Chapter 108

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on January 22, 2025

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I had been misunderstanding.

Clearly, this yellow beetle was ignorant and didn’t know about apartments, houses, or buildings, so it just called it a temple. That’s what I thought.

Not just me, but Eve thought the same way.

But the moment I followed it and crossed beyond the gate of the sky, I realized that both Eve and I had been greatly mistaken.

It really was a temple.

I had seen a photo of the Parthenon Temple in Athens before. I had also seen an imagination of what it would look like if it hadn’t collapsed, and while it wasn’t exactly the same, this temple had quite a few similarities.

And beyond that temple…

“Is that… you?”

A gigantic statue. A statue that rose even higher than the temple, standing in a pose that felt like the Statue of David.

“That’s right. It’s me. No matter what anyone says, the dignity of a ruler is completed with a statue.”

Looking at Escario, who was standing next to me with his arms crossed, grinning with satisfaction, I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t say anything.

“Vesprede, I can erect your statue too.”

“No thanks.”

I really don’t need it.

Around us was an open plain. Crops I couldn’t name grew there, and the wind made waves ripple across the vast field. In the distance, I could see high mountains with clouds wrapped around their waists, and trees bearing fruit. Baby angels were flying around here and there.

Overall impression?

“If you live in a place like this, why did you follow me to the human world to cause trouble?”

“Because you weren’t here.”

Ah, right.

—

There was also an unmanned carriage here.

Escario snapped his fingers, saying he wanted to show me something amazing, and a carriage appeared out of nowhere. It was an unmanned carriage.

“How is it? Amazing, right?”

“I’ve ridden one in the Dark Realm. Huh?”

Now that I think about it, in the Dark Realm, the horses pulling the carriages had six legs and looked scary, but here…

“Isn’t that a unicorn?”

“Oh, you recognize a unicorn. That’s right. They’re also called unicorns.”

A pure white body with a golden mane and a single golden horn on its forehead. Is that Karin?

“Get on.”

I was about to ask, but he kept urging me, so I just got on the carriage. I opened the door, sat down, and across from me, Escario was wearing a strange smile.

“Why are you smiling?”

“How could I not smile?”

“Why?”

“Getting on a carriage pulled by this unicorn is proof that you’ve maintained your virginity. How could I not smile… Oof!”

“You really need to be punched more often.”

Everything about him is annoying.

“Stay for just one day.”

“Sure.”

I didn’t think I’d be able to return the same day. One day should be fine, right?

“Don’t think of me as the Vesprede you knew. She might have been soft and done everything you asked, but I’m not her. Besides, I’ve already marked you as an enemy. Don’t even think about pulling any tricks. Got it?”

“Of course. Don’t worry. I won’t do anything.”

How can I trust that…

Soon, the carriage arrived, and we got off at a mansion.

Hmm.

My mansion in Mitran’s Garden… it’s mine, right? Compared to that, this mansion isn’t much different, so I’m not that impressed.

But that thought was completely shattered the moment I stepped inside. The mansion was vertically long, and as I entered, I let out a sigh at the sight of the endlessly long interior.

“It’s different from the outside, isn’t it?”

From the statues placed on pedestals at regular intervals to the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the staircases everywhere.

I need to correct myself.

It felt about five or six times larger than my mansion in Mitran’s Garden. Of course, I haven’t fully explored my mansion, but still.

As soon as I stepped inside, angels flew over, smiling brightly and bowing to greet me.

Angels, huh. Wow.

“Now, there’s something I want to show you.”

Escario smiled brightly and pointed behind him as if he were escorting me. Where his hand pointed, there was a large wooden door, and the sunlight streaming through it made me feel like my eyes would hurt if I went out there.

“You’ll understand when you go.”

“It’s not something weird, right?”

“You’re a guest. I’m not so depraved as to do something weird to a guest.”

…I’m suspicious.

“Lead the way.”

If I’m so suspicious, I shouldn’t have come here in the first place. Since I’m already here, I have no choice but to trust him. But I should stay on guard. I need to be ready to press my earring at any moment… Wait, no need.

I can use magic now, right?

“Then, this way.”

—

“Wow…”

When Escario opened the door wide, there was a garden.

A clear blue sky with the sun shining brightly, a few fluffy clouds scattered across it, and below, a vast garden filled with roses and other flowers.

“How is it?”

“Uh, how is it?”

It’s beautiful.

Well-trimmed garden trees, fountains placed here and there, various sculptures, and an arch gate made of ivy. It’s the most beautiful garden I’ve ever seen.

“Vesprede, this is a garden I’ve been decorating little by little whenever I missed you. I grew those flowers myself. I wanted to recreate Mitran’s Garden here.”

Hmm.

