Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: This Isn't Easy...
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There were so many things I wanted to ask.
What happened in my previous life? What was I like? What does the future hold? How did she know the imperial family's secrets? Did she come from another world too?...
"Haa... This is nice... It feels like it's just the two of us in the world... You like it too, right, Jaehwan?"
Seeing her hug me and rub her face against my chest made my heart feel complicated, but I had to say what needed saying.
"Phew... You... No, Young Lady."
"Lea."
"..."
"Don't call me that... Please..."
She hid her face like she didn't want me to see it, but even that was still in my arms.
I figured she wouldn't talk if I didn't use her name, so I decided to just call her by it.
"Lea, I get that you have your story, but I have no memories, and this whole situation is too sudden for me."
"It's okay... Haa... Calling my name feels so good... Let's stay like this a little longer. Even all day would be fine... Hehe!"
It seemed like she wasn't listening at all.
I decided to cut her off firmly for now.
"Listen. I can't accept you right now."
Her breathing, which had been inhaling deeply against me, suddenly stopped.
"I understand your side, but this is the first time I've seen you..."
"Then just give me your seed first."
"Wha... What?"
"Give me your seed first. Make me pregnant."
[...?]
'...?'
My tattered mind felt like it was being ravaged.
I understood the literal meaning, no, she said it literally from the start.
If I asked if I understood, it felt like I understood but didn't.
If I asked what nonsense this was...
"Wait, out of nowhere, what..."
"It's fine... We can have a baby first and love later. This magic lasts all day, right? Shall we start now?"
I pried the bulldozer-like her from my arms and stepped back.
But she grinned and closed the distance as much as I retreated.
"I know you like how I look too, right? The way you get hard just looking at me..."
"You wench! How dare you, when men and women should keep their distance..."
"Don't talk bullshit! I know what you're like in bed."
Fuck, she really knew how to leave me speechless.
What kind of person is like this?
"Haa... Enough. Let's talk first. I have a lot of questions."
Her beaming smile turned into her rolling her eyes up and tapping her lips.
Her mischievous expression filled me with unease.
And from the impish girl's mouth came...
"No!"
"What?"
"I don't wanna tell you."
Her baring her teeth in a grin was so infuriating.
'Ah... Calm down... Vein on forehead can cause brain vessel issues.'
I swallowed my rising anger and spoke.
"You think this is a joke right now..."
"I have a condition."
It felt like I was being dragged around by the protagonist everywhere.
Not a pleasant feeling, but I decided to hear her out first.
"Phew... Fine, say it."
"Hehe, Jaehwan's mad! Your angry face is so cute too?"
"This is ridiculous! Stop with the nonsense and..."
"I'll answer one question per date with me!"
"What?"
"You heard right, Jaehwan!"
'Damn...'
I felt like a toy in her palm.
She really seemed to know me well.
[Master... Are you gonna cheat?]
'It's not like that...'
I needed to take control of the conversation.
I dispelled the magic and put distance between us.
"I'm done playing around, so get..."
"I planned for rejection too, so don't stall—accept it!"
Crazy bitch...
"Lea... Are you testing my patience? What if I decide to kill you?"
My cold shout didn't change her expression at all.
And she, still smiling, said to me.
"Then just kill me."
"What?"
"Kill me. Better to die than not be loved by you."
"..."
Her eyes gleamed dangerously.
The dark emotion from her bright-colored eyes made her gaze even more intense.
Her unshakeable gaze, as if it were the truth, made my throat bob.
As silence stretched, she approached again.
Like a beast chasing no matter how much I fled.
When I came to, my body was already caught by her.
"I love you..."
"Liam...?"
A voice I shouldn't have heard rang out.
Turning toward the sound, Jenia stared at me with a pale face and empty eyes.
Chills ran down my spine, and cold sweat broke out.
I opened my mouth to say something.
"Hng! The scent's gotten stronger...? Haa..."
"“...”"
[Already caught... Master, you're such an idiot.]
