Chapter 53

Chapter 53

I Installed a Dating App and Girls from Another World Became Obsessed with Me.

Episode 53: Dinner Party

This morning was busier than usual.

I put on a suit, stopped by the department store to buy a gift, and then got my hair done at the same salon I went to before my blind date.

Considering the appointment was at 12 PM and the department store opened at 10 AM, no one could deny it was a tight schedule.

It was hectic without a moment to breathe, but it was something I had to endure for the reward.

I headed to the address I received via text message and was greeted by a massive gate and a signboard.

[城北崔家]

The signboard read “Seongbuk Choi Family” in Hanja.

“…This is no joke.”

A mansion like this in the middle of Seoul? I heard it was over 10,000 pyeong, and while I wondered if that was possible, I also thought that if it was the Seongbuk Choi Family, it could be even bigger.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Could you please stop for a moment?”

As I adjusted my tie and headed towards the gate, the guards stopped me.

“May I ask the purpose of your visit?”

“I’m Kang Hyeon-u, invited by Mrs. Choi Yeong-ok.”

Only after I mentioned Choi Yeong-ok’s name did the stern-looking guards bow politely and step aside.

At the same time, the massive gate opened automatically, revealing the interior of the grand mansion.

The garden was so vast that it couldn’t be seen at a glance.

Small streams ran along both sides of the path, which was paved with a smooth material that looked like marble or stone, and fish that looked expensive swam in them.

I was momentarily amazed by the garden’s landscaping, but the huge mansion in the distance caught my eye again.

“…Do people actually live in a place like that?”

I couldn’t even see the entire mansion at once.

The exterior, which seemed to be a mix of Korean traditional and Western mansion styles, was so magnificent that it wouldn’t look out of place in a movie.

However, no matter how much money I made, I didn’t think I would want to live in such a huge mansion.

Was it because I had lived as a commoner all my life?

I was thinking that I would rather live in a penthouse when I heard a familiar voice from somewhere.

“Your jaw’s gonna drop.”

Choi Hye-na, who appeared with her wavy red hair fluttering in the wind and wearing a dress adorned with extravagant decorations, looked quite different from usual.

“Do you dress like that at home too?”

Wasn’t the standard at home a t-shirt and shorts?

“I didn’t dress up, so stop talking nonsense and just follow me.”

Choi Hye-na turned her head and walked away.

I followed her, thinking, ‘I didn’t say you dressed up.’

Of course, I kept my mouth shut as much as possible, as I might get kicked with her pointy heels if I said another word.

Still, seeing her out of her wizard robes and in a dress, she definitely looked like a rich family’s daughter.

If only she could tone down her personality, she would be perfect.

‘By the way, the atmosphere feels strangely cold. Is it just my imagination?’

I was a little unsure, but I put aside my random thoughts as the mansion got closer.

“Isn’t it inconvenient to live in a place like this?”

“…It’s not inconvenient.”

It was a question that popped out of my mouth without me realizing it, but Choi Hye-na’s attitude was definitely cold.

I thought we had gotten somewhat close after risking our lives together in the gate, but was I mistaken?

“How did a person who lives in a mansion live in that small tent…?”

Thwack!!

“I told you to forget about that time, didn’t I?!”

It’s unfair.

I was just trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, but was it something I deserved to get punched in the stomach for?

‘Is it really that day?’

Her attitude has been strangely different from usual since earlier.

“Welcome.”

Whether I was thinking that or not, when Choi Hye-na touched something, the main gate of the mansion opened automatically, and the maids lined up on both sides greeted us.

They all looked to be around my age, and each of them was quite beautiful.

‘Living in a mansion wouldn’t be so bad, would it?’

I heard that European nobles lived luxuriously with maids who suited their tastes.

Once I became an Archmage, there was no reason why I couldn’t live like that.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“Are you happy?”

“…?”

“I asked if you’re happy.”

Choi Hye-na, with a very unpleasant expression, suddenly poked my chest.

I hadn’t said anything this time and had just been following her, so what could have made this young lady so upset?

The answer was obvious if I thought about it a little.

