Ch.187Side Story 2. The Story After, Garnet (3)

The Story After, Garnet (3)

If asked about the most terrible past in Garnet’s life, it would be when she was betrayed by her comrades.

But if asked about her most despairing past, it was when she was slowly withering away, trapped in a small hut without anyone’s attention.

How desperate must she have been to feel glad to see Lug, whom she had considered a traitor?

In that sense, it was remarkable that she forgave Extra, whom she thought she would never forgive.

No, actually it’s far from forgiveness. Garnet never forgave Extra even once.

The two merely tolerated each other, never having a sincere conversation.

“Haah…”

And this hut where she is now.

It’s identical in structure from top to bottom to the place where she was imprisoned back then.

“Right, they must have prepared several of these.”

Extra, who played the role of a double agent. It makes sense that they would have prepared plenty of hideouts and places to clean up dirty work.

It seems like some divine prank that she discovered this place, but this is merely a coincidence.

The Extra who imprisoned her is already dead, and to call it a divine prank—isn’t there a god right beside her?

It would be surprising if this were an elaborate trap designed by Lug, but Lug has no reason to act that way.

“Garnet.”

“Shut up.”

“Are you alright?”

“I said shut up!”

“You don’t look well. If something’s wrong…”

“Ah, enough!”

Garnet lashed out at Lug who was worried about her.

She knows. She knows that Lug is genuinely concerned about her.

It’s just that she…

“I’m fine.”

She didn’t want to show weakness.

Life as a demon never allowed her to show weakness. It was unavoidable for her, once human, to blend into the demon realm.

She had to be more violent than anyone, had to be strong, and had to solve everything through power.

That was the principle of demons as she saw it. Things she couldn’t understand as someone born human, and a hero at that.

She who had been betrayed and killed in the past.

Having been unable to keep anyone close, she naturally hated showing her weakness to others.

“It’s okay to show weakness in front of me.”

“…!”

But Lug immediately sees through Garnet’s inner feelings.

As if reading her memories, he casually looks at what she has deeply hidden in her heart.

That was frightening, uncomfortable, and also appreciated. At least one person understands her without her having to say anything.

Though it’s problematic when he understands things she doesn’t want him to know…

“Fine…”

Garnet decided to accept it.

The world is changing, so she doesn’t need to be as stubborn as before.

Now there’s at least someone who understands her heart.

Garnet didn’t hide the tears welling up in her eyes as she turned around. Even if tears gathered in her eyes, her lips would still wear an even more confident smile.

Let’s acknowledge my weakness.

With that determination, Garnet turned around and could see Lug waiting for her with a smile.

“…Why are you like that?”

“…It’s not my fault.”

He had a third leg sprouting from his lower body.

***

Lug didn’t want this either.

He understood that Garnet was deeply hurt inside, and it’s true that he thought comforting her would be good.

But there’s a difference between mind and body.

Garnet’s appearance with her dress torn here and there from the battle with Robeno was enough to stimulate Lug’s lower body.

He couldn’t help but look at the bare skin visible through the torn dress, and because Garnet had her back turned, there was no need to suppress his gaze.

“So in a way, this is Garnet’s fault too.”

“Are you insane?”

If he had been facing her, he would have been mindful of his gaze, but it’s Garnet’s fault for turning her back to avoid eye contact.

Lug tried to defuse the situation by presenting an absurd logic.

Because Garnet’s gaze at him was too hostile.

“You, you…”

Garnet felt dizzy.

She wasn’t even angry. Just the thought of how absurd it was preceded everything else, and when she opened her mouth, only a sigh flowed out.

After sighing and carefully choosing her words, what came out of Garnet’s mouth was not anger but a question.

“Didn’t you… yesterday…”

Wasn’t he with Lilith? She knows Lilith made efforts to relieve Lug’s stress.

Because of that, she saw something she didn’t want to see when they met in the morning, and after being blackmailed, she ended up in this state.

Yet why is he still in that condition?

“I couldn’t fully express my desires with Lilith.”

“What…?”

“It’s her first time, so I had to be considerate.”

“A bastard who knows how to be considerate, yet in front of me…!”

He says such things?

Aside from showing an unserious attitude in a serious situation, he even shifts the blame.

