Chapter 54: In Nepal (3)
Chapter 54: In Nepal (3)
After Han Shin changed into his pajamas and prepared for bed, Kang Yujin and Grace headed into Yujin’s room to speak privately.
As Grace closed the door, she saw Kang Yujin standing there with her arms crossed.
She was an intellectual beauty, her long black hair gathered into a single ponytail that reached down to her waist. Dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black dolphin shorts, she watched Grace intently.
Grace, whose well-groomed platinum-blonde hair gave her a sharp, clean look, was wearing a yellow round-neck tee and blue dolphin shorts.
Just moments ago, while they were with Han Shin, the two had been smiling and creating a warm atmosphere. Now that they were alone, the mood turned heavy.
The friction between them had been building for some time, and while it felt like it was finally reaching a breaking point, the tension was relatively subdued. After all, they didn't harbor true malice toward one another.
Both Grace and Kang Yujin had come to accept that the other’s presence was necessary for Han Shin.
While they each provided different kinds of support for him, they were also romantic rivals competing for his affection, which naturally led to jealousy and cold stares.
However, through the time they had spent together, they had begun to realize that neither of them was a bad person.
The problem was that they couldn't express this to each other. Because of Han Shin, a line had been drawn between them that made it difficult to become close.
“Are you… really not planning on giving up on Shin?”
“That goes without saying. Isn't it the same for you?”
As they exchanged words, both Kang Yujin and Grace realized that this line of questioning was largely meaningless. They both already knew that the other truly loved Han Shin.
Though it had been less than a month, their time together had shown them exactly how devoted they both were to him.
Silence descended once again.
Both women were grappling with the same dilemma.
Grace knew that the bond between Han Shin and Kang Yujin was already incredibly solid and difficult to break. To Han Shin, Kang Yujin was the noona he had relied on since childhood, the person he had lived for and protected.
Even if she were to be chosen by Han Shin, he would never cut ties with Kang Yujin, and they would undoubtedly end up living together anyway. Seeing Yujin’s unwavering, honest devotion to Han Shin—a love she had held for a long time—Grace felt a slight sense of guilt, as if she were the one intruding.
Kang Yujin, for her part, knew that Grace was indispensable.
Han Shin’s body had been restored through his contract with Tiamat, and in order to fulfill that contract, grow stronger, and survive, he would need Grace’s help immensely.
In truth, Yujin was well aware of her own strength as an S-Rank Psychokinetic, but she also understood the nature of the enemies Han Shin might face.
The Evil Gods were the ones behind the portals appearing across Earth, and since Han Shin was the one destined to oppose them, she understood that her power alone wouldn't be enough to protect him.
She had never met a god, but a god was a being capable of causing unimaginable phenomena at will.
Furthermore, even though Grace was not yet at her full strength, she was clearly a powerhouse in her own right. There was a certain dignity to her, the aura of a true warrior that couldn't be ignored.
It was a pressure that made one hesitate to attack recklessly. If Grace were to become even stronger, she would undoubtedly surpass Yujin’s current level.
Moreover, the way Grace served Han Shin with such flawless loyalty was something Yujin actually admired…
While Grace’s serious expressions of affection for Han Shin were annoying from the perspective of a rival, they were also a source of trust.
Ultimately, both women reached the conclusion that they had to acknowledge each other.
“Um…”
“We should…”
They both started to speak at the same time, then quickly cut themselves off when their voices overlapped.
Kang Yujin looked away slightly and said, “You go first.”
Grace considered declining and letting Yujin speak, but she figured that would just lead to more back-and-forth and drag things out.
Right… it’s better to speak clearly than to hesitate.
Having made up her mind, Grace spoke.
“Let’s stop fighting over Lord Han Shin.”
At Grace’s words, Kang Yujin felt that the other woman was thinking the same thing she was. They had both just said they wouldn't give him up, yet Grace was suggesting they stop fighting.
“Does that mean… we’re acknowledging each other…?”
Kang Yujin spoke cautiously, her tone uncharacteristically awkward. It wasn't like her usual self, but she couldn't help being careful. She knew how sensitive and important anything regarding Han Shin was to her, and she knew the same applied to Grace.
Seeing that Yujin understood her meaning immediately, Grace nodded. The atmosphere softened slightly compared to moments before.
“Yes. We can’t keep living like this, constantly at each other's throats. Waiting for Lord Han Shin to choose one of us… when I think about it, that’s just not realistic.”
Kang Yujin agreed.
When they had made their initial agreement, their desire to be the sole recipient of Han Shin’s love as a woman had taken precedence, leading them to decide that he should be the one to choose.
But as time passed, they began to wonder: could Han Shin actually choose just one of them? And even if he did, the one not chosen wasn't realistically going to leave his side.
It had been a precarious agreement that was bound to be brought up again eventually. It was better to settle it clearly now.
With a slight blush of embarrassment, Kang Yujin turned her head away and spoke softly.
“I… I don’t hate you that much, since you help Shin so well.”
“I feel the same way.”
Grace smiled at Yujin’s admission.
Her smile made Yujin even more embarrassed. She turned around, sat on the edge of the bed, and patted the spot next to her.
“Stop standing there and come sit down.”
Grace obediently followed her lead.
It was the first time the two of them had sat side-by-side like this.
They had spent their time subtly checking each other, and even when they shared a room, they had never sat this close while talking. The only times they were near each other were during meals with Han Shin or when they sat on opposite sides of him on a sofa.
Now that things had come to this, Kang Yujin decided to be more honest and direct.
“Up until now, we’ve been hiding the fact that we were competing from Shin… Let’s just be honest and ask him what he thinks. Ask him if he can accept both of us.”
“Yes, I agree.”
Both were fairly certain that Han Shin wouldn't abandon them and would accept them, but asking for his opinion was a necessary step.
Until now, their rivalry had restricted how they expressed their affection for him, as they were always conscious of the other’s presence.
Now, they would be able to express their love freely…
The prospect of becoming closer to someone who had been a rival until now was actually quite exciting, and it put them in a good mood.
Coincidentally, it was the first time either of them had ever had a friend of equal standing.
Grace had been a knight destined for heroism due to her extraordinary talent. Even as a child, she had no friends she could truly open up to, as she was immediately placed into knight training. Her peers found her difficult to approach for the same reason. Until the fall of Nippur, she never had a close friend with whom she could share small secrets or common interests.
Kang Yujin, despite her appearance, also lacked friends.
To be precise, as a multi-talented beauty during her school years, she couldn't help but be popular. People naturally flocked to her. But while she had "friends" on the surface, she never opened her heart to them, maintaining a clear distance.
She felt she didn't need friends; her focus was entirely on Han Shin, so she intentionally avoided forming deep relationships.
But now, both women served the same man, and considering the future, they needed to become closer.
Once they let go of the greed to monopolize Han Shin and acknowledged each other, the jealousy and minor ill-will that had been blooming in their hearts vanished like melting snow.