Chapter 261 – Side Story 10 – The Ladies of the Domain (2)

After passing the ordeal of the duchesses’ inspection, a few days later, Vlad descended into the castle’s basement.

At first, he worried he was being taken to a dungeon, but what he found was not a prison or a storage room, but a large, floating circular door—a gate.

“So this is a gate…”

Hearing Vlad mutter as he looked at the door suspended in midair, the young lady who had come down with him asked,

“You know about gates?”

“I’ve never seen one, but I’ve heard of them.”

“Well, they do come up a lot in bard songs.”

But Vlad hadn’t learned about gates from songs. The person who sent him to this domain had told him about the gate here, and had even asked him to find out about it.

But Vlad was not just learning about the gate—he was about to pass through it himself, together with the young lady and the young knight.

“I can’t believe I’m finally going to Earth. I’ve waited so long for this day.”

“This isn’t a vacation.”

“I know.”

At the young knight’s words, the young lady pouted.

At that moment, the mage standing by the gate scolded her.

“Behave yourselves when you’re around people.”

“…Yes.”

The young lady quickly straightened up and bowed her head.

The mage, seeing this, clicked her tongue quietly. She was the young lady’s mother and the domain’s second lady, the great mage Yelena.

“When you go to Earth, you’ll be representing the nobility of Ea. I’m worried.”

The daughter bowed her head at her mother’s words, but perhaps because she was her real mother, Yelena still seemed dissatisfied.

While the young lady was being scolded, another voice came from behind the group, accompanied by a gentle wave of divine power.

Vlad ignored the pain he felt deep inside his body.

“Don’t worry, sister. I’m going to Earth too. I’ll help out.”

The speaker was Yerim, the lord’s third wife.

She stood next to Selena, patting her on the shoulder.

Yelena let out a big sigh at the sight.

“Sigh. That’s what worries me even more.”

“Hmph. What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yerim snorted, and Yelena clicked her tongue even louder.

“You haven’t changed at all in twenty years, even in your mid-forties.”

“Well, at least my looks haven’t changed.”

“You know I’m not talking about your face.”

“Then, my figure?”

Yerim winked, putting her hand on her waist, and Vlad bit his lip desperately to keep his composure.

He couldn’t make sense of the situation.

‘I thought all the tests were over, but is this another one?’

He was sure that if he made a mistake here, he’d be executed for disrespecting nobles.

He’d been relieved when there were no more tests after the duchesses’ inspection, but apparently, it wasn’t over.

‘Well, they’re sending their daughter to another world. Of course they wouldn’t end the tests here.’

As Vlad stiffened, another voice came from the door.

This time, it was a beautiful, emotionless voice.

“It’s good to help them relax, but the lord is coming, so let’s stop the jokes here.”

The speaker, entering the room, was the lord’s first wife, the mage Zahina.

“Yes.”

At her words, Yerim smiled at Selena.

Selena’s dark expression brightened, just as Zahina had intended.

‘But thanks to that, I’m sweating buckets here.’

Vlad wanted to sigh, but he couldn’t say a word.

He didn’t even have the presence of mind to think.

Because, just as Zahina had said, the lord had arrived.

“Is the gate ready?”

The lord, entering with the domain mage, first asked the second wife, the great mage.

Was it because this was an official occasion?

Seeing the lord speak formally to his wife, Vlad’s face darkened as he bowed his head.

‘Even the noble lord speaks politely to his wife. But my so-called father…’

The man he knew had never shown respect to his wife, only made her life hell.

And the same for his son.

If not for blood, Vlad would have cut off his father’s head himself.

‘No, I’d probably have lost my own head first.’

While Vlad was lost in thought, Yelena answered,

“Yes. Irene has managed it well. The gate is fine.”

At her answer, the lord turned to the domain mage.

“Thank you for your work.”

“It was my duty.”

But the lord shook his head.

“There’s no such thing as a duty. Thank you for your effort. Is there anything you want?”

As always, Irene shook her head.

“Nothing.”

The lord clicked his tongue quietly.

“If you weren’t a mage, I’d introduce you to a good man.”

At this, the second wife, Yelena, looked at her disciple, Irene.

“Is there such a match? If there is, let me know. Mages should marry if there’s a good match. Irene is already too late.”

Unlike the lord, who just sounded regretful, Yelena’s eyes flashed as she looked at her disciple.

Unlike the lord, whose thinking was half from Earth and half from Ea, Yelena was Ea through and through.

