Chapter 134

〈 Episode 134 〉 Side Story 3. Hot Spring Trip (2)

<12:00 PM, Seok Harang's Residence in Busan>

“……”

“Harang, are you alright?”

“Look up already. It’s embarrassing.”

Harang was sprawled out on a bean bag chair, wiggling side to side. Phoenix, sitting astride a chair, kicked Harang’s side with her foot, causing Harang to sink further into the bean bag. Yuha sat demurely on her knees, fidgeting with her fingers on the table.

“You two were like this all along?”

“Rather, it became like this. Get up already. Time to reflect.”

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!”

Harang screamed into the bean bag, his face buried in the soft cushions. The cry of injustice caused Yuha to glare at Phoenix.

“How much did you torment him to make him this way…?”

“It’s a misunderstanding. He’s just being dramatic about losing.”

Phoenix puffed out her cheeks and pointed at Harang with her chin. Harang flipped over, lying spread-eagled towards the sky.

“Tch.”

“…Well, you’re still clumsy at close combat.”

Phoenix manifested flames around her body. On the table, a two-foot-tall version of Phoenix (Monster Form) began arguing with Seok Harang.

“You should either focus entirely on ranged combat or choose a main weapon and train properly. You’re in an awkward middle ground right now.”

Yuha recalled the battle that unfolded within the barrier.

Close combat – Phoenix easily subdued Harang even in human form.

Ranged combat – Their summoned spirits clashed like bullet barrages, with Phoenix barely emerging victorious.

Finally (Seok Harang only) Full Strength Combat – In monster form, Phoenix took Harang’s full power and won all three battles. Unable to accept these three consecutive defeats, Harang had fallen into despair.

“No! Even you saw it, sis! It was a paper-thin margin!”

“Losing is losing. And you don’t even consider that I almost let you win.”

“That’s what they call, flatulence! We’re both SS rank!”

“Not quite. You just barely hit 95, while I’m at 99.”

Phoenix grabbed a drink from the refrigerator filled only with blueberry beverages while Harang pointed at the fridge.

“Do you have any canned coffee? You don’t seem like someone who drinks this kind of stuff.”

“I’d rather die than drink canned coffee.”

“…Thank you.”

Yuha alternated her gaze between Phoenix and Harang as they exchanged terse, straightforward words. Though their conversation seemed simple, there was a complex world of understanding unique to them that wasn’t immediately clear upon closer listening.

“See here. Didn’t I try to move in during that situation? Then you immediately countered with a fire pillar, right?”

“No. I was preparing my ultimate attack then. You should have moved in.”

“How exactly do you move in? Do you have any good methods?”

“Either create an ice shield in front and charge in, or launch a counter-fire strategy.”

“Sounds easy for you to say. If it were possible, would I be in this state?”

It seemed to make sense but also didn’t. As Yuha sipped her milk slowly, she waited for their heated argument to conclude. The reflection on the battle didn’t take long. Phoenix snapped her fingers, extinguishing the flames.

“The point is to clearly define your path. If you’re going to focus on ice, stop using water. Don’t try dividing your main and secondary weapons awkwardly. Anyway, that’s enough talk.”

Phoenix crossed her legs on the chair. As she idly twirled the milk carton in her hands, an idea seemed to strike her. Yuha placed her milk down and asked.

“Is there something you forgot?”

“…No. I thought you’d figure it out well enough on your own.”

Surely grown-ups wouldn’t cause trouble, Phoenix thought as she drank her beverage, lost in thought.

* * *

<Meanwhile, Padre Juan>

“So you’re saying Phoenix definitely said she’s the one who got Harang pregnant?”

“Yeah, she even called me father-in-law.”

The disguised couple, Heo Yoon-hwan and Anastasha, were deep in thought over their tea. Setting aside issues of marital life or the end of the world, what troubled them most currently was their daughter – Seok Harang.

“Does Harang not suspect anything?”

