Episode 565. Iris Guild (4)

Inside the Iris Guild. Team Leader Room 1.

In the quiet room, Irene tilted her wine glass, crossing her legs.

As the sweet aroma filled the air, Irene gently closed her eyes.

“Alice… I miss you.”

The sweet wine she loved. Chateau d’Yquem.

It wasn’t Irene’s preferred taste, but drinking it reminded her of the times she spent with Alice.

“It seems like it’ll take a few more days for Alice to return. Should I just take on a task myself?”

The Iris Guild, an information guild created by Isaac, known as the Emperor of the Night.

Alice is the official successor of the Iris Guild.

Just because Isaac lives life carelessly doesn’t mean the guild’s operations are careless, so Alice had to undergo proper procedures as the successor.

As the next Guild Master of the Iris Guild, the most important thing was, naturally, information gathering.

Whenever major world-shaking events occurred, Isaac, as the Guild Master, personally gathered information.

The most recent major event was, of course, Lucifer’s attack on Victoria Academy.

By now, Alice must be traveling around the world with Isaac.

Besides that, most of the Iris Guild members are also investigating the incident of Lucifer’s attack.

Irene, who is officially on vacation with Alice, is probably the most relaxed person in the guild.

“If Father can’t find it anyway, no one else will. Everyone just loves to work hard for nothing.”

Clink-.

Irene toasted herself in the mirror and swallowed the wine.

Before living with Alice, she used to spend time like this by herself, and it wasn’t bad spending time like the old days after so long.

Her reflection in the mirror was still beautiful.

Eyes like red rubies and a face with a sharp yet captivating charm.

It was as if Irene’s existence itself was beauty sublimated into human form.

“I wish I could have a light tea time. Hmm.”

Sip sip-

Irene swallowed the wine, watching her own reflection in the mirror as if it were a TV.

She liked her own beautiful appearance, but it would have been even better if she had spent it with Alice.

A tea set they had used together was visible in one corner of the room.

If only they hadn’t spent time together, perhaps.

Having continued to live with Alice in Korea, her absence now felt immense.

“Today too, Unnie will have to sleep alone and lonely. Alice.”

Irene took out a pillow from somewhere.

Sadly, tonight too, she had no choice but to hug the pillow she used to sleep with.

Does Alice know that Unnie is suffering like this?

“Hic.”

Irene buried her face in Alice’s pillow.

The scent of her beloved dongsaeng was definitely lingering.

“It feels like I could seduce her if I tried just a little…”

What Irene yearned for was a night spent alone with Alice.

Of course, they had already done that sort of thing together, but to share true love, they needed to be intimate when Lee Hoyeon wasn’t around.

An exchange of passionate gazes and touches.

A thin thread formed as their tongues intertwined.

She imagined naturally caressing that beautiful body.

“Mmm…”

Imagining that she could play with that beautiful thing made her body heat up like this.

Irene glanced out the window.

It would be nice to indulge in a moment of ecstasy like this, but the sun was still high in the sky.

It would be better to restrain herself a little.

‘What is Lee Hoyeon up to?’

Irene looked at her smartwatch and moved her lips.

• Lee Hoyeon: Irene-ssi. Please check your message and contact me.

• Lee Hoyeon: Is it that both Alice and Irene-ssi are very busy?

.

.

.

Numerous messages from Lee Hoyeon awaited.

Irene was still contemplating.

Should I reply to this?

Can I reply now that Alice isn’t here?

‘It feels like I’m betraying her somehow….’

Replying might seem like a small thing, but it was quite important to her.

From Alice’s perspective, she might think that after coming back from a tough mission, Unnie was just goofing around with Lee Hoyeon.

“Alice is more delicate than she looks, so I have to handle her carefully.”

The easiest way to have a passionate night with Alice was to get Lee Hoyeon’s help.

But now, Alice also liked Lee Hoyeon.

The situation of receiving that cooperation itself was awkward.

“Am I worrying too much…? I don’t even know when Alice will be back. And Lee Hoyeon is also a client…”

Sigh.

She couldn’t ignore the messages forever.

Her relationship with Lee Hoyeon was important to Irene too.

His background as the world’s greatest mage was important, but he was also the one who made it possible for her to be intimate with Alice.

And… he was incredibly good at it.

“…”

Memories of the nights spent with him flashed by, and Irene’s insides grew hot.

Her body reacted more intensely than when she imagined having a passionate night with Alice.

“A piece of trash, yet uselessly capable of making people… Haa.”

Click-

She locked the door with magic.

The sun was still high, but unconsciously, she slipped her hand between her legs.

She was wet as if after a passionate kiss.

“I don’t understand… Ugh.”

Well, he was a bit handsome.

But still, he was slightly lacking compared to herself and Alice.

So why was her body reacting like this?

After everything that trash had done to her.

“Mmm, uhh-hic…”

Thinking about what Lee Hoyeon had done made her body heat up even more.

She felt a little embarrassed by this state, but the sense of forbiddenness heated her body again.

Just as her voice was about to mix with sweet moans.

Small footsteps could be heard.

Thump- thump-

“Hic-!”

Irene gasped, hunched her shoulders, and slowly withdrew her hand from between her legs.

The small footsteps were getting louder.

Team Leader Room 1 is in a corner of the Iris Guild, so one wouldn’t pass by it unless they were heading somewhere.

Therefore, the footsteps were heading here.

In the blink of an eye, Irene used Clean Magic and tidied her clothes.

Knock knock knock.

“Team Leader 1! I have a report.”

“Yes. You may come in.”

