Ignoring Liliana's Sniffles on Her Knees, I Played with Da-hee Over the Weekend
"Da-hee-ya. Don't you want to go out and play?"
"I wanna go play!"
The kid, who had just woken up and was yawning, snapped to attention the moment I suggested going out.
"Let's go play with oppa. Think about where we should go."
"Eek... Okay. Just a sec!"
Nam Da-hee immediately closed her eyes and dove into thought. I'd already switched the order by sleeping with Nam Da-eun, but getting close to Da-hee was still essential for the strategy. And after being locked away for years, of course she'd love going out to play.
"Play with me too...."
Liliana, finally giving up on the fake crying, clung to me. Having missed her chance at sex, she was probably aiming for playtime instead.
"You think of someplace too."
"Got it!"
Her eyes still had clear tear tracks, but she grinned and started brainstorming places with Nam Da-hee. It was a bit creepy, but better than nonstop sobbing.
I naturally handed Da-hee over to Liliana's arms and stood up.
"Scarlett."
"Yes, Ho-yeon-nim."
"Can you leak some info to the info brokers?"
"What kind of information, sir?"
"The whereabouts of Nam Da-eun and Nam Da-hee. Just spread rumors that they're connected to Lee Ho-yeon. And there's some info that needs to go only to the Buyer Guild leader—can you handle that?"
"Yes. If you prepare a letter or something, I can deliver it discreetly."
The plan was simple: Build affinity with Nam Da-eun by bonding with Da-hee, while giving Buyer Guild leader Park Min-gyu an opening for revenge to advance the strategy. Simple in theory, but not easy in practice.
"Ah...."
Then came a rustling from beside me. Nam Da-eun, who had been lying there, was coming to.
She stared blankly at Liliana and Da-hee in their weird pose with eyes closed, still dazed. She looked around, met my gaze, and flinched in surprise before checking her own body. Then she placed a hand on her chest.
Her last memory probably didn't match this situation at all.
How intense was her climax that her memory just blanked out?
"Awake? You okay? Not hurting?"
I spoke first to the dizzy-looking Nam Da-eun.
"...."
As soon as I addressed her, she seemed to piece it together. Her face flushed—probably from embarrassment.
"... It hurt."
"Liar. You loved it."
"...."
Nam Da-eun's face turned even redder as she bowed her head. Teasing a fresh deflowered virgin was always fun.
*
Capable young women inevitably drew envy and jealousy. Especially in the mage community, overrun with old fogeys. A young woman standing out among them? Forget it.
Naturally, Im Sol struggled to make friends. The same went for top healer Baek Ayoung and the hottest young hunter in society, Min Ye-ji.
That's why the three had grown close and met up often.
"Ayoungie's got such a glow lately, right?"
"Same as always."
"Come on, it's 'cause you're always glued to that cadet Lee Ho-yeon with your one-on-one treatments and stuff."
"... No, it's not."
Today's meetup was in Im Sol's lab. When Im Sol said her research was at a critical stage and she couldn't make time, the other two came straight to her.
"Really? Oh well, whatever~. But Sol-i, still buried in research? Have you ever dragged one topic out this long?"
Im Sol, once called a genius mage before Lee Ho-yeon. The reasons were plentiful: absurd talent for all attributes of magic. Razor-sharp intellect solving mage-kind's unsolvable puzzles in a flash. Combined, she cracked any research in a month flat—hence the title.
"This paper's the most complex I've prepped so far. I'm doing it with Ho-yeon."
"Huh? Two genius mages together and it's still taking this long? Must be insane."
"You can look forward to it. It's revolutionary."
Im Sol brimmed with confidence. This would upend the Magic Society entirely. Infusing will into spell formulas was unprecedented—most prior research would turn to scrap paper.
Ho-yeon figured this out solo... what the hell?
Every session sent shivers through Im Sol at the thought of Lee Ho-yeon discovering it alone. And joy, too. She'd thought her life would be lonely.
No monster like you will be born again.
Once-in-a-millennium genius.
No mage like Im Sol for generations.
She'd lived with that crap ringing in her ears. So having a mage like Lee Ho-yeon in her generation? She was truly grateful.
Min Ye-ji eyed Im Sol curiously, wondering just how groundbreaking it was. But Baek Ayoung, sipping tea, thought differently.
Researching together with Ho-yeon...?
In that instant, Im Sol became a potential rival in Baek Ayoung's mind. She swallowed hard, scrutinizing Im Sol's face. No tells on the surface.