“She would have noticed by now if she did.”

Taking seats in the same café was quite an adventure itself. After Anastasha interrogated Phoenix thoroughly, they infiltrated the café Phoenix and Harang often visited. Phoenix explained the situation to the owner, Huan, and they secretly observed the pair from a seat behind the wall.

“When did Harang become so obedient to her?”

“She started pulling pranks on me that she never used to.”

“Was that when you claimed to be her master?”

“Yeah. What I heard from the chairman is completely different. He clearly said Harang would try to kill her.”

Yoon-hwan felt a pang of hurt. Upon reflection, Phoenix was both the teacher and the murderer of his father, yet strangely, Harang now treated this enemy as both mentor and friend, showing explosive growth.

Though Yoon-hwan knew better than anyone that his educational approach was severely flawed, the pain of seeing his daughter and disciple taken away was difficult to articulate.

What a complicated situation indeed. Anastasha froze mid-sip of her coffee as a call came through on her smartwatch.

“Who is it?”

“…Dad.”

Yoon-hwan’s cheeks flushed red before turning pale. He never imagined Anastasha would utter the word “dad,” let alone that he would soon have a father-in-law.

Yoon-hwan swallowed hard and nodded. Suppressing the flow of magic power to the maximum, he held his breath and disappeared into thin air. Anastasha, initially intending to step outside to answer the call, steadied herself upon noticing Yoon-hwan’s efforts and answered from her seat.

“Yeah, dad. I’m in Busan right now.”

[Daughter, when will you return? Your sisters and brothers are waiting anxiously for you.]

“I said I’m on a Round Table assignment. I’ll return once it’s done.”

[Princess Seolhwa has been registered as SS rank, so shouldn’t you come back already? …Wait. Why are you in a café?]

Anastasha pressed her heels into the floor. Her father proved to be unexpectedly perceptive.

[Could it be there’s some guy your daughter’s smitten with sitting across from you?]

“…”

Yoon-hwan shook his head vigorously. They hadn’t even sorted out their stance regarding Harang, and facing Anastasha’s background was causing immense mental turmoil.

However, Anastasha had other thoughts. Once she started, she acted recklessly like a runaway train with faulty brakes.

“Yes. I’m with my boyfriend.”

“Rusalka?!”

[Who was that male voice just now?]

Subrov’s expression turned frosty. Given that Anastasha had changed her middle name to ‘Rusalka’ without permission, hearing someone call her by that name made his anger flare up.

But Subrov quickly recalled where he had heard that voice before. Meanwhile, Anastasha cleared her throat hurriedly to draw attention.

“Dad, isn’t that too much? You let my siblings love freely, but why can’t you leave me alone?”

[I, I didn’t mean that. Anastasha, I respect your choices. But this is too sudden, isn’t it? You’ve never done anything like this until now.]

“I’m an adult now. A grown-up. If you keep doing this to me, I’ll have to reconsider.”

Anastasha took a deep breath and played her strongest card.

“I’m quitting the Round Table and settling down in Korea permanently. So don’t look for me.”

Click. Anastasha ended the call and calmly lifted her glass. Yoon-hwan covered his face with both hands, deeply troubled.

“…I appreciate your decision to help, but couldn’t you have chosen the opposite? Rusalka, no matter what-”

“Don’t misunderstand. You and Harang are my 0 priority, but my current family is the next most important to me. That’s why I’m putting down roots here.”

Anastasha glanced around cautiously before speaking softly.

“The Oracle’s prophecy, <Day of Ruin>. The monster ‘Seongju’ from outer space will appear on this land.”

* * *

“Seriously? So the reason you asked us to build a rocket to go to the moon was because of this?”

Yuha gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. I was massaging Harang’s back while riding on it, responding to her question.

“More precisely, it’s about going where the most ‘Cubes’ gather. It just happened to be Korea.”

