Chapter 177: Revenge
Chapter 177: Revenge
The moment they returned to the mansion, Sara clung to Guwon.
“Guwon. Are you busy right now?”
“Hm? Why?”
“Just… If you’re not busy, I wanted to be with you.”
Her words were so direct, a complete departure from the Sara of yesterday, that Diana and Leia, who were listening nearby, flinched.
“Um… In that case, could you wait in my room for a bit? I need to talk to someone from the Mage Association about Kate first. I’ll be right there when I’m done. I have something to talk to you about, too.”
“Something to talk about?”
“Ah, yeah. Something like that. Anyway, I’ll be back.”
Aside from Diana, all the mages belonged to their own respective schools of magic.
He had heard that Kate belonged to the Ignis school, which specialized in fire magic.
Guwon went to find the head of the Ignis school.
“Excuse me. May I have a word with you?”
“Hm? This is unusual. What brings you to me?”
Though they lived in the same mansion, Guwon and the members of the Mage Association had hardly ever spoken. At most, they would exchange greetings when they passed each other.
The mages’ attention was almost always directed at Diana, and even when she wasn't around, they seemed to subtly avoid Guwon. It was enough to make him wonder if Diana had warned them not to get involved with him, just as she had with Vanessa.
Guwon didn't have any particular business with them either, so he had just let it be.
That was why they had almost never had a conversation like this.
“Actually, I have a favor to ask.”
“Hm? A favor?”
“A mage who you could call a friend of mine will likely be staying at the mansion. If that happens, she’ll probably be spending more time with you all than with us, since we’re always in and out of the dungeon, right? Plus, she’s a fellow mage from the Ignis school, so I was hoping you’d get along well with her.”
“I see. So you’re asking me to make sure this person who’s parachuting into Lady Telluna’s mansion doesn’t get bullied?”
The man was old enough and experienced enough to read between the lines.
As expected, when it wasn't about Diana, he showed an attitude befitting his age and position.
“And if possible, maybe teach her some magic…”
“That sounds like you’re asking me to take her on as a disciple, doesn’t it? I’m sorry, but I’m a firm believer in meritocracy. I can’t just take in some unknown…”
“I promise that, unless something special comes up, we won’t stay in the dungeon for more than a week at a time from now on.”
“Well, I suppose I can at least assess her skills.”
But when it came to Diana, he became like this.
It seemed he really disliked how long Diana was gone whenever she went into the dungeon.
Having successfully struck a satisfying deal with the head of the Ignis school, Guwon went to find Vanessa.
“So, that’s the deal. When a girl named Kate arrives, please give her a room.”
“…Has Lady Diana given her permission?”
“This is my clan house, so I can do as I please… No, sorry. I’ve already spoken to Diana about it.”
Guwon tried to bluff, but he gave up immediately upon seeing Vanessa’s sharp gaze.
It wasn’t because he thought he’d lose to her in a fight.
He was just respecting Vanessa’s loyalty and letting her have this one. Because I’m a nice guy.
“If Lady Diana has given her permission… Understood.”
With all the arrangements for Kate taken care of, Guwon entered his room.
Sara, who had been rolling around on the bed, shot up with a start the moment Guwon walked in.
“G-Guwon. You’re back? Did your talk go well?”
“…What were you doing in here?”
“Wh-What? I wasn’t doing anything.”
The way she averted her eyes and feigned ignorance was incredibly suspicious, but he decided to let it slide this time.
There was something more important to talk about right now.
“Sara. We need to talk. Sit down over there.”
“Wh-What is it? Why are you getting all serious all of a sudden?”
Though puzzled, Sara obediently sat on the bed.
“You’re… a Hero, aren’t you?”
Guwon finally asked her the question.
Until now, he had kept quiet, thinking she would eventually reveal it herself. But now that he knew her goal wasn’t to defeat the Demon King, he needed to confirm it.
“H-How did you know?”
“I haven’t told you until now, but I actually have the ability to see other people’s levels and jobs.”
“What?! Then from the moment we first met…”
“No. Back then, my ability wasn’t fully developed, so I could only see your level. I found out about your job much later. Anyway, you are a Hero, right?”
“Y-Yeah… I’m sorry. I kept meaning to tell you, but once I missed the timing, I never found another chance.”
“No. It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. But there’s something I’m curious about.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Why on earth are you a Hero?”
“Huh? Wh-What do you mean?”
“I mean, why are you a Hero?”
“What do you mean, ‘why am I a Hero?’… What are you talking about?”
“The whole point of a Hero is usually to defeat the Demon King! But they say there’s no Demon King in this world! So what the hell is a Hero even for?!”
“H-How should I know if you ask me! Why are you getting so worked up all of a sudden?”
“Ever since I found out you were a Hero, I’ve been working so hard to prepare for the Demon King subjugation…”
“What?!”
At Guwon’s words, Sara stared at him with a look of utter disbelief.
Then, her eyes narrowed, and as if she couldn’t hold it in any longer, she burst out laughing.
“Ahahaha! What’s that? You’ve been under that impression this whole time? That’s adorable!”
“D-Don’t call a guy adorable! Besides, if you weren’t going to do something like defeat a Demon King, why did you hide the fact that you’re a Hero?!”
“Because… that’s what my grandfather said. It seems my father got into some kind of trouble because of people trying to use the Hero. B-But I really was going to tell you, Guwon! It’s just that revealing it so late was a little embarrassing…”
“…I see. So there really is no Demon King…”
“Pfft!”
