Chapter 405

〈 Chapter 405 〉 Part 1, Chapter 17, 13

The midday mass led by Cardinal Wilhelm Adolf began. Among those gathered in the square, people started to fold their hands in prayer. Amidst this, Hydra prayed while sneakily observing Xian’s reactions.

Correction.

Hydra was simultaneously checking both Xian and Adolf’s expressions. Though both were praying, their situations were clearly different.

Xian quietly folded his hands in devout prayer.

His prayer was so sincere and pious that even those around him felt compelled to join in. He seemed to be muttering something through barely moving lips, but it wasn’t clear enough for the translator to function properly.

And the expression on Adolf’s face as he glanced at both Xian and Hydra would’ve been grotesquely twisted if not for the public audience.

Just a few days ago, Hydra had been tormenting Adolf like a mischievous child.

“……”

Hydra adjusted her straw hat lower over her face for no particular reason.

Adolf, one of the most powerful monsters under Hydra, had been teasing and playing pranks on him until recently. Now, Hydra was personally investigating why the monster known as Xian had come to Rome. Clearly, Hydra was fulfilling her duties as a high-ranking officer of the Dark Legion.

There was nothing wrong with sitting close together with Xian on a long bench or making it look like they were on a date.

‘What do I have to lose?’

If only Xian could become hers, both of them would eventually end up throwing tantrums for her pleasure in bed.

But during the mass, Wilhelm Cardinal kept glaring at her, making her increasingly nervous. She could feel everyone’s eyes on them.

“Ahhh…”

Hydra groaned softly, pressing her hand against her forehead. She was feeling a bit dizzy from all the stress. Suddenly, Xian grabbed her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Just lie down for a moment.”

Xian made Hydra rest her head on his lap. After removing his jacket, he draped it over Hydra’s upper body. The jacket covered her neck, chest, stomach, and thighs. He placed her straw hat on her belly.

“Isn’t it too hot outside? Maybe you pushed yourself too hard bringing her here.”

“It’s just a headache. Don’t make such a fuss. Aren’t you supposed to pray?”

“I’m done. There’s no need to pray for two or three hours, right? If I truly believe in and serve the one I love, then that’s enough. So, take a nap now.”

Xian adjusted his muscular yet supple thighs to ensure Hydra could comfortably rest her head. He leaned forward to create some shade for her from the blazing sun.

“Is this better?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one doing this kind of thing?”

“So what? And look around—has any man ever done this for you?”

“……No.”

“Then I guess I’m the first one taking your virginity in this department?”

“What are you talking about?”

Hydra blushed furiously and used the straw hat to hide her face. Since her torso was already covered by the jacket, she needed to conceal her face as well.

“……”

In retaliation, Hydra turned her head away. Her face ended up facing Xian’s abdomen as she tossed and turned.

“…I’ll just lie here for a bit.”

“Alright.”

Xian gently patted Hydra’s back with the jacket. Suppressing her core to prevent her magic power from surging, Hydra slowly moved her head closer to Xian’s body, almost pressing her face into his abdomen.

“Excuse me… Doing this in the Vatican is inappropriate…”

“Oh, sorry. My girlfriend has anemia. Could you please forgive us just this once?”

“……Ahem. Very well.”

Hydra perked up her ears. That was definitely the voice of a junior priest under Adolf. Adolf was obviously jealous of seeing her resting her head on Xian’s lap and sent the priest to interrupt them.

Thump, thump.

Hydra’s heart began to race. Regardless of who Xian really was, the fact that he was acting possessive and jealous toward another man always gave her a thrill. She subtly used her magic power to monitor her surroundings without Xian noticing.

“……Hmph.”

Adolf swallowed audibly as he stared at Hydra’s back. It wasn’t just Adolf; most of the men attending the mass couldn’t help but glance at her. Unfortunately, the jacket had slipped slightly, revealing the curve of her buttocks, and Hydra hadn’t noticed in time to fix it.

But there was no need to fix it. Let them look. Hydra took pride in herself and enjoyed the envious stares of the men around her. She didn’t want to change her position either.