“Hhhheeeeeee—”

Harang emitted a strange sound between a groan and a scream. This massage wasn’t about relaxing muscles but facilitating the flow of magical energy, so it was impossible for any ability user to feel relaxed.

“Why? Do you want me to do it for you?”

“…Later.”

Yuha blushed while shaking her head. Though she didn’t mind dolls touching her, she had significant reservations about others handling her body, especially receiving a massage in such a state of undress.

“Sis, you really excel at this, huh, haaaang?!”

“Don’t get carried away, pervert.”

“T, then how about here, haah?!”

My thumb pressed firmly into Harang’s side. She kicked her feet but didn’t avoid my touch, aware of how effectively the massage was enhancing her magical flow.

Gulp. Hearing the sound of swallowing, I looked up.

“…Customer, I’m grateful it looks female, otherwise people might mistake this for something inappropriate.”

“At some point, we’ll have to do something far more inappropriate to fully harness the power of the spirits. That’s how we bring out their maximum potential.”

Harang spun around in shock. I remained seated on her side, frowning as I stood up.

“T, that thing you’re talking about… Is it what I think it is?”

“Of course, [@email].”

Harang’s face flared up like an active volcano. I adjusted my rolled-up shorts and sat down on the chair. Yuha straightened up, clearly focused on listening.

“Synchronization ultimately means blending two beings into one. Naturally, as hearts and bodies align, union occurs.”

I formed an O with my fingers and poked it repeatedly with another finger. Harang, having lost the ability to speak, desperately covered herself with her discarded t-shirt, while Yuha listened intently with a serious expression.

“Sounds like you’re referring specifically to commanders with special talents.”

“Exactly. That’s why commanders can elevate spirits to SSS rank most easily. Though they’ll all likely go extinct within five years.”

“Huh?”

Yuha turned pale. I immediately explained the reason.

“Higher-ups have begun hunting commanders. Either killing them or reducing them to cripples. However, commanders merely represent the fastest route; synchronization ultimately requires this.”

I twisted my thumb and index finger together. Neither Yuha nor Harang seemed to understand, so I pointed to my heart with my thumb.

“Love. Only great and true love can become the key to saving the world.”

Both Yuha and Harang’s expressions soured. I attempted to preach about the greatness of love and persuade them, but they dismissed me as a peddler and chased me out of the house.

* * *

-Your words are shiny and flashy.

“Isn’t it partially true though?”

Chang-yeom pecked at the cake placed on the railing with her beak. Continuously poking at something she couldn’t eat like a woodpecker annoyed me, so I swallowed the cake in one bite.

Mmm. Though the strawberries weren’t great, Juan’s cakes were as delicious as ever. Chang-yeom flapped her wings happily from side to side, resembling a dance, which made me laugh involuntarily.

“You’d probably cause chaos at a strawberry buffet.”

-What did you say?

“Figures you’re a concept too.”

– Shut up and explain first.

“How am I supposed to explain with my mouth shut?”

Upon realizing she was a game entity by reading my memories, though she only ‘read’ them without directly experiencing them, I briefly explained what a strawberry buffet was. Chang-yeom let a trail of flames drip from her mouth.

“Quite severe.”

I leaned back on the railing, stroking my chin. There were no buffets centered around strawberries in this world yet.

“Should I ask Yun Yuhwa to make one?”

-If you do, I’ll specially spare Miss Yun Yuhwa.

I flicked her beak with my finger, finding it amusing.

“Is your love that frivolous?”

– It’s my top priority, alright? I’ve become a soul incapable of living without strawberries!

“Am I 0 priority?”

At my words, Chang-yeom startled and turned her head away. Just as I was about to ask further, she disappeared in a puff of flame. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I lay down on the railing and gazed at the sky. Judging by the sun’s position, it wasn’t yet past one o’clock.

“What to do until five?”

Maybe I’ll visit the Blue Wind Sect kids. With that, I jumped off the railing.