Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Mr. Deer-Lin and the Redheaded Little Monster

On the other side, there were many young monsters swaying elegantly through the crowd. A red-haired female monster spotted a black-haired youth from afar.

Dressed in exquisite attire, it was a young monster who had recently come of age, exuding an air of innocence.

With eager eyes, he kept looking ahead... oh, right at the direction of the "Married with Children" circle.

Unbeknownst to him, his boss had become the center of that group, where everyone was engaged in lively conversation.

Ah ah~ That must be the little one named "Lili," one of Mr. Trudeau's children.

The son of the boss of the West Ninth District sounded impressive, but Mr. Trudeau seemed to have a penchant for procreation, acknowledging nearly fifty offspring.

Indeed, today's hundred-day celebration was for his fiftieth acknowledged son.

Mr. Trudeau didn't enjoy women; he only enjoyed having children. Those with potential would be acknowledged and brought up under his care. He was skilled in strategic marriages, arranging his children to suitable positions.

These monsters, raised like delicate and fragile "Roufuran" (a beautiful magical bird), simply needed to behave in their cages. After all, their powerful father would eventually transfer them to another beautiful cage in the future.

Yet this Mr. Raccoon was anything but well-behaved. He had run away on his own, and far too, eventually falling into the hands of the team responsible for supplying "talent" to Saroya's fighting arena. By sheer luck, he was rescued by the owner who happened to be passing by when saving others.

All those overwhelming news reports back then featured photos of the owner and this raccoon-like creature. As for the other black-haired young man...

Not an inch of his skin was ever shown in the papers.

The red-haired female monster recalled the other black-haired youth she had encountered briefly in Yumac City. They were both at a tender age, perhaps even younger, yet he exuded a remarkable sense of maturity and dependability.

Despite his youth, he was like a young tree, firmly rooted, growing steadily day by day with the promise of becoming a towering giant in the future.

The owner seemed to have a particular fondness for black hair.

The previous one had black hair, as did the chosen gossip target.

However—

What transpired within Saroya's fighting arena couldn't escape the notice of some. The rescued monster that day had black hair, a scene witnessed by many monsters. Nevertheless, subsequent reports cleverly manipulated the narrative.

The rescued black-haired monster turned out to be the son of the great monster of West Ninth District, Trudeau - this fact alone silenced many other monsters.

Unexpectedly, Trudeau himself came to personally fetch his son back home.

Trudeau had a delightful conversation with his son's savior, the newly prominent Mr. Felzahar, and as a gesture of gratitude, he even personally vouched for Mr. Felzahar, facilitating his smooth takeover of Saroya's arena...

This seemed only natural.

All the monsters who knew about this couldn't help but comment on the guy's incredible luck.

But...

Luck, after all, always favored those who were prepared.

Bringing the young monster to the banquet... was undoubtedly a clear rejection to Trudeau, who had been trying to win the boss over through a marriage alliance. Surprisingly, Trudeau didn't get angry. Instead, he ordered strict control over his son's actions.

Looking at the two towering monsters standing behind Lili, seemingly protecting yet actually keeping an eye on her, the red-haired female monster smiled suggestively.

It seemed that, in Trudeau's eyes, the current boss now held more value than his own son.

They could make other arrangements for what was to come.

Draining her glass, the red-haired female demon didn't spare another glance at the demon named Lili, and walked straight ahead.

Secretaries had their own cliques, and she was now on her way to hers.

As for the ladies' circle over there... she could do nothing, but surely the boss would bring someone suitable along sooner or later, right?

With a slight smile, the red-haired demon flashed a dazzling grin and greeted the demons who recognized her.

###

In the meantime, Mr. Felzahar had successfully carved out his own little circle among the group of child-rearing female demons.

Many of them had already shifted from addressing him as "Felzahar" to the more intimate "Murphy."

"One must say, Mr. Murphy, you're truly remarkable! What an obedient little demon he is~ And such exquisite taste in attire; you must have put in so much effort into raising him." A female demon praised the black-haired demon exaggeratedly.

Her words were immediately met with a chorus of agreement.

