Ex Hunter Current Queen, All That's Left Is the Actual Battle - Chapter 6

Translator: White Lotus 

“Damn it! I may not know much, but I can already tell you’re stubborn as hell.”

Jackson raised his voice, yanking his arm free from Calint, who was attempting to “suggest” they return to their room while forcefully pulling him along. This damn spider had to be the very definition of an arrogant tyrant.

Jackson himself was notorious for his headstrong and impatient nature, so his first impression of Calint was simple: “Someone even more hard-headed than me.”

Hell, if he only had a single gun.

Unfortunately, he was armed with neither gun nor knife, and the cursed dress was tight enough to strangle him, making even the simplest movements difficult. Realizing he had no way out, Jackson threw Calint a vicious glare. If looks alone could wound, Calint would’ve been suffering a fatal blow.

Regardless, Calint just gripped his new bride’s hand tightly and continued on toward the bedchamber. For such a small thing, humans had tiny hands and slow steps. How was it possible that something this small could have a voice so loud? In any case, it was truly astonishing.

Dragging along with an awkward, limping step by King Arachron, Jackson eventually had to stop in his tracks, letting out a voice heavy with frustration.

“Hey, slow down. I’m not going anywhere, so quit dragging me.”

Though he was trying his best to match Calint’s pace, he found himself being pulled along, his annoyance building with every step. He thought that without this damned dress, he’d easily keep up, but the infuriating fabric kept twisting around his prosthetic leg, making it a struggle just to walk.

Hearing the irritation in Jackson’s voice, Calint paused and tilted his head, clearly surprised.

“…You’re not going anywhere? I wasn’t expecting that. Judging by how things unfolded, you didn’t seem like the type to willingly kill the former queen just to become queen. I thought you’d either burst into tears or start another brawl. Looks like I was wrong.”

“Hah, what nonsense! Do you take me for some snot-nosed brat?”

What a colossal misunderstanding. By saying those earlier words, he’d meant he wouldn’t run away for the time being, but this idiot seemed to think he’d be staying for good. Finding the monster king’s statement absurd and downright annoying, Jackson raised his head and glared at him with belligerent eyes as he continued to speak.

“You’d let me go if I cried or caused a scene? Hand me a gun, and I’ll show you exactly what causing a scene looks like.”

“Shh, calm down now. If anything, I’m pleased. Whether you like it or not, since you’re here in my kingdom, I’d prefer if you handled it well.”

Despite the new queen’s voice rising in agitation, the king maintained his calm tone. Jackson saw Calint as a monstrous hypocrite, but Calint, in turn, found him rather intriguing.

“The human queen will earn the king’s trust but ultimately will set Arachron’s palace ablaze.”

Whether this new queen could be trusted as the prophecy foretold was still uncertain. His actions thus far were anything but steady and devout. He was rough and wild, even showing an alarming volatility.

And yet, this unruly man was different in essence from the conniving nobles who pretended to respect the crown while scheming behind his back. Jackson seemed unfazed by authority, showing no deference toward the king and no fear of his monstrous groom. His words were crude, like those of a common thug, but at least they weren’t coated in empty flattery. Seeing someone so willing to reveal his true self sparked Calint’s interest.

Calint highly valued the queen’s consistency in defiance. And his audacity to challenge even those larger than himself.

That was enough to lead Calint not to anger, but to respond with a gentle question instead.

“Are you not afraid of me?”

“Oh, we’re switching topics now? Why, did you hope I’d go, ‘Oh no, I’m so scared!’ and start sobbing?”

Jackson mocked him with an exaggerated whimper, then twisted his face into a scowl, spitting the words out at Calint. In response, the elegant creature folded one pair of arms across his chest, then shrugged with the other, unfazed.

“No, I’m asking seriously. I’m bigger than you, and I even have extra arms. From a human’s perspective, I could look repulsive or monstrous.”

“Hah! You’ve got a fantastic sense of your place, I’ll give you that. Can’t argue about the gross part—just looking at that bug-like body of yours is enough to make me want to throw up. But feeling repulsed on a visceral level is completely different from whining like a coward.”

