Chapter 223

Right after getting a definite answer from Aitas, I finished the conversation and stepped back.

Whether she would keep her promise remains to be seen, but at least she can’t treat me carelessly.

‘Even if they are administrators.’

Yoo Ju was naturally under my control, and the same went for other Transcendent candidates.

Yoo Ju, Yoon Yeon, Wi Ho-yeon, Ha Yu-ri—at least these four wouldn’t betray me.

There’s no such thing as absolute in this world, but I was confident.

“Anyway, thank you, Priest. Thanks to you, I was able to talk to Aitas.”

“Not at all. I also received a lot of help from Lee Yun-seong.”

Well, in any case, everything has been resolved well. Both from my perspective and the Saintess’s.

“…Are you planning to return to Baronia now?”

‘Of course.’

I ended up staying in the Holy Kingdom longer than I thought.

So much so that I could even sense a strange madness in the letters Yoo Ju has been sending recently.

Reading her letters, filled with questions like “Are you going crazy without seeing me?” or “Did I do something wrong?” or “Why aren’t you coming back?” gave me a chilling feeling.

“Yes. It’s time to go back now.”

“…I see. It was a pleasant meeting. As I’ve already told you, you can use the warp gate. I wish you a safe journey.”

“Thank you. I hope you stay healthy as well, Priest.”

I couldn’t see her eyes clearly, but at least her complexion seemed brighter than before.

The relief was evident from the outside.

From her perspective, it’s only natural since there won’t be any more victims like her.

Now it’s really time to go back.

******

“…Lee Yun-seong, are you okay?”

“Ah…”

“You look very tired. As expected…”

As Wi Ho-yeon said, I also know that I look exhausted.

‘It can’t be helped.’

It’s not just a few weeks, but months. The time I’ve been apart from Yoo Ju.

Yoo Ju, who had been apart for so long, wouldn’t leave me alone, and naturally, I had no choice but to endure her.

‘If it were just verbal torment, that would be fine. Damn it…’

It was inevitable that she would demand fiercely, as if compensating for the time we couldn’t meet.

Lately, I’ve been spending nights with Yoo Ju almost every day, drowning in exhaustion.

‘I’m going to die like this.’

Far from pleasure, I’m now at the point where I feel nothing but pain and fatigue.

I finally understood why most married men eventually avoid sleeping with their wives.

And the unfair part is that Yoo Ju should also be exhausted, but instead, she seems full of energy.

‘What the hell.’

It might just be my imagination, but her skin seems firmer, and Yoo Ju has been looking more energetic lately.

It’s not strange to feel that something is wrong.

“…Um, Lee Yun-seong.”

“Ah… Yes, Ho-yeon. What is it?”

“Well…”

She seemed very hesitant to speak.

‘Why is she like this?’

After hesitating for a while, I gently spoke first.

“Feel free to speak, Ho-yeon. What’s wrong?”

“…Actually, Master and I have decided on a rotation.”

“…Huh?”

‘Rotation? What rotation?’

Just as I was wondering what she meant, Wi Ho-yeon’s next words left me dumbfounded.

“To, tonight is my, my turn… to be with you…”

‘What?’

“Are you… saying what I think you’re saying?”

As if confirming my thoughts, she nodded shyly, her face full of embarrassment.

‘Crazy… What about my opinion?’

I couldn’t believe they decided this without even asking me.

‘Am I some kind of spear guy?’

“If, if you’re too tired and don’t want to… I, I’m okay…”

Despite her words, her face clearly said otherwise.

Though she looked ashamed, the intense determination in her eyes as she glanced at me was unmistakable.

“…….”

When I looked at her in disbelief, Wi Ho-yeon hurriedly started speaking.

“It’s, it’s been over two weeks since you last held me…”

A rare tone of disappointment from Wi Ho-yeon.

‘Sigh… It’s just that dealing with Yoo Ju alone has been exhausting lately…’

“If, if you’re really tired… you can just stay still. I can do everything myself…”

I almost laughed out loud at how absurd this was.

Because what she was saying was that she would spend the night with me no matter what.

‘I’m doomed.’

Of course, I didn’t dislike spending nights with Yoo Ju or Wi Ho-yeon. But that was only when it was occasional.

When it’s demanded every day, any man would get tired. Especially since I’m not particularly confident in my stamina.

‘Damn it, I can’t even refuse.’

I tried to open my mouth to refuse, but seeing Wi Ho-yeon’s face, I just couldn’t say it.

Without a doubt, Wi Ho-yeon was the one who suffered the most by my side, and imagining her feeling disappointed if I refused made it impossible to speak.

And…

‘It’s just like last time.’

Lately, whenever I see Wi Ho-yeon like this, my heart strangely starts to race.

In the end… I couldn’t refuse Wi Ho-yeon.

******

“Sigh…”

It’s already been a while since I returned to Baronia from the Holy Kingdom.

‘I feel alive.’

Lately, there haven’t been any particularly tough or special events.

Enjoying the first bit of leisure in a long time, my mind has been at peace.

Now that Yoo Ju isn’t demanding as crazily as before, I feel like I can breathe again.

