episode_0186

“Oh, Mom… ”

“Also, this matter must be kept secret until we have him completely in our hands.”

-Kwak…

The blonde woman tightened her grip.

“If Baek Il-yong finds out that the alliance he worked so hard to build is plotting betrayal, he will never stay still. What he is planning now is… No, it is done.”

Then he closed his mouth tightly as if trying to say something and shook his head.

“My child. Do you understand why this mother turns a blind eye to your misconduct?”

Jin Ye-seo, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened her mouth.

“It’s a gamble worth a try… ?”

“That’s right. Of course, wouldn’t a blood relationship be stronger than an alliance? There would be more to gain.”

“… ”

“There’s no need to say more if the opponent is Black Lotus. The more difficult the enemy, the more reliable it is when you have them as an ally… ”

She declared her final ultimatum to Jin Ye-seo.

“This will be your last chance. How can you call a child a successor who has abandoned his family’s magic and failed to build an alliance?”

Then he added with a captivating smile.

“Remember, if you fail to prove your worth this time… this mother has no choice but to produce a new successor.”

“Oh, Mom… ”

“And maybe… the successor’s father could have the blood of the Black Lotus?”

“Mom!!”

Jin Ye-seo, whose face turned pale, looked at her and shouted.

“He’ll never accept it. Hyun-i isn’t that kind of person!!”

“What can I do whether he accepts it or not? It’s my decision.”

Jin Ye-seo recalled her mother’s past of men that she had forgotten. Her obsession with power and lineage.

In fact, what the mother had said to the man earlier had completely turned the situation upside down.

It wasn’t the mother who suffered, but rather the men who were caught in her web.

“If you don’t like it, you’ll have to hurry. Don’t you know? This mother is not very patient.”

The blonde woman whispered softly in Jin Ye-seo’s ear.

“Do your best. Of course, isn’t it better than having a step-sibling?”

Then he added one more word.

“Of course… after being punished for forgetting his position and disrupting the family hierarchy.”

***

I spent my time walking along the garden path that stretched along the lakeside. Every so often, I had to turn my head to see only the opaque, hemispherical, anti-eavesdropping magic.

Other than a slight echo, I couldn’t make out anything. What on earth were they talking about?

“… Sorry. Did you keep me waiting long? ”

And finally, I turned around at the sound of someone’s voice.

A blonde schoolgirl with a slightly tired look was walking towards me. In contrast to her, her mother was smiling confidently.

“Haha, the story turned out longer than I thought. I had a lot of questions for my daughter.”

“I don’t care. We could have talked more leisurely.”

“Oh my, you’re so understanding… There’s a reason why our daughter fell in love with you.”

“Oh, Mom… ”

Jin Ye-seo stamps her feet in embarrassment at the blonde woman’s words.

“Just kidding. Then I guess I should go now.”

The blonde woman glanced at her watch and then turned her head to Jin Ye-seo.

“It seems like you still have some time. I’ll be waiting for you below, so take your time and come back.”

“… Yes.”

Jin Ye-seo nodded. Leisure…?

A blonde woman comes up to me and stands next to me, leaving Jinyeseo behind.

“… Come visit our house with your daughter later. I’ll send you an invitation in advance. ”

“Thank you… ”

I felt a hand resting on my side, along with a tingling sensation of discomfort. Then he whispered softly in my ear.

“If you have any worries that you can’t tell your daughter, come to me for advice anytime.”

“Yes… ?”

The blonde woman’s face was filled with an inexplicable smile. She didn’t answer and just walked away, disappearing across the path.

“Why, why…? Did my mother say something…?”

Jin Ye-seo, who had come running, asked with a voice that seemed to be filled with anxiety for some reason.

“It’s okay. But… ”

The fact that the above ball also looks full of weakness makes Jin Ye-seo look rather worried.

“Did something happen inside? Did the conversation not go well or something… ”

“What, what happened? Nothing happened.”

Jin Ye-seo shook her head before I could finish my sentence.

Then he opened his mouth hesitantly.

“I got a definite answer from my mother. She said she would acknowledge our relationship… ”

“Really? That’s great.”

“… Yeah. After the social gathering, there will be an announcement about my engagement at the family home. Of course, I will keep it a secret from the other person. ”

Only then did Jin Ye-seo smile with a hint of satisfaction.

