Chapter 519: The Aftermath
Chapter 519: The Aftermath
“Ughhh...”
It hurts.
My back, buried in the soft bed, was throbbing. And I felt a heavy, sharp pain around my solar plexus.
Did I pass out? But this is strange. If I’d woken up after being knocked out by Sara’s attack, I shouldn’t be feeling this kind of intense pain.
Then is this a dream? Yes. That must be it.
Even if this is a dream, the fact that I was knocked out by Sara’s attack doesn’t change, but at least a dream would explain this excruciating pain.
“Are you awake?”
Just as I was calmly assessing the situation, I heard Diana’s voice from beside me.
Probably with a very worried look on her face... Hey. Why are you looking at me like I deserved it? Show some concern.
“Nope. It must be a dream after all.”
“What sort of sleep-talking is this, the moment you wake up? Hmph.”
“Gyaaaah!”
When Diana gave my solar plexus a light tap, another jolt of intense pain shot through the area.
No way! Diana’s attack actually hurts! This has to be a dream!
“Stop being so dramatic and get up.”
“Hah... Hah... D-Diana. If this isn't a dream, then what in the world happened?”
“Don't you remember? You asked Sara to secretly follow you on your date with Rachel from a distance, and she hit you and knocked you out.”
It seemed the part about Sara hitting me and knocking me out was true, at least.
But even so, this intense pain was strange.
“Where's Leia? There's no way our angel would just leave me in this state.”
Right. Normally, no matter what happened, Leia would heal me in the end.
For this much pain to still be lingering in my body was simply impossible.
“She went to the bathroom to practice swimming.”
“Without even healing me?”
“Leia seemed like she was going to, but when Sara told her absolutely not to, she gave up right away. I suppose even Leia sympathized with Sara's actions.”
...Damn it. That Sara.
No. I mean, I was the one in the wrong, but still.
“Is Sara really mad?”
“Of course she is. Honestly, you're quite shameless. How could you even think of making such a request? Even I or Leia would have been angry, not just Sara.”
“No, I know, but it's not like I can just cancel the promise now... Ugh. What should I do? Right. Diana. How about you make that dagger glow even when it's super far away from me...”
“It's not impossible, but that would defeat the purpose. Sara isn't calmed by the dagger glowing; she's calmed by the fact that you are nearby.”
“Yeah... I guess you're right. I was just saying. Besides, you're probably busy with other things anyway...”
“Hm? Busy? Me? I don't have any particular plans.”
As I muttered that, Diana tilted her head as if she didn't know what I was talking about.
What is she talking about? I definitely gave it to her this morning, putting it in her spatial pouch.
“What do you mean? The modifications to the magic recording orb...” “Hah!”
“Gyaaaaaah! It hurts! It hurts!”
This girl. She saw how much my solar plexus hurt before, and she hit it again!?
“Hmph. Hmph. A good reaction.”
As if she'd been unexpectedly bothered by the fact that her pat-pat attacks had never worked on me before, Diana stroked my solar plexus with a satisfied look on her face.
“Don't press it, okay? Don't press it again.”
“I'll decide based on how you behave.”
“If you're going to hit me, at least hit above or below it.”
“Like this?”
As I said that, Diana clenched both her little fists and started patting my chest.
Yes. This is it. These are the pats. This is the Diana I know.
“Hah.”
Just as I was smiling contentedly while getting a chest massage, Diana suddenly pressed my solar plexus again in a surprise attack.
“Ugh-daaaah! Y-you let my guard down and then did this... I didn't even do anything this time.”
“Hm. My apologies. Seeing you smile so contentedly while being hit, I thought you were asking for more.”
This little pipsqueak... Don't tell such obvious lies...
Whatever. Anyway, right now, I need to somehow get Sara's cooperation and, while I'm at it, get healed by Leia.
No. It doesn't have to be Leia; Matilda would be fine too.
And if things go well with Sara, I'll need to have a talk with Matilda, too.
To do that, there's only one place I need to go right now.
“Haaah. Anyway, I should... not go to the bathroom, right?”
“You ask the obvious.”
It seems that for the same reason as yesterday, I'm forbidden from entering the bathroom.
Tch. But I can't get anything done then.
“Give it up. Isn't it almost dinnertime anyway?”
“What?! Already?!”
Hearing Diana, I hurriedly checked the time in the corner of my vision, and sure enough, it was already evening.
Come to think of it, the sky visible beyond the window was stained red.
Damn it. Just how long was I out? And the fact that I'm still throbbing like this... That Sara must have been so angry she didn't control her strength and hit me for real. In that case, I'll use this to my advantage.
With the date being tomorrow, this was no time to be picky about my methods.
I immediately got out of bed and started walking.
“Wait a moment! Where do you think you're going?”
“You know where. The bathroom, of course.”
“Did you not hear what I just said?”
When I answered shamelessly, Diana made a small fist, extended only her index finger, and held it up threateningly.
To think the day would come when I, of all people, would be intimidated by a single one of Diana's fingers.
“Diana. There are some battles a man just can't back down from.”
“Is that so? Then try and get past me.”
I said solemnly to Diana, firmly guarding my solar plexus with my hand.
And so, for several minutes, I, clutching my solar plexus, and Diana, holding her index finger before her face like a fencer, stood in a silent standoff.
Diana was the first to move.
“Hyaaaah!”
As if the finger she'd been holding up was just for show, Diana spread her arms, came toward me, and suddenly hugged my waist.