“Think about it. Half a year. For a whole half year, I’ve been so busy working that I haven’t had time to relieve stress. How could I be satisfied with just doing it once?”

“I don’t want to hear how many times you did it!”

Garnet backed away with a shudder.

Now in her eyes, Lug no longer looked like a dependable husband but began to look like an incomprehensible monster.

Is it really okay to be alone in the same space with someone as honest about his desires as Lug? Come to think of it, Garnet had never been alone with Lug before, so it was inevitable that such concerns would arise.

“Lug.”

“Yes.”

“You use this room.”

“Isn’t this a prison cell?”

“Exactly.”

“…”

A serious tone. A chilling gaze that suggests no insubordination will be tolerated.

Lug eventually quietly opened the iron bars and went inside.

‘Is this what being married is like?’

Watching Garnet close the iron bars from outside and even lock it, Lug couldn’t help but think that.

It felt like isolating something dirty. No, it wasn’t just a feeling—he was isolated.

Lug felt hurt. Was he that untrustworthy? Anyone would think he might do something terrible to Garnet while she slept.

Even though they’re married.

‘Well, I would touch her a little.’

Lug is not the kind of terrible person who would pounce on someone while they sleep.

But since they’re married, wouldn’t a little skinship be okay?

Unfortunately, Lug didn’t realize that this kind of thinking was exactly why Garnet was wary of him.

“Lug.”

“Yes, Garnet.”

While thinking about this, Garnet called for Lug again.

Could she be thinking of letting him out?

Surely she must have realized that locking him up like this was too much.

Clank!

And as Lug expected, Garnet opened the iron bars and entered, making eye contact with him.

Lug met Garnet’s eyes with a hopeful face. His eyes were sparkling more than ever.

As if trying to prove that he was innocent.

But just as Lug could see through Garnet’s inner thoughts, Garnet could also see through Lug’s obvious intentions.

The reason she called Lug was because his thoughts were so transparent that she needed to take additional measures.

“I should lock this too. I forgot. You were a spy, weren’t you? You can pick locks, right?”

“…No?”

“Your answer was half a beat late.”

Lug was a spy for the hero’s party and had learned various skills that a spy should master.

Among them was the method of picking locks, so Garnet’s judgment was correct.

Clank!

And then came the fail collar… no, the fail handcuffs.

With his wrists firmly bound and pulled up, Lug’s sleeves were also inspected.

“Haha, I knew it. What’s this, Lug?”

“…This is just a habit from my spy days. Please trust me, Garnet.”

“Sure, I trust you. I trust that you’re a person who follows his desires.”

Various lock-picking equipment hidden between his sleeves.

Cleverly made in the form of hairpins and buttons, they wouldn’t have been noticed if she hadn’t checked.

“I’ll take these, okay?”

After completely restraining Lug, Garnet grinned.

Seeing the helpless appearance of Lug, who had shaken her in many ways, made her feel inexplicably good.

But…

“…Why did it get bigger?”

“Well, this situation is kind of arousing, isn’t it?”

“D-don’t suddenly say weird things! You madman!”

Seeing Lug’s lower body, which had swollen even more than when she saw it earlier, Garnet backed away with a shudder.

“Couldn’t you think of it this way? It’s because Garnet is too attractive that I’m like this.”

“You only see me as an object of lust, yet you say such things.”

“Is that not okay?”

“What…?”

“We’re married. And isn’t that part of Garnet’s charm?”

“What nonsense are you…”

“If not, why would you wear such a provocative dress with a high slit? Garnet actually likes being seen that way, right? So you should be grateful to me! I’m the one who sees Garnet exactly as Garnet intends to be seen!”

“…”

Overwhelmed.

Garnet was terrified by Lug’s forceful demeanor.

Lug’s angry appearance, both above and below, was enough to make her feel that way.

“Take responsibility.”

“What…?”

“You made me angry, so please calm me down.”

“…”

Garnet felt dizzy.

But she’s not someone who stupidly gets swept up in the atmosphere like Lug.

“What are you saying! You madman!”

Thwack!

Garnet shouted as she stomped on Lug’s angry lower body.

At that moment.

‘Huh…?’

She felt a strange exhilaration that couldn’t be expressed in words.