Chapter 174: An Unexpected Encounter (2)
Chapter 174: An Unexpected Encounter (2)
“No, thank you.”
“Hey.”
The moment I opened my mouth to refuse, a languid voice sounded from beside me. I turned my head to see Ko Yeonju, who had somehow already seated herself in a chair, leaning back with her legs crossed. It was a rather arrogant posture, and both Yoo Hyuna and Cha Seunghyun, who stood before us, stared with wide eyes. Yoo Hyuna’s expression, in particular, was a sight to behold. It seemed she couldn’t make sense of the chaotic mix of my refusal, Ko Yeonju’s interruption, and the fact that she had appeared in her seat out of nowhere.
Ignoring them completely, Ko Yeonju raised her index finger and pointed at Yoo Hyuna. To be precise, the tip of her finger was aimed at Yoo Hyuna’s forehead. And in that state…
“What in the world are you?”
“Ah…”
With a slight flick of her finger, Ko Yeonju sent Yoo Hyuna’s head snapping back before it returned to its original position. It was similar to jabbing a finger into someone’s forehead while scolding them, except Ko Yeonju had done it by firing a burst of magic from a distance. For the person on the receiving end, it was an incredibly unpleasant act. However, Ko Yeonju didn’t stop at just one.
“I’ve been listening and listening, but you’re so annoying I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Ah.”
“Where did you learn such a pathetic habit of constantly cutting people off to spew your own nonsense?”
“Ack.”
“You came as the representative clan? So what? The Golden Lion kids must have really gone downhill. Sending someone like you to Mule… I can see their bright future from here.”
“Ugh! W-wait…”
“Shut your mouth. And you, the one behind her. Stay still. If you move carelessly, you’ll get a nasty cut on your neck.”
Each time Ko Yeonju spoke, Yoo Hyuna’s head was mercilessly thrown back. Seeing this, Cha Seunghyun showed signs of moving quickly. Cha Seunghyun’s abilities were certainly good. His potential for growth seemed high, as it varied from person to person, and if he were to acquire some good equipment later, he could surely hold a spot among the Ten Strong for a long time.
But was he too careless, or was the distance simply too short? Inky shadows had already materialized around Yoo Hyuna’s and Cha Seunghyun’s necks, pressing sharp blades against their skin. Finally grasping the gravity of the situation, Yoo Hyuna clamped her mouth shut, while Cha Seunghyun stared at Ko Yeonju with eyes full of disbelief.
An awkward silence fell for a moment. Thanks to Ko Yeonju, I had bought some time to organize my thoughts. I reached out and gently took hold of her still-outstretched finger.
“User Ko Yeonju. That’s enough.”
“If the Leader says so, I’ll withdraw them anytime. Hoho.”
“Wha—! I-If you’re Ko Yeonju, then you must be the Shadow Queen…!”
“Didn’t I tell you to shut your mouth?”
As Ko Yeonju shot her another sharp glare, Yoo Hyuna was once again rendered speechless. Soon after, the shadows receded from their necks. Cha Seunghyun slowly scanned us with deep-set eyes. Yoo Hyuna, looking as if she’d just escaped death’s door, stroked her own neck and looked at me with an anxious expression. Seeing her throat bob as she swallowed, I spoke in a quiet voice.
“First, I have something to ask User Yoo Hyuna.”
“Um… about joining the clan… No, before that, I didn’t realize someone who had reached the Ten Strong was here…”
“I already said no. Let’s cut the nonsense. I have one thing to ask. What did you mean when you said the investigation would be easy? Don’t tell me the investigation still isn’t finished.”
“Y-Yes? Yes! We received a request from the temple, but I delayed it a little.”
Unlike before, Yoo Hyuna spoke with extreme caution and a timid attitude. Reading the displeasure that instantly crossed my face, she quickly waved her hands and continued.
“I-I tried my best to get it done! N-No, I mean. Well… there were some circumstances…”
“……”
I had hoped it wasn’t true, but my worst fears had become reality. I felt fury boiling inside me, but I didn’t let it show too much on the surface. As long as the Golden Lion Clan’s expedition wasn’t over, I still had some time. Of course, I’d have to leave Mule quickly regardless, but it wasn’t a major deviation from my original plan.
However, there were some points that needed to be addressed.
“How interesting. It’s been almost three weeks since I submitted the expedition report, and the investigation still isn’t complete. Did the temple tell you it was okay to take your sweet time?”
“Allow me to say a word on her behalf. We did receive a request to process the report quickly. The Residents of the temple also asked for an exploratory investigation as soon as we arrived. However, as I mentioned earlier, the situation in Mule is currently very difficult.”
Perhaps feeling sorry for the flustered Yoo Hyuna, a slightly deeper voice echoed in my ears. I looked up to see Cha Seunghyun’s calm face. He kept glancing at Ko Yeonju, but upon feeling my gaze, he immediately continued speaking.
“Originally, the small city of Mule was represented by another clan. The handover was done in a mad rush because of the Vagabond Extermination Plan and the advance into the Steel Mountains. We took over with almost nothing prepared, as if it was just dumped on us. I understand User Kim Soohyun’s position, but I hope you’ll recognize that we are doing our best.”
“If that’s the case, I wonder if you even have the right to speak of your qualifications as a representative clan in the first place. It seems you got greedy over the simple fact that you could acquire a castle. And have you even read the report properly? It’s a place one could visit and return from in a day or two. Does ‘doing your best’ mean you couldn’t even spare that much time? You had enough time to go back and forth at least ten times.”
“I admit we took over in a deficient state. However, you make it sound very easy. Forming and dispatching an investigation team is not as simple as a walk in the park. I would appreciate it if you would retract your statement about our qualifications as a representative clan.”
