How to Steal the Hero's Woman - Episode 330: Yggdrasil (3-39)
To be honest, there was one thing I'd been looking forward to when coming to Yggdrasil.
Elves.
In a world crawling with every kind of monster imaginable, I figured elves had to show up sooner or later.
But I hadn't dwelled on it much because, until now, I'd had a woman right by my side who was basically an elf in her own right.
Min Hayeon embodied that perfect blend of Eastern and Western beauty.
Then the real deal appeared.
"I've been watching what you did from behind. Touching a woman's private areas so carelessly—have some shame."
"…."
Straight nose, long pointed ears, sharp eyes, and flowing golden hair.
She stood in the mid-170s in height, the tallest woman in the area.
Her face was openly visible, her upper body clad in ornate armored pauldrons, and her lower half in leather pants for mobility.
She didn't quite match the agile tree-hopping image I knew from stories, but she carried herself with a noble, unyielding air.
As I dazedly savored the feel of her wrist, it wasn't me or Min Hayeon who snapped me out of it.
"And who the hell are you to bark at my customer like that?"
It was the stall owner we'd been browsing.
His dark hood had hidden it, but seeing his face now was a shock.
'Wait... an elf?'
[For starters, the skin color difference suggests a different race.]
As Armonia said, his build resembled an elf's.
But his skin was a deep purple hue, giving off a totally different vibe from the golden-haired elf gripping my wrist.
Unlike her, he was male, middle-aged, and yet handsome enough to earn the title of beauty without question.
The golden-haired elf didn't flinch at the man's gruff voice, opening her mouth with a blank expression.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your business, but I couldn't stand by and watch this man's behavior."
"Hmph, you idiot? If anyone's behavior is unacceptable, it's yours."
"…? What do you mean?"
The pale man in front of us snorted and spoke up.
"It's obvious you're lovers. Doesn't it occur to you that you're the one interrupting?"
"Nonsense... No lover would touch their partner so carelessly…."
"Um…."
Min Hayeon, standing between them with her head down and a shy expression, cautiously addressed the elf holding my wrist.
"Thank you for your consideration. He's a friend of that sort, so you can let go of his wrist."
"…I see. Understood."
The golden-haired elf closed her eyes, nodded, and carefully released my wrist with her impassive face.
She'd followed etiquette in letting go, but now she turned to me with a serious look.
"My apologies. I deeply regret the misunderstanding."
"No, no... It was understandable, so it's fine."
"Then I'll be going…."
The elf turned, her golden locks whipping in the wind, ready to go her own way.
'What a shame... I wanted to look longer.'
Her otherworldly presence was fascinating just to behold.
Seeing a creature from games and novels in the flesh was a wondrous experience.
But her steps didn't last.
"Hey? You think you can act so rudely and just walk away?"
"…."
At the pale merchant's words, the elf halted and quietly turned back.
"I apologized."
"Oh... An apology makes it all better? Does Her Highness the exalted day-dweller think words solve everything?"
"…."
The elf's expression didn't change at the merchant's sarcasm.
But the air around her crackled with clear hostility.
And it wasn't just the merchant.
'What's this? The villagers seem to hate this woman.'
Unlike their curious stares at us, they eyed the elf with disgust.
She pondered briefly, then addressed us politely.
"On second thought, I've committed a grave discourtesy toward you both. If it's alright, allow me to treat you to a meal."
...Jackpot.
..
..
Soon after, we found ourselves at a restaurant in the dead of night.
No regrets or annoyance, though.
Well, except for me and Han Yeoreum….
"…."
At first, Min Hayeon, Han Bom, and the trio were mesmerized by the elf, but soon they shot me displeased glances.
I dodged the especially piercing stares from Min Hayeon and Han Bom, steering the conversation toward the elf as much as possible.
"By the way, we should introduce ourselves. I'm Seong Su-ho."
"Lucien Lux Solis."
Starting with Min Hayeon, everyone introduced themselves.
The woman named Lucien apologized again for the earlier incident and began lecturing me.
"A lover is one of the rare profound bonds in life. You should treat her with more affection."
"Haha... Yeah."
"I won't impose our ways on otherworlders, but I believe treating your beloved as your last is the way to cherish her."
"I... I'll keep that in mind."
Han Bom and the trio looked puzzled, but thankfully, she dropped it there.
With that, Lucien silently ate without so much as a clink of utensils.
But someone stopped her hand.
"Miss Lucien... isn't your armor uncomfortable?"
As Han Bom said, Lucien was eating in full armor.
She finished the food already speared on her fork, then calmly replied.
"You wouldn't know on the 1st floor, but the upper floors are at war."
It was the story we'd heard before.
A massive war raging not in our small zone, but on the grand scales above….
But what did war have to do with eating in armor…?
"Even in a neutral zone, I'm a soldier at war. It's only natural."
"Ah…."
Han Bom watched with wonder and admiration.
Lucien Lux Solis… That line revealed exactly who she was.
