The Popular Daughter and Den's Crushing Defeat
I finished cleaning up the hall after Mari and her mom headed upstairs, then made my way to my room on the second floor. There, under the corridor lantern, stood the auntie, looking like she'd been waiting for me. Her anxious expression brought a smile to my face as I approached.
"Hey, sis, waiting for me?"
The pet name we'd used when we were tangled up hot and heavy. As my gaze lingered on her red lips—a subtle signal—she flinched and shook her head.
"N-no, Sian... um..."
"You were so bold at the counter earlier, but now you're getting shy at night."
I stepped closer, wrapping my arm around her waist. But instead of a heated response, she gently pushed against my chest with a troubled look.
"Sian, Mari's back now. So... we should stop this."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"Yeah. Seeing her cling to you earlier snapped me out of it. I'm her mom. So... we really can't anymore."
It seemed like realizing Mari had feelings for me had reignited her maternal instincts, acting as a catalyst to bring her reason back.
"Good night, Sian."
She drew a firm line and turned, disappearing into her room.
She's completely shut down. Is it really over with the auntie?
Mari's return had clearly reattached the chains of motherhood. But I didn't agree with Ria's take.
Nah, I don't think so.
Pleasure once tasted doesn't fade that easily. I ended the day pondering how to erode the auntie's iron walls.
*
Knock knock—.
A cheerful knock woke me early in the morning. Opening the door revealed Mari, beaming ear to ear. Her brown hair—same shade as her mom's—tied neatly in a ponytail suited her perfectly.
"Oppa! You're up? Let's tour the village today!"
Caught up in her enthusiasm, I agreed and we stepped out of the inn. Outside, she immediately hooked her arm through mine, dragging me along like she'd been waiting for this moment.
As we wandered the village, a burly guy approached from afar, heading straight for Mari.
"Mari! You were gone a good long while this time."
He greeted her warmly, then eyed me standing beside her with clear displeasure. Jealousy dripped from his gaze—he was obviously into her.
"Who's this guy next to you? Never seen him before."
Mari squeezed my arm tighter and declared proudly,
"Den, you don't know Sian oppa? He's the one who saved our village five years ago!"
"......What?! Oh, right! That mercenary!"
Den's face twisted in shock, his shoulders visibly shrinking.
"H-hi... Uh, Mari, we'll hit the inn tonight with the guys."
He bolted like he was fleeing. I glanced at Mari.
"Local friend?"
"Yeah. Son of the guy who runs that ranch over there. Biggest one in the village."
"Huh. Built like a tank—I figured he was an aspiring adventurer."
Mari burst out laughing and shook her head.
"Pfft, him? Nah. Den's strong, sure, but he's such a scaredy-cat—he'd never make it as an adventurer."
We left Den behind and followed a trail up the hill behind the village. At the top, the whole village sprawled out below us.
"Oppa, remember this spot?"
"Of course."
Five years ago, we'd watched the village burn from right here. Mari had clung to my clothes back then, sobbing her eyes out. The trembling of her shoulders as I patted them and dashed toward the village still felt vivid in the air.
"You were bawling with snot running down your face."
"Ugh, way to ruin the moment when I'm getting sentimental. I was really scared back then."
She pouted, but soon turned her gaze to the village, her voice turning serious.
"Truth is, I became an adventurer because of you, oppa. Watching you save the village that day... I thought, I wanna be strong like you, someone who can protect the people I care about."
Her deeper confession caught me off guard for a moment. To think that little kid from five years ago had made such a resolve because of me.
"I see. D-rank, right? Must've been tough climbing ranks at your age. Good job."
Feeling proud, I ruffled her hair. It was silky smooth, nice to the touch.
"Mmm..."
Mari nuzzled into my hand like a cat, eyes half-closed, cheeks flushing as she savored it. Adorably cute.
The daughter's already a tamed kitten.
*
Back at the inn with Mari, sunset had fallen and it was time for evening business. Ting-a-ling! The door swung open, and village youths gathered one by one, eager to see the returned Mari. Den, the big guy, was at the center. Spotting her, his lips curled to his ears—until he saw me beside her, making his eyebrows twitch.
"Mari! Beers and snacks over here!"
"Got it. Oppa, be right back."
She served Den's group, then glued herself right back to my side, chattering away while clinging to my arm. With every word, Den's brow furrowed deeper from his seat in the middle of the hall.
"Hey, Den. Aren't you supposed to be the toughest guy in the village? Go knock that mercenary off his perch next to Mari."