“Are you jealous right now?”

“…Die.”

With those last words, Choi Hye-na didn’t even glance at me, let alone talk to me, and walked silently.

Choi Hye-na woke up in the early morning.

Before the sun had even risen, she called the maids and soaked her body in bathwater infused with a limited-edition high-end perfume made by an Italian alchemist, allowing the subtle fragrance to enhance her beauty.

She had the most famous hair salon in Cheongdam send a stylist to the mansion for her hair and makeup, and she wore a one-of-a-kind dress made by a famous designer who had been invited a few days prior, taking into account her measurements and style.

Finally, she added jewelry that she rarely wore because it was too flashy.

In a way, it was similar to Kang Hyeon-u’s morning routine, but the time and money invested were on a completely different scale.

The maids all complimented her on how beautiful she looked, but her own expression as she looked in the mirror was far from pleased.

Has she ever dressed up this much before?

Never, to be sure.

At the parties and events she had attended so far, she had only dressed up casually to make an appearance, but this was the first time she had moved around since dawn, sweating to dress up like this.

If all these actions were simply for a change of pace, she wouldn’t have felt so displeased.

‘…Kang Hyeon-u.’

Even while bathing, putting on makeup, and dressing, she kept thinking of him and looking in the mirror, which made her feel like a lovestruck teenager, and she felt a strange sense of wounded pride.

How did things come to this?

Was there a need to dress up so much?

What kind of relationship did Kang Hyeon-u and her have?

Questions that no one could give a clear answer to kept circling around like a broken record.

“How frustrating, how frustrating.”

“…I told you to shut up.”

Wendigo, who was usually quiet, always popped up and bothered her whenever she thought of Kang Hyeon-u.

“Tsk tsk, at this rate, when are you going to pay the price of the contract?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“You? How?”

Wendigo flew around in the air, making annoying laughing sounds.

“Your face turns red just thinking of a man who isn’t even here, and you’re twisting your legs, how are you going to receive ‘affection’?”

“…”

“Tsk, you young human child.”

Wendigo came down from the sky and met Choi Hye-na’s eyes, who had lowered her head.

“Be honest with your feelings. Remember that hiding and ignoring your feelings is useless. Otherwise, things won’t work out.”

This advice wasn’t given out of affection for Choi Hye-na, her contractor.

As a condition of the spirit contract with Choi Hye-na, Wendigo had contracted with her to receive Kang Hyeon-u’s affection.

‘Ah… Mr. Hyeon-u…’

Although she couldn’t contract with Kang Hyeon-u because she was possessing Choi Hye-na’s body, and she couldn’t help him escape the gate because she was in a deep sleep for some reason, Wendigo still cherished the memories of that day.

The advice she gave to Choi Hye-na was just a means to reconnect with Kang Hyeon-u as soon as possible.

Choi Hye-na, who had no way of knowing that, had no intention of taking Wendigo’s advice to heart.

Why?

‘Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy!!’

She was already hiding her feelings even from herself, and now she was supposed to convey them to the person directly without filtering?

Yeah, right.

Choi Hye-na was still in the denial stage of accepting her feelings.

It was already absurd that she had given her heart to a man, but telling her to convey that heart was as absurd as telling her to reach the 7th circle tomorrow.

Nevertheless, the maids smiled warmly at Choi Hye-na’s back as she kept glancing at the mirror and fixing her hair and clothes.

Ah, our young lady finally has a man she likes!

The maids’ voices reached the head maid, and then Choi Yeong-ok, the mistress of the mansion.

Her granddaughter had fallen in love with the man who saved her life! The fact that he was Kang Hyeon-u, whom she had already set her sights on, made her even more pleased.

It was only natural that a smile spread across Choi Yeong-ok’s lips.

And as time passed, Kang Hyeon-u, who arrived at the banquet hall with Choi Hye-na, was a neatly dressed young man, dressed far more elegantly than when they met at the Magic Tower and the hospital room.

He bowed politely.

“It’s been a while.”

“Welcome.”

Choi Yeong-ok, who was looking at him with a pleased expression, gestured for him to sit down.

