Chapter 227

Taking a short break, I noticed Wi Ho-yeon approaching after finishing her lecture.

“Ah, Ho-yeon.”

I called out to her, feeling happy for a moment, but something felt off.

‘What’s going on? Why does she look like that?’

Her face didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

‘Was there a problem during the lecture?’

I couldn’t help but worry. It was the complete opposite of how Kang I-seo looked after finishing her lecture.

“Ho-yeon, is something wrong?”

“Lee Yun-seong…”

“Yes. What’s going on…?”

‘What, what is this?’

Suddenly, Ho-yeon hugged me, leaving me flustered.

“Ho, Ho-yeon?”

My heart started racing because of her actions.

‘Ah, damn…’

Not just now, but ever since some point, my heart would race whenever Ho-yeon touched me.

“Lee Yun-seong. Is it my fault?”

“What are you…”

‘What on earth is she talking about?’

“…The male trainees were staring at my body.”

“Huh?”

‘What…’

“It was unpleasant. Their gazes were so blatant that I wondered if it was my fault…”

“…Ah.”

“Lee Yun-seong. Is it my fault? That the trainees couldn’t focus during the lecture… I thought it might be my fault…”

I knew I should have immediately said no, but a trashy thought crossed my mind, and I missed the timing.

‘No…’

Because… even I wouldn’t have been able to focus on the lecture.

“Of, of course it’s not your fault, Ho-yeon.”

‘Damn, I answered too late.’

“…Thank you, Lee Yun-seong.”

“Haha… Well, you must have been really uncomfortable. If I were you, I’d feel bad too if someone kept glancing at my body.”

Ho-yeon shook her head slightly in response to my words.

“…No. That’s part of it, but the reason I felt uncomfortable wasn’t just that.”

“Huh?”

Her next words almost made me lose my grip on reason.

“I felt uncomfortable because it wasn’t you looking at me. I… belong only to you.”

“Uh…”

‘Damn…’

I often think this, but it felt like she was doing this on purpose.

Whether Ho-yeon was aware of it or not, she had something that drove men crazy.

“Ho-yeon… Mmm?!”

Suddenly, Ho-yeon kissed me, and my mind went blank.

She even slipped her tongue in, and without realizing it, I wrapped my arms around her waist.

After the kiss, Ho-yeon looked at me with a wet face, as if trying to drive me crazy.

Anyone could see that she was turned on.

“Haa… Haa… Lee Yun-seong.”

‘No.’

Given the location, at least not here.

“W, wait… Just a moment. We’re inside the training facility. Someone might see…”

As I tried to refuse, Ho-yeon blew into my ear, tempting me.

“…Lee Yun-seong. Your body wants me, doesn’t it?”

“Ah…”

“I want you too. Please…”

Ho-yeon seemed determined to do it right here. I had to hold onto my sanity.

‘At least not here.’

We had to go to the office or the dorm. Doing it here was insane no matter how I thought about it.

“Wait… Huh?”

I turned my head and froze. Someone was watching us.

“…Haa.”

‘Damn…’

Yoon Yeon was clicking her tongue and looking at us.

‘…Since when?’

My mind went blank, and I couldn’t think straight. I had no idea how to act in this situation.

Ho-yeon also noticed Yoon Yeon and stiffened.

“…Why don’t you two finish what you were doing?”

“Ah… Well, that…”

Yoon Yeon smiled faintly and walked over.

Anyone could tell that her smile wasn’t a happy one.

Yoon Yeon faced Ho-yeon and spoke to her.

“…Wow, Ho-yeon. I’m really surprised.”

“…Clan Master.”

Ho-yeon’s face had returned to its usual calm.

“I didn’t expect you to be so bold with a man inside the training facility. It’s quite different from the image I had of you.”

“……”

“I felt it back in Seongguk too, but you really love your younger brother, huh? So much that you don’t care about time or place.”

“Yes, I love him. Are you saying that’s wrong?”

‘Why are you like this?’

Unlike her usual self, Ho-yeon’s tone was quite aggressive.

In the tense atmosphere, I had no choice but to stay silent.

“Haha, no? It’s not wrong. I was just surprised.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I didn’t expect Ho-yeon to be such a bold woman. I never thought I’d see you so passionately pursuing a man.”

“…It was only natural for someone I would give everything to.”

Yoon Yeon seemed at a loss for words at Ho-yeon’s response.

‘Damn, I need to fix this.’

If they kept talking, something bad might happen.

“…Ho-yeon, could you step aside for a moment?”

Ho-yeon hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and stepped back.

“…Yes, understood, Lee Yun-seong.”

After Ho-yeon left, it was just Yoon Yeon and me.

I felt the need to talk to Yoon Yeon alone, but I had no idea what to say in this situation.

As if sensing my hesitation, Yoon Yeon made the first move.

“…Shall we talk? Not here, somewhere else.”

“…Somewhere else?”

“Yeah, let’s go. It’s not really appropriate to talk here, right?”

