Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Hoping to Get Closer (7)
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"I'm also a candidate for the World Tree's husband."
It was something I had to do someday, a story I had to reveal.
My life had been cut short, my academic records built up over time gone, even the mother who gave birth to me vanished.
It was a shabby and unfortunate existence.
"...I didn't hear that wrong, did I? Say it again."
"You heard it right."
"So, you're really saying you're a candidate for the World Tree's husband?"
Se-young's face stiffened, but she listened to me seriously. She pulled her hands away from the keyboard and turned off the computer.
"How did that happen? Tell me the details."
"Will you help me?"
"Help? You don't even know what kind of position that is, do you? This is something where we'd have to bow our heads to you."
Se-young muttered something under her breath and swept her hand across her forehead. Her eyes were trembling.
First, I sat down and slowly explained everything that had happened so far.
Of course, I didn't mention coming from another world. I just made up a story about being chosen somehow and ended up like this.
After hearing my story, Se-young pressed her index finger to her lips, lost in thought, then demanded proof.
"Can you prove it?"
"Just a moment."
I immediately activated the system and entered the shop for a single gacha pull.
-Bzzz!
Exactly five seconds later, a Tree Pill appeared in my hand. Lucky.
"The Tree Pill I mentioned last time, and all the others before, I got them all from the shop."
"......That matches the information I heard."
Having seen the result right in front of her, Se-young licked her dry lower lip and scratched the back of her neck. At her unusual reaction, I pretended to smile and asked,
"Surprised?"
"......No."
"You are."
"I said no."
"You totally are."
"Argh, seriously. Fine, I was surprised! Happy now, messing with your teacher?"
Honestly, it was fun. She was pretty too, and even knowing she'd tried to deceive me and nearly kill me before, I could forgive it all.
Se-young glared at me, her face slightly flushed.
"So, what do you want help with?"
"For now, please keep it to yourself that I'm her husband."
"Then we can't properly support you. The Oak Family is big, but... on a global scale, we're not that huge."
"Last time you were bragging about being from the Oak Family, and now you're suddenly talking all meek?"
"Fuck, when did I do that? I'm just stating facts."
Honestly, a World Tree husband wasn't something we could handle on our own...
Seeing this side of Se-young, so different from her usual confident self, I suppressed a chuckle and said,
"You're the only one I can trust, Teacher."
"......Really? No one else?"
"Yeah. Even though you tried to trick me and nearly kill me, you're still the only one reliable."
"Hey, watch your tone."
It's the truth. We'd both committed crimes, so we're even.
"So I really tried to scam a World Tree husband?"
"Pretty much."
Se-young, who had been reacting with disbelief, finally realized the reality and shuddered.
"Anyway. There's a limit to what I can do. And... honestly, you need to give me something in return."
"If I have any extra Tree Pills from pulls, I'll give them to you."
"Deal. So, what do you need?"
"Azalea's father."
Se-young's face hardened at my words. The Jinmok Group's influence couldn't be ignored.
"Do you even know what kind of person he is?"
"No idea. Just gather whatever rumors you can. Dig deep if possible, but I don't have money or power for that... You get it? Turns out he's her stepfather."
"Stepfather, huh..."
She seemed to know something.
I leaned in attentively, and Se-young chuckled before continuing.
"This'll take a while. The Jin family follows the maternal line because the women have stronger World Tree powers, so the family tree traces through them."
"Got it."
"Azalea's father was human. He had great business sense and grew the Jinmok Group. Can't remember his name. The key point is he and Lady Jin Yeo-hee were a pretty harmonious couple."
Se-young furrowed her brow slightly, as if dragging the memory out.
"I don't know how it happened, but one day, rumors spread that her husband's secretary was having an affair with Lady Jin Yeo-hee."
Affair. I perked up at the rumor that felt like fact.
"Since the woman held nominal power, that secretary seduced her and swallowed the company whole. Ridiculous, right?"
"Does that even make sense?"
"...No. That's why it's a mystery."
"So Azalea's real father...?"
"He committed suicide."
She said it casually, but her voice seemed detached on another level.
I pretty much got it now.
Why Azalea had looked ready to kill someone there.
What grudge she held against that man.
"Azalea must have been close to her real father, right?"
Se-young nodded. As if that wasn't enough, she added,
"He doted on her immensely. Famous as a doting dad."
"So it's natural she'd hold a grudge?"
"Yeah. I bet she's planning revenge."
It was natural to seek revenge against someone who betrayed her father like that.
But there was a bigger issue.
"Then her stepfather wouldn't know what we know? The guy who swallowed a whole company?"
"He knows."
Lee Seong-han. That man knew the truth.
Just that fact alone told me he was plotting something.
He was letting Azalea's revenge slide.
This could be interpreted two ways.
Either he was confident he could control Azalea anytime, or her revenge would ultimately benefit him.
Azalea probably knew this and pursued revenge anyway.
It was a cold war in practice.
"Got it. Thanks."
Having grasped the situation, I hugged Se-young from behind as a thank you.
I wasn't thinking anything special. I just felt a bit disturbed and wanted a comforting hug.
Digging into family drama just to make a friend.
Miserable.
"Wh-what the hell? Are you crazy?"
Se-young, her neck flushing red as she was held, pounded my chest with the back of her head.
I loosened my grip and placed the Tree Pill on her desk.
"This one's for you."
"Huh? Really? No take-backs? Don't snatch it later saying you need it."
"Ah... sure."
