Vincent left the carriage and group; thankfully, Verda and Amira offered to help the girls find somewhere safe to stay, so he asked his mother to arrange long-term residence for them, handing over a large portion of his savings.
He felt amused walking down the bustling streets of Ulgarde, remembering his mother's shocked face when she realised her son was a little wealthy man.
Her response was really good.
"Well, since my son doesn't need his ego massaged, I'll have a throwdown! Vincent! Your mother is a Dungeon Lord, and we're rich! Hahahah! Finally, we can stop pretending to be poor... god, I hate this stupid rule I imposed on myself and signed a damn soul pledge for!"
'My mother is so amusing... To avoid making her orphaned son and her daughter arrogant and controlled by money, she pretended to be poor... '
A broad smile filled his lips; pushing through the slightly sweaty crowd, he began to explore the city; Ophelis followed closely behind him, her hands grasping onto his strange kimono with an Eastern style mixed with Western features.
"Why did you let everyone else go with your mother?" she asked politely and beautifully.
"Because I don't know this place well enough, there might be enemies around each corner and unlike my mother, my power to protect people isn't good. My talent lies in destroying my enemies..."
"Nn... I will hide in your shadow... the sun and people make me feel disgusting..."
"Alright... Let's have a real date when the night comes, together under the argent moon."
"...."
Ophelis didn't reply; her soft lips pressed against his cheek, squishing them as her sweet breath blew down his face, her body turning into black smoke and vanishing; some people seemed to notice, but nobody said anything.
Vincent felt great after her kiss; strolling through the vibrant streets of Ulgarde, he felt a strange sense of distance towards this bustling city market awash with activity. The sun cast its golden rays upon the cobblestone streets, illuminating the lively scene before him, taking a deep breath and stepping forward, feeling the air filled with anticipation and excitement as a grand tournament was about to commence.
"did you hear?" A male whispered on the roadside, drinking outside a small inn with his friends.
"Oh, what?"
"Ahhh, the demons will participate in the tournament this time!"
"Eh!? Isn't this a human-only competition!"
"Exactly!"
The conversation dimmed as he passed further away; as he made his way through the crowd, Vincent couldn't help but be captivated by the colourful array of stalls and shops lining the market square. The scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the aroma of roasted meats enticed hungry patrons to indulge in the delectable treats on offer.
'It's a lovely city, but the fact demons are going to enter the human-only competition is a little strange...'
Vincent continued to look around, seeing merchants showcasing their wares, displaying various goods from all corners of the realm. Traders enthusiastically called out to passersby, vying for attention and haggling over prices. Vincent marvelled at the rich tapestries, gleaming jewellery, and finely crafted weapons adorned the stalls, each telling their own story.
"A bustling city of hope... I might believe this if the stench of a daemon wasn't oozing from the palace...."
Vincent overheard snippets of conversations and rumours from the excited townsfolk as he navigated the lively streets. A group of men dressed in armour spoke animatedly about the upcoming tournament, debating the prowess of the students competing.
They wagered on their favourites, their voices filled with friendly banter and laughter.
'It seems our school is set favourite for last place... huh.'
Nearby, a group of women gathered, their heads bent together in whispered conversations. Vincent caught fragments of their discussion, rumours of a mysterious travelling dancer with a voice that could enchant even the hardest of hearts. They eagerly shared tales of her captivating performances, spreading the anticipation of her arrival among the crowd.
Further down the street, a young boy, wide-eyed and full of wonder, tugged at his mother's sleeve. He pointed excitedly towards a troupe of acrobats, gracefully tumbling and flipping through the air. The boy begged his mother to let him join the circus one day, dreaming of a life filled with adventure and daring feats.
Vincent smiled at the sights and sounds surrounding him, immersing himself in the market's vibrant atmosphere. The joyous chatter of merchants, the melodic tunes of wandering musicians, and the laughter of children playing added to the festive ambience.
Ulgarde's market reflected the city's liveliness and diversity.
'I don't want to see this city burn...' Vincent thought to himself before suddenly bumping into a solid person; her body was firm and tight, but her soft breasts squished against his chest as the girl's eyes peered at him; her mouth open wide in shock, a scaled brown tail swaying behind her as she tightened her hands around his biceps.
"You...." Her voice was slightly rough but pretty nonetheless.
His eyes became enchanted upon seeing the short woman holding his arms with a powerful grasp, beautiful brown skin, like baked caramel, or the wondrous desert sands, huge eyes like the sun, a gentle golden brown watching him with a sense of resistance. At the same time, a long head of wavy light blond hair swayed in Ulgarde's gentle breeze.
The pair stared at each other, a strange feeling in each other's chest as his arms wrapped around her back, pulling her close to his body, his crimson eyes never leaving her face for a moment, her arms holding his body close against her chest.
"You..." Vincent whispered...
"Delphine." She replied, her beautiful pink lips parting as her voice sounded.
"Vincent."
Ophelis, in his shadow, became jealous, she could sense part of Vincent's feelings, and she knew he seemed to have almost fallen for this woman at first sight; as the crows began to knock into them, their hug was interrupted, and the beautiful Delphine looked around, then pointed to a small restaurant, her tail patting the ground, as her nose snorted, seeming to taste his scent.
"Let's eat... Get to know each other?"
"Sure... I'd love to."
