Chapter 70

EP.70 Yuria’s Strategy Begins

On a rainy evening.

Disguised as Kim Taegon, I had come up to Seoul and was waiting for Yuria in Gangbuk.

Yesterday, I got kind of “eaten up” by Sehwa, so my thingy hurts a bit.

Her corrupted lust was too much… but it was refreshing in its own way.

As I was flicking my foot around, Yuria spotted me from afar and came stomping over.

“Uncle! Do you know how worried I was!?”

From now on, I am Glen Elenard. Method acting, fully loaded.

With my face looking as haggard as someone who hasn’t eaten for days, I gazed at Yuria with a gentle expression.

Standing still under a black umbrella.

“Are you ignoring me now… huh…?”

Yuria, who had come closer, flinched as she looked up at me.

How is it? The stern yet warm expression of your father that you haven’t seen in a long time.

I thought I’d go crazy practicing this. So, give me a good reaction.

“Ah… Father…?”

A bit bland, but the expression alone is enough to make you faint, so I’ll forgive you.

“It’s been a while, daughter.”

The changed tone is exactly like Glen’s.

Yuria dropped her umbrella to the side and brought her hands to her mouth.

“Ah, Father…!”

I silently covered Yuria’s head with the umbrella.

Plop plop!

The sound of rainwater pouring down the umbrella onto my shoulder, and Yuria suddenly hugged me tightly.

My body staggered back.

The strength in Yuria’s arms wrapped around my waist is quite impressive.

“Father…! Waaah!”

She buried her face in my chest and cried like a child.

It was an intense reaction, hard to believe from the usually cool and chic Yuria Elenard.

I patted her back irregularly.

At first, quickly as if startled, then slowly like someone experiencing a touching reunion.

The sound of her wet white shirt squelching.

It sounded like pounding rice cakes.

“The rain is blocking. What if you catch a cold in the summer? Let go now.”

Was it the scolding from her father after so long that made her sad?

I could feel Yuria shaking her head against my chest.

The spoiled girl burst into even louder tears.

“Waaah! Daddy…! Don’t say that… sniff…! Don’t say that…!”

“Calling me Daddy, you lack the dignity of a princess.”

“Hiiing…!”

She snorted as if throwing a tantrum.

Let’s stop teasing her here.

I comforted her in a soft voice.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

**

We booked a hotel in Gangbuk and went to our room to shower separately.

After that, we had a long talk.

What Yuria was most curious about was my reincarnation.

Whether I had fully returned as Glen or not. She was curious about that.

I stroked her swollen face once and smiled as I explained.

I had been dreaming about reincarnation every night without fail, so I hadn’t had time to contact her, and I barely managed to find my existence with a made-up story.

“….. That’s how it happened. Also, right now, Glen Edward’s soul and Kim Taegon’s soul coexist within me.”

“Coexist…?”

“Yes. To be precise, it’s more accurate to say that Kim Taegon’s soul is changing into me. I also have Kim Taegon’s memories. Memories of being a native born in Daejeon, a successful real estate businessman.”

“I don’t… understand. Does reincarnation happen like that?”

“The living proof of that reincarnation is right here. Don’t think too complicatedly. I am still your father.”

“Ah…”

Another tear rolled down Yuria’s big eyes.

She must be really happy that I’m back.

I stroked her soft cheek and wiped away her tears, then asked.

“Daughter, how did you survive? Looking through my memories, it seems you didn’t reincarnate like me… How did you get from the kingdom to here?”

“I…”

Yuria explained in a disjointed manner about how she came here.

The words and sentences jumped around, but it was easy to summarize.

Why? Because I know Yuria’s situation.

After compiling her story, I summarized it simply.

“You succeeded in portal research and came here? You weren’t really interested in such transcendent technology, were you?”

“That was purely coincidental. I followed the research journals of dead mages and made it… I just rode it without thinking, only for revenge, but luckily I could follow Tairat’s magic.”

I stiffened my face a bit.

Then Yuria tensed up and swallowed.

“Daughter, there’s a famous saying from a pastor in America, on the other side of this Earth. You can’t drive out darkness with darkness. Only light can drive out that darkness.”

How is it? Similar to what your father used to say, right?

Yuria retorted.

“There’s also a saying in the Bible. Those who shed others’ blood will also shed their own blood. Tairat must also be prepared to shed blood.”

“I don’t intend to stop you. If you’re consumed by hatred, you might mess things up, so I’m saying this to remind you to keep yourself in check and look around calmly.”

“I understand Father’s words well. I also came here hoping that there won’t be more victims because of Tairat.”

Only then did my face soften again.

“If that’s the reason, then it’s fine. But… Tairat seems to be doing well here. I heard there are many victims every time the Gate opens?”

“…. So far…”

“Is it because of lack of power? This is a devastated planet where even magic is hard to use…”

“That’s… not it. No… I didn’t have power before, but now I do.”

“Now you do?”

“Look at this, Father.”

Yuria extended her left arm.

On her thin wrist was a device disguised as a watch.

I tilted my head and asked.

“What do you want me to see?”

“This watch. Can’t you feel some… mysterious power from it?”

