Ch.119Victory Conditions (2)

# Victory Condition (2)

While Esmeralda’s training was quite serious, the training of the other hero party members was not.

From the beginning, Eirene and Millia had access to pioneering knowledge and the highest quality education.

The discourse on dragon magic and faith was certainly informative, but not something that required rigorous study.

That’s why the other two people eventually gathered in one place.

Of course, since these two people who were wary of each other wouldn’t be together amicably, there was only one reason they would gather.

“I was worried when you fell from the sky, but I’m glad you’re safe, Garnet.”

“You’re the one who dropped me, though.”

It was because of Lug.

After mediating the fight between Garnet and Baruna, Lug had brought the collapsed Garnet over and was treating her.

Of course, there wasn’t much he could do in terms of actual treatment.

He just wanted to carry Garnet in a princess hold and move her.

Lug wasn’t the type to miss an opportunity to legally touch those smooth thighs.

So he abruptly picked up the collapsed Garnet in a princess carry and moved her that way until they were guided to a new place to stay.

Naturally, such a sight drew the attention of others.

To make matters worse, when Garnet regained consciousness midway and covered her face with both hands in embarrassment, it was quite a shocking scene even for the dragon folk.

As a result, the hero party members who had been scattered doing their own tasks heard about this spectacle, and they gathered to confirm it, lingering around Lug.

“I’m done now, so could you please leave?”

“I feel responsible.”

“No, just leave already.”

“So I should stay by Garnet’s side until she gets back on her feet.”

“…Just listen to me!”

At this point, Garnet felt more burdened than embarrassed.

If it had been just her and Lug in the room, it might have been different, but there was an audience that had rushed in to watch the two of them.

Garnet didn’t care how they looked at her.

It was ridiculous.

Whether they were jealous or burning with hostility, what did she care? She was confident.

But that didn’t mean she was okay with showing this kind of scene.

“Since we’re both demons, I should be the one treating you. And I should take responsibility for what I’ve done.”

Go over to Baruna’s side then.

Garnet barely suppressed the words that were about to burst out.

She was someone who didn’t care if others were jealous of her or whatever, but it was different if that person was Baruna.

She had the mindset that she’d rather have it herself than give it to that woman.

That was what was making Garnet uncomfortable now.

Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere wouldn’t last long.

Because…

“Husband! It’s me! Tanha!”

“…What?”

The awkwardness shifted elsewhere. Immediately, everyone’s attention and focus moved in a different direction.

Even Lug, who had been taking such good care of her, looked at the suddenly appeared figure and promptly stood up.

“Lady Tina…? What are you…”

A different kind of discomfort sprouted in a corner of Garnet’s heart, but she deliberately ignored that emotion.

***

At first, Tanha was skeptical too. She couldn’t believe that the celestial deity she had known had now descended to the world. After all, she had spent her entire life longing for him until she died.

She felt resentful, but she decided to respect his will. She remembered the back of his figure during his ascetic practices.

But the moment Tanha saw Lug, she knew.

“Husband!”

An overwhelming emotion.

“I’ve waited so long for you.”

A feeling she couldn’t contain.

Tanha ran toward Lug without any intention of hiding her presence.

Lug almost instinctively embraced Tina who had suddenly rushed at him.

Everyone knew that Tina’s current state was strange, but instinct seemed to have taken over.

Lug froze as he looked at the woman in his arms.

“Did you say… Tanha?”

He had lived through countless ages.

Perhaps even the dragon folk couldn’t have lived as long as he had.

The only one living in the same time period as him now was La•Pa.

However, he never forgot those who had devoted themselves to him. Even though he had lost his own name, he remembered their existence.

And because of that, he was the first to notice how serious the current situation was.

“How are you…?”

Tanha.

A spy sent by La•Pa.

A beautiful dancer who tried to seduce him.

A woman who learned to smile more purely than anyone else.

And a devoted wife who let go of his hand for her own purpose.

It was definitely her.

Even if her appearance was different, Lug remembered everything about her—her atmosphere, speech patterns, gait, and even her habits.

But despite meeting Tanha after such a long time, Lug couldn’t simply be happy.

“…What happened? Lady Tina’s mind…?”

Because the body that Tanha’s soul now inhabited was Tina’s.

He felt as much creepiness as joy.

If his judgment was fatally wrong. If because of him, Tina had completely died and the woman he once loved had taken over her body.

If all of this was an evil plot by the evil god, Mara-papiyas.

‘I…’

But before negative thoughts could rise in Lug’s mind, Tanha shouted.

“No! Tina is still alive. I’m just borrowing her body for a moment!”

Tanha explained the situation to Lug who had the same misunderstanding as herself.

Suddenly, La•Pa became a bitch once again in a place where she wasn’t present, but it was unavoidable due to her usual behavior. Thus, La•Pa’s honor was tarnished without anyone knowing, then restored to its original state.

“…Is that so?”

“Yes, shall I call her out? Ah, no. Let me stay like this a little longer. I missed you so much, just a little longer.”

