Seven Devils and a Rose

Eastern region? So they had something like that here? Like the Asian population?

Despite the fact that I was so intimidated and nervous with the mighty Caleb being so close to me that I could smell his earthy scent and feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, I nodded my head furiously.

"Yes, I'm from the eastern region, but I'm half-blooded. My father is from the eastern region while my mother is not," I said, my eyes staring at the man's chest.

God, he had such a massive chest, didn't he?

Then why are you here?" Felix asked.

I cocked my head to one side and wracked my brain as to how I should explain my weird realm-traveling experience. I licked my lips and once again felt both men's gaze hot on me.

My heart skipped a beat. Why did they like to stare at me and my lips, for God's sake? It wasn't like it was comfortable having their intense gazes on me.

I said, my eyes downcast and staring at my own hands that were still bound and resting on my lap, "I was away at school, studying. At the end of the year, I wanted to visit my parents, but, err… things happened and I got lost during my travels and ended up here."

I raised my face and finally looked Caleb in the eyes, and dare I say that I was glad I was shortsighted and didn't have my glasses on? Because I knew I wouldn't be able to stand it if I were to see his masked face clearly and could make direct eye contact with him.

I said, "Please believe me when I say that I have no idea how I came to be here. All I did was take a bath in that bathhouse, and then I heard men shouting and… and loud banging noises. When I saw you and your army of men, I was afraid that I'd be caught because I thought I was using the bathhouse without permission. I got scared and ran."

Of course, I made some parts up. I had to. After all, I didn't want these men to think that I was an enemy or even someone suspicious. I didn't want them to have the opportunity to go ahead and torture me before I had the chance to realm-travel back home.

I noted Felix and Caleb looked at one another for a moment, and then Caleb said, "Soldier!" as he stood up and walked away from me, which was a relief to me because I was becoming too tense with him being so close.

In an instant, a loud voice said, "Aye, my lord."

I didn't know that there were soldiers outside, guarding the tent. These men must be very important. And the soldier addressed Caleb as my lord, so he had to be one of the head honchos, as I had suspected.

Caleb said, "Bring Aria here."

"Aye, my lord," the soldier said behind me. Then I heard footsteps walking away.

"How old are you, little elf?" Felix asked again the moment he had the chance.

The man wasn't going to drop the subject of my age, was he?

I said, "Nineteen," just to get it out of the way.

I glimpsed a smirk about the man's lips when I revealed my age to him. Why the hell is he smirking?

Caleb said, "Still a baby."

Huh? Still a baby? Me? At nineteen?

I was so riled up at Caleb for referring to me as a baby that when a soft voice said, "My lords," behind me, I jumped.

I hastily turned around, and my sight came to rest on the most beautiful being ever. I found that I couldn't help but gaze in awe at the exquisite, slender woman as she walked up to the two brutes of lords and curtsied low in respect.

She said, "How can I be of assistance, my lords?"

Caleb said, nodding in my direction, "The boy. Read him."

The boy? Read him? Caleb must have meant me.

Then it dawned on me.

Oh, for God's sake, I had been in such a state of panic from the moment I had first stepped foot into this realm that I had not registered the fact that these men were taking me for a boy. Of course, I wasn't surprised because of my new haircut and slender frame and, obviously, this clothing I was wearing. These were undoubtedly male garments that I had happened to pick up. And with the jacket this large and loose on me, which completely concealed my small breasts, I must have looked like a weakling boy in these men's eyes.

I sighed and thought about explaining to them that I was actually a female when I stopped myself short. Wait a minute. If I were to reveal to them that I was a female, wouldn't it mean more trouble for me? I was their captive, after all, and as a female captive, unpleasant things that I didn't even want to think about were undoubtedly bound to happen. As a boy, I'd certainly be saved from that sort of unwanted attention. Yes, I'd be treated harshly, but at least there'd be no sexual harassment.

Decision made, I sat silently still as Aria appeared in front of me. Up close and even with my blurry vision, I could see that she was even more beautiful, with a pale, flawless complexion and emerald-green eyes. Then suddenly, something else caught my attention, and my gaze flew to the two furry, pointy things sticking out on either side of her head.

She has cat's ears.

Aria, a human woman, has a pair of cat's ears!

I didn't know why, but I became rather excited and thought that Mom and Dad would love to meet this woman, as she was the epitome of a cat person, like in a manga or anime.

"You're beautiful," I said softly, without thinking.

Aria smiled pleasantly at me and I, smitten, grinned back brightly. I was about to unthinkingly reach my still-bound hands out and stroke one of Aria's furry cat ears when I sensed dark vibes emitting from the two men standing not too far away. When I glanced in that direction, I noticed that both Felix and Caleb were staring at me. They didn't look too happy. Instantly, it dawned on me why.

Aria was their woman, wasn't she? And for me—who they thought was a male—to compliment Aria in front of them and even want to touch her must have pissed them off, just as Dad would be a little peeved when another man made a move on his beloved wife.

Oops! I terminated my smile immediately and held myself back from stroking Aria's very adorable cat ears. Of course, Aria must have understood my reaction because she giggled.