Chapter 576: The Last Stop on the Date
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 576: The Last Stop on the Date
“Thank you so much for taking your precious time to visit us today. We look forward to seeing you again.”
Maybe it was because I’d spent around 500 million won at the department store, but the number of employees seeing us off had somehow grown to twenty.
As expected, capitalism is what makes the world go 'round.
I glanced up at the completely darkened Moscow night sky for a moment and took Ana's hand.
“Alright, shall we head to our next destination?”
“...Our next destination?”
“This is our monumental first date. We can’t just go home like this.”
For the record, Ana was still wearing the first outfit I’d picked out for her.
Honestly, I thought she’d change into something more conventional, but maybe because I told her it looked good on her, she stubbornly stuck with the daring combination of a sleeveless turtleneck and shorts.
Thanks to her, my eyes were having a feast.
Of course, I’d cast perception-hindering magic and a mana shield so no other dickheads could see her.
“Where are we going?”
“See that building over there?”
“That’s…”
I was pointing to the most famous five-star hotel in Moscow.
A place where even a standard room cost well over a million won a night, and where you couldn't even get a room without a reservation.
For the record, the suite I booked for tonight goes for over thirty million won a night.
“...”
As if she knew what it meant for a man and woman on a date to go to a hotel, Ana blushed softly and hugged my arm.
The corners of her lips were turned up ever so slightly.
Her reaction made me feel a little bad.
If it were up to me, I’d want to spend time alone with her, but since it was our last day in Russia, that wasn’t an option.
After checking in at the hotel front desk, we got on a private elevator.
A moment later, we arrived not at a guest room, but at the top floor where the restaurant was located.
“Good evening. I'll just confirm the name on the reservation first.”
“It's under Kang Hyun-woo.”
“Yes, thank you.”
As the staff member led us inside, the luxurious interior and atmosphere were immediately apparent.
It wasn't a five-star restaurant where a single meal cost millions of won for nothing.
For the record, I’d booked a private room that came with a premium of several million won just for the seating. It also happened to be the spot with the most beautiful view of Moscow's nightscape.
“And the other party arrived five minutes ago.”
“...The other party?”
Ana tilted her head at the staff member's words as he paused in front of the private room.
Slide—
When the door opened, Ana's eyes widened.
“You’re late.”
“...Mother?”
The person who had arrived before us was none other than Valentina.
As she looked at us, she caught sight of Ana's outfit and flinched in surprise.
“...Is that kind of fashion my husband's preference?”
“Well... I won't deny it. But it suits her, don't you think?”
“...”
Valentina stared at Ana as if appraising a work of art, then immediately took out her phone.
Click, click, click—
Like the doting fool she was, the phone's flash went off nonstop.
“From now on, I should buy her more than just dresses and gowns... No, it might be better to just acquire a clothing company and make Ana the face of the brand.”
“M-Mother...!”
Ana scurried over to Valentina, looking embarrassed.
Meanwhile, the staff member, who was quite perceptive, had already disappeared.
I closed the door and sat down.
“Shall we order first?”
Ana and Valentina nodded.
We ordered the chef's recommended course menu and spent a pleasant time telling Valentina about our date.
The problem came after the meal was over.
A strange silence settled over us. I watched the two of them as I drank the beverage that came with dessert.
I tapped my fingers on the table, lost in thought for a moment—
“...As I mentioned before, I'll be returning to Korea tomorrow.”
““...””
In that instant, the atmosphere in the room became heavy.
Ana's eyes, fixed on me, were trembling faintly.
Valentina, on the other hand, appeared outwardly unfazed.
But her mana was fluctuating precariously, which was unusual for her. Moreover, the slight twitch at the corner of her eye was clear proof that she was displeased.
Taking a moment to collect my breath, I decided to get to the point before the two of them exploded.
“In that regard, there's something I want to say to both of you.”
““...?””
“Would you like to come to Korea with me?”
*
What is family?
It's hard to define in a single word, but to me, at least, family means the precious people you live with under one roof.
Even if you're related by blood, if you've lived apart for a long time, by my standards, that's not a relationship you can call family.
You could call them family candidates, I suppose.
If you reunite after years or even decades, you have to spend a corresponding amount of time together to finally become a true family.
In that sense, my goal was to one day gather all my women and live together in one house.
Of course, there were too many hurdles to overcome for that to happen right away.
After all, I had quite a few women in other worlds.
Still, I didn't have the slightest intention of giving up.
Cheollijihaeng sieojokha (千里之行始於足下).
Just as the saying goes, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,’ I decided to start by gathering the women on Earth.
