Chapter 206: Artemis's Silver Bow (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 206: Artemis's Silver Bow (6)
At that same moment, in a famous omakase restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, where getting a reservation was next to impossible.
Cheon Yeo-wool, Yu Hana, and Kang A-rin were dining elegantly, with plates of sushi served on the finest cherry-blossom-patterned dishes before them.
“Sion wasn't there then, was she?” Kang A-rin asked lightly, bringing a piece of sea urchin sushi to her lips with her chopsticks.
“Nope.”
Cheon Yeo-wool smiled and popped a piece of freshly made fatty tuna sushi into her mouth.
Her eyes closed in bliss as the rich, savory flavor filled her senses.
“Why watch something so frustrating?”
Kang A-rin giggled in agreement and took a sip of green tea.
Though the table was laden with the highest quality sushi, their conversation revolved around a single topic.
The events likely unfolding at the shrine.
“It happened a bit later back then, right? Since Sion's power developed late. That's why Hae-in had to rush off to get the bow.”
Cheon Yeo-wool spoke as if reminiscing.
“Did he ask for the seed… back then, too?” Kang A-rin asked.
“He did.”
Cheon Yeo-wool’s grip on her chopsticks tightened…
“I was this close to flipping everything over… Yeah. It's just best not to watch.”
Cheon Yeo-wool smiled again and put a piece of sushi in her mouth as if nothing had happened.
The anger of the past was merely fuel for crafting a better plan.
Just then.
“…Saintess.”
A child, who looked to be about ten years old, had quietly approached and was now silently holding out a white piece of paper and a pen to Cheon Yeo-wool with her small hands.
The child’s clear eyes looked up at her, the face of a devoted fan desperate for an autograph.
The flustered faces of her parents, who had followed a moment later, came into view.
It was a private omakase restaurant, but…
Well, this wasn’t too much trouble.
Scritch, scritch.
On her day off, Cheon Yeo-wool didn’t show any annoyance, smiling as she carefully signed her name.
Overjoyed, the child bowed again and again before shyly backing away.
“Sweetie.”
Cheon Yeo-wool stopped the departing child, asking in a gentle and affectionate voice in Japanese.
“Out of all the big sisters here, who's the prettiest?”
As she spoke, Cheon Yeo-wool pointed to Kang A-rin, then Yu Hana, and finally, to herself.
“Hm? Who’s the prettiest?”
The child froze for a moment at Cheon Yeo-wool’s question.
Her clear eyes darted anxiously between the three women, each exuding a different charm.
And then, finally.
“……All of you.”
“No, no…”
Cheon Yeo-wool bent down to the child’s eye level, pressing again in that same gentle tone.
“Just pick one of the three.”
“……”
The price for the autograph was brutal.
*
Seed?
What?
What the hell is she talking about?
My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what she had just said.
In the midst of my confusion, Kisaragi Rin slowly rose to her feet.
Rustle…
Without a word, she began to loosen the front of her black kimono.
The collar parted, revealing snow-white skin with a peachy hue…
Ssk.
But before her clothes could come off completely.
Yoon Chae-ha, who had been sitting quietly beside me, reached out a hand.
An intangible force stopped the front of her kimono from opening further.
Rin looked up at the invisible force holding her clothes, and her eyes met Yoon Chae-ha’s.
She nodded as if in understanding and sat back down.
“My apologies. It seems there was room for misunderstanding.”
She slowly apologized and continued.
This time, Rin lifted the front of her kimono slightly, not to reveal her chest, but her stomach.
She held the lifted fabric in her mouth.
There, on her pristine white skin just below her navel, was a small, black tattoo.
“It is a curse and a blessing, passed down through generations only to the heir of the head of the Yatagarasu clan.”
Her explanation continued calmly.
The tattoo, engraved the moment one became the head of the clan, was the source of the Yatagarasu’s power, and also its curse.
To maintain that power, the clan head’s life force was slowly eaten away.
And in the end, they were said to die an early death.
“I do not have much time left. My final purpose is to leave behind the next heir to inherit all of this before the curse takes my life.”
I had predicted something along these lines, but now I knew exactly what she meant by “seed.”
In other words, she wanted to have my child.
There was nothing to even discuss.
The answer was obviously no.
“Hah… I knew something like this was coming…”
Beside me, Sion sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
And to my right, I could feel Yoon Chae-ha’s intense stare.
I was going to refuse, of course…
The problem was that I absolutely needed the Bow and Ring.
I wasn’t sure if the Bow and Ring were of equal value, but regardless, I needed them both.
I started racking my brain.
Kisaragi Rin. What was her fundamental problem?
Ultimately, wasn’t she worried that she would die young and her bloodline would end?
If so, the solution was simple.
I just had to make sure she didn’t die young.
All I had to do was break the curse.
According to the fundamental rules of this world, every curse…
Every single curse in existence had a way to be broken.
Moreover, it was possible to cleanly erase only the debuff effect while keeping the powerful buffs the curse provided.
Since it was a game, after all, it was a rule made for the player’s convenience.
Finding the cure would be a pain, but…
It was better than irresponsibly knocking someone up.
Well, I didn’t know how strong Kisaragi Rin was, but if I could put the head of the Yatagarasu clan in my debt… it would surely be helpful someday.
Having finished my calculations, I asked again for confirmation.
“So, you're saying it doesn't matter, as long as you don't die young?”
At my question, Rin slowly nodded.
“That is correct. However…”
Rustle.
