†Chapter 4: A Troublesome Situation†
†Chapter 4: A Troublesome Situation†
WHAT’S she going on about? This naïve, rich young lady. I’m not even human. I’m a Beast Blood and an outlaw Contractor, which isn’t a respectable occupation by any means.
“I wanted to see you,” the woman stubbornly repeated. “So I waited.”
“Don’t be stupid. What do you get from seein’ me?”
“I got myself a nice hot meal,” Euphemia replied as she munched on the bread she had dipped in the red soup.
“‘Scuse me?”
“Just a little joke.”
“Go home the instant you finish eating!” Zelaide was fed up—she was boasting about getting a free meal at his expense. He downed his coffee in one gulp.
“I will. I’ve got to go to work, so I’ll be out of your hair soon, but I have a favor to ask of you first.”
“You want a favor from me?” Zelaide grunted out, scowling with utter disgust. He looked so disgusted it gave her the impression it was somewhat contrived. “I don’t even want to know, but shoot. What do you want?”
“I want you to become friends with me.”
“Not happening.”
Aw, an instant rejection.
The air went out of Euphemia’s expectant heart, deflating it in one go.
“You could’ve given it a little more thought…”
“No need.”
“Because you have lots of friends?”
“Because I don’t need any friends!”
“Oh, I see! Thanks for the food!” Euphemia tossed her hair over her shoulder and piled her empty dishes together as she stood.
There was a large dishwasher beneath the barely used, brand-new sink. She pulled down the door with a click and found it looked spanking new as well.
“Let’s see, the dishwashing tablet goes in here,” she muttered as she fumbled with the dishwasher.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m just gonna toss out the dirty dishes anyway.”
“You’re going to what? How could you even think of doing something so wasteful? You should never toss out a plate this nice! Did you know you can use ceramic dishes for decades if you treat them well?” she informed him like an infomercial.
Even Euphemia, whose housekeeping skills were already less than praiseworthy, was astounded by Zelaide’s complete lack of common sense when it came to maintaining a household.
“You don’t say,” he replied, unimpressed.
After Euphemia locked the detergent tablet in place, slid the dishes into the racks, and fiddled with the settings, she had nothing else to do. Zelaide twirled the empty cup in his large hand as he contemplated something or another behind his unreadable expression.
Euphemia glanced at the clock—there was still time before her shift. She shut the dishwasher door with her hip and glanced around the roomy kitchen for something she could use as a conversation starter. She happened to spot a beautiful white box sitting on a display shelf above the kitchen counter. The intricately engraved box was out of character for a rugged, bearlike man who spent his days working as a Contractor and Hunter. It looked like it was crafted from a rare stone. Euphemia didn’t care much for the decorative gemstones used in jewelry, but she had a considerable fondness for mineral rocks.
She approached the shelf for a better look.
Is it made out of alabaster?
“So pretty.”
Euphemia wasn’t too tall, but the second she stood on her tiptoes and reached for the box high up the shelf, a tornado of black and silver swept her feet from under her, knocking her on the ground.
“Eh?!” she squeaked.
Five whole seconds passed before Euphemia realized she was stretched out on the floor with a wrist pinned. Zelaide was on top of her, wearing a terrifying expression.
“Do not touch anything without asking!” he roared.
Euphemia was seeing him angry for the first time; her mouth fell open more from surprise than fear. They’d only met twice, but he had never reacted to her actions with overt anger, and merely treated her with indifference and annoyance. He hadn’t even lashed out at the thugs who had attacked her.
“I’m sorry,” Euphemia sincerely apologized, realizing she must’ve made a serious blunder.
She always made the same mistake: charging headfirst without thinking whenever something caught her interest. It was a bad impulse. How many times had her sister scolded her for it?
A shadow fell over Zelaide’s face from where he held himself up on his knees above her. His glacial eyes radiated a faint light, just like they had on that night.
Ah, this is what I wanted to see. I wanted to see these eyes, but I’ve messed it all up. He’s furious right now. I have to apologize. I’ll apologize as many times as it takes for him to forgive me. Even if I have to prostrate myself and press my head to the floor—wait, the floor?
Moving only her eyes, Euphemia finally registered the full situation.
What’s with this position? What in the colonies is happening to me? she marveled.
She was lying comfortably with her back on the cold tile, sandwiched between the legs of the hulking man peering down at her from above. Moreover, his large palm was supporting her back. No wonder she hadn’t felt the shock of pain when he had pulled her down by her wrist. He had held her up in the split-second before she hit the ground.
That said! This scene would make any unwitting bystander immediately call the police: an angry giant of a man pinning a young blonde to the floor beneath him. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Euphemia didn’t feel any fear, despite the fact that she had been violated by those thugs a few days ago. He was holding her down with heated, intimidating eyes, yet curiously, fear never surged within her.
Instead, they stared into each other’s eyes like idiots.
But the moment was fading as she became aware of the gradual pain growing in her wrist. Left with little choice but to make him stop, she knocked her free hand against his rock-solid chest.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched your stuff without asking. I won’t do it again, so…would you mind letting my wrist go? It kind of hurts.”
“Wrist…? Ah! AAAH!”
At her touch, Zelaide finally realized the position he was in and he scooted away from her as fast as someone who had been stung by a bee.
“No! It’s not what ya think! I-I w-wasn’t trying to do anything to you!” he stammered.
“I know you weren’t. I did something bad. It’s only natural you would yell at me for it.”
“Th-That’s not why,” Zelaide continued. “Can you stand? Are you hurt anywhere?” Zelaide took Euphemia’s hand as she pushed herself into a sitting position and helped her gently to her feet as if she were a delicate crystal. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“I’m fine. You protected me from hitting the ground. I’m not hurt.”
Zelaide maintained a rigid silence.
“Is it really important to you? The box, I mean.”
“Box? Ah, this thing? No. It’s a dangerous item.” Zelaide glared at the box on top of the shelf, his face hard.
“Dangerous? This beautiful little box?” Euphemia’s eyes rounded.
“It’s filled with poison,” Zelaide answered shortly.
“Poison? Like poisonous poison?”
“Yeah. If you’re a plant scientist you should be familiar with the stuff. It’s a poison taken from Lyunone.”
“Lyunone! The deadly poison that targets the nervous system? Do Hunters use poison too?”
“I don’t. This was sent to me anonymously a while back. It’s set to spring poison-tipped needles at whoever opens the box.”
Euphemia stared up at the beautiful white box. No one would stop to consider that such a dainty little box could be packed with a poison capable of killing an adult in under ten minutes. Almost anyone would feel an urge to open it and see what pretty items were tucked away inside its alabaster confines.
She wanted to know why someone had sent this deadly item to him and what they intended by it, but Zelaide clearly wasn’t going to tell her. He merely glared daggers at the box, his expression dark.
To him, it was a present meant to kill him. Was his work so dangerous it attracted assassination attempts on his life? Did it really garner that much hatred?
“And that’s why you told me not to touch it?” Euphemia ventured.
He was trying to protect me again.
“Why do you keep such a dangerous object lying around?”
“I thought it might come in handy someday… But I didn’t account for somethin’ like this. I’ll dispose of it later.”
