CHAPTER 82 – MARIKO’S KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

KATE ZEPHYRUS

I reminisced about my past in Tasty Town during my early high school days, where I had girlfriends. My preference for tall, elegant girls like Mariko was undeniable. Having a keen eye for attractive individuals, I resolved not to let any barrier, including gender, hinder me from pursuing her heart.

"Charlotte, Gaeun. Go on and buy some supplies without me," I suggested with a confident smile. "I'll keep an eye on Mariko Septem."

"Well, since you definitely have an eye for her, then go for it, Kate," Charlotte remarked, flicking her brown hair with a playful grin.

"Um, we'll go hear some gossip in the town proper while we're at it. Good luck, Kate," Gaeun added.

"You got it!" I responded with a carefree smile and a thumbs up. As Charlotte and Gaeun departed from the event center, I took a moment to fix my ponytail, ensuring it wouldn't get entangled in the crowd. With my attention now solely on Mariko, the oni maiden performing the dance ritual, I steeled myself for the challenge ahead.

Alone among the crowd, I focused solely on Mariko's captivating dance, a display of grace reminiscent of a smooth-flowing flower. Despite my reservations about the Republic's flag, her movements exuded a serene fluidity, captivating my attention.

As five minutes of entrancing dance passed like a gentle breeze, the bell tower chimed, signaling the conclusion of the ritual. Mariko graciously bowed to the audience, and applause erupted throughout the crowd. In genuine appreciation, I joined in the applause.

Seizing the opportunity, Mariko exited the stage and headed towards the backstage area. This was my cue to discreetly follow her. Navigating against the flow of the departing audience, I reached the front of the stage and trailed along the wall until I successfully made it backstage.

There, I observed Mariko engaged in conversation with a middle-aged dragonoid. His silver hair and goatee framed a face marked by crimson eyes and white skin. Clad in a gray suit, the dragonoid was of similar stature to Mariko, yet his demeanor conveyed anger.

"You were late to the event, Mariko! Our schedule has been pushed behind because of this!" the middle-aged dragonoid berated with a raised voice.

"I-I'm sorry! Mimi was sick, so I had to take him to the vet," Mariko pleaded, her distress evident.

"Mimi? Your cat?" The dragonoid's frustration escalated. "You're neglecting your duties for some damn cat?"

"I didn't neglect my duties! I danced for you and for everyone just a few seconds ago!" Mariko defended herself, her emotions raw.

"It doesn't explain your tardiness, Mariko! The Republic is watching! Our alliance between the dragonoid race is hanging in the balance, and you're risking it all for your damn cat?" The dragonoid man's anger flared, and he raised his hand, poised to strike Mariko.

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Reacting swiftly, I positioned myself between them, spreading my hands protectively to shield Mariko from harm. "Stop it!" I demanded.

"Huh?" Mariko uttered, her confusion evident.

The middle-aged dragonoid halted his impending strike. Crimson eyes glared at me, his brows furrowed in a frown. "Who the hell are you?" he questioned, his attention shifting from Mariko to me.

"I am…" I paused for a split-second, quickly conjuring a plausible story. "I am the bodyguard of the oni maiden! If you hurt her, you will have to go through me!"

"Huh?" Mariko uttered once again, her confusion deepening. She instinctively held her chest.

"So you even have time to hire a bodyguard, huh?" The middle-aged dragonoid lowered his hand and stood tall, glaring at me. "Hmph."

"Hmph to you too, mister!" I retorted, my resolve firm. I silently vowed to myself that if he raised his hand again, I'd respond with swift retaliation.

"Listen here, Mariko." The middle-aged dragonoid aggressively pointed his index finger at the bewildered oni beside me. "Once the next Dragon Lord has been chosen, your job will be over. I will grant you the swift mercy of death, just as I did to your parents."

"I-I know," Mariko bowed her head in submission.

"Suit yourselves," the middle-aged dragonoid declared as he turned his back and walked away towards the exit of the backstage. The tension lingered in the air as he left, leaving Mariko and me to process the weight of the ominous threat.

The backstage area now empty, only Mariko and I remained. I locked eyes with Mariko and cut straight to the point.

"That middle-aged douche, did he just threaten you with death?" I asked, my arms crossing defensively.

"Um, who are you again?" Mariko inquired, a puzzled expression on her face.

I flashed a confident smile and extended my hand. "Kate. Kate Zephyrus. Your knight in shining armor!"

"Pffft!" Mariko couldn't contain her laughter and covered her lips elegantly. "You really are full of energy and guts, miss."

"I prefer if you call me by my pronouns, they or them, but it's okay if it's you, my Mariko," I flirtatiously teased.

"Wow, you are more gentlemanly than most gentlemen, I give you that," Mariko complimented with a smile.

I crossed my arms. "Anyway, back to my main question. Who is that middle-aged douche who just threatened you with death?"

"Sir Dennis Cavalier," Mariko replied with a frown, her eyes betraying a hint of fear. "He is the ambassador of the Republic of Dragonoids here in Onishira. He's been here ever since I was a kid, and he was so kind. But everything changed when the Purge of Humanity started."

"I guess he showed his true colors when the war started," I remarked, stretching my arms nonchalantly.

Mariko nodded solemnly and then bowed. "He is the one responsible for killing my parents."

"W-What?" My emotions instantly transformed into seething hatred. "That despicable person! I will make him pay for what he did!"

I started to move away, intending to track down the ambassador, but Mariko grabbed my wrist urgently.

"Kate, no!" Mariko cried. "He will kill you too! You have no chance of winning!"

"Miss, I may be a stranger to you, but I will never let anybody threaten a woman as beautiful as you," I declared, gently wiping away the tears that glistened in Mariko's eyes. The intensity of my newfound mission fueled by a desire to protect her from further harm.

"You don't understand, Kate. Sir Dennis, he is one of the few dragonoids in Erudites Twelve. He is one of the most powerful sages out there," Mariko explained.

"I am working with an Erudite too, kinda. Heck, I just made one Erudite candidate cry a few weeks back. I know how to deal with them," I confidently asserted.

"No!" Mariko cried. "You'll definitely die!"

"What makes you say that, Mariko?" I inquired, undeterred.

"Sir Dennis Cavalier is a master of death magic. He can kill you with just a stare," Mariko warned, a deep concern evident in her eyes as she clutched her chest.