The belated, crazy worry didn’t last long. A barrier of water had already been erected around us. It was pre-emptively blocked to prevent any noise from escaping. I couldn’t help but think that this meticulousness must have made him the god of punishment.

“Young master, are you okay?”

While I was blankly watching the scene of merciless punishment, a cheerful voice came from beside me. Ifrit and Trowel were standing there where I turned my head.

“I knew he’d cause an accident someday. He goes crazy as soon as Elquines is mentioned. Ah! Young master, you have a bruise on your neck? That bastard! If he has something to say, he should come to me first, why is he bothering an innocent kid?”

“Isn’t that what you should be saying?”

Trowel threw a word at Ifrit, who was anxiously examining me. Ifrit, pretending not to hear, took a glass bottle from his inner pocket and busily applied the contents to my neck. It seemed to be a recovery potion, as the stinging pain disappeared.

“Ah… thank you.”

“Oh dear, you must have been very surprised? The Blue Clan guys are a bit violent and ignorant. I’ll take care of him too when Elquines is done.”

“Ah, no. You don’t have to go that far. But why do you have a recovery potion?”

“Hmm? It’s for emergencies.”

“Why do you need an emergency…?”

“You might get hurt when you’re alone with me. I don’t have healing abilities, so.”

I was momentarily breathless. Ifrit sent me a questioning look, wondering if I was strange for stiffening up. I must have unknowingly distorted my face. Ifrit’s expression quickly turned serious as he paused.

“El? Does it still hurt?”

“No, it’s okay… I’m not in pain.”

“But your complexion is bad.”

“I’m really okay.”

“Hmm, is it because you were too surprised by Lamias? Well, this also has a calming effect, so drink it.”

“No, I’m really fine…”

Despite my repeated refusals, Ifrit forcibly handed me the recovery potion. Judging by his firm expression, he had no intention of backing down until I drank it all. I had no choice but to take the bottle and drink it, but I felt a gaze. Trowel was looking at me. It was the same face as usual, without any particular emotion, but I lowered my head without realizing it. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

The recovery potion I swallowed had a terribly bitter taste.

The torrent of the Spirit King’s wrath ended with Lamias apologizing to me. He knelt unreservedly on the bare floor and repented in a pathetic posture. His voice was filled with tears as if he was about to cry, and his appearance was a mess because he had been beaten. Anyone would have felt sorry for him, if he hadn’t been glaring at me with burning eyes.

“I was wrong.”

No, you don’t look sorry at all.

I sent a look to Ellyuen, wondering what to do, and the quick-witted man immediately hit him in the back of the head. “…I was really wrong.” Only then did the murderous intent disappear from Lamias’s eyes. He seemed to be certain that his plan to get even next time wouldn’t work.

“Damn it, I can’t believe it. A human summoned Elquines. And it happened in this era when I’m alive! How could such a terrible thing happen?”

‘That terrible thing will happen again while you’re alive.’

I swallowed the fact that I couldn’t bring myself to tell him as I watched him vent his frustration. I was sure that he would be a nuisance in many ways when he woke up from his slumber in the future. After all, Trowel didn’t stop him for no reason.

“And why are you guys here again?”

His gaze turned to Ifrit and Trowel, who were standing there blankly. Unlike Ifrit, who shrugged playfully, Trowel’s expression was expressionless.

“What’s it to you?”

“No! But! Isn’t this a bit much? Is it even possible for three Spirit Kings to be attached to one human? Don’t tell me you’re all contracted to him? Please tell me that’s not true!”

“Shut up. It’s not, so shut your mouth.”

“Really? Really not?”

“In the first place, does that even make sense? Do you think a human can handle the energy of several Spirit Kings?”

“To me, the fact that a human summoned Elquines is already nonsense.”

By that time, dawn was already beginning to break. It was almost time for the residents to wake up and start their activities, so we moved to a nearby accommodation. “What? Are Spirit Kings living in such a tiny room?” It wasn’t surprising that Lamias, after looking around the room, uttered an extremely Lapis-like impression. Ellyuen’s fierce gaze was poured out at him, who was fussing about, telling me to come to his house right away (while not forgetting to appeal to me to leave me behind).

“Shut up and stay put.”

Only then did the chaotic atmosphere improve a little. It felt like a violent typhoon had swept through. I shook my head without realizing it, and then I thought I’d boil some tea, so I put water in the kettle. There wasn’t much to offer since it was a space where I had no plans to invite guests.

Lamias, who was sitting quietly on the sofa, seemed to be in a pretty good mood. The problem was that thanks to Ellyuen, who had no intention of treating him at all, he still had the marks of being beaten. Dragons have good self-healing abilities, so it will heal soon even if left alone, but it was still swollen. His face didn’t look normal at all as he grinned like that. Ifrit asked, dumbfounded, wondering if it looked strange to others as well.

“What’s so good that you’re grinning like that? Have you finally gone crazy?”

“Sorry, but could you not disturb me? I’m newly enjoying the fact that true feelings come out unconsciously.”

“Oh, really?”

“Did you hear what Elquines said earlier? He said my contractor is Lamias.”

“So what?”

“He said my contractor. Elquines told me that I’m his contractor.”

Ah, that was it.

I barely managed to clean up the tea that I almost spilled in embarrassment. I think the point of being moved is too low, I felt like I knew what kind of treatment he had received so far. Ifrit was also making a pitiful expression.

“But you’re Duke Sepion.”

“Ah, come on!”

Lamias, who was upset, sighed as if he couldn’t help it. Then his appearance began to change subtly. He was already young, but he became even younger and his skin color became darker. On the other hand, his hair color changed to a clearer blue.

“Now, am I perfectly Lamias?”