Zelaide cautiously picked up the box and moved it to a higher shelf. She won’t be able to reach it here, no matter how hard she tries. She’ll be safe. It should be safe. Wait a minute. Am I actin’ on the assumption that she’ll come to this house again?
“You don’t have to do that. I won’t touch it again. Don’t get rid of it if it might be useful later,” Euphemia said, pushing her disheveled hair up and off her face. Now where did her blasted hat go?
“No, I’ll dispose of it today—hey, that spot’s bright-red!”
“Where?”
Zelaide pointed to Euphemia’s wrist, his eyes wide. Wondering what was up, she dropped her gaze to find his fingers had left red marks on her wrist.
“Oh, you’re right. It’s no biggie,” she said nonchalantly, waving the hand to prove her point.
“Don’t dismiss it! Hang on for just a second. Pal should’ve left medicine somewhere. I know it’s around here somewhere.” Zelaide rummaged noisily though the drawers on the opposite side of the room. “…Found it. For sprains and abrasions. This is the stuff.” He came back with an unopened tube of medical cream. Was every consumable good in this house brand new?
“It doesn’t hurt one bit. I don’t need any medicine. Besides, it’s my fault to begin with.”
Zel ignored Euphemia’s protests and gently took her hand to spread the white medicinal cream over her wrist in an even layer. His hands moved with the care of a glassmaker working on a delicate piece, though there was a boyish awkwardness to his touch. She could tell he was treating her as gently as possible, unlike the reprehensible douchebags who’d left similar marks on her body nearly a week ago. Though the marks were the same, the sheer disgust that had brought up bile and the sweet ticklishness she felt now were as different as day and night.
Ah, oh no. What is this? My heartbeat sounds off. I hope he can’t hear it. I’ve heard his species has great hearing though.
Zel was too focused on rubbing in the medicine to notice Euphemia’s heart palpitations. After a long while, he deemed his work satisfactory and stopped massaging in the cream.
“I couldn’t control my strength because it was so sudden. Sorry. I’m fully aware a man like me shouldn’t do somethin’ like that to a fine lady like you. I hope it doesn’t leave a mark.”
“I d-don’t think it will. Looks like a small bruise to me. Besides, I don’t mind if it leaves a mark. I’m not a model.”
“You should mind. Does it hurt to the touch?”
“Nope.”
“You’ve got a tiny hand. And it’s so soft. You really need to be more careful. That last incident and today’s shows you’ve got a real lack of self-awareness when it comes to danger. Do you even understand who you are?”
Zelaide finished with the medicine and started wrapping a thin bandage around her wrist. Euphemia thought he was exaggerating.
“Of course I do. I’m Euphemia Ashencourt. Twenty years old. I graduated school with half-baked grades. I started working for the Municipal Biotechnology Research Institute this year and—”
“I’m not talking ‘bout your personal history,” Zelaide interrupted. “I’m referring to your looks. You’re a pretty young woman. You’re just asking sexually starved men to devour you when you wander around the freeway or empty city streets alone at night. You’ve got zero sense of danger and zero ability to look out for yourself.”
“I think I have plenty of sense and ability,” she retorted.
Warm feelings filled Euphemia even as she argued with him. As she suspected, Zelaide possessed a tenderness unthinkable from his appearance alone. He had a wicked tongue and a curt manner to be sure, but Euphemia grew confident he wasn’t the kind of man to hurt someone weaker.
My eye for people is surprisingly accurate.
“You sure ‘bout that?” Zelaide asked.
“Yup, I am. I’ve got a discerning eye.”
“It’s nonexistent from what I’ve seen,” he muttered. “All done.” Zelaide released Euphemia’s hand, the bandage secured.
“But you didn’t even try to taste-test me.”
“Come again?”
“Like I said, it didn’t happen with you.”
“But I…!”
“Yes?”
“Err…I’m not a human male so it doesn’t apply to me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. You’re undoubtedly human. From what I researched, Beast Bloods and humans just have slightly different chromosome arrangements. I’ve just learned this myself, but every human has some likelihood of producing a child with chromosome abnormalities. Their children are still genuine humans though, right?”
“But those children don’t have eyes that glow in the dark, do they?”
“Well, no…but is there a need to be concerned with that? They’re very beautiful eyes.”
“No, they’re not. I’m no art critic, but even I know that the word beautiful is reserved for girls like you. Your hair, for instance. It looks like it was created by the sun.”
Zelaide put his hand on Euphemia’s shoulder and turned her toward the mirror on the wall, where he scooped up a lock of her hair that came loose of her braids and tangled his fingers in it, slowly combing them through. Her long hair smoothly came undone between his fingers.
“And when it comes to the color of your eyes—here, take a look out the window. It’s the same color as green leaves under the sun. Agh, what am I even saying? We were talking ‘bout your lack of danger awareness. Oh, right.” He lifted his head as if he suddenly remembered some pressing business.
“Yes?”
“Did you get your specs?”
“I did, thank you. I didn’t expect to find them wrapped up in the newspaper.”
“I thought it was risky leaving them out like that, but I couldn’t come up with a better way.”
“I won’t complain since I’m the one who forgot them. I’m fond of those specs though, so I was happy to get them back.”
“Why are you wearin’ specs without prescription lens? They pose more of a danger by impairing your visibility if you can actually see.”
“Because I look stupid without them—no, well, I am stupid, but...”
“You don’t have them on today.”
“Only because I’m here. They’re in my purse right now. I already showed you my stupidest side, so I figured there’s no point now…”
“You are stupid. And senseless at that.”
“Hey, senseless is worse than stupid.” Pouting, Euphemia stuck out her lower lip, revealing the wet, pink underside.
Blood hell! Why is this woman so defenseless?! She should know what kinda creatures Beast Bloods are after doin’ a little research. Why is she trying to get close to me when she knows what I am? I don’t get her. And it doesn’t help that she’s as shameless as they come. The second I let down my guard she goes touchin’ my stuff… It’s been forever since I last felt the pit of my stomach suddenly drop like that. If I had been a second too late…
Just thinking about what could’ve happened to her brought a sour flavor to his mouth.
Zelaide was fairly certain an Inferni had sent him the dangerous box. Infernum was a secret society of humans who harbored extremist hatred toward Beast Bloods. Members of the group were called Inferni. Most Inferni had lost family and other loved ones to savage, criminal Beast Bloods, but their fixation on their victimization had morphed into deep resentment that led them to regard even innocent Beast Bloods and Beast Blood children as a danger to society necessitating extermination.
Beast Bloods who made a name for themselves as Contractors and Hunters like Zelaide were regarded as monsters they needed to kill to avenge those they’d lost. Zelaide saw them as nothing more than an extreme nuisance, but they unrelentingly and frequently sent him death threats and dangerous items. Most of what they sent hadn’t stepped outside the bounds of basic harassment. They were gung-ho about harassing him at a distance, but none had the guts to invade his home. At least that had been the case until recently.
The box they’d sent this time around had cost too much time, effort, and money for typical harassment. One of the deadliest poisons in the colonies laced the inside of the expensive box. Zelaide likely wouldn’t have sensed the danger if he hadn’t caught whiff of a slightly irritating odor. Somebody had put too much thought into this elaborate death trap. He kept the box around for his investigation into who had sent it, but he never imagined something like this would happen.
