Myths Reawakened

Wayne and Veronica headed to her personal mansion. As soon as she closed the door, Wayne plastered himself against the wall.

“What are you doing?”

“Help with your demonstration of power.”

“Proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

Fuming, Veronica lifted Wayne by the collar. Rather than feeling humiliated, Wayne considered this aggressive flirting in the form of a kabedon[1]. But then the back of his head slammed into the wall, interrupting his thoughts.

Veronica didn’t know what he was doing, but she knew that the scum had to be up to something again. To not let him get what he wanted, she huffed and let go of him, taking the diary from him. Sitting down on the sofa, she read the diary while cursing out the depraved society for making it possible for bad people to masquerade as good people.

Wayne sat down beside her. The young lady really did not know how to curse. Her vocabulary was so limited that he got excited.

Bam!

Veronica punched him in the face. Remembering what her mother had said made her angrier, so she straddled him and made another punch. She didn’t bring up the matter of succession since it was too humiliating to mention again. Instead, she vented her anger by punching the scum in the face.

Wayne was getting used to the flirting style. It was a good sign that he hadn’t become a human cannonball yet. Before he could say something, he heard a loud boom, the sound shaking the glass of water on the table.

“Huh, what was that?”

Sitting on Wayne’s lap, Veronica had one hand raised while her other hand fisted his collar. She turned to look at the window, but didn’t see a human cannonball. She cocked her head in confusion.

Usually, the glass would shatter, Mr. Lando would fly away, and Megan would find him with a first-aid kit, but none of that happened tonight.

Wayne patted the legs straddling him. “I think I know what it was. Follow me. I’ll show you.”

“You do?”

“Of course. If you’re not satisfied with the answer, you can punish me then.”

“Oh, you’re so dead!”

Veronica wasn’t entirely convinced, but she still rose to her feet and followed Wayne to the basement under the bedroom.

The young lady’s and the young master’s standalone mansions were well-equipped; whatever was in the main house was installed in the two mansions as well, including underground air raid shelters. Wayne found himself in a spacious shelter with an abundance of food in the storage, as well as a few individual training rooms.

Wayne picked a random room and held onto the sealing bottle in his shirt. Looking around, he beckoned Veronica over like a thief. “Come closer, haha. I’ve got a treasure to show you.”

“Why are you being so secretive? What are you planning? Just tell me if you wanna die, and I’ll grant your wish!”

Veronica vaguely sensed that something wasn’t right, but she still leaned toward Wayne with curiosity written on her face. She was too trusting, even after reading his diary. The lessons had all been for nothing!

Once she was close enough, Wayne clutched the sealing bottle and broke the seal with his mana, opening the bottle toward Veronica. The pure golden dragon blood surged and sputtered flames. The moment the seal lost its effect, the blood activated, morphing into draconic claws and swinging at her, pulled by the dragon blood in her.

Shit!

“You lied again, bastard!” Veronica snarled. The moment she saw the golden light, her heart raced uncontrollably. Based on her experience on Dragon Heart Island, she turned around and tried to bolt, but it was too late.

The fiery claws gripped her, burning all her clothes. The heat of the external dragon blood purified her internalized bloodline.

Going through two purification processes in three months boosted her potential, so she could expect great enhancement in the future. Many would get on their knees and beg for the same chance without gaining access to it.

If Wayne’s eyes weren’t widened so dramatically, Veronica would’ve laughed.

She couldn’t move her body and couldn’t make a sound. The only thing she could do was to swear to herself that once she was no longer trapped, she would make him pay.

“Don’t worry. I’m only looking out for the family’s future.”

Wayne rubbed his hands together, circling Veronica. As if he wanted to die sooner, he taunted, “Is it just me, or is your waist thicker than before? Told you not to have so many sweets... Oh, my bad. It’s not just your waist.”

Veronica raged, her fury overwhelming her embarrassment. She snarled, “Just wait. I’ll kill you.”

They both fell silent.

“Huh, you can talk?” Wayne asked.