Suffocating silence lingered on the beautiful walkway.
In the tense situation, I quickly shoved the protagonist away.
"Ung? Just a bit more..."
"Misunderstanding, Jenia!"
Jenia's chilling voice rang out as she saw the protagonist clinging even after I pushed.
"Liam... I wondered why you were so late. Having some fun?"
"Wait, Jenia, I can explain... everything... Phew... I'll explain, calm down."
The protagonist approached Jenia, who looked ready to bare it all.
Jenia glared coldly at the beaming protagonist.
"You... Could it be..."
"Hi! Crown Princess! I was surprised you're new~ I'll yield the Empress seat, so give me Jaehwan?"
"Jaehwan...? No way!"
Jenia and I had never told each other our real names.
We'd tacitly avoided talking about our pasts since there was no need.
Jenia's cold eyes trembled fiercely.
"Perfect timing! Being Empress is such a hassle... You become the empire's noblest lady, and I'll play with Jaehwan!"
Stunned by the absurdity for a moment, anger settled on Jenia's face.
"What nonsense is this? I won't just vaguely..."
"Fuck... Thief bitch."
"What...?"
"Jaehwan was originally mine. Some no-name got lucky and seduced innocent Jaehwan. Be grateful I'm letting it slide this much."
The protagonist stabbed sharply at Jenia's sore spot. Jenia quietly drew her sword from subspace.
"...I'll kill you."
The protagonist summoned magic circles in both hands without backing down.
"Jaehwan, I'm better than this bitch, right?"
In the atmosphere about to explode, I isolated the surroundings again and shouted.
"Both of you, stop!"
I teleported us to the mansion near the academy that we'd bought.
Not a good look for the entrance ceremony.
The protagonist, ignoring Jenia with sword drawn before her, looked around at the suddenly changed scenery.
"Jaehwan, you've gotten so much stronger. But where's this? The dorm was thrilling, I liked it."
"Liam! Don't stop me!"
Just before the two women clashed, I turned Jenia's sword into flowers and disrupted the protagonist's magic circles.
"Both of you, stop. Jenia, I'll explain slowly, so wait. Lea... Don't talk like that."
My cold shout drooped the protagonist's eyebrows.
"Haa... You two get along better than I thought? Should've met you first..."
"You... You really know the future well..."
"I do! But I know Jaehwan even better than the future?"
"You crazy bitch, really...!"
"Both of you."
This was the limit now.
"I said stop."
"“...”"
I spoke to them as they halted.
"Let's go inside first."
"“Yes...”"
Leaving the two silently following behind, I thought.
Where did it all go wrong...
A large mansion near the academy, a location any student would envy.
Jenia, who was raking in big money, bought this hideout for three years in cash.
When I offered to chip in, she prettily smiled and said not to worry, but now she followed me with a gloomy expression.
Passing the large garden and opening the door, Veronica greeted us with a bright smile.
"Apostle! You're here? Ah! That lady behind...?"
I'd told Veronica in advance, but she stared at the protagonist like she hadn't expected her so soon.
"Apostle...? Ha!"
The protagonist's face seemed to say 'You too?', but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Perfect timing, Veronica. Where's Lancelot?"
"He said he'd watch Seed 7 a bit more since it's fun?"
"...Just us then. Everyone to the meeting room."
"Yes!"
Veronica smiled brightly and glanced at the protagonist.
"May I have your name...?"
"Lea."
"Lea, nice to meet you! Any preferred tea?"
"Same as Liam's."
"Li... Liam...? Uh... Got it."
The protagonist boldly called the Crown Prince by name to a stranger.
Veronica sensed something off but tilted her head and went to prepare refreshments.
I'd told her to hire servants now, but she insisted on doing it herself for fun.
As I headed to the meeting room, the two followed closely.
When Jenia sat next to me, the protagonist frowned and tried to sit on my lap, so I instant-transferred her to the sofa.
"Oh..."
-Crack!
Lumie thumped my head seeing Jenia's bulging vein, so I dispelled the magic.