She covered the tattoo on her lower abdomen with her clothes again as she continued.
“I believe… that is impossible.”
Her eyes seemed devoid of any remaining hope.
For hundreds of years, the heads of the Yatagarasu clan had accepted this as an inescapable fate.
It felt impossible to defy in the first place.
That was why she was so certain this was the best way.
“So please, feel free to use me as a mere outlet for your lust. In whatever way you wish… as long as you… inside…”
“Wait a moment.”
I cut her off before she could continue.
“I understand. For now, I understand what you mean.”
I leaned forward, placing my arms on the table, and met her eyes directly.
Curses usually had various attributes.
Some were influenced by the Evil God, while others were affected by spirits or local deities.
Some curses could be broken with physical force, while others required a magical ritual.
But the most important thing… was that the essence of every curse in this world was, in the end, a malevolent energy.
In other words, a negative energy.
And as it happened… there was someone in this very place who possessed an energy that was the polar opposite of malevolence.
“Clan Head.”
“Yes.”
Rin met my gaze.
“I have subjugated Barcus, and I have also subjugated Belial.”
“…Yes. I am well aware of your heroic deeds, Sir Jung Hae-in.”
Even during my sudden self-PR session, Rin answered politely.
But that wasn’t my intention.
To avoid any misunderstanding, I explained in as much detail as I could.
“What I mean is, I'm quite skilled at exterminating evil and demonic forces.”
“I see.”
“So, um…”
I hesitated for a moment before saying the next words.
What I was about to do was highly likely to cause a misunderstanding, no matter who was watching.
But I didn’t drag it out.
I stood up from my seat and walked toward her.
“Please show me your lower abdomen.”
At my sudden movement and words, Sion and Yoon Chae-ha flinched beside me.
But ironically, the calmest person was the one it concerned: Kisaragi Rin.
“Ah… yes.”
“Right here… you mean.”
Without hesitation, Rin began to lower her skirt, as if ready to accept immediately…
“No, no!”
Horrified, I grabbed Rin's hand.
Her puzzled eyes met mine, a look that clearly asked, ‘Why are you stopping me?’
“That’s not, that’s not what I meant.”
I placed both hands on her shoulders and firmly pressed her back into her seat.
“I might be able to analyze the curse if I make direct contact with it.”
I possessed All-Encompassing Perception.
And I also possessed Shatter Evil, Reveal Justice.
The power to see through the essence of all things, to shatter evil and reveal what is right.
With these powers, I should be able to isolate the malevolent part of the curse and figure out its cause and structure.
“Therefore… the tattoo on your lower abdomen… may I touch it, just once?”
“Ah…”
Rin nodded, finally seeming to understand my intent.
However, her expression wasn’t bright.
“I understand. I have heard much of your skills and abilities, Sir Jung Hae-in, and I am well aware of them, but…”
Rin gave a faint, self-deprecating smile.
“It would be best not to expect too great an outcome…”
She agreed to the proposal but clearly had no expectations.
She seemed to have resigned herself to a fate she'd been taught was inevitable.
“Yes, well then…”
Just show me your lower abdomen.
Without a word, Rin slowly lifted the bottom of her kimono again.
Beneath it, her white skin, her navel, and below that, the small, black kanji tattoo came into view.
“……”
I moved my hand toward the character.
And then.
“…”
The tip of my index finger finally touched Rin’s lower abdomen.
Her skin was warm, but I could feel a chill from the tattoo my finger touched.
Rin leaned her back against me, accepting the movement.
I gently prodded her stomach.
I don’t really… feel anything.
The point of contact was too small for just my fingertip, making it difficult to delve into the curse’s depths.
In the end, I decided to use my entire palm.
I placed my whole palm over her lower abdomen, right on the spot where the curse was engraved.
Thump.
“Ngh…”
The moment my palm made full contact with her bare skin, a short cry escaped Rin’s lips.
And then, I felt it.
I see.
I closed my eyes.
All-Encompassing Perception activated, and my consciousness was instantly sucked into her curse.
A complex, tangled mess of threads… and at its center, her life, flickering faintly.
Just like that, I succeeded in analyzing the curse, finding its source and its weakness.
What felt like a few minutes passed.
“Ah…”
This is it.
Having found a clue, I slowly nodded and brought my consciousness back to reality.
I opened my eyes and my mouth to speak.
“Clan Head, I’ve figured it…?”
I looked down at Rin.
Her face was bright red, buried deep in my chest.
“Ngh… Hnngh…”
She was letting out only intermittent moans.
“?”
Sensing something was off, I lifted my head and looked forward.
But Yoon Chae-ha and Sion, who had been watching with sharp eyes just moments ago, were gone.
What, where did they go?
I asked Rin.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah… I am fine.”
Rin lifted her face from my chest, startled.
“Where did everyone go?”
“Well… it seems you took a very, very long time…”
A long time?
Wasn’t it just a few minutes?
I checked the watch on my wrist.
“……Huh?”
The time on the watch…
was ten hours after I had first entered this room.
I turned my head to check the window.
Night had fallen, and the moon was high in the sky.
“You… you wouldn’t answer when we spoke to you, you just kept… pressing… and pressing… my stomach… and gave no reply, so…”
Rin’s face flushed as she continued in a voice that trailed off.
“I believe… they both just left…”
“W-Wait a minute…”
So I was pressing Rin’s stomach for ten hours?
Without answering when they called me?
For ten hours?
Just… kneading?
“……”
I had a feeling.
That something had gone wrong.
Very, very wrong.