episode_0169

“Please, Unnie…! I told you to stop, didn’t I? He’s my fiancé, he’s mine!”

“Oh, he may be your fiancé, but isn’t he also new family to me? Really, why are you so strict and vigilant, Soyul?”

“Unnieee…!!”

“Brother-in-law, it seems our Soyul really likes you. It’s truly been a long time since I’ve seen her talk back to me like this.”

Cheon Soyul’s older sister, Hyeon-a Cheon, the eldest daughter of the Cheon family, slapped my right shoulder.

Even as she did so, her body gradually pressed closer to mine….

‘Ahem.’

I felt her large mass of flesh pressing softly against my forearm, and I had to exert my utmost self-control.

It felt like I might react if I wasn’t careful.

“Hehe, why is our brother-in-law making that face? You’re not uncomfortable with your sister-in-law, are you~?”

But whether I suppressed my inner turmoil or not, Hyeon-a Cheon moved even closer, as if it didn’t matter to her at all.

Naturally, Cheon Soyul’s eyes spun even further at that seductive contact.

“…Unnie, do you really want to die?”

Instead, the heat surged to the top of her head, then swirled around, causing her expression to settle into a chilling coldness.

Small golden bolts of lightning sparked near her eyes.

“Hey, hey.”

I flinched and tried to stop her, but Cheon Soyul was already glaring at Hyeon-a Cheon as if she were an irreconcilable enemy. Even though it was her own sister.

It was true Hyeon-a Cheon was playing a mischievous prank, but there was no need to react so strongly.

Feeling a slight awkwardness, I grasped Cheon Soyul’s arm firmly.

“…To dare seduce someone with useless flesh like that…”

“?”

I blinked, a question mark hovering in my mind.

Did I hear that wrong? I don’t think so.

‘…Ah.’

Soon, I noticed that Cheon Soyul’s gaze was focused not on me or Hyeon-a Cheon, but rather on the latter’s chest.

Was it jealousy over ‘what she didn’t have,’ and not just because of me….

I looked at Cheon Soyul with eyes full of pity.

And I stroked her head.

“? What?”

“Cheer up. I don’t dislike small ones either.”

“You want to die?”

Oops, Cheon Soyul’s target had switched. She tried to grab me by the collar, and I hastily raised both hands to indicate I had no intention of fighting.

“Even when I try to comfort you, it’s a commotion. Seriously.”

“Was that really comfort…?”

At my grumbling words, Cheon Soyul narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and I naturally averted my gaze.

Well, it wasn’t.

“Just die.”

Cheon Soyul, her face filled with rising indignation, grabbed both of my cheeks and stretched them out like cheese. It stung….

“Ah!”

It was then that Hyeon-a Cheon, who had been watching us with warm eyes, suddenly turned her head.

It wasn’t anything else; it was because someone was waiting for us at the mansion’s entrance.

“Woohyuk! You were out here?”

Hyeon-a Cheon waved one arm vigorously as a sign of welcome. Of course, her other arm was still linked with mine.

I, too, soon turned my head to look at the young man at the mansion’s entrance.

He was a striking figure with light brown hair and golden eyes, just like the two sisters on either side of me.

To me, he was more familiar as the student council president of Cheongsong Academy… none other than Brother Cheon Woohyuk.

In any case, as he was one of the people I needed to make the best impression on, I bowed my head politely.

“It’s been a long time, Hyung-nim.”

“…Welcome.”

He was still a blunt person, but Cheon Woohyuk welcomed me with a noticeably softer tone than before.

The last time we met was during the Cheongsong Festival, so perhaps forming a united front that day built a sense of familiarity between me and him.

Using Cheon Woohyuk’s presence as an excuse, I naturally slipped out of the two women’s grasp.

“Ah.”

From behind, I heard Hyeon-a Cheon clicking her tongue regretfully.

I decided to pretend I didn’t hear it. What was that? Truly frightening.

“I’ve often heard talk of you taking the S-rank promotion exam soon… Have you made any progress? I’m sure it won’t be difficult for you, Hyung-nim.”

I clung to Cheon Woohyuk as if escaping, and initiated the conversation.

There was also a suitable topic of conversation at hand.

Cheon Woohyuk, currently serving as the student council president of Cheongsong Academy, was clearly someone who would soon hold the title of S-rank Awakener after graduation.

In fact, I knew his S-rank promotion currently only had the final assessment remaining.

“I respect you, Hyung-nim. You are truly amazing.”

It was when I chuckled, mixing in a bit of flattery.