"Yeah! How long you gonna just watch?"
Prodded by his friends, Den's jealousy hit its limit. He stood, strode over, and slammed the table with a bang.
"Hey, I'm the strongest in this village. How about an arm-wrestle?"
Mari jumped in surprise and snapped at him.
"Den, what the hell? Oppa's here to rest. What if he gets hurt messing around with arm-wrestling?!"
Her frantic protectiveness was sweet, but things were veering off in a weird direction. Stunned by her scolding, Den's shoulders shook, but his glare stayed fixed on me. No—his eyes burned fiercer now, a mix of inferiority and venom.
Maybe he felt humiliated in front of his crush. He was dead set on settling it with arm-wrestling.
Country bumpkin thinks he's hot shit 'cause the locals hype his strength. Doesn't know his place.
I stood without a word. Then, with one hand, I casually lifted a heavy oak table and dropped it in the center of the hall with a thud.
"Ooooh!!"
"Den vs. the mercenary in arm-wrestling?!"
The inn heated up instantly. Onlookers swarmed the table.
"Yo, let's bet on the winner!"
Local adventurers and kids tossed 20 copper, 30 copper coins excitedly. A jingling pile built up fast on the table.
I rolled up my sleeve and planted my elbow. Den huffed, sat opposite, and gripped my hand. I felt the tension in his callused, rough palm.
Then, in a whisper too quiet for the crowd, he murmured,
"If I win, stay away from Mari."
I snorted, staring him down.
"Know your place, kid."
His face flushed beet red at my taunt. I felt his grip tighten.
"Go!"
His friend as referee dropped his hand.
"Grrraaah—!"
Den roared, throwing his full body weight into it. The table creaked; his forearm muscles bulged like they might burst. Our arms didn't budge, so the crowd cheered, thinking it was a deadlock.
"Whoa! Merc uncle's holding strong!"
"Push harder, Den!"
But reality was different. I was just matching his strength to gauge it, holding steady effortlessly.
I eyed him coolly. Den was already at his limit—face crimson, sweat beading, ragged breaths leaking through gritted teeth. He strained to budge me, but my arm was an immovable boulder.
"Urgh...! Haa, grraaaah!"
He squeezed out his last reserves.
"Good effort."
With those short words, I gave a light squeeze and slammed his hand down.
CRASH!!!
The oak table shook like it might split. Den's arm, crushed in my grip, smashed into it. He gawked blankly at his reddened arm and me, mouth agape in disbelief.
The rowdy hall fell deathly silent, like ice water had been dumped.
"......"
"......He just slammed him, right?"
A dazed mutter sparked it—an explosion of shock and cheers filled the room.
Den clutched his twisted wrist, staring at the table in a stupor. Tough pill for a village tough guy.
"Th-this doesn't count!"
Den kicked back his chair, shrieking. His face burned with shame and rage.
"You used mana or some weird potion! How's some no-name merc beating my strength so easy? Cheat!"
I scoffed, about to retort—
"Den. Enough."
Mari, stuck to my side, stepped forward. Gone was her usual bubbly smile; her face held the sharp, seasoned edge of an adventurer.
"M-Mari! Hear me out! That guy's definitely up to something...!"
"Den."
Her icy tone froze him.
"Oppa saved our village five years ago, throwing himself into danger. You provoke someone like that first, lose, and now slander him? Cowardly."
"B-but I just..."
"Everyone knows you're strong. Lose fair, admit it clean. Pulling this crap? Can't stand it."
She crossed her arms, glaring daggers, driving the nail in.
"Don't insult oppa in front of me again. One more stunt like this, and I won't hold back."
Her cold, firm strike hurt him a hundred, a thousand times worse than my physical win. His shoulders slumped utterly defeated.
"......Sorry."
He mumbled mosquito-like, then spun and bolted out the door, face like he might cry.
"H-hey! Den! Wait up!"
"We'll apologize for him! Sorry!"
His awkward friends scrambled after.
Shouldn't I give Mari a kiss for handling that so well?
I looked down at her. She'd been growling fiercely moments ago, but now melted back, latching onto my arm with a smile.
"Sigh, oppa, sorry. He's not usually like that—extra stubborn today."
I stroked her head and glanced at the auntie behind the counter. Our eyes met—she'd been staring intently. She whipped her head away in a fluster.
But in that instant, I caught it. The complex, subtle glint in her eyes.
Over? What over...