Chapter 99: 11. The New Year's Party That's Usually Around This Time
Squelch, squelch, squelch…!
"Haaang…! Aaah, Siu, Siu-nim…! Ahng, haaahng…♥"
"Whispering extra lewdly today, huh."
"It's because Siu-nim feels… haaht… so good…♥ Hnghhuut…!"
"……."
Listening to the sticky sounds of intense lovemaking from the man and woman behind her back, Hildear kept watch over their surroundings. She desperately wanted to join in, but it wasn't a spot for three, and she'd decided to yield to Elaine this time.
'We've agreed to take turns yielding a little to each other.'
Unlike what Siu might think, the two weren't that close yet.
They'd simply formed a sort of pact as members of the harem cartel and hero party. Who knew what might happen later, but for now, this was enough. As long as they didn't fight, it was all good, right?
'Still… outdoor sex is a little enviable.'
Sex outdoors, not indoors.
It was the fantasy of countless women. Naturally, Hildear felt the same. The thrill of secretly hiding away with the one you love and indulging in sex. Just imagining it sent a tingle straight to her lower belly.
'If Elaine does it in the palace corridor, then I'll do it in the mansion garden….'
Even as she scanned the surroundings, Hildear fantasized about enjoying it with Siu.
She might look lost in thought, but she never slacked on her vigilance.
She deliberately rested her hand on her sword hilt, heightening her senses as if in real combat, probing the area. No matter how open-minded society was, sneaking sex in a foreign kingdom's banquet hall could still draw condemnation.
Something—no, someone—pinged on Hildear's sharpened senses.
"……!"
'What…?'
The knight's eyes widened in shock.
She hadn't let her guard down at all. If an enemy emitting killing intent had approached, she was confident she could've drawn her sword and severed their neck in an instant. And yet, someone had slipped right up to her nose without a sound.
'They revealed themselves on purpose…'
"Hm. Seems I picked a bad time."
"……!!"
Hildear forgot even to signal Siu at the sight of the figure who finally emerged.
"Greetings, Lady Hildear."
"Ah, Lady Ariel…."
Not on guard duty or escort, yet her head was all that showed from the ornate full plate armor enveloping her body.
At just over 160cm tall with a small frame, she moved effortlessly. Her face looked so young it bordered on childish, but Ariel was in her late twenties. Regardless of her actual age or baby face, no one took her lightly.
She was one of the continent's four SS-grade heroes.
The unequivocal strongest hero, bearing absurd nicknames like "Supreme" and "Sole Hero."
That was the silver-haired female hero, Ariel Grande.
"Hero Han Siu seems busy. Let's postpone our meeting a bit…."
"I, I'll…!"
"……?"
"…I'll go let him know."
Hildear raised her voice without thinking, then composed herself and hurried flustered toward Siu, hidden in the bushes. Ariel tried to say it wasn't necessary, but Hildear's actions were faster.
"Hm. No need to go that far. Now I feel bad."
Ariel's mutter drew rebuttals from the two man and woman who appeared behind her.
"How could we not?"
"Yeah. When it's Ariel."
"Is that so?"
But Ariel still looked puzzled. She wasn't feigning ignorance to fish for praise. Ariel genuinely couldn't understand why people treated her that way.
Years after becoming an SS-grade hero, her attitude hadn't changed from her A-grade days. Ariel's party member and the Church of the Main God's 2nd Saintess, Kim Hansol, sighed deeply.
"Haa, you're still the same as ever. It's you, sure, but… outsiders would call it an act."
"Aren't heroes meant to bear people's expectations and resentment to create hope? Serving the world and its people is a hero's role, so I don't get it."
"Yeah, yeah. We've been over this a million times—parallel lines. No point wasting energy."
Kim Hansol shook her head and scratched the back of her neck.
Her attitude might come off as cheeky at first glance.
Indeed, Belatant, the S-grade male hero who'd come with Ariel and Hansol, shot her a displeased glance. Hansol felt his stare but ignored it appropriately, turning her attention to the bushes.
'That guy's something else. Thinking of banging here… or is it because of Elaine?'
Hansol, saintess for only a few years, wasn't that close to Elaine, but she'd heard the rumors and witnessed her antics plenty.
'Pretty girls tempt them, and those dickheads can't resist.'
As she smirked, a single ecstatic moan from beyond the bushes brought silence.
"Haha. Looks like they're done."
"Hero Han Siu… I can't wait to meet him."
Ariel's voice brimmed with excitement at the prospect.
The man hailed as a once-in-history talent who could save the continent.