‘Damn, this is it. This is life.’

Lying back on a soft chair, enjoying a cup of tea.

It’s been so long since I’ve felt this luxury, I could cry.

Just as I was idly passing the time, away from work and the mundane world, I heard someone knock and enter the office.

“Wow… things are really heating up.”

“…Kang I-seo? What’s going on?”

“What’s going on? I came to deliver a message. But before that.”

Plop.

“…Why are you sitting there?”

She sat in the seat where Wi Ho-yeon usually sits and looked at me.

“Why? Can’t I sit here?”



“Is it not allowed?”

“Well, it’s not that…”

‘…Is it okay?’

After my relationship with Yoo Ju was solidified within the clan, I noticed that I-seo and I had been growing a bit distant.

But seeing how she’s acting now, it feels like she’s back to her usual self.

‘Maybe it was just my imagination.’

At the time, I-seo’s reaction was strange, so I wondered if she had feelings for me, but it seems like it was just my overthinking.

‘Well, this picky girl wouldn’t do that.’

Honestly, if I had to pick someone in the clan I could be most comfortable with, she would definitely be one of them.

We were the same age and had a comfortable friendship.

‘We’re the only ones who swear at each other, so there’s that.’

I-seo asked me in a playful tone.

“Hey, how’s it going with Yoo Ju lately?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean ‘huh’? I asked how it’s going with Yoo Ju.”

“What do you mean how? It’s just normal.”

“Ha, look at you dodging the question. What, are you embarrassed?”

“Damn, what do I have to be embarrassed about?”

“Ah, just tell me. Who knows? Maybe this noona can help you out.”

I almost laughed out loud when she called herself ‘noona.’

“Ha, crazy. What noona? We’re the same age…”

“Ah, just tell me. Anything special going on?”

“Nothing special.”

“…You looked really tired last time. Did something happen between you two?”

I-seo asked with a playful smile.

“Hey, is it a night-time issue?”

“…..”

When I didn’t answer right away, I-seo’s face stiffened for a moment.

‘Uh…’

It returned to normal so quickly that I wondered if I had imagined it.

‘…Was it just my imagination?’

“What? Pfft, is it really a night-time issue?”

“…Crazy, what are you talking about?”

“Your reaction says it all. What? Is Yoo Ju demanding too much?”

‘Damn, how does she know?’

There were times when I-seo’s intuition scared me.

“Why that face? Wondering how I knew?”

“…Yeah.”

“Idiot. Of course, I could tell. You’ve been looking tired for a while now. And…”

“And?”

“Yoo Ju has been looking really happy every day. She’s been pretty obvious about it.”

‘Ah.’

Well, Yoo Ju never really hid it.

Ho-yeon at least didn’t show it outwardly, but Yoo Ju flaunted our relationship.

It was only natural that I-seo noticed.

“Hey, if it’s too much, just say no. Just tell her you’re too tired.”

“Damn… that doesn’t work.”

“…You wimp.”

I felt uncomfortable continuing this conversation with her.

After all, I’m not the type to talk about my relationships with others.

If anything, I’d rather avoid it.

“Enough, stop. It’s something Yoo Ju and I need to work out.”

“…Ha.”

My words seemed to draw a line, and I-seo looked quite displeased.

“Hey, your reaction is a bit much? I’m just your friend… giving you advice.”

“Thanks, but you don’t need to worry about it.”

“…….”

I-seo’s face was stiff, so I scratched my head and spoke up.

I didn’t want the atmosphere to be like this.

“Hey, I mean, I’ll handle it myself. If I upset you, I’m sorry…”

“…I’m not upset.”

“Ah, you’re pouting. Cheer up. By the way, what’s the message you have for me?”

I-seo sighed and slowly opened her mouth.

“…It’s not a big deal, but it’s not a small one either. Go see Yoo Ju tonight.”

“Huh?”

“There’s talk of new trainees coming to Eras.”

“Ah.”

I realized time had flown by. It was already time for a new batch.

‘Looks like they passed the tutorial this time.’

Last year, all the new recruits from the neutral country were wiped out.

Since no one passed the tutorial, the training facility wasn’t even operated.

“Got it. So, is our clan taking in new recruits too?”

“Probably? I heard they’re deciding who will go to the training facility this time.”

‘I have to go.’

There’s no one better at identifying talent.

Yoo Ju might know the future stars, but I can spot the hidden gems others overlook.

“Really? Then I should go.”

“Huh?”

Hearing my words, I-seo looked puzzled and asked.

“…You’re going? You hate troublesome things.”

“No… well, it just sounds fun. Aren’t you curious? We can indirectly see what we were like when we were at the training facility.”

“…Then I’ll go too.”

“Huh?”

I was momentarily taken aback by I-seo’s declaration, and her scrunched-up face came into view.

“What? You don’t want me to?”

“No… it’s just unexpected. You hate this kind of thing.”

“What? I don’t hate it. I just want to go for a change of pace.”

“……”

“Damn, are you hesitating? Answer.”

“…Who said no? Do what you want.”

“Hehe…”

I-seo hummed happily at my response.