Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Summer Seaside Lacks Romance (1)
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I remember that time. The playful look of the Hero who loved wandering through the bustling markets. The expression on his face when he came back after being trampled by street thugs. The way his eyes looked like an abandoned puppy's as I unconsciously stroked that face filled with helplessness.
He looked so forlorn. And so pitiful. The footprints stamped all over his clothes, the bloodied lip from where it had burst—they expressed it with all their might.
He was that heartbreaking. I'd grown so used to it that I'd forgotten. We all treated him like a Hero, but in truth, he was just an ordinary person. A small young man weighed down by the heavy expectations we'd piled on him.
That's why I thought I needed to comfort him by his side even more. But because of my low status, because I was hated by everyone, because... because I caught the eye of those trash Archbishops. I couldn't stop my steps toward the palace.
Still, how long did he endure on his own? Half a year? Something like that. The seasons changed, so it was quite a while that he held out alone. Bravely pushing away the filthy Archbishop's propositions, enduring the bullying from the other Saintess Candidates.
It was one day like that. I was cleaning the lodgings as usual when a small commotion came from outside. Not the Archbishop still pestering me next to my broom sweeping, but something else. Outside, an uncharacteristic buzz spread through the temple.
What could it be? Today was holy worship day, the quietest of all.
I tried to ignore it and focus on cleaning. If I stopped, I'd only hear the Archbishop's unwelcome voice more clearly.
"You can stop coming to me now, can't you? Just serve me at night. Seren."
This crazy old man always spouts nonsense at a girl who isn't even an adult yet.
"This kind of life won't end anyway, so how long do you plan to hold out? Heh heh~"
These temple people who act kind, holy, and good-natured while spewing crap make me sick. I want to chop off that hand creeping toward me under the guise of affection.
"Stop resisting and just accept it... Agh...? Ugh, aaaah! My hand...!"
What? What's happening? Did God hear my wish? I just thought about chopping it off, and his severed hand rolls across the floor. Pain etches into the wrinkled old man's face.
"Seren."
A voice I hadn't heard in so long. That warm voice to me echoes here. It couldn't be. But when I turn around, the face I see insists it is.
Such a handsome face. A welcoming smile. A body that's grown more solid.
"Eh? Hero...?"
The sound from my mouth sounded pathetic even to me. My voice, shrunken in fear, was truly awful.
"Come with me."
The Hero takes my hand like that and passes by the screaming Archbishop. As we head outside, the growing buzz makes me uneasy.
And as if my unease was spot on, Holy Knights, Archbishops, priests packed tightly. Even Cardinals who never show their faces usually. I shrank even more and clutched the Hero's clothes tightly.
The Cardinal shouted something, but I was trembling so much I couldn't hear. I just saw the Hero cursing angrily.
I dared to speak to such a Hero. That it seemed like big trouble. That we should beg forgiveness now. I said it with that intent. The Hero I knew was weak. That fragility wouldn't vanish in just half a year.
And the Hero smiled softly at me and said,
"Just watch quietly."
I blankly watched the Hero charge out with those words.
And light filled my world.
The situation resolved much faster than I'd imagined. With overwhelming force, without even drawing a weapon, the Hero forced the temple's Holy Knights and priests to their knees, punishing them while cursing the Cardinal.
"The ones whose knees touch the ground... No. Try touching it once. Starting with that person."
His chilling words—even to me—made me approach. Wasn't it time to stop? There was no need to go this far for my sake. This would cause problems with the temple. Though it seemed like a big problem had already arisen...
But the Hero didn't stop.
"Seren, if you live that nicely all the time, you'll keep getting screwed over like before. Even if you're okay with it, you're my person, so I'm not."
....
I couldn't even collect myself at those words and just nodded. I left him to punish the others and stood there dazed.
It was hot. So hot. I worried if my face was burning.
My heart pounded. Harder and fiercer than after sprinting full speed.
Was it because of that? While treating the Hero's wounds from all over his body by his side, I blurted out without thinking,
"Hero, I really like you...."
