Chapter Snow White Gru
[Breaking] Japan's Inoue Kenzo reveals his granddaughter is not S-rank…….
[Breaking] Inoue Kenzo, "Haruna was merely being used by him."
The major announcement that Inoue Haruna was not S-rank had been the center of attention for days on end.
PR Team Leader Hwang was quite disappointed that, because of this, "Today's Gru" had been buried faster than expected.
Paying no heed to such matters, Gru sat in the living room and opened a package from Japan.
[Inoue Kenzo]
'A tea ceremony play set!'
While Gru took out a tea bowl and teapot engraved with Inoue's signature, the doorbell rang.
"Huh? Gru, Uju is here."
"Uju?"
When the housekeeper Yeongran opened the door, Uju entered the house and bowed politely.
"Hello, Auntie."
"Yes, Uju. Long time no see. Did you dye your hair again? Did you grow a little taller?"
"A little. About 2cm."
When Uju smiled proudly, Yeongran petted Uju's head as if Uju were adorable.
Just then, Gru popped her face out and welcomed Uju.
"Uju! What's up? Did you come to play with Gru?"
"Hi. I came today because I have an appointment."
"An appointment?"
Hm? Gru didn't make a separate appointment with Uju.
Was it something said in passing? Gru was searching her memory for recent conversations.
Uju pointed behind her with her index finger.
"Yeah, I have an appointment. With her."
"...Her?"
Gru turned around.
There stood Vellark (in human form) with his arms crossed, Mephisto perched on his head.
Lately, their relationship seemed to have improved a little, so they often stuck close together like that.
"There's only Beii and Meppi, though?"
"Yeah."
"...?"
Vellark squinted his half-lidded eyes at the two of them and then spoke to Uju.
"Follow me."
"Huh?!"
Gru was startled, but Uju naturally followed behind Vellark.
Soon they disappeared into the bathroom.
Gru, who had watched their backs, covered her agape mouth with both hands.
'Uju and Beii made an appointment?!'
*
Inside the quiet bathroom.
Silence hung between Uju, Vellark, and Mephisto, who had brought a children's stool and sat around it.
When Uju hesitated for a while, Vellark, who had been tapping his finger on his knee, issued an ultimatum.
"If you don't tell me what this is about quickly, I'm leaving."
"Beep beep."
Seeing even Mephisto chiming in, Uju quickly spoke.
"I need your help."
"What for?"
Uju clenched both fists on her lap.
"Well...... so Gru...... uh, with another boy......"
Uju, who had been stammering, lowered her voice as if too embarrassed to speak aloud.
"A k......"
"A k-what."
"K-kiss...... I think they're going to."
"Beep-?"
"...?"
At Uju's bombshell statement, Mephisto froze with his mouth open in shock, and Vellark frowned and asked again.
"The master is going to start dating a boy?"
There hadn't been any sign of that?
While Vellark simply looked surprised, Mephisto staggered, pressing his wing to his forehead.
Uju shook her head at that.
"No, that's not what I mean."
"Beep?"
Mephisto, who had seemed about to faint just moments ago, returned to his senses and pricked up his ears solemnly.
"We're doing a joint Snow White play at kindergarten. But......"
Uju squeezed her eyes shut and shook her adorably clenched fists as if angry.
"They drew the roles using a spinning wheel......!"
"Ah......"
"Beep......"
Vellark and Mephisto sighed.
"So Gru was picked as the princess, and the prince...... became a boy from another class."
"So?"
"Beep?"
The two, who were well-versed in zombies and TV animation but knew nothing at all about the Snow White story, tilted their heads in confusion.
"'Snow White' is a story where the princess who collapsed after eating a poison apple wakes up from the prince's k-kiss......! So, Gru is going to k-kiss! with the prince......!"
Uju spat out the words with her face dyed red.
"Beep......!"
Mephisto stiffened with his mouth open in a diamond shape.
Uju covered her face with both hands with an expression of frustration.
Among the bathroom summit participants, Vellark was the only one who didn't take this seriously.
He seemed truly puzzled, fell into thought, then asked.
"But about that kissing thing. Don't humans do it easily? On TV, men and women do it as soon as they make eye contact."
"W-w-what are you talking about! That can't be true!"
"It's not a lie. They really do it like this......"
When Vellark tried to demonstrate a kiss while wrapping his arms around himself, Uju frantically waved her hands left and right.
"That's for adults......! Kids like us shouldn't watch that!"
"Is that so?"
Hmm. Vellark stopped pretending and stroked his chin.
"Ah, so today you called me to eat the kindergarten teacher who selected the roles with a spinning wheel?"
"Not at all!"
Uju retorted, raising her voice, then continued.
"J-just...... please turn Gru's attention elsewhere. The protagonist has lots of lines, so she needs to practice a lot. But if she becomes too busy to practice, she'll have no choice but to ask them to change her role."
"Beep beep-"
Mephisto nodded as if in agreement.
But Vellark seemed to think that wouldn't be enough to stop Gru.
"But what if she still does it? The master would want to be the princess no matter what, right?"
Uju, too, knew well the terrifying princess obsession of a five-year-old girl. The child nodded readily.
"Yeah, so I have another plan prepared."
"What is it?"
"Beep?"
"I-it's a plan that has nothing to do with you guys."
"If you tell me, I might be able to help."
"Beep beep-"
"That's......"
Uju hesitated for a moment, fidgeting with both hands and lowering her gaze.
After waiting patiently, a shy voice soon flowed out.
"I'm going to switch roles with that boy......"
Hmph, Vellark snorted and crossed his arms.
"Aha, so by doing that, you're going to k-kiss with the master instead of that boy?"
"Beep?!"
For a moment, Mephisto's eyes gleamed viciously as he buzzed up.
Mephisto's kick flew toward the flustered Uju's face.
A groan burst from Uju.
"Oof!"
Mephisto climbed onto Uju's dazed head and kicked rapidly with his short legs.
It was Vellark who stopped the furious Mephisto.
Vellark grabbed the back of Mephisto's neck while he was kicking with his eyes wide and fierce.
"I don't care who becomes the prince."
"What?!"
"Beep?!"
As Uju and Mephisto looked at him with faces brimming with betrayal, Vellark yawned as if annoyed.
What did it matter to him who the master kissed? To Vellark, who had learned about the world by watching adult videos until now, it was merely child's play.
"So if you want to ask me a favor, it means you have to offer different compensation."
"What kind of......?"
At Uju's cautious question, stars appeared in Vellark's eyes.
The child bared his shark teeth and grinned.
"Your blood."
"...?!"
Uju recoiled with a pale face.
"If you provide me a drop of your blood, I'll cooperate. How about it?"
Uju, who had been lost in thought with her head bowed, licked her lips and looked up.
"...A drop is enough?"
"Yes. That much compensation is sufficient for such a trivial matter. If you wish, I'll even cooperate so that you become the prince."
"Beep beep-!"
Mephisto cried out as if coughing up blood, but Uju accepted, beaming.
"Then great! I'll give it!"
Vellark held out his hand, and Uju grabbed it and shook it up and down.
It was the dramatic conclusion of the bathroom summit.
Negotiations with Mephisto had broken down, but the alliance between Vellark and Uju was made possible with just a single drop of blood.
Watching the two shake hands, Mephisto trembled and clutched his wings.
'Vellark, you traitor!'
If only he weren't a small bird, he could have thrown a tantrum and prevented this bathroom summit from happening.
He had ended up turning back into a bird from human form due to his lack of power, but now he had a feel for how to do it.
He just needed power.
Yes, he would gather power and return to human form.
He had to become that prince and stop Uju and Gru's kiss.