How far had we walked? After passing through several branching paths, the place I arrived at with Narikeh was the entrance to a specific nest.
Two ant-human hybrids who looked similar to Narikeh before his transformation stopped standing guard and rushed out. Narikeh asked the men who immediately knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.
“Any special matters?”
“None.”
With a creaking sound, the thick iron gate opened, and as the narrow passage gradually widened, the landscape of a massive ant city came into full view. A giant tower built in the center of the vast cave, residential areas densely filling the surroundings, and members of the ant clan busily moving somewhere pulling carts filled with coal.
It was surprising that such a massive city existed underground, but their orderly appearance was even more impressive because it directly revealed the identity of the ant clan that moved as a collective.
‘That is…’
Just as I was following Narikeh, my feet stopped at a scream coming from a secluded alley. Giant ants nearly as large as bulls were ferociously tearing apart a lone winged ant and eating it. My body froze because I’d never heard or seen ants practicing cannibalism. Narikeh shrugged his shoulders toward me.
“Ah, that’s the previous queen ant. She was deposed for failing to properly hatch eggs. Since I took the throne, I made it so that females who commit crimes become food for other female ants. Do you know why?”
“…Why?”
“I wanted to show them as an example. What end an arrogant female meets.”
A garbage-like smile that didn’t match his handsome face hung on his lips.
In FluffyChron, there was a setting that the Guardians of the Primordial Evil were each born with their own sin. The sin of Lucky, whom I’d first met in the Void, was lust, and Narikeh’s sin was pride.
Narikeh looked down on everyone, but among them, he almost hated the existence of females. No matter how good-looking a shell he wore, it was a moment that made me newly realize he was also essentially an evil existence like the other Guardians. I hid my clenched fist behind me and silently followed behind Narikeh.
‘Even if it’s disgusting, I have to endure it. If I don’t endure now, the meaning of coming all this way disappears.’
Originally, the ant clan lived in groups, but unlike other ants, the queen ant received special treatment and was said to live alone in a special space.
A spider cocoon placed conspicuously in a large room caught my eye. Narikeh, who had been looking around the room, spoke in a voice mixed with laughter.
“The queen ant’s daily routine is simple. Carry eggs inside that cocoon and give birth to excellent ants. As long as you do that properly, nothing bad will happen. Among my brothers, I’m quite the devoted husband, you see.”
Brothers… was he talking about the other Guardians? It was the first time I learned that the Guardians perceived each other as brothers.
I quietly looked at the cocoon, then approached and sat down on it. It was much softer than it looked and warm like a living creature. I asked in as dignified a voice as possible.
“After the queen ant enthronement ceremony ends, will I immediately carry Narikeh-nim’s eggs here?”
“Normally, yes. But…”
Narikeh, who had pressed down on my shoulder, laid me back. I looked with a surprised expression at Narikeh, who had climbed on top of me in an instant. Narikeh, who had slipped his hand toward my crotch, soon pressed firmly between my buttocks with his middle finger. My body flinched at the strange sensation of my rear being stimulated through my pants.
“Sexual compatibility is also an important factor in forming the marital bond.”
“…”
“Didn’t you say you’d even saved kisses until now for my sake? Your body must be quite heated up too.”
I pondered while watching Narikeh spout words that would make Deus burst into laughter if he heard them.
What happens if I go through with this deed with Narikeh here? Do I have to live with my belly full of eggs like spawning salmon? Salmon? Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I ate salmon, hasn’t it? When I lived as Lee Jaeyeon, I said I ate salmon sushi dipped in vinegar soy sauce and got denounced by my workplace superior all day long. But when eating salmon by itself, people also dip it in vinegar soy sauce, and even raw fish rice bowls have vinegar soy sauce in them. So why must sushi be dipped only in soy sauce?
Just as my thoughts continued in a chain, I barely managed to regain my senses with a gasp.
‘It’s been a while since this appeared… my bad habit of having my thoughts drift to completely unrelated topics when I face a situation that’s too terrible.’
