I Admire You, Hero
Odin was born to a giant mother and carries the blood of giants in his veins—he is a demigod, half god and half giant. Long ago, in an age when all the worlds had not yet merged into a single continent, each realm stood separate, with the World Tree Yggdrasil at their center. At that time, Banaheim belonged to the Vanir gods. It was no land where humans who now worship the Aesir gods, with Odin as their chief, could set foot.
Then ‘something’ triggered a cataclysm across the worlds, and the gods left no trace behind. The human realm—Midgard. Once every world merged into one great continent centered on Midgard, that was when Hel’s revenge truly began. Or more precisely, the revenge of Loki’s children. In any case, no one knows exactly what happened. The only one who does is Loki himself. He was always a cunning, scheming god. Though born a giant, he had once believed Odin’s favor would remain with him. That faith shattered, and he fell into the role of a vengeful plotter.
People say the unification of the worlds was Loki’s doing. They claim the mischievous god created the chaos to test humanity, to torment those who believed the gods were always watching. Since no one knows the full truth, humans have no choice but to live in unease.
Regardless, the land once inhabited by the Vanir gods has now become the territory of humans who worship the Aesir. The Banaheim Kingdom. Within this blessed nation that became the domain of men, there is one ducal house that does not revere the Aesir gods. Their faith is directed toward the Vanir.
The god of abundance, Freyr. The goddess of beauty and love, Freya. And Njord, father of Freyr and Freya, god of the sea. Rather than worship Odin—who carries giant blood—as their chief deity, they serve the pure-blooded Vanir gods. The name of that house is Lionblood.
If I were to name the people in this world I’m closest to, it would be them. Starting with Kandel, the white-haired grandfather who drinks with me like an old friend, then his son and current head of the family, Vidar. And finally…
“It’s been a while, Taesik.”
The youngest daughter—Seria Lionblood.
The kind person who gave me warm meals, a place to sleep, and even money. Most importantly, the person who promised to clear the false charges and misunderstandings hanging over me. How could I not be happy to see her? Hell, I’m thrilled!
“How did you know I was here?”
“While searching for traces of you, Hero, I encountered a warrior.”
“A Viking?”
“Yes. One who clutched his groin and walked with a limp—like a pathetic worm.”
“Ah, I see.”
I could picture exactly who that worm was just from the description.
“Pfft. Did Ragner tell you?”
“Indeed. After a simple… interrogation—no, inquiry—he told me everything.”
…It really was just a simple inquiry, right? Well, whatever. It worked out.
“It’s been a while, my lady.”
Isabel bowed politely in greeting. Seria beamed and pulled her into a tight hug. It looked like a sisterly reunion. Their heights were almost identical, after all.
“…Huh?”
Seria’s expression suddenly darkened. She stroked Isabel’s pink hair, inhaled its scent, then approached me and ran her fingers along my collar. She buried her face in my chest as if savoring my smell.
“…Mmm?”
“Nice scent, right?”
The soap and oils in this place really were worth the money. Of course, I’d been using Tirgar’s supply for free. Seria’s behavior was a bit startling, but I figured it was just a woman’s interest in grooming and fragrance. Once she caught the scent, she couldn’t help but be drawn to it… the exact same scent.
“…Why does the Hero’s skin carry Isabel’s fragrance?”
…There’s no way.
“Pardon?”
“…Why?”
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
Why on earth does the Hero smell so strongly of Isabel? Because they traveled together for over a week? No, this was the kind of scent that came from prolonged, intimate contact. It made her uneasy. Had Isabel made the first move? Had she stolen him? Or perhaps… had they slept together?
The long time spent together, the way another person’s scent clung so heavily to his skin.
“…Isabel. Did you share a bed with the Hero?”
“Um, well…”
“Speak. I’m in no mood for games.”
“…Yes, my lady. We did.”
Seria’s eyes gradually lost their light. She covered her mouth, let out a soft laugh, and stepped closer to me. I felt utterly overwhelmed. An atmosphere I had never seen from her before—oppressive, sticky, whispering right against my ear.
“Is that true?”
“Uh… that is…”
“Why is the Hero keeping his mouth shut just like Isabel? Is this a secret from me? Am I someone unnecessary to you, Hero?”
Crack.
