Chapter 61: Goddess lives in my house!

‘Will Sihyun like it…? I-It’s a little embarrassing, but for Sihyun, I’d still…!’

The silver-haired girl was wearing a white dress, turning this way and that, admiring herself in the mirror.

The light, flowing lace danced along with her movements.

“Sihyun thinks I’m pretty no matter what I wear, so he’ll like this too. Hehe.”

The Most Beautiful Under Heaven.

Luna, renowned as the most beautiful princess under heaven, wearing a dress and smiling, automatically brought this phrase to mind.

Her current appearance was that enchanting and lovely.

The body of a girl not yet fully matured.

There was still an unripe, unblossomed feeling, yet she was incredibly beautiful.

Even if Sihyun only thought of Luna as a young girl, seeing such a beautiful maiden, he would undoubtedly be captivated instantly.

“Sihyun still sees me as a child… but I’m actually an adult already…! I just haven’t had my coming-of-age ceremony yet, so there’s still a little childishness, but I’m old enough to get married…”

As the royalty of Seleneum are strongly blessed by the moon, they only fully mature into adults after undergoing a coming-of-age ceremony.

The coming-of-age ceremony procedure must be performed in the Hall of the Moon on a full moon night.

Because Luna had not yet undergone her coming-of-age ceremony, she still had a youthful aura, but in Korean age, she was approximately 19 to 20 years old.

In other words, Luna’s current state was that of a “legal loli” (?) straight out of a web novel or anime.

‘Sihyun said he was a lolicon, so maybe he’ll like my current state even more?’

Luna took a bite of the bread Sihyun had bought for her, lost in various thoughts.

—Munch, munch.

“It’s salty and sweet… Hehe, just like Sihyun!”

Even while just eating a single piece of bread, Luna’s heart was completely filled with Sihyun.

The bread he bought for her.

The spacious bed he changed for her.

The pretty and cute clothes he bought for her.

A quick glance around was enough to feel Sihyun’s love for the girl everywhere.

“Haaah… Sihyun… I love you so much.”

How could she surprise Sihyun as soon as he came home?

“Ah! Mom told me something a long time ago.”

Luna recalled the technique her mother had taught her in childhood, planning how to entice Sihyun.

– “Luna, when the man you love returns home from work later, make sure to remember these words and use them.”

– “Welcome home. Would you like to eat first, or bathe? Or, would you like me.first?”

– “And when you greet him, make sure to look up at him slightly with an innocent face, and the effect will be doubled. Hehe, your mom tried it herself, so you can trust it.”

‘Ah, I still don’t quite understand what “me first” means…! But Mom taught me, so it must have some effect…!’

Luna, practicing so much for the man she loved, looked happy to anyone who saw her.

A fluttering dress, worn for the first time; words to tempt a man, spoken for the first time.

‘It’s embarrassing, but… for Sihyun, I can do anything.’

The man who risked his life and walked into a storm for her.

The man who recognized and loved her first, both in her previous life and this one.

“Hehe… Sihyun, Sihyun…! I miss you so much! Please come back quickly!”

—Pat, pat, pat.

Thump!

Luna ran from the entrance to the bed and lay down.

She felt that burying herself in his scent might calm her excited heart a little.

“Sniff, sniff… Sihyun’s scent is nice…”

She was happy.

Waiting for him was no longer difficult for Luna.

Instead, her heart pounded even more.

Because her love for Sihyun grew stronger with every moment she waited.

And now, she could freely express that growing affection.

“He said he’d be done quickly once he got his vacation approved today, so he’ll be here soon, right?”

Luna rolled around on the bed, eagerly waiting for her beloved Sihyun to arrive quickly.

****

Pat, pat.

“Alright, are you a little calmer now?”

“Huuuh… Ugh… S-Sorry, I surprised you by suddenly crying, didn’t I?”

Sihyun slowly stroked the hair of the girl, who was sitting on the floor and whimpering.

Victoria had suddenly burst into loud tears, complaining that he wouldn’t hug her.

Sihyun couldn’t bring himself to leave her behind.

‘But moving while hugging her is absolutely out of the question.

Our beautiful Luna would get upset.’

So he chose the next best option.

‘First, I’ll comfort her here until she stops crying, then contact Elissa and wait until she arrives!’

At first, he worried about what he would do if Victoria didn’t stop crying even after this, but,

“Sniff… T-Thank you for staying by my side anyway…”

“……”

She stopped crying faster than he expected and was even able to converse rationally.

Sihyun calmly wiped away Victoria’s tears.

“It’s nothing.

Did you think I’d just ignore a girl sitting in the middle of the hallway, crying?”

“You said you had something urgent… so I thought you’d just abandon me.”

“There’s still a handover, but it’s not super urgent.

I have time to comfort a little kid, haha!”

