Chapter 172
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Essence
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After leaving Ha Yul's hospital room, I sat in a chair to wait, and Sharis spoke up from beside me.
"...That's unexpected."
"...What do you mean?"
"Just everything you've done this time."
"....."
"Honestly, I thought you were human trash, but surprisingly, you do have some affection?"
'Fuck, isn't that a bit too harsh?'
She straight-up called me trash to my face, so I couldn't even force a good expression.
"Isn't that a bit too much? Calling me trash right to my face..."
"That's why I said 'I thought you were trash.'"
'Hoo...'
Sometimes when Sharis acted like this, I'd impulsively think about telling her my location out of anger, but since I'd done something to her, I'd just let it slide as usual.
She knew that, which was why she treated me this way.
'Ugh... Just once.'
While I was lost in wicked thoughts, Sharis nudged my leg with her foot as I sat there and spoke up.
"More importantly, when are you giving me that vacation?"
"Vacation...?"
"Ha, you forgot already?"
'Ah.'
Come to think of it, I'd forgotten about promising Sharis a vacation last time.
"Haha... Of course I remember. How could I forget?"
"...You seem to have forgotten, but I'll let it slide. Anyway, give me that promised vacation. I've worked hard too."
Well, now that Ha Yu-ri's situation was resolved, there was no need to urgently deploy Sharis, so I figured it was fine to give it now.
"Then take it off starting tomorrow. There's nothing much going on in the clan anyway. Actually, if you want to start today, go ahead. You don't have anything to do."
Sharis's face lit up at my response.
"For real? No take-backs?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Clunk.
The door opened, and Ha Yu-ri emerged from Ha Yul's room.
Her face suggested she'd somewhat composed her emotions.
"...How's your brother?"
"...He's asleep. He probably needs some rest."
"Yeah, makes sense. It'd be weirder if he were fine."
Ha Yul needing rest was a given.
Aside from the mental shock, his body had been modified by Recarux. It was definitely different from his old self, so adaptation would take time.
Ha Yu-ri shifted her gaze from me to Sharis and bowed her head in thanks.
"Sharis, thank you for your help. I mean it."
"......"
Sharis, who usually snapped at everything, knew this wasn't the time and stayed silent.
"...Well, you're welcome."
"If you ever need my help, just say the word. I'll do anything."
"Then do something about this guy. Make me a free woman."
Ha Yu-ri gave a troubled smile at Sharis's words.
"That's... I'm in the same boat, so I can't really help... Ahaha..."
It was just a joke from Sharis's perspective anyway. Knowing Ha Yu-ri's situation, she probably tossed it out to lighten the mood.
"Whatever. I've got my vacation now, so I'm off to enjoy some freedom. You two sort yourselves out."
Sharis finished speaking and left right away.
'Did she step out to give us time to talk alone?'
Or maybe, contrary to my thoughts, she just wanted to maximize her rare vacation.
'Anyway...'
...Being left alone with Ha Yu-ri felt awkward somehow.
After asking about her brother's condition, there wasn't much else to say, so we sat in silence for a bit until she spoke first.
"...Um."
"...What?"
She hesitated, fidgeting like a puppy—exactly like when I'd teased her by calling her one.
Ha Yu-ri glanced at me sidelong while staring at the floor, then suddenly dropped to her knees.
'What the?'
I couldn't help but be flustered by the situation.
".... Th-thank you. Thank you so much."
"Why are you doing this all of a sudden? What..."
I got that she was grateful for helping her brother, but kneeling out of nowhere was bewildering.
"...D-don't feel burdened. I'm just doing this because I'm grateful. Truly grateful."
"Wait... Stand up first and talk. What are you..."
I had to stop midway. She'd slammed her forehead to the ground in full dogeza, hands neatly clasped under her head.
"Really... thank you so much. For saving me and my brother. Truly... hic..."
'No...'
I knew I shouldn't think this way in front of Ha Yu-ri like that, but the scene was oddly off.
A woman kneeling politely in dogeza before a sturdy man.
It couldn't help but stir a strange feeling.
I was sitting in the chair, and she was positioned right between my legs at that angle.
'Ha... fuck.'
Seems my mental state had been off lately.
At first after coming to Eras, everything was fine, but at some point, controlling my emotions and moods started going haywire.
"I don't know how... how to repay you. How to return this favor..."
On top of that, my eyes were drawn oddly—her outfit was more revealing than usual.
'Crazy bastard.'
I shook my head while she couldn't see my face, dusted off my crotch, and spoke.
"...Enough. Repay what? I told you from the start. It was all calculated help."
