Astral Odyssey: Dying Ember

Legacy World 4.34 Incompetent Wife

After they settled down, Vlad did not want to keep up the friendliness. He believed that there was no need to maintain any relations since they could survive well on their own. Vanora believed otherwise. She did not want to be hostile, then disliked, only to have trouble come knocking at their door. Her go-to plan was to be as boring as possible. One day, they should be forgotten. However, she forgot to account for Vlad's effect. 

Visits to their house never stopped. All of which were young and old women. They bore gifts with the excuse that it was to welcome them and help them tide over tough times. However, Vanora knew better. Although she was always the one who received them, they insistently asked for Vlad, so that they could give him their well wishes too. Not to mention her ability to hear their little gossips. 

While Vanora could not care less about it, Vlad obediently but sulkily received the gifts each time. He did not even bother with a proper thank you, but they never gave up. Eventually, Vanora passed over the duty of answering the door to Vlad. 

Her nonchalance regarding the attention being showered on him irritated Vlad and his mood gradually worsened. 

The fervour and energy that Vlad did his chores with caught Vanora's attention. /Does the attention he gets from the women energise him that much? Or is he sexually frustrated?

Feeling Vanora's eyes on him and liking it, Vlad inferred what could have caught her attention. He concluded that she liked it whenever he worked doubly hard. So, he began to do so more consistently.

Vlad's actions in turn made Vanora lean her guess towards s****l frustrations.

It was another day of being forced to rest in the house, while she watched Vlad work hard in the field. /I wonder if I should ask him about it.../

Suddenly, the sounds that had earned her concern over the week occurred again. 

"Just go and die already, you one-armed freak!" 

Such taunts, arguments, and beatings were nothing new. It had even happened to the original soul before. However, this one piqued her interest, because of the identity of the victims.

"You've been useless for the past two years. Why haven't you given up yet? Can't work properly. Resorting to stealing. Like I said, just let your sister work and put food on the table for the both of you! I can see that she'll grow into a wonderful woman. f**k! You dare to try and bite me?!" 

Dull thuds that indicate a beating followed, accompanied with a young girl's sob and pleas.

Vanora's expression turned darker and darker as she listened on. 

Despite her interest, she had held back from intervening. She feared making their situation worse. She could not even guarantee her own survival, how could she guarantee someone else's survival? Besides, she felt too ashamed and guilty to see the children.

This time, however, Vanora left the house in haste. "I'm going to the village center to get something! You can wait for me here!" She rattled out, while she ran as fast as humanly possible.

The bullying turned out to be in the village square. It was as if a show was put on for all to see. Everyone looked on with disdain or nonchalance, except the children who looked a little disturbed. These were the same kind of eyes that looked at the original soul, when she needed help the most. 

Having such an unpleasant memory triggered, Vanora gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and entered the scene. 

The bully raised his leg to kick the boy who laid crumpled on the ground, but was met with another kick. 

Vanora's kick matched the bully's strength, so it perfectly cancelled the impact behind their kicks, leaving no injury on either person. 

Pin drop silence hung in the air. Nobody could believe what they saw. Meanwhile, Vanora looked back to study the children more closely. They looked a little older and much shabbier than she remembered them to be. 

/His arm… It's because of me./

"What- What are you doing?" The bully's voice drew her attention back to him. 

"Since when did the well-off care about the ones in the dirt?" The man blabbered without thinking through. He had not completely recovered from the shock and humiliation that his attack was easily nullified by a small and petite girl. 

"I just found them cute. To think they were actually being bullied."

"Bullied?" A woman in the audience laughed awkwardly. "That's too strong a word to use, isn't it, miss?" 

"You don't know these children. They're only a burden. They've been leeching off others' hard work." The bully added on.

"You know... Instead of caring so much for others, I'd advise you to care more about yourself." The same woman spoke.

"Or about your husband." Another woman suddenly stepped forward to target her as well.

"You don't seem very capable of taking care of his needs..." Yet another woman joined in the fray. She openly scrutinized her from head to toe, then remarked, "Unimpressive indeed."

Just like that, everyone forgot about the children, and Vanora became their new target. The number of women thirsting for Vlad was an open secret. So, no one tried to prevent more women from trying to drive a wedge between the husband and wife.

"I'll gladly help."

"I think he'll really enjoy it

 Since he keeps coming to receive us and accept our gifts, he must think of us favourably."

"Yes, he shouldn't be averse to the idea."

While the women got excited all on their own, Vanora's expression remained slack. She was not surprised that they believed her to be a pushover. She had given them easy access to her 'husband'. Instead, she considered using this chance, when everyone was distracted, to whisk the children away.

"So this is where you were, my darling wife, my love." A familiar voice stopped her from executing her plan, though.

Vlad appeared from a dark alley. Even without BaoBao's information, Vanora could infer that he had secretly teleported here.

He distinctly avoided the women that had ganged up against Vanora, by going a clear circle around them. He then grabbed Vanora by her waist to flush her body against his. "You're naughty. You made me very worried." He openly pouted. "You were away from me for so long."

