“By the way.”
Just as Miao Te was about to leave the soft, plush bed on the floor and the luxurious bedroom behind, the golden-haired young lady suddenly called out to him.
“What’s your name?”
Miao Te hesitated for a moment.
“John.”
“John? What a boring name. There are tons of people named John. Your parents werenโt creative,” the golden-haired young lady grumbled with a tone of disdain. She was unimpressed with the utterly common name.
Propping herself up on her arms, her soft chest pressed against the bed, the deep cleavage between her pale breasts became even more pronounced. Miao Te blushed and quickly averted his gaze.
Her long golden hair cascaded over her shoulders as she played with a strand that fell in front of her chest. She gave him a slight smile.
“Salome,” she said, her eyes curved like the petals of a peach blossom, carrying a hint of a smirk.
“Remember, thatโs your masterโs name.”
…Salome and John… If he wasnโt mistaken, werenโt they the names of characters from some story?[T/N: googled the bible somewhere in Mark 6:17โ29 and Matt 14:3โ12]
What a coincidence.
Miao Te suddenly felt a bit amused. He had randomly made up a fake name, and it ended up connecting to this young lady’s name.
With that thought, he nodded slightly and turned to leave. But just as he took a step, Salome’s lazy voice came from behind him again.
“Wait.”
Salome, lounging languidly on the soft bed, watched the teenagerโs back as if he were trying to run away. The more she observed him, the more she found him amusing.
And the more amusing she found him, the less she wanted to let him go.
Besides, there was something that had been bothering her that she hadnโt had a chance to ask yet.
“When you first woke up, why did you call me a ‘mermaid’? โBeautiful womanโ? And… a fish?”[1]
“That was…”
Miao Te thought for a moment, deciding that telling the truth probably wouldnโt cause any problems.
“Itโs from a story my mother used to tell me when I was little. Itโs about a mermaid who saved a prince from drowning.”
“So, whatโs a ‘mermaid’?”
“A creature with the upper body of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a fish.”
Miao Te’s explanation made Salomeโs expression turn cold, her eyes narrowing in displeasure.
“A genetically hybridized monsterโyou mistook me for one of those lowly creatures?”
Even with her angelic beauty, when her smile vanished and her face hardened, she exuded a terrifying aura that instantly made the atmosphere in the room oppressive.
“Huh? Genetically hybridized? No, no, thatโs notโ”
Miao Te froze for a moment but quickly caught on and hurried to explain.
“Itโs not what youโre thinking! The mermaids Iโm talking about arenโt artificially created hybridsโtheyโre mythical creatures…”
To calm the young lady’s anger, he tried hard to add all sorts of glowing attributes to the mermaid race.
“In mythology, they were beings who lived in the deep oceans of Earth, favored by the godsโa race far superior to humans. They were born with stunning beauty and enchanting voices. They were the royalty of the sea, ruling over all the oceanโs creatures.”
He desperately threw in all sorts of flattering descriptions, and seeing Salomeโs anger gradually fade, Miao Te sighed in relief.
“If thatโs the case, then tell me the story,” Salome demanded.
Naturally, once she made such a request, refusal was not an option.
Miao Te left with no choice, returned to the soft bed on the floor, and began recounting the story of the mermaid to Salome.
It was a short fairy tale, and he finished it quickly.
As Miao Te was telling the story, the golden-haired lady, Salome, wore an expression of clear disinterest. By the time he got to the end of the storyโwhere the mermaid throws away the knife, jumps into the sea, and turns into foamโshe didn’t even bother to hide her disdain, curling her lips in obvious contempt.
“Thatโs so stupid,” she said, mercilessly judging.
“To give up her life for a man? Iโve never seen a woman that dumb. How could she be so idiotic?”
“…For the happiness of the man she loved?” Miao Te hesitated for a moment before responding.
Salome didnโt even bother replying this time; she simply shot him a look full of disdain.
“If it were me, Iโd have killed that prince and turned back into a mermaid to return to the sea. That wouldโve been so much better,” she grumbled. “What a ridiculous and awful story.”
“…Itโs not like I wrote it,” Miao Te muttered under his breath.
“Change it!” she ordered.
“Butโ”
“Give me a different story, and it better make me happy. Otherwise, that collar on your neck… well, you know.”