“Oh, I can talk.” Veronica looked at him in surprise, hoping that he would give her an explanation.

“It may be because your draconic bloodline is stronger than before...” Wayne scanned Veronica, making his speculation. “I’m guessing that the next time your bloodline gets purified—if there is a next time—you’ll not only be able to talk, but also to move around. You won’t be trapped like you are now.”

He raised an eyebrow. So did the old man get a fiery punch for his trouble today? Please have mercy on him, Goddess of Death!

Veronica didn’t fully understand, but his speculation made some sense. Suddenly, she realized something and growled, “Why are you playing nice now, bastard? Turn around immediately!”

“Your reaction time’s impressive...” Wayne muttered, turning three hundred and sixty degrees. When Veronica seemed even more furious, he shrugged and moved to stand behind her. “Better?”

...Worse. Veronica didn’t feel at ease at all, and her wrath burned brighter.

“Calm down. The fire around you will protect you from perverts, and with me here, none of them will get close to you,” Wayne promised solemnly.

“You’re dead! Dead!”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m dead. Don’t talk just yet. Stay calm and wait for the evolution to run its course.” Wayne returned to Veronica’s front. “Back on Dragon Heart Island, I had to defeat a demon to acquire the dragon blood. Aren’t you curious how difficult it was for me and if I had almost died?”

“That would’ve been better!” Veronica scoffed. After a silent moment, she shouted, “Won’t you just get out of here?”

“How could I? What if there’s a threat? I have to keep you under my watch. To tell you the truth, I haven’t dared to blink since the process began. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Wayne gave her an innocent, earnest look, as if he were making a noble sacrifice.

Veronica was close to tears as she implored, “Please stop looking and just get out of here, or I’ll surely kill you.”

“Is this how you beg people? Call me ‘brother’ in a sweeter tone.”

“Just wait. After killing you, I’ll put your body into a barrel of cement and sink you to the bottom of the river!” Veronica gnashed her teeth together, squeezing her eyes shut to avoid looking at him. Fine, look all you want. I’ll make sure you can never see again!

Wayne teased her for a little longer. When Veronica didn’t react, he stopped, feeling bored. He walked around the fire for half a circle and remembered how the old man had taken a burning punch. Since the old man’s fate would be his future fate, he decided to reach out to the fire to get to know it in advance.

He did it with his tentacles!

Standing behind Veronica, he tested the heat of the fire so that he wouldn’t be completely clueless then. It was blazing, and the heat of Veronica’s body was frightening. As soon as his tentacles touched her back, they scattered into ashes.

“What are you doing?” Veronica asked in a trembling voice.

“I’m testing it,” Wayne said honestly. “If there’s a next time, you’re going to punch me. I’m getting used to the fire now.”

Speechless, she huffed and fell silent.

Two hours later, Wayne returned to the basement with fresh clothes. Seeing no fire, he whirled around to flee, but she lunged at him from his blind spot and pinned him to the ground, raining punches on him.

“Put your clothes on first. This is inappropriate for a lady. I swear I won’t run.” Wayne flailed around, trying to push Veronica off him. With incredible precision, his hand always ended up pushing the right spots.

“I don’t care! I’m not putting on anything! I want you dead yesterday!”

***

The next day, Wayne walked into Auston’s study with his head wrapped in bandages under Megan’s disapproving stare. Auston’s head was similarly bandaged. Seeing each other’s attempt to garner sympathy, they both made a face.

How shameless! x2

“Auston, do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes, you’re not grounded anymore.”

“Huh?!”

Wayne was flabbergasted. How did things change so quickly, only twenty-four hours after?

“It’s the Minister’s order...” Auston said impassively. “You saved the High Reverend of the Church of Moonlight, didn’t you? She will arrive in Londan the day after tomorrow. The Ministry of Magic has to make our goodwill known. The Minister decides to make you our ambassador to welcome her. You’ll do your best to satisfy her needs.”

(⊙ˍ⊙)

Come again? Ambassador?

1. A trope in Japanese romance stories where one traps another against the wall. ☜