Kim Yu-won, You Bastard!
Kim Yu-won, you bastard!
This was starting to make me seriously doubt if my Luck stat was really four times higher than everyone else's. No matter what I did, it felt like 'I'm so unlucky. So damn unlucky.' Every single thing led to some awkward mess. At this point, I wondered if the "World Savior" trait's effect of "the world helps you" had glitched out.
Just after scaling the little hill named Jin Baekryong, two massive mountains loomed right in front of me—Cheonha Yeon and Liera—leaving me breathless.
"First off... let me explain what happened."
He looked like a criminal on trial, all hunched over as he detailed everything that had gone down between him, me, Cheonha Yeon, and Jin Baekryong.
"So Jin Baekryong confessed to that woman... and you saw it, got pissed, and charged in with Brain Spirit Transformation?"
It'd been a week since we'd been living together, and she was still calling her "that woman." We had a long, rough road ahead.
I nodded in agreement for now.
"Why only that woman..."
I could hear her gnawing at her already-bitten nails.
"I should've been there..."
From some point on, Liera had struggled to hold back her surging emotions, occasionally flashing that manic expression and behavior. If I didn't defuse it in time, it always led to a week-long catastrophe that left even my superhuman body unable to lift a finger.
'Can't let that happen.'
She was already holding back a lot right now. If her reins snapped, things would spiral way beyond control. Fame or whatever didn't matter—that wasn't the point.
I approached her and pulled her tightly into my arms. Still holding her, I whispered the pet name from our childhood friend days that only I ever used, right into her ear.
"Eri."
Hearing that long-lost endearment seemed to stop her nail-biting cold. The manic look faded from her face as she looked up at me.
I didn't stop there—I ruffled her red hair like always. Most women hated having their hair messed up like that, but Liera loved it. She'd once said it felt like I was claiming her, showing off that she was "my woman" without a care for how she'd styled it. She loved assigning deep meaning to even the smallest gestures, strengthening our bond. I'd done it so much for her that it became second nature.
"Better now?"
"A little... not quite."
She grabbed my collar, yanked my face close, and pressed her lips to mine. Then her tongue slipped into my mouth.
If my kiss with Cheonha Yeon felt like devouring each other whole, and with Estelle it was that fresh, newlywed sweetness, Liera's carried her unique possessive flair. It was slow, like she was marking every inch of my mouth with her saliva, claiming it thoroughly. Our mouths grew slick and soft from her probing tongue.
Her saliva tasted sweetly of strawberries.
Slurp. Sluuurp. Smack.
Only after she'd marked my entire mouth with her scent did she release my collar. She swallowed every last drop of the long string of saliva, not letting a single one spill.
"Calm... now."
Liera returned to her usual serene, expressionless self. Even I could tell she was good.
But that was just one mountain. Another still towered ahead.
"Wow... with your sulking wife right here, you go comfort another woman first? How did that sweet Yu-won oppa turn into this?"
She stroked the mace in her hand.
'That other woman is your wife too...'
Liera had seemed way more unstable, so I'd prioritized her. But even Estelle was showing signs of pouting now. The thought of her petting my head with that mace made my chest tighten.
'Who the hell said harems were a good idea?'
Just managing three was this exhausting—how did webnovel harem protagonists keep balance? I wanted to borrow their wisdom.
"You said we can't let it slip at home that we're rationally close, but you straight-up told that kid Jin Baekryong you're lovers with her... Keep this up, and I'll get jealous, oppa?"
Gulp.
Unlike Liera, simple skinship wouldn't cut it with Estelle. Brushing it off like that might fly here, but the backlash later could choke me out.
"Since it's just to Baekryong, maybe tell him all three of you are with me?"
—What do you want...?
I answered aloud while sending her a mental message only she could hear.
A smile crept onto her lips—the look of "it's here."
"That might work."
—Go out alone with me on a weekday.
She replied mentally too, out of earshot.
"Keep it secret from everyone else."
—You know academy rules only let you out on weekends?
Her expression cooled a bit.
"How long do we have to hide?"
—I hear top rankers get one day a week, even weekdays, plus one companion.
'She knows that..?'
Did she really read that thick rulebook cover to cover? Even the top ranker part? A chill ran down my spine.
I'd planned to use that time hunting gates for cash and levels. Top rank got full scholarships, but gates honed combat sense, leveled me up, and paid side money—no reason not to.
"Just till I graduate. After that, it's fine."
—Did...n't know there was a rule like that..?
She gave a mocking look.
"Really just till then?"
—Hmm... You really didn't know, right..?
"Yeah."
—Okay... I know you know, but I'll play along.
Estelle's signature "I believe you" face appeared again. It always made my heart sink.
"You mean it, right?"
—We'll go out together, right?
"Yeah."
—Sure... One day off a week won't hurt.
She probably didn't mean every week anyway.
"Fine, I'm generous, so I'll let it slide this time. Behave from now on, Yu-won oppa."
She'd already gotten what she wanted and played it off innocently, like this was the end of it.
'This is... a saintess?'
"Thanks."
Grateful she didn't blurt it out. If she had, I'd be dragging wives out weekly.
"No problem."
"Situation sorted, so let's grab food. I booked a killer spot."
Non-students or non-hunters couldn't enter gates, but hunting breakout monsters and selling cores was fair game. I'd saved up and booked a high-end hanjeongsik place using only mana-rich ingredients. Portions were small, but we'd order plenty. The food was so good it'd melt away exam stress—and maybe bond us all over a meal.
The moment we stepped out...
A barrage of flashes hit us.
"Kim Yu-won is out!"
A massive crowd surged our way. Most clutched cameras—reporters for sure. The ones without were scouts.
The second they spotted my face, they screamed like that... Had my mug gone nationwide already? My head throbbed.
"From Dragon's Tail Guild! Kim Yu-won, a word...!"
"Move, nobodies! Blue Ocean Guild offers...!"
Scouts tangled, thrusting business cards my way just to talk.
"No good. Scatter and meet at the restaurant—I sent the address."
Answering each one would kill dinner, maybe sleep too.
I maxed out Heavenly Demon Cult stealth, Concealment skill, and fantasy-world assassin footwork to vanish on the spot.
[Skill: Shadow Step (Lv1) acquired.]
Impressive proficiency registered it as a skill despite first use this life. Ignored the popup and bolted to the restaurant.
Cheonha Yeon, Estelle, and Liera escaped with their own footwork; Seung-ah nailed her master's Shrink Ground technique too. Only Shin-woo stood there, bewildered, searching for the vanished group.
"Huh..? Where'd everyone go..? Yu-won..? Seung-ah..? Ladies..? Where the hell?!"
'Right, no stealth for him...'
The crowd yelled at the lone figure.
"That's Han Shin-woo, Kim Yu-won's best friend, the blacksmith YouTuber!"
"For real! Hey, Han Shin-woo!"
The mob shifted entirely to him.
In the chaos, he spotted me and yelled this way.
"Kim Yu-won, you bastard! Don't ditch me! Don't go!"
'Sorry... Thanks...'
Tears in my eyes, I ditched what I had to. Not being the real Kim Yu-won, they'd let him vent and release after.
'Better you alone than all six of us.'
"Cursing like that? They must be tight."
"Han Shin-woo! Mind passing this card to Kim Yu-won...?"
Dozens requested interviews; his pockets overflowed with cards.
'Really sorry...'
I'll let you order whatever. Just come back alive.