Huh? What is she trying to do? Is she trying to kill me with a heart attack by weaponizing her cuteness?
Tch. If so, it's a success. She's unbelievably cute!
But even so, I must go on!
I forced strength into my knees, which were threatening to give way, and began to move forward with Diana still clinging to my waist.
“Pok!”
“Guuhk!”
But that didn't last long.
Diana had straightened her finger and poked me right in the back.
Kugh. Damn it. I was so focused on my solar plexus that I'd momentarily forgotten my back was throbbing, too.
A true strategist. To exploit a person's opening like that.
From the unexpected pain, the strength left my legs and I collapsed toward the floor...
“Whoooa!”
I was about to fall, but of all things, I ended up falling forward—in the direction Diana was hugging me.
At this rate, Diana would be crushed. If she got pinned under a big guy like me, our cute Diana wouldn't even leave any bones behind... I can't let that happen.
Even if she was the one who attacked me.
Kugh. Why am I so kind?
In the middle of falling, I twisted my waist with all my might to change my direction.
So that I would land on my back.
Thud!
“Gyaaaaaah!”
Landing on my already throbbing back, the resulting agony was truly beyond imagination.
On top of that, Diana had fallen with me, adding her weight to the impact.
No, of course, our Diana is as light as a feather, but even so, she isn't completely weightless.
“A-are you alright?!”
It seemed even Diana hadn't expected this, because as I writhed in pain, she quickly got off me and checked my complexion, her face pale.
“What's all this commotion... Guwooon?!” “Kyaa! Guwon-ssi!”
And then, as if she'd finished her swimming practice and come to check on me, the door opened at the perfect time, revealing Sara.
Seeing me rolling on the floor, Sara approached as if she'd teleported, her eyes welling up with tears as she cried out.
Leia, who entered right after her, also turned pale at the sight of me rolling on the floor and rushed over.
Seeing her intense reaction, it seemed Sara thought I was still in so much pain from the aftereffects of her hitting me earlier.
Of course, it wasn't a completely baseless assumption, but it wasn't what she was thinking, either.
But a rare opportunity like this had presented itself. I couldn't just let it go.
“No, it's not like that...”
“Kugh... It's okay, Sara. It's my fault for making such a stupid request. It's only natural that I endure this much pain.”
“...”
Diana tried to explain the situation, but I quickly cut her off and spoke in a tragic voice.
Diana was shooting me a fierce "What do you think you're doing?" glare from the side, but I ignored it.
“You idiot! What do you mean, it's okay?! Leia!”
“Y-yes! Guwon-ssi! Let me heal you...!”
Leia hurriedly enveloped her hands in light and tried to heal me, but I grabbed her wrist to stop her.
“No! Stop! I won't be healed! It's my fault for asking something so foolish of Sara! I will live with this pain for the rest of my life!”
“Idiot! Why are you being so stubborn at a time like this!”
As I maintained my tragic tone, Sara shouted reproachfully.
But even so, perhaps because she couldn't bring herself to shake my writhing body, the hand gripping my arm remained perfectly still.
I was honestly worried about whether this would work on her, but she's really playing along with the mood.
Does that mean my acting skills are just that good? Well, the pain isn't an act, at least.
“This is my atonement! I don't think this will atone for everything, but still, I...!”
“You idiot! I'm not mad anymore!”
“You're lying! But Sara, my request...!”
“Fine! I'll do it! I'll follow you, so just get healed already!”
“Ah, really? Angel-nim. Right away, please. Pat-pat me better. Whoa. I thought I was going to die from the pain.”
The moment I heard Sara's permission, I immediately sat up and presented my back to Leia.
“Sara is surprisingly susceptible to simple tricks.”
Watching this, Diana, who had been observing our melodrama from a distance, quietly muttered a sentiment similar to what I had been thinking earlier.
“Guwon-ssi. That was mean.”
Leia said that, but she still began to stroke my back, intending to heal me.
Haaah... The pain is finally fading. As expected, our angel's touch is the best.
“This is what you call love. Love. Sara just likes me too much.”
“...Hey. Guwon.”
As I spoke proudly while feeling the touch on my back, Sara's expression hardened, and she called my name.
“Calling your oppa 'hey'... Um. Sara-nim? The pain wasn't an exaggeration, you know. Please calm down. L-Leia? Say something. Ack!”
“Haaah. It's because you're teasing her so much, Guwon-ssi. Sara-ssi, look at this wound.”
Leia gave my back a light smack, then lifted my clothes and showed my back to Sara.
“Ugh... S-sorry...”
Of course, I couldn't see it at all, but my back was probably covered in countless handprint-shaped bruises.
Seeing it, Sara seemed to lose any will to be angry anymore.
No, in fact, she seemed to feel guilty, sniffling slightly as she bowed her head and apologized to me.
“No, it's fine. I was the one who did something to deserve it in the first place.”
Honestly, I felt lucky that it ended with just getting hit.
Besides, thanks to that, I achieved my goal.
She won't take back her promise to follow me, will she?
It's a promise, right? You're going to help me with my date with Rachel-nunim tomorrow, right?
And so, I was finally able to end the long day.
It was a really long day. To think I'd feel it was long when I spent most of it unconscious.
Still, I managed to achieve my goal one way or another, so I guess I should call it a success?
All that's left now is to safely get through my date with Rachel-nunim tomorrow and confess, and to have a private talk with Matilda later.