Myths Reawakened

“What happened? What did you do to her?”

“Why did her attitude change so drastically? The way she looks at you...”

“Bastard, say something!”

In the garden of the mansion, Veronica straddled Wayne and rattled question after question like a machine gun. Senna had already left. Before departing, she had fussed over the scumbag, and even as she walked away, she looked back every three steps, eyes brimming with tenderness and reluctance.

Veronica had seen it all too clearly. Not only was Senna looking at Wayne improperly, but she also sauntered while swaying her hips in a phony manner for the scumbag’s benefit. Given the way she twisted her body, those who didn’t know her as a Dragonblood would’ve thought that she had snake blood instead.

In any case, something was wrong. Very wrong.

She was certain that something must have happened between Wayne and Senna when she wasn’t watching.

Bang!

“Stop playing dead! Talk!” Veronica punched the scumbag in the face, her eyes turning red from anger.

“What’s there to say? That woman was obviously trying to provoke you. You just have to fall for it and demand an explanation...” Wayne sighed with resignation. “Have you considered that, since you both have dragon blood, she knew how naive you must be and would fall for her little trick, so she used you to punish me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I just put her through hell. She can’t get revenge against me, so she opted to use you.”

Veronica held her fist, agonizing over whether she should punch him. After thinking it through, she demanded that Wayne explain what had happened and why Senna had taken a complete one-eighty.

Wayne shrugged, picking Veronica up and sitting down on a wicker chair with her on his lap. He read through the script he had mentally drafted. “You know me. Dragon blood cannot influence me, so Senna was doomed to fail from the start. She isn’t the kind of person to accept losses. If she didn’t find me useful, she would’ve turned on me already.”

Noting that Veronica’s expression remained unchanged, and her fists were still clenched, Wayne continued, “She tried to inject me with dragon blood but failed. I seized the chance to steal the blood, causing her tremendous losses...”

“While she was going to take the dragon blood back by force, I demonstrated the potential of the original bloodline and mended our partnership, even making her swear an oath—for the sake of our unbreakable partnership, she cannot retaliate against me in any way.”

“In return, I revealed some of the truths, including our true relationship and why we participated in the Holy Maiden selection...”

“Because of the oath, although Senna is furious, she can’t come after me directly. Unable to accept losing the dragon blood and being played, she sets her sights on you instead.”

Wayne lowered Veronica’s fists with disappointment. “I worked myself to death in there, enduring countless difficulties and humiliations and nearly getting killed. This is how you pay me back? She simply batted her eyes at me, and you lost your temper.”

“I’m sorry...”

Veronica lowered her head, face flushed. It was her fault. She had been impulsive, but she wouldn’t do that again.

It wasn’t entirely her responsibility, though. The old hag was too good an actress. The way her eyes dripped with honey didn’t seem fake at all.

“Louder.” Wayne pinched her face and knocked her head with a fist. “But I’ll forgive you because you’re you. No matter how unreasonable you get, I’ll forgive you every time.”

You’re the best!

Feeling a warmth in her chest, Veronica pecked Wayne on the face.

Such a small reward was obviously not enough for the scumbag. He could argue for himself even when he was in the wrong; when he was the victim of injustice, his character being called into question, he would, of course, stand on the moral high ground. He bit and sucked on her lips.

She nudged him while getting lost in his skillful kisses, not using any of her Dragonblood power.

After a moment, Wayne licked his lips, still unsatisfied. He guilt-tripped Veronica further: “Last time, when my pictures were taken, you were irrational, too, showing no trust in me. It hasn’t been long, but you’re already repeating the mistake.”

“Last time was different...” Veronica rested her head on his shoulder with shame, shifting the blame decisively. “I was following Mother’s example. She was angry, so I got angry, too.”

“Alright, I’ll trust you one more time. You’re Veronica after all.”

Wayne sighed. He was done for in this lifetime. Never would he break out of the grip of love.

Veronica was so delighted that her eyes curved into crescents.

Wayne patted her on the bottom. “You did well this time for not losing your temper in front of Senna. I’ll consider that your progress. You haven’t read my diary for nothing.”

Veronica smothered a pleased smile. When he picked her up and headed indoors, she said with a blush, “What are you doing? Your injury...”