Zelaide had felt a surge of fear in his gut when he spotted the young woman stretching innocently for the box. His body had moved faster than his brain to push her away from it. He hadn’t expected to knock her onto the floor—she was too light to withstand the impact of his push. The next moment his eyes were riveted on her golden hair spread like angel wings across the floor and her wide, surprised eyes. Though her normal expressions weren’t particularly noteworthy, every once in a while she’d take his breath away with one striking look. And he was captivated by her, every time.
I’m the idiot. How does this make me any different from those scumbags? Hey, stop. Stop it, he told himself as he traced her plump, soft lips with his rough index finger. Euphemia stared at him, staying perfectly still.
My finger—it’s moving on its own. I’m not telling it to do this…but…
“Soft…”
Is she walking around exposin’ these soft gems to the world? That’s extremely dangerous.
CHOMP!
“Huh?”
Zelaide’s finger was enveloped by those soft lips…and that wasn’t all. Something hot and wet ran over his fingertip.
Startled, he yanked his finger out. Those tantalizing lips pursed with disappointment.
“I thought you were going to kiss me,” she said.
“Ki—”
“A friendship kiss,” Euphemia quickly added on when she saw Zelaide shiver.
A friendship kiss? Do friends normally kiss? Hold on, when did we become friends?
“Do you…want me to kiss you?”
Zelaide was internally shocked to hear his voice come out gravelly and hoarse, like it belonged to someone else. Shocking things happened all the time when he was with her. His gut instinct was right—he needed to avoid getting further involved with this woman. He had made a grave mistake.
“Is that so wrong?”
“Ugh…”
His knees buckled when she primly thrust up her chin, as if begging him to take her lips, bringing their faces closer. Only a gap two fingers wide remained between their lips. Zelaide was in a world of panic.
Meanwhile, Euphemia was in a similar state of panic on the other side of her blank expression.
It’s not my fault! Aren’t you supposed to kiss after one person traces the other’s lips and that person licks their finger? Why is he backing away like I’m some sort of banshee? I had no choice but to cover up with the friendship kiss thing after that! If he doesn’t make a move soon, we’ll be stuck like this forever!
The moment their hesitation and awkwardness reached its peak, an IHT enthusiastically belted out a mood breaking tune.
†††
IN the center of Gothic City was the administrative district where the facilities comprising the backbone of the city were concentrated, including city hall, the senate building, and police headquarters.
With spires imitating religious buildings from millennia past, the antiquated exteriors of the government buildings clashed with their practically structured, modern interiors. Security for these stronghold buildings was topnotch, but keeping with their antiquated exteriors, the high-tech facilities maintained some classic security measures from the bygone days, including several inconspicuous gates.
Euphemia entered city hall just past noon through a gate few knew of, which looked nothing like an entrance under even the most careful observation.
Of course, the appearance and location of the gate was its only inconspicuous feature. Once inside, the advanced security system prevented passage with several layers of high-tech doors requiring numerous complicated security codes and biometric scans.
Good grief, this is such a long process and I haven’t even eaten lunch yet. Why did they have to make this place so difficult to navigate?
Some of the documents Euphemia had come across about her father’s ethnic history revealed that long ago, in the metropolis of a small island nation on a distant planet, they had built entertainment facilities called Ryotei, maze-like buildings purposely constructed to help customers forget the problems of their transient lives as they lost their way inside. She doubted her government had based this building on the historical concept, but it sure felt that way every time a winding passageway seemed to solely exist to make people get lost.
A female secretary she knew was waiting for her once she passed through the first security block. She was the closest aide to Euphemia’s sister. The prudish woman guided her through the circuitous building to where the mayor was working.
Euphemia’s older sister was in the middle of the viewing room at the far end of the vast floor dedicated to her use.
“Thank you for coming, Mia. I apologize for summoning you here when you must be busy.”
Euphemia, having been made to walk a long distance before finally reaching her sister’s location, now perched primly on the edge of the massive couch her sister directed her to. Erica didn’t remove her eyes from the digital panel before her, her beautiful fingers restlessly swiping around the top of it.
“I’m sorry, I’ll be done soon. Please wait.”
Euphemia was wearing an ID card on her plain suit and had pulled her hair up in the government official style tight bun. Her familial relation to the mayor would be unperceivable even if someone barged into the room and saw them together. To begin with, even if Euphemia kept her usual appearance, most couldn’t tell they were sisters because they looked nothing alike.
Arghhh…
Euphemia stifled a quiet sigh. It’d been a while since she last came here. She conscientiously kept her posture prim and proper. Her unwillingness to be here wasn’t showing, was it? She did her best to keep her face straight.
It had been two hours since she left Zelaide’s house.
Euphemia had pulled away from him with the speed of a bullet when the IHT rang in his kitchen.
They had drawn close enough together for the tips of their noses to brush. Interrupted, she quickly slapped her hand over her wrist IHT and saw it was a direct call from her sister. Erica rarely, if ever, contacted her at this hour. Zelaide had already jumped away from her like a startled cat.
With impeccable timing, his IHT rang right after hers and he wordlessly left the room, giving Euphemia space to speak with her sister.
And here she was now.
“It’s been a while, huh?” The mayor poured the drinks herself. She had brewed a high-quality green tea instead of the usual coffee served in most government offices.
“Yeah. Sorry. I keep forgetting to contact you on a regular basis, too.” Euphemia brought the flowery teacup to her lips in anticipation; she often struggled to brew the stuff properly herself. The somber room featured noticeably exotic decorations from other cultures placed here and there. Needless to say, it was decorated to Erica’s tastes.
“Oh no, Mia, did you hurt your arm?” Erica’s lips turned down at the corners when she noticed the bandage wrapped around Euphemia’s wrist.
“Oh, this? It’s nothing to worry about. I didn’t break, sprain, or cut it. It’s just a bruise. The person who treated it went overboard, is all. Anyways, can we get back on topic?” Euphemia waved her wrist around to show it worked fine, and quickly changed the topic. “I was really surprised to get your D-com. Is something wrong? I’ve heard how busy you’ve been lately.”
“I have been busy, but even the mayor gets time off.”
“Is it okay for you to use your precious time off on me?” Euphemia asked without inflection.
“Yes. I want to.”
Euphemia’s older half-sister, Erica Saionji, stood from her humongous polished office desk and bowed her head.
Euphemia believed her sister had picked up her gallantry and mannerisms from their father. And that wasn’t all she inherited from their father—she had inherited the glossy black hair Euphemia secretly admired and his calm, black eyes, imbuing her with the aura of a mature woman who could get a job done well, regardless of whether she was trying to appear as such. Of course, it wasn’t just appearances; Erica was a capable woman of boundless talent. Both sisters were beautiful in their own way, but they looked nothing alike, even though they shared the same father.
Their father was the descendant of a black-haired ethnic group known as the Japanese. Though they were a minority group on this planet and had intermarried with many other ethnicities over the years since arriving, the group of people with black hair, almond-shaped black eyes, and ivory-white skin were still called Japanese to this day. While they shared the same father, Euphemia looked like her mother and the porcelain-white color of her skin was about the only thing she had in common with Erica.
Erica’s mother had passed away while she was still in school. Euphemia’s mother was their father’s second wife. Their father had also passed away a few years ago, leaving Euphemia as Erica’s sole living family member, aside from her young stepmother.