"......"
"So get up. Why do you kneel every chance you get lately?"
"...Because all I can do, all I can offer you, is something that strokes your sense of superiority."
"...What?"
"Doesn't it feel good? The great Ha Yu-ri, the haughty Ice Witch of Madan Clan, kneeling willingly beneath you and submitting."
"What are you..."
The mood shifted strangely in an instant.
If there was such a thing as control of the atmosphere, it felt like it had passed to Ha Yu-ri.
Even though I was the one looking down at her.
"You don't really want anything from me? That's not true."
"That's... I said it was your strength and the clan's power..."
"Why lie to yourself? I can see it..."
'.....'
"You know? Every time I subtly stroke your superiority, you make that pleased expression."
'What?'
Unconsciously, I touched the corner of my mouth at her words.
"Ha..."
"See? You said you're not a good person. Accept yourself."
There was a strange fervor in Ha Yu-ri's eyes.
"I'm not blaming you. How can anyone be purely good? Everyone has desires they're honest about, dark sides."
"....."
Ever since that day with Wi Ho-yeon, something felt loose inside me.
No, this excuse was just blaming her too.
Fundamentally, I was the one screwed up.
"...So?"
"...Pardon?"
The expression I wore now probably wasn't a good one to others.
"I clearly said I wouldn't demand anything else from you, but you're saying you'd do anything for me beyond your Ice Witch self and Madan Clan?"
Ha Yu-ri swallowed hard and answered.
".... Yes."
"No matter what it is?"
".... Yes."
'Crazy woman.'
I couldn't fathom why Ha Yu-ri was jumping into hellfire willingly.
"Think carefully. Honestly, helping your brother wasn't for this at all. But you're the one egging it on?"
In a way, a dirty excuse. Just shifting blame to her.
"...Y-yes, you're right."
And yet, knowing that, she agreed.
"Ha..."
Ha Yu-ri's face seemed oddly flushed. She'd noticed my sudden shift too.
Unknowingly, like when I'd turned her into a drug offender, I lifted her chin with one hand to meet her eyes.
"Eek..."
She flinched at my sudden touch.
"...You."
All sorts of thoughts raced through my mind. Or maybe dilemmas.
'...Ha, crazy bastard.'
Meeting her trembling eyes snapped me back to reality.
Like someone had dumped cold water on my head.
I released her chin and spoke.
"...Instructor Ha Yu-ri, you should head inside now."
"...Huh?"
My tone shifted from boiling heat to calm, leaving her flustered.
"What would we even do? Anyway, I get how you feel, but no need for that. If you really want to repay me, buy me a meal later or something."
"Ah..."
Ha Yu-ri looked dazed, lost.
'She'll be fine after some time.'
After a bit, both she and I would clear our heads.
"I'll check on your brother every few days, so don't say nonsense like this time. Trembling in fear like that—what kind of..."
"Ah... No, it's not fear..."
"I'm heading out. Take good care of him, and contact me if anything comes up."
"Ah..."
...I left Madan Clan just like that.
Right after Lee Yun-seong left, Ha Yu-ri collapsed in a daze.
"......"
She recalled the desire-filled eyes she'd seen in him moments ago.
That gaze scanning her body meticulously.
'Why...'
She couldn't understand why he'd suddenly regained his senses.
His eyes had clearly lost reason. Eyes awakened by her prodding.
She'd put immense effort into reading his psychological and emotional state.
The subtle pleased expression when she stroked his superiority—one of his traits she'd discovered.
Others wouldn't notice. He suppressed expressing emotions extremely.
Honestly, it had taken real work to spot it.
'...It was almost there.'
Truthfully, she hadn't planned to accelerate this far.
She'd intended to draw him in slowly, but gratitude for past favors and saving her brother had spurred her impulse.
And above all, pushing other thoughts aside, she just wanted to hold onto him somehow.
'Ha...'
As he'd said, she was scared by his changed demeanor from her prodding.
'Stupidly... I let it show...'
She'd failed to hide her fear instantly, and he'd noticed, reining in his instincts.
"Haa..."
She sighed and stood.
She wasn't sure if she'd get another chance, but it wasn't time to give up yet.
The best way to approach him, she thought, was without imposing responsibility or burden.
She hadn't known at first. But watching him closely beside her, she'd realized.
He avoided taking responsibility.
Not cowardly. He just avoided situations requiring it.
'In other words, don't ask him to take responsibility for me.'
Don't approach with heavy ties. He needed to see her as burden-free.
If she sought a heavy position by his side, she felt she wouldn't even stay near him.