Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: It'll Be Fine
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"A battle, huh."
I muttered while leaning against the dorm balcony. According to the original story, this was something Kim Tae-hyun should have handled.
It wasn't a massive incident, but it was one that absolutely had to happen. If the 'fragment' fell into the hands of the demon worshippers, the future was as clear as day.
It was an event that Kim Tae-hyun had to stop and resolve no matter what. But the guy had gone off to Yang Min-ji's guild.
So I was planning to take care of it myself. If I let them snatch it, whether it was Kim Tae-hyun's meddling or whatever, it was game over.
This world wasn't a game, but if I had to compare it to one, it'd be like buying a straight ticket to a bad ending.
It was that important, so I was going to clean it up—
"Does this mean I don't have to go after all?"
They said a battle would break out exactly on the date and time of the incident, right there.
It took me a moment to wrap my head around what they meant, but I got the gist.
The event must have unfolded differently.
Instead of Kim Tae-hyun stumbling upon it by chance and stopping it, someone had caught wind of it, and a guild was mobilizing.
I wanted to. God, I really wanted to. If this were the old me, I'd have been thrilled, saying there was no sweeter deal, and crashed right there.
According to Isia, who contacted me despite getting scolded by Raphael, the guild deploying was Dawn.
Then there was nothing to worry about. Kim Tae-hyun being part of it was a slight concern, but whatever, it'd be fine!
That's what I would've thought while kicking back.
"Can't just sit this one out."
The days of leaving it to fate were over. I'd ditched the mindset that as long as I saw the ending, I could just bounce back to my original world.
This was a real world, after all. A fully fleshed-out one built by God based on the novel I created.
It wasn't some place that would vanish if I trashed it and left.
I glanced at the cat purring contentedly on my lap as I stroked it. This little one was snatched from another heroine to begin with.
Looking inside the house—
—Mom. You have to pick the bottom option!!
—What?! The top one's right!! Picking the bottom kills Jameson!!
—Sis. You can't pick the option that kills someone in front of the kid...
—Sion's a kid too, you know?!
—K-Kid?! I'm not!!
—Mom... Does Jameson die?
—N-No, he doesn't!! I'll save him!!
Three kids were making a huge fuss. In the back, Lily was folding laundry with a fond smile as she watched them.
My inventory held a captured spirit and the sleeping Benia.
What I'm saying is, I'm absolutely not letting this head to a bad ending.
Of course, I'd keep messing with Kim Tae-hyun. Before, I'd interfere to prevent bad endings. Now, it was the opposite.
Main and sub swapped places. Nothing else changed.
That's all. I'd just do my part.
Work hard for the kids I'd leave behind, everyone except Raphael.
"Come here."
It wasn't loud. Just a word. Barely audible to those around.
But the intent carried in that voice didn't fade. I closed my eyes and waited about 30 seconds. Then, the sound came.
Fwoosh—!!
Not just one. Many. A flap of wings too numerous to count. When I opened my eyes again—
Dozens of crows were perched on the balcony.
"All here?"
Lachesis nodded at my question. I hadn't asked her, but it was confirmation enough, so I let it slide.
These were the crows I always had scattered around. If anything unusual happened, they flew back to report. I'd been using them a lot since creating them last time.
Even the vampires the other day—they were the ones who tipped me off.
They looked and acted just like real crows, so no one suspected a thing.
I'd use these guys for this.
"Sion."
I turned and called toward the living room. The three glued to the screen turned their gazes to me.
Sion pointed at herself, checking if I meant her. I nodded, and she came toddling over with a patter of footsteps.
"Oppa!! What!?"
The window between balcony and living room slid open, and the hatchling's voice rang out.
A warm breeze flowed from the living room, contrasting the night air.
The tense mood melted away in an instant. Sion's bright smile made me grin without thinking.
I scooped up the running Sion and set her on my lap. She nestled in without resistance and looked up at me.
Levatein looked shocked from afar, but when Raphael picked her up, she just pouted.
I gave a wry smile and stroked Sion's head.