“Hmm… Can I take a closer look?”

“Of course.”

Yuria handed over the device to me without hesitation.

She must have been warned by the doctor and Sehwa before her corruption not to give it to anyone carelessly… but seeing her without any suspicion, family really is something.

Carefully taking the device, I brought it closer to my eyes.

I want to corrupt it right now, but Yuria is one of the five Beast Slayers… no, four now.

Among the four, she’s the most sensitive.

I mustn’t make her even slightly suspicious with any careless actions.

Hold back. There will be many opportunities.

“I don’t feel anything from it.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. Even though I had excellent magic sensitivity when I was young… I’m sorry I can’t be of help.”

Seeing my face full of disappointment, Yuria quickly waved her hands.

“No, no. Just having Father by my side makes me feel at ease. Of course, it’s a big help.”

“I feel the same. But what power does this watch have that makes you so excited?”

“Simply put, it’s polymorph.”

“Polymorph? The magic used by legendary dragons?”

“Yes. But it’s different from the polymorph we know. It’s even more amazing.”

Yuria explained everything about the device and Aiter to me.

Except for the charging method. She seemed too embarrassed to explain the mischievous power of Aiter to her father.

Hearing the story, I opened my mouth wide like someone hearing about such incredible energy for the first time.

“…. Does that make sense? Can you unleash such superhuman power without any conditions?”

“That’s how we killed Astaroth. No… me and my comrades.”

“Astaroth…! The one who killed all the mages in the Magic Tower… that guy… is really dead?”

I gritted my teeth, now filled with anger.

Good voice acting, good facial expressions.

Yuria, completely taken in by my expression, exhaled a strong breath with confidence.

“Yes. We confirmed his complete annihilation.”

Ah… how sad.

Astaroth, you cheap bastard, but your loyalty was impressive. Rest in peace.

“Well done. I’m proud of you.”

“Without Dr. Jennifer Cash, Lee Sehwa, and Mr. Song Jihyuk, there would have been a huge sacrifice.”

“Mr. Song Jihyuk…? Is he the Mr. Song Jihyuk I know…?”

Yuria gave me a reproachful look as I panicked.

“Yes. Uncle Kim Taegon, who has a loose tongue, told me everything.”

“…. Hmm…”

“But since Father didn’t say it directly… I’ll let it slide. But… if Father’s soul settles, what happens to Mr. Kim Taegon’s soul?”

A worried tone.

Good girl, my daughter. Worrying about Kim Taegon too.

“Kim Taegon’s soul will become Glen Elenard’s soul. He is merely a vessel for my reincarnation, nothing more, nothing less. It might sound a bit harsh… but don’t worry.”

“…. Still, it hurts. He was a good person, even if a bit clumsy…”

“It was me as Kim Taegon who was clumsy. Don’t worry about it.”

“Yes… Father.”

“So… I want to see a bit of that transformation. Does it look similar to the Beast Slayer Leona from my memories?”

Yuria shook her head with a complicated expression.

“It’s similar… but there’s a condition needed to transform.”

“A condition? What kind?”

“Well…”

She fidgeted with the back of her neck, running her hand through her hair.

I inwardly laughed at her but put on a mask of curiosity.

“Why is that?”

“It’s… well… the energy is mysterious and powerful, so the condition is a bit tricky…”

“That makes sense.”

“It, it requires… sexual activity with someone you love to charge the energy…”

“…..”

Seeing my furrowed brow, Yuria adjusted her robe.

After a long silence, I scolded her in a stern voice.

“After such a long reunion, you’re playing such jokes… This father of yours…”

“No, it’s true! Ever since I got caught stealing bread from the palace chef as a kid, I haven’t lied!”

“That’s true but…”

I pressed my forehead, pretending to have a headache, then sighed deeply and looked up.

“It seems to be true.”

“Yes… it is.”

“It’s like a dragon from a fairy tale, coming out to play. What a mischievous power.”

“Right…?”

“All I can do is laugh. So, do you have someone you like now?”

Yuria shook her head.

Why? There is. It’s me. The one you love and trust the most.

“Guess not. Then… how much is the device charged?”

“3%… enough to transform once. Dr. Cash and Mr. Song Jihyuk said they’d help increase it… but charging comes first. Who knows when another demon will appear… but without someone, it’s hopeless.”

“I might be able to help a bit…”

“Huh…? Father?”

“Do you remember Aron?”

At that, Yuria’s body twitched.

Her face filled with longing, becoming dreamy.

You remember him well. Your fiancé.

After a while, Yuria shook her head as if to shake off the thoughts.

Then she asked.

“Why bring up Aron all of a sudden?”

“…..”

“Tell me quickly, Father.”

She’s impatient. Wait. Let me wet my lips first…

“For the past few days, I’ve been dreaming of recovering memories. Today was the same, I dreamed… no, felt that Aron, the captain of the kingdom’s knights and your fiancé, is on this Earth.”

Yuria’s blue eyes shone like lightning.

Crack! It felt like a sound was heard.

Now, let’s start the strategy in earnest.

To be continued―――――――――――――――――――――

---