The protagonist jumped in surprise at the fairy appearing from thin air.
"Fairy...?"
Realizing her slip, she quickly shut her mouth.
She must not have seen Lumie before.
Knowing she'd wasted one of her cards, she crossed her arms regretfully.
"Tch, who's that cute little miss?"
Lumie, stroking Jenia's head, said.
[I'm Lumie... Nice to meet you, side chick.]
The protagonist's eyes shot up sharply.
But instead of retorting, she just smacked her lips.
After a brief silence, Veronica entered with refreshments.
"Everyone, have some... Uh..."
Reading the chilly atmosphere, Veronica rolled her eyes.
"Everyone's here, so shall we start?"
"Uh... Should we?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Everyone nodded.
Finally, a space for calm talk. Relieved, I gave Veronica a rough explanation.
"Phew... Veronica, this is the 'protagonist' I mentioned."
Veronica smiled brightly.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lea! I'm Veronica Elias, serving the Apostle. Take care of me!"
"Apostle...? Fun... I'm Lea. Hmm... Guess I'll see you often?"
"Hehe, take care of me!"
Lea couldn't bring herself to snap at the innocent Veronica and spoke.
"I know the Crown Princess. Jenia Ardell, lady of the ducal house and childhood friend of the Crown Prince."
Jenia already knew about the protagonist, and the protagonist had investigated Veronica enough to know the basics.
No more introductions needed, so the protagonist spoke.
"You all seem to know me... Did you return too?"
Jenia frowned at the complicated situation.
"Return means..."
"Yeah, you weren't there before. If you returned too, you get how I feel, right?"
Jenia shook her head at the tangled story.
"No, I didn't return."
"What...? Then you're like Liam too..."
"Yes, from the same world."
The possessed girl and regressor's gazes clashed in the air.
Now they couldn't understand each other's plights.
In the suffocating tension, Veronica mouthed a signal to me.
-A. POS. TLE. WHAT. IS. THIS.
Sorry, Veronica... Me too.
Deciding this wouldn't do, I jumped into sorting it out.
"Lea, sorry, but my priorities are these two for now."
Jenia's gloomy face brightened a bit at my words, and Veronica giggled.
The protagonist's expression darkened, but she shook it off and smiled brightly again.
"Doesn't matter. My conditions are the same. I'll answer one question per date."
"What? Date!?"
"Eh...?"
Ignoring Jenia who shot up, the protagonist continued.
"Or say you love me and accept me now, then I'll explain everything."
[Oh... Easy, huh?]
"A... Apostle... You already seduced her?"
Her trust crumbling, I shook my head.
"Never happened..."
It wasn't seduction; I was the one being seduced.
Not liking my answer, the protagonist frowned.
"Never? Ha! Shaking that handsome face, acting like you'd give the world, saying precious, then in bed you fuck like a beast..."
"Stop! Stop!"
"Phew... Right..."
Stopping the protagonist who couldn't beat around the bush, Jenia pinched her brow and leaned back.
Seemed complicated for her...
But the protagonist didn't stop.
"And... I'll live here! That's my top condition!"
"What...?"
"Don't be stingy. I'm capable, way more than you think. And if you kick me out... Who knows what I'll do?"
"You... You...!"
Jenia gaped in disbelief.
"Just accept it? Can you handle all of Liam? Looks like that girl helps a bit, right?"
Veronica's face flushed red as she watched the two women's stare-down.
Seeing Veronica's reaction, the protagonist clicked her tongue.
"Tch, as expected... Whatever, I get it. Haa... Thief kitty? Just accept~ I've yielded a lot."
-Bang!
"Liam!"
Jenia called me with immense pressure.
Cowed by her aura, a dumb response slipped out.
"Uh...? Yeah."
"Accept the conditions!"
"What...?"
Jenia whipped her head around with blazing eyes.
"I. Trust. You."
-Gulp...
And so the bizarre(?) cohabitation began.
Like embracing a time bomb...