Inflexible to a fault, yet unwavering in her convictions.
She might come off as stuffy, but Han Bom and Min Hayeon seemed to like it.
People like her had their rigid sides—in spades—but they also seemed utterly sincere.
As we all gazed at Lucien curiously, a suddenly warm male voice came from the side.
"A mission...? What kind?"
Everyone's eyes turned toward the voice.
'What the hell? Why's that guy's voice suddenly so smooth?'
[….]
Han Yeoreum, who usually whined snarkily, had switched to a suave tone.
"…."
Min Hayeon and Han Bom stared at him like he was a freak, while the trio gave him odd looks too.
But Lucien, oblivious to the women's reactions, explained calmly.
"It's no major mission."
"Hmm? Is it hard to talk about?"
A wartime mission was beyond classified—it was top secret.
As I thought, she shook her head gravely.
"I'm sorry, but I can't discuss that."
"Haha... I see."
She brushed off Han Yeoreum's awkward smile indifferently.
'Damn... Even if Han Yeoreum were handsome, maybe elves are used to guys like him? She's not biting at all.'
Every other woman we'd met had swooned over Han Yeoreum on sight.
Well, except Min Hayeon and Han Bom.
And Lucien made three.
She'd been responding to him curtly, showing zero interest.
"By the way, that merchant earlier, and others too—they don't seem to get along with the locals. If it's not rude, could you tell us why?"
It wasn't malice; I just didn't get it.
Lucien looked like a good person to anyone.
Why antagonize someone so saintly? Were the villagers the villains?
But her explanation cleared it up.
"I'm a resident of the day. Day residents and night residents are enemies. The war I mentioned is between our two factions."
Simple faction rivalry. As a day resident, Lucien wasn't welcome in this night-resident village.
But a question arose.
"Then how are you here? Isn't there a war on?"
"The 1st floor is all neutral territory. NPCs can't initiate attacks."
"Ah…."
Now I got why upper-floor folks rampaged here.
Up there, summoners and NPCs were threats, but here at least the NPCs were harmless—safer, in a way.
We wanted more details, but Lucien kept it brief, sticking to basics.
"Again, forgive the rudeness at the stall. Farewell…."
She left without a hint of regret.
'…What a shame.'
[I get the disappointment, but you should start reading the room soon.]
'Uh... yeah….'
Min Hayeon and Han Bom were glaring holes through me.
'Screwed. No sleep for me tonight.'
[….]
..
..
The next day.
"What could it be…."
We arrived in the village empty-handed, just like yesterday.
The evening glow bathed the village, rousing the night residents who began milling about.
They still eyed us with curiosity….
But that didn't matter anymore.
'Trouble. The contract with Han Yeoreum's almost up….'
Even if she regressed, I could just take Min Hayeon and Han Bom with me—no memory issues.
But I was itching to push forward, and even if regression hit, I wanted to know how to get this floor's token at least.
[Two days left.]
'…And "two days" ends at noon on the last one.'
The contract expired exactly at midday.
'Gotta give it my all until then.'
Hoping for hints, we wandered the village again.
Feeling the pressure, I suggested something to the party.
"How about we split up and search this time?"
I paired Han Yeoreum with Han Bom, sending the rest solo.
They hesitated at first in the night, but nodded seeing the bustling locals.
"It's scarier during the day here—night feels safe."
"Yeah, like Korea at night."
They laughed, nodded, and scattered.
"See you at the inn."
"Sure~."
Unable to shake my urgency, I briskly quizzed locals for info.
But the answers were the same.
(Who knows... We don't have anything to tell.)
(Since you're here, buy something.)
(Back when summoners were plentiful, you'd trade points for goods or info—but now, you're the only ones around.)
I paused on a bench, gazing at the night sky.
The silver full moon was stunning.
"Sigh... Pretty or not, what's the point."
Even that sky-piercing moon couldn't pierce my frustration.
As I stared endlessly at it from the bench—
"Meeting like this suggests we have an affinity."
"Huh?"
A gruff female voice made my ears perk, head whipping around.
Lucien stood there, looking down at me gravely.
"Meeting the first visitor I encountered upon arriving—and now as I leave—feels fated."
"Oh, you're leaving?"
"Yes. Safe travels…."
She could've ignored me due to yesterday's image or hassle, but she greeted me properly.
But that was it.
'Wow... Just a greeting and gone.'
She turned toward the village entrance after.
[Even trivial matters—she won't bend her principles.]
Trivial or not, she stuck to her standards rigidly.
I couldn't define Lucien from fragments alone, but I agreed with Armonia.
I called out to her departing figure with near-empty words.
"Watch out for Red Summoners on the way."
"…Are there Red Summoners in this zone?"
"Yeah, not swarming, but they're around. We struggled with them when we first hit the 1st floor."
"…."
Lucien stared intently, then abruptly changed course and approached.
She sat beside me and spoke.
"Could you elaborate?"