“You should know if I’m injured or not, right?” Wayne chuckled. “Since you’ve done well today, I’ll give you two rewards. Let’s head to the basement. I’ve got six bottles of dragon blood, and I’ll give you two.”

“Yeah.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You really are good at fooling women. The old hag is smart, yet you managed to swindle six bottles of dragon blood from her.”

“At a high price. When I underwent the transformation, my heart nearly tore apart.” Wayne continued with his guilt-tripping. When Veronica looked visibly worried, he continued, “It’s all worth it. You, Master, and Megan will each get two bottles. If Megan doesn’t need the blood, her bottles will go to you and Master.”

“Megan gets it, too?” Veronica tilted her head.

“Of course. She’s Auston’s lover and has worked hard for the family for years. Master must have accepted her since she never says anything about her.” Wayne took the chance to promote monogamy—having one wife and one spouse[1], that was. He encouraged Veronica to learn from Silvia’s magnanimous heart.

Veronica frowned. “That’s not right. Megan and Mr. Lando... aren’t in a relationship like that.”

“During the Corridor of Nightmares, why did Megan lose her mind?”

“Um, well...”

“Stop fooling yourself. You think the same as I do.”

Veronica didn’t have a comeback for that. She quickly said, “Mr. Lando is terrible. You better not learn everything about him, or I’ll beat you to death.”

Geez, you decide to be clever now?

Wayne rolled his eyes. “It’s too late. To make himself stand out less with his scumminess, Auston not only arranged a secretary for me, but also introduced me to other girlfriends.”

“Really?” Veronica was skeptical. Given the relationship between the two generations of scumbags, she believed that Wayne was framing her father. But out of her trust in her scumbag, she subconsciously believed part of his lie.

“Really. You know the girlfriends he’s introduced to me: Kristen and Vera. He said that since you were all close, especially Kristen and you, you wouldn’t object to me having relationships with them.”

“Nonsense!”

Whatever Veronica thought about made her blush and punch Wayne in the face, warning him not to daydream. She emphasized how wonderful and pure her white moonlight was, telling him not to talk behind her senior’s back. If he wanted to badmouth someone, badmouth Vera.

They reached the basement. Wayne took out two bottles of dragon blood. Veronica removed her outer clothing, revealing the tights made of drake scales underneath. She raised an eyebrow at the scumbag, pleased with herself.

She no longer feared his trick!

Wayne didn’t press. He unsealed the bottle to refine Veronica’s bloodline. The two bottles of dragon blood were extremely effective, burning until late into the night. With her bloodline enhanced, Veronica was left exhausted and too lazy to move. She sprawled in Wayne’s arms and yawned.

He lifted her into a bridal carry and left the basement, heading to the bathroom on the second floor for a bath.

***

At noon the next day, Veronica opened her eyes to find herself sleeping under the same blanket as Wayne. Face flushed, she lowered her head and buried her face in his chest, pretending to be asleep.

Smells good! x2

After sleeping in for an hour, Wayne got kicked off the bed. He put on his shirt and pants before heading to the living room on the first floor.

(눈‸눈)

Senna stared at him. This was her house, not a love hotel. She would like to ask her guests to show some respect.

“Why does it matter? You’re mine, so your place is my place.” Wayne lectured her while enjoying her defiant expression. That hit the spot.

Senna dropped the vexing topic and briefed him on the investigation team’s progress. To summarize, there was none. There was no evidence or witness, so even though they knew there was something wrong with the Pope, they couldn’t do anything about him.

However, since the investigation team had been established, they wouldn’t only be looking into the assassination attempt on Wayne.

Senna planned to pressure the Pope from another angle. The old man had to have a few skeletons in his closet. She hadn’t had the opportunity to dig them up in the past, but now that she was given a chance, she would find something.

Wayne had little interest in the matter. Their scumminess competition was too much for an innocent man like him.

Mid-conversation, Senna’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she sauntered up to stand behind Wayne, massaging his shoulder and asking him if the pressure was right.

Veronica was coming downstairs after making herself presentable. She questioned if she was still dreaming when she saw the horrifying scene.

Even if it was acting, she was getting too intimate.

He’s your student’s student, still a child!

1. The original is 一夫一妻, literally one husband and one wife, an expression for monogamy. 夫, the part that refers to husband, is the same word for 夫人, which means wife. The author thus plays with the expression and uses it to refer to having one 夫人 and one 妻子, meaning having two wives. ☜