Tree Pills must be that valuable. Thinking that inwardly, I turned to leave. I'd gotten plenty of info.
-Creak.
As I tried to exit the office, Se-young called out, clutching the Tree Pill to her chest.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"I have a question too."
I tilted my head.
"......Why the hell did a World Tree husband candidate go and do that with me?"
"Pardon?"
Too many possibilities came to mind, leaving me blank-faced, and Se-young's mouth twitched.
"Sex... you bastard. Sex...!"
"Oh, that."
I tossed out a line as I walked out the door.
"I hate that World Tree. I'm definitely marrying a human. Take care."
Ignoring Se-young's shocked expression, I left.
-Hey, what does that mean? Hey!
It was the absolute truth, not a single lie.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Having finished all my tasks, it was just past 6 PM.
I worried if I was late for our appointment, but hurried there anyway, prioritizing speed over concern.
-Click!
Opening the training room door, I saw San Su-yu sitting there.
With her usual noble-like posture, she leisurely turned her head to look at me.
"You're here?"
A voice that made my heart flutter just hearing it. Her prominent chest caught my eye as always. The clumsily wrapped bandages showed through her white T-shirt.
"Sorry I'm late."
I awkwardly greeted San Su-yu.
The reason I came here today was to say I couldn't train.
"But I don't think I can use my body today."
"Why?"
San Su-yu's eyes narrowed slightly. At her probing look, I bowed my head instinctively.
"I have someone I must meet tomorrow. Can we start the day after?"
I wanted to be in top form, but it didn't seem to come across to San Su-yu that way.
"I wanted to do it with you today..."
She twirled her hair, mumbling like she was sulking.
Watching her, a rumor I'd overheard in the classroom corner flashed in my mind.
-You know San Su-yu? So many people who approached her vanished without a trace.
A family with immense power. They'd produced several World Tree guardians, to the point where not knowing her meant you were a spy.
-Chill.
Is this a death flag?
The hairs on my back stood up.
"Sorry. Instead, I'll do anything I can for you."
Realizing it, I found myself making excuses.
Pathetic, Lee Si-heon. But gotta survive, right?
Stay strong, Lee Si-heon.
"Anything?"
With her characteristic blank expression, she glanced at my masked eyes.
"Then—"
Thump thump.
Part of me regretted saying it, while another thought I was an idiot.
San Su-yu rolled her bright yellow eyes toward the ceiling or mirror, then with a resolved face, asked softly like it was a tough request.
"......How about friends?"
"Pardon?"
"Friends."
"......?"
Stunned, she hurriedly added excuses.
"Ji-ho."
"Yeah?"
"Ji-ho said... try making a friend."
"Can I ask who this Ji-ho or Si-hoo person is?"
"My secretary. And it's Mi-ho, not Si-hoo."
Whoever it was—Ji-ho, Si-hoo, or Mi-ho—clearly, that person had put the idea in San Su-yu's head.
"I see~"
Letting out a self-mocking sigh, I forced a smile while thinking inwardly,
'Not fated to die after all.'
Nice one, secretary.
Whoever you are, I'd repay the favor for saving my life someday.
"So, friends starting today?"
"No honorifics."
"Don't use honorifics?"
-Nod nod.
Seeing the still emotionless San Su-yu, I patted my chest in relief.
"Got it. But really okay with me?"
"......No one else to be friends with."
I chuckled inwardly at San Su-yu's personality once more. Things had worked out better than expected.
As I smiled warmly, San Su-yu let out an 'ah' and asked,
"Name?"
Come to think of it, we hadn't introduced ourselves.
"Lee Si-heon."
"Mission. I'll memorize."
"No, Lee, Si, Heon."
"Lee-shun?"
Teasing or friendly banter? I shut my mouth briefly and checked her expression.
She seemed convinced my name was Lee-shun and extended her small, pale hand.
"Nice to meet you, Lee-shun."
"It's Lee Si-heon—"
"That. What you call it when English doesn't work?"
This girl?
"No, that's 'shit', and I'm Lee Si-heon. Heon like in donate."
"Lee Si-heon."
"Yes! Nice to meet you!!!"
After several corrections of typos, my name finally came from her mouth.
What was there to be so happy about?
I grabbed San Su-yu's hand and shook it repeatedly.
"Good?"
"Good."
"Yeah?"
Releasing her hand, she checked my reaction and extended hers again for a handshake.
"Good?"
"Yeah."
"Ji-ho said friends do nice things for each other..."
At San Su-yu keep mentioning her secretary, I gave a wry smile.
She couldn't even be sure if her actions were right.
Using the secretary as a shield instinctively, asking repeatedly if she'd done well.
Her relationships with people must be extremely superficial.
Maybe worn out from constant official duties. Or maybe always like this.
Thinking that, I felt sorry for her deep down. Though whether my creepy deduction was insight or delusion, who knows.
"Si-an?"
San Su-yu tilted her head at my face.
"Didn't you say you had to go?"
"Huh?"
"Tomorrow thing. Go."
Oh, right. Gotta go.
Having become friends satisfied my original goal, so I decided to head out today.
Becoming sudden friends wasn't in the plan anyway.
"Day after. 6 PM."
Noting the appointment time, I left the training room.
-Click.
Outside was already dim, and in front of the training room stood a sedan that screamed luxury.
Probably waiting for San Su-yu. Watching, my eyes met a man's inside the car window.
That must be the secretary.
I bowed gratefully and headed to the dorm, pondering.
[Current Friends: 2] All that remained was Azalea, her alone.