Seria wrapped both arms around my waist and squeezed with terrifying strength, as if she would never let go. She held me tight like she had marked her territory and whispered into my ear.
“Hehe. I’m not angry. Why would I be angry? You’re a man, Hero. When you travel with a member of the opposite sex… yes, mistakes can happen.”
“…Seria?”
“But… why won’t you answer me? I’m only curious whether you truly shared a bed with this ‘worthless’ maid.”
“Could you please let go of me first? You’re too close…”
“Answer my question first.”
What the hell? What is this situation? My head spun from how quickly things had escalated. Yes, I had shared a bed with Isabel, but we hadn’t crossed that final line. So where exactly was her anger coming from? Did she think I’d slept with her personal maid? If so, I should tell her the truth—
“…Yes. We slept in the same bed, Hero.”
“Isabel. Do you understand what those words mean right now?”
“…I only told the truth, my lady.”
Slide.
The arms that had been gripping me loosened. Seria was still smiling. That made it all the more terrifying. I couldn’t identify the sticky, unknown emotion radiating from her. But one thing was certain—her state was completely different from before.
“I sent you to gather information about the Hero.”
“…I am aware.”
What the hell is she talking about? Didn’t she send her as my assistant?
As I stood there confused, Isabel lowered her head deeply before the approaching Seria. She refused to meet her eyes. How could she dare? She had slept with the man her master adored. That fact alone filled Seria with irritation and uncontrollable emotion.
“…Why? Why would you do such a thing? When I admire the Hero this much. Just why…”
What the hell did I just hear?
“It is true that I shared a bed with the Hero.”
Isabel, you’re only making the misunderstanding worse!
“Enough. Just stop. Close your mouth now… I don’t want to hurt you.”
“The emotion I feel is surely the same as the one you hold for the Hero, my lady.”
“Isabel!”
Seria’s shout drew every eye in the room. Some cheered, others whispered.
“Isabel… you knew how I felt and still did this? You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“No, my lady.”
“Have I been too harsh with you? Have I treated you cruelly…? If that’s the case, please just say so.”
“That is not it either.”
Her voice was nearly trembling with tears now. Seria smiled at Isabel. It was a chilling sight. Isabel’s shoulders shrank. I had seen that expression before—two years ago, when the mage Lunaris had been clinging to the Hero. That exact same face.
“You told me to learn everything I could about the Hero, my lady.”
“…Yes. I did.”
“Thanks to that, I too have seen and felt many things about him.”
This is embarrassing to say. It may earn your resentment. But I have no choice but to speak. I must be bold. I have already made up my mind.
“I admire the Hero.”
“…What?”
“…Ah, I mean, that is…”
What the hell did I just hear?
Before I could even react, Seria grabbed Isabel by the collar.
“Hic…”
It looked painful. I rushed forward immediately.
“You… you…!”
“But we did not mix our bodies.”
At Isabel’s answer, Seria froze mid-swing. She had nearly left a red handprint on Isabel’s cheek. I quickly blocked Seria’s arm and stepped in front of Isabel.
“So the Hero has chosen Isabel as well…?”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Seria, put your arm down first.”
“Ugh…”
“Now!”
“…Yes.”
Her voice was thick with resentment and regret. If only she hadn’t sent Isabel, none of this would have happened. After all, Isabel had initially kept her distance from the Hero, calling him a criminal. Of course, she later learned it was all a misunderstanding. That was precisely why Seria had placed her by his side. So why…
I felt the Hero’s hand on my arm. Even though his grip was firm, he was clearly holding back his strength. Even in a moment like this, he showed such gentleness…
“This is the Hero’s fault.”
“Why are you blaming me?”
“Because you’re too kind, Hero. That’s why women keep flocking to you…”
I genuinely couldn’t understand. Me? Kind and considerate enough that women flock to me? I had zero experience with women. On the contrary, my parents had drilled into me my entire life to be considerate of others. It made no sense to me.
“My lady. I’m sorry.”
“…You thieving wench.”
“But I will not give up. I have already made up my mind.”
“If only you didn’t exist, the Hero would have looked at me. Yes, this is all your fault. If only you weren’t here… if only you weren’t here!”
