Chapter 32

■ Chapter 31. Gathering (6) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

As the daughter of the Rekilis family and a new literature student at the academy, Mari was currently in a very good mood.

Although she had always detested attending gatherings like this, she always made thorough preparations to help her family.

Even if she possessed superior knowledge, it would be meaningless without the experience to back it up. This was to put into practice the ideals she had learned from her family.

Each experience had indeed been a great help, so Mari reluctantly attended.

Therefore, while she diligently applied her makeup, she hoped it would end as quickly as possible. However, today, she meticulously checked for any flaws, and the makeup process, which usually took about an hour, ended up taking over three hours.

In return, the effort she put into her makeup paid off, and the dress she brought from the mansion was impeccable. Mari was satisfied with her beautiful appearance and willingly attended the gathering.

“Oh! Could you be the daughter of the Rekilis family?”

“Yes, I’m Mari Hausen Rekilis.”

“I’m Jenia Clton Hirtu from the Hirtu family.”

“Hirtu family… Ah! Could you be the daughter of Mad Viscount?”

“Yes! As expected, you know. It’s a real honor to meet you, Lady Mari.”

“Is Lady Jenia a noble?”

On the way to the gathering, someone recognized Mari, but she handled it smoothly. Thanks to her experience attending ‘social gatherings’ since she was 14, she had learned how to interact with people.

Of course, she didn’t put on a ‘mask’ like some people she knew. Not only was she naturally bad at acting, but the rumors about her had long spread within the social circles.

The daughter of the Rekilis family, Mari, was known for her lively personality.

To put it bluntly, she had a tomboyish personality, but because of her powerful background, no one dared to speak ill of her openly. Instead, they flattered her with sweet words that were transparently insincere.

Mari really disliked such people. They were pretentious, hiding knives in their hearts while putting on a charming facade. They were cunning wolves waiting to reveal their true intentions for personal gain.

‘This feeling again. I really hate it.’

Although Mari couldn’t act, she could tell if people were being sincere through their expressions. Unlike Lina, who had keen observational skills, Mari instinctively sensed such things.

Even the student, Jenia, who seemed friendly, gave her a strong sense of calculation. Her attempt to form connections with high-ranking nobles was evident. Although she didn’t show it, Mari found the situation very uncomfortable.

‘He never felt this way.’

While conversing with Jenia, Mari thought about the red-haired male student she had recently befriended. A man with striking crimson hair and golden eyes that shone like a predator’s.

Their first meeting wasn’t particularly good, but as they spent more time together, she realized he was far from pretentious. Even if he lied, it was evident on his face, and his tone, though blunt, was sincere.

‘Sometimes he seems to be hiding something…’

But it was a personal secret, not the kind of pretense Mari despised. Digging into someone’s personal life wasn’t her hobby.

In any case, while her mind was preoccupied with the recent male student, she outwardly continued her conversation with Jenia. Before she knew it, they had arrived at the entrance of the grand hall where the gathering was to take place.

“We’ve already arrived. I’m a bit disappointed.”

“We can continue talking inside.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

“Of course. But I also have someone I want to meet, so I think we’ll have to part ways here.”

“Ah…”

Jenia genuinely seemed disappointed, but Mari wanted to leave this situation as quickly as possible. She just wanted to go to his side and chat as usual.

What kind of outfit would he be wearing? Although he bought a cheap tuxedo for less than 8 gold, she thought it would suit him well. His average height and slim build would make the clothes look good.

Mari then stepped into the grand hall, leaving the disappointed Jenia behind. Despite attending numerous social gatherings, the interior of the grand hall was impressively decorated, even to her discerning eye.

However, there was something more important to her than the grand hall.

‘Red hair… red hair… red hair…’

As soon as she entered, Mari began searching for the red-haired boy, not anyone else. He might not have arrived yet, but she had to look first.

Soon, her keen eyes caught sight of the red hair. A black-haired woman stood in front of him.

‘…Cecily?

Mari recognized the face. The princess of Helium and a woman she had formed a connection with at the academy.

The woman was currently wearing a revealing dress and chatting amicably with the red-haired boy. The red-haired boy’s face was flushed, and he was responding with a gentle expression.

“… …”

Mari’s eyebrows twitched momentarily, and a mysterious emotion welled up from deep within her chest.