Vanora frowned and retorted in honesty. "Long? It was barely 5 minu-" 

Vlad sealed her lips with a deep and passionate kiss.

Vanora's eyes grew wide open, but Vlad had his eyes closed, obviously savouring their kiss. Aware that everyone must be staring at them now, Vanora blushed a bright red and pushed against his chest.

Their lips separated, but Vlad kept her within his arms. He chuckled deeply with s****l desire burning in his eyes. "5 minutes is also far too long. Forgive me, my love, I was too excited to see you that I forgot you like to keep things private. Quick, let's hurry back so that we can get busy."

The people around blushed at Vlad's thick-skinned and suggestive words, especially the women who had verbally attacked Vanora earlier. They were burning with embarrassment, jealousy, and anger.

Vlad finally glanced at the children behind Vanora. "So, these are the little cuties you talked about? Have you checked if they have parents? Actually, that doesn't matter. I'll take them for you as long as you want them, my love."

Everyone's eyes bulged incredulously at his words, except Vanora's. /Old habits die hard, huh? He probably won't let that one go then./

"Ah, seeing my stunningly beautiful love almost made me forget one more thing." 

With an incredibly sweet smile, he spun around on one leg, simultaneously kicking and breaking the leg of the bully. 

A loud and crisp snap was heard, before a belated wail-like scream filled the air. 

Vlad looked down at the man with s******c eyes and the same sickening smile on his face. "That was the leg that touched my wife, right? Henceforth, you shall be a one legged freak. Don't forget, we said we were well-to-do in our previous village, right? Ever wondered why? Get that in your numb skulls."

Everyone paled as they knew that Vlad was warning everyone present. They collectively shared the same thought. /They're not to be messed with./

Vlad casually slung the young boy over his shoulder, while his other arm circled around Vanora's shoulders. Vanora took the little girl's hand in hers. While the newly formed family walked off, no one dared to lift their heads.

The sun began to set. 

Vlad returned from hunting to see the cleaned up children still sitting stiffly and awkwardly at the table, staring at Vanora who sat opposite of them in an equally stiff manner.

They each entertained different thoughts in their heads.

Vanora was having an internal debate with herself whether she had made the wrong move. Not only did she add more onto her already full plate, she believed herself unfit and unready to be a mother.

The children had a similar internal debate. Vanora looked awfully similar to the one who attacked them two years ago. Since she saved them, their guts told them that she was likely a good person with a good heart, but the similarity made them involuntarily wary of her. So, they were equally at a loss.

"How long do all of you intend to stare at each other like this?" Vlad said dryly. He ruffled Vanora's hair and lightened his tone, "Don't keep talking inside your head. Say what you think."

Vanora's eyes widened, then she lowered her head in embarrassment. She had just made a fool of herself in front of little children. She was really too nervous. 

She sighed, then looked at the children apologetically. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about how I acted before I thought through things. I didn't end up k********g you, did I?"

The children shook their heads. The brother tried to speak but he flinched when he moved his jaw, so his sister immediately spoke for them, "Our parents died to demons a long time ago. We've been surviving on our own ever since. No, it was all thanks to big brother. I didn't really do anything."

Listening to her words, her brother frowned and made a grunt of disapproval. Seeing the way the siblings continue to bicker with each other, each holding good intentions for the other, reminded Vanora of her close relationship with her siblings as well. This made her reveal her thousand watt smile that showed her dimples. Vlad and the children got stunned by its brilliance. However, her smile vanished as quickly and suddenly as it had appeared, once she noticed their stares.

"What's wrong?" Vanora innocently asked.

"Damn… Maybe I should consider ripping out the eyes of everyone. Only I shall admire your beauty." Awe slowly changed to disgruntlement.

"Talking like a demon aga-" Vanora then snapped her head to look at the children. They were frozen stiff in their seats and staring at Vlad with wide fearful eyes. After all, they had already witnessed Vanora's smile.

"Don't worry about him, he won't lay a hand on the both of you. Right, Vlad?" She then looked pointedly at him.

Vlad scowled in displeasure, but he nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I promise."

"You really need to stop talking and behaving like a demon or people would mistake you as one." Her tone was slightly reproaching. 

Vlad shrugged carelessly.

The brother shook his head violently, wanting to reassure Vanora. His sister, understanding his intention, spoke in his stead again. "Don't worry, we're sure everyone can tell that he is simply highly possessive of you. We've seen two demons before. One looked like a gigantic hideous monster. Although the other did look like you, just scrawnier with shorter hair and yellow eyes, she felt very different in the way she carried herself."

Vanora's guilt returned in full-force upon that reminder, and it was reflected on her face. While it puzzled the children, it upsetted Vlad. 

"Kids, bedtime." He ordered.

"But they haven't eaten yet." Vanora interjected.

"I'll wake them when it's time to eat."

The children obediently listened to Vlad and followed him. They got led to a third room in the house, which Vlad had made sure to build.