Chapter 28. Reunion (3)
Could a single phrase like “my heart hurts” even begin to capture it?
The woman named Yu Inna had no idea what she was doing.
Where had everything gone wrong?
From the moment they first arrived in this world?
No.
Perhaps it had started the day she left him behind and walked out of the imperial palace.
She forced her eyes wide open and swallowed the tears threatening to fall.
Everything she saw felt like a verdict on the choices she had made.
Now she was certain.
The past three years had been worthless.
Goddess's Protection is currently active.
Defeating the Demon King?
How ridiculous.
If a goddess truly existed, why had she allowed this situation to happen?
The heavy air pressed down on Yu Inna’s shoulders.
Her chest kept churning at a reality she could not accept.
This was not the reunion she had imagined all this time.
She had waited for him to say she had worked hard, that he was proud of her.
She had waited for him to pull her into a fierce embrace.
How many letters had she sent?
She had never once received a proper reply.
Twisted emotions stirred from deep inside.
Betrayal.
Resentment.
Disappointment.
While she had been suffering, had he been playing around with women?
Anger rose.
At Lee Seonghyun.
And at herself.
“What are you doing? Oppa, aren’t you working?”
“…Hey, what the hell are you—”
When she shouted at him standing there blankly, he reluctantly approached.
She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth, but it was already too late.
Still, she thought maybe this much was fine.
After all, he had hurt her too.
Her throat tightened painfully.
The words coming out of her mouth were cold and sharp even to her own ears.
“Put the bill on our tab. Sit down already.”
She watched the flustered look on his face.
How would he react?
She almost wished he would get angry.
Please, don’t disappoint her any further.
But Lee Seonghyun obediently sat down beside her.
Disappointing.
How many women had he sat beside like this until now?
Her teeth ground together.
After forcing herself to calm down, she glanced sideways.
An odd feeling stirred at the sight of him watching her carefully.
How funny.
Strangely, it didn’t feel bad.
She thought she understood a little why women came to places like this.
“Ah~.”
“Mm.”
Eili, sitting across from them, was energetically nudging the men on either side of her.
Yu Inna felt disgusted at the way she looked ready to drain them dry.
“…Hey. Inna.”
Lee Seonghyun called her name.
His voice was so gentle it made her want to cry.
“Did you do that kind of thing too?”
The sight of the man serving Eili overlapped with Lee Seonghyun.
So the words she directed at him came out anything but kind.
He hesitated for a moment at her question, then slowly moved his lips.
No.
She didn’t want to hear it.
“…That.”
“Forget it. Don’t say anything.”
Irritation surged at the sight of him hanging his head.
She was the one who had suffered.
Why was he the one looking pained?
Had he really done something wrong to her?
“Oppa, aren’t you going to do anything? Work. We paid, didn’t we? This isn’t that kind of place.”
Lee Seonghyun fidgeted and wiped the condensation off a cup.
Watching him try to tidy the table only made her feel worse.
“Not that. I mean flirting with women like some kind of gigolo. Isn’t that your job, Oppa?”
At her blunt words, Lee Seonghyun’s face hardened coldly.
She knew the words were hurtful.
But she didn’t feel sorry.
He had lived like that for three years without her knowing.
It was too cruel, too full of resentment.
“Haa. Sorry, but could you step outside for a bit?”
“Thank you, miss.”
Eili, finished with her skinship, sighed while glaring in their direction.
She handed gold pouches to the men on either side, who bowed and left.
“Take care, my pretty boys.”
After waving, Eili wiped her glossy lips and frowned at Yu Inna.
“Aish. The mood’s completely ruined. What’s going on? What happened!”
Lee Seonghyun’s face flushed as he glanced at her.
It was cute, which only annoyed her more.
He must have made that face for other women too.
Eili suddenly smiled wickedly, and unease crept up Yu Inna’s spine.
True to that expectation, Eili pointed at the glass.
“Kuh. He’s handsome. Make me a drink, nicely.”
Yu Inna was dumbfounded.
Was this woman crazy?
Yet her twisted heart aimed sharp words at him.
“Oppa, didn’t you hear? My companion is asking. Do it like you always do.”
Yeah.
Just like usual.
She was curious.
About what Oppa had been like.
“…Understood.”
Without a single change in expression, he stood up.
Surely he wasn’t actually planning to pour the drink?
“What are you doing? Oppa, are you crazy? Don’t pour it.”
It annoyed her.
Why was he actually doing it just because she told him to?!
“Aigoo~. You little girl. Fine, fine. Then ask him to sing or something.”
“Are you insane? Don’t sing either.”
Why was that damn elf acting like this?
She shouted in disgust and stopped Lee Seonghyun.
Surely he sang for other women too?
There had to be a reason.
There had to be.
But… but!!
She couldn’t take any more.
Right now, she didn’t want to hear it.
She needed time to sort through the overwhelming amount of information.