If Deus was just dislikeable, this bastard was disgusting beyond dislike. I wanted to kick his belly and escape from his grasp right away. However, if I actually did what I was thinking, I’d definitely become Narikeh’s easy meal, so I avoided eye contact with a shy expression. Then I pushed Narikeh’s shoulders away with feeble strength.
“Although my desire to roll around thoroughly with Narikeh-nim is like a chimney, I am ashamed that I have not yet washed properly… Please endure just until the enthronement ceremony ends.”
“Haha, for a female, you’re quite demanding.”
Knock, knock.
Just as I was having a comedic conversation with Narikeh, someone knocked on the door from outside. Narikeh’s expression immediately changed to one tinged with irritation.
“Come in.”
The one who opened the door and entered was a woman dressed neatly in clothes with an Eastern feel. She seemed to be a member of the ant clan. The woman, who had modestly clasped her hands together, opened her mouth with her gaze lowered.
“Narikeh-nim, it is time to prepare for the pre-enthronement ritual.”
“Honestly, they can just handle it themselves. Why are they all so anxious without me?”
Narikeh, who had been grumbling as if annoyed, got up. It was only for a moment when he walked toward the door as if he would leave the room just like that—Narikeh’s gaze reached the woman’s feet stepping on his shadow.
“Oh-ho, look at this.”
Narikeh, who had uttered something like an exclamation, struck the woman’s cheek without hesitation. With a clattering sound, the woman who had fallen sideways hastily knelt and slammed her head on the floor. Narikeh, who had caught and grabbed the woman’s hair, whispered in a cold voice.
“Do you want to die? Don’t step on my shadow.”
“I-I’m sorry, Narikeh-nim.”
“The floor got dirty. Lick up the dirty blood you spilled yourself and clean it.”
Narikeh, who had been smiling meanly, shoved the woman’s head into the floor. Just as the trembling woman stuck out her tongue to lick the blood flowing on the floor, Narikeh, who had released her hair as if tossing it, stood up.
“To actually do it when told. What a stupid wench with no pride.”
Narikeh, who had returned to a calm expression, looked back toward me. I suppressed the rising anger and smiled faintly. Narikeh, who had thrust both hands into his pockets, spoke as if pleased.
“You look very excited about the upcoming enthronement ceremony.”
* * *
An ant soldier who had been standing guard with an anxious expression paced around the nest entrance in a troubled manner. This was because his comrade, who had definitely said he’d return quickly after urinating, hadn’t come back.
Standing guard in pairs was the principle, and Narikeh, who valued principles, imposed severe punishments on those who deviated from the group. The ant soldier, who had been restlessly fidgeting with anxiety, let out a sigh of relief when he saw his comrade approaching from afar.
“Hey, man! You said you were going to urinate, so why were you away from your post for so long? What if Narikeh-nim finds out?”
“Sorry, sorry. We’ve been on guard duty lately, so I haven’t even had time to jerk off. I took the opportunity to rub one out.”
At his comrade’s action of patting his shoulder apologetically, he returned to his position as if he had no choice. His comrade, who stood next to him side by side on guard duty, spoke in a voice tinged with amusement.
“But you know what? We ant clan recognize each other not by voice or appearance, but by pheromones.”
“What? That’s… of course I know. Is there anyone who doesn’t know such common knowledge?”
“That’s why. If you kill one of the ant clan and then get covered in that guy’s blood, the other ants can’t tell whether it’s really a comrade or not.”
The soldier, who had been silent at his comrade’s atmosphere that was strangely different from usual, turned his head. Something did feel strange, but since he could clearly smell the same pheromone scent as usual from him, he thought it was just unfounded worry. The soldier, who stood facing forward again, let out a hollow laugh as if absurd and asked.
“Why are you suddenly bringing up such unlucky talk?”
“Why, you ask.”
Stab!
The soldier, who had been blankly looking down at the sword that had instantly pierced through his neck, coughed up blood. The man, who had been quietly looking down at the soldier collapsing while trembling, took off the robe he’d been wearing.
“I came to take back my wife.”
Deus, who was already covered in blood all over his body, smeared the soldier’s blood pooled on the floor on his face. Then he lightly licked the blood on his lips with his tongue. Perhaps because of the ant clan’s unique pheromones, it tasted sweet.
