Ch.642Chapter 24. Real Estate Never Die (20)

“Ah, is this really okay?”

“What?”

The fox-faced woman with blonde hair and blue eyes sitting across from me was dressed in a hanbok like a foreign tourist who had rented one, with her hair rolled up and a hairpin inserted, pointing around with a worried expression.

“Being alone with me like this, won’t people misunderstand? Even more than what’s already in the press?”

“We’re deliberately trying to make them misunderstand, aren’t we?”

I was sitting with Firenze in the cafeteria of the Geumgangsan Hotel.

At another table was someone from the Korean Hero Association—Thunder Empress in disguise—who was there to guard me and Firenze, but there were also quite a few civilians and journalists who had rushed over after hearing the news.

“It’s fine. Anyway, what you and I say now isn’t audible outside. Thanks to the magic barrier, sound doesn’t leak out, and lip reading won’t work either.”

I took a light sip of the black tea in my mug and cleared my throat.

“I AM THE GOBLIN!!!”

A lion’s roar erupted while I remained perfectly still.

I shouted loud enough to shake the hotel, but not a single person was startled.

Except for Thunder Empress, who had connected a microphone to the barrier.

“See?”

“…It’s true. Amazing. To think I’d see the Goblin’s face in person like this.”

“That’s because you agreed to cooperate with the Syndicate.”

Both Firenze and Milanio had agreed to become collaborators with the Syndicate.

That’s why she was now willing to endure creating misunderstandings among people, and why we were having tea together like this.

“I apologize for making you engage in this apparent infidelity, even briefly.”

“Not at all. I’m grateful just for you turning my husband back from a demon to a human. And…”

Firenze gritted her teeth, grabbing the carbonated water glass in front of her and trembling.

“I need to reflect on my own mistakes, and besides, you turned that ghost bastard into a cripple for our sake.”

“Hmm.”

Media play.

It’s typically what Haeguneul does, but our Syndicate is just as good at it as they are.

There’s a saying about accusing others of what you do yourself, but our media play is righteous instigation and fabrication.

The ghost of Hwalbindang tried to take Firenze (her honey) from Milanio.

Milanio awakened as an S-class (demon honey sucker) and fought against the ghost, and both of them (thanks to a passing Goblin) became Zenros and lost their magical power.

We just slightly concealed the truth, that’s all.

As a result, it was concluded as an incident where the “playboy” ghost attacked, trying to forcibly NTR an A-class couple who wanted to tour Geumgangsan—or rather, become stronger by receiving Geumgangsan’s energy—before the World Cup preparations…

But that was a result created by the misunderstandings of people who didn’t know the exact details.

The truth is beyond that.

For other matters I might hesitate, but to catch the demon Yoo Yeol-chung, any method can be employed.

Even if it differs slightly from the truth.

“Of course, I do feel somewhat like I’ve become the kind of woman who immediately gives herself to another man just because my husband became Zenros…”

In the process, this woman who deserves a chastity monument ended up with the label of “adulterous S-class who awakened after a hot night with Do Ji-hwan”…

“It’s okay. If it’s the Goblin. You’re the lifesaver who rescued Milanio, and you even gave him a prosthetic. Ah, maybe ‘prosthetic’ isn’t quite the right word…?”

“In Korea, we usually call it a ‘third leg,’ so it would be a prosthetic leg.”

“Ah… hehe, let’s just call it an ‘awakening device,’ as the master craftsman said.”

Milanio, awakening device equipped.

“How was the effect?”

“It was amazing. Enough to send my mind flying to Ulleungdo.”

And Milanio proved to Firenze that although his magical power was Zenros-ed, his A-class techniques were still very much alive.

“Sounds like you enjoyed it.”

“Yes. The fact that it’s even bigger than before… hoho, I’m truly grateful.”

“Rather than being bigger, it adjusts to fit during the process.”

“Oh my, is that how it works…? I didn’t feel it getting smaller at all?”

“I see you have such preferences. As expected of a Westerner. You seem quite satisfied.”

“Uhuhung…”

Thanks to this, I was able to sit side by side with Firenze, who now had very smooth skin without me having to lift a finger.

“Don’t worry about the child issue. An expert has been dispatched to Italy. By now, they’re probably causing floods in mafia hideouts while searching diligently for your husband’s frozen baby seeds.”

“…It’s okay if they’re gone.”

“No, it’s not okay. Future possibilities are important matters, aren’t they?”

Setting aside Milanio who has already been Zenros-ed.

It’s a big problem if Firenze starts thinking ‘I won’t get pregnant.’

“You know, if you already have such thoughts, you might suddenly Zenros while waking up from sleep.”

“What?”

“It’s just theoretical, but…”

It’s also part of the original work, and a story of the future.