At the word “bug,” a subtle expression crossed Calint’s face, and Jackson didn’t miss that slight reaction. He didn’t know a single thing about Arachron etiquette or customs, but his last comment was clearly insulting.

The so-called great king, acting all high and mighty—looks like I’ve managed to get under his skin.

Jackson Carter was a man who lived in an era where kings did not exist. Barely educated, with no idea what a “king” even signified, he imagined a king to be little more than a primitive tribe’s chief. He knew they held the highest position, but as far as he was concerned, these leaders were usually arrogant, hypocritical, and prone to brutality. In his experience, petty chieftains often lost their composure easily even at the slightest provocation, showing their true colors.

So Jackson had purposefully provoked Calint. He was trapped in the kingdom of monsters; escape was almost impossible. But that didn’t mean he had any intention of meekly appeasing a monster to survive. If forced to choose between being a plaything or a prisoner, Jackson Carter would always pick the latter without hesitation.

“You’ve proven you can speak rather freely… but you might need to learn a bit of caution.”

“Then say you’re fed up with me already! Throw me in a cell—might actually make things easier.”

“That, I cannot do. Don’t forget, you are my queen.”

Calint tilted his head slightly to check if anyone was nearby. With eight eyes instead of two, a slight movement of his head allowed him to survey almost his entire surroundings. Fortunately, no one appeared to be watching, but standing in the middle of the path bickering wasn’t an ideal choice.

“You must be tired from having to rush the wedding, and it seems your nerves are likely frayed….My apologies. I’ve made the bride walk for too long.”

With that, the Arachron king offered his hand politely. Jackson looked down at Calint’s large hand, then glanced up at him with a “what do you expect me to do with this?” expression.

“…….”

When Jackson first saw him, he couldn’t help but notice that Calint’s face was truly very unique. Just looking at his face, one could easily forget that below it was a body that fused the forms of spider and scorpion—it was that elegant. His features were so refined, distinct from the slender, delicate lines seen in new humans often displayed on billboards and in the news. Calint’s jawline was firm and sharply defined, giving off a strong impression, While his well-proportioned mouth and straight nose were impeccably well-shaped. Even just the lower half of his face had an allure that could captivate a gaze—he was undeniably a strikingly handsome man.

The eight symmetrical pupils embedded above the white exoskeleton covering the face appeared, at first glance, like ornate decorations. To be more specific, a faint blue flame-like glow seemed to flicker subtly beyond the crystalline lenses as hard as jewels.

To Jackson, who’d lived in a time when machinery dominated, they looked a bit like LEDs or some kind of mechanical power source.

Even with the human queen’s silent, piercing stare, Calint wasn’t perturbed. Instead, he gently asked again, in a patient tone.

“If you would allow it, I’d like to personally escort you to my bedchamber. How do you wish to proceed?”

“Isn’t that what you were already doing? Although ‘escort’ doesn’t really cover it… ‘dragging’ might be more accurate.”

Tightly wrapped up in a spider’s web-like dress and practically pulled along, “dragging” wasn’t too far from the truth. Calint, without responding to Jackson’s irritated tone, leaned down and gently placed his hands around Jackson’s waist.

“Ugh! What—put me down…!”

“This is what I meant by escorting you. This works well. Humans are lighter than I expected.”

With his arms wrapped around the queen’s waist and shoulders, Calint lifted him as he spoke. Held close in the traditional bridal manner, Jackson squirmed in protest. But no amount of struggling could free him from Calint’s four strong arms.

“What, are you an idiot? All I meant was to slow down a bit! I didn’t say anything about picking me up!”

The flustered human queen hurriedly looked around. He remembered too well how the bugs had clustered around, snickering earlier. The last thing he wanted was to become a spectacle like this, and he certainly didn’t want to be seen as Calint’s partner, even for a moment.

“Sensitive, or just easily embarrassed? You seem straightforward, but not when it comes to things like this.”

Calint chuckled softly, picking up his pace. Before Jackson could even respond to his ridiculous comment, the speed of Calint’s movement was so swift that the hem of his dress flared out, and Jackson, startled, had no choice but to cling to the monstrous young man’s neck.

