Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Roman Holiday (2)
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San Fruttuoso.
It was an Italian resort town famous for its beautiful beaches.
A place said to be frequented by the world's wealthiest people.
"You want to go to the beach?"
"Yes."
Isabella nodded, a bright smile on her face.
"If we soak in the beautiful seawater together or relax on the beach with some oil, your internal injuries will heal in no time."
"I don't see what that has to do with treating internal injuries... but I think the weather's a bit off for swimming."
The kind of season where a white puff of breath flowed out like smoke from a chimney every time you exhaled.
Italy might be much warmer than Korea—a country so cold it could slap Russia in the face—but it was still too chilly to enjoy a swim in the sea.
*Wait, on second thought, maybe not?*
Considering the superhuman bodies of the Awakened, swimming or diving in the sea in the middle of winter wouldn't be a problem at all.
Though it would be a far cry from the 'vacation' atmosphere she was describing.
"Hehe. Don't worry. The weather in San Fruttuoso right now is perfect for swimming. It might even be too hot, so be sure to pack a short-sleeved shirt and shorts."
"Huh?"
Not just warm, but possibly too hot?
*Isn't this place in northern Italy?*
Oh-jin tilted his head in confusion after searching for San Fruttuoso's location on his smartphone.
It wasn't in southern Italy; it was so far north it was practically bordering France. There was no way the weather could be warm.
"San Fruttuoso is one of the places where the climate has been altered by the influence of Star Mana."
"Ah, so it's a Celestial Land."
Celestial Land.
It was a term for places where the terrain or climate itself had been transformed by the influence of mana after gates opened around the world and transcendent beings known as Constellations appeared.
"But is it safe? I heard high-rank gates or dungeons tend to open in Celestial Lands."
"There is, in fact, a gate deep in the nearby sea."
Isabella nodded and continued.
"But the Colagrande family has been managing it well for years, and no monsters have ever come out of the gate, so you have nothing to worry about."
"I see."
If the Colagrande family was managing it directly, then there was no need to worry.
"The seawater in San Fruttuoso is remarkably effective for treating internal injuries due to the influence of Star Mana. In fact, many high-ranking Awakened come here for that very purpose."
"Really? For something like that, I didn't see anything about it on the internet."
A beach with water effective against internal injuries—which had very few cures other than time—should be world-famous.
The internet only described it as a 'resort favored by the rich,' with no mention of treating internal injuries.
Isabella nodded with a lovely smile in her eyes.
"Not many people are willing to share their sweet cake with others."
"..."
In other words.
It had become a sort of hidden gem, known only to a select few.
A place likely accessible only to the very few who possessed both wealth and power.
"What do you think, Miss Ha-eun?"
Isabella asked, glancing back at Ha-eun.
Ha-eun wore a deeply displeased expression, feeling as though she were being drawn into one of Isabella's schemes.
"Well... if it's a place that can help with his internal injuries, I guess we have no choice."
This was for Oh-jin, after all.
She couldn't pass up such a great opportunity just because she was in a bad mood.
"Then it's settled."
Isabella clapped her hands lightly and beamed.
"I've had a car prepared outside. Shall we leave right away?"
"Wait. We still need to pack."
"Hehe. It's fine. I've already prepared everything you'll need, so you can just come as you are."
As if to say 'don't worry,' Isabella took Oh-jin and Ha-eun by the arm and led them along.
Oh-jin and Ha-eun, feeling they had no choice, followed Isabella outside.
* * *
After traveling to Rome through a Sanctuary.
They headed for San Fruttuoso aboard the Colagrande family's private jet, which was waiting at the airport.
"Holy crap. Look at the color of that water. It's insane."
[What a beautiful place.]
Arriving in less than an hour, the coast of San Fruttuoso was as radiantly beautiful as its reputation suggested.
"Isn't this on the level of a computer wallpaper?"
Ha-eun exclaimed in awe, looking around like a country girl who had just arrived in Seoul for the first time.
The emerald seawater was so clear you could see the bottom. The white sand beach stretched out like a snowfield, and the sheer cliffs rising from the shore created a breathtaking view.
It was the kind of beautiful place where any random photo could become the shot of a lifetime for social media.
"I'm glad you all like it."
Isabella watched Oh-jin and Ha-eun, who were still exclaiming in wonder, with a faint smile.
"This way, please."
She walked with familiar steps along a beautiful path carved into the high cliffs.
After following Isabella for about five minutes, a massive mansion appeared, boasting a magnificent presence atop the cliff.
*This is a villa?*
He was speechless, gazing at the grand mansion that was majestic enough to rival Vega's temple.
He'd gotten a small sense of it when she'd casually gifted him an entire apartment building, but seeing this in person made him truly realize the staggering wealth of the Colagrande family.
*Ting.*
As they approached the mansion, the large gates, adorned with a delicate rose pattern, opened with the clear sound of a bell.
Dozens of servants were lined up along the garden path made of white marble.
"""We greet the next head of the family."""
The servants bowed with restrained movements.
They weren't making a fuss over welcoming the next family head; instead, their dignified and polished demeanor exuded a noble grace.
Oh-jin felt a sense of being overwhelmed as he walked behind Isabella.
*So this is what real nobility is like.*
He saw Isabella, whom he thought he had grown somewhat accustomed to, in a completely new light.
As he followed Isabella in awe, she turned her head, and their eyes met.
Isabella's lips curled into a satisfied smile as she observed Oh-jin's expression.
