63. Seriously, what a piece of trash lol
63. Seriously, what a piece of trash lol
Arin felt unusually chilly today and gently rubbed her arms.
"Ha... Feeling so lonely today..."
I get it. The banquet at the Duchy. It's on a massive scale, lasting three days, right?
This counts as social experience too, so I hope her husband builds up a ton of connections.
I understand it in my head.
But without Ryu-o's warm embrace to share that heat, it's inevitable for the gripes to pile up.
"Tch... Should I have gone too?"
A faint regret flickered for a moment, but she shook her head and straightened her thoughts.
Maybe I should steal away the attention headed for Ryu-o.
All I've got to offer is this body and my martial arts, so this is the right call.
"Two days... Been a while, gotta go meet that Chi-na. Ah, speaking of which..."
Arin recalled Sa Ma-yeon's half-wrecked Chwihyangru and let out a groan.
"Urgh... That item can only be gotten from that bitch..."
Well... With Ryu-o around, it'll be fine.
"Hehe♥ When he comes, gotta make him catch up on all the backlog~♥"
Arin, who thought of her husband whether asleep or awake.
My head... hurts like it's gonna split.
Sunlight slipped gently into my squinted eyes from the pounding headache.
Only then did the warm sensation hit me.
At the sticky, thick texture, Ryu-o turned his head.
There was...
"...? ...?????!!??? Huh?"
"Awake?"
Gongnyeo, wearing a full-bellied lioness expression, was hugging him naked.
Too shocked for words to come out, body going limp... it was exactly that situation.
As he flapped his mouth, Gongnyeo gently stroked over his thumping heart.
-Thump! Thump! Thump!
"Ha... Do you love me that much?"
Love? Huh? What the hell are you talking about?
"Gongnyeo-nim...?"
"... When it's just us, call me Hilda. Keep dignity outside."
Huh? Me? Calling Gongnyeo-nim by her name? Why...
My head was swimming with too many questions.
Gongnyeo saw me like that, smiled pleasedly, and rose from her seat.
-Swish...
"Ugh..."
Gongnyeo staggered a bit after standing and started brushing back her hair.
As the golden-thread-like hair shifted away, the marks on Gongnyeo's body were fully exposed.
A beautiful, fantastical nude like a sculpture.
Bite marks and handprints on top, even dried stains between her thighs...
The implication was crystal clear.
'I fucked up.'
I clearly remember slapping some guy's cheek yesterday...
But after that? Drinking with nobles, drinking with comrades, and then?
No clue how the hell I ended up having sex with Gongnyeo.
No one would know. The process of a fresh Honorary Knight rookie banging a Gongnyeo in one day.
Right then, Gongnyeo whipped her head around and murmured low.
"Together... bath..."
"Yes?"
"Nah."
The naked Gongnyeo, legs wobbling, headed straight into the bathroom.
In the meantime, I pieced together the cause and effect.
What the fuck had to happen for things to end up like this.
While I was deducing the answer, the damp Gongnyeo returned, wiped the water from her body, and lay back down beside me.
-Swish...
'Already done bathing?'
No idea if she washed super quick or if I was just that out of it.
Gongnyeo gave a faint smile and brushed back my hair for me.
-Swish... Swish...
"Wanna go wash up?"
First things first... gotta apologize.
Doesn't matter if I jumped her or she jumped me.
To stay alive, groveling's the only option.
"S-Sorry, Gongnyeo-nim... What the hell..."
Right as I was about to say I had no idea what happened, Gongnyeo placed a finger on my lips.
"Shh."
"?"
"What's there to be sorry for? Getting to know each other now is plenty."
The conversation wasn't clicking.
Gotta figure out the full story first, that's the fix.
But I didn't have the balls to tell Gongnyeo—who was covered in such obvious marks—that I didn't remember.
She smiled like I was cute, seeing my blinking eyes.
"Keukkeuk, so tense now—what was all that confidence about?"
"..."
"Do you even know who you confessed your love to?"
I said I loved her?
"I, said I love..."
"St-stop...! I've got... ahem! something to say."
"..."
Gongnyeo's eyes trembled, but she stared straight at me.
Face flushed, she pulled out the words she'd been hiding inside.
"Etiquette demands I give an answer to your confession."
"Tha..."
"I think I love you too. No, I love you."
No way in hell... could I say I didn't remember, not at this timing.
Gongnyeo gently closed her eyes, then loosely wrapped her arm around my neck.
"Ha..."
"Uh... Mmph?????"
"Chuuup.........♥"
A thrilling kiss just sucking lightly on the lips.
Gongnyeo pressed her lips down like stamping a seal, then pulled back.