In hindsight, it wasn’t really surprising. Even a small spider could move swiftly; with greater size and longer legs, beating a human in a race would be a piece of cake. Not that it meant Jackson wanted to be carried by a spider, of course.

“Honestly, how did I end up here?”

Unable to hold back his frustration, Jackson groaned. Outwardly, it might have appeared rather romantic—a beautiful bride in a white dress, cradled by a graceful groom. The minor issues being that this “bride” was a towering, burly man; the groom was a monster; and Jackson, clinging for dear life and practically strangling Calint in fear of falling.

“…I’ll make sure you have no regrets.”

“What?”

“Regardless of everything, you are my queen and a guest of honor in the Arachron Kingdom. I truly meant it when I said you would be treated with the utmost respect.”

The unchanging sincerity in Calint’s voice prompted Jackson to snort and let out a scornful laugh.

“Oh, you sure know how to make it sound nice, don’t you? Thank you so very much, really. You’ve just reminded me exactly why I should be regretting my decision!”

Respect, my ass. Jackson, annoyed even by the sight of the monster king’s face, abruptly whipped his head away. For the tenth of a second he’d considered this creature handsome, he immediately wanted to revoke that thought.

Back at the ceremony, when he’d been suddenly kissed or when he was held in his arms, he’d only processed each action as an attack, so he hadn’t thought much of it. But the way this guy kept calling him “queen” and insisting he’d be treated as such—it was driving him insane.

Does this stupid bug actually think I’m his queen?

It was absurd. Putting aside the fact they were different species, they’d only just met today. How was he supposed to play the role of a spouse to someone he didn’t even know?

Jackson Carter was a self-proclaimed lifelong bachelor. He despised his parents, who’d let their lives spiral because they couldn’t resist a fling that left them stuck with him. He’d sworn up and down throughout his life that he would never have children.

He could never give up alcohol, but sex—that, he’d managed to quit.

Yet here this damn spider was, blissfully ignorant, forcing him into marriage without the slightest hint of guilt. Not only had Jackson never even considered being with a woman, let alone a monstrous male creature. Moreover, it was something that was out of the question.

For hell’s sake, why is this happening to me?

Jackson felt a surge of injustice. With one headache after another piling up, he found himself just wanting to shut his mind off completely. Thirst had been bothering him for a while now, and he finally realized it was really alcohol he was craving. However, he kept that thought to himself; no outward signs of withdrawal surfaced. He simply kept his mouth shut and turned his head away like a sulking child.

“……”

The new bride clung stubbornly to the king’s neck, not uttering a single word all the way. Calint, too, maintained silence, fully aware that the slightest remark would set Jackson off into another furious outburst. So he carried on quietly, focusing solely on his steps.

At last, they arrived at Calint’s bedchamber within the palace. The attendants waiting outside the door held their breath and averted their eyes upon seeing the two of them.

So the rumors about the human queen were true—bold yet strikingly standoffish!

No one dared to say a word, but their expressions made their thoughts all too clear.

Calint moved past the stiff attendants and entered the room. Though structurally different from human quarters, it was lavishly adorned, as expected of the king’s chamber.

“Well, here we are,” he said.

“Put me down. Now,” Jackson snapped.

The moment Calint halted, Jackson squirmed, trying to wriggle free. The spider king obliged, setting him down carefully, though he clicked his tongue inwardly. Bringing him here had gone smoothly enough, but there was nothing in the room prepared for his queen.

“Ah, it seems nothing has been arranged here for you yet. That was my oversight. I wanted to recreate an environment as close as possible to what you’re used to….”

“No, no need for that. Really, I’m fine.”

Jackson recalled the old couch where liquor bottles were strewn carelessly across the cushions, and the fabric was so worn out that the springs were on the verge of popping out. There was no need to recreate an environment similar to where he used to live, and the thought of this overly polite, insane bug king actually recreating such a setting in his royal palace gave him goosebumps.

“There’s no need to refuse; it’s the least I can do to make you comfortable.”

“I said it’s not necessary! Seriously, do you understand anything unless I spell it out?”