Fortunately, Lug’s worry seemed unfounded. Lug ended up patting Tanha who was clinging to him and acting spoiled.

His actions were natural and filled with affection.

Wouldn’t he have missed her too?

Reminiscing about memories with Tanha who used to cling to him just like now, Lug thought.

‘At least she used to have something that could be called breasts…’

It was a bit disappointing.

Like visiting a restaurant from your memories, where the food is still good but different from the taste you remember.

Still, Lug savored the sensation of the soft skin clinging to him. After all, human body temperature is warm, regardless of size.

And Tanha, who had even been married to Lug in the past, could read his thoughts.

‘Indeed… as mother said, he’s become more honest than before.’

She felt lewdness in the hands embracing her.

‘Then this is even better.’

Tanha ignored Tina who was screaming inside her.

It was just screaming out of embarrassment. She could feel that Tina also welcomed the current situation.

So it was fine. She could be the excuse for that embarrassment.

She was a woman generous to concubines.

Of course…

“Lug. That’s an evil spirit.”

“How did you do that? Can’t you teach me too?”

If concubines tried to climb up, managing them was also her role.

While some people were overtly wary of her…

‘What is that?’

There were also people whose thoughts she couldn’t understand at all.

‘What is she talking about?’

What did she want to be taught?

Tanha, who shared memories with Tina, didn’t know that Millia was planning to dissolve Lug’s body and transplant it elsewhere.

Millia’s madness-filled plan, which started because of the demon race’s inability to bear mixed-blood children, was now progressing toward creating a Lug who would be obedient to her.

“Evil spirit? That’s too harsh. I’m bearing the burden to save this child!”

“But now you’re arbitrarily controlling Lady Tina’s life. And the same goes for Lug.”

“I already got permission from Tina. And Lug? Who’s that? Oh, are you talking about my husband? Is there a problem with me being with my husband?”

A detestable appearance.

Tanha, as La•Pa’s daughter, was good at mocking others.

The implication that she didn’t know Lug’s real name and that she was already married to him.

Eirene had to narrow her brows at Tanha’s strike that conveyed so many meanings in just a few words.

Judging by Lug’s reaction, it must be true that she was Lug’s wife.

That claim was too powerful.

“Wife? Not anymore, right? Your past self seems to be gone. And you’ve changed from the past, haven’t you? Look at Lug’s expression. He’s confused because what used to be there is gone?”

Eirene, who had been monitoring Lug’s every move, could tell from his expression that there was a significant difference between the original Tanha and the current Tina.

And Lug seemed particularly distracted by that big difference.

“If you’re a different person now, isn’t it ridiculous to claim to be his wife? Many things must have changed.”

Eirene deliberately folded her arms, slightly lifting her chest.

Something the current Tanha lacked.

She was showing off her advantage by emphasizing it.

“Oh my, is that so? So that’s what you think. My goodness…”

But Tanha was strong.

After all, she was the one who went all the way with Lug. As someone who bore the name of desire, her greed was also extraordinary.

“But that’s not everything, is it? I know exactly what my husband likes! For example, things like this?”

Tanha showed her palm and then began to wiggle her fingers. Eirene’s face instantly turned red at the obscene movement that suggested something.

She couldn’t help it as she still didn’t have resistance to such things.

But such a reaction only brought favorable conditions to Tanha.

Because she had found her opponent’s weakness.

“And there’s this too.”

Eirene retreated step by step as Tanha stuck out her tongue with a “baaa” sound. Her face was so red that it seemed like she might be getting dizzy from the heat rising to her head.

“Shall I teach you? I can teach you well what my husband likes. After all, it’s only natural for the first wife to manage the concubines.”

“Tanha.”

“Yes! Husband.”

Tanha, who had been one-sidedly beating down Eirene, smiled innocently like a naive girl at Lug’s call.

She was originally a spy sent to seduce Lug. This much was simple for her.

No matter how skilled Eirene was at scheming, she was no match for Tanha who had professionally honed her skills in that area.

Yes, the balance was broken. Or so she thought…

“You’re not exactly my wife, are you?”

“What…?”

“We were divorced.”

“…Could it be that you’ve grown to dislike me?”

Tanha’s eyes welled up with tears at Lug’s resolute demeanor. This wasn’t an act but rather close to genuine emotion.

She looked so pitiful that even Eirene, who had been wary of Tanha, couldn’t intervene.

“No, that’s not it.”

Lug shook his head.

“You’re still a lovely and charming woman.”

It’s not that he disliked Tanha. He could now understand why she had to inhabit Tina’s body.

She was still the same person Lug loved.

“Th-then, marriage again…”

“But Tanha has already lost her mental purity. And I don’t marry non-virgins who have lost their purity.”

“W-wait a minute… You’re the one who took my purity…”

“There can be no exceptions to the rules.”

“Huh…?”

At this moment.

One of the victory conditions they had been thinking about to win Lug was revealed to be a trap.