“Haaah…”

Hydra deliberately let out a heavy sigh. Right there, just beyond the thin fabric separating them, lay Xian’s private parts. During his brief nap, she had stealthily checked them out, finding them far more tempting than anything else she’d seen before.

She finally understood why Adolf had been searching for young priests. Taking deep breaths, Hydra tried to subtly provoke Xian.

“Oh, it’s Gawein.”

“……”

Hydra froze. Wasn’t Gawein an SS-ranked special ability user? Why was he suddenly here? Had Xian lied?

The commotion in the square grew louder. Hydra’s ears were alert, catching snippets of conversations mentioning “Sir Gawein.”

I didn’t hear anything about him coming. Could the VVIP expected at the hotel be Gawein? But Gawein wouldn’t come alone.

‘Could it really be…?’

Without prior notification, he’d made an unexpected visit. Even Adolf seemed flustered, which Hydra sensed when she lifted her head.

“Resting is fine.”

But Xian pushed the straw hat aside and gently pressed Hydra’s temple.

“If the queen comes or the Round Table arrives, there’s no need to stand on ceremony. You’re not in good condition, so rest.”

“No, I’ll get up.”

Hydra turned her head to look up at Xian. He was still leaning forward, gazing down at her.

“You’re getting up?”

“Yep.”

Xian helped Hydra stand and reached out to neatly arrange her hair. With just a few strokes, her hair returned to its original state.

“What about the jacket?”

“Put it on you.”

Xian, wearing a blue shirt, draped the jacket over Hydra’s shoulders. Hydra silently accepted his gesture.

“Cough!”

From afar, Adolf was clearing his throat conspicuously and directing his guards. This only excited Hydra further.

‘It feels like having a host show up at my husband’s workplace to go on a date.’

Though not exactly true, the situation felt similar. Most amusingly, Adolf’s behavior filled with jealousy was hilarious. There he stood, stiff and formal, greeting Gawein, the queen, and even the princess.

“Cardinal, your posture seems a bit off.”

“It’s old age. Things hurt when you grow old, you know.”

“Is that so?”

If he hadn’t been wearing his cassock, he’d surely have been caught. Hydra stifled a quiet laugh inside and subtly lowered her head to scan Xian. His lower half was also noticeably bulging. Naturally. Hydra felt a sense of pride. Meanwhile, Xian was seriously tapping on his smartwatch.

“Xian, what are you looking at so intently?”

“The Blue Wind Sect’s movement in Mexico.”

“…”

For some reason, Hydra felt a little down. In this moment, Xian seemed more focused on his smartwatch than on her. Pulling too much, it was time to push back. With a good opportunity presenting itself, Hydra hardened her expression and prepared to unleash her annoyance.

“What is it?”

“There’s an Azidahaka Gate opening, isn’t there?”

“Eh?”

Hydra jumped in surprise and clung to Xian. Unfortunately, her hand accidentally pressed against his front. Hydra froze instantly.

“…”

Xian awkwardly smiled, grabbed Hydra’s wrist, and moved her hand to his thigh, whispering quietly into her ear.

“Don’t make things more awkward here.”

“…”

Xian’s firm, commanding tone drew out Hydra’s stubborn streak. Subtly pressing her chest against his, she raised her head onto his shoulder.

“You promised to give me unforgettable memories, but I guess you lack confidence in that area?”

“…Miss Ceres.”

Xian replied with unprecedented certainty.

“If you dare to challenge me, remember this: Once you’ve been with me, you’ll never feel the same way with anyone else for the rest of your life. If you’re confident, go ahead and try. You’ll experience numbness for three months before the world ends.”

“…”

Hydra was taken aback. Xian’s voice was genuine, devoid of any falsehood. Her gaze shifted to Cardinal Adolf welcoming the Queen of England. He bowed deeply under the intense stare of the SS-ranked hero Gawein.

“…”

“Xian.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve decided.”

Hydra lightly grazed Xian’s chest and licked her lips.

“I think I should claim you after all.”

“Miss Ceres.”