“I doubt it. I have no intention of retracting it. A representative clan may have the right to prioritize an investigation, but they do not have the right to unilaterally drag it out and handle it as they please. It’s unbelievable that despite our request for swift processing, you’ve been wishy-washy about investigating ruins that are only a day or two away. If your circumstances were so dire, you could have handed the matter back to the temple or posted a public notice. We’ll find out tomorrow when we go to the temple whether you truly did all you could or just waited irresponsibly. At least you have enough of a conscience to drop the claim that you’re ‘doing your best.’”
“You’re going too far!”
At my aggressive words, Cha Seunghyun merely swallowed dryly and fell silent. But Yoo Hyuna, who could endure insults directed at herself but not at those around her, seemed to have lost her temper. She shrieked, her cheeks puffed out. When I turned my gaze back to her, I could see her breathing heavily, her face flushed red.
“Aren’t you being too selfish? How can you be so sarcastic without knowing anything about our internal affairs? All we need is a little mutual understanding. Do you get some sick satisfaction from making a scene like this?”
“No. I’m saying this because I’m dumbfounded that you speak as if you’ve fulfilled your duty as a representative clan by simply waiting two weeks for us to return so you could recruit us. Of course, we weren’t here, but you must know that if you’re going to delay a task, you should first seek permission from the users involved. I would understand if the report was shoddy or the ruins were incredibly difficult. But I wrote a detailed report, and it’s a place even a Year 0 User returned from alive. The way you’re trying to cover up the facts is truly pathetic.”
“Ugh…”
“I repeat, I’m not being sarcastic. But when you try to cover up your own irresponsibility by cutting others off, isn’t it natural for one’s face to flush with anger? You gloss over why you couldn’t conduct the expedition with a single phrase about ‘difficult circumstances,’ and then you suddenly request we accompany you on an investigation and invite us to join your clan. Don’t you think something is seriously wrong here?”
My scathing criticism finally silenced Yoo Hyuna again. Right. She had nothing to say. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that they couldn’t conduct the expedition, but that they didn’t. They must have been eagerly awaiting our return, hoping we were good-natured users. They could recruit some promising new clan members and, while they were at it, get their hands on the fruits of our labor. But I wasn’t one to fall for such an obvious ploy.
“You have nothing more to say. Then again, I don’t think there’s anything you could say.”
“…Hic.”
“Good grief. In any case, we will visit the temple tomorrow. It seems Mule’s representative clan doesn’t have the capacity to form an investigation team. We were planning to leave Mule soon, so it’s quite regrettable to be held back like this.”
“Y-You’re leaving Mule?”
The moment I said we were leaving, her eyes trembled violently. They were slightly moist, suggesting she was incredibly frustrated. But my words were irrefutable.
In any case, I didn’t want to drag this out any longer. Not wanting to get any more involved with her, I ignored her question and stood up. When I turned around, I saw that all my party members, who had been watching the table with tense faces, were now looking at me.
“User Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes, Leader.”
“I’ll be heading up first. It seems things are about to get a little busy. Please see our guests out.”
“A wise choice. Leave the rest to us and go get some rest.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
I heard a voice trying to stop me from behind, but I deliberately ignored it and walked toward the stairs. Now that things had come to this, there was no time to be leisurely. It seemed I would have to move myself. For now, the best course of action was to go to the temple first thing tomorrow, raise hell, and get a temporary certificate issued.
*
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was white skin, along with the warm, soft sensation against my face. It was a pleasant pressure that put a man at ease. I lifted my head slightly to see Hayeon’s face, breathing softly. She was fast asleep, holding me tightly as if I were something precious.
I hadn’t been able to sleep easily last night. A simple delay in the schedule wasn’t a big problem, honestly. I was confident I could prevent any major setbacks. The real issue was that the future had been pulled forward. The fact that the Beech Tree Clan, which becomes the representative clan of Mule after the early civil war pains are over, had come now was certainly not a matter to be overlooked.
If things like this kept happening, I would need to change a significant portion of the plans I had laid out. Lost in complex thoughts, I was unable to sleep and was about to seek out Ko Yeonju for information when Hayeon visited my room. I remembered she had said she would come at night, so I had no choice but to postpone my meeting with Ko Yeonju.
I knew why Hayeon had come without her having to say a word. The way she firmly closed the door upon entering and even cast Silence Magic around the area made it obvious.
It seemed that today’s events had been weighing heavily on her mind. After we had undressed and lay naked on the bed, Hayeon traced and caressed every single scar on my body with sorrowful eyes and a gentle touch.
This was our second time together. Thinking she might still be unaccustomed to it, I led her gently like a calm sea rather than a raging storm. I made sure not to satisfy only my own desires, holding her and whispering to her countless times so that she, too, could find pleasure in the act.
And when we reached the summit, she and I were finally able to taste ecstasy together. No other words were needed. She fell asleep with a satisfied expression, and I felt as if my old wounds and the anxieties in my heart had been soothed.
I sat up slightly, and Hayeon’s beautiful naked form came into view. I had tried to be as gentle as possible, but the traces were still clearly visible. Reddened lip marks dotted her breasts, and around her lower abdomen, dried, milky-white residue that seemed to have flowed from her private parts was scattered about.
I laid her down properly and pulled the blanket all the way up to her chin. After avoiding her sleepy grasp as she tried to pull me back into her embrace, I checked my condition. I rarely slept deeply when I was alone, but strangely, I felt like I had actually gotten some rest in the arms of a female user.
It was then.
A pleasant fragrance suddenly wafted into my nose, and I unconsciously followed the scent. It was the same smell I would wake up to every morning before leaving Mule. The moment I turned my gaze in its direction, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh. Because the place I had looked was the table.
And on the table sat a single teacup, letting off a wisp of white steam.