Why Only to Me? (2)
Night Emperor. The one who reigned like the sole god among assassins.
"What he says, you do." It was the rule of the Iris Guild—and the rule of all assassins.
Such a man, Isaac, was right in front of her eyes.
Scarlett swallowed hard as she looked at Isaac, who had naturally taken a seat on the sofa. It didn't matter how or when he'd entered. If he wanted, he could slip into anywhere.
Isaac lounged on the sofa, completely relaxed, his body devoid of tension... but that didn't mean he showed any openings.
After a moment of silence, Isaac spoke first.
"Ellis is doing well, right? I came straight here without notice, so I didn't get to see her."
"She's probably resting at the mansion by now. Shall I contact her?"
Why on earth is he here?
The famous doting father had come to her without even telling Ellis—there had to be a reason.
"No, no, that's not it. I came because I have something to ask. You know Lee Ho-yeon, right?"
"...Yes."
Scarlett barely hid her fluster. A name she hadn't expected had popped out of Isaac's mouth.
"I heard he signed a massage contract with Ellis... Is that true?"
"Yes."
"A 20-year-old guy, and her classmate?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
Isaac tilted his head side to side, letting out a thoughtful hum.
"What do you think? From your perspective, is there any chance the contract's not really about massages... but something else?"
He's suspicious of that, after all.
If it were her own daughter shelling out massive sums to a 20-year-old guy with no massage experience, Scarlett would react the same way. Add in Lee Ho-yeon's looks and the rumors swirling around him, and it'd be downright unsettling.
Of course, that's if it were her situation. Right now, it was someone else's problem.
Scarlett had to defend Lee Ho-yeon.
"Only the young lady herself knows the truth... but from what I've seen, she's not the type to act that way."
"Ah, yeah. Right. Ellis is smart... She wouldn't."
Isaac narrowed his eyes again, deep in thought. His beloved daughter wouldn't do something like that. So what was the reason?
Naturally, his thoughts drifted straight to Lee Ho-yeon.
"Scarlett. Do you think that guy's better than the top-tier masseuses I found?"
"..."
Scarlett couldn't say a word. She didn't know the previous mana masseuses well, but they were probably among the best in the world. Comparing them to Lee Ho-yeon didn't make sense.
And though she'd tried to defend him somehow, the man's intimidating presence was too much. One wrong word, and she felt like she'd end up in a bad spot herself.
"That massage thing... Does it actually work?"
"According to the young lady, yes. And the effects are tremendous..."
"Really? No ulterior motives during the sessions? Not her words—your opinion."
"...I'm not sure."
"...Not sure?"
Isaac, who had been staring into space while talking to Scarlett, slowly turned his head. His eyes met hers, tense as she was.
"Not sure, Scarlett?"
"...The massage did work, and also..."
"Scarlett."
"...Yes."
It's no use, after all.
Scarlett had anticipated this the moment he'd asked for her opinion instead of Ellis's. She'd tried to dodge, but a man like him wouldn't fall for it.
The instant Isaac had shown up personally, there was no stopping him from meeting Lee Ho-yeon.
"Are you lying to me right now?"
"...No."
Night Emperor. He could detect lies. Not just lies, but any words spoken with malice toward him—he knew them all.
It was the perfect ability for an information guild.
Knowing that, Scarlett had tried to beat around the bush as much as possible... but it was futile.
"Tell me straight. No ulterior motives toward Lee Ho-yeon?"
She considered lying her life on the line, but it'd only deepen his suspicions.
Saying "I don't know" or "No" wouldn't work. She couldn't twist it without lying outright, and he wouldn't miss that. There wasn't time to prepare some elaborate scheme, either. If their relationship got exposed by accident, that'd be even worse.
In the end, Scarlett spoke with maximum visible tension. As if she didn't want this situation. As if she hated seeing an innocent cadet caught up in it.
"...I can't say there were none."
"Lead the way. Right now."
"...Yes."
Isaac rose from his seat and headed out. Only then did Scarlett, her tension easing slightly, take a deep breath.
Whew— Not a good situation, but not the worst. What if she'd been stuck to Lee Ho-yeon the whole time? If they'd discovered she was a double agent between the Iris Guild and him...
Gulp.
Scarlett swallowed. She was impressed by Lee Ho-yeon's instincts. She'd thought that "beast sense" nonsense was bullshit... but apparently, the guy's who make it do make it.
*
Sunday afternoon. I opened my notebook and slowly pondered next week's schedule.
"Gotta hang out with Lucy and Lumi. Oh, right—Ayoung's coming back too."
Current Status: Is this kind of joke too lame after all...? So cute.
[Meet Baek Ayoung]
[Hang out with Lucy and Lumi]
I jotted down tasks as they came to mind.
- Unnie, what's this?
- ...! D-don't touch that.
- Huh? That's for my stream...
I could hear the girls chatting over there, but for now, I focused on my notebook.
"Magic expo with Professor... That's confirmed. No plans with Sulin-unnie... Probably one massage with Ellis."
