18. Luring the Sulking Dina from the Corner with Cake...
I had lured the sulking Dina from her corner with cake... Well, lured her successfully, I suppose? Though her expression seemed less excited about the cake and more like something was seriously pissing her off. Anyway, since I'd gotten her to come along, let's call it a win.
We arrived at the parlor. I'd wanted to head straight to a room, but it hadn't been cleaned up yet, so we were gathering here instead. Asking someone else to tidy up felt awkward, so there was no helping it. Honestly, who could I hand off bedsheets soaked in my semen and Cheong-ah's love juices to...? Even back at the inn, when there were no quests, I'd usually done the laundry myself. The innkeeper said he'd handle it for a fee, but it was too embarrassing to ask.
Thanks to washing clothes along with the sheets, I'd gotten pretty good at hand-laundering now. The housewives at the well near the inn had spread rumors about the "kept man" doing laundry. Come to think of it, my reputation as a kept man might have started with those aunties...
Entering the parlor like that. In the center of the table sat a cake made with sweet potatoes that Dina loved.
"H-Husband, you're here?"
Around the table waited Cheong-ah, her face flushed beet red from what had just happened, head bowed so low she couldn't even look at Dina. And Bella, snickering as she watched Cheong-ah.
"Heh heh. Hey, Ju Cheong-ah, the kid's here too—why aren't you greeting her?"
"I-I don't know. Don't talk to me right now, Bella."
"Why, embarrassed? You embarrassed?"
"......Shut up. If you don't want me to make you regret it."
Cheong-ah's hand trembled as she gripped her ever-present cane like a sword. She looked ready to snap and cause an accident... but she was always like that, so whatever. Still, time to play traffic cop.
I took Dina's hand and pulled up a chair between them, sitting down.
"Alright, both of you, cut it out. Dina, wanna sit here?"
"Oh? I-Is that okay?"
I patted my lap, and Dina cautiously asked. She sat on my lap all the time—what was this? Besides, the parlor only had three chairs around the table, sadly. One for Cheong-ah, one for Bella. If I sat too, only the heavy sofa was left. Dragging that over would be a pain.
"With only three chairs, sitting here is better, right? The sofa's a hassle to move, and it's kinda far anyway."
"True enough. Then upon Yeonja's lap I shall sit."
Despite her words, Dina hesitated shyly before carefully settling on my lap.
"......Hmm. Yeonja?"
"Yeah?"
After a low hum, she shot me a sideways glare. I fully understood the subtle meaning in those eyes.
"The thing is..."
Her affection and longing for me. In her current little-girl form, naturally, no indecent thoughts stirred in me. Regrettably, I had no pedophilic walls to breach. No, that wasn't regrettable at all. Sure, adult Dina was appealing, but we weren't gathered for that. This was about explaining my suddenly strengthened abilities amid all the chaos. Dina might feel a bit neglected, but I could address that later.
"Oh, right. Cake. Here, Dina, eat it all."
"Uh, y-yeah?"
"Yeah, kid, go ahead and devour it. I don't like cake much anyway."
"Yes, Dina, feel free to eat it all."
I stroked her head, pulled the cake closer, and handed her a fork.
"Here, eat comfortably, Dina."
"......My deepest thanks."
I gave the fork to the pouty-lipped Dina, who grumbled archaic thanks, then watched fondly as she munched the sweet potato cake before starting.
"First off... what do you wanna know?"
"Well, 'first off' implies there's more? Your abilities suddenly changed—explain that. And your back wound healed outta nowhere."
"Ah, that... It was a serious injury, healed instantly. Definitely a fatal wound. I was so worried..."
"Sorry for worrying you. I'll dodge that stuff better from now on."
"No, it was sudden, so... We should've protected you instead..."
"Yeah, we all know our hubby's weak as shit—we should've blocked it."
"Mm, mmm... gulp. That's true. Yeonja need not apologize."
"Thanks, always. All of you."
My chest warmed oddly; I barely resisted the urge to kiss each one.
"Oh, and how'd you suddenly do telepathy—y'know, voices in the head? I've only seen my master use it."
A familiar term from wuxia novels. So they had telepathy here too. Thinking back, when we first met, Cheong-ah called mana "inner power." Her stories painted Yuldo as a mix of Joseon, China, and Japan vibes.
Dina, poking cake into her mouth at Cheong-ah's words, mumbled agreement through chews.