Would a professor really go after a cadet?
She wasn't a professor, so she was safe—but Im Sol was. Knowing Im Sol was a decent educator eased her suspicions a bit, but Baek Ayoung snapped alert. Suspect everything. Her darling was that dangerous a man.
"Ahem. Uh, with Ho-yeon hospitalized, must be hard researching together...? I check daily, and he needs more time to recover."
Baek Ayoung probed with her healer-honed acting skills.
"...Yeah?"
Im Sol tilted her head slightly. Baek Ayoung's innocent words stirred an odd unease. Pure concern, no doubt—but it grated anyway.
"...Still, once he's out, we've got tons of plans. Research, expo, presentation after the paper... it'll be fine."
"Plans...?"
First she'd heard of Im Sol having all these "plans" with her yeobo.
"Yeah. Research together, expo, announcement once it's done..."
"Ah...."
"...What're you two on about? Let's hit our cafe."
Min Ye-ji cut in to dispel the weird tension.
"Nah, I've got tons of research left. Wanna push as far as possible before Ho-yeon gets discharged."
"I gotta go see Ho-yeon too."
Im Sol dropped her gaze to her papers; Baek Ayoung started packing.
"Haha... okay, let's head out. Ayoung-ah, come on. Sol-ah, we're off first! Catch you later!"
In the end, Min Ye-ji dragged Baek Ayoung out, ending the subtle showdown.
*
Saturday morning. After burning Friday night in the dorms, Liliana and Da-hee still couldn't decide on a spot, so I told them to pick over the weekend and headed back to the hospital.
"Realized we can't just go out right away anyway."
Info guilds were digging into Nam Da-eun and Da-hee—no showing our faces recklessly. Couldn't use Rune Barrier without my mana back, which suited me fine. We'd go once I recovered next week. Told Scarlett to hold until my signal.
I wanted to move after healing. But prepping ahead was key.
Knock knock.
A knock at the door.
"Yeah, come in."
Lumi entered. I'd said to let in anyone who'd visited once, and they actually did. No more bothering nurses—finally some peace.
But Lumi looked off. Face flushed, cute pink mask on her chin.
"Lumi, you okay?"
"Ho-yeon-ssi... hello... Think I caught Lucy's cold. Haaachoo...."
Weird, adorable sneeze, then a sniffle.
"Hey, then don't visit. Rest at home."
"But... sneezed and dropped my smartwatch, broke it... Weekend, can't fix it."
"...Tch. So you came in person?"
"Yesss...."
She'd "promised" to visit daily—more like declared it. Whatever.
"Sigh, don't worry me like that. Glad you came, but now go rest."
"You're worried? Hehe... Thank you."
Lumi sniffled but gave a soft eye-smile.
"...Go rest already."
Why was she so sweet? Made me feel guilty for nothing.
"It's fine. I'll be better soon. Ugh, head's spinning."
"Nope. Wanna get checked here?"
Baek Ayoung could cure it instantly. Bit sorry asking her to heal another girl... but unavoidable.
"No. I'll rest at home."
Lumi wobbled up and staggered out. Too worrying—I got out of bed to support her.
"Don't come close... contagious...."
"Got it, got it. Take a taxi. I'll call one."
"Thank you...."
I called a cab, watched her get in, and relaxed.
Back in the room, I rested until Baek Ayoung's checkup. She seemed off today—no undressing, just status check.
"You'll recover fast... few days tops."
Warm light from her hand enveloped me—natural healing boost spell. Mana circuits needed natural recovery to avoid aftereffects, even if slow.
"Thanks. Always."
"...Yeah."
Why's she in a mood today?
Current Status: Rivals... Too many rivals eyeing my darling...
"...."
Whatever it was, just looking made me anxious.
"Yeobo."
I reluctantly uttered the magic word and reached for Baek Ayoung.
"...Haaa."
She sighed wearily but melted into my arms. Amid the warm white light wrapping my body, she felt like an angel embracing me.
"See? Just like an angel."
I praised her hard, but she ignored it, locking eyes with me. Intense gaze.
"Yeobo... I'm always your number one, right?"
"Of course."
I answered without hesitation, pulling her tight. Any delay could've spelled disaster.
"I love you, yeobo...."
Thankfully, she burrowed deeper into my chest.
....
I gazed at Baek Ayoung in my arms, wondering how long the magic word "yeobo" would work.