“For a female ability user who declares herself unmarried and childless, it wouldn’t be strange if she suddenly Zenros one day.”

“…Is that possible?”

“Probably. The body is directly influenced by the mind, and if you sincerely give up on having children, the possibilities for the future are cut off.”

If you close off your own possibilities, naturally magic power will no longer remain where there is no possibility.

That’s how it was in the original work.

“You don’t have the option of having another man’s child, right?”

“Of course not. Even if you’re the master craftsman… I have no intention of bearing a child from any man other than my husband.”

Despite having such thoughts, Firenze’s body contained more abundant mana than before.

More than just the mana injected through Milanio’s awakening device.

“It’s okay. I may not be able to bear his child, but I can bear one in my heart.”

Firenze placed her hand on her chest and smiled gently.

“I talked with him. Since we’re indebted to the master craftsman, if you’re okay with it, we decided to adopt a child from this country.”

“……!”

Could it be.

“It doesn’t have to be an ability user. It’s not widely known, but I’ve heard there are… quite a few children who have lost their parents in Korea.”

“It’s not a pleasant story, but this country was once called an ‘orphan exporting country.'”

That’s history from before the Great Cataclysm.

After the Great Cataclysm?

Exports have become even more active.

It’s not something I can say out loud, but…

“Did you know? Among Italians, there are some who bring Korean orphans from a young age, then try to marry them to their own children.”

“It’s not just Italians.”

“Yes. It’s a global trend. Adopting Korean children.”

The purpose is one.

To increase the probability of ability users appearing in their bloodline.

Adopting children for such ability-related benefits is clearly wrong, and the Syndicate is currently focusing on managing this.

Although it’s somewhat insufficient to manage all those things that happen under the table.

“So the child…”

“Ah. Wait. We have a guest.”

I signaled to her as she was about to continue speaking, and soon she closed her eyes tightly as if on cue.

And then.

“…Master craftsman. So, will you do it for me again today?”

Her lips trembled slightly, but she began to act “cute” toward me.

And simultaneously, the barrier around us diminished very slightly.

I calmly drank my black tea and shook my head indifferently at Firenze.

“I’m busy today.”

“Why? After awakening me, are you saying once is enough?”

“I awakened you once before the World Cup, and that’s enough. Do I need to give special treatment to Italy?”

“Oh, don’t be like that…”

As Firenze grabbed her hanbok’s goreum and shook her shoulders earnestly, a look that said “I want to die” briefly flashed in her eyes.

But.

Click, click.

“Today, how will you… huh?”

As the sounds of Taegeuk Watch cameras and journalists taking notes grew louder around us, Firenze continued speaking, suppressing her urge to vomit blood.

“…Once you’ve awakened someone, what more do you want? Besides, your awakening wasn’t because of me but—”

As I said this, I subtly dropped bait.

“…No. Let’s stop here. Too many ears listening.”

Words meant for all those ears, and for the guest secretly listening.

“Remember one thing. The higher a bird flies, the harder it falls when it crashes.”

“…Pardon?”

“That’s how the saying goes. Ah, finally it’s here.”

“Here’s your brunch set, sir.”

“Thank you, Yoon-ji.”

“…It’s nothing.”

Thunder Empress approached our table herself and placed the tray directly on the table.

“Anyway, I can’t today. Today, Miss Thunder Empress has promised to keep me tightly held. Right?”

“…There are many ears listening.”

“That’s why I’m saying it.”

Sincerely.

“Here. Drink up. What are you waiting for?”

“…….”

Firenze trembled as she looked at the black liquid in a cup as tall as her carbonated water glass.

“The iced americano here is really good. I might take some Dutch coffee home later.”

“I’m thinking the same.”

“Ah, ahaha…”

Grabbing the cup filled with ice and cold black liquid.

“Thank…you…”

She finally drank the iced americano.

Probably.

For her, being misunderstood as having an adulterous awakening affair with Do Ji-hwan while having a loving husband.

It must feel like an Italian downing an iced americano in one shot.

Yes.

“And what’s this?”

“Ah. Carbonara cream pasta. So full of cream, you could dip bread in it.”

“This is…carbonara…?”

“Korean style.”

“Ugh, urgh…!!”

With such determination, like rinsing kimchi in cold water and dipping it in chocolate fondue.

“Demon…I will definitely…”

With the determination of an Italian stabbing a fork into carbonara thinner than cream soup, I will definitely capture Yoo Yeol-chung.

“Serving an Italian iced americano and cream-loaded carbonara…? That Goblin, he really seems like a demon…”

Yoo Yeol-chung felt an inexplicable pleasure watching Firenze with white cream dripping from the corner of her lips.

“Is this… Yuyeol…?”