“Sorry, but I really don’t want to see your face, Oppa. I’m so disappointed. You’re disgusting. Like some filthy gigolo who does whatever he’s told as long as he gets paid.”
Why did he look hurt?
Reality was too horrible.
She didn’t want to stay here any longer.
Yu Inna rose from her seat and walked toward the exit.
Right now, she didn’t want to see or hear anything.
“Wait. Inna!! Yu Inna!!”
Her heart almost melted at the desperate voice calling her name.
But she ignored it.
With how she felt right now, she wanted to blow up the entire building.
Yet at the same time, she wanted him to keep chasing after her.
She quickened her pace, and the voice behind her gradually grew smaller.
At the same time, her emotions felt like they were cooling, but she forced herself to ignore it.
⁕⁕⁕
“My goodness. I missed you so much, sister. I still can’t believe it.”
“…You’ve changed a lot too while I was gone. You’ve become more mature.”
Elina, seated in the chair, slowly looked around the room.
The crown princess’s palace, now that its owner had returned, was maintained just as well as before she left.
Above all, Karsen looked far more mature than before.
At an age when he was fully of marriageable age, he could be married off at any moment.
It was no wonder he was called the empire’s greatest beauty.
He smiled softly and spoke with a proud tone.
“I’ve also made thorough preparations for tomorrow’s event.”
“Good. You’ve worked hard all this time.”
Karsen smiled and bowed his head slightly.
On the table, desserts and drinks brought by attendants were neatly arranged.
She didn’t particularly care for sweets, so they were probably to Karsen’s taste.
Well, they were quite popular among men.
Maybe she should take some with her.
“Still, I’m glad I could be there for Mother’s passing, sister.”
“…Yes.”
Elina smiled bitterly.
If she had been even a little later, it would have been a lifelong regret.
“Oh, my daughter, the crown princess. I am so proud of your courage in acting for the empire. I will grant your request. I hope you find happiness in the life that remains…”
“Mother.”
“…Take good care of Karsen, your younger brother.”
The final words of the empress and emperor of the empire.
Happiness, and her younger brother.
“Once tomorrow’s return ceremony is properly completed, it would be good to announce it to the people afterward.”
“Understood, sister.”
It was the welcome ceremony for the hero’s party that had saved the world after three years of hardship.
She couldn’t delay the news of the emperor’s passing forever, but she hoped they could enjoy a little more joy.
Elina thought of someone who would be in the imperial palace.
Above all, there wouldn’t be many days left to see him.
Soon, everything would return to its proper place.
“By the way, sister.”
“What is it?”
Karsen hesitated.
He seemed to have something to say but couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Was he feeling awkward because it had been so long?
“Say whatever it is. We’re the only close blood relatives left now.”
At those words, her younger brother swallowed hard.
She had somewhat expected the question.
“When will the Hero be coming to the imperial palace?”
So that was what he was curious about.
A small laugh escaped her at her cute younger brother’s reaction after so long.
Well, he had often asked about her in his letters too.
“She’s probably enjoying some leisure with her other companions. So she should arrive soon.”
“…Then, does the Hero have another man?”
Karsen’s eyes sparkled.
His blue eyes, so like her own, shone beautifully.
His expression was full of expectation.
“…Hmm. I wouldn’t know.”
“Ah.”
Disappointment filled his face.
She quickly offered comfort at his visibly deflated appearance.
“But at least from what I’ve seen, I never saw her dating any man.”
At that, Karsen broke into a bright smile.
How many women wouldn’t fall for that smile?
Even though he was her brother, she worried that women with ulterior motives would approach him.
His personality had become considerably gentler than before.
She was reminded once again that three years was no short amount of time.
“By the way, I have something to ask too.”
“What is it, sister? Say anything.”
His beaming smile resembled their late father, the former emperor.
Indeed.
Whoever took him would be blessed.
“Where is that ‘otherworld man’?”
She felt displeased that he hadn’t shown his face even once.
Couldn’t they at least have a conversation before she sent him back to the modern world?
She hadn’t been able to hear any news for the past three years.
Honestly, she was very curious about how he was doing.
Then Karsen trailed off.
From his complicated expression, something major must have happened.
“…Ah. Sister, that is…”
“It’s fine. Just tell me.”
It would have been nice if Becca had been here.
Then she could have grasped the situation in more detail.
But she had given Becca separate orders and sent her to neighboring countries.
If she had known it would come to this, she wouldn’t have sent her.
“I couldn’t bring myself to tell you, sister, when you’ve been working so hard on an important mission. Please don’t be too surprised.”
“…What do you mean.”
“That otherworld man is dead. I know it will be a great shock. But sister, please listen to me.”
A single tear fell from the man’s large eyes.
Startled, she urged him on, and Karsen began to speak in a calm voice.
The words he uttered were filled with shocking stories.
In the coldly hardened atmosphere around Elina, there was no trace of the gentleness from before.
But it was not anger or betrayal.
It was something far more base.