Chapter 237: 9.10

"You know that we the elves hated those who eat meat, don't dirty my Elven Priest's eyes with your venison mean. Go sit somewhere to eat."

Maroch was dazed for a moment. He didn't expect the Elven King would tell him to leave because he looked disgusting when eating meat. Maroch looked down and nodded politely, "Pardon my insensitivity, Your Majesty."

Maroch took his venison meat and hid behind a tree to eat his breakfast. 

King Elduin sighed in relief and asked, "Big Ero, why didn't you tell him to leave? At least you should've woke me up earlier, so I can protect you from seeing something bad like that."

Priest Erolith frowned towards Elduin, "I am the one who asks him to eat with me. Don't you see that he is eating his breakfast? Elduin, you are the Elven King. You should know that the beastmen have their own traditions, including their diet. We cannot force our view upon other creature."

"Big Ero… why are you defending him?" King Elduin couldn't believe his own hearing, "I'm trying to protect you from seeing a filthy thing. Why are you protecting him instead? You just met him two days ago, Big Ero. I'm your Little Eld!"

"Elduin!" Priest Erolith raised his voice, which never happened before. He always spoiled Elduin to the core since they were just kids. King Elduin was vehemently shocked his Big Ero raised his voice.

His gaze darkened, "Big Ero, it seems that you have a favourable impression towards that beastman. Remember, you are an Elven Priest. You cannot fall in love with anyone."

King Elduin turned his back and said, "I am going to find some fruits for us in the woods." Then he walked into the woods.

Maroch approached Priest Erolith while eating his venison without manner, like a wild beast eating his share. He scoffed mockingly at the Priest, "That's good acting, my cute Priest. I didn't know that you are a good actor."

Priest Erolith glared at uncaring Maroch, he was far too annoyed at him, but he couldn't do anything to stop him. Because Everything right now was under Urduk/Maroch's control, and he was like a marionette being played.

[Well, my Dramameter is rising, though. I can feel the drama is going to be great here!]

[Pupa: You seem to enjoy this world far than the previous one.]

[Yes, I love Altair, and I love my long, happy life with him. But a world full of smut and drama is where my fantasy truly belongs ~ Hehe.]

"Why are you doing this?" Erolith asked.

"Why? Isn't that obvious? Because I'm the Beast of Corruption, I love seeing chaos. I especially love tormenting two elves in love, but fall into horrible misunderstanding until they hate each other," Maroch grinned maliciously. 

"I want both of you to taste the biggest pain of all, to die with heartbreak."

Priest Erolith bit his lips. After that incident last night, Urduk/Maroch told him to act naturally and act harmoniously, as if nothing ever happened. Urduk's real body entered Maroch's body, and Maroch was alive once more, with that polite smile on his face. If Erolith didn't see this with his own eyes, he might not believe they were the same beast.

"What more do you want me to do after this? Don't you see that Elduin is already angry at me?"

"Angry? That is a bare minimum. My fun has just started," Maroch replied.

***

King Elduin was picking up some fruits in a daze. He was unsure whether he was actually wrong there or Big Ero purposely taking Maroch's side. He was obviously trying to protect Big Ero's pure eyes, but why did he take that beast's side instead?

'Why does Big Ero seem to favour that beastman so much? Is he that good? Better than me? But I'm his Little Eld, we've been best friend since we are just kids, why didn't he take my side?' 

Urduk was hiding behind a tree as Maroch. He grinned and turned himself into a shadow and crept towards King Elduin. King Elduin noticed someone approaching him, he stood still, and when the shadow got near, he punched it with his bare hand. 

Of course, it did nothing to the shadow. Elduin's gaze chilled when he saw the shadow, "Leave, I'm not in the mood to play with you."

The shadow smirked with his scary teeth showing, but his true appearance was undecipherable for Elduin's eyes, "You are not in the mood because your Big Ero sided with that Maroch guy?"

"…"

"You know that is called jealousy, right?" the shadow said, "It just tells that you are jealous with your Big Ero showing intimacy with another guy. But, who are you trying to stop him? You are just his childhood friend. You have no right to stop him."

"I am the most special person in Big Ero's heart, I know it," Elduin insisted.

"Really?" the shadow circled around Elduin and whispered in his ear, "What if someone else wants to take your Big Ero away from you? Maybe someday, your Big Ero will find another man or woman, and he will leave you."

"But he is the Elven Priest! He cannot fall in love!" 

"Can you guarantee that he will not fall in love and abandon his duty as Elven Priest? Maybe that Maroch guy will be his first love, and your Big Ero… will forget you…"

"No… he will never…"

"Maybe he will defile your Big Ero's pure body first, and you will never be able to see your Big Ero again…"

King Elduin remembered that his Big Ero was always restrained when he was around him. He would smile at him, but it was only a thin, perfunctorily smile. It was never a full smile full of affection. But when he was with that beastman, he smiled as if today was a beautiful day.

"No, Big Ero loves me the most. He said to me when we are just kids, that I am the only one closest to him, nobody else…"

"When did he said that? Ten years ago? Everyone changes along the way, and it seems that his affection to you has been eroded through time," the shadow said. 

Now, King Elduin was silenced. He wasn't sure whether he could rebuke that. Because nobody knew what was inside another person's heart. He could assure himself that Big Ero would keep his word and they would be together forever in this platonic relationship.

Although he might be in love with Big Ero for a long time, he was content with this ambiguity. 

But since there was another person, a third-wheel, in this ambiguous relationship, there was no guarantee that he would always be the first one in Big Ero's heart.

Urduk could feel the corrupted heart of Elduin. He was satisfied with this growth because sooner or later, the Elven King Elduin would be entirely under his control, both heart and mind. 

As the shadow, Urduk whispered on Elduin's ear, "Keep an eye on Maroch and your Big Ero. Because he will steal your Big Ero from you, remember, you are Elven King, and your Big Ero is the Elven Priest. You two are destined to be together forever. Would you let another guy take your Big Ero?"

[Pupa: Ding! Elduin's Fatemeter increases to 55%.]