"Mm. That was indeed curious. Yeonja's voice suddenly echoed in my head, yet he was far away. Ancient archmages used telepathy spells... but felt different from yours."
"Really?"
"Plus other abilities strengthened. Physical prowess, barriers..."
"Ah, yeah. The undead dropping like flies outta nowhere. Wild."
"How do you absorb mana? Like Energy Absorption Great Law or something?"
"What's that? Sounds fuckin' evil."
"It exists. So, husband, how'd you do it?"
Excited questions flew. I calmed them and began slowly.
"Well, first..."
It naturally started when he took a sword to the back in that ambush and awoke in a strange space. An impressive, beautiful voice calling herself his big sister. After some nonsense, she abruptly asked what he saw.
"Don't get annoyed. I asked, didn't I? What do you see? Open your eyes properly and look ahead. Tell me what you see."
Obeying the voice to look ahead, what entered his eyes was a single mirror. Naturally reflecting his own image. Ian said,
"......A mirror?"
"Yes, now you see it? Then can you tell me what the mirror reflects?"
"Obviously my reflection."
"Hehe, not quite... Is that really you?"
"What the hell kinda cryptic bullshit..."
As he tried to demand answers, the mirror rippled. Unknown letters emerged. But not entirely unknown—he'd seen similar before.
"......This."
The first dungeon with Bella and Cheong-ah. Dungeon Agales. Same script as there. Unfamiliar words, yet readable. Like when first facing the demon.
"Forgotten God."
His heart pounded fiercely at those words. More flowed naturally from his lips.
"Lord of Mana, Creator of the Night. Vessel of Sealed Darkness."
His head throbbed. A message window flickered before him.
[ ╋┫┻┠┑┲┵╀┶┦┖┥┌├┬ ]
'......What the fuck is this?'
More words on the mirror followed. Strangely, unreadable.
"Not reading more?"
"Can't read the rest."
"Hmm, that's as far as you go for now. Pity."
A disappointed voice. Ian, doubts growing, asked,
"......What is this?"
"What else? It's you."
"Poke poke."
"My beloved little brother."
"Welcome back to this world."
His vision flashed.
"You can't fully remember yet..."
"But you'll recall it all eventually."
"So for now, forget. Until that day."
Your body couldn't handle realizing it now.
When I opened my eyes again, I instinctively knew my abilities had greatly changed. The problem was... I remembered the strange space, the voice, the conversation, the mirror, and reading words... but not which words or exactly what I'd seen. Like fog shrouded my mind. Key parts forcibly erased.
"......So, yeah. Besides the abilities strengthening, nothing else to say."
"Fuck, seriously? Built it up like there was more."
Bella slumped against her chairback, deflated.
"Uh, sorry...?"
"Nothing else comes to mind?"
"Nope."
I scratched my head apologetically. I'd promised an explanation but delivered half-baked shit. Felt unsatisfying even to me, but oh well.
The Holy Nation, or Divine Realm. Holy land of the Radea Church, worshippers of Goddess Radea. Ruled since ancient times by a figure called the "Saintess." At its heart, the Papal Palace where the Saintess resided. Deep within, a woman knelt reverently in prayer.
Golden wavy hair cascading to her calves. Matching snow-white skin. Her sharp nose, red lips, and beauty evoked not jealousy or lust, but sacred awe.
She was the ruler of this Holy Nation, leader of the continent-spanning Radea Church. The Benevolent Saintess Ashera, known far and wide as the daughter of Goddess Radea incarnate on this land.
And now, Ashera received revelation from Goddess Radea.
"......Yes, Goddess. I shall heed it."
A flat, monotone voice. As the revelation ended, Ashera slowly opened her eyes—sparkling emerald irises. Rising, she muttered lowly,
"Ugh, fuckin' annoying."
The solemn tone vanished; now flippant and crude, she scratched her head messily, spewing vulgar curses.
"If she's summoning her brother back, she should handle it herself—why send me to find and babysit?"
So damn gross...!
Such irreverence. Rumble...! Thunder cracked in clear skies.
Ashera glared at the ceiling and yelled,
"Argh, fine! I'll do it, okay? So quit fuckin' spying already!"
Pervert. Spitting all manner of blasphemy at her lord. Her full name: Ashera Zburi Juviss. Once the closest servant of Goddess Radea, now an angel exiled to this land for a past blunder.