“Got it! Iโll think of something!”
Feeling the cold metal of the collar prickling at his neck, Miao Te shivered and quickly racked his brain for another story.
But the more he panicked, the harder it became to think. Even when stories did come to mind, they were the kind of tales this young lady definitely wouldnโt like. Frustrated, he scratched his head.
“John, are you ready or not?”
Impatient, Salome was already calling his name and urging him to hurry up.
At that moment, Miao Teโs eyes lit up.
“Salome… Right! Salome!”
He muttered the name to himself, but the young lady, Salome, frowned in displeasure.
“As a servant, using your masterโs name so casually should be punished,” she warned.
“No, no! I just remembered a storyโa story with a princess named Salome, just like you! Would you like to hear it?”
“Speak.”
Miao Te took a moment to recall the details. Fortunately, back when he was bedridden with nothing to do, he had read through all the books his parents had collected. He remembered the story of Salome quite well because the ending was rather chilling, and the dialogue was as poetic as an opera. Some of those lines have stuck with him even to this day.
Hmm, though he definitely couldnโt mention that this Salome princess was executed in the endโฆ
“In a distant land, there was a princess named Salome, who possessed astonishing beauty…”
Just as he started, he was interrupted.
“You said the same thing in the last story,” the golden-haired lady remarked with a sideways glance.
In the previous mermaid story, Miao Te had begun with, “Once upon a time, in the ocean, there was a golden-haired mermaid princess, who possessed astonishing beauty…”
Yes, they were almost identical.
“…”
Miao Te felt a bit wronged.
How could this be his fault? Almost every fairy tale started the same way!
But with the metal collar around his neck reminding him of the consequences, he knew he couldnโt talk back. He had no choice but to continue, despite the frustration bubbling inside him.
“A great many people admired this beautiful princessโher beauty and her graceful figure enchanted every man who laid eyes on her. But she found none of them worthy. That is, until one day, she encountered a prophet…”
“Whatโs a prophet?”
Once again, Salome interrupted his story.
Miao Te thought for a moment before replying.
“Someone who can foresee the future, warn the people about potential dangers, and is highly respected because of their ability.”
“Impossible.”
Salome dismissed his explanation outright. “Even the most advanced artificial intelligence, which processes vast amounts of data, struggles to calculate the probabilities of future events. A human brain couldnโt possibly process enough information to accurately predict the future.”
“…No, prophets donโt use calculations. Itโs a special ability given to them by the gods.”
“Wrong. Gods are just a myth. They donโt exist, and theyโve never given humans any powers.”
“…”
“Moreover, enjoying such high prestige among the public isn’t something an ordinary civilian can achieve. It doesn’t make senseโan ordinary person cannot command that kind of respect.”
“…”
It was a clash of mythology versus technology.
Humanities versus sciences.
Having been repeatedly interrupted and argued with since the mermaid story, Miao Te had finally reached his breaking point. He couldnโt take it anymore.
He snapped, shouting at the constantly interjecting young lady.
“Are you going to listen or not? If you want to hear it, then shut up!”
Salomeโs emerald eyes widened in shock, her face showing a look of disbelief.
“You yelled at me?”
From the time she was born, even her incredibly distinguished father had never yelled at her. And yet, this teenagerโฆ
Miao Te immediately regretted his outburst, but since he had already done it, he couldnโt back down now. He couldnโt afford to lose face.
So, he stubbornly stuck out his neck and continued to yell at Salome.
Salome stared at him, her mouth slightly agape, her wide eyes locked on this teenager who was daring to defy her. For a moment, her intimidating aura was completely overpowered by Miao Teโs sudden burst of defiance. In her shock, she found herself nodding, dazed.
“Fine, continue. I wonโt interrupt.”
Seeing that the golden-haired young lady had quieted down, Miao Te nodded in satisfaction and resumed his story.
“The prophet, who was greatly revered, feared neither the kingโs power nor his wrath. He openly condemned the king for killing his brother and taking his widow as his wife, claiming that the kingโs sins had tainted the land with injustice and evil…”
The beautiful Salome was captivated by the prophet the moment she laid eyes on him. She begged for a kiss from his lips.
But the prophet, disgusted by her, called her the daughter of demons, saying she was filthy and impure. He rejected her, refusing to even look her way.