Creeeak-

The guild member who opened the door immediately bowed their head upon seeing Irene sitting in the chair.

“I apologize for disturbing your rest. I have an urgent report, so I ventured to intrude.”

“What is it?”

Judging by the disciplined demeanor, they seemed to be a rookie.

Irene listened to the guild member’s report with her legs crossed.

“You have a visitor, Team Leader 1.”

“A visitor for me? I didn’t have any appointments scheduled today.”

Currently, Irene is officially on vacation.

There’s no way someone would visit without an appointment.

“Yes. It’s not an appointment, but… Your confirmation is needed to verify a top-secret mission.”

“…A top-secret mission?”

The unfamiliar term made Irene frown.

Judging by their expression, they seemed serious, but what on earth could this top-secret mission be?

“Team Leader 3 is in the guild right now. Doesn’t Team Leader 3 know about it?”

“Yes. The visitor said that you, Irene-nim, would know everything…”

“Me?”

‘What kind of bullshit is that.’

The Guild Master and Alice are absent, and the Vice Guild Master, my mother, doesn’t get heavily involved in guild affairs.

I can confidently say that there’s nothing happening within the Iris Guild right now that Irene doesn’t know about.

If there were some top-secret mission only she knew about, Irene wouldn’t be resting like this.

“First of all… Haa. I’ve never received any report about a top-secret mission from the Guild Master. Why are you reporting this to me instead of handling it at the Team Leader 3 level?”

“S-sorry!”

Do I have to let some peddler’s prank disrupt my vacation?

Irene sighed deeply and waved her hand dismissively.

Given the clear dismissal, the guild member repeatedly bowed their head.

“I apologize. It’s just that the famous mage Lee Hoyeon and former guild member Scarlet came looking… I’ll have Team Leader 3 handle this matter.”

“Who? Who did you say the visitors were?”

“Mage Lee Hoyeon and former guild member Scarlet.”

Lee Hoyeon. And Scarlet.

Why were those names coming up here?

Irene quickly ran calculations in her head.

‘I don’t know.’

She didn’t know why, but she knew for sure that she couldn’t let them leave like this.

Irene grabbed the guild member who was about to leave Team Leader Room 1.

“…I remember now.”

“Yes?”

“I remembered the top-secret mission. Bring the two visitors here quietly. Leave the task of keeping the guild members quiet to Team Leader 3.”

“Ah, understood!”

Watching the guild member hurriedly leave Team Leader Room 1, Irene tilted her head.

*

Tap- tap-

Irene placed her coffee cup on the table.

She folded her arms, looking at the man and woman sitting in her room.

“Thank you for the drink. Irene-ssi.”

“The coffee at Iris Guild is still as good as ever.”

Sip sip-

Lee Hoyeon nodded while drinking the warm coffee.

As expected, the coffee at a major guild tastes great.

Then, Irene let out a sigh and continued speaking.

“Don’t you have something to say before you’re enjoying coffee so carefreely?”

“Ah, I apologize for the sudden visit, Irene-ssi.”

“My apologies, Irene Agassi.”

Seeing the two bowing their heads, Irene frowned.

Just barging in without a word.

What on earth do they think the Iris Guild is?

“It’s only because I noticed and brought you here right away. What would you have done if you had been caught? You could have followed the proper procedures. No, if you had contacted me in the first place, I would have let you in immediately.”

“I wanted to do that, but Irene-ssi didn’t answer your calls. Alice wasn’t answering either, so we had no choice.”

“Ah…”

Right. I was just debating whether or not to answer Lee Hoyeon’s messages.

Irene blinked a couple of times and immediately continued.

“There were circumstances for that. Ahem. Still, why did you come in so recklessly? What if the guild members had gotten suspicious? And what’s this about a top-secret mission? You could have just asked to meet me.”

Irene cleared her throat and looked at Scarlet.

Lee Hoyeon wouldn’t have come up with such a plan. It must have been Scarlet’s plan, knowing the Iris Guild well.

“I apologize. We lacked the time to follow the procedures. And the top-secret mission was my mistake. There were points I overlooked due to lack of time.”

“Scarlet. I can understand Lee Hoyeon, but I didn’t know you had such a reckless personality. Besides, how could you just invoke the Guild Master’s name like that? What if the Guild Master had been here?”

“I’m quite the planner myself.”

He tried to interject into the conversation between the two women, but no one was paying attention to Lee Hoyeon.

“I had my reasons too. Since the Guild Master wouldn’t be here at this hour, I thought Hoyeon-nim could somehow sweet-talk Alice Agassi and Irene Agassi.”

“…Seriously. What do you mean ‘sweet-talk’?”

Sweet-talk? It’s not like talking about potatoes.

I didn’t like the way she phrased it.

Anyone would think I just fall head over heels for Lee Hoyeon’s words.

Irene uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips.

“Scarlet. What do you think of me? And didn’t you call me something else last time we met?”

“What are you talking about? Irene Agassi.”

“You have a very interesting personality. I didn’t realize it when you were a guild member.”

“Don’t fight, Scarlet. We came unannounced, so we should apologize.”

“I apologize, Irene Agassi.”

Seeing Scarlet immediately bow her head at Lee Hoyeon’s words somehow made Irene feel worse.

However, it felt like a waste of time to engage in a power struggle here.

Irene let out a faint sigh and looked at Lee Hoyeon.

“Haa. Fine. It’s my fault for continuing this conversation with you two. So, why did you come? If you couldn’t follow the procedures, do you have something urgent to tell me?”

“I’ll explain that.”

Finally, I get to speak.

Lee Hoyeon cleared his throat and began to speak.