“I’m worried about you,” Erica stressed. “I could never apologize to your mother enough if something happened to you, Mia.”
“Worry isn’t even in that woman’s vocabulary,” Euphemia retorted. “You should know what kind of person she is. I have no doubt she’s kicking back under the sun somewhere smoking a pipe, wondering what to waste Dad’s money on next.” Euphemia disparaged her mother in good cheer. Her mother was living a comfortable life traveling the world free of care, on the inheritance her father had left behind.
“She probably is…” Erica made no attempt to defend the woman. “Still, I’m sorry for suddenly calling you here like this. I also feel bad for making you take time off work. I’ve sent word to the director and laboratory ahead of time.”
“Don’t sweat it. Only my boss knows about my relation to you. Though my coworkers all think I got the job through connections—and they aren’t wrong—so most of the jerks think I’ll only be there temporarily, anyway. But I take my work seriously and work hard. I succeeded in observing the Night Blooms during their flowering period, and I am going to start a full-fledged experiment into crossbreeding the flowers until we can establish a nontoxic seed—”
“You have good goals,” Erica softly cut Euphemia off without changing her demeanor. “But…I received a report from Mrs. Mayo this morning.” She opened the large IHT panel affixed to the wall instead of the one on her table. Euphemia’s stomach lurched.
“F-From Mrs. Mayo? …Wh-What did she have to say?”
“She informed me about you not returning home for a full three days during your observation of the Night Bloom’s flowering period. The report only gets weirder when she said you were supposed to spend the last night at the laboratory, but suddenly changed your plans and returned by car in the dead of night. It’s all on record, yet you didn’t return to your room until late the next morning.”
Euphemia answered her sister with silence.
“Something happened, didn’t it?”
“…Nothing big,” Euphemia faltered as she averted her gaze from her sister’s keen eyes.
“Is that so? Then tell me every last detail about that nothing big. It’s no use lying. Your face gives everything away,” Erica said to her younger sister, her beautiful face settling in a stern look reserved for corrupt government officials.
She’s mad at me…
The bread and soup Euphemia had eaten at Zelaide’s house swirled inside her twisting stomach. Ever since she met her friend Wei the day after she was attacked, she kept herself busy in her own way by spending every day persistently visiting Zelaide’s house and going straight to work from there.
In other words, she’d used her self-imposed busy schedule as an excuse to keep postponing the painful act of confronting her sister about the fact that she had nearly been raped on the side of the freeway. She dreaded the inevitable: her sister forcing her back into living in the mayor’s house if she screwed up her report. But most of all, Zelaide had caught her full attention. So she’d continued pushing it off day by day, neglecting to tell Erica until she was called in. And Wei had warned her about this, too.
I screwed up big time again.
Euphemia’s shoulders drooped. Mrs. Mayo was a perceptive woman, and Erica was twice as perceptive. Erica must’ve investigated Euphemia’s unusual actions and assumed she was involved in something dangerous simply by seeing her bandaged wrist. And Euphemia’s attitude had only confirmed her suspicions.
Accepting her fate, Euphemia retold the events of the other day in detail, all the while thinking her sister probably already knew most of what she had to say before she said it.
“Why didn’t you tell me right away?” Erica’s tone suddenly became harsh.
Being a politician, she was a professional at changing her tone of voice and demeanor to fit the moment. Euphemia knew her sister loved her, so she endured the fear that urged her to run from the room screaming. This was one of the main reasons why she’d taken her sweet time coming here to have this conversation.
“…I’m sorry.”
Euphemia had been apologizing like this a lot lately. She gnawed at her lower lip. Everything resulted from her own thoughtlessness. She deserved a scolding or two.
“I didn’t want to worry you when you’re so busy… And I didn’t want you to drag me back home.”
“Well, I thought it had something to do with that,” Erica acknowledged without any anger in her voice. She intently observed her younger sister.
“It was my fault…that’s what someone said.”
Wei and Zelaide, the two men in her life, had told her that.
“Mia, come here.”
Euphemia slowly walked over to the side of Erica’s desk. Erica stood from her chair and circled around the desk. She reached out her long arms and pulled Euphemia’s shoulders in for a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re safe…”
“I’m sorry.”
Erica was taller than most women in the colonies and Euphemia’s head only came up to her chin, allowing her to deeply inhale her sister’s familiar perfume. She could never catch up to her amazing sister no matter how much time passed. But that never changed the fact her older half-sister loved her with her own strict, yet kind sensibilities.
“How could you return home alone using the freeway in the dead of night? …Never do such a reckless thing again.”
“I’m sorry, Erica. I promise I won’t.”
Erica released Euphemia and peered into her emerald eyes.
Erica’s little sister was the spitting image of her stepmother. She hadn’t begrudged her father when he’d brought home a much younger second wife twenty-one years ago. Ten years had passed since her mother’s death, and Erica was a mentally mature seventeen-year-old at the time. There was no more than a seven-year age difference between her and her stepmother, but even with completely different personalities, they never clashed and readily viewed each other as family.
The little sister her stepmother gave birth to not long after their marriage was terribly endearing, and Erica had doted on the little one who chased after her with everything she had in her own way. Her stepmother wasn’t very interested in childrearing, so Erica had taken it upon herself to raise Euphemia alongside her wet nurse and governess.
“Do you know everything?” Euphemia asked, knowing the answer.
“Probably the majority of it. You weren’t…in shock?”
“My body shook uncontrollably and I puked a lot at first…but I’m okay now. Even I’m startled by how fast I recovered.” Euphemia didn’t mention that her quick recovery was thanks to Zelaide.
“I heard the person who saved you was a Beast Blood,” Erica abruptly changed the topic as if she had read Euphemia’s mind. Euphemia’s heart skipped a whole beat.
“Eh? Uh, yes, I guess so. I didn’t find out until later.”
“What did you think of him? He seems to be quite famous.”
“He looked like a scary man to me at first…but I found out right away that he wasn’t a bad person despite his dangerous career. I believe he’s trustworthy,” Euphemia related, gently stroking the bandage on her wrist.
“Goodness gracious. How could you immediately trust a man you barely know? Once you set your mind on something you can’t see it any other way. It’s bad habit of yours. But perhaps your intuition is right this time since you’re safe—and that’s all that matters.”
“Turns out he’s a Contractor…”
“I’ve heard. His line of work will never run dry with this planet being the way it is. I’m partially responsible for the slow restoration of peace and order to this city, too.”
“That’s not true! You haven’t done anything wrong, Erica. The ones in the wrong are me, for having zero foresight, and those douchebag criminals! I’ve put in a report with the police at least.”
“With Wei Lin-jie? That was your one sound piece of judgment during this whole ordeal.”
“Harsh…but you’re right. They had illegal possession of a Muta—a Bijour. I told the police what they and their semitrailer looked like. They’ll get caught in no time if they’re driving that thing around.” Euphemia forced a smile to reassure her sister. But Erica shook her head, her expression grim.
“Unfortunately, things won’t end as easily as you hoped,” Erica confided, drawing her well-groomed eyebrows together as she pointed at the IHT panel. A written report appeared on the screen.
“What do you mean?”