Xian tapped Hydra’s lower back and stood up.

“Let’s go eat.”

“…”

Hydra pouted. Being led around was somewhat fun, but constantly being swayed irritated her and diminished the excitement—

Snap.

“…”

“Let’s go.”

Hydra grabbed Xian’s hand and quietly stood up. The warmth of Xian’s lips lingered on hers, and she slowly licked it off with her tongue.

Xian’s lips tasted like strawberries.

“…”

Hydra made up her mind.

‘Strawberries are meant to be picked.’

Spotting Cardinal Adolf watching them, Hydra winked and wrapped Xian’s hand around her waist.

After the two left, no one dared to sit on the bench where they had displayed their affection.

* * *

A little later.

We left the square and found a quiet restaurant run solely by a Michelin two-star chef. There weren’t many tables, and each had partitions, making it perfect for a peaceful meal for two.

“Why did you choose this place instead of a three-star?”

“It’s the future three-star chef’s restaurant. Trust me.”

The chef, busy baking pizza, smirked upon hearing my words. More proud of his culinary skills than anything, he seemed happier than Hydra hearing my praise.

“…Alright, I’ll trust you.”

“Of course, you should. Don’t worry. Whenever you visit Rome, you’ll definitely remember this place and come back.”

“Ugh, got it.”

Ceres waved her hand dismissively. While the food was being prepared, I excused myself and stood up.

“I’ll be right back. Gonna wash my hands.”

“Hmm, alright. Hurry back. Not trying to pull anything funny, are you?”

“If I wanted to do something, I’d have taken you somewhere else.”

“…”

Ceres attempted a suggestive remark, but I shot it down immediately. Frowning, she muttered under her breath, and I knew her lips tasted like grains. …Not that I wanted to check.

“Be right back.”

I excused myself and headed to the restroom. Whether monster or spirit, neither required bathroom breaks, but I locked the door to strategize. Through the magical gear attached like a band on my smartwatch, the Spirit Network was loudly buzzing.

– Hey, what are you gonna do just walking out like that? Just kiss and call it quits? Attack her already!

– Who’s the guy giving orders since becoming a commander? Kiss and come back! Come on!

‘These useless spirits.’

Even though the only method to conquer Hydra was through romance, the spirits offering advice were utterly unhelpful. The Spirit Network buzzed incessantly, leaving me no choice but to proceed in my own way.

‘Love-based conquest is necessary for awakening as a spirit.’

While some, like Karna, awaken mainly through combat and victory as an ability user, others like Hydra require emotional stimulation through romantic tension.

One kept begging for action, while the other urged restraint. Eventually, I had to personally call someone causing chaos in Beijing while asleep.

‘Also, I unintentionally confused Hydra a bit by messing with her mind.’

That’s why I avoided using the protagonist’s body. However, conquering Hydra necessitated this approach. Moreover, my body’s owner knew exactly the opportune moment, handing me Baek Cheong-hwa’s body just in time.

I leaned forward, ensuring I wouldn’t fall unconscious.

Soon, my consciousness was sucked into darkness. The same restroom, the same location, but the person sitting where Hydra had been was someone else.

“Didn’t I say you can stick your tongue in?”

“How will you handle the aftermath?”

“Is that so? Eh, it’s fine. Pfft.”

Chang-yeom grinned mischievously, propping her chin on her hand.

“You might find it tough to handle the aftermath now.”

“Exactly. Unlike Hydra, Ji Ryun awakens as a hardcore reverse yandere.”

“Eh, at worst, you’ll just get Everest stamped upside-down on your stomach. So, what’s next? A drive? Library? Or shopping again? Personally, I think continuing the stroll looks best.”

“Same here.”

Currently.

I am in a 4:1 battle with Ji Ryun’s side of Hydra.

Ironically, Chang-yeom is the only one truly helping.

“What will Ji Ryun think when she finds out? Discovering that the Romeo who made her fall so deeply she betrayed Seongju and quit as a cadre is actually Phoenix. Pfft.”

…Chang-yeom is enthusiastically aiding my date with Hydra.