Today, she was meeting him not as Choi Hye-na’s grandmother, but as the mistress of the Seongbuk Choi Family, so she didn’t forget to use formal language.

Looking at Kang Hyeon-u, who sat down first, Choi Hye-na seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually sat next to Kang Hyeon-u.

Choi Yeong-ok had to suppress her desire to hug her cute granddaughter with superhuman patience.

“I feel bad that I made the appointment so suddenly, but thank you for coming with a bright face.”

“No, I’m a jobless person who hasn’t even entered the Magic Tower yet, so I have plenty of time.”

As they exchanged pleasantries and talked about various things, the table was soon filled with food.

“You must be very hungry as you had arrived here since morning, please eat a lot. If you need more, just tell me.”

“Thank you.”

Choi Yeong-ok pretended to eat and glanced at Kang Hyeon-u and Choi Hye-na.

Like her, Choi Hye-na barely ate and was busy stealing glances at Kang Hyeon-u.

How cute.

Choi Hye-na, who was sensitive to other people’s eyes, didn’t even notice that her grandmother was watching her.

‘Cute.’

Choi Hye-na didn’t even glance at the food made with expensive ingredients.

All her eyes and attention were fixed on Kang Hyeon-u.

Kang Hyeon-u seemed awkward in this setting and was eating soup with a dessert spoon. Moreover, he was even awkwardly cutting his steak with a knife, which was so cute that she couldn’t take her eyes off him for a moment.

If her past self had seen this scene, she would have called herself crazy and torn her hair out, but that wouldn’t stop the current Choi Hye-na.

Of course, she was upset that he didn’t compliment her on how hard she had dressed up, but she was so focused on Kang Hyeon-u that she didn’t have the energy to show it.

The meal continued for only one person.

As time passed and the dinner was over, Grandma Choi Yeong-ok dismissed the gathering, suggesting I take some time to rest.

Thanks to that, I had some free time, and I was wandering aimlessly down a hallway in the mansion, not knowing where I was going.

I definitely wasn’t lost.

“…It’s damn big.”

I should have said yes when the maid offered to guide me.

I refused because Choi Hye-na’s expression was too fierce, but this was the result.

I had no choice but to keep walking wherever my feet took me.

I could ask for directions if I met a servant.

But as if fate was playing a prank on me, I didn’t see a single person wherever I went.

I was thinking of calling Choi Hye-na and asking her to come rescue me when I heard a welcome voice from behind.

“Ha, I knew it. I knew a guest who went to look around the house would get lost.”

“I wasn’t exactly lost.”

“Shut up.”

Choi Hye-na’s voice seemed to be scolding me, but it was strangely excited.

“Just follow me.”

I followed Choi Hye-na, who was walking ahead again.

After a short walk, we arrived at a door with a slightly different atmosphere than the others.

“…Come in.”

“Where is this?”

“My room.”

Before I could be surprised that it was Choi Hye-na’s room, the door opened.

‘Wow…’

The interior of the room was decorated with furniture and decor that could be described as luxurious rather than extravagant.

Moreover, it was so large that it could be called a house rather than a room.

‘My studio apartment could fit in here more than twenty times?’

I realized once again how small a place I lived in.

“Stop looking around and take this.”

While I was looking around the room, Choi Hye-na handed me an elegant-looking box.

Inside the box were the wand and ring I had lent her in the gate.

“Thanks to you, I used them well. If you hadn-t lent me the equipment, I would have been attacked by the monsters before I could even use magic. There’s no way I would have survived with all my limbs intact like this.”

“If you know that, you should have treated me better.”

“…Are you really crazy?”

Just as I raised my guard to protect myself from Choi Hye-na, who was approaching me as if she was going to punch me in the stomach again.

Thump-

“…Huh?”

Choi Hye-na suddenly grabbed my collar.

Then, she leaned in with a flushed face and opened her mouth with a trembling voice.

“…What happened in the gate.”

Her hand, which was grabbing my collar, was trembling so much that I felt like I was trembling too.

“Did you really forget everything?”