Together, they stepped through the crowds, finding an unoccupied table at one side of the busy restaurant; they sat down. Their right hand remained entangled, not releasing each other despite the slight difficulties in sitting and choosing their food with it connected.
Vincent felt something like she was supposed to be here, alongside him, but without the voices and advice of others; even Raizel refused to speak with him recently; it was so bad he worried she might not answer his call in battle...
Silence settled over the table as they ate their food; Vincent ate a steaming bowl of noodles while she made a mess of her bowl with some sweet, sticky sauce and pieces of fruit.
"Delphine, where are you from?" he asked politely, sipping a delicious drink.
"I'm from the desert lands south of Ulgarde, in the land of the Humans... Is it called... I don't know..."
'Hmmm? The land of the humans?' He thought to himself, noticing she wasn't human, but even demi-humans usually thought themselves to be human, not wanting to be treated as different or inferior. 'And you're a desert dweller too. Interesting.'
"How many languages do you speak?"
"A few." She answered, licking her fingers as she spoke. "I know enough to understand some common tongues as commoners speak. I can also speak Drak'zil, a language of dragons and a little of the Demon tongue."
"Well, we seem to have a lot in common..."
'How can she speak Drak'Zil!?'
"You... you... ah... you're a demon, right?" Delphine blurted out suddenly, startling him.
Vincent didn't know what to say. He was just about to answer when Delphine pressed her spoon against his cheek, whispering,
"I was so shocked to see you because you look human. Despite being a strange mixture of demons, monsters, and creatures from the Abyss, you are all the same to us, but for some reason, you stand out..."
"...?"
Delphine looked at him with a slightly sad smile. "For me, you are beautiful. Your eyes, your hair, those ears and tail... it's as if you weren't meant to be a demon, but something in you reminds me of my people..."
She kissed his cheek, her lips soft and warm, melting his heart; Delphine pulled back, smiling sweetly.
"Let me tell you a story... there were once humans and demi-humans, but they fought over the land, each side trying to dominate the other, yet the true rulers of this land, from each edge of the sky, were the dragons... Powerful, wise... and stupid."
"Stupid?"
"The foolish dragons believed their power and intelligence were supreme to all else and wanted to control every aspect of the world. The leaders of the dragons told the others what to do and forced them to act according to their desires."
"Then?"
"The fog came; a new race appeared and crushed the dragon's pride and livelihood like a piece of candy~."
Crunch!
Her teeth crushed the pink candy she was sucking gently, and her mouth showed a broad smile, but her eyes were downcast and dull.
"My people have been reduced to mere servants for these brutes, but my heart is filled with sadness... I am afraid we will lose this place one day if we don't find a way to become powerful..."
Delphine sighed sadly as Vincent's eyes turned downwards. 'What did she mean by my people and a way to be powerful?' His eyes slowly opened wide, the words of Meiya; when he transformed Narara into Titania, she mentioned a sleeping dragon... is this girl... the sister of Silvari and Efrita!? The earth dragon!
'That would explain why she doesn't look so good, not strong enough to fly...'
Vincent recalled Silvaria's warning him about her sister, but likely after so long sleeping, she isn't completely up to her previous level of strength.
But she did seem to have a great power inside her body, able to move easily and avoid his notice until the last moment, as suddenly two arms tightly wrapped around his chest, her soft buttocks sitting in his lap.
Delphine looked at Vincent and whispered, "You... you are... very handsome, aren't you? I've never seen a demon like you before. Perhaps I'm too young, but I want to feel your warmth... Your body..."
Delphine pulled him closer to her and kissed his cheek again. Her hands moved along his back as he sat there in silence.
"Ah... you smell just like a dragon... How strange... Why do demons smell so similar to dragons?" Delphine said quietly, her face close to his, her warm breath teasing his earlobe as her lips lightly pressed against it.
"Do you know something about my people? If you are one of us, maybe you can help me..." She continued to whisper in his ear.
Delphine's breathing increased as she reached into his shirt, finding the thin fabric beneath his jacket; her fingers touched his scales gently, feeling the texture of his scales, her voice sounding like it came from somewhere far away...
"Perhaps you should show me what a male dragon does when he meets the last fertile female dragon on their planet?" She whispered seductively, her warm lips pressing against his earlobe, her tongue licking it ever so slightly.
"If you were to mate with me..."
Her hand slid down to the waistband of his trousers, and Delphine pushed herself close to him, her breasts squishing against his chest, her body burning hot, her hand finding his cock and squeezing it, causing him to gasp in surprise.
'What is this feeling?' His thoughts became foggy, and his head felt light, almost euphoric.
Delphine's fingers found the bulging vein that pulsed within his member. "I... I... ah~! There is a strange power in your blood..." Her eyes became transfixed on the pulsing organ, her face twitching as her fingers squeezed and stroked his length, moving over his flesh. "Your body feels much stronger than any human or demi-human, even a dragon..."
"Ahem!"
A sudden voice interrupted them as Delphine pulled away from his body, both awakening from their strange state as she looked at him with a new look, no longer just curious, but a slightly lustful and curious gaze.
Now she needed to know about him, as the female waitress trembled from Delphine staring at her with daggers as Vincent adjusted his pants; luckily, it was hidden, only the kissing and flirting were seen.
'This girl is strange...'
'Or am I the strange one for wanting her to do more?'
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