Although Delia, as the head of the Round Table, ultimately refused my offer, saying she couldn't abandon her responsibilities and duties, I plan to try and persuade her again soon.
Anyway, unlike Delia, these two had no reason to refuse my offer.
Of course, Valentina held the important position of the White Tower Lord, but I was confident that I took priority over her social status as the Tower Lord—
“...I'm sorry.”
“...”
...
Right.
In the end, it was nothing more than baseless confidence.
As I set down my teacup with a trembling hand, Valentina wore a bitter expression.
“It's not a refusal, so don't be too heartbroken. It's just that it's difficult right now.”
“...What?”
“If it were up to me, I'd hand over the position of Tower Lord and follow you right this instant... but with the Vice Tower Lord's seat vacant, if I were to disappear as well, the White Magic Tower would be thrown into unprecedented chaos.”
“...”
Valentina's concerns were perfectly reasonable.
Not only had the Vice Tower Lord vanished overnight, but externally, Russia was suffering from extreme economic and political turmoil due to the former president's unilateral military actions.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a national crisis.
If Valentina, who could be called their spiritual pillar, were to retire at a time like this, the White Magic Tower would undoubtedly be plunged into chaos as well.
“The succession issue is a headache, but the international situation is also a variable. With the upper echelons of the magic world and various nations watching Russia's every move, if we don't appoint a successor with overwhelming symbolic power, the White Magic Tower will eventually splinter into numerous factions entangled with outside interests, tearing each other apart.”
Among the 12 Magic Towers, there are quite a few factions that are hostile to the upper echelons of the magic world.
Prime examples are Korea's Gray Magic Tower and Russia's White Magic Tower.
Valentina probably refused my offer because she doesn't want someone influenced by the upper echelons of the magic world to take over as the next White Tower Lord.
I gave a bitter smile and scratched the back of my head.
I understood it with my head.
But I couldn't help feeling disappointed.
“So, could you take just Ana to Korea with you?”
“...What?”
“M-Mother?!”
I couldn't hide my bewilderment at Valentina's unexpected words.
And it was the same for Ana.
It seemed this hadn't been discussed beforehand.
“I wouldn't allow anyone else, not over my dead body, but I can trust you with Ana.”
“...I appreciate the trust, but I don't think you've heard the opinion of the person in question.”
As Valentina's and my gazes turned to Ana, she moved her lips, seeming to ponder for a moment.
But only for a moment—
Ana looked back and forth between me and Valentina as if she'd made up her mind, and slowly opened her mouth.
“I'll stay in Russia, too.”
“What...?”
In that instant, Valentina's eyes widened.
“Even if I went to Korea with you alone, Sir Hyun-woo, I wouldn't be of any help. No, I'd probably just be a burden.”
Ana wore a bitter expression.
“So I'll learn magic here in Russia and become a woman who can stand proudly by your side, Sir Hyun-woo. Then I'll go to Korea.”
Ana slowly rose from her seat, came over to me, and took my hand.
“...Can you wait for me until then?”
“Of course.”
There was no point in refuting Ana's words here.
She had already steeled her resolve.
All mages are greedy.
It was no exaggeration to say that the desire to reach a higher realm was the driving force that moved them.
In that sense, it was perfectly natural for Ana, who was making dazzling achievements day by day, to decide to learn magic in earnest.
Besides, for her, Russia was the best possible training ground.
There was Valentina as a teacher, the arctic environment optimized for learning ice magic, and the countless materials on ice magic stored in the White Magic Tower.
She would be able to raise her realm much faster than if she were to just follow me to Korea.
Therefore, trying to persuade Ana here would be nothing more and nothing less than my own selfish desire.
“Still, you two won't make me wait too long, right?”
“Of course not.”
Valentina, who had moved to the seat next to me, took my left hand and smiled faintly.
“I want to avoid being separated for so long right from the start of our marriage, too.”
“I'll be there soon, too...! And I'll call you every day and send pictures. You can't forget about me, okay...?”
Instead of answering, I wrapped my arms around their shoulders.
It had been a short time, not even ten days, but a lot had happened.
I seduced the ice-like Tower Lord and broke the curse on the sleeping princess of the mansion.
On top of that, I beat down some demon worshipers and physically forced Russia's dictator to step down.
They were truly spectacular days.
I chuckled and grabbed both of their asses.
Valentina's was a little bigger, but Ana's was a bit firmer.
“Well then, shall we go get some post-dinner exercise? For the record, I won't let you rest until my flight tomorrow, so you two better be prepared.”
““...♡””
And so, we made our way to the suite that would mark the grand finale of our last day.