“Stop laughing!”
“O-Okay. I… I won’t… laugh.”
Hey. Is it really that funny to think there might be a Demon King in a world where Heroes exist?
Her face beet red and her body trembling, Sara barely managed to suppress her laughter.
“Phew. Phew. So, is that all you wanted to talk about?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s go out together.”
“Huh? Where?”
“Just… here and there. It’s the first day we’ve officially confirmed our feelings for each other, right? I want to go on a date with you, Guwon. …You don’t want to?”
“Of course I do! Let’s go right now!”
Seeing a candid side of Sara he had never witnessed before, Guwon didn’t hesitate for a second, taking her hand and heading outside.
They wandered through the town together, looking at this and that, and eating anything that looked delicious, enjoying a normal date.
As if her cool demeanor until now had been nothing but a mask, Sara enjoyed her date with Guwon, a happy smile on her face.
The informal speech, that smile… it was amazing how a person could change so suddenly.
Perhaps now that she had set down the burden of avenging her grandfather, the real Sara was finally emerging.
Maybe Sara’s true self wasn’t the cool, guarded person who was wary of others, but this person who knew how to smile so brightly.
The sight of Sara smiling so radiantly was so beautiful it was dazzling, almost too much for Guwon to look at directly.
Even Guwon, who had been with her all this time, felt this way. It was only natural that other men’s eyes were drawn to her as well.
And when Guwon and Sara were browsing in an accessory shop, one courageous man appeared.
The man, a clerk at the shop, began praising Sara’s beauty and recommending various accessories.
Of course, it didn’t seem like he was trying to hit on her. It felt more like he just wanted to talk to her once because she was so beautiful.
Watching this, Guwon was filled with a sense of superiority.
See that? That’s my woman.
And as for Sara…
“I don’t need it.”
“But miss. For someone like you…”
“Hey. Didn’t you hear me? I said I don’t need it. Stop bothering me and go pay attention to other customers, will you?”
“…Y-Yes. I-I’m sorry.”
It seemed she was annoyed that their private time was being interrupted. Sara was always particularly cool toward other men, but this time, she went beyond cool and chased the clerk away with a murderous glare.
Seeing the woman who had been beaming at Guwon just moments before now staring at him with cold eyes as if he were filth, the clerk retreated, looking like he was about to cry.
“Guwon. How about this one?”
Then, Sara turned back to Guwon, smiled brightly, and picked up a hairpin.
“S-Scary…”
“Hm? What is? This?”
Sara tilted her head, looking at the hairpin.
No. Not the hairpin, you. You’re the scary one.
It seemed that even though her attitude toward him had changed, Sara was still Sara.
What was I thinking, that her bright smile was her true self? Her default is cool, and she’s only special in front of me.
Well, not that I’m complaining.
While looking at accessories with Sara, one item caught Guwon’s eye.
It was nothing special, just an ordinary-looking pearl necklace.
But it wasn’t the necklace’s appearance that caught his attention.
Well, in a way it was, but the reason it caught his eye was more functional.
“Sara. Wait here a second. I’m going to ask the clerk something.”
“Hm? What?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll be right back.”
Guwon approached a clerk inside the shop and asked if it was possible to custom-order an accessory in a design he had in mind.
“Huh? Of course it’s possible, but what on earth would you use something like that for…”
“You don’t need to know that. Anyway, it’s possible, right? Then please make it like that. Instead of making it look pretty, please make it as sturdy as possible. How long will it take?”
“The changes you’re asking for are simple, so it won’t take very long. It should be possible in about 30 minutes. Shall I have it made for you?”
“Yes. Please.”
“Alright. I’ll let you know when it’s finished.”
Guwon commissioned the accessory from the clerk and returned to Sara with a satisfied smile.
“Get lost.”
“Hiiiek!”
It seemed there had been another victim in the short time he was away.
“Oh, Guwon, you’re back? What were you talking about?”
“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing.”
Even as he said that, Guwon could feel the corners of his own mouth curl into a smirk.
“…For some reason, your smile looks sly.”
…You’re really sharp.
“R-Really? Maybe it’s because you’re so pretty?”
“Hmph. Idiot.”
Sara said, lightly tapping Guwon’s chest as if embarrassed.
Ugh. An attack that struck deep.
It was a sophisticated technique, a combination of a physical and mental attack.
See that? This girl is my girlfriend! Aren’t you jealous?!
Needless to say, the mental attack was effective, but the physical one landed quite a blow as well.
…My chest physically reverberated, too.
Just as a Saint receives buffs for all sexual acts, maybe the Hero job gets buffs for all combat-related actions? For such a light attack to shake my defenses…
It seemed a sturdy body was a basic requirement for dating Sara.
After secretly buying the specially ordered item and a few other accessories from the shop, they left.
They wandered the town a little longer before returning to the mansion just as it was nearing three o’clock.
Why did they come back so early when there was still plenty of time?
Because Sara and I were in complete agreement.
“It’s the first day we’ve started dating. That thing this morning was just too half-assed.”
“Hmph. Pervert.”
“What?! You agreed to come back this early too! If I’m a pervert, then so are you!”
With that, Guwon threw Sara onto the bed and began to strip her clothes off.
“Kyaaah! I’m being attacked by a pervert!”
Even as she shouted, her voice sounded delighted, and she twisted her body just so, making it easier for Guwon to undress her.
Sara. You sly little minx.