One could tell how much effort a parent had put into their child simply by observing the child.

This little monster, named Egg, was incredibly well-behaved. Despite its seemingly frail appearance, it clearly possessed a sharp mind. Instead of wandering around or climbing uncontrollably, it would obediently curl up in the embrace of the dark-haired parent, resembling a exquisite ornament.

Sure, such a child might be a bit delicate, but wouldn't it still bring a great sense of accomplishment when taken out in public?

"…I read to him every night," Mr. Murphy with the black hair didn't deny this.

Although, most of the time, the one doing the reading wasn't him.

"…And I get him to assist with tasks within his capabilities," Mr. Murphy continued to share his parenting experiences.

Despite the fact that such tasks might seem like child labor exploitation for a young monster.

"What an excellent parent you are!" the female monsters exclaimed in admiration.

"However, where is the other parent of Egg? Your partner?" The females finally mustered the courage to ask the gossip they had been longing to inquire about for a while.

Felzahar was undeniably a novice in this circle, and typically, newcomers would be observed cautiously by its members before being fully accepted. Even with Mr. Trudeau's protection and being the most talked-about monster outside the circle, it usually took a considerable amount of time.

Yet, monsters, like many creatures, were curious beings. Seizing the rare opportunity to bridge the gap through the topic of the young monster, the female monsters, who now considered themselves less unfamiliar, deliberated before finally succumbing to their gossiping nature.

Lovers - no wonder they would ask such a question. In this age, most monsters no longer bind themselves with marriage vows, as the cost of sharing a life and death bond is too great. Lover's contracts can now protect a significant portion of their interests, and the more solemn marriage oaths have long been neglected by monsters, used only in extremely important political unions.

Or perhaps "true love."

"He? He's quite busy, attending to important matters today. So, being the one with more free time, I'm the one taking care of the child." Tilting her head slightly, the black-haired monster didn't bother correcting their misunderstanding, simply smiling.

Ah, Mr. Murphy's partner must also be a career-driven monster, it seems they're even busier than Mr. Murphy!

↑

This thought instantly infiltrated the minds of every monster present.

"How lovely! I'm also very busy, but my lover would rather find something else to do than help with the children," a female monster sighed gently.

"Male monsters who are willing to take care of the children on their own are truly rare. Aside from Mr. Murphy, there's probably only one other," another female monster mused, rolling her eyes.

"Aha, speaking of which, here he comes."

As the women spoke, a sudden commotion came from the entrance, interrupting the flowing symphony for a brief moment, though it transitioned into a new piece. After a short pause, the music in the hall shifted to a more grandiose and ornate composition.

A path cleared amidst the throng of creatures, and under the respectful guidance of the butler, a male monster with silver hair came into view.

He was an ordinary-looking creature, but his silver tresses and matching eyes made him stand out. Moreover, he exuded an imposing aura.

"That's..." The black-haired monster glanced over, casually inquiring.

"That's Mr. Forest. He's from the south but conducts business here!" A female monster promptly answered his question. "The other male monster we mentioned earlier who takes care of his child on his own is him. I'll introduce you two later; you might become good friends!"

As she spoke, the female monster waved in the direction of the silver-haired monster, who soon approached them.

After the butler had led the way and departed, the full figure of the male monster was revealed to everyone. Indeed, just like the black-haired monster, a tiny creature was curled up on his chest.

Completely different from Mr. Forest, this was a delicately featured little monster with hair as red as flames.

Unlike its father's smooth, flowing locks, the youngster's hair billowed upward like a blazing fire.

After the female monsters greeted the silver-haired monster, they fulfilled their promise and introduced the two male monsters who were also taking care of their children.

"Hello, I'm Deer Forest," the silver-haired monster offered his hand first.

"Hello, I'm Jin Murphy Felzahar." The black-haired demon firmly held the other's hand.

"I... Have we met before, Mr. Felzahar?" The silver-haired demon paused before asking after a moment.

"I tend to frequent art auctions. If you're also an art enthusiast, perhaps we've crossed paths at one of those events," the black-haired demon replied with a gentle smile.