After being spurned, Salome demanded that her stepfather, the king, kill the prophet and present her with his severed head.
With the bloodied head cradled in her hands, she finally got her wishโto kiss the cold lips of the man she had fallen in love with…”
The room had fallen silent, and though the night sky outside remained bright, the room itself had dimmed, as if it had embraced the darkness of the night.
Salome lay quietly on the bed, her golden hair fanning out like a blanket, staring up at the golden silk drapes above her.
In the darkness, her emerald-green eyes gleamed as if they were glowing.
“[Please speak again, your voice is as sweet as wine]… [I want to kiss your lips, I want to bite into them like I would a ripe fruit.]”
“[But why wonโt you look at me? Why wonโt you let me kiss your lips?]…”
Repeating the lines from the story in a soft, melodic voice, Salome smiled faintly as she lay on her back.
“These words are as beautiful as music,” she said, her eyes narrowing like emerald slits.
“And the actions of that woman, Salome… I quite like them.”
“If I canโt have what I desire, then Iโll destroy itโdestroy it with my own hands. That way, it still belongs to me.”
She chuckled softly, her pale legs curling and swaying slightly in the air. She lay with her arms stretched out on the soft bed, her gaze lost in the shimmering golden drapes that hung above her.
She remained in that reverie for a long while, and then suddenly, with a voice like a song, she repeated the words from the story.
“[Look, I have kissed your lips.]”
That was the last line spoken by Salome in the story.
Cradling the severed head of the man she loved, she allowed the blood to drip down her arms as she pressed her lips to his cold, lifeless mouth.[T/N: I don’t think that’s how the story goes but that’s a good fanfic.]
***
The scorching sun illuminated the golden earth, and the fine golden sand reflected the bright sunlight, making it seem as if the entire land was glowing. The enormous city towering above the desert was bustling with activity at this moment. From dawn till dusk, landing starships continuously descended from the sky, arriving in the city without pause.
On this day, the ruler of the planet and the entire Mia star system, Marquis Mia, was celebrating his birthday. Countless people, either invited or coming on their own to curry favour with the aging Marquis, flocked from all corners of the universe, gathering in this city.
At the very top of the largest and tallest spire in the city, the luxurious and opulent banquet hall had already been opened. Though the birthday banquet had yet to begin, gentlemen and ladies, dressed in exquisite formal attire, strolled casually through the hall, engaging in conversations while waiting for the celebration to commence.
The host, the elderly Marquis Mia, had not yet made an appearance, but his sole heir, Beiat Mia, was currently standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, courteously welcoming each distinguished guest. His handsome face was adorned with a reserved yet appropriate smile, and his demeanor was calm and polite. Every movement exuded noble elegance, appearing almost flawless.
However, in the next moment, a fleeting crack appeared in his perfect smile. Someone was walking directly towards him.
The person’s tall frame was wrapped in a black military uniform with silver embroidery, exuding an air of asceticism. The upright black collar was fastened with golden cords and tassels at the buttons. The polished black boots made firm contact with the floor as the young Major General strode forward. His off-white cape billowed gently in a soft arc with each step.
His hair, as dark as the night, shone like velvet, and beneath it was a face of exquisite beauty, with features so striking they seemed to captivate anyone who looked at him. The young Major Generalโs presence radiated an invisible but palpable sharpness.
He was like a cold and scorching blue flame, one that instantly drew all eyes upon him the moment he appeared.
The crack in Beiat’s smile lasted only a moment before he quickly regained his composure. Suppressing the shadow in his eyes, he took the initiative to step forward, greeting Taylor with a courteous smile.
โMajor General Taylor, you left Mia Planet so abruptly last night. I was worried that we had not been hospitable enough,โ he said with a smile, his words carrying a hidden reproach, subtly accusing Taylor of being too rude for leaving without a word as a guest.
โEn,โ Major General Taylor replied, his tone casual.
โYou were indeed lacking in hospitality.โ
“…”
Beiat’s smile twitched, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words, completely caught off guard.
“My apologies then,” he said, swallowing a breath and trying his best to maintain a kind smile on his face. “I hope you enjoy yourself tonight.”
Major General Taylor responded with another indifferent hum.