I quickly covered my mouth in shock.
"Seren... how old are you, by any chance?"
He heard it. My true feelings.
"Sixteen..."
I whispered even smaller. Shame made me unable to stand properly.
"Seren, you can't like an uncle with a young heart. That's not love; it's just a fleeting mistake."
....
No, it's not. It's real for me. You're the only one shining in my eyes, but the Hero chuckles and pats my head like a child.
I'm not an adult yet, but I'm all grown up.
If only the Hero saw me as a woman, not those crazy old temple men.
That day, I confessed for the first time and got rejected for the first time.
His light face, as if it wasn't even sincere, irked me for no reason, so I smacked his back hard.
I hate you.
********
A cool breeze brushes my cheek. It gently strokes my face, passes over me downward, then back up to my face from below.
Even lying half-asleep with my eyes closed, I can't resist this sweetness I can feel.
The start of early summer, with sunlight that's warm and just a bit hot shining down accordingly. That sunlight pierces even high-rise buildings without mercy, and the bed I'm lying on can't escape it either. It slowly warms the thick blanket covering me.
Normally, that discomfort would make me frown and get up, but basking in warm sunlight while feeling a cool breeze felt like heaven to me.
Luxuries like warming the floor heating in winter and covering with a thin blanket, or like this, turning on the AC in summer and covering with a thick blanket.
I don't know who discovered it, but something that brings such peace to people—shouldn't it be a Nobel Prize candidate?
That's what I think.
"Oppa, stop being a bum and get up already. It feels like you're waking up later and later..."
Having woken up first, Sihyun opens my door and calls me. A refreshing weekend, a peaceful day. Precious time, so I was positioning myself to lie in a bit longer when that command fell.
"Hawawa... My little sis is so merciless..."
"Oppa!! Stop picking up weird speech patterns!! It really gives me chills sometimes...?"
"Hoe~ Oni-chan endures all my little sis's harsh words~"
"You little shit, wanna move out?"
"No, I'm sorry. I went too far. Because I've been curious about modern culture since I was young, I acted foolishly, and in front of my noble little sister's presence, I spouted nonsense. I deeply reflect and apologize once more. Ansiu bows in atonement."
"Ah... Oppa, you're great in every way except you have no middle ground... Can't even live off your looks, that's really lame."
"Hing, too harsh."
"Whatever, come eat. I ordered delivery."
"What'd you get?"
"I got pineapple pizza too, so hurry up and wash your face and come."
"Sure~"
A lucky morning start that whets the appetite from the get-go.
"Sihyun."
I say it while chewing a mouthful of pizza.
"Oppa, swallow what's in your mouth first."
"Sihyunang~"
I ignore her.
"Wanna move out?"
I don't ignore that.
I swallowed the pizza in my mouth and continued.
"Sihyun, not taking vacation?"
"Suddenly? Why, got something you wanna do?"
"It's summer~"
"Yeah?"
"Let's go to the beach."
"This sudden? No planning? Or did you already plan it all, Oppa?"
"You're a J, huh? Real trips are without plans~"
"Sigh, there's even someone here who's serious about that MBTI crap."
"It's surprisingly accurate, right? Hmm, in my opinion, you're... I dunno."
"Bullshit... Fine, let's go on a trip. Where? Busan? Or somewhere less crowded?"
Whoa.
"Infinite emotion...! A little sis who agrees right away like this...? That's rare."
"Ah, so where are we going!!"
"Busan~"
I answered quickly before Sihyun could really get mad if I teased more.
"Then I'll go to work Monday and request vacation, so let's plan together today. If you say again that unplanned trips are the best, I'll really kick you out, so try it if you want~"
"Unplanned trips are the be... No, trips are perfected through perfect planning and thorough preparation. This is universally acknowledged common sense. Hurry and eat so we can make a plan?"
"Pfft! Ah~ Oppa, you're so cute. Yeah, we've got time today, so let's prep. So we can go next week."
"Gra~"
And I got dragged by Sihyun into planning the trip for 10 hours.
Ah, who plans a trip and goes...