“Well, if you’re so insistent, I suppose there’s no other choice. So, where do humans usually sleep? It seems that without your quarters prepared, you’ll have to spend the night with me. After all, on the wedding night, the newlyweds should…”

“Ha, seriously, this is driving me crazy. Where do I even start unraveling this?” Jackson muttered quickly, cutting Calint off.

What the hell did he just say? Wedding night? Did he really just say wedding night?

He had no desire to hear any more. Not that ignoring it would change the unavoidable, but still, he really didn’t want to hear it.

“Haha, it seems the queen is afraid. Was it a lie that you didn’t fear me?” Calint chuckled softly, noting Jackson’s visible unease.

Caught off guard by the spider king’s taunt, Jackson’s eyes widened momentarily before he quickly masked his expression and retorted, “Me? That’s ridiculous. You’re trying to provoke me, but this has nothing to do with fear, got it? You might want to drop any ideas about using mind games on me.”

To Jackson, this marriage was something of a roleplay, a child’s game of make-believe. He was a man living in an era where families were disintegrating, and he regarded feudal family structures or ceremonies as something that belonged in movies or TV dramas.

But now, faced with this play-acting brought to life, he realized he was expected to go even further—to engage in an intimate relationship with a monster. The thought alone made his head spin. When he was standing at the altar, the idea of having sex with this spider-like monster hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Do they expect him to do that with this guy? And… how exactly was that supposed to work?

Though Jackson kept up the act of nonchalance, the prospect of intimacy with Calint was beyond imagining and made him sick to his stomach. His mind balked even at the attempt to envision it. The lower half of this monster’s body was like that of a cross between a spider and a scorpion—a creature with an arthropod-like appearance.

Where exactly was he supposed to hold onto and thrust? Imagining all sorts of bizarre positions in his head, the human male shuddered and promptly shook off the thought.

Call it “sex” all you want, but wasn’t this practically just mating with a beast?

“That’s true, isn’t it? Beyond fear, it’s a situation that would be problematic for anyone. But if you’re scared, you could simply say so. Like it or not, we’ve formed a bond as a couple, and now we’re in a place where we need to understand each other.”

As Calint spoke in his steady voice, five or six different expressions flashed across Jackson’s face in quick succession. The new bride, heavily armored with wariness and hostility, looked fiercer than a hedgehog with all its quills raised.

“You’re not scary, you’re just downright creepy, you know that? Damn it, I should’ve figured out sooner you’d be this dense. Either way, it’s not happening. There’s no way I’d ever get turned on by you—or your body.”

“That shouldn’t be an issue, should it?”

Calint asked, as though puzzled. Jackson asked back in a bewildered tone.

“What do you mean, ‘not an issue’? Whether I get hard or not determines if I’m even able to thrust, doesn’t it?”

“To thrust? Where? Into what?”

This damn bastard. As if he didn’t know exactly what he was hinting at—playing dumb to throw him off guard was one thing, but this was too much. Jackson, convinced that the idiotic spider was feigning innocence on purpose, scowled deeply and snapped back.

“Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

“Of course! I think we’re experiencing a massive communication breakdown here.”

“Ha, you really do have a knack for making people mad. Maybe you could make a living out of it,”

Fuck. Jackson barely managed to hold back a more vulgar expletive as he bit his lip in frustration. He thought he was used to throwing around blunt and crude words without a second thought, but facing someone who continued to speak so unflinchingly polite manner was starting to make him feel like he was the odd one, and the frustration burned him up inside.

“……”

Calint merely tilted his head, a gesture that plainly meant he was waiting for Jackson to explain, as though he truly didn’t understand and needed things spelled out.

“Haah…” Jackson let out a heavy sigh.

It was as humiliating as being asked to slowly repeat a lie he’d hastily made up to cover a situation. But he couldn’t hold back what he’d been thinking, not anymore. The human queen decided to abandon any pretense and without beating around the bush, he just blurted out his disgust for the monster.

“I’ll only say it once, so listen carefully. How the hell am I supposed to shove my dick into your ass? Looking at you doesn’t turn me on at all!”