Chapter 322. Irene & Ellis
In a cafe in the city center.
Sip, slurp—
Irene sipped her iced Americano while staring at the man across from her. The man who had changed Ellis's personality. The man who had monopolized Ellis's attention. The man who had dragged Ellis into dangerous places. And perhaps... the man who might have taken Ellis's first time.
From Irene's perspective, he was an enemy, but it was hard to keep him in check. She couldn't tell anyone that he was targeting Ellis, and Lee Ho-yeon was a necessary presence for her sister. On top of that, he had even helped with tracking the centaur, so her father was paying attention to him too.
Thus, Irene pondered what to say to Lee Ho-yeon sitting right in front of her.
'Why the hell did we come to a cafe.'
Meanwhile, Lee Ho-yeon, seated opposite her, felt the same way. He sat quietly, watching Irene furrow her brow. He'd followed her when she dragged him to the cafe, but now that they were seated, she wasn't saying a word—just brooding. It was frustrating.
"So, why did you call me here?"
"…."
"…."
Lee Ho-yeon shut his mouth as Irene glared at him. She called me here—what does she want me to do about it? Pretty face or not, there were limits. This was too much.
"How did you know I was behind you?"
"I just saw you."
"…."
"Sorry."
Lee Ho-yeon averted his eyes from Irene's gaze. Why's she glaring so murderously? Scary.
"Hoo."
This guy and I just don't vibe. Irene felt it clearly. In the end, she decided she had to say what she wanted first.
"Don't touch Ellis."
"I haven't."
"Liar. I clearly…."
Irene, about to say she'd seen it, clamped her mouth shut. It was just suspicion, after all—she hadn't actually witnessed anything. There was no guarantee that him leaving Ellis's lodging meant something had happened. It was just her senses telling her that something definitely had gone down that day.
"It's not a lie…."
"I saw you. Leaving Ellis's place."
"……?"
Lee Ho-yeon paused, pondering her words. Ellis's lodging? Probably referring to the day before the field exercise. That day, he'd really only given her a massage. How did she even see that?
"How did you see that?"
"… I saw you while passing by."
Irene whipped her head away.
'….'
What do I even do with this guy? He doesn't listen. And that habit—turning her head away sharply when her pride wouldn't let her admit something. Just like Ellis.
"That day was just a massage. To get her in peak condition before deployment."
"… Something happened."
"Nothing did, seriously."
If he had done it, he wouldn't feel so wronged—but he hadn't, so he did. I wanted to so bad, but I held back.
"Aren't you overprotective of your sister? Ellis is an adult now."
"No. Ellis needs protecting."
"…."
Irene felt wronged in her own way. She'd raised Ellis to her exact tastes, but this guy had come along and ruined all her plans. She'd tailed him trying to separate them, but found no dirt. She'd seen him on a date with Scarlett and dragged him here, but even then, nothing came to mind to say.
Slurp—
Lee Ho-yeon sipped his chocolate latte, thinking. 'She's got it bad.'
Crazy bitch, but maybe deep down she's a good person? Or just plain weird? He stared at Irene, pondering. She clearly wanted to check him, but either she didn't know how or it was all because of Ellis—she'd dragged him here just to say weird stuff. Frustrating.
Ding—
Then, something brushed past Lee Ho-yeon's mind. Like the feeling when opening a heroine status window.
'… No way?'
Current Status: Can't give it away. Ellis's first time is mine... Absolutely not.
The status window for Irene popped up the moment he thought he wanted to see it. No, seriously—what does she mean she's taking her own sister's virginity? Is she actually insane?
Affection at a measly 30. Guess his handsome face secured the bare minimum.
'So the status window opens based on conquer potential, not just affection.'
He'd thought it was high affection, but apparently not. Which meant he could conquer Irene soon.
'Jealousy, huh?'
The obvious play was to make her jealous of his relationship with Ellis. Or her obsession with Ellis's first time... That needed more thought.
"… What're you thinking? About Ellis again?"
"No."
Why do these sisters keep checking each other?
*
"She's not following."
I shook off Irene's weird check and used the centaur research as an excuse to slip out of the cafe. Luckily, she couldn't block that topic and let me go nicely. Since she'd realized I noticed her tailing, she wouldn't follow now. Freedom at last.