Definitely… As Yoon Yeon said, it wasn’t the right place to talk. Trainees or other instructors might pass by.

I nodded slightly and followed her.





The place she led me to was… ironically, her own room.

‘The location is the same.’

Back when I was a trainee, it was the same lodging as hers.

Yoon Yeon gently sat on the bed and spoke up.

“Does it bring back memories? It’s the same lodging as back then.”

“…Y-yeah, it does.”

“Pfft… Why are you so tense? Just relax.”

‘How can I relax in this situation?’

“…Want to sit next to me?”

Since Yoon Yeon was already sitting on the bed, I hesitated a bit, but standing awkwardly wasn’t an option either, so I sat down beside her, keeping a slight distance.

“Ha… Thinking about it now, it’s been two years. Since the time we met as an instructor and a trainee.”

“Well, yeah…”

“I kinda regret it. Maybe I should’ve been more proactive back then.”

“……”

‘Tsk.’

This weird atmosphere wasn’t sitting right with me. It was different from Yoon Yeon’s usual demeanor, and the situation itself was just… off.

“I should’ve done whatever it took to keep you close. Then we could’ve been together in our clan.”

“…Why are you regretting something like that? We’re on good terms now, aren’t we?”

“Sigh… You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

‘Ugh…’

I glanced at Yoon Yeon for a moment and froze. She was staring at me with a clear, intense gaze.

Locking eyes with me, Yoon Yeon asked,

“Just out of curiosity, when did you and the Sword Monarch become… intimate?”

“That’s…”

She didn’t rush me for an answer. She just waited calmly, as if she’d wait as long as it took for me to speak.

For some reason, lying to Yoon Yeon felt wrong.

“…It was after the Swamp of Oblivion was cleared.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Yoon Yeon crossed her legs, propped her chin on one hand, and continued.

“…I see. What about Yoo Ju? Does she know about your relationship with the Sword Monarch?”

Yoon Yeon already knew that Yoo Ju and I were lovers.

In the continent of Eras, it wasn’t a big deal for a man to be with multiple women or vice versa, but for some reason, I hesitated to tell the truth.

‘Still…’

I couldn’t lie to Yoon Yeon.

“She knows.”

Hearing that Yoo Ju also knew, Yoon Yeon chuckled and teased me.

“Heh, you’re quite the charmer. How did you manage to win over two beauties?”

“Win over? That’s…”

“Hmm… Judging by your reaction, it seems like you didn’t make the first move. They must’ve fallen for you first, huh?”

“…That’s kinda creepy. How did you figure that out?”

“Ahaha, just a guess. But…”

In an instant, Yoon Yeon pulled me closer, narrowing the distance between us.

At this uncomfortably close range, she looked me straight in the face and spoke.

“You haven’t made a move on me even when I’ve gone this far. So, it’s unlikely you made the first move with them.”

I was too stunned to speak. I probably looked like an idiot right now.

“I’ve always wondered. Why were you so nice to me? It didn’t feel like you were trying to win me over or anything.”

“……”

“Ah, just so you know, don’t give me the same answer as before. It didn’t feel like it was just because you respected me or thought I was cool. There’s more to it, right?”

‘This is getting tricky.’

It seemed like I couldn’t brush this off easily.

“If you really don’t want to say, you don’t have to. But… I’d be a little disappointed if you avoided answering this time.”

‘…Ugh, what should I do?’

The reason I’m so nice to Yoon Yeon? Of course, it’s fundamentally because of my relationship with her in the first timeline.

But telling her the truth… was impossible. She doesn’t have any memories of the first timeline.

“You’re hesitating. What’s the reason you’re so afraid to tell me?”

“…Afraid?”

“Yeah. Your expression says it all. It’s like you think I’ll reject you or something.”

“What…”

“No, I’m sure of it. You’re convinced I’ll dislike you or reject you. What are you hiding?”

‘Ah, now that I think about it…’

I suddenly remembered one of Yoon Yeon’s traits.

‘The Eyes of the Sage.’

I recall reading that she could sometimes discern people’s emotions through colors.

“You know, I have this trait. It’s not always, but sometimes I can tell what someone’s feelings are towards me. And you know what I see in your feelings towards me?”

“What…”

“Longing, sorrow, grief, and so on. Why do you feel these things for me?”

I felt completely exposed. It was as if Yoon Yeon’s eyes were piercing right through me.

“At first, it wasn’t like that, but at some point, I started seeing these emotions in you. Ah, right. It was around the time you stayed in our clan to help me.”

‘…After I visited the Library of Records.’

“Why were you so kind to me? If you really don’t want to say, I’ll drop it here.”

She probably… wouldn’t bring it up again if I didn’t answer now.

‘But the situation is forcing me to speak. I’m totally cornered.’

Even if I told the truth, there’s no guarantee Yoon Yeon would believe me.

But it was hard to deflect when Yoon Yeon was being this sincere.

“I…”