The Way a Woman Melts a Man's Anger
A little while back, while Min-su was at the Tower, back at his house...
"...Min-su seems pretty mad, huh."
"Looks like it."
The two goddesses left alone in the spacious house let out deep sighs that seemed to cave in the ground beneath them.
"I'm sorry, [Dark Lord]. Thanks to your grace, I was able to receive Min-su's salvation, yet I failed to recognize that favor and ended up causing a scene."
"No, if anything, I should apologize. ...I let pointless jealousy lead to a meaningless power struggle. You can call me Rijette."
"Heh. Then you call me Silvia too."
Was it because of the uncharacteristically stern scolding from Min-su, who always indulged them? Or because Min-su, whose mere presence clouded their reason, was away? For whatever reason, the two goddesses managed to reconcile on their own.
"Min-su said he doesn't need my help anymore... Did I disappoint him? He wouldn't summon another constellation instead, right?"
"We'll need a way to soothe Min-su's anger."
"Any good ideas?"
In truth, Min-su wasn't angry at them at all. He'd only scolded them like he would quarreling younger cousins during family holidays. But to the two goddesses, it felt like a major crisis.
"We need info on what Min-su likes."
"What does Min-su like...? Hmm... Me?"
"...Don't joke around."
"Every time I lay my head on Min-su's lap, his waist twitches!"
"That's probably because your scalp smells so awful he can barely stand it. I recommend washing more often."
"You wanna die?"
After bickering and squabbling for a while, the two goddesses still hadn't found a clear solution.
"I don't know... What does Min-su like? Even after living together all this time, I realize how little I know about him. How can we get him to calm down?"
"Hmm... Then why not look up what guys Min-su's age on Earth like?"
"Like what...? Uh... A GTX 5090 made with the power of [Darkness]?"
"What's that?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but Earth's communities say it's the best gift for guys."
"Not bad. Shall we go with that?"
"But Min-su could probably make one himself."
"Then it wouldn't mean anything."
With limited knowledge of Earth, the two goddesses struggled to find something suitable.
"You two are still pondering, I see."
"Idaine!"
"You're... an apostle of [Darkness], right?"
That's when Idaine quietly appeared.
"Want some help?"
"Right! Idaine's from Earth, so she must know!"
Now a total shut-in glued to her games all day in her room, Idaine had been a top hunter in her living days. She surely knew the perfect way to soothe Min-su's anger.
"I know all about how to calm down or win over young guys like Junior Min-su."
Idaine crossed her arms smugly.
"Ooh! What is it?"
"Tell us, Idaine!"
Idaine's eyes sparkled like a kid who'd found a fun toy.
"You two... ever heard of 'wanna touch my boobs'?"
* * *
""Welcome home, dear."""
Naked apron, was it? The symbol of an ideal newlywed couple's morning romance. Min-su's thoughts froze at the sight of the two goddesses prostrated in such outfits.
"What... what in the world is going on with you two...?"
"Dinner first?"
"Or bath first?"
"Or maybe..."
""Me. First?"
Could any man withstand half-naked goddesses grabbing his arms, rubbing their chests against him, and whispering seductively? If not for the time he'd spent with them building familiarity, Min-su would've lost his reason right there.
"F-First, please put on proper clothes, both of you!"
"Is dear still mad?"
"I'm not mad! Not mad, so hurry up!"
A moment later, the two goddesses returned in their normal clothes, but Min-su's face still burned from the memory.
"...So this was all to calm my anger?"
"Yeah! Glad you're not mad anymore, Min-su!"
"Sorry for this morning, Min-su. We've made up, so everything's fine now!"
I wasn't mad to begin with.Who said anything about soothing anger and pulled this stunt?
Min-su's gaze landed on Idaine, who was struggling not to laugh.
"Why are you looking at me like that, Junior?"
"...What the hell did you tell them?"
"The most effective way to apologize to your boyfriend. How was it? Felt good, right?"
"Of course it felt good, but— Who apologizes like that?!"
Idaine giggled at his reaction. To think the one person he considered normal in this house would betray him—and the least likely to pull pranks, no less. Then it hit him: the scene he'd glimpsed in her room recently. Ah, no normal person strips to 'play games better.' Constellations must all go a bit crazy upon ascension. Min-su felt confirmed in his hypothesis.
The next morning
"Ugh..."
Min-su woke to an unfamiliar sensation. Sniff... snore... And there were the two sleeping goddesses.
...When did they sneak in?
The beautiful goddesses clung to him defenselessly. No makeup, unwashed from sleep—yet more stunning than any celebrity he'd seen.
"...Don't these goddesses have any sense of caution?"
Past Min-su might not have held back. He covered them with the blanket and slipped out.
Creeeak. As he opened the door—
"Oh?"
"Oh!"
He bumped into another goddess.
"Hello."
"H-Hello!"
Silvia's sister, Lucia. The most awkward relationship in the house. He'd felt like old friends with Silvia despite their short time together, having seen everything inside her. But Lucia was just a glimpse beyond those memories. An awkward air enveloped them.
...At least this one's normal.
Unlike the others, Lucia seemed perfectly sane. One normal person was a relief—until he heard her mutter with a flushed face.
"Y-You're so... virile...!"
"...Pardon?"
Min-su noticed her gaze aimed into his room: the two women half-naked under the covers on his bed.
"Ah."
Perfect setup for misunderstanding.
"Lucia, this isn't what it looks like..."
Min-su tried to explain, but—
"I-I'm not ready yet... No experience... So... Kyaa!"
Lucia screamed and fled.
"...I give up."
Min-su stopped thinking.
* * *
"What? You don't have Yu-bin's number?"
"...Well, I know the numbers of others she called, but I never needed hers."
At the breakfast table with everyone. Silvia asked Min-su if he could find out where Yu-bin was. Amid her resurrection and Lucia's return, she'd forgotten—but she wanted to tell her precious apostle she was alive. Unlike the constellation [Overcoming Conqueror], Silvia wasn't versed in modern Earth civilization. Arpa used Earth's tech like his own, but Silvia had only watched Yu-bin from afar. She didn't even know her number.
I don't have Yu-bin's number either.
He'd barely met Yu-bin, Silvia's apostle. No reason to have her number—or know where she lived. Contacting her seemed impossible.
Maybe ask the Player Support Agency? ...Nah, personal info—they won't give it.
No one to ask, total dead end.
...Unless.
Wait. One person.
The player he'd met yesterday.
Can I really call for something like this?
Hesitant to bother an S-rank for this, but she was his only lead. Min-su dialed the number saved from yesterday.
As the ringtone started—
—You called for me, Min-su?
She picked up immediately.
* * *
Ring... ring... ring...
"...Not picking up."
Jeong-yeon's abilities exceeded expectations. Less than five minutes after Min-su's request, she sent a full dossier: Yu-bin's number, contacts, personal info.
With the number, Min-su called right away. No answer from Yu-bin. Busy? Try later. He waited and redialed several times. Still nothing.
What? Thinks it's spam? Email maybe?
"Min-su. We might need to go meet Yu-bin."
"Meet her? Here?"
They had her address now—no reason not to.
But Silvia shook her head.
"Not there. Her family home. It seems she's made that choice."
That choice?
Silvia's face was rigidly tense.