“Ugh…! You’re treating me like a child again!”

Victoria, still seated, moved her arms back and forth towards Sihyun as if protesting.

Finding her rather cute in that moment, Sihyun unconsciously stroked her hair once.

—Caress.

The blonde girl seemed startled, but soon accepted his touch without any sign of resistance.

‘Strange man… I thought he’d hold a grudge, suspecting me of being the Phantom without any real evidence… but as soon as I cried, he quietly comforted me by my side…’

Victoria couldn’t help but be slightly surprised by his demeanor, as if he didn’t even remember such trivial matters.

Sihyun was the type of man she had never encountered in her life.

A man who didn’t care how much she teased or criticized him, but immediately drew his sword without hesitation against another guild master the moment his sister was called ugly.

A man who, upon hearing of a 24-hour lockdown, boldly submitted his resignation and asked to be sent home, citing concern for his sister.

A person who cared more for others than himself.

Sihyun’s willingness to confront anyone—be it another guild master or his own superior—for the sake of his loved ones stirred a strange, fluttering emotion within Victoria’s chest.

‘If I had someone like him by my side… would I have been able to accept this changed version of myself a little… differently…?’

Her cursed body.

A body that grew slightly younger and weaker the more she used her power and the more time passed.

Victoria’s curse was the result of sacrificing herself to a ghost story in order to protect many people.

‘No one but Elissa… has ever come close to my cursed self, and you must have seen my records as Eden’s Master… so how can you be by my side without hesitation…?’

The man who was comforting her with a very carefree smile.

He truly looked as if nothing was bothering him.

Victoria stared intently at his face and murmured softly.

“Strange person…”

“Huh, what did you say?”

“Ah, nothing! Ahem!”

“How boring.

Oh, and I just contacted Elissa, and she said she’s coming this way soon.

She’ll arrive if you wait a little.

And you, make sure to carry your phone from now on.

The Dawnlight Guild is wider than you think, so outsiders might get lost.”

While Sihyun was telling Victoria various things,

—Thud-thud-thud!

“O-Older sisterrr!! How did you get all the way here by yourself! Seriously, do you know how long I’ve been looking for you…!”

Elissa ran up from the end of the hallway, panting.

“Haa… Mr. Sihyun, thank you so much.

For looking after my sister until I arrived.”

“I just stayed by her side, that’s all.

Since Ms. Elissa is here now, I’ll be going.”

“Eh? You’re leaving right away?

I wanted to treat you to a meal as thanks.”

“If I stay with a woman for too long, her scent will rub off… no, it’s not that, it’s just that my vacation starts this afternoon, so I want to finish work quickly and go to my sister.

Haha.”

Sihyun chuckled slyly, waved goodbye to Victoria and Elissa, and left.

Victoria, held in Elissa’s arms, stared intently until Sihyun’s retreating figure disappeared.

“Older sister, you used to growl like you were going to devour Mr. Sihyun whenever you saw him, but you’re so well-behaved today?”

“W-When did I ever do that…! And I have some decency; I wouldn’t growl at a man who took care of me.”

“I’m quite proud that my nagging finally got through to you.

Hehe.”

Elissa slightly adjusted the girl’s posture in her arms.

‘Oh… that’s strange?

Usually, when I hug my older sister like this, she fits perfectly in my arms, but now it feels like she’s a little too big for them… It must be my imagination, right?’

“Elissa, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.

Come on, let’s go, Older Sister.

We’ll be late for the meeting.”

It was only after a little more time had passed that Elissa noticed the change in Victoria’s body.

****

“The handover is done, and I bought 16 of Luna’s favorite salt breads, all different kinds, so let’s hurry home.”

I was humming a tune as I made my way home.

Vacation approved!

Handover complete!

Everything was completed so smoothly and perfectly!

‘Haha, for the next 30 days, I definitely won’t get any work-related calls from the guild, right?’

It truly felt like everything was going well for the first time in a long while.

Although there was a very brief incident with Victoria at the guild, there was no special physical contact.

“And just in case Luna might say she smells another woman again, I even washed my clothes until they were perfectly clean while I showered!!”

This means there’s no chance of Luna interrogating me about smelling another woman!

“Hahahaha… Call me Mr. Perfect today…!”

While admiring my perfect plan, I had unknowingly arrived at my front door.

‘As soon as I go in, I’ll hug Luna tightly and stroke her.’

However, this plan of mine was tragically thwarted the moment I opened the door.

Because!

“Ah…! S-Sihyun! Welcome home…! Would you like to eat first, or bathe? Or, would you like me, me first… Hehe.”

Because the moment I saw the incredibly beautiful Moon Goddess, I had a nosebleed and momentarily lost consciousness.

‘Woah, Luna is seriously effing gorgeoussssss—’