“I can’t really say it’s you… ”

I felt like my mind was being blown.

Jin Ye-seo’s mother. She was truly a difficult person to deal with. Her words and actions were impossible to understand…

Honestly, I don’t think she was completely sincere in what she said to me earlier. After all, someone who cherishes his daughter so much wouldn’t have thought of selling her off through a forced engagement.

I don’t know if it was because he belatedly accepted his daughter’s sincere appeal, or if there was something going on inside that I didn’t know about.

In any case, what is certain is that it is now a thing of the past. My work is over, and Jinyeseo is free from the shackles of the forced engagement she so desperately longed for.

I feel a little guilty for saying things I didn’t mean, but… I guess I can let it go since it was a lie for my friend.

We walked side by side along the lakeside without saying who would go first.

“How could you confuse me with my mother?”

Jin Ye-seo opened her mouth in a voice that was half joking, half resentful.

“How much time have we spent together… ”

“… Sorry. I couldn’t even imagine that.”

“… I guess there’s nothing I can do. My mother has been famous for her disguise and her skills since long ago. She even looks like twins to me… ”

“But I think I can tell for sure now.”

“Really? How?”

“That’s right… ”

I closed my mouth without saying anything. I didn’t think it was necessary to bring up the degree of curvature of the curve.

“Just. Just look at it.”

“What, why are you evading me? Why don’t you speak clearly?”

Jin Ye-seo, who had been muttering for a while, opened her mouth hesitantly.

“And… I have to go back to my family for a bit.”

“Now?”

“Yeah. I’m going to be living alone for a week. It’s like a punishment for acting up all this time or something… ”

There was a gloomy tone in Jin Ye-seo’s voice. That’s what I meant by leisure earlier.

“It’s okay. Actually, I was prepared for a more severe punishment. I guess I got it for cheap, huh? ”

But soon she looked at me and smiled brightly.

“Thanks to you, I’ve tried so many things. I’ve fought monsters, and I’ve even rebelled in front of my mother… Hehe.”

Then suddenly he looked at the lakeside and made a regretful expression.

“What a shame. I wanted to dance with you. I practiced so hard… ”

“… Let’s play together again next year, okay? ”

Jin Ye-seo was delighted by my words and ran towards me.

“Really?”

“It’s not that difficult.”

“I can’t believe you just saying it?”

Then he held out his hand with only his thumb and little finger extended.

“Promise me.”

“What kind of kid is that… ”

“Quickly.”

Jin Ye-seo urges me again in a gruff voice. When I interlock my fingers as if I can’t resist, only then does she smile in satisfaction.

“Hee… ”

… Still, looking at that face definitely makes me feel at ease.

We chatted about trivial things for a while, although I was mostly the one listening.

“… I think I should go now. Time really flies… ”

“I think I’ll just rest and come back. I think a week will go by quickly.”

“But still… ”

Jin Ye-seo said, her voice sagging as she heard the midnight bell ringing from the clock tower.

Then he hesitated and called me.

“Hey.”

“Why?”

“Close your eyes for a moment.”

“Suddenly?”

“Quickly.”

I’m curious about the sudden urging. Judging from that serious expression, it doesn’t seem like he’s thinking of joking around.

Since there was no particular reason not to listen, I quickly closed my eyes as Jin Ye-seo said.

“You can’t come out until I say so?”

“What the hell is that?”

“… ”

There was no answer. There was a slight silence. Then came the sound of someone taking a deep breath, as if making up their mind about something.

And the next moment I felt… the distinct sensation of a mucous membrane touching my forehead.

“What is this… ”

“Ugh… Why, why is it already up… !”

I opened my eyes in surprise. What I saw was Jin Ye-seo’s face, flushed red and breathing heavily.

She muttered without even meeting my eyes, her expression clearly embarrassed.

“I, I couldn’t help it. My mother might be watching… I heard that this is the basic greeting between lovers when saying goodbye… I, I don’t know… ”

Then, as if he couldn’t bear it any longer, he started to run away.

“Me, I’m leaving? Then see you in a week… ! Bye… !”

“Wait a minute… ”

Before Jinye could even hear my answer, he ran out and disappeared without a trace. I was left standing there, alone in the quiet night.

The lukewarm, moist feeling of the mucous membrane still remained on his forehead like a stamp.