Ch.6021. In the Studio Apartment (2)

Seong Arin came to Minsu’s place after work today as well.

The familiar studio apartment where she had spent the last two nights alone. On the first day, it was filled with Minsu’s scent, but now, after a few days, his fragrance seemed to be fading.

“Today… he should come back…”

Thwack- Thwack- Tap-tap-tap-

Arin diligently sliced radishes with the kitchen knife in her hand. Since men living alone rarely eat vegetable side dishes, she planned to prepare some basic banchan for him when he returned from his business trip.

“He definitely said… it was a one-night, two-day trip…”

But Minsu hadn’t returned to his apartment yesterday evening. This business trip was one he took with Yuri Tarkovskaya, the guild leader of Flame.

As Ains’s junior and a fellow student council member, Arin knew everything about Yuri and Minsu’s relationship.

And she also knew that the guild leader she served under still had feelings for Minsu.

‘I hope nothing happened between them. No. Nothing should have happened.’

So the fact that just the two of them went to Mount Seorak together was naturally concerning for Arin, who also liked—no, loved—Minsu.

But despite her mind being filled with thoughts of Minsu, Arin’s knife skills were very proficient.

From her long life at the orphanage, the perceptive Arin had helped the nuns with their work since she was young. Naturally, she had been in charge of cooking from an early age.

Now, having left the orphanage quite some time ago, she lived with her older sister. But her sister, famous as a genius scholar, was hopelessly inept at daily living.

So Arin’s cooking skills were improving day by day. Or rather, they were improving more as she prepared food and side dishes for Minsu like this, rather than for her sister.

‘Senior… I miss you.’

Even though it had only been two days since she’d seen him, she felt like she was going crazy. His face wouldn’t leave her mind.

Minsu probably thought she had started liking him after enrolling at Ains, but that wasn’t the case.

The year before she entered Ains, Minsu had stopped a villain’s terrorist attack in the city. Arin had been there too, and without him, she would certainly have died.

Of course, Minsu had quietly disappeared, not wanting his heroic deed to be publicized, so it never made the news.

But Arin couldn’t forget the Ains Academy badge and Minsu’s face she had seen that day.

And when she saw Minsu again after enrolling at Ains, Arin fell in love with him. It wasn’t just attraction; it was certainty.

So to get closer to Minsu, she always hovered around him even for trivial matters.

Since she was already acquainted with Brother Siwoo and Sister Mina who were attending Ains, and they were friends with Minsu too.

But Sister Mina always worried about her. Brother Siwoo seemed completely oblivious, though.

‘Yuri Tarkovskaya…’

Sister Mina had already noticed that Minsu had feelings for Yuri Tarkovskaya.

But it didn’t matter to Arin.

‘I thought just having a one-sided love was enough. Back then.’

Those happy days when she was content just having a crush on Minsu, spending time with Brother Siwoo and Sister Mina who were like family to her, collapsed all at once.

The tragedy of Ains. Through that incident, Arin lost two family members.

And Minsu, whom she had a crush on.

Lee Minsu, the most brilliant cadet in the renowned 19th class of Ains, fell into a critical condition after saving the other cadets.

Now, having miraculously recovered and completed rehabilitation, he was well enough to go on distant business trips.

Still, Arin couldn’t forgive Yuri Tarkovskaya and Yeonsosu who had put Minsu in that state.

After finishing the radish salad, she picked up the knife again.

Thwack- Thwack- Tap-tap-tap-

She sliced zucchini with a bit of emotion. She had finally been able to contact Minsu today. He would probably return today.

She planned to make doenjang soup in the style of his favorite meat restaurant. Imagining Minsu enjoying the food she prepared helped ease her anger toward those two a little.

‘This makes me seem like his wife… hehe.’

And today, her heart fluttered at the thought of Minsu coming home.

Though she felt angry when thinking about Yuri and Yeonsosu—no, she hated them enough for rage to well up inside her—Arin still had some composure.

Even if Minsu succumbed to their seduction, she had confidence.

‘Senior and I are bound by fate.’

During that year when Minsu was unconscious, Arin had resolved to follow him if he didn’t wake up.

And with that desperate feeling every day, she prayed to God.

Despite the nuns’ efforts at the orphanage, Arin had never truly devoted herself to the White Cross Society.

Of course, since Sister Mina was a nun with such high divine power that even people from the Central Order were amazed, they stopped bothering her at some point.

‘Back then… I couldn’t believe in the Lord.’

If Ayel, the Lord of the White Cross Society, was truly a deity with goodwill toward humans, there wouldn’t have been orphans in the first place.

So despite growing up in the White Cross Society’s orphanage, Arin disliked Ayel, the deity of that society.

‘But for Senior’s sake, I would have sold my soul to the devil.’

So Arin begged Ayel.

Please let Minsu regain consciousness.

And even though she already sensed that Minsu wouldn’t live long even if he miraculously regained consciousness.

Still, she wanted to see Minsu awake again. She was willing to give up the rest of her life.

After all, it was a life Minsu had saved. Instead, she prayed to the Lord every night, staying up late, begging for him to open his eyes.

And one night, a miracle happened. Ayel truly came to her and asked:

– Are you truly prepared to die for that man?

It wasn’t an auditory hallucination. Ayel’s divine power had begun to manifest in her. Naturally, Arin answered inwardly that she would.

– Since you called upon me and his name, he shall return to earth. But the oath is heavy and solemn.

She could immediately understand what it meant through the divine power.

Ayel, being a deity, wouldn’t take her life to save Minsu. He wasn’t a devil. But Ayel had seen her sincerity.