She gazed at me dreamily with a dazed look for a moment before speaking.
"... Definitely... definitely..."
Definitely what? Huh? Yes?
She shook her head and gripped my shoulder tight.
Her sweet dreaming face switched back to that sharp expression from the first time we met.
"I won't skimp on support."
"..."
"Don't worry about the status gap. I'll sort it out somehow."
"Sta... tus...?"
"Ahh, a marriage between a Gongnyeo and an Honorary Knight? Impossible."
Gongnyeo's hands trembled as she clutched my shoulder.
"But if you're a noble too, that changes everything."
"......"
"In this land of opportunity, you've snagged the biggest prize. Jang Ryu-o."
Gongnyeo glared like she'd just gotten some massive, crucial goal.
Like a bird of prey eyeing its meal.
"I can make you a noble. Won't hold back any resources you need, so you..."
Her insane charisma choked the air right out of me.
"Get strong. No matter what anyone says, no matter if someone attacks you—stand firm... no, get strong enough to endure it."
Get strong... the key to reaching the Labyrinth's end, my core goal.
Gongnyeo reminded me what I had to do.
"Here, the hierarchy of unseen power is absolute—the strong make the law."
Survival of the fittest. In my head flashed Master's dignified stride and Gongnyeo bowing to everyone.
"Then... even huge screw-ups get forgiven?"
"Of course. The Labyrinth City is endlessly forgiving to the strong. Power or martial might—doesn't matter which."
Got it...
"..."
Gongnyeo's blazing eyes felt like they were setting my heart on fire.
-Thump! Thump!
"Value. Prove your value here—no, to the whole world."
Will Master... forgive me, for real?
How do I even say it?
Sorry. I love you. I'm in love with multiple women.
Even spouting trash like that, if I say it with confidence, will she at least hear me out?
If she doesn't accept, I'll cling for life.
Become someone Master can't live without.
How? Doesn't matter. Somehow, I have to.
This alone ain't enough.
Become valuable to everyone.
Selfish as hell, just for my convenience.
Even so, sensing it was my one escape route, I ignited my resolve.
Gongnyeo read my eyes, grinned, and showered my lips with kisses.
"Chu! So beautiful... Chu chu!♥ You like me that much?"
"..."
The super-charismatic Gongnyeo pulled me into a hug and started acting all spoiled.
"Hehe!♥ First rack up some decent merits and become a baron. Don't sweat it—even tiny ones can be hyped up. Once you officially get the noble title, stick by me. After that, I'll take you to the Empire's capital. Stamp your face there real good, pile on more merits. I'll hook you up with Imperial family connections. Take on Imperial requests, and Viscount's a cinch. Once you hit Viscount, we'll have the wedding. It's the bare minimum condition, so get it. Anything lower and the family revolts... Hm... Chu!♥"
I blankly stared at Gongnyeo chattering away in my arms, lost in happy fantasies.
"Once Viscount, the rest is up to you... Jang Ryu-o, you can pull it off. Ah, kids? No worries... Top-tier help will raise 'em with total dedication. So..."
Gongnyeo, lightly kissing my lips, started teasing my tongue with awkward flicks.
"Chuuup...♥ Mmm♥ Haa... Haa...♥ Mmm...♥♥♥♥"
Gongnyeo stared at me all dazed with moist eyes.
"Hurry... level up... I'll make you happy♥"
A cold-blooded beauty blushing and craving me like this? Losing my mind.
Usually so pushy, but melting only in front of me with that scary-sis face.
Didn't wanna let her go, not one bit.
The thought of her going to another guy? I'd rather die.
-Spring! Snap! Gurgle♥
Ah, but this... lately why's it so... ha... fucking driving me nuts.
Hilda beamed happily, then slyly rolled her eyes.
"......♥ You won't pull undignified stunts like this outside, right?"
-Flinch!
No comeback, so I clamped my mouth shut.
"Ha! Don't worry. I lo-love this kinda guy too... Can embrace it all."
-Chu-chuk... Tap-tap-taptaptap!
"Ugh... Hold on..."
"Hoh? That the same guy from yesterday? Now I've got experience too—won't back down. Kek..."
Hilda gripped it in her hand and gently slid it in.
-Pfuuuk...♥
"Huuu...♥ Mi... ster... hangover's clearing up, feels a bit better. Until the banquet starts..."
-Pfuk♥
"Hiaaang! Kkuk! Qu-quick, I'll wrap it up. Don't be embarrassed..."
-Pant-pant!
"Hhyaaaang~♥ Wa-wait! Get cocky, knight...♥ Haaang~♥ Noooot yeeet~♥"
Hilda was too damn lovable to refuse, so I shook my hips like a dog in heat.