What it Means to be a Mate – Part 01
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Translator: Kell
On the upper floor of the tower was the room of the fort’s head’s wife.
Gemma was given a room adorned with ornate decorations. She glanced at the dress lying on the bed, but ignored it. She would not take off her armor even for a moment when the demon was in the same fortress as her.
Outside the window, she could see the people of the fort getting ready to leave in the falling ashes.
Barcel was the one taking command. The advance party, who had insisted on staying in the fort at first, made sure the people were organized as they guided them out.
“Barcel,” she muttered.
Barcel turned to look at the tower, as if her voice reached him.
Gemma gasped and retreated from the window. A crunch came from her feet as she stepped onto something. When she looked down, she saw a bug with its head crushed, limbs twitching as it lay there dead.
She let out a yelp. The presence of bugs was a sign that the demon was coming.
Gemma jerked back, and the door to the room opened narrowly, admitting a swarm of insects that seemed to be carrying the demon. It was wearing rags, a leather mask, shoes, and gloves.
Its arm getting severed indicated that it had an actual body. But when it was constantly covered in insects, it looked like a strange creature with an indefinite form.
“You’re not… wearing dress… Why…?” the demon asked, noticing the dress on the bed.
“I don’t need it.”
“Beautiful woman… wear… beautiful clothes… they happy…”
“I said I don’t need it!” Gemma grabbed her axe.
The demon approached the bed without even looking at her and picked the dress up with both hands, shaking it in front of her. “If you don’t like… there’s more… A lot more… You don’t like color…? Or shape…?”
“Get out of here. I won’t let you near me until they arrive safely in Wenias.”
The dress fell from the demon’s hands.
Silk was a feast for insects. Insects swarmed the expensive-looking dress, quickly filling it with holes.
“Don’t need…? I see… Ahaha…”
“What’s so funny?!”
“Okay… I have an idea…”
Gemma heard something tear up behind her. Suddenly her armor dropped to the floor.
“What?!”
The braces on her arms and legs came off as well. She then realized that the insects had devoured the leather clasps.
She was now left with only her undergarment, which was made of cotton. The insects devoured it as well.
“No! Stop!”
No matter how hard Gemma tried to get rid of them, crushed them to death, there were still many of them. After the insects took away her armor and even her underwear, she finally slumped down on the spot.
When the bugs finally receded, all Gemma had on her were her shoes, gloves, and a few scraps of cloth.
The demon laughed as she hugged herself, hiding her bare skin, then threw the dress at her.
“Now you need it… Dinner soon… Excited…” Satisfied, the demon walked out of the room with a stream of insects in tow.
Gemma grabbed the dress and threw it in anger. Hugging her knees like a child, she chewed on her gloves, rocking her body back and forth while holding back tears.
“I don’t like it here… I don’t like it here…”
She made the decision to stay. But it wasn’t like she wanted it. She thought it was the right choice.
No one really needed her anyway. The Vice Captain and the knights, seeing her father’s image in her, distanced themselves from her at all times.
Even Barcel, who had been by her side since she was a child, always looking out for her… No, if there was anyone who truly despised her, it was him.
Whenever someone told her that her father was a scumbag, Gemma ran to Barcel and asked him tales of her father’s bravery.
Her father was kind. At least, in front of Gemma. The father in her childhood memories always wore a gentle smile, bringing armful of souvenirs for her.
So he believed that her father was an honorable knight. That every awful story she heard was just a misunderstanding. She thought that if she acted like an honorable knight, the misunderstanding about her father would be cleared.
She was even furious at the fool who spread the nasty rumor that her father killed Barcel’s family. How could he give his all to raise the daughter of a man he loathed?
But everything turned out to be true. Barcel never uttered a single excuse. She wondered what went through his mind as he listened to her furious rant in silence, without offering a word of rebuttal.
She shook her head and stood up. “I might as well spend the rest of the day naked,” she muttered as she picked up the dress.
At least she could keep her pride that way.
Realizing that she could die of pneumonia before the people of the fort reached Wenias, she changed her mind and wore the dress.
Early the next morning, the people of the fort left for the Kingdom of Wenias through the gate made of bones.
Gemma, clad in the dress the demon had given her, kept her eyes on them until the last one faded into the distance beyond a haze of ashes.
“Well, whaddaya know? They actually left us behind. How cruel.” Gemma repeated what Barcel said when the knights left them.
There was a knock at the door, and someone slipped into the room.
“Excuse me, Milady. I’ve brought you your meal.”
Gemma was taken aback when she realized it was the Librarian. She had expected every other human to leave.
Strangely enough, even though she knew that she was the demon’s servant, she felt a little better knowing that someone other than herself—a woman, no less—remained in the fort.
Gemma shook her head. “Librarian, was it? Why didn’t you leave?”
“I’m the Director’s servant.”
“But it promised to free everyone.”
“I’m here of my own volition.” Setting the silver tray with the meal on the table, she took note of the undisturbed bed. “You didn’t rest?”
“Last night’s dinner was horrible. I couldn’t sleep after seeing a mass of insects eating a human arm in front of me.”
“I understand. You didn’t eat much, so I brought you a little more food for breakfast. I’ll open the window.” The librarian walked over to the bed and opened the bedside window.
“The ash will get in.”
“The air will stagnate if we keep it closed. I’ll hang a curtain instead.” The librarian covered the window with a thin silk dyed crimson.
“It’s beautiful,” Gemma remarked.
“The Director likes the color red.”
Gemma cringed, her hair standing on end. It felt like she was saying that she must invite that demon in the room as a husband.
“Uh… Can I ask you something weird? Do demons… do it like humans?”
“What?”
“I-It’s nothing! Forget what I said!” Gemma went to the window again.
Knowing about it would not prepare her for it anyway; it would only make her more anxious.
She wanted the Librarian to stay with her a little longer, but after setting up the curtain, she quickly left the room.
Gemma cast a sidelong glance at the breakfast. She had no appetite. Somehow the soup that the beast mercenary made at the campsite came to her mind.
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