"But can I really conquer that woman?"
I mulled over Irene as I opened the dorm door. Using Ellis seemed right, but would it work? Stirring jealousy felt promising, but it needed more planning. No info on her in the original story, so scant basis for judgment.
"Researching right after waking up?"
Inside, Rebecca and Liliana were analyzing the centaur's mana. I'd bought morning bread assuming they'd just be up, but they'd already started.
"Ah, baby daddy's here. But we're almost done."
"I'm so tired…."
"Good work. Eat this and take a break."
"Liliana, shall we rest a bit?"
"Yay!"
I set down the bread from the street bakery and peeked at their research. Looked nearly finished, but reverse-engineering the coordinates was time-consuming.
"What do you think, baby daddy?"
"It's solid. If we pinpoint the coordinates, we could find their hideout."
"See? Need an expert's eye. Took a ton of work to make this."
"Thanks, Rebecca."
"Sure sure. Oh, want a drink?"
Rebecca headed to the kitchen, while Liliana hunched over, munching bread. Normally she'd cling and rub against me when I arrived, but she lacked the energy. Face like an all-nighter grad student.
"That rough?"
"Don't wanna work, but have to… too annoying…."
"You stream fine."
"Took a week off, got lazy even for that."
"You're human after all."
They say idle hands are the devil's workshop—succubi too, huh. Sitting beside Liliana with some bread, an idea hit. Hey, sex expert succubus right here—why not ask about Irene?
"Liliana. Got a question."
"Yeah?"
"How do you seduce a sister who likes her little sister?"
"Even a succubus finds that tough."
"Figured."
Thought a succubus who'd conquered all tastes could handle it. But she didn't give up.
"Any traits? Like what she likes about her sister."
"Loves her looks—she's super pretty. Sis has massive pride, and uh. Wants her virginity."
"…… Nom."
Liliana pondered seriously while tearing into a donut. Good call buying bread. Topic's a bit... yeah, but still.
"Too rude a question for a succubus?"
Ignorant of hell's ways—hope I'm not offending.
"Not rude, just awkward client. Some famous hell nobles into succubus foot stink…."
"Stop. Just keep thinking."
I shook my head. No more hell's dirty laundry.
"Hmm, how 'bout this? Right before taking sis's first, call big sis and share."
"Share what? That's not for eating."
"Enjoy together!"
Ellis wouldn't sit still for that. 'Wait.'
Not a bad idea, actually. If I go to Ellis, Irene's sure to follow. But I don't wanna share the virginity moment. So in that state…
"Ooh, Liliana—that helped."
"Reaaally?! Yay! Next time, chocolate soboro bread too."
"Sure sure. Anything you want."
"Baby daddy~ Coffee's here."
"Thanks, Rebecca. Have some of this."
I handed the rest of the bread to Liliana and Rebecca, continuing my musing.
*
Scribble scribble—
Ellis was writing in her notebook in her room. About her first field op encounter with the centaur.
But it hadn't been a good experience.
Thud—
Unable to continue, she set down her pen and closed her eyes.
Her father and Irene's overprotection. At first, it just felt belittling and annoying. But when actually facing the centaur, her trembling legs were more shameful and frustrating.
If combat had broken out, she'd have been dead weight—worse, a liability.
And Ellis had clearly seen it. Lee Ho-yeon's demeanor facing the centaur. No fear, just staring it down. He'd even analyzed its mana to track its position.
His actions made hers look pathetic by comparison. No one was comparing, but she felt inferior.
His casual brushing off her jealousy had the leisure of someone ahead. The more she thought, the less confident she felt.
Ding—
They say if you mention a tiger, it appears. Message from Lee Ho-yeon.
"… Not going back tomorrow."
Ellis replied it was fine to come. She could tell him face-to-face about not returning. He'd be a bit surprised, right?
"Hoo…."
Thinking of her schedule brought back the aegyo she'd pulled on Dad. The antics she'd stooped to for a few days' extension—did he know?
'No, he must never know.'
No way he'd find out anyway. Relieved, Ellis started tidying up to receive him.