Chapter 201
Chapter 201
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: Star Plucking (1)
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A message of praise from Star.
I replied with a grin.
- Star is Dancing: ...Perfect?
- Me: Was it okay?
- Star is Dancing: Fr lol
- Star is Dancing: Se-young's asking me right now how to use a pregnancy test. But why the hell is she asking me...... I haven't used one either.
- Me: Lmao
I'm set to meet Star next week.
It's a class reunion, and her request is to help her save face. I have no clue how to pull that off exactly, but for now, I just had to play the boyfriend role to the max.
"I've got a ton on my plate."
Once I enter the Forest Keeper selection tournament... I need to warn Star about the dangerous players ahead of time.
On a personal level, I plan to dig into Flower and smash it from the inside.
After that, it'll be time to move under the identity of Lee Do-won, not Lee Si-heon.
I sank deeper into the tub, gradually submerging my face underwater.
Glug glug glug—bubbles erupted from my nostrils.
'I wonder how Master's doing.'
Cheon-do. The girl who always smiled in front of me, the master who guided me back to my senses.
......I hope nothing happens to her.
She's not the type who can't fend for herself anyway.
- Beep!
A phone notification chimed at that moment.
I lifted my head from the water and swept my hair back.
I touched the screen of the phone next to the tub to check.
- Cornus: Do you have a moment?
The name said Cornus, but the formal tone made it clear she wasn't typing.
I immediately tapped out a reply.
- Me: Who's this?
- Cornus: Cornus's dedicated secretary. Name's Ji-ho. We met last time, right?
- Me: Ah, yeah, I know. What's up?
- Cornus: Please delete this chat right away. It could cause issues if the young lady finds out. Do you have time now, by any chance?
- Me: Yes.
I promptly long-pressed and deleted each message one by one.
- Cornus: I'll call in 10 minutes.
The other side left just that one message before wiping all the chat history.
Anyone determined to find our conversation could, but Cornus would dismiss it as nothing.
I got out of the bathroom, threw on some clothes, and headed straight out.
Azalea wondered where I was off to again, but I said it was personal business.
Not a woman, business. Something involving money. She bought it.
[Is that Lee Si-heon?]
Ji-ho's young voice came through the phone.
"Yes."
[Sorry to call so late.]
I couldn't guess the reason for the call.
But I knew something massive, like a disaster, was about to hit Cornus soon.
I had no idea what exactly, whether she went missing or died, and honestly, our friendship was barely a few months old.
Still, leaving it alone wasn't an option.
"Is something up with Cornus?"
[......The young lady is fine. But Si-heon... it looks like you'll have to...... stay away from the young lady Cornus.]
Stay away?
Ji-ho's voice was thick with confusion.
Like he wasn't sure if what he was saying was right.
"......Pardon?"
[Sorry. I'm still piecing it all together. Do you have time free on the 30th, late this month?]
The day before the Forest Keeper selection tournament.
About two weeks and change from now.
"Making time isn't an issue, but what's the problem?"
[It's complicated. Too many facts to sort.]
The Cornerus family was so massive and sprawling that problems were par for the course.
No matter that I was the disciple of the Heavenly Demon and a promising cadet entering the Forest Keeper selection, to the outside world, I was just an ordinary human.
To the Cornerus family, I was a fly.
"......Is Cornus okay?"
I didn't know the details.
It wasn't going to be some noble etiquette bullshit like "don't tarnish our bloodline by associating with humans."
From my foreknowledge, I figured there were extenuating circumstances.
What mattered was Cornus's safety.
Two weeks from now. Hearing her out was easy enough, but waiting could mean missing the right moment.
I'd even considered forcing my way into the Cornerus family.
"Forget everything else—just tell me that. If it's just me staying away, is that it?"
[Nothing's happened yet.]
Yet.
A secretary to the heir of a world-class family was leaving room for doubt in his words.
What was his angle in telling me this?
A cry for help?
[I'm still investigating. The young lady Cornus...... has been ordered back to the main house.]
Just days ago, she'd been quietly attending classes.
"Can I look into this personally?"
[......It'd be better if you didn't.]
This time, a genuine warning.
Regardless of my strength, it was clear a lot of messy shit would go down.
But what could I do?
When someone I know is involved, I can't sit still.
I was about to hang up without a word.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'World Tree of Purity' issues a warning. This time, just once, wait. - Beeeep!
A sharp warning tone hammered into my mind at that instant.
I squinted at the status window hovering before my eyes.
'...What the hell? Why now?'
World Tree of Purity.
The one who'd stayed dead silent no matter what was suddenly blocking my path.
The status window flashed bright red.
It was obvious she was pulling out all the stops she had.
Two weeks. Two weeks later.
Listening to her wouldn't hurt. But if anything happened to Cornus in the meantime, I wouldn't see Purity in a normal light anymore.
"Got it. Call me then."
I muttered a half-hearted farewell and hung up.
- Click.
A sigh escaped me.