To her, a disciple unmarried into her mid-thirties was a real concern.

But Irene, for once, replied firmly,

“I will not! I’ve always said I won’t marry. I’ve decided to devote my life to protecting the lord and this domain.”

Yelena glared at her grown-up disciple, and Irene didn’t avoid her gaze.

It was a scene that amazed Vlad, but Selena didn’t even sigh.

She’d seen it every time her mother and teacher met.

Apparently, so had everyone else.

“I need popcorn.”

Yerim, the third wife, mentioned a food Vlad didn’t know.

“That’s too much.”

“Is it?”

The young knight, Seowoo, actually scolded the third wife, and she accepted it.

Vlad decided to stop trying to understand these people.

After the brief commotion, everyone gathered in front of the gate.

Yelena, the great mage, activated the gate.

Light began to flow through the empty, floating ring, and waves rippled inside the door.

Wooooong.

Then, instead of a wall, a new scene appeared inside the gate.

Vegetation, sky, and sea Vlad had never seen before.

It was clearly another world.

“It’s connected to Earth.”

At Yelena’s words, the lord turned to look at those standing together—his daughter, his friend’s son, and the boy who held the key to his daughter’s cure.

The lord looked at Vlad and spoke.

“To be honest, I still don’t want to send you with my daughter. Even if your mana is similar to hers, that just means you’re suspicious.”

The lord spoke calmly, but Vlad trembled.

It wasn’t fear of his secret being discovered.

He was simply afraid of the lord.

“Even if your identity is confirmed, it’s hard to trust that in Ea… If I could, I’d just torture you…”

As Vlad felt he could barely breathe, the young lady shouted,

“Father!”

At that moment, the first wife, Zahina, placed a hand on Vlad’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. This child has secrets, but he is loved by nature.”

At her words, divine power flowed into his body.

From the other side, more divine power entered.

“This child is a good child.”

The third wife, Yerim, placed her hand on his other shoulder.

Divine power from both sides healed the shock in his body.

At the same time, pain welled up from deep inside.

As Vlad grimaced, the lord spoke.

“I’m only letting you live because my wives say so.”

Yerim lowered her hand and said,

“Don’t worry. I’m going with you. Besides, Earth is my home turf.”

The lord looked at his wife for a moment, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

He stared at her, then finally nodded.

“Take care of the children.”

“Leave it to me.”

Yerim confidently walked to the gate and beckoned the three children.

“Come on, let’s go. Time to depart.”

The three hesitated, then approached the gate.

Before they left, the lord and his wives spoke to them.

“Greet your parents properly.”

“Take care of Selena.”

The lord and first wife gave their farewells to the young knight.

“Remember what I told you about Earth?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You’re my disciple, so I trust you’ll do well.”

Irene gave Selena a final warning.

Finally, the lord spoke to Vlad.

This time, there was no pressure or killing intent.

“As I’ve told the others, this journey is for my daughter’s treatment. Please help her along the way.

Sir Egger never forgets a favor, just as he never forgets an enemy.”

At the lord’s meaningful words, Vlad could only bow his head.

And then, they crossed the gate.

With the Saintess of Earth, the mage daughter of a hero, the apprentice knight from Earth, and the first human born of a vampire father, the four crossed the gate.

After they left, the gate stopped.

Egger looked at the stopped gate and spoke.

“They’re gone.”

“Yes, they are,” Yelena replied, nodding.

“Now it’s my turn.”

“Are you sure you don’t need us to come?” Zahina asked.

Egger waved his hand.

“It’s fine. I’m not going alone, anyway.”

“Still…”

Egger smiled at Zahina’s uncharacteristic worry.

“Take care of the domain. It might not be easy to protect it without me.”

Yelena shook her head at his concern.

“Don’t worry. There are three grand mages here. It would be easier to destroy the imperial capital than to harm this domain.”

“Then I’ll trust you.”

“Yes, trust us.”

With a sigh, Yelena began to activate the gate again.

This time, the destination was not Earth.

Wooooong.

“Can’t I come too?”

“No.”

“…Alright.”

As the gate activated again, Irene raised her hand, but at Yelena’s words, she lowered it.

Egger smiled at the sight, stepped onto the gate, and waved to his wives.

“I’ll be back.”

His two wives and the domain mage answered.

“Come back safely.”

The knight left his domain.

His destination: the demon realm, where the hero was waiting.