The Next Morning's Surprises
The next day...
"……!"
Waking to an unfamiliar sensation, Kim Min-su jolted awake in shock.
"Wh-what are you doing...?"
"……Mmmph."
Silvia was using his arm as a pillow, fast asleep—or so it seemed.
"Don't pretend to be asleep."
"Oh dear, caught me."
Silvia cracked her eyes open with a sly smile.
"I made all the furniture for the room I showed you yesterday... Was the bed uncomfortable?"
"Yeah. It was."
Ah. I guess it was lacking in some ways since I rushed it. Or maybe she's just not used to Earth civilization yet.
"Mind telling me what was wrong with it?"
But her answer was completely unexpected.
"You weren't there."
"……Pardon?"
"That room didn't have you in it."
"Uh......"
"You set my heart ablaze like that and then don't even sleep with me? That's too much."
How am I supposed to respond to this...?
He could feel the warmth of her body against his arm. Her scent filled his senses up close. In this ecstatic moment, the goddess's whisper left Min-su's mind blank.
"Hehe. Just kidding."
Seeing his reaction, Silvia giggled and sat up.
"You've already saved me beyond what I deserve. How could I demand anything more from you? I just came to wake you."
"Ah...... right......"
"But...... if you ever have time later...... I'd love it if we could sleep together in my room......"
Her voice trailed off, uncharacteristically hesitant and soft.
"Pardon?"
Min-su hadn't caught it clearly and asked again, but...
"Nothing. Come on, let's go. The [Dark Lord] has breakfast ready."
She hurriedly opened his door and slipped out.
"Min-su, you're here?"
Heading to the dining room, he was greeted by Rijette, apron-clad and beaming.
Thanks to the power of [Darkness], Min-su's expanded one-room apartment was now the size of a grand mansion. The dining area matched, featuring a massive table that could seat dozens.
...Why is it all ramen?
Despite the grandeur, breakfast for Min-su was ramen.
"It's my special Rijette recipe ramen!"
A watery Han River instant noodle mess. The first time he'd fed her ramen, he'd warned her not to mess up the water ratio...
"How is it? I did great, right?"
Min-su couldn't bring himself to be honest with Rijette, who puffed out her chest expectantly.
"......Thanks, Constellation."
"Hehe."
Starting tomorrow, I'll handle meals myself.
Until now, Min-su had prepared food for the goddesses, but exhaustion from last night had left him oversleeping. How could he say anything negative to Rijette, who'd made breakfast for him?
On the contrary, she deserved praise for trying Earth cooking to adapt.
"This is Idaine's. I'll go get her."
"No, Constellation. You sit."
Min-su grabbed Rijette as she moved to fetch Idaine and sat her down.
"You've worked hard preparing breakfast. Let me handle this."
"......O-okay. Thanks, my apostle."
Min-su headed to Idaine's room upstairs.
Ramen's fine, but I should introduce her to other foods.
Rijette had barely tasted proper cuisine. Time to show her Earth's vibrant food culture.
Of course, that meant earning money, so today he'd seriously climb the Tower.
Knock knock.
"Sunbae?"
No response from Idaine's room.
Knock knock.
"......Sunbae?"
Still asleep? Why no answer?
Click.
Min-su turned the knob. Beyond the open door...
"Haha! See that! I beat the highest round with naked rolling and bare-fisted punches! I win!"
In the dark room, lit only by the monitor, Idaine cheered triumphantly. The screen's glow illuminated her bouncing chest in the shadows. Two pink peaks standing erect.
"S-sunbae?"
"...Huh? J-junior?"
Spotting Min-su, Idaine followed his gaze downward. Stark naked, not a thread on her.
Her face burned crimson.
Crash!
She dove behind the chair, peeking out.
"Wh-why are you in my room...?"
"......The Constellation said breakfast is ready."
"Oh... it's morning already... haha..."
"Why no clothes...? Did the [Darkness] vanish? Want me to remake it?"
"N-no, it's a gaming suit, but it wouldn't break no matter what... so...... ahaha..."
In the end, Min-su returned to the dining room with Idaine amid awkward silence.
Living with beauties is great... but not so much for my heart.
Breakfast with three goddesses. Two watched him eat intently; one slurped noodles with her head down, unsure if they went in her nose or mouth.
Under their burdensome gazes, Min-su spoke up.
"I'm heading to the Tower around 6 today."
Both goddesses' eyes lit up.
"Min-su. I'm your prima donna alone. Use me as your summon whenever you like."
"M-me too! Min-su! Summon me, and I'll make an army whoosh-whoosh!"
Great they're eager... but it's overwhelming.
"Not planning a full assault today. With Silvia human now, I want to test if I can still summon her."
Yesterday was spent testing summons, but if Silvia could regain her powers like Rijette despite being human, she'd be a solid ally. And as the Constellation of Music, spreading her songs on Earth could bring peace to all.
"Min-su...... you think of me that much!"
Clatter!
"Whoa, Silvia! What's with you? That's not like you!"
After the brief chaos at breakfast, as the summoning cooldown ended, Min-su prepared for the Tower.
"......Be careful out there."
Rijette dressed him in armor like a wife seeing off her husband, straightening his appearance. Without summoning, she couldn't join, so all she could do was wait.
Lips pursed in a pout, she whispered something to Silvia, who nodded with a slightly stiff expression.
Prepared, Min-su entered the Tower.
Floor 4 and below—the last floor he'd cleared experimenting with [Darkness].
"Summon."
Min-su extended a hand, activating his ability. A golden rift tore open in the air. Majestic pipe organ tones rang out, dense divinity bursting forth with intense melody. Like a goddess descending from heaven, a woman slowly emerged.
"You called, Min-su?"
The [Golden Melody Performer] had arrived.
"It worked!"
"Seems so."
Silvia felt even closer after recent events, but she was still a goddess. Min-su sensed her mystical aura.
That woman was just pillow-ing on my arm?
Staring blankly, their eyes met. Silvia smiled wickedly at him.
His heart skipped.
"L-let's check your status first?"
Min-su turned away, steadying himself.
"Can you use your powers fully like before?"
Silvia flexed her arms.
"All intact. I entrusted my divinity to you, yet it's whole. Looks like summoning me lets me wield the full power of the [Golden Melody Performer]."
Conducting an orchestra, she waved her hands. Dozens of instruments materialized from her authority—the same power from her inner world yesterday.
"If you wish, I'll take you to the top of this Tower."
"The top?"
Was the [Golden Melody Performer] a combat-type? Unlike Rijette, he'd never seen Silvia fight in her past life.
"Remember the sword you held yesterday?"
"The sword......"
The blade he'd swung at the evil entity. Just holding it filled him with omnipotence.
"I'll forge a divine sword for you. Your holy sword to reach this world's pinnacle."
Silvia approached, grasping both his hands.
"We'll fill this Tower with our ensemble."
A grand piece played at her will. Golden divinity flowed into Min-su.
As immense power surged—
"Min-su. With you and me together...... Gack!"
Something dropped onto Silvia from above.
"Ow ow......"
The girl who'd flattened her rubbed her butt, silver hair—much like Silvia's—whipping around.
"......?"
He hadn't started the trial or summoned anyone else. This sealed realm allowed only Silvia...
And she looked familiar...
"Why does this keep happening in front of Min-su..."
Silvia rose, rubbing a bump on her head. She froze upon meeting the girl's eyes.
Then Min-su remembered.
The figure from yesterday's illusion in Silvia's inner world.
"Sis?"
"Lucia? ......Impossible."
The girl who shouldn't be here—Silvia's sister, Lucia.