"So, you who never answered no matter what I asked, what wind blew this way?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'World Tree of Purity' sends you a heart. What the...?
You were chatty enough earlier. Try saying something again.
You fervently messaged me via status window to wait just this once.
And now you're back to radio silence.
I pocketed my phone, stretched my neck, and headed back into my studio apartment.
But that sudden beep from the warning...
Thinking back, it kinda sounded like Shiba's voice.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'She said she went back to the main house, but is it true?'
I'd half-doubted it, but just as the message said.
I entered the academy, headed to the class prepping for the Forest Keeper selection, and the seat where Cornus usually sat was empty.
'Doesn't sit right.'
Hiding my unease, I decided to bide my time.
Well... today's schedule was today's business.
I pulled out my phone to check the texts from Star last night.
- Star in My Heart: Hey hey hey hey
- Me: Yeah?
- Star in My Heart: So excited!
- Me: ......It's 3 a.m. Why's your chat name like that?
- Star in My Heart: Pumped myself up for today
- Star in My Heart: Can't sleep!
- Star in My Heart: Sle...?
- Star in My Heart: Sleepy?
- Star in My Heart: (crying emoticon)
- Pfft.
Just scrolling through our text chat was enough to catch some of Star's energy.
Seeing her messages alone got me hyped.
No one around me had her level of fighting spirit.
"What a great morning."
Right on cue, the instructor's mechanical voice, translated in real-time.
As the instructor arrived in class, all the cadets faced forward.
Since I'd skipped academy classes on my own whim for a while, I had to make up for it unintentionally.
Info on dungeons common in the Forest Keeper selection. Essential spells I had to learn, etc.
I crammed knowledge into my head during the intensive lessons.
Of course, even then, my mind wandered.
'Driving Master's car.'
Bought proper luxury clothes too.
Fashion sense... honestly not great. But with the charm I'd boosted, as long as the fit was decent, I shouldn't get flak.
Hundreds per outfit. Every card swipe felt like my soul was draining.
'Compared to cheap factory clothes in my studio days, I've come far.'
Anyway. Once this date's done, back to the grind.
Last holiday in holiday season.
That mindset meant I had to enjoy it properly.
If I didn't, Star would be pissed for sure.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ - Triiiing!
- Thud!
The alarm blared, and Star moved on autopilot.
"......"
4 p.m. Time to get ready.
Star blinked her sleepy eyes and yawned.
"Haaah......"
She rolled over like a cat, stretching.
Sitting on the bed, picking at eye boogers, she finally realized what she'd done.
"I'm screwed."
She'd set the alarm just in case, but actually waking up at this hour...
Sleeping till 4 p.m. on the day of? Only a lunatic like her.
'Not a kid... Stayed up all morning hyped...... Insane.'
Still, not catastrophically late. Time to hustle.
She got up and rummaged through her closet.
"Underwear. What to wear."
Sexy? Cute?
Star laid out the two sets she'd prepped for today and pondered.
Yellow...... Too childish?
But sexy might catch Lee Se-young's eye.
No way she'd win physically against that bitch.
Outfit too.
The suit so pricey it made her gasp. Who wears that to a reunion?
Shot down by Lee Se-young instantly.
Still, somewhat expensive stuff, dressed to suit her as best as possible.
Show off.
Look at me, killing it lately~!
Dressed to give off that vibe.
Thanks to her one and only friend who shopped with her at the department store.
- Why do you always drag me clothes shopping?
- Se-young's the best.
- You maniac.
"Whew."
Should've picked clothes yesterday and slept, but.
Planning ahead wasn't her style.
If she craved ramen at midnight, she ate first. That's Star.
Quickly picked an outfit, stripped naked.
Straight to the bathroom for a shower.
- Shwaaa!
"Hm hm, hmm~."
Hot water hit her body, and she started humming.
Lathered up plenty of starfruit-scented body wash.
Post-rinse, slathered lotion generously.
- Creeak.
No towel, stepped out nude, dried off while air-drying her hair.
Mix in a bit of magic, way easier to dry.
One reason girls envy mages: hair drying.
- Pat pat.
Dressed up, makeup done—time flew past 5 p.m.
Reunion.
Reunion in name, basically an expanded noble social.
Not many sales types with fire in their eyes...
But not purely reminiscing either.
More bragging and blind dates. That kinda reunion.
"Alright."
She smiled at her perfect makeup in the mirror.
The rest to the heavens. Or Si-heon.
Star grabbed her handbag and boarded the subway.
Meeting spot.
'...Wonder what crap I'll get teased about today.'
Star gave a wry smile and sighed.
Come to think of it... she'd gotten plenty of advances.
Recalling old classmates. Some guys subtly tried their luck.
'I was the idiot.'
Didn't realize.
Not uninterested in guys...... But classmates? Scary first.
They knew her middle school loser days. Made her recoil.
Body naturally put up walls.
But thanks to that, now with Si-heon... God's play?
"Hee hee."
Star giggled shyly, stepping off at her station as the doors opened.