Chapter 359
Chapter 359
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 359
Chapter Title: A Perfect Fit
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There were far too many innocents to punish the entire Cornerus Family.
...
Such tedious words held no use anymore.
The very entity that created and spread common moral concepts was the World Tree, and defining what sin even was fell to the gods.
Religion and ethics were inextricably linked, whether one realized it or not.
The blanket praise for selfless acts was nothing short of the World Trees' intentions from ancient times.
Yet in my eyes, they remained monsters, not gods.
"Miss."
There was that dull, empty-headed woman whose character alone never changed.
"Yes."
"Are you alright?"
The one who fit this place the least, yet was more indispensable than anyone else here.
This place, reeking of such potent chemicals it could crust one's nostrils, was also to be Sansu-yu's grave.
"...Is Miho okay?"
Her hair hung limp like nutrient-poor corn silk, her pupils devoid of emotion.
Even on the verge of death, all she did was worry about others.
"......"
A sharp ache pierced deep in my chest.
Death was the miss's choice. If she just asked for help once, I'd be ready to lay down my life.
She knew her situation better than anyone.
And she showed no emotion toward her own sacrifice.
"Miss."
"Yes."
"It's Jiho."
"...Right. Jiho."
I was a servant who had pledged lifelong loyalty—not to that filthy man, her father, via contract.
A mere emotion couldn't make me defy this woman's will.
"If you're uncomfortable or have any issues, just call for me. Anything at all. I'll help."
Sansu-yu gazed at a single point on the ceiling with clouded eyes.
With emotionless pupils, she turned her head and took me in.
At last, her parched voice emerged.
"Yes."
Utterly insensate, not even aware of her own loneliness.
There were no more words left to say. After much agonizing deliberation, it all boiled down to one conclusion.
My feelings for her hadn't changed.
She wasn't someone who should die here. How many people in this world had she saved?
I'd considered somehow extracting her from this family. I'd even made preparations, but it seemed impossible.
It would be overstepping. I could only follow the miss's choice.
I was merely the one guarding her path.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ My head felt numb.
'Fuck.'
The moment yesterday's events resurfaced, my body shuddered involuntarily.
Had I lost my mind? Wearing those tight shorts on her. For that long, no less.
I'd laid down to sleep, but the thoughts kept coming, so I tormented Baekdo dozens of times in my dreams before finally drifting off satisfied.
"......"
At the table, Baekdo stared at me like I was some weirdo.
"What're you doing, third disciple? Eat your damn food."
"Uh, well."
"Don't make that retarded sour face. Your mug's ugly enough already; a bad expression just ruins the meal."
Hmm.
"What the fuck?"
"Did I say something wrong? You retarded disciple."
She's the one cheapening my guilt.
I'd risked exposing my identity for her sake and pounded her relentlessly.
Any remorse I'd felt vanished. This woman needed some proper discipline.
"Sigh."
With a sigh, she shoved some braised ribs into her mouth and worked her jaw.
The dolphin shorts and T-shirt I'd barely gotten her into yesterday were stretched out in places.
Thanks to that, the handprints on her inner thigh were visible.
'...'
How could anyone miss that?
Was she oblivious or not? One nipple poked through the left side of her T-shirt.
The breast I'd obsessively latched onto yesterday. Up close, her face even looked a bit flushed.
Did she know?
"W-what're you staring at so intently?"
"Why's your tit sticking out this morning?"
If she knew, no loss; if not, I'd see her reaction. I went for it like a madman.
-Bam!
Baekdo's rice bowl flew at my head in a blink.
"Gahk!"
My head snapped back, and I toppled over.
"Y-you, you bastard! Can't you say anything nice?! You psycho lowlife!!"
"...Fix your clothes properly. That hurts... Why start the morning like this?"
"I-it happens sometimes! Sometimes!"
She had to sense something. Did she really not know at all?
Even if healed with authority, bite marks would faintly linger.
Especially on Baekdo's pale, soft skin.
I picked rice grains from my face and hair, thinking to myself.
Looks like she hadn't noticed.
"... "
Baekdo snatched my half-eaten bowl with a 'I'm fucking pissed' face and finished it off.
"Hey, you threw the bowl, why—"
"Shut up."
"No."
"Shut it."
"......"
No choice but to grab her bowl. The rice had spilled everywhere, so I had to magic it away.
The food tasted like shit anyway, and an empty stomach made moving easier.
Instead, I neatly arranged the unprocessed peaches on a plate.
"......"
As I munched a peach, I felt Baekdo's gaze.
No way she knew these came from her body.
The sex had been so intense, I couldn't even tell whose was whose.
But Baekdo lacked experience, and she wasn't some hyper-sensitive perv like Hwangdo, so no way she'd borne fruit yet.
I bit into one. This was a water peach.