"Sion. Do you know what these crows are?"
Sion stared at the crows. After about three seconds of blank staring, her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me.
"Oppa!! What are these?! Magic, right?! You made them??"
"Yeah."
"Awesome!! I can't make anything like this!! Oppa really is something!!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I wasn't fishing for praise, but from a hatchling's eyes, she saw right through what the crows were. Guess it couldn't be helped.
"..."
Busted. I tossed the cat inside. Too chatty, that's her problem.
"You called me to show these off?! So cool!!"
"No. Not that."
That wasn't what I wanted to ask. It was something even the magic genius Isia couldn't do.
The reason I brought Sion home. Sure, mostly to let her enjoy hatchling life happily, but next was this.
"Can you modify these crows so they can receive mana from afar?"
If I sent them now, they'd arrive right on time.
"Listen up, Raphael. The world runs on connections."
"Weapon power. Skill power. Buff power. Connections turning nobodies into somebodies—coming from Seong-hoon, who embodies all that, it carries real weight."
I didn't tell her to hit me like that. Geez. I pressed down on Raphael's head and continued.
Down she went again today, nice and smooth. Lately, I caught glimpses of a smile before she knelt—probably my imagination.
"If you make good friends, you can get intel on secrets and stuff. Especially if they're high-society kids. Perfect."
"You just poked at my sore spot."
Where?! Raphael glared so fiercely I flinched back.
Sion on my lap retreated with me on reflex.
"Just kidding~"
Didn't seem like it, but if she said so. Strong people are always right anyway.
Levatein nodded in Raphael's arms, but I wasn't teaching anything wrong. Yup, exactly.
Anyway, why bring this up?
Because I'd learned a ton through my connection power—aka the maid network.
Thanks to No. 1 and No. 4, I wouldn't even have to fight myself. I'd keep tabs via the crows, of course.
But hey, that's something. This intel was top-secret; you wouldn't hear it anywhere else.
Plus, No. 4 was so tight-lipped that when I texted her little sister,
That was her reply. Seems the Shin family was joining the fight too, which was why I couldn't head to their place.
I'd texted, If you spot a black-haired guy there, keep an eye on him and stay sharp. So they'd handle it.
No reply? I'd trust them. I believed in my bond with Shin Chae-yeon.
Yeah. So anyway.
"Sion. Wanna do anything? I'll let you do whatever today."
"You always do everything I want."
"Feels different today. The vibe."
"Really?! Then I wanna play RPG with Oppa!!"
"Let's do it."
With that, I grabbed the gamepad while holding Sion. She beamed innocently in my arms and took hers too.
Levatein pouted beside us, but oh well.
Sion earned it today. You get hugs every day, so hold out for one day.
My heart was breaking.
"...?"
Shin Chae-yeon frowned at the text. What did "keep an eye on any black-haired guy" even mean?
It was so cryptic she couldn't even reply properly. It was just a field trip experience anyway.
Demon worshipper sites weren't common viewing spots, and with all the heavy hitters going, only Shin Chae-yeon, deemed suitable as heir, was tagging along.
In the end, it'd just be a quick peek at the site like a picnic. What was this about?
She tilted her head, then straightened up. She wanted to text him more, but with nothing to say, she pocketed her phone.
She ignored the voice. No response to the mischievous water spirit's teasing.
"Nothing to say."
"..."
Shin Chae-yeon half-drew the sword at her waist, and the spirit vanished in a panic. Only then did the surroundings quiet down as she walked slowly.
I owe him a lot anyway.
She walked. Her home was vast. The dojo complex was huge, connected to courtyards, so it took time to reach her room.
Nothing I can't do for him.
For some reason, she forced down her subtly rising lips—and bumped into something ahead.
A crow staring right at her. The moment she saw it, an old superstition flashed in her mind: crows symbolize misfortune.
"What."
Black beak, black eyes, black feathers. Despite the chill she felt locking eyes, Shin Chae-yeon didn't look away.
"It'll be fine."
Superstitions were just that. Superstitions.