Cheon Woohyuk asked back with an impassive expression.

“Don’t you have anything to say about that? It will happen to you soon enough anyway.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about promotion.”

I blinked my eyes, showing my confusion.

Promotion? What promotion?

By association standards, I was still merely a regular B-rank Awakener. Although it had been quite some time since I had gained A+ rank abilities or higher—.

Even so, it had been a year since I last received a promotion assessment.

It was already remarkable enough to have obtained a B-rank title as a student.

I had been thinking that I should get my A-rank certificate soon.

“…Hmm. Haven’t you been informed yet?”

Judging by Cheon Woohyuk’s tone, it didn’t seem like he was talking about A-rank either.

I demanded an explanation with a bewildered look, but Cheon Woohyuk merely smiled meaningfully and turned away sharply.

“Well, you’ll find out soon enough. You’re not the only ‘guest’ who has come to this mansion.”

“Pardon…? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Let’s go eat. It’s a bit early, but it should be fine, right?”

“Hyung-nim? Hyung-nim??”

Cheon Woohyuk went ahead into the mansion, and I, unable to hide my astonishment, had no choice but to follow him.

No, more precisely…

‘…Huh.’

As I was about to follow, I had to pause at ‘something’ that briefly entered the corner of my vision.

It was a figure that vanished beyond the corner before I could clearly identify it.

‘Silver…?’

I had undoubtedly witnessed it. A distinctive hair color of someone who, no matter how I thought about it, shouldn’t be here now, and certainly shouldn’t be.

*****

“Ugh, ahhh…”

Seol Hayeon was huddled in a corner of the mansion’s elaborately landscaped garden, whimpering.

She was sweating profusely, like a melting block of ice.

No, that wasn’t sweat. It was the release of cold air, a peculiarity of hers where her physical age could adjust according to her emotional fluctuations.

It was like the principle of a snowman exposed directly to blazing sunlight, perhaps?

Hidden among the lush green bushes, she clutched her temples with both hands, silently screaming loudly.

‘Why! Are there! Always! So many! Women flocking around my disciple…!?’

Lee Hyunjin was truly a being who followed no principle of universal common sense whatsoever.

What on earth was so good about that kind of philanderer that everyone flocked to him and clung on?

Of course, even to Seol Hayeon, her own disciple was handsome, kind, capable, and well-liked—a rather superior male figure in every aspect, excluding issues with women…!

While getting that acknowledged by others wasn’t exactly unpleasant?!

Still, she absolutely did not wish for more women to cling to him.

Seol Hayeon recalled Hyeon-a Cheon’s face and plopped down.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“…She was pretty…”

An unsolicited appearance evaluation she performed unintentionally. A judgment process to determine if there was any chance her disciple might be captivated.

Hyeon-a Cheon was undeniably a beauty. As expected of Cheon Sehee’s daughter, she was a goddess of that age, inheriting only the pretty aspects.

Her figure was also outstanding, enough to make one wonder if she hadn’t made countless men weep.

That line of an extremely ideal body, where it went in where it should and out where it should…

“…Kuh!”

Seol Hayeon trembled in humiliation, feeling a sense of defeat as if she had already lost, even though she hadn’t even begun.

‘Compared to that woman, I! Why was I born with such a meager body…!’

Kneeling on the dirt ground, Seol Hayeon unconsciously massaged her chest with a raised hand.

Though there was a soft, squishy feeling, her chest was still far from having any noticeable volume.

“Keuheup.”

Perhaps it was because she had already once lost the position of main wife to a female student from the academy.

Seol Hayeon, imagining that even the not-so-good positions, like that of a second or third wife, might be taken by other women, swallowed her tears and fiddled with her chest—.

“…What are you doing here, Master?”

Just then, that very scene was witnessed by Lee Hyunjin, who had emerged from the bushes.

Seol Hayeon instantly felt the goosebumps rise all over her body.

“…Uh, uh?”

She turned her head with a creak. It felt almost like a broken machine, but her trembling pupils were full of too much vividness.

A gaze asking ‘Why on earth are you here?’ was directed towards Lee Hyunjin, who had a sour expression.

“Well…”

Lee Hyunjin lightly scratched his cheek, displaying an attitude of having witnessed an extremely awkward, embarrassing, and indescribable scene.

The single word he uttered next was simple.

“Are you perhaps… masturbating your nipples, Master?”

“NOOOOO!!!”

Seol Hayeon shrieked loudly, her face turning crimson all the way to her neck.

Her physical age had, by then, reverted to that of a young girl.