"That can't be. I have no appreciation for art."

After a brief introduction and exchanging business cards, the two male demons fell into a silent exchange.

Rok Lin had a stern appearance and demeanor. Though he knew many female demons, few approached him for conversation; he seemed like a demon who was not easily approachable.

Calling over a server for two drinks, the black-haired demon sipped his drink unhurriedly. His gaze fell upon the small demon on his chest.

The two little demons, hanging from their parents' chests, sized each other up, having been eyeing each other for some time.

The small demon on Lin's chest appeared more outgoing. Mimicking its parent, it reached out its tiny hand towards the opposite Black Egg.

"Hey! My name is Bulfarrette, what about yours?"

"Well~ I'm DanDan~" Gazing up at the chin of the black-haired giant monster, encouraged by the amused sparkle in its eyes, Hei Dan shyly extended his tiny hand.

Then, with a "smack," the creature nibbled on the back of his hand.

Seeing the tiny tooth marks on his glove, Hei Dan was utterly startled.

"This... Bulfarrette, what are you doing?" Lu Lin's face turned pale as he hastily lifted the little monster into his arms.

"It's a greeting! Isn't it customary to bite the back of a female monster's hand when you meet one?" Despite his small size, the little monster had quite the gift for gab. Struggling in the silver-haired monster's grip, he showed no signs of fear.

"It's a kiss, not a bite," interjected the black-haired monster standing nearby as the father-son duo bickered. "Also, Hei Dan is a male monster, you know."

His tone was calm, and though his voice wasn't loud, it reached the ears of the silver-haired monster and its offspring clearly.

"Hei Dan, show Bulfarrette how to give a proper hand-kiss," he instructed the little monster in his embrace.

The little monster blinked at him, then after a moment, tentatively reached out its paw to touch the red-haired little monster's paw. With a gentle "peck," it kissed the back of the other's hand.

The red-haired little monster stood there, dumbfounded. But in that instant, he forgot to struggle, allowing the silver-haired monster to hold him properly.

"You... You're called DanDan, right? Shall we go and do our business together?" Tugging at his father's sleeve, the red-haired imp asked to be put down.

Hei Dan lifted his head, looking at the towering black-haired demon with anticipation. The demon nodded, then bent down to set him gently on the ground as well.

Thus, the two little monsters held hands as they went to the restroom to relieve themselves.

Well, sometimes, a boy's friendship can indeed begin with a shared trip to the restroom.

The restroom was conveniently nearby, and there was even a attendant by the entrance to assist them in removing their trousers, ensuring parents could chat at ease without worry. Thus, the two young monsters' parents continued their conversation on the spot.

Observing the crimson-haired and black-haired young demons holding hands as they ran off into the distance, a faint crack finally appeared on the silver-haired demon's usually stern visage. Turning his head, he sincerely thanked the black-haired demon beside him, "Thank you." His own little demon was far too fierce, biting any young demon that came near. Now, no female demon present dared to let her offspring play with his.

And then today, they encountered Mr. Felzahar... along with their courageous young demon, Egg.

"Our child has never had any playmates," the silver-haired demon said in a deep voice.

It was precisely because of this that even though he despised such gatherings, he would still bring his little demon along, hoping: Perhaps, he could find a companion?

"My little demon is also quite lonely most of the time, spending the days reading at home. My partner has always been worried about it," the black-haired demon smiled, offering an encouraging gaze.

Thus, through the two young monsters, the two mighty monsters suddenly began conversing smoothly.

The female monsters marvelled as they watched Mr. Deer Lin and Mr. Felzahar, who usually had no conversations with other monsters beyond business, engage in such lively chatter.

Author's Note: Here's an explanation of what happened when Ji Huan and the others rescued Little Grey.

From Ji Huan's perspective, they successfully rescued Little Grey with Ajin's help, retrieved the contract, and then returned home.

In reality, Ajin did much more than that.

He even used this opportunity to infiltrate another domain.

Well~ It must be said that Jiuma was never just a simple-minded monster.

He had many secrets that he never shared.

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