The Demon God, Setauros
It seemed everyone had stayed up late playing, as we didn't all gather until around ten in the morning.
Even though it was a holiday for the kids and the shop should have opened hours ago, we had posted a notice saying we would open at lunchtime today. Instead, we were slicing fruit for dessert.
For the record, I was in the middle of splitting a Korean melon in half.
What on earth is this?
"They pop out of high-quality melons from time to time," Yumi said. "A lot of people buy them, so just toss it in the empty basket. I'll wash it later."
Splitting a melon had literally yielded a laminated Beyond card.
Apparently, this was normal here. None of the kids seemed even remotely surprised that a card had emerged from a piece of fruit.
"Oh, right. Mom, what time did you get home last night? I waited up late, but you weren't back, so I just went to sleep."
"I told you earlier, sweetie. I had a gathering with the other moms. And this morning, I was busy helping Mr. Lee Baek."
"What about you, mister?"
"Me? As soon as I parted ways with Yumi, I went straight to an internet cafe and stayed there until late. I thought searching up some things might jog my memory, but before I knew it, I'd spent the whole night playing games."
"Must be nice. Grown-ups can stay out and play as late as they want. I want to grow up fast too~"
Yumi and I both flinched slightly at Taeyang's question, but thankfully, he didn't seem to notice the lie. Instead, he just voiced a typical childish longing. I tossed the card that had popped out of the melon into the basket and played along smoothly.
"Being an adult isn't all it's cracked up to be. When you grow up, you'll miss the days when you were protected by someone else and didn't have to take responsibility."
"Responsibility?"
"Because being an adult means taking responsibility. I can stay out late because if anything happens to me, I'm the one who has to deal with the consequences. You'll have a day like that too, Taeyang, where you have to take responsibility for your own actions."
"Ugh. You sound just like a teacher~"
"Hahaha."
...
...Lee Baek, you bastard.
You, you, you... Getting turned on by a woman with a kid is already way past the boundaries of adult responsibility.
I cursed myself inwardly, wondering what kind of nonsense I was spouting to a kid when I wasn't even acting like a proper adult myself.
"Hmm. Did you really just play games?"
"Why?"
"Nothing. You don't need to know."
While the smart Saetbyeol seemed completely clueless about this kind of stuff, Chaerin, who was highly interested in romance, kept giving me a sly, suspicious look.
She clearly doubted my story about spending the night at the internet cafe.
She's persistent.
She's at that age.
We had been caught coming back together in the early morning, but we managed to gloss over it by claiming we had run into each other by chance on our way back from separate errands. Rather than openly admitting to anything, we chose to deny it to the end, which was why we were still walking on eggshells.
"Excuse me, ma'am. What do the two of you usually do when you're together?"
"Ugh!"
"Us?"
She asked with an innocent, truth-seeking smile. It was an interrogative strike aimed at confirming her suspicions.
I was trying to figure out how to deflect this when Taeyang chimed in.
"You mean Mom and the mister? They just work like usual. Carrying boxes, cleaning, nothing special."
"Hey! I wasn't asking you~!"
"Huh? But you asked what they do. Why are you getting mad?"
Nice catch.
Whether he was incredibly perceptive or just completely oblivious, Taeyang's counter-question bought us time. I jumped on the opportunity to steer the conversation.
"Just like Taeyang said, I mostly do the heavy lifting, and since I used to be an office worker, I help organize the ledgers too."
"That's not really what I was asking... Ugh, never mind. But why are you opening so late today?"
"We bought some daily necessities at the mart yesterday, so we have to organize those. We also have some ingredients arriving later, which we need to move into the shop."
"Yeah. If it weren't for him, Mom would've had to struggle to move all that stuff by herself."
She huffed.
"No! I'm not asking about that! I want to hear about your daily life, like, normal stuff~!"
"Even if you ask about our daily life, it's only been a little over a week since Mr. Lee Baek started staying here."
"We still don't know each other very well. Even yesterday, when we were buying things or going to the hospital, it was so awkward. I just felt sorry for making Yumi go through all that trouble for me."
"Still, I'm glad we got a little closer through this. I hope we continue to get along well."
"Hahaha."
"Hehehe."
We worked in perfect harmony, redirecting her questions like masters of Tai Chi.
With Yumi and me playing it like this, what can you possibly do?
"Urgh. I know there's something!"
"Chaerin, you've been acting weird. You practically know more about our shop than I do. Why are you asking all these questions?"