Delicious. Hwangdo's peaches never got old, replenished mana too—perfect food.
As I devoured it, Baekdo's gaze intensified.
"Third disciple."
"Yes."
"Were there peaches at the hotel?"
"Brought 'em at dawn. Can't open my eyes without morning peaches lately."
"What kinda dogshit nonsense is that?"
Even while eating, her eyes drifted to the peaches.
Baekdo or Hwangdo, peaches were among their top favorites.
Staring at her face while sucking one down, her chopsticks speared one clean.
"Hey, eat your rice first."
"Yeah, my choice~"
-Crunch!
Crunch?
"Tight peach, huh. Whew, you've finally discovered the allure of tight peaches too."
Satisfied, the Baekdo bastard beamed and savored it.
"Heh heh heh."
I bit into a similarly colored one with a sour face.
-Crunch.
This... was Baekdo's.
Firm yet juicy.
Unlike the water peach that burst with juice on contact, this one sweetened the more you chewed.
So Baekdo was eating her own fruit.
"Mmm~"
She hummed happily, munching away. The happiest I'd ever seen her.
"Um..."
"What? Don't tell me you're sulking over one peach."
"No, eat as many as you want."
Nothing to say.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time was critically short.
Should I announce the Cornerus Family's location and wait for the purge to begin?
I desperately wanted to uncover it first.
As if reading my mind, Sun messaged me that morning.
―Sun: Rest easy for now. It's more efficient and faster if I scout around than you wandering.
―Sun: Your injuries aren't fully healed anyway. Don't go gallivanting like some amusement park kid. Just stay put and recover.
Didn't know you were such a loyalist.
She knew way more, so no need for me to step up.
Touching words.
Sun had informants in Flower, connections to the World Tree side, and some underground rep. Her words made sense.
"...Tch."
I got her intent, but easier said than done.
Worried sick, I itched to bolt out right now.
'No telling how long Sansu-yu has left...'
Rationally, I should wait until the location was public.
Breaching the Cornerus Family's barriers alone was too risky a gamble.
Unknown forces.
If Seyoung or Azalea overheard, trouble.
If worst came... I'd abandon all considerations and rescue Sansu-yu.
"How about this?"
What would she think of my choice?
"Isn't it what you always wear?"
"Worn out completely. Sometimes you gotta buy new."
Day 2 of vacation in the Peach Blossom Paradise.
Despite my burning anxiety, I'd come out with her at Heavenly Path's request.
A shabby clothing shop without even a sign. Not in Korea.
No memory of the place for me. But full of nostalgia for Heavenly Path.
Full-body stockings, black dragon robe.
She'd even worn latex outfits back then.
No idea why, but supposedly battle gear.
Thankfully, no plans to make me wear those horrific black stockings.
"...Hmm, this scarf?"
"Master looks pretty in anything."
She tried on a black scarf with a smile, and I couldn't help grinning.
"Flattery's... silly. So silly."
"Hey, it's not flattery—it's true. But a scarf in summer?"
"Curious how much you'd think of me."
"What do you mean?"
She draped the scarf around my bare neck, then nodded satisfied.
"When the first snow falls. Wonder if you'd forget my gift, or pull it straight from the barn and wrap it on. So curious."
"......"
Forget that, and I'd get smacked.
I laughed it off reassuringly. As if I'd forget. It was our cider—me and master's.
-Sparkle.
The eternally preserved replica flower ring I'd given her gleamed on her ring finger.
No clue why there, but she clearly cherished my gift.
Heavenly Path might've reminisced.
―I used to make them often as a kid and give to master... Wanted to give one to senior brother too.
Childhood Heavenly Path's words when giving me that ring.
For Heavenly Path with no memory of me, who knows.
Memories of giving plum blossoms to her master-father now special as receiving from disciple-me.
"What is it?"
She tilted her head, meeting my eyes.
"No, just noticed the ring. Magic-preserved and all."
"...First gift from my disciple."
"Heh heh heh."
Wanna hug her.
Thought so, but no close contact.
Since learning about me and Hwangdo, Heavenly Path had been putting slight distance between us.
Lest her lover Hwangdo feel uneasy.
Classic Heavenly Path consideration.
Maybe obsessive Hwangdo even chewed her out.
As we chatted, the shopkeeper handed over a chest of clothes.
"Here you go."
Heavenly Path slipped on the handmade black dragon robe.
"How's it?"
She belted it and spread her arms slightly, showing it off.
"Hmm. Master, isn't the robe too big?"
The fierce black dragon motif engulfed her grandly.
Should look cool, but it was oversized compared to her usual.
Even though she wasn't short, the hem dragged on the floor.
"Guess it needs tailoring..."
"It's fine."
She scanned my face, then her own clothes.
A mysteriously content expression.
"Perfect fit."