I let Escario’s words go in one ear and out the other as I unconsciously walked down into the garden to look at the flowers.

The sweet scent of roses.

The tangy scent of freesias.

The strong, almost piercing scent of jasmine.

Even with so many flowers in one place, how can their scents not be chaotic?

“…You put a lot of effort into this.”

“Hehe. I wanted to show you this if you ever came to the Light Realm. Well, a lot has happened, but still. Come here. I prepared some snacks since you might be hungry.”

I shouldn’t just eat anything someone gives me. I once had a drink with Prilly and ended up in big trouble.

“Do you think feeding a god a potion would work? If I had that intention, I would’ve done it already.”

That’s true.

“Snacks? What are they?”

“Sandwiches. If the Dark Realm’s specialty is barley snacks, the Light Realm’s specialty is bread, ham, and cheese. The sandwiches made from them will be to your liking.”

Each realm has its own specialty, huh.

The garden was so large that there was even a small hill. At the top of the hill, there was a huge ginkgo tree, and Escario had already laid out a mat under it and set out a lunchbox.

“Come, sit here. It’s a taste you’ve never experienced in the Dark Realm or the human world.”

He proudly opened the lunchbox, revealing fluffy bread with ham and cheese neatly layered in between. It was literally a sandwich.

“Just to be sure, you didn’t make this yourself, did you?”

“What do you take me for? Of course not.”

“I see.”

Usually, people would lie and say they made it themselves. Is he naive, stupid, or both…?

“Try one.”

—

*

—

Take care. Be careful.

I’ll be back. Wait for me.

A silent conversation passed through their eyes, and after seeing off the Mother-Body, Eve turned around as soon as the gate of the sky closed.

I’m worried.

So worried that I might never see her again, Eve tried to shake off the heavy feeling as she turned away.

“Kabe, come here.”

Crouching down and stretching out her arms, Kabe, who had been hiding behind Sohee, quickly ran over and snuggled into Eve’s embrace.

Like a child, her slightly high body temperature warmed Eve.

“Dad.”

“Yes.”

“Where did Mom go?”

“Mom…”

Where should I say she went?

For the sake of humans, she might have gone on a path where she could be sacrificed.

Would Kabe understand that?

Patting Kabe’s back, Eve fell into thought for a moment.

“Let’s go. Kabe, what do you want for lunch?”

By now, the sun was high in the sky.

After the Mother-Body disappeared, the reporters who had lost interest were scattering one by one, and now only Eve, Kabe, Dusik, Sohee, Aquamarine, and Prilly remained in the square.

“Let’s eat too. How about a traditional meal for a change?”

How can you live eating only meat all the time?

Sometimes you need to eat some greens too.

At Eve’s words, everyone nodded without much objection.

There’s a traditional Korean restaurant called Pimatgol hidden in the back of Samseong-dong.

It has a sign, but it’s so out of the way that you’d wonder if they even want customers. But it’s a high-end place where you need to make reservations months in advance, though that doesn’t matter.

“Oh, Madam Chairman. You’ve come?”

“Madam, have you been well?”

As Eve entered, a middle-aged woman greeted her with delight.

“Mom, don’t you see your daughter?”

Aquamarine grumbled as she followed in, and the middle-aged woman frowned at her.

“You’re the only daughter I have left, and you don’t visit as often as the Chairman. What’s there to be happy about?”

“It’s not like I don’t want to come.”

Aquamarine muttered quietly. Prilly also stepped in front of her.

“Madam, I’m here too.”

“Oh, Director Prilly is here too! It’s been a while since you all came together! Who are the scholars behind you?”

As Prilly hesitated on how to introduce Dusik and Sohee, Eve grabbed their hands and pulled them forward.

“They’re my dear younger siblings. Dusik, Sohee. Say hello. This is… no, Aquamarine’s mother.”

“H-Hello.”

Dusik, full of awkwardness, and Sohee, who was slightly better but still awkward, bowed their heads in greeting, and the middle-aged woman welcomed them warmly.

“Come in, come in. Let’s go to the master bedroom. I’ll bring the food, so go ahead.”

“Yes~!”

With Eve’s cheerful response, the group headed to the hidden place of Pimatgol, the master bedroom.

—

A full traditional Korean meal was laid out, so much that the table legs seemed to bend.

The scary part was that the main dishes hadn’t even arrived yet. Even with just the side dishes, you’d already be full after eating a few.

“How long will she be gone?”

Surprisingly, it was Aquamarine who spoke first.

Picking up a mung bean pancake, Aquamarine spoke casually, but Eve could sense the worry in her tone.

“After spending a few days together, you’re worried about her, huh?”

“Hmph. I’m just worried she might join their side.”

“You’re not being honest.”