Beiat stared at him, a hint of coldness surfacing in his eyes. In his heart, he was already plotting how he could find a way to ensure this man would remain on Mia Planet forever.
Suddenly, the young Major General raised his eyes and glanced at him.
In his dark blue pupils was a glimmer of cold light, an inexplicable and intensely intimidating presence.
After that glance, Taylor said nothing. He simply walked past Beiat and entered the banquet hall.
Beiat remained where he was, frozen in place. He couldnโt explain why, but Taylor’s gaze had sent a chill down his spine.
For that instant, when those eyesโlike icebergs frozen deep beneath the seaโlooked at him, he found himself unable to move.
… That gaze… That indescribable sense of dreadโฆ
What kind of gaze was that?
It didn’t even seem like a gaze a human could possessโฆ
***
When Major General Taylor stepped into the hall, a middle-aged man walked beside him. This man also held the rank of Major General and was additionally bestowed with the title of viscount. At that moment, he was chatting amiably with Taylor.
“I didn’t expect you to attend this banquet,” he said, before suddenly recalling something. “Ah, that explains it… I was wondering why someone who never liked these sorts of birthday banquets would suddenly travel all the way here.”
As he spoke, he gave Taylor a subtle, knowing look.
“Taylor, there might be a surprise waiting for you later,” he teased.
The dark-haired Major General responded with a low hum but his expression showed he didn’t care much.
The middle-aged man laughed heartily, gave Taylor a friendly pat on the shoulder, exchanged a few more polite words, and then walked off to greet other acquaintances.
Taylor remained standing, pondering for a moment when suddenly a hand extended in front of him. A young, beautiful woman stood before him, smiling sweetly.
“Hello, Your Excellency,” she said, her voice soft. “It’s our first time meeting. I am Naya Mia.”
From her name, it was clear that she was a member of the Mia family.
She gazed at Taylor with sparkling eyes, a slight blush on her cheeks, and her eyes shone with a moist brilliance, as though tears were about to fall.
While speaking, she offered her hand to the Major General. Though she had heard rumors of his aloofness, she thought to herself, “As a man, surely he’d at least take my hand in front of so many people, even if only for show. A gentleman’s gestureโa hand clasp and a symbolic kiss on the back of the handโshouldn’t be too much to expect.”
In her mind, she was already happily imagining Taylor taking her hand, bending down, and pressing his pale lips to her hand.
However, under the gaze of many onlookers, the black-haired Major General took a step forward.
Without a hint of hesitation, he walked right past the young woman who had extended her hand.
He completely ignored the hand that had been offered to him. It was as if he hadn’t even seen the person standing right in front of him. His expression remained indifferent, and his cold, dark blue eyes showed no emotion at all.
He paid no attention to the young woman’s shocked and almost tearful expression behind him.
“Still the same, aren’t you, Major General Taylor? No sense of how to treat a lady.”
A soft sigh came from nearby.
A woman with long, soft golden hair appeared before the crowd, dressed in a stunning blue gown that radiated beauty. Her radiance nearly outshone everything around her.
Yet, despite her dazzling beauty, the moment she stood face-to-face with the black-haired Major General, her glow was instantly diminished.
She gazed at Taylor, her fair arms naturally resting in front of her. Knowing the young Major General’s temperament, she wasn’t foolish enough to extend her hand like the young woman before.
Instead, she looked at him with her brilliant emerald eyes, her gaze lingering on his strikingly handsome faceโa face that even made her, someone who had always taken pride in her beauty, feel a sense of inferiority.
Taylor stopped in his tracks and turned his attention to this woman, who could not be ignored.
“Princess Salome,” he said.
The current emperor of the Empire had only one daughter, whom he cherished deeply.
Her name was Salome.
***
[1] ็พไบบ้ฑผ(mermaid) ็พ (“mฤi”) = “beautiful” ไบบ (“rรฉn”) = “person” ้ฑผ (“yรบ”) = “fish” (lit. โbeautiful person fishโ)
***
Translation by NightOwll
***
Finally an interesting female character in a BL novel, it’s been so long! I think she and mc have such a great chemistry while talking (but in a friendship type of way). I believe she might be tsundere and is only pretending to have bad intentions. Or maybe she’s actually truly spoiled and will do something evil later. It would be rare to see a female character in BL that is not evil.