The storm had subsided, and sunlight dispersed the mist.
The crew on the merchant ship was still shaken, as if they had just woken from a dream.
If not for the spears and throwing axes scattered on the deck and the blood of the unfortunate wounded, they might have thought it was all a dream.
“Aaah,” Aurina patted her mouth, yawning, then slapped Richard’s helmet before hopping off his shoulder.
“This king is going to sleep.”
With that, she headed straight for the cabin.
Normally, Aurina slept in the same room as Richard.
This dim-witted beast of burden was so kind-hearted it had seeped into his brain, insisting on watching Aurina to keep her from causing trouble.
Because of this, Aurina circled half a loop in front of Richard’s room before pushing open the door to Sophia’s room—his future fiancée.
This was her right, as Richard’s de facto master.
The only flaw was that Richard didn’t know he was her slave.
How boring, she thought.
Aurina jumped onto Sophia’s bed, slipped under the thin blanket, and lay there for a moment.
She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, the distinct sound of Richard’s footsteps echoed through the cabin’s corridor, standing out among the miscellaneous noises of the other little bugs.
Aurina’s eyes snapped open.
She recognized the sound of the strongest little bug.
Not only that—she knew his face, his scent, his voice.
Even if he shed his bug shell and mingled with ten thousand other bugs, she could still pick him out.
Another set of footsteps followed… Aurina perked up her ears, listening carefully.
“Dear, I’m at my room.”
It was the future mate of the strongest little bug.
“Dear, I hope you sleep well.”
That was Richard’s voice.
Aurina didn’t know, nor did she care to understand, the mating habits of little bugs.
But in her view, this was undoubtedly foolish and wrong.
For instance, Sophia was a beautiful female, and Richard was the strongest little bug.
They were even betrothed or something.
Yet Richard had never once courted Sophia—not the kind that led to bed.
Sophia hadn’t taken the initiative to undress and seek out Richard either.
Either Richard was an utterly failed little bug, like Aurina’s sister.
She could hardly imagine they came from the same egg.
The strongest little bug who pierced this king’s heart shouldn’t be a failure, she thought.
He was a strong one.
He should have been able to revel in carnal joy with Sophia, or at least with some other female.
Yet he remained a pitiful virgin.
His only boast was those two small, thin, soft, and merely numerous male traits.
Gah, even though this king has bid farewell to her symbol of masculine grandeur, at least I still have a tail.
And I can freely invade his mate.
This proves that this king possesses wisdom surpassing all bugs.
Aurina stroked her tail while listening to the conversation outside.
If she guessed correctly, Richard would say something praising Aurina.
It would align with the little bugs’ obsession with politeness or the twelve elegant things a knight should do for a lady.
Tch, how pathetic.
Outside, the conversation grew quieter.
“Goodbye.”
It was Sophia’s voice, tinged with some irritation.
Aurina recognized that emotion, but why was it there?
She didn’t know, nor did she care to.
There was the sound of a kiss.
It wasn’t on the face, lips, or her peaks.
Aurina knew her beast of burden, knew his lips.
It must have been his lips touching the back of Sophia’s hand.
The little bugs called this a kiss.
Sometimes Richard would kiss the hands of noble ladies, but since he had a future mate, it was just a brief touch of lips to their fingers.
How pathetic, not even a bit of sucking, just touching the little bug’s delicate claw.
Goodbye, Richard.
The sound of a door opening came through.
Though Aurina was still nestled in the blanket and couldn’t see Richard, she took a deep sniff of the air, catching a faint scent of soap.
She was certain he had just been practicing some swordplay.
How pitiful, having to practice with a sharp, bladed weapon.
And he’d worked up a sweat.
Every time he parted with Sophia, he washed himself clean, scrubbing away his masculine scent.
Aurina couldn’t help but think of her lair, where obedient green-skinned beastmen and goblins would wash themselves spotless when she wanted a cooked green snack.
Aurina was curious—what spell had Sophia, this female little bug, used to bind and enslave Richard?
Aurina had already mastered the little girl spell.
With her unparalleled wisdom and the majesty of a ten-time red dragon champion, she had turned Richard into her beast of burden.
If Sophia could reveal another spell, it wouldn’t be long before Aurina could thoroughly defeat Richard, trampling and rubbing him into the ground.
The door closed, and footsteps drew nearer.
Aurina heard Sophia’s complaining voice: “Really, why do Aurina and Richard seem so well-matched? There’s no place for me.”
Naturally, just as a little bug on horseback looks perfect with his horse, this king and her bug mount look perfect together too.
There was a rustling—the sound of clothes being removed.
“Ah~” Sophia yawned. “I’ll sleep a bit before evening prayers.”
She approached the bed.
Aurina immediately sat up from the blanket, spreading her claws, ready to unleash her supreme dragon majesty to thoroughly conquer the mate of the strongest little bug.
“Gah!”
Sophia saw Aurina suddenly appear from the blanket, her cheeks puffed and round, her small hands clawed beside her face.
So cute.
She froze for a moment.
Aurina said, “Quick, tell this king.”
Sophia burst out laughing and said, “Alright, alright, great and supreme ruler of the earth, what is your command?”
The little bug’s titles are so tasteless.
“No, call me the King Who Slays Seven in One Strike.”
“Alright, King Who Slays Seven in One Strike.”
She seemed delighted, a sign that Aurina’s charm had already conquered her.
Sophia got out of bed, cupping her chest with both hands—it was quite heavy.
Even in Aurina’s memory, it ranked among the top, excluding nursing mothers.
She chuckled, showing no rejection of Aurina.
She let Aurina sit on the bed and sleep with her, happily agreeing.
Sophia hugged Aurina as if holding a cute doll.
What does this prove?
It proves this king effortlessly conquered the little bug’s mate.
Though she hadn’t yet reached the level of an elf queen—who sneaked out of her palace monthly, dressed in her finest, perfumed all over, and, if late, would kneel and kiss Aurina’s feet to beg forgiveness.
To verify and to fully enslave Richard, Aurina spoke up, “Tell me the spell, Sophia.”
“Hm?”
Aurina sat on her lap, staring into her eyes, unleashing her innate dragon majesty, and asked, “Why does Richard obey you? Why hasn’t Richard gone to bed with you? Why does Richard stay a virgin for you?”
Sophia paused for a moment, then said in a gentle tone, “You’re still young, but you’ll understand soon enough. It’s simple. Because I’m his fiancée…”
Could there be a fiancée spell above the little girl spell?
Aurina fell into deep thought.