"Shut up, you dummy!"
"Huh~!?"
Getting scolded by the heroine for no fault of his own was a classic cliché.
Fortunately, Chaerin didn't press the matter or suspect us any further. If she had been just a little more mature, she might have caught on to the vibe between us, but luckily, these three were still pure, untainted souls.
Fortunately, it looks like she's giving up for today.
I was worried about how this would go, but kids will be kids.
Our eyes met. Chaerin noticed the silent exchange and made her discomfort very obvious.
"By the way, didn't you guys say you were going to meet Manbok today? How long are you planning to stay here?"
"We were going to, but his family said they'd come here instead."
"That kid?"
Yumi answered on their behalf.
"I heard he brought me up during his argument with Taeyang. Manbok's mother... well, my older sister figure, wanted to come apologize in person."
"Sister?"
"Yes. Manbok's mother and I are close friends. We're like sisters, so she was especially shocked by what happened."
"Unlike the kid, it sounds like she's a decent person."
"Oh, Manbok isn't a bad kid at heart. I think he just fell in with the wrong crowd because of Locust."
"Still, he insulted you directly. I thought even you would be angry, Yumi."
"If you heard how angry my unni was over the phone, you wouldn't say that."
Unlike me, who thought this was a perfect opportunity to ask about Locust, Taeyang and the others shivered and hunched their shoulders.
Just what kind of person is she to make them react like that?
Just then, the deck case in my pocket felt unusually heavy.
It was asserting its presence so blatantly that I couldn't help but pull it out.
◈ This card's cost is reduced by the number of Climax Counters on the field.
◈ This follower's Attack and Health increase by the number of Climax Counters on the field.
◈ Once per turn, target 1 follower and equip it to this card. This card absorbs the equipped card's effects and stats.
◈ While equipped with a follower, any effects or damage this card would receive are redirected to the equipped card instead.
I quietly stared at Setauros.
The Impaler. It meant one who pierces or stabs. Normally, it would refer to a spear or a bow, but in this case, it was a vulgar card referring to his lower half.
Yet, because it was my ace card, I felt strangely attached to it. It felt like looking at the coolest card you pulled from your very first booster pack as a kid.
Why are you calling me all of a sudden?
『...』
Perhaps because he knew I disliked pulling him out in public, Setauros didn't give a loud response.
However, he quietly fixated on the word that had just been mentioned: "Locust."
Are you telling me to be careful?
『...』
Or... do you want to fight them?
『■■.』
An answer came back. A blood-boiling sensation was transmitted to me through the card.
Setauros was craving a new woman.
Ah. Since I can't just go around stealing innocent people's cards, you want me to steal them from other villains instead.
This guy is really consistent.
While I was glaring at the card, wondering if he had called me just to make such a request, Taeyang suddenly poked his head out like a turtle.
"Oh, mister. Is that your card?"
"Ah? Yeah..."
I naturally covered the illustration with one of the sticky notes I had bought recently. I had connected with it without thinking, but this deck was still not something I should show to a child.
But instead of asking to see my deck or card, Taeyang reacted in a completely unexpected way.
"Hey, I'm not the only one who thinks so, right?"
『Yeah. Overall, I feel a power similar to the cards used by the strong members of Locust.』
...Please don't drop that kind of foreshadowing here.
"Those guys use cards like this too?"
"I don't know what kind of card you have, but it doesn't seem exactly the same. Right?"
『If we're talking about scariness, that card is way scarier. It feels like it's on a completely different level. We Beyond spirits have our own ranks, but your card is at the very top tier. Judging by the aura it radiates, it's definitely not something praised by the masses. It might even be a type of Demon God.』
A Demon God?
Hey, Setauros. You bastard, what exactly are you?
『■■?』
Hilariously, even he didn't seem to know his own identity.
However, I could only feel his pure desire for beautiful women and cards.
He was truly a mass of pure lust.
"You know this already, but I have nothing to do with them."
『I know. Taeyang and I have been watching you. You're a diligent and honest person. You don't seem like a villain who would steal other people's cards at all.』
"Mom thinks so too, right?"
"Ah, y-yes!"
Even though Yumi was the one who had her Gracia taken, she defended me. And this was despite the fact that her ace card was steadily transforming into a succubus.
I need to find a way to return our Saint soon.
Just as we finished the fruit, the conversation wound down.
"Taeyang! I'm here!"
A new voice echoed from the first floor.
The problematic brat and the new married woman everyone feared had arrived.