Chapter 112: Beatrix’s Conditions
After Aleena and I chat for a while, we get up and head to the dining room because Tiriana comes to inform us once again that breakfast is ready.
Getting to the dining area, I see Theodore and old man Zane seated around the dining table, with old man Zane flashing me a toothy grin.
"O-Old man, you’re still here?!" I ask in shock.
"Haaaa, I didn’t want to stay either. Theodore forced me. Trust me, I’d rather spend a good time in a brothel than willingly stay back like this," Zane says shamelessly while Tiriana helps serve some food onto his plate.
I take a seat beside Aleena and look around at everyone present. I notice Maya and Pico, but Maya is the one who surprises me. She’s so quiet, as if she doesn’t want anyone to know she even exists. This is because she’s terrified of the old man wanting to test her skills.
"Father, you aren’t supposed to say something like that in front of Jacob," Theodore says with a worried expression, but old man Zane breaks into laughter.
"Really?! But he’s a pornstar! He’s probably seen more asses and breasts than you. You need to understand this. Our son-in-law pounds women for a living, okay?" old man Zane says, and Theodore’s face burns red with embarrassment.
"Grandpa, that’s enough," Aleena suddenly says in a low voice, and miraculously, the old man doesn’t say anything else and simply starts eating.
"By the way, Theodore. Why don’t you move to a much bigger and better house? I have one in town that’s just gathering dust. What do you think?" Zane asks.
Theodore’s eyes widen briefly before returning to normal.
"I can’t, Dad."
"Why? This place doesn’t befit your status. You’re a former general. Not just any general, but one with countless achievements and feats."
"I understand your concerns, Father. However, I do not wish to leave this place. This house belongs to my wife, and I have found solace in it. As long as I am happy here, that’s all that matters. I appreciate your concern though," Theodore replies.
"Honey... But Grandpa is right. I think moving to a bigger house would be better than staying here," Tiriana chimes in.
"No. We are not moving from here. Maya will follow her sister eventually, and then it’ll just be you and me alone in this place with five rooms. Wouldn’t it be even worse if we lived in a bigger house?" Theodore says again.
"That’s fine if that’s your decision. I’ll end up selling the house anyway since no one is going to use it," old man Zane says with a soft sigh.
I want to butt in, but I stop myself at the last second and don’t say anything. It would be better to talk to the old man about it later. Either way, it’s still a bummer because the house is in Ethoestan while I plan to relocate to Phastern.
During the entire meal, no one speaks again. Maya is the quietest of all. Even the way she eats is cautious, as if she’s deliberately trying to avoid anyone noticing her.
I notice old man Zane is no longer in a good mood after hearing Theodore’s decision. After all, no father can simply ignore the fact that the day of their child’s death is drawing closer.
After we finish eating, I give Aleena an excuse that I want to get something. Surprisingly, she doesn’t ask what I want to get, and I head straight to Beatrix’s house.
Getting to her doorstep, I knock, but there’s no response. However, I hear faint music playing inside, which makes me certain she’s home. With that conclusion, I try opening the door and it swings open.
Stepping inside, the music becomes louder, but what shocks me even more is the fact that I no longer recognize the place. It’s as if I have entered a completely different apartment. Her living room has been furnished properly, with new couches placed around the room. Even the walls have been freshly painted.
I follow the source of the music to the open area between her living room and bedroom and, lo and behold, I see Beatrix sitting on a yoga mat. She’s wearing thin sports pants and a sports bra, and her legs are stretched completely apart with one leg raised above her head.
Her head is tilted back, and her silver hair sweeps across the floor as she stretches effortlessly. What makes it even more daring is the fact that due to her raised leg, I can clearly see the outline beneath her pants.
Before I know it, blood starts pouring from my nose in a comical manner.
"Hey, don’t you realize I’m here? You even stretch further and completely ignore me!?" I exclaim, unable to hold back my annoyance.
She finally stops, lowers her leg, turns, and smirks at me.
"Does it even matter if you see it? It’s not like you can touch it anyway," she says in a confident, slightly mocking tone.
"What do you mean by that?" I ask, furrowing my brows.
"I mean, even if you see it, it’s not like you can do anything about it. Or can you?" she says again, this time not bothering to hide the mockery in her voice.
Damn, this bitch...
"Are you underestimating me?" I ask, trying to sound mysterious. Honestly, Lust Touch is my only trump card right now, and there’s no guarantee it’ll even work on someone like her, who probably has a strong will and is far stronger than me. The only reason it works on Tiriana is because she’s been sexually starved for several years.
"Yes, I am underestimating you. Don’t think that just because you have royal blood, you can get me to spread my legs," she replies coldly.
"Do you not find me attractive or what?" I ask, genuinely surprised by her attitude. From the last time we talk, I know she’s blunt, but she seems even worse today.
"Oh, I actually find you attractive, and you’re my ideal man. However, since you’re a lot weaker than me, I don’t respect you regardless of your nobility. But if you can beat me into a stupor, I’d spread my legs for you and even become your concubine. But I doubt you can do that. You’re the guy who almost got killed by a hobgoblin," she replies.
I simply stand there, watching her roast me as much as she wants.
"Sounds like you’re a masochist."
"Sure. I like getting dominated," she replies with a wink.
"Does that mean you’d open your legs for any guy who can beat you?" I ask.
"Pfft. It doesn’t work that way. Beating me up isn’t the only requirement. I also have to like that person before I’d spread my legs. In your case, you just need to beat me," she says with another wink.
Woah. What the actual fuck? Is this a green light?
The next moment, I lunge forward and try to grab her by the neck, but before my hand can reach her, Beatrix disappears from where she’s sitting.
What the hell?
As I turn around, I notice Beatrix standing behind me with her arms folded. Within that brief moment, she lands a kick on my chest before I can react, sending me flying backward. My back slams violently into the wall before I fall to the ground.
"Is that all you’ve got?" she asks in a mocking tone, slowly walking toward me.
I spit out blood and slowly get back to my feet. It’s obvious that her speed far exceeds mine. It isn’t something I can easily catch up to. Her movements are instantaneous, as if she isn’t even using Mana to move that fast. It’s as though her body has been conditioned to move that way naturally.
"Fine, you win this time. I can’t beat your speed," I say, raising my hands in surrender.
Beatrix pauses for a moment as if she has heard wrong, and a smile blooms on her face.
"You’re not as useless as I thought you’d be. You could tell that my speed is unparalleled. Even S-Rank adventurers struggle to keep up with me. If I had a huge Mana pool, I would’ve become an S-Rank already, but it seems fate has different plans for me," Beatrix says with a smile while looking out the window.
"Well, how about we talk about the reason I’m here?" I say in a serious and worried voice as I take a seat on the yoga mat.
Since it’s wide enough, Beatrix also sits beside me, leaving a small space between us. I can smell the shampoo wafting from her hair.
"Today, I will teach you how to use your blood arts..."
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