Isabel lifted her bowed head and stared directly into Seria’s eyes. Honestly, it was terrifying. A mere maid defying the second daughter of a ducal house. But she had finally realized what this emotion she carried truly was. She could no longer stop.
Since he had heard her earlier mutterings, she could no longer run away.
“…Just as you feel, my lady, I too admire the Hero.”
Cheers erupted around us. Watching this chaotic scene, I felt like cheering too. But standing at the center of it all made me feel like I was going insane. Seria likes me? Isabel likes me too? Why? Why the hell would they like a worthless ordinary guy like me?
“Ha, I’m losing my mind.”
For real. Why is this happening?
I felt both happy and horribly conflicted that they liked me. Anyone would. I didn’t have the courage to two-time them. If I got caught, my life would be over on the spot.
Tirgar, who had overheard my muttering, sighed and stepped in to mediate.
“Hey, miss.”
“…What is it, Jotun?”
“There seems to be a huge misunderstanding here. Yes, these two shared a bed, but they didn’t mix bodies.”
“…Even so, the fact that this thieving cat shared a bed with the Hero—!”
“They were both blackout drunk and sleeping rough, so I just tossed them onto the bed. They woke up the next morning completely panicked, I bet.”
It was the truth. Not a single lie mixed in. That was why Seria’s face turned even redder as she realized she had completely misunderstood on her own. However, the aftermath—Isabel’s true feelings being exposed—was also an unavoidable fact.
In the end, I had to make a decision between these two women.
But then.
“…Are you disappointed, Hero?”
“Haha…”
Rejecting their feelings felt like it would lead to something catastrophic. Those deeply sunken, dark eyes seemed to exert a silent pressure. Was it just my imagination? Watching Seria approach like a dejected kitten, I felt it clearly.
What do I do? I’m a little scared. No… I’m really scared.
Isabel, on the other hand, blushed and kept her distance. She must be embarrassed.
Odin, please grant me wisdom. Ah, if only I could go to Mimir’s spring, pluck out an eye, and gain true wisdom—how wonderful that would be. This was far too heavy a matter for a mere human to decide.
*
I left the two of them with Tirgar. At least with a suppressor present, their fight wouldn’t shatter the nexus of their relationship. Sighing deeply, I drank with the Vikings.
This was a serious concern between friends.
“Hey, you guys saw all that, right?”
“You’re quite popular, Taesik.”
“Fuck. Anyone watching would think I’m two-timing.”
“Aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not!”
To be honest, the emotion Isabel had confessed to me was love. Wow, her expression back then… She looked exactly like the pure-hearted heroine in a romance manhwa who just had her first love exposed—fidgety, shy, and incredibly cute. It really touched my heart. I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t flutter.
Seria was also a beautiful and charming woman. But she was excessively obsessed with me. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but it was a little burdensome.
“If you reject her, it looked like she might kill you.”
“Uahahahaha! That would not be an honorable death! You won’t be able to enter the halls of Valhalla!”
“Unable to drink with the gods, losing your honor, and heading straight to Helheim… Taesik, sorry, but I’m a little excited to see how this turns out.”
I was an idiot for asking these guys.
“This is my first time dealing with something like this. I don’t think I can even reject them properly.”
“What’s the problem? Just take both of them.”
“Yeah. Taesik, that bastard Polir has five wives.”
It was tempting.
“…For real?”
“Yeah. We don’t really mind. As long as everyone loves and cherishes each other, it’s fine.”
“Of course, the wives have to respect one another. That’s the tricky part.”
Hearing that made me feel sorry for them again. Seria’s obsession was far too extreme. Honestly, I was worried about Isabel. I didn’t know much about Seria. At most, we had only spent two days together. But Isabel was different. We had already traveled together for over a week. If feelings had developed, they would have.
“Taesik, don’t worry too much. Life flows as fate leads it.”
“That’s right. Take it easy. Odin is surely watching over you.”
Is that really true? If Odin is watching me, I hope he gives me an answer. What the hell am I supposed to do now? Will I even be able to face them?
Time passed. I had to face them. Screw it!
I gulped down the alcohol. Once I was drunk, maybe I could make a decision.
“Huu…”
Hic!
“He’s finally lost his mind.”
“We should probably leave him be.”
I couldn’t keep them waiting forever. In the end, I had to face them and make a decision. Fate was waiting for me. Goddamn it.