Seeing the two of them chatting so affectionately made her feel… really uncomfortable. She wanted to separate them immediately.

With this, Mari moved her legs and approached them, her face stiffening involuntarily.

* * *

There’s a saying that a woman’s transformation is innocent. This saying came about because it’s common for an ordinary woman to become beautiful with makeup.

However, men often brush it off, saying that as long as she’s pretty, it’s fine, and they laugh it off. In reality, it’s extremely rare for a relationship to end because a girlfriend’s bare face is unattractive. Most often, the man who suggests breaking up is the one who gets criticized.

Of course, this applies to ordinary women who become beautiful with makeup. For women who are already beautiful without makeup, makeup often covers their natural beauty.

Moreover, in Cecily’s case, her eyes were drawn to something other than her face.

“Isaac’s face is really red.”

“… …”

I looked at Cecily, who spoke with a playful tone, with a blank expression. Maybe it’s because my face is so hot, but I don’t even realize it’s red.

‘Really…’

I covered my face with one hand and let out a groan. I barely managed to suppress the desire welling up from deep within me.

I’m not a pervert, but seeing Cecily like this, my male instincts were about to kick in.

But as a man, I understand. A woman so beautiful that it makes your eyes pop, wearing a revealing dress and playing a suggestive game in front of you—how could any man not react?

At this point, the best thing to do is to prevent the symbol of manhood from rising. I took a deep breath and spoke quietly.

“Phew… Big sister…?”

“What?”

“…Isn’t your outfit a bit… excessive?”

“What’s excessive?”

Are you asking because you don’t know? No, it’s definitely intentional.

I sighed again at Cecily’s playful question.

“That… the outfit is a bit…”

“Suggestive?”

“…Yes.”

As my heart calmed down, I lowered the hand covering my face. As soon as I did, my gaze kept drifting downward, fixed on Cecily.

I’m not a sage; I can’t suppress my instincts.

Meanwhile, Cecily, who noticed my wandering gaze, smiled and spoke.

“You don’t have to try so hard not to look.”

“…But it’s still rude, isn’t it?”

“Wouldn’t it be strange to call it rude when I’m wearing such an outfit? And in our demon race, we often wear such outfits at social gatherings. Especially, men are honest about their desires, right? It’s a way to see how much they can control their desires.”

That’s… a desirable phenomenon, indeed. I nodded reluctantly at her explanation.

If someone else wore such an outfit, I might criticize them, but with Cecily, it felt different. The charm and dignity she naturally possessed made her even more attractive.

However, the fundamental issue of not being able to look away remained the same.

“…Are you going to keep walking like this?”

“Huh? Of course. Are you worried that others might look at me strangely?”

“… …”

“Judging by your silent, blushing face, I think I’m right.”

Cecily wiggled her finger, as if saying, “Gotcha, gotcha.” I felt my blood pressure rising.

To avoid a nosebleed, I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway! What were you doing just now?”

“I was talking to some people I met for the first time. It wasn’t very pleasant. Most of them, men and women alike, looked at me with lustful eyes. Humans are indeed honest about their desires.”

Despite her calm tone, the content was unpleasant. I frowned slightly, showing my confusion.

“Don’t you find it unpleasant? Even if it’s part of demon culture…”

“Isaac. Don’t apply human standards to other races. We have our ways, and humans have theirs.”

“… …”

“We, as demons, can live as humans, but if we accept what others force upon us, it’s just imitation. As you said before, demons should live as demons.”

Cecily’s stern advice left me speechless, as if I had been hit on the head.

As she said, applying human standards to other races is a pitiful act. Perhaps my actions were making her feel uncomfortable.

“…I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn.”

“No, it’s fine. I can feel your consideration, and that makes me feel good.”

Cecily shrugged and smiled. I also smiled gently and met her gaze.

“What are you doing here?”

“Huh?”

In the midst of the warm atmosphere, a familiar woman’s voice cut in. Both Cecily and I turned to the source of the voice.

Turning my head, I saw a beautiful woman standing confidently with her arms crossed. She had a clearly displeased expression, as if something was bothering her.

I didn’t recognize her at first, but I identified her by her snow-white hair and sharp, blue eyes.

“…Could it be Mari?”

“Why are you calling me?”

When I mentioned Mari’s name, the beautiful woman answered curtly. I scanned her appearance, slightly dazed.