Arin’s resolve to truly die for Minsu. Ayel acknowledged it.

And from that day on, Arin became a nun of the White Cross Society. And Minsu, receiving her divine power, finally regained consciousness.

‘But Senior Minsu…’

Despite such a miracle, Minsu wouldn’t have much life left. So her resolve to join Minsu when he died remained unchanged, but…

At Ayel’s final words, which were close to a prophecy, Arin changed her mind.

– Even if he dies, you shall carry his child.

She never heard the Lord’s voice again after those words. But the words of a deity are absolute.

Not only in Ailetan, but that divine power manifests in pure Earthlings too.

For Arin, who had heard that prophecy, she had to reconsider even her absolute resolve.

If she truly would have a child with Senior in the future, she couldn’t make that child an orphan like herself.

That’s why, although she could never forgive Yuri Tarkovskaya and Yeonsosu, she was letting Minsu meet with them.

‘Senior and my child… hehe…’

The thought made her happy. But at the same time, she felt so depressed she could cry.

The Lord’s prophecy didn’t necessarily mean she would become Minsu’s wife. The prophecy could come true even without marriage.

And that prophecy confirmed something else.

That Senior Minsu would die. Being the word of a deity, it couldn’t be reversed. But even after Minsu died, Arin would have to continue living. In a world without him. For their child.

Because of these complex feelings, she couldn’t laugh or cry, just kept cutting with the knife. And at that moment, Arin sensed through her divine power.

“Senior is here.”

Arin, still wearing her apron, went to the door to greet Minsu.

***

“Senior! Why are you coming back so late?”

Arin greeted me as I returned.

Of course, this is my apartment. And I still haven’t given Arin the door code. I’m not sure if I should be angry about this situation, but…

Seeing Arin’s expression, I couldn’t say anything. A strange expression, neither crying nor laughing. And judging by her apron, she must have been preparing side dishes.

And above all, when I saw the kitchen knife in her hand, I froze.

“Arin, would you put that down first before we talk?”

She probably brought it unconsciously while preparing the meal. I don’t think she has any other intentions, but her dead-looking eyes made me strangely afraid.

And thinking about those strange events with Yuri during the Mount Seorak business trip… I felt a bit guilty.

Arin and I aren’t dating, but I know her feelings. And the two years Arin devoted to me is something I can never repay.

‘I’ve relied on Arin a lot too…’

I had decided not to give my heart to anyone until I completed my revenge, but it’s impossible not to have my feelings stirred when I see Arin, who has been with me for two years.

So I couldn’t help feeling guilty.

“Senior, why are you avoiding my eyes? Nothing happened during the business trip, right?”

“There was a lot of work… but nothing strange like what you’re thinking. Let’s put that knife down first.”

Though she still had a suspicious look, Arin went back into my room. The room was filled with appetizing smells. Arin had already prepared the entire meal.

A moment later, Arin and I sat across from each other at a small round table.

“How is it? Having a wife who prepares meals for you every time you come home from work?”

“You’re not my wife, you’re a junior who broke in illegally.”

“It’s legal because it’s for your sake, you know?”

As expected, the food Arin made was delicious. She’s always been a good cook, but when she cooks for me, she thoroughly prepares everything to my taste.

Come to think of it, her outfit today was different from usual. She wasn’t wearing her usual pure white nun’s habit. She wore a short skirt that college freshmen might wear, with coffee-colored stockings.

And her slightly tight ribbed sweater accentuated her upper body. Arin has a large chest.

“Senior, what are you staring at?”

At those words, I hurriedly averted my gaze. Arin said with a playful smile.

“How lewd. Are you lusting after me?”

“I wasn’t looking!”

I changed the subject awkwardly. Feeling embarrassed, I asked about Flame headquarters.

“Did you prepare well while I was on the business trip? You’ll be coming along on the S-rank dungeon cooperation mission too.”

“I’m a woman blessed by the Lord, so there’s no problem. Divine power comes to me just by praying.”

“The other nuns and priests of the Cross Society would be furious if they heard that.”

“It’s true, so what does it matter?”

As I said, mana and divine power are separate forces. Divine power manifests through faith in Ayel, the deity of the White Cross Society.

Whether facing hunters or villains, the applications of divine power are so vast that the White Cross Society holds a very high position on Earth.

‘But that makes it harder to increase divine power.’

Unlike mana, which can be increased through gear or personal training, divine power can only be increased through faith in Ayel and vows.

So it’s unusual that Arin, who has only been in the Cross Society for two years, has such high divine power. Her divine power is comparable to the mana of an A-rank awakened.

It could even be compared to Mina from the original Aka Hunter.

‘Arin might be taking on Mina’s role.’

However, unlike Mina, who was nicknamed the Saint at Ains for her devout faith, it would be hard to say Arin has such faith.

Then the source of Arin’s faith must be her vow to Ayel. And not just any ordinary vow.

But Arin has never told me the content of that vow.

‘Then it might be related to me.’

My regaining consciousness was largely due to the divine spell Arin cast on me.

Anyway, the evening passed quickly. Arin didn’t seem to have any intention of going home tonight.

Tired from the business trip, I changed clothes hastily and lay down on the bed. That’s when Arin pulled my arm.

“What is it? I’m tired, so if you keep bothering me, I’ll send you home.”

“No, I’m not going home. More importantly, you need to brush your teeth!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll brush before I sleep. I’m just lying down for a moment.”

But Arin kept trying to send me to the bathroom. Reluctantly heading to brush my teeth, I asked Arin:

“Why are you so persistent today?”

Arin blushed and answered:

“You’re asking because you don’t know?”