“Apparently, a man’s body, torn to shreds, was discovered in the Plains thirty kyros away from the city, approximately two days ago. While the police were investigating whether it was a murder or an accident, another man came begging for protection yesterday… This is him.” Erica swiped her finger to the side and the display screen changed. She opened another window and brought up a picture of a man’s face.
“Ah!”
It was the man who’d tripped over himself running away after witnessing Zelaide kill the Bijour with his bare hands. The name Pete Kansas was displayed beneath his photo.
“With this, we can assume the dead man was murdered. When the man in this photo, Pete, learned of his accomplice’s death, he came to the police offering everything he knew in exchange for protection because he feared he would be next on the kill list. Is there no mistake he is one of the men who attacked you?”
“Ugh…yes.”
Euphemia thought she had shut her fears away, but she felt instantly sick to her stomach. Not missing the color draining from her sister’s face, Erica promptly changed the screen. Text came up on the display instead.
“You have to listen to this, okay? This man is a resident of this city and is a member of a small-time crime syndicate called Vermis,” Erica explained while looking at the display. “His rap sheet includes larceny, extortion, rape, and well, pretty much everything else to make him a piece of shit, but murder isn’t one of them. He’s already in custody, so what he did to you will be the last crime he ever commits. Of course, he has no idea who you are. But the police connected the dots.”
Euphemia was learning for the first time just how capable Gothic City’s analytical team was. She guessed Wei caught word of both the murder case and Pete’s tip-off and connected it to the information she’d relayed him about the place, time, and circumstances under which she had been attacked. Now both men who’d assaulted her had gone somewhere beyond her reach. She wouldn’t have to worry about them ever again.
So why is Erica worried?
“What did you mean things won’t end as easily as I hoped, if one of my attackers is dead and the other is in custody?” Euphemia voiced her greatest suspicion.
“The man who was murdered was called Danny.”
That’s right. One of the men from that night went by that name. Euphemia silently nodded.
“It appears the murdered Danny had participated in multiple atrocious crimes of a similar nature to yours. All at the request of an employer,” Erica said.
“Then…are you telling me what happened that night wasn’t a one-time thing? Is a big syndicate behind it?”
“Correct. The men were filming your assault with the semitrailer’s back camera for a reason. Danny, the man who fled in the semitrailer, was found dead in the Wilds without anything on his person. Neither the semitrailer nor the camera data are anywhere to be found. In other words, the video with you on it has already been handed over to someone. I think it’s safe to assume it was the men who killed Danny.”
“The video of me was…?” Euphemia swallowed the bile rising in the back of her throat.
Just thinking about it made her nauseated. Was there really video evidence of her being pushed onto the ground with two men on top of her? Of her clothes being ripped off and those filthy hands and tongues running over her skin?
Euphemia shivered and ran her hands over her trembling arms.
“I’m sorry, I’ve forced you to remember a horrible thing. But do you understand what this means now?”
“…Yes.” Euphemia fought to regain her calm.
She didn’t realize how parched her throat was until she tried to swallow. She had finished off the cup of green tea Erica poured for her, so she walked over to the pitcher of clean water in the corner of the room and poured herself a glassful, which she chugged until it was empty. The pure, cool liquid seeped through her body, somewhat alleviating her nerves.
“The problem is if this video gets out, right?” Euphemia assumed once she stopped shaking.
If Euphemia was just anybody, it would end with her disgrace alone. Destroying the name of a junior researcher wouldn’t cause any larger commotion or influence on society. But Euphemia wasn’t just anybody—it was the honor of the mayor’s sister on the line.
“Sh-Should…should that video go public, it would only bring you trouble…”
If a video of the mayor’s younger sister nearly being raped went public, it would sully both the mayor’s name and political campaign.
“Haah,” Erica sighed loudly. “I have been trying to tell you it isn’t as simple as you think.”
“What? Can you spell it out for me then?”
“You don’t have to worry about it causing problems for me. You need to reflect on your thoughtlessness and how it escalated events, but don’t you for one minute think it’s your fault. The criminals are at fault. You are a victim, Mia, not a culprit. I can easily shut down any argument anyone has that says otherwise.”
Euphemia waited to hear the rest of what she had to say.
“The real problem is if—or in this case, when—the true culprit arrives at the conclusion that you are my young sister. Chances are, you will be in far greater trouble and danger than I will be.”
“Why’s that?” Euphemia tilted her head and sat back down with another full glass of water.
“I have many enemies. A large number of people have feelings far beyond discontent—hostile feelings, should we say, toward my policies, and there are more than a few among those working in dark sectors who want me dead for tightening the regulations as of late. If any of them were to learn of this—”
“So it would cause problems for you, after all—”
“Listen to me until the end, Mia. Your safety is being threatened more than my policies. This isn’t a problem of a video leaking, it’s a matter of life or death,” Erica bluntly rebuked her younger sister, whose expression had turned dark.
“My life is being threatened? I mean, sure, I was the victim of some scary stuff, but the culprits have already been taken—”
“There are people out there who will think it’s easier to go after you than to directly attack me, especially if they want to threaten me where it hurts.”
“I can’t believe anyone would go that far…even if they’re against you.”
Few people knew that Euphemia was Erica’s younger sister. Only a select number of trustworthy people like the mayor’s closest aide, Euphemia’s superior at work, a few close friends, and Mrs. Mayo knew the truth. Then again, there was no guarantee the information couldn’t get out. Someone desperate enough to find out could figure it out if they dug deep enough.
Erica shook her head, her slicked-back bun staying perfectly in place despite the motion. “Sorry, but I am not as optimistic as you. Mia, you are in an extremely precarious position. And I am responsible for you… So I have taken the appropriate measures.”
Erica turned around and pressed the interphone button on her desk. “Yes, ma’am?” answered a clerical voice.
“Where is he?” Erica asked.
“He is waiting outside your office.”
“Let him in.”
“Erica? What’s going on?” Euphemia asked.
“Mia, I have hired someone to protect you in my place for the time being. Out of my own pocket, to be clear.”
“…You did what?”
Her question went unanswered as the door opened and Erica’s secretary escorted a man inside before leaving. The answer ceased to be of importance as soon as she saw who it was.
“Zelaide Silvergray…!” she exclaimed, her jaw dropping.
†††
IS she walking around exposin’ these soft gems to the world? Shouldn’t that be illegal?
Warning bells went off inside his head at the sight of her vulnerably thrust-out lower lip. Yet, she sucked his finger into her mouth and went as far as licking it with the tip of her hot tongue… He couldn’t move. He couldn’t even avert his gaze.
I want to touch her. But how should I do it? She’s a human woman. Not a tough Beast Blood female. She’s downright different from a beast like me. I’ve got zero experience in this area—I’ve no clue how to handle her. Do I just softly press my lips to her? Or do I suck on them hard until they swell red with my kiss?
Stop it! Zelaide restrained himself at the last second. He was close enough to feel her breath on his face. This is nothin’ more than lust! She isn’t the type of girl a filthy beast like me should touch.
Stop it! Stop yourself! Zelaide argued with himself, all the while locked in a passionate stare with the alluring woman. But I can’t take my eyes off her…ahh…
The dismayed man was saved by an electronic theme song from an old movie. Euphemia’s IHT watch was ringing.
Zelaide pulled away from her at the speed of light. As if on cue, his IHT began vibrating, and he took the chance to flee the room.