[Go to expo with Professor Im Sol.]
[Massage with Ellis (?)]
[Meet Sulin-unnie (?)]
If only I had three bodies. Why's my schedule so packed?
"Gotta meet Rebecca too. Lots to learn about Rune Barriers."
[Learn Rune Barrier from Rebecca (?)]
- Hey! Give me back my chocolate!
- Unnie! Help me!
- ...Liliana. Just give it to her...
"Haa."
I sighed and stopped thinking. Couldn't focus at all.
I got up and headed to the kitchen, the source of the noise. The voices grew louder.
"Chicken for dinner?"
"Liliana-unnie, not chicken—something else!"
"...I've had quite a bit of chicken lately too."
"Gasp, then how about roasted chicken?"
This crazy succubus was obsessed with chicken again. I entered the kitchen and placed a hand on Liliana's shoulder.
"Hey, hey. Order what the kids want."
"Tch. Fine."
"Liliana. And clean your room. Your stream clothes are rolling around under the bed."
"Yessir~ Got it!"
"...Hey."
"Ow, it hurts. Aaang...! Okay, okay!"
"How bad is this for the kids' moral education? Huh?"
I pinched her cheek and lectured a bit more.
"Sob, huuuh..."
I left Liliana sniffling with her cheek grabbed and pondered.
Should I really get a bigger house?
No space for me to focus, kitchen and bathroom and table all too small. It's all because the place is cramped. Four people now—can't keep living in the dorm forever. The recent attack too...
I've got money. Should just get a nice place like Ellis's.
"Might as well go now."
If I don't go while I'm free, I'll put it off again. Next week's busy. Kept delaying till now—gotta move fast.
"Huh? Where to?"
"Dorm's too small. Gonna look at houses."
"Me too!"
"No. Stay home and rest."
Liliana tagging along would just be noise, no help. Experience proves it.
"Aww, why! Take me too!"
I ignored her whining and got ready to leave. She kept insisting, but thankfully calmed down when Nam Da-eun and Da-hee said they'd eat chicken with her.
"Thanks, Da-eun."
"No problem. Have a good trip."
Liliana played with Da-hee while Nam Da-eun saw me off at the entrance. No need, but she said it made her feel better, so I let her.
"Be back soon."
"Yes. Take care."
"What's that?"
Why the sudden formal speech?
"...Just trying it. Felt like a proper send-off."
"Heh."
Nam Da-eun's face flushed a bit. I grabbed her waist and pulled her close.
Her eyes met mine.
"Wanna do it again tonight?"
"...If you want."
"Last night was great, right?"
"I dunno..."
Couldn't do it together last night since Liliana crashed early—just Da-eun and me. Wonder if tonight works.
I kissed her shy forehead lightly and left the dorm.
What a luxurious life.
I couldn't even understand my own actions. Hugging a girl first and kissing her forehead? The old me from my world couldn't have imagined this.
Really, no regrets even if I died tomorrow. Well, just talk—I don't wanna die.
I left the academy for a nearby real estate office and entered the shopping street.
"Whoa~ Fruit's super cheap today."
"It's in season. Grab a basket."
Hearing everyday chatter like that made me feel truly alive.
"Real estate... This way."
The street naturally had several agencies. Not stopping at one anyway—started with the closest.
I followed my smartwatch into a narrow alley.
And in that instant—silence fell around me.
"...Again?"
I strengthened the Rune Barrier I'd kept up for perception blocking.
Tried exiting the alley, but something blocked it—like a wall.
Strong.
Full power might break through? Not sure. This attacker was that strong.
Slightly weaker than Rebecca, maybe?
Thump—
But not someone to underestimate just for that.
Thump—
My heart raced. Prelude to battle sense.
Why only me?
Do other promising cadets get hit daily like this? Huh?
Whew. I took a deep breath, debating wait for attack or advance.
Going in.
Back when Rebecca ambushed me—if she hadn't revealed herself, I'd have kept getting hit.
And I had faith in this solid Rune Barrier. Seemed unbreakable no matter who came.
Can't run anyway—better close the distance.
I followed the faint mana trace deeper into the alley.
*
"What, he's coming this way? He pinpointed my location...? They weren't wrong calling him a genius mage."
Isaac smirked slightly at the approaching Lee Ho-yeon. Like he'd spotted a fun toy.
"...Guild master. He's a cadet. You should hold back..."
"You think I'd kill him? Just gonna scare him a bit. Gotta crush their momentum first to make 'em listen."
"..."
Spouting killer intent like that, yet talks smooth. Scarlett reflected on how things escalated.
She thought if she'd been more careful, it wouldn't have gone this far.
...Nah?
But seeing Isaac grinning, she changed her mind. Even if she'd said nothing, it'd end the same. That crazy guild master wouldn't sit still.
He'd have grilled Sebas Chan more and come anyway.
Haa.
At least it wasn't night. That'd be real danger—no moon yet.
Scarlett watched Isaac gather mana slowly, vowing to throw herself in if worst came to worst.