As a hero herself, Ariel earnestly wanted to save the continent and saw Siu as the hero to bring new winds of change. Kim Hansol and Belatant, who knew her well, understood this too.
'Damn….'
Belatant understood rationally, but his heart still churned uncomfortably.
'No, Belatant. Calm down. I'm the only man fit to stand by Ariel-nim.'
Elaine was there, sure, but Hero Han Siu ultimately belonged not to the Holy Bishura Empire, but to distant Palania Kingdom. His foundation differed from Belatant's years by Ariel's side.
As he barely quelled his jealousy, the three emerged from the bushes.
"Hoo. Pleased to meet you all."
Flushed face, ragged breaths.
His appearance screamed "intense activity" as Siu greeted them.
"Yes, we're pleased to meet you too, Hero Han Siu."
Ariel shook his extended hand per standard etiquette. No hint of displeasure crossed her face at touching the hand of a man who'd just had vigorous sex—only anticipation remained.
'Tch. Should've taken the handshake myself here.'
Even Siu shaking Ariel's hand irked Belatant inwardly, but outwardly, he played the gentleman.
"Sorry for showing you an embarrassing sight unintentionally."
"No, we're sorry for barging in suddenly."
Siu eyed Ariel and the two behind her warily as she apologized politely.
He hadn't expected these three—people he hadn't greeted yet—to show up together. And chasing him out of the banquet hall, no less.
'I was super careful coming out, so how the hell did they find us….'
Deep in sex with Elaine, he'd been startled when Hildear suddenly approached. When the flustered knight mentioned Ariel, Kim Hansol, and Belatant, his dick nearly went limp from shock.
Elaine felt the same.
But near climax and ejaculation, they squeezed their eyes shut and powered through. Sealing their sounds with a kiss was a bonus. Then they hurriedly tidied up and emerged.
"So, what brings you here…?"
Seeing Ariel, whom he'd never met in the first run, thrilled him immensely, but he wondered why all three had come together.
Especially the two behind. In the first run, the 2nd Saintess hadn't been a woman named Kim Hansol. There'd been an Earth-born saint instead—a man named Kim Hansol, he recalled.
'No way….'
And Belatant.
The Holy Empire's sole S-grade male hero, famed for his kind, diligent nature—but equally infamous for his unrequited love for Ariel. The irony was that only Ariel remained oblivious.
"Nothing much. Just came to say hello."
"Ah…."
"You've been famous since the Hero Academy, Hero Han Siu. The one who brought back retired hero Han So-young to active duty—the epicenter of all those continent-shaking rumors. With the demon war looming, how could we not be curious?"
"Haha…."
Ariel's dead-serious demeanor gave Siu a strange sense of pressure.
Especially with playful Kim Hansol and Belatant's jealousy-flecked gaze adding to it.
No, compared to Ariel, those two were minor. She believed everyone was born inherently good. The virtuous hero Ariel, who'd sacrifice herself without hesitation to save the continent, was too burdensome for Siu, who put himself first.
And Siu wasn't the only one who felt that way upon meeting her.
'The strongest hero, maybe even a saint in virtue. She's saved countless lives, but driven just as many to despair and corruption.'
Ariel was a woman whose heart shone with pure light, enough to make one wonder if she was the true saintess.
Many, conversing and observing her, had confronted their inner darkness and despaired. She was respected—and in some ways, loathed—for it.
'Glad to meet her, but no good comes from deep talks.'
He wasn't without confidence he wouldn't crumble under her influence, but she might still trigger a slump or depression. No idiot wanders in short sleeves on a freezing day just because "colds don't matter."
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me."
"No need. You're a fellow hero, walking the path to save the continent alongside the Demon God, aren't you?"
Ariel gazed at Siu with eyes of pure kindness.
For some reason, she hadn't let go of his hand after the shake.
Siu wanted to wrap up politely and leave, but couldn't. It didn't sit right. Ariel viewed everyone equally—no special feelings beyond respect, friendship, or familial love.
As Siu pondered an exit, Elaine saved him.
"Pardon the interruption, Lady Ariel."
"Ah, Saintess Elaine. My apologies. With you here, I focused too much on Hero Han Siu."
"No, no. More importantly…."
Elaine smiled brightly and hooked her arm through Siu's.
"We haven't finished sharing our love yet… mind letting us go?"
"Oh dear. My mistake. Sorry."
Ariel bowed her head slightly in apology and released Siu's hand.
"Any other business?"
"None. We just wanted to see your face and greet you today. The others too…."
She glanced back, but Kim Hansol and Belatant shook their heads. No business from them either.
Thus, Siu exchanged light handshakes with the two and finally escaped.