It’s a job request! Thank the moons. This is for the best. The moment is over! Now I can return to my normal self and get back to work, he thought, excitedly tapping his IHT.
“Hello, Zel. Do you have a minute to talk? Sorry for bothering you the moment you got home from your job in Ajanta, but an urgent job came in for you.”
Zelaide jumped on the job opportunity. “That you, Pal? I don’t care. I’m itchin’ to work.”
“Glad to hear it. But you need to know this is the kind of job you can’t easily turn down once you hear the details.”
“Is it from a troublesome source?”
“Yes. But the pay is outstanding. The job is simple bodyguard work, but for a long duration. They want to decide on the exact duration after you’ve met.”
“Interesting. I’m guessing since you can’t turn it down the job’s comin’ from a city official?”
“Your guess is right. It’s from the mayor.”
“The mayor?”
“From Mayor Saionji.”
“That’s a real big-shot. Is the job to be the mayor’s bodyguard?”
“No. It seems to be bodyguard work for the mayor’s relative. I don’t know much more than that. The job requires you to meet for more information. They wouldn’t answer any of my questions. It ticked me off quite a bit, but she wasn’t as oppressive as I would’ve expected. They want to meet you first before anything else. It seems like you can’t refuse the job once you hear the details, so your only opportunity to turn it down will be right after you meet in person. But, to be honest with you, I don’t want you to refuse this one. Simply accepting a job from the mayor will bring prestige to your name and make future jobs a lot more convenient.”
“…I get the logic behind it. I just have to meet them first, yeah?”
“That’s how it goes.”
“I’ll meet the client. The type of job doesn’t change the fact I want work.”
“This is a good trend for you. You were more pessimistic about jobs like this not too long ago. Something happen again?”
“Not really.”
“Do you need me to restock your house?”
“I’m not short on anything. I’ve always thought the stuff you left around was useless, but…some things actually came in handy.”
Like the food and medicine.
“Oh? It’s rare for you say that. I’m glad to hear it though… Say, why don’t you tell me more about what came in handy after you hear about this new job? It’s been a while since we last had a meal together…” Pal’s voice grew quieter over the IHT.
“When I have the time, Pal. I’m satisfied as long as you provide me with work. I’ll do the job and handle any unexpected trouble that comes my way.”
“…I see. That sounds just like you… Okay, I’m counting on you to do the job well then.”
And the result of taking that job was—
This?!
Grinding his teeth, Zelaide cursed himself for unknowingly waltzing into this place.
Before him was the young woman he’d parted ways with that very morning. Her shimmering hair was in a tight ball behind her head and she wore the specs she took back from him with a dark suit. She was probably trying to look more mature, but her efforts unfortunately did nothing of the sort. On the other hand, she was a full-fledged adult. The lips he’d nearly pressed his own against two hours before were puckered and shining with an ample amount of lip gloss.
Is this what you meant by a job I can’t refuse, Pal? I resent you for this.
The young woman’s already massive eyes widened even further as she gawked at him. He thought her eyes would fall out of their sockets if she stared any harder. They’d make for a stunning pair of marbles.
“Welcome, Mister Silvergray. I’m Erica Saionji. I serve as this city’s mayor. This here is my younger sister, Euphemia Ashencourt.”
“Hello,” Euphemia reluctantly greeted him after being formally introduced by Erica.
Zelaide stayed perfectly still. He and Euphemia must’ve come off as visibly awkward to Erica, because she smoothly took over the situation by addressing him further.
“I heard the full details from Euphemia just now. You have my deepest gratitude for saving my little sister from the brink of danger the other day. She is my one and only sibling and my dearest family member. I honestly tremble to think of what would have happened to her had you not passed by at that time. According to her, you are a very trustworthy man…”
…So she says, when she already looked into him long before asking me, Euphemia thought as she narrowed her eyes on Erica. She must’ve heard about what I was doing from someone like Mrs. Mayo and learned I was visiting Zelaide’s house through those channels. Then she conducted an investigation into him. Well, I can’t complain about the direction this is taking.
“This was supposed to be about a job request, Miss Mayor,” Zelaide said in a voice flat enough to dash Euphemia’s hopes.
Is he angry? Like, really, terribly angry? But I’m not the one responsible for this!
“It looks to me like I have no choice but to accept the job. Make it brief,” Zelaide said curtly.
“You’re absolutely right. I’m glad you are a man quick on the uptake. I see your agent Miss Nielsen already filled you in on the details.” Erica moved the conversation along, unfazed by the man’s bluntness.
“I only heard it was bodyguard work for the mayor’s relative,” Zelaide answered in a surly tone, having already arrived at the worst possible conclusion about where this was going.
“That is the job at hand. I heard you don’t take on jobs you dislike, so while I know it was rude, I took precautions by giving Miss Nielsen the bare minimum amount of information. The job is simple. I want you to protect my younger sister, Euphemia, for the time being.”
Euphemia didn’t know whether to be happy or horrified. She wanted to know more about Zelaide, but she didn’t want him to hate her.
“She certainly is a thoughtless young lady.” Zelaide’s eyes sharply turned on Euphemia. His cool blue eyes were like glacial ice without their silvery glow, freezing Euphemia to the core. “Why don’t you start by tellin’ me the whole situation without hiding anything? It’s not like I can refuse the job now.”
Do you actually want to refuse it? Euphemia wondered.
“Tell me,” Zelaide said to the disheartened Euphemia, keeping his words short and brusque.
“Me? …Um, err, well… It seems like one of the men from that night was killed…and the other ran to the police…and they found out some stuff from that…I think?” Euphemia fumbled over her words as she spoke, her head hanging so low her chin nearly touched her chest.
“Good grief, Mia! No one can understand what you’re saying when you put it like that. Are you sure you’re a scientist? Forgive her, Mister Silvergray. Allow me to explain instead.”
“That would be a wise decision.”
Erica’s explanation was perfectly to the point. Zelaide’s expression grew grimmer as he quietly listened and shifted his gaze from Erica to Euphemia. His good looks made him twice as scary when he glared at her.
“They didn’t get more information out of the man named Pete?” Zelaide quietly asked after contemplating the new information.
“It doesn’t seem like it. He’s currently in police custody…though he’s there for more than just protection, as he’s committed many other crimes that will surely have him tried. He felt being sentenced was a better option than being killed,” Erica elucidated.
Gothic City was the first of many cities on the planet to outlaw capital punishment. The most severe punishment on record was 570 years of penal servitude.
“When they discovered Danny’s body, how much time had passed since he was killed?” Zelaide questioned.
“Two days at least,” Erica answered, glancing briefly at her IHT screen.
“Hmm.”
Six whole days had passed since the night of Euphemia’s attack. The man who’d escaped with the trailer had reported back to his superior after arriving at their secret base of operations, and it took three days for that choice to backfire on him, leading to his erasure. Two more days passed between when he was killed and his corpse was abandoned, and when the authorities had discovered the corpse. And then Pete had sought asylum with the police yesterday after learning of his partner’s death. The number of days matched. In other words, at least four days had passed since the video data made its way to their bosses.
That reminds me, Zelaide thought, calculating the days, that about adds up with the amount of days she started visiting my place too.
