Chapter 224
Of course, if I thought about it coldly, Doyun hyung had a point too. His relationship with Lee Seo-yeon was pretty much a done deal, so calling them a pre-couple made sense. She'd even realized her feelings for him before we did. Considering all the insight she showed back in Astasia, his take might actually be a bit more likely.
"So what's the right answer, then?"
"Well, the manga hype is just a bonus. I bet they were aiming for people to suspect they're a couple in the first place."
"......"
...That Nagi girl? I haven't really talked to her properly yet, but from what I've seen, she seems almost android-like. Just the bare minimum politeness, with barely any inflection in her voice—it reminds me of Yoo Seol-ah in the early days of Astasia, if not more so. Seol-ah mentioned over messages that she gets super cute sometimes, but I've never seen it myself, so it's hard to buy.
Seol-ah's the type who melts women's hearts effortlessly, after all.
"Don't people actually ask you guys a lot?"
"...Yeah, during anime meetings or whatever, they grill us in the downtime."
"See? That's how you make it hard for other girls to approach. Even if you say you're not dating, they'll just assume you are."
If I didn't know Nagi's personality at all, I'd probably agree that made sense. Doyun hyung seemed dead certain, and his battlefield judgments were almost always spot-on in that state.
But after actually meeting her, it just doesn't add up at all.
Tsuki hyung pondered it hard, then suddenly shivered like something hit him and shook his head.
"...Wow, no matter how I think about it, that's not it."
"...Just keep thinking that, then."
In the end, even Doyun hyung gave up trying to convince us. Whether the two of us or him is right, only Nagi herself knows her true feelings.
Of course, she probably has some basic human fondness for Tsuki hyung. If she had zero attachment, there's no way she'd keep working with him.
"I've fought alongside her, so I know—she's kinda scary in battle... She carries two daggers, you know?"
"Daggers? You know your stuff."
"One a bit longer, one short. I thought it was just for show at first, but when I brought it up... I nearly died."
Tsuki hyung launched into a tale of what was basically a one-sided beatdown disguised as sparring. His face went stiff just recalling it—he must still be pretty terrified.
Dual-wielding gets mocked a lot, but my mentor Klein once told me cat beastkin often use two daggers. First reason: to overcome their short reach and racial lack of raw power. Plus, in Astasia, top fighters have physical stats way beyond humans anyway. Most go for magic-focused combat or mana-enhanced bodies, so as long as it fits your style, weapon choice doesn't matter much. Giant hammers aren't rare.
"Her speed's insane—you can't even keep up."
"That's why they use daggers."
Her style sounds a lot like mine... I should get closer to Nagi. Dagger users are always confident in their skills. Compared to mages who blindly trust spells, they have killer combat sense.
"But why's she scary in a fight? 'Cause she's good?"
"She's definitely stronger than me, but that's not it... She never smiles normally, but when she stabs a dagger into the heart, injects mana, and makes it explode—she smiles. I saw it. Too scared to even ask why."
"......"
Maybe I shouldn't get closer? Not that it's scary—I've used that finisher myself plenty. It's just to avoid making Seol-ah jealous or worried over nothing. No husband wants his wife fretting pointlessly. Men and women shouldn't sit together after seven, as the saying goes.
"And after fights, she comes over to me dripping blood... Gives me chills."
"......"
Blood's inevitable in close combat, but something about that doesn't sit right no matter how I spin it. Especially tying back to the heart-explosion bit.
"Anyway, that's why it doesn't match what you said, hyung."
"...Let's get out."
The taxi pulled up to our destination, ending round one of the love consultation.
Following Roha-unnie's lead, we're heading into central Akiba. A bizarre feeling wraps around me.
I've always been a solo otaku type, never even hit up Korea's subculture events. J-pop blasting from street speakers recently made me jump. But now, with full-building anime PVs and maid cafe girls openly hawking—this feels like another world entirely.
No wonder it's subculture holy ground.
Yuna-unnie, light on non-mobile game knowledge, eyes everything excitedly, then pokes Roha-unnie at a huge screen.
"Whoa, that looks fun..."
She's not hiding her acting tone. Roha-unnie glances over and looks a bit flustered.
The PV's obviously Lupco Yanglip.
"...Yeah, it's fun... The voice actors put in real effort."
"Oh, the seiyuu fit perfectly. That sub-char was gold—Yuzha?"
Romcoms can't carry on just two mains. Lupco Yanglip's success owes a lot to popular subs too. Yuzha's the heroine Haruru's editor friend, pushing the main couple along. Cool base personality but secretly suffers—tops popularity polls. Kinda like Roha-unnie.
"Ooh, full merch section over there?"
"Sells out every anime airing."
Hearing it from an insider's fascinating. I've gotten offers, but this game's my first project.
Eyes sparkling, we approach—a whole building corner plastered in Lupco Yanglip goods.
"...Can I ask how much it's made?"
"Enough to live in hotels forever...?"
I figured she'd dodge, but her deadpan answer made everyone gulp—except one faking shock politely.
"...Honestly, I'm grateful. Even made the contract favor me."
"...He doesn't like you?!"
One-date love experience aside, as a proper romcom reader, it's obvious mutual. Just some misunderstanding plus breakup baggage—they wanna stay friends at least. One bold move, and they'd reconnect fast. Families know each other too—perfect.
"...Getting rejected again would crush me."
I get the fear, but can't she just pounce? ...Not like my old aggressive self—that'd get her arrested. That's why Baek Sion backs off whenever he brings it up.
"Unnie, you drink?"
"Booze? Nah, doesn't affect me much."
That complicates the plan... She's the reserved type, so maybe unavoidable.
As I pondered, Yuna-unnie gathered mana and whispered.
"...Can you make something similar?"
"...Oh, yeah. Why?"
"Did a quick reading— you helping's the best shot."
Making her true to desires? Totally doable. Pill form, her choice to take. ...But how faithful?
While Lee Seo-yeon and Yuna-unnie geeked out, I pulled Roha-unnie aside. She knows the merch anyway.
"Unnie, I can make that pill if you want."
"...That pill?"
Full explanation later, she whispered low.
"Succubus power...?"
"Y-yeah..."
Succubus, but amps desires, not just lust. After side effects rundown, she decided quick.
"...C-can you make it the strongest?"
"Strongest?"
Confirmed multiple times—her resolve was iron. Max strength worries me a bit... but she's level-headed; she'll use it wisely, alone with him.
Quick bathroom break—I whipped up two pills fast. Succubus mana handling's smoother now. Handed her one secretly; spare for backup.
"Need more, just say."
"Thanks, Seol-ah..."
That desperate for honesty? Three years stagnant must suck.
Soon, the guys filed in like clockwork. Baek Sion slid next to me naturally. Haven't seen him long, but heart racing at his side profile makes me feel silly. He just gets handsomer still.
But he glances sideways, grabs my sleeve with shaky eyes.
"...What's up suddenly...?"
"Nah, nothing."
First time seeing him scared... But only Roha-unnie's beside me? Hallucinating?