Seeing her eyes shine as if this was the exact reaction she'd been hoping for, Oh-jin let out a dry laugh.
*She planned this.*
She was a cunning woman in many ways.
"W-We greet the next head of the family!"
As they were heading toward the mansion, a middle-aged man in what seemed like an overly flamboyant outfit came running toward them.
The pot-bellied man, wearing a monocle studded with expensive gems, bowed repeatedly, making a fuss unlike the composed servants.
"Hmm. Hello, Uncle Gilford."
Isabella narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked at the man.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
Gilford snapped to attention with a somewhat frightened expression.
Seeing him act as if he were meeting a military superior, Isabella sighed as if she found him pathetic.
She turned to Oh-jin and introduced Gilford.
"This is my uncle. He manages the villa and the gate in San Fruttuoso."
"So you're the Noerang?"
Gilford looked at Oh-jin with an arrogant expression, a stark contrast to how he had treated Isabella.
Isabella's eyebrow twitched upward.
"Uncle. He is *my* guest. Please show some courtesy."
"Ah... m-my apologies!"
Gilford immediately shriveled at Isabella's single remark.
It was a scene that instantly revealed just how powerful Isabella's position was within the Colagrande family.
*Her uncle... It seems they don't completely cast aside the collateral branches of the family, at least.*
From what he'd heard from Isabella before, the family's direct line was ruthlessly kicked out, save for one, due to the strict succession issue.
But it seemed they let the maternal side of the family stick around, giving them odd jobs like managing the villa.
"Um... how has the family head been lately...?"
"He is doing well."
"I-I see."
Isabella replied coldly to Gilford's question.
Oh-jin, who had been listening quietly, had a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
*So her parents are still alive?*
She had spoken of them in the past tense, calling them incomparably foolish people, so he had vaguely assumed they died during the monster outbreak.
But it seemed they were still breathing.
"Well then, I hope you enjoy your vacation. Please let me know if you need anything at all."
Gilford bowed obsequiously to Isabella—a woman young enough to be his daughter, even if she was the next family head—and slowly backed away.
"Shall we go inside, Mr. Oh-jin?"
Once Gilford had retreated, Isabella, as if she'd never worn a cold expression, tried to link arms with Oh-jin with an affectionate smile.
Just then.
"Alright, let's go see just how big our little rich girl's house is!"
*Thwack!*
Ha-eun squeezed herself between Isabella and Oh-jin, exclaiming in an excited voice.
Isabella's eyes flashed coldly for a moment, but she quickly masked it with a smiling nod as if nothing had happened.
"Yes. First, let's eat before we go to the sea. Should I have them prepare for three, including myself?"
"No. Prepare for four."
Oh-jin said, pointing to Vega, who was perched on his shoulder.
Vega shook her head and spoke.
[Make it five... no, you must prepare for six.]
"You're gonna eat that much?"
Since when was our goddess such a big eater?
[Hmph.]
*Smack!*
Vega lightly smacked Oh-jin on the forehead.
[Did you not say you would call Lyak for the vacation as well?]
"Ah."
Right, I had to call our doggo too.
I'd been so cooped up focusing on training lately that I completely forgot.
"When are you calling him?"
[Once the meal is ready, this one shall summon him.]
Oh-jin nodded and headed to the dining room.
He could just introduce Lyak to Isabella as a summon later.
* * *
And so, after touring the mansion with Isabella and summoning Lyak for a brief introduction.
They finished a meal that was, quite literally, a feast fit to break the table legs.
"The cuisine of humans is astonishing, no matter how often I have it."
Lyak devoured every last bit of the food in his personal bowl and let out a satisfied growl.
"I'm glad it was to your liking."
Despite the bizarre scene of a giant wolf over two meters tall dining at the same table, Isabella treated Lyak with a calm expression, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
"Well, now that we've finished eating... shall we start getting ready to enjoy the sea?"
As Isabella stood up, the nearby servants cleared the empty plates.
"But I didn't bring a swimsuit."
"Hehe. Not to worry, Miss Ha-eun. I've prepared everything."
Isabella smiled brightly and led them to a dressing room larger than a decent-sized house.
Inside the dressing room, swimsuits of all shapes and sizes were neatly arranged.
"You can pick and wear any design you like."
"...There's a damn lot of them."
Ha-eun was speechless, looking at the swimsuits that filled the entire room.
She glanced at Oh-jin, who was looking at the swimsuits from behind her, and swallowed hard.
*A swimsuit that Oh-jinnie would like...*
If it were just the two of them, she would have comfortably chosen a more revealing swimsuit.
But with Isabella, Vega, and other tourists at the resort, she couldn't just pick something overly revealing.
*This one looks good.*
While wandering through the dressing room, Ha-eun found a black bikini with a stylish rose pattern.
For a bikini, it wasn't overly revealing, yet it still accentuated her body's lines nicely.
"I'll take this one."
Just as Ha-eun took the black bikini in her hand.
"Oh my, what should I do? I completely forgot."
Isabella stomped her feet with an expression that said she didn't know what to do with herself.
"...What did you forget?"
"Now that I think about it, all the swimsuits here are tailored to my size."
Isabella looked Ha-eun up and down, then her lips curled into a slight smirk.
"I'm afraid... it might be a bit too 'loose' on you, Miss Ha-eun."
"What?"
*Throb.*
A thick vein popped on Ha-eun's forehead.