“Is something on your mind, Mister Silvergray?”
Zelaide turned toward Euphemia to answer Erica’s question. “It’s practically a miracle nothing has happened to you yet. There’s a chance poor video quality took them time to fix up before it was viewable, but you’d better believe they know who you are.”
“Ugh…”
Even if they know, what should I have been doing instead? Groaning was about all Euphemia could do.
“You believe so too?” Erica asked in her place.
“It’s obvious. Sorry, but I’d only think of the worst-case scenario at this point.”
“And what is the worst-case scenario to you…?”
“The most likely case is them usin’ this featherbrained little lady as the key to threatening you out of the mayor’s chair. How they’ll use her is the real question.”
“Use me? …You mean they’ll spread that shameful video of me?”
“You wouldn’t need me if we were dealin’ with people who stopped at a cute little prank like that.”
“I agree,” Erica affirmed with a grave expression.
Euphemia was having a hard time following the conversation even though it was about her, and about something deadly serious at that, too. She bit down on her lower lip in frustration.
Is it just me or are these two hitting it off in a weird way? Their height and style is oddly similar too… They’re completely different types, but almost seem synchronized…
Zelaide was as different from Erica as fire was from water. Zelaide was the embodiment of all things wild and untamed; Erica was the image of poise and virtue. Despite these differences, Euphemia couldn’t help but see a strange parallel between the two: Zelaide, clad in black, physically dominated the room while Erica, flawless in her own black suit, matched Zelaide’s physical presence with her own impressive height and assertive attitude. Euphemia likened Zelaide to a battle-worn knight under the command of a stern queen, Erica.
Am I letting my imagination run too wild here?
She raised her eyes from the ground and met a pair of teal eyes. He looked as displeased as ever.
He never did agree to be my friend when I asked after forcing my way into his house. Between our first meeting and this morning, he must think of me as an annoying, shameless, and stupid woman. I bet he doesn’t want to have anything to do with me if he can help it. He’s been curt to me on more than one occasion. And on top of that, he’s being forced by the mayor to accept a troublesome job, which he can’t refuse even if he wants to. I just know he’s upset over that already.
“…You’re practically proving you haven’t given a single thought to this with the way you’re actin’,” Zelaide suddenly snapped at Euphemia, shaking her out of her unproductive fantasy of him and her sister.
“Uh, umm… I’m sorry?”
“Huh? That’s your answer?” His exasperated tone made her feel like shrinking in on herself. She really was proving herself to be a featherbrained little girl.
“Wh-What was the question? I’m sorry. I don’t really understand what you want from me,” she said feebly.
“Forget it. I won’t ask you again. Miss Mayor,” Zelaide shifted his attention away from Euphemia.
“What is it?”
“How many cretins in this city bear enough of a grudge against you to target your life? Leaving out your typical political opponents.”
“Probably dozens, if not hundreds.”
“Figured as much. I’ve caught word of some of the hate recently, too. Seems like your methods have dealt a serious blow to people running dirty, illegal businesses. They’re all the greedy, vindictive types. You can be as sure as the wind blows that they won’t hesitate to use whatever they can if they’ve gotten their hands on something they can threaten you with.”
“I believe so too.”
“Hold on a minute!” Euphemia shouted. Their eyes gathered on her. “Can you do me a favor and talk a little less cryptically about it? Let me get this straight: they will come after me to use me in a ploy against Erica, right?”
Zelaide rolled his buff shoulders and nodded once as if to say, “the stupid girl is only understanding this now?”
“Okay, I get that much. But they wouldn’t be so rash as to kill—”
“You think they won’t kill you?” Zelaide interrupted.
“Will they kill me?”
“They will in the worst-case scenario.”
“They will? Oh my shining stars! That’s horrible!”
“You’ve learned firsthand how many sickos there are out in the world willin’ to do horrible things to people,” Zelaide said without mincing words. He didn’t hold anything back.
Euphemia had nothing to say in return.
“That’s how the world works, Mia,” Erica interjected. “I know it feels unfair, but I’m protected by secret service agents at all times, and every block around my location in city hall is secured by several layers of constantly evolving security, including the latest in biometric and genetic scanners. The heads of the city are rarely in danger as long as we don’t leave this building.”
The cities on this planet closely resembled individual kingdoms. Ultimately, the mayor was king over a population surpassing a million people. Though mayors were elected, their authority reigned supreme during their incumbency. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the fate of the city hinged entirely on the mayor’s vision and capabilities until either their term in office ended or they were forced to retire to take responsibility for misgovernment.
And once they decided to retire and withdraw from government, the mayor could then aid the campaign of the successor they nominated in the next election. Statues erected of mayors who had left their name in the history books decorated Central Square and remained a symbol of citizen respect to the day; mayors embodied such a role in this world. There was only one assassination of a mayor to date, which had taken place just around when the colonists had begun setting up the new form of government on this planet.
The mayor was hard to target without setting an elaborate trap, and family and relatives were generally moved to live within official residences inside the administration district, the safest place in the city. Euphemia’s situation was a rare exception.
But Euphemia had her own grievances about the situation. She’d finally discovered what she wanted to do with her life after a lifetime of constant undervaluation due to her frivolous looks and rash conduct. One horrific experience didn’t merit giving up everything she had worked for. She was self-aware about her stupidity, but she wasn’t a weakling or a doormat.
Besides, it’s not too bad if he’ll be by my side protecting me… Huh. I’m happier than I thought about this…
“Or would you rather come home and live with me again?” Erica challenged. “You’re capable of pretending to be a secretary, no? You can greatly reduce the amount of trouble we have to go through by doing that.”
The number one option Euphemia didn’t want to hear flew right out of her sister’s mouth while she was immersed in her thoughts.
“That’s the one thing I’m absolutely against! I want to work the job I chose myself!”
“I knew you would say that.”
“Is that so wrong? I mean, you can’t say for sure something will happen, and while I’ve certainly had a sickening experience, the culprits are both in a place they can never hurt me again… Plus, my work has finally reached the next level. You should know that best of all, Erica. My goal is to put an end to the world’s narcotic infestation. I want to do my best in the world of microscopes to help others, just like how you work your hardest for the city and its citizens.”
“Mia…”
“I’ll stop being careless, too. And besides, it takes a pretty big leap of faith to connect me to you, Erica. We have different last names and look nothing alike.”
I’ve always wished we did though…
“So I—”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Erica said over her. “I think you inherited father’s stubbornness even more than I did. It’s exactly because I believed you would feel this way that I requested Mister Silvergray serve as your bodyguard.”
“You make it sound like everythin’ was decided from the start. Though from the looks of things, it was,” Zelaide commented with disdain.
“Yes, indeed it was. Prioritizing my sister’s safety and taking her independence and freedom into account, I came to the conclusion that you were the most qualified person for the job. Mister Zelaide Silvergray, please protect my little sister.”
“I’m a Hunter specialized in Mutas, not humans. Let’s be clear, bodyguard work isn’t my specialty. I won’t say I have no experience at it, but I’m not the best in that particular field. I’m not good with humans.”
Zelaide looked to Euphemia standing her ground in the middle of the room. She didn’t look more intelligent by donning a stiff suit ill-suited to her petite body or by wearing fashionable specs. But the way she pressed her lips together in a tight line and glared at both the mayor and him with the corners of her eyes creased left yet another gripping image with him.