Her long white hair, which used to reach her waist, was tied in a ponytail, revealing a deer-like neck. The makeup made her look more mature overall.

The white dress with a subtle blue tint was also quite daring, though not as much as Cecily’s. It revealed her shoulders, accentuating her delicate collarbone, and exposed part of her ample chest, exuding a sexual charm.

Finally, she wore expensive-looking jewelry befitting the daughter of a duchy, but it didn’t add much to her beauty.

In summary, while the student Mari exuded a lively and youthful charm, the current Mari had a mature and adult-like presence, similar to Cecily.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something wrong with my appearance?”

While I was examining her, Mari asked again in a curt tone.

Judging by her averted gaze and the blush on her cheeks, she seemed embarrassed.

I quickly regained my composure and spoke my true thoughts.

“No. It’s just… I was taken aback. You look so beautiful that I didn’t recognize you at first.”

“…Beautiful?”

At the compliment, Mari’s stern face softened slightly. She then glanced at Cecily, who was standing next to me, and spoke carefully.

“…How beautiful am I?”

“Beautiful enough to fall in love at first sight, as you claimed before?”

“…Huh?”

As I answered, Cecily, standing next to me, expressed her confusion. Her expression showed that she was raising an eyebrow, clearly bothered by something.

Regardless, Mari seemed satisfied with my answer, her lips curling into a smile. She then faced me directly and spoke with a dismissive tone.

“You’re usually so blunt, but you can also speak sweet words. But you know, there’s no point in flattery if it’s not genuine.”

“Have I ever spoken insincerely? If I did, I would have used all sorts of flowery language, calling you a goddess of beauty or something.”

“It would have been better if you had. It’s a bit disappointing.”

“Then should I do it now?”

“Never mind. Anyway…”

While chatting with me, Mari’s gaze shifted to Cecily. She quickly scanned her from head to toe, then cautiously spoke.

“Cecily, you’re… quite daring, aren’t you? I don’t know where to look.”

Mari seemed to share a similar sentiment to mine. Indeed, anyone who saw Cecily would likely react similarly.

Cecily, hearing Mari’s comment, smiled and did something unexpected.

“Yeah. What do you think, Mari?”

She subtly grabbed my arm and pulled it, pressing it against her chest.

The action was so natural that I reacted belatedly. The soft, squishy sensation traveled up my arm, reigniting the passion that had subsided.

“What, what are you doing…”

“I was curious to see how Isaac would react to this dress.”

What does that mean? I was more than just surprised; I was bewildered by Cecily’s answer. It was clearly different from her usual playful tone, and I couldn’t understand it.

“…What do you mean?”

Mari also seemed bewildered by Cecily’s answer, expressing her confusion with a raised eyebrow.

Cecily, in response, gripped my arm even tighter. She seemed determined, and no matter how I tried to pull away, she wouldn’t let go. The more I struggled, the more vividly the squishy sensation was transmitted.

“I mean exactly that. I was curious about Isaac’s reaction.”

“No, Cecily? Earlier, you said…”

“…Is the joke over? Can’t you see that Isaac is uncomfortable?”

Before I could speak, Mari stepped forward and grabbed the arm Cecily was holding. However, Mari, who was almost an ordinary human, couldn’t match Cecily’s strength.

As a result, the two women ended up in a standoff, with my arm between them. Despite the sudden tension, Cecily maintained her playful attitude.

“I’m not joking. And this is a kind of reward given to those who can control their desires. It’s an old tradition in Helium.”

“That’s a tradition in your demon race. In our human world, your actions are not viewed positively. What you’re doing with Isaac is something lovers do, and it can raise suspicions about chastity.”

“I told Isaac the same thing. Applying human standards to other races is not good. And our demon race is also very conservative about chastity.”

“If you’re in the human world, shouldn’t you follow human laws? At least, that’s what I think.”

The two women engaged in a fierce exchange, neither willing to back down. Notably, while Mari’s face was stiff, Cecily maintained a playful smile throughout.

However, it didn’t matter. Looking around, I noticed that people were watching us with interest.

The princess of Helium and the daughter of Rekilis, fighting over a man. What an exciting scene.

You might have heard this before:

Life is a comedy when seen from a distance, but a tragedy when seen up close.

‘…I want to go home.’

That’s how I feel right now.