That’s what he really looks like. I nodded inwardly and placed a teacup in front of him. Lamias, who was staring at it dissatisfied, looked at me with a sulky face.

“Hospitality. So you’re the owner of this space? You want to show off that you’re superior to me?”

“…You’re living your dragon life very negatively.”

“Enjoy it while you can. Humans can’t live for even a hundred years anyway. No matter how successful you are, it’s only a hundred years! In the end, I’m the one who stays by Elquines’s side!”

“Haa, yes, you must be happy.”

“I know. More than that, why don’t you go back to your original form now?”

“Pardon?”

“Since we’ve all revealed ourselves, how long are you going to pretend with a fake face? If your purpose is to gain my favor, it’s actually counterproductive, so stop showing your true colors.”

I was wondering what he was talking about, and Ifrit, who was just as puzzled as I was, burst out laughing.

“This is his original form?”

“Huh?”

“Well, I can see why you’d misunderstand. Our young master doesn’t look very human. I was surprised at first too.”

“No, it can’t be. Is that real?”

Lamias, who hurriedly got up, reached out and grabbed my face. I was about to panic at the groping touch, but Ifrit forcibly pulled him away in horror. He was pushed away and stood there with a dumbfounded face.

“Wow, it’s real?”

“I told you it was.”

“This is really ridiculous. You had the Medal of Lantasha [a magical artifact]? I thought you had changed your appearance, of course…”

“That only has the function of blurring the impression. The effect is only activated when worn.”

“Is that really true?”

“You’re a dragon, how can’t you tell the difference between magic and reality?”

“No! I can tell the difference! I thought it was Lantasha’s magic, so I saw it as an exception!”

“Well, Lantasha’s disguise magic is art.”

Ifrit, who was nodding quickly, had a happy face as if he had heard his own praise. Come to think of it, when Isana changed her appearance, it was almost unnoticeable. It seems that Lapis’s talent came from his mother’s side.

“Are you hurt anywhere, young master? That bastard is touching other people’s faces as he pleases.”

“I’m okay.”

“Oh dear, our young master has such a kind heart. But there’s no need to be nice to him at all. If he does that again next time, don’t let him get away with it and kick him.”

I smiled at Ifrit, meaning I understood. Lamias, who looked at us with a sulky face, pursed his lips dissatisfied.

“More than that, tell me now.”

“Tell you what?”

“These situations! I’ll let it go that he contracted with my Elquines without me knowing! But why is my Elquines hanging out with him? Why are Lily and Lowell here too?”

It was a part that he could be curious about enough. Although the Spirit Kings reacted to the other side.

“If you put a possessive in front of my name one more time, I’ll cancel the contract.”

“I don’t remember allowing you to call me by my nickname.”

“Don’t shorten my name.”

Cold words poured out one by one. Lamias, who closed his mouth for a moment, shouted in frustration.

“We’re all Elquines contractors, so what’s with this discrimination?”

“Young master is human. He’s cute in a different dimension than a dark dragon.”

“Damn it, spirits only like humans!”

“If you’re upset, be reborn as a human. But I think you’d be weak to El too?”

“Why would I?”

“You like this kind of appearance.”

Lamias closed his mouth again this time. I’d rather he deny it, but it was ominous to be silent. No, wait a minute. Come to think of it, when he attacked me, he said something about my face being his type? As I was feeling uncomfortable, Lamias suddenly stared at me. He had an expression as if he had organized his thoughts. I unknowingly took a step away from him. But he was faster to bring his face closer. The words that followed were so out of the blue that I flinched without realizing it.

“You know. Don’t you want to change your hair and eyes to blue?”

“…Pardon?”

“Actually, I wanted to say this since I saw you at the banquet. It’s not that I have any ulterior motives. It’s just that blue would suit you really well. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have been born as a human. No matter how I look at it, that appearance should have been born as a water spirit…”

No, this dragon has too good of a sense, doesn’t he?

Cold sweat ran down my back. Fortunately, before I could show any agitation, Ifrit intervened and hit him in the back of the head.

“You don’t have any ulterior motives. Don’t try anything.”

“Tch.”

“More than that, do you know you just made a very dangerous statement? Only the Spirit King has a unique appearance. If he should have been born as a water spirit, are you telling Elquines to disappear now?”

“…Huh?”

Lamias, who hardened his face, hurriedly looked at Ellyuen. Ellyuen, who met his gaze, smiled. His lips were raised, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

“…I see.”

“Huh? Uh? Wait a minute! I didn’t mean it that way…!”

“Didn’t you say that true feelings come out unconsciously? I heard your true feelings well.”

“Ugh! No! There’s no way I would! My Elquines is only you forever!”

“Shut up. The contract is canceled.”

“Ah! No! Please, not that! Forgive me, Elquines! I was wrong! I committed a deadly sin! Forgive me! Please forgive me!”

Lamias, whose face turned blue, tried to cling to Ellyuen’s leg. Of course, Ellyuen was not the type to leave it alone, so he was ruthlessly kicked away before he could even touch him. Lamias, who couldn’t even get close, collapsed and sobbed like the main character of a tragic drama.

“Give me a chance! Please give me a chance to make up for it!”

“Then I’ll let you choose between dying and canceling the contract.”

“That’s not a choice! It’s the same to me!”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Damn it! Even your harsh appearance is cool!”

It was natural that the space that had barely calmed down became chaotic again. I didn’t know he was so gentle when he was a duke, he’s really a crazy dragon. I was exhausted just watching him.

“Do you know why I was worried about you meeting him?”

I had no choice but to express my agreement with Ifrit’s words. Is it because my arm bends inward [a Korean idiom meaning ‘blood is thicker than water’, or being biased towards one’s own]? Honestly, I think Lapis is much better. At least that guy wasn’t a fool.