“How do you feel ‘bout this?” Zelaide asked her. “Do you want me to be your bodyguard? You probably don’t know this, but havin’ a bodyguard means you’re being monitored and confined at all times. I guarantee you it’ll be beyond inconvenient.”
“Inconvenient…?”
I don’t mind being inconvenienced by you, Euphemia thought. This was the first time she’d met someone who sparked her interest to this level. She’d gone above and beyond the thinkable for herself when she forced her way into his home and practically begged him to be friends. And now that same man was about to take on the role of her protector. Could this be fate at work? Euphemia came to a quick decision.
“I’m fine with that. I don’t want to be a problem for my sister and I don’t want to quit my job either. But I could do without the danger. So, Zel, I would like you to protect me.”
“Hmm,” Zelaide hummed thoughtfully.
…Meanwhile, he was in complete panic mode on the inside. Her choice had finally pushed him up against the wall with no way out.
Crap! At this rate I’ll wind up even more of a confused mess because of these emerald eyes. I have to do whatever it takes to make this unappealin’ for her. I need her to be the one to back outta it.
Zelaide leaned against the wall with a somber attitude. “That being said, I’ve got unreasonable conditions of my own. I won’t accept the job unless you agree to them.”
“Please tell me what they are,” Erica prompted.
“First, you’ll have to move into my house,” Zelaide said confidently to Euphemia.
“I have to move in with you?”
“Yeah… Listen here,” Zelaide walked briskly up to Euphemia and glowered down at her with the most contemptuous look he could conjure as he began to break the situation down for her like he would a preschooler, “if I take on the job of your bodyguard, I’ll have to drop you off and pick you up at your workplace, too. You won’t quit no matter what, right?”
“Of course not. You heard me say it before, didn’t you? I may have gotten my job thanks to my sister’s influence, but I’m gonna do my best for the world too.”
“‘Gonna’? Look here, it’s great that you’re serious about a cause and all, but the more willful and selfish you are, the harder my job becomes. You will follow my instructions during the time I’m in charge of your safety. And you can be positive there’ll be many instructions you won’t think are fair.”
“I’ll obey every command you have!”
“Can you handle comin’ to my house and living there? Nasty rumors are going to spread.”
Turn me down! Turn it down!
“I can live there… I will live there!” she answered right away, dashing Zelaide’s hopes.
This little lady isn’t putting a fraction of thought into it! You’re gonna live under the same roof as an adult man!
“I agree with the necessity of that decision.”
No way, you too, Miss Mayor?! You should be suspicious of me before any unknown criminal! I’m a Beast Blood!
“You seem to be a trustworthy person. I may not look the type, but I have an eye for people.”
Nope, you don’t.
Zelaide heaved a heavy sigh. “There’s more. You’ll be restricted from going out aside from your job.”
You want to play around, right? A girl like you should have fun dates and shoppin’ trips. Hurry up and back out of this! Please shoot it down already!
“Oh, I don’t mind that. I don’t have many friends anyway. I’m satisfied if you’ll become my friend in return. I said the same thing this morning.”
“This morning?” Erica asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, this morning. I actually went to his place to thank him for saving me.”
“You did? Then it looks like the matter is settled, Mister Silvergray.” A composed smile spread across Erica’s face. What the twinkle in her eye was saying was evident: Checkmate.
Zelaide looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. She’s saying I have to accept no matter what?
“…Fine,” Zelaide conceded.
“You’ll do it then? Thank you so much, Mister Silvergray.” Happiness colored Erica’s countenance for the first time.
“Drop the mister, please. I’m a Beast Blood, not a gentleman. I’m just Zelaide. You understand what that means, don’t you?”
“I believe I do. In that case, Zelaide, allow me to repeat myself. Please protect my younger sister.”
“…As you command.”
A job is a job. This is work, and the kind you can’t refuse. This is basically what happens when the rich and powerful hold your skills in high esteem.
“…Don’t worry,” Zelaide said to Euphemia. “I’ll do my job well now that I’ve accepted it.”
“Should I start packing to move in with you?” Euphemia sounded ecstatic.
“Look, this isn’t a game. We aren’t playing house,” he warned her.
“Yeah. I might be a real airhead, but even I’m coming to understand what this means.”
“You don’t understand a thing. You might experience a fate far more horrifying than what happened to you before.”
Euphemia remained quiet.
“Miss fancy sheltered young lady, you didn’t forget about nearly being gang-raped and fed to a Muta the other day, did ya? You can consider things worse than that to be the norm for you now.”
“I don’t know about that. I mean, the douchebags from that time just happened to be the worst kind of thugs—”
“Scum of their level are all over the place.”
“…Really?”
“Really. There might even be scoundrels coming for you with methods I don’t know ‘bout. You’re staying at my place to prevent that. Your apartment is unreliable. I’m sure you hate the idea, though.”
“I don’t hate it.”
“Well I hate it! From the bottom of my heart. But it’ll be the safest for you to stay at my house for now. I’ve got a good security system, but the fact that it’s my house alone will make most too afraid to approach.”
“I see. That is reassuring,” Erica said, impressed.
“I’ll also be responsible for dropping you off and picking you up from work. But we go our separate ways durin’ your work hours as long as nothing unusual happens. Municipal facilities are outside my jurisdiction. The Municipal Biotechnology Research Institute has the top security system, yeah?”
“Of course,” Erica answered. “Unregistered individuals can’t even pass through the first gate. Strict security checks are conducted if they are to proceed farther inside. Isn’t that right, Mia?”
“Yes. I’ll be safe as long as someone doesn’t drop a big bomb from the sky and blow us to smithereens,” Euphemia helpfully supplied.
“And I’d fare ‘bout as well as the gate when it comes to a big bomb,” Zelaide concluded. “At any rate, I’ll handle my personal matters durin’ your work hours. Send me a D-com once you’re off work. I’ll come get you.”
“…Okay.”
“I’m relieved to hear all this,” Erica commented, an entertained look on her face as she watched their exchange.
“It’s too soon for you to feel relieved. You should know, I cost a fortune.”
“And I have a private fortune saved up. To be perfectly honest with you, I believe the better course of action would be to have her quit her job and go live at my villa in another city, but this girl is stubborner than she looks and won’t listen once she’s made up her mind. It’s my fault for spoiling her all these years.”
“At least you’re aware of your sins… So, what’s the job duration?”
“Good question… As you may be aware, I still have some time left to my term. But I’ve only finished about half of what I set out to do, so I plan to run in the next election as well… In the meantime, I would like to entrust my younger sister to you for a three-month period.”
“Very well.” Zelaide accepted the job, his voice grave.
On the opposite hand, Euphemia was jumping with joy on the inside. “Now that you’ve accepted the job can you quit the crap and call me by my name? I’m not ‘you,’ ‘girl,’ ‘little lady,’ ‘young lady,’ or whatever else you might call me. I’m Euphemia. You can call me Mia too. Okay? Zel. Mister Zelaide Silvergray!”
Zelaide unleashed yet another deep, troubled sigh.
She’s annoying… But I’ve gotta do this now that I’ve accepted.
Ominous winds were blowing in around them. And something between the two of them was on the verge of blossoming.