Part 1 Chapter 5 (23)

– Hey. Isn’t Azure Flame Sword Someone who falls in love easily? All the other guys awakened and became Simps, didn’t they? (Likes 19, Dislikes 993)

L Absolutely praise Seongju

L Kuh, I acknowledge Seongju-nim’s big picture, worrying that if they just sent the executives, they’d be conquered by insignificant Earthlings

L Honestly, they’re sane because they were brainwashed and sent; if they hadn’t been brainwashed, they would’ve fallen for a passing dog

L Rusalka honestly fell for it when her father-in-law first met her and cast ‘Run away!’ Right?

L So what are the entry requirements for the Phoenix routeㅡㅡ

L Want to eat strawberries together?

– From a community, general discussion board.

* * *

As we each came out about the person we held dear, we entered a temporary truce. And we admired each other.

Ah, this guy is no ordinary person.

In the end, I had told them everything I needed to, and I knew who Seok Harang held dear, so I tried to leave.

[Gaeul: Be back before 10 PM.]

I couldn’t understand why I, the leader, had a curfew, but if I broke curfew, Cheon Gaeul would become as prickly as Cheon Gyeo-ul the next day. The executives’ complaints about it were enough to exhaust me.

So I was about to leave. I had already paid the bill, and there was nothing more to say.

Just then, Seok Harang grabbed my sleeve and said.

“You, come to my place for a bit.”

And so, I was dragged to Seok Harang’s house.

Why?

* * *

“Uh, come on in.”

How did I end up here? Seok Harang pulled me by the wrist, their face flushed.

“Quickly!”

“……Ah.”

From the moment Seok Harang gave up on acting and feigning innocence, they subtly treated me comfortably. Why? If anything, I was like an enemy.

Beep. The door closed with a click, and the lock engaged. Seok Harang roughly kicked off their shoes, looked around for a moment, then turned their back.

“Hey! Just 5, 5 minutes!”

“I know you live like a slob.”

I pushed Seok Harang’s hand away and entered the room. They tried to stop me even using their supernatural ability from behind, so I immediately surrounded myself with flames to block the attack and opened the door.

It was serious. It was no different from a pigsty, and it was completely filled with Eun Yuha.

“As expected, it’s a severe case.”

Seok Harang covered their face with both hands. At the same time, numerous ice dolls of Eun Yuha turned into water and scattered. Seok Harang hesitated, then suddenly flared up.

“I-Is there a problem?!”

“Plenty. Let’s sit down first.”

I casually tossed a cushion from the corner and sat on it. Seok Harang brought a table from the next room, placed it in the center, and sat opposite me.

“So what do you want to hear so badly? From a Villain like me. Even bringing me to your house.”

“Wow, it’s subtly hard to get used to. Are you really the same person?”

“……Ahem, shall we talk about this?”

“Just stop it. I’ll talk however I’m comfortable too.”

Then I’d be grateful. My hand touched the empty space above the table, and Seok Harang immediately ran to the refrigerator and brought out drinks. The brands were varied, but they were all blueberry drinks.

“…Yeah! I like blueberries! Got a problem with that?!”

“Alright, to the point. I need to head back soon.”

“Why? Do you have a wife at home or something….?”

When I frowned, Seok Harang bowed their head and swayed their body back and forth.

“…Yeah. A bitch like me who falls in love with a woman is crazy.”

“Eun Yuha doesn’t discriminate between genders.”

“Really?!”

Seok Harang’s face brightened. As their voice cracked, Seok Harang shyly lowered their head.

“What’s so good about Eun Yuha?”

“…It’s just, Teacher, when my father passed away, it was incredibly tough, but she kept staying by my side. Honestly, I know unnie doesn’t like going out, but she kept following me around and taking care of me. And then….”

Seok Harang blushed and smiled shyly. I struggled to swallow the truth.

Since they awakened as a Spirit on their own, Seok Harang doesn’t necessarily need the protagonist. Even if the others awaken through the protagonist, Seok Harang is already a Spirit.

It might be better for her to be with Eun Yuha than to marry some strange neighborhood ajusshi for no reason. It’s not bad for Eun Yuha to act as a breakwater until the original protagonist appears.

I was the original protagonist. Now I’ve become a matchmaker.

“……Should I consider this NTR?”

“What are you talking about? What’s that?”

“It’s nothing. You don’t need to know.”

I stood up from my seat. I cleared my throat and focused my mind.

“…Then I’m leaving. You can wallow in self-pity alone.”

“Ah, it hasn’t even started yet! Aren’t you even curious why I called you here?!”

“I don’t think I need to know, so I’m just going to leave. If I go back late, I’ll be neglected. If I don’t go right now….”

Seok Harang grabbed the end of my sleeve.

“…Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Just. For telling me the truth. I would’ve lived my whole life resenting parents whose faces I didn’t even know. Now that I know why I was abandoned, I’m grateful to you for that. To the point where I want to kill you.”

“Can’t you just do one or the other, either be grateful or want to kill me?”

Seok Harang smiled and shook their head.

“That’s impossible. As long as you continue to live as a Villain, I, as a Hero, will throw you in jail. Don’t forget that.”

“And then when Seongju comes, they’ll let you out of jail?”

“Of course. How can you kill someone else’s father and live comfortably? But listen….”

Seok Harang extended their hand to me.

“Help me out. Without you, I don’t think I can protect this country right now. Didn’t you do that because you wanted to protect Seoul too? I’m not asking for much. Just stay in Korea and protect the people. …At least until I can take over my father’s position and protect people.”

“Is that something a Hero should say to a Villain?”

“Why? Isn’t it too much between fellow Spirits? You’re heartless, girl.”

“…Tsk.”

I barely held myself back from punching them. I took Seok Harang’s hand and pulled them towards me.

“?!”

Seok Harang fell into my arms. They were so tall that I had to look up, making it seem like I was the one in their embrace, but regardless, I hugged Seok Harang and patted their back.

“If you have a hard time, contact me. I’ll help within what I can.”

“Wow, this is bad. Am I really getting flustered by you right now?”

“That’s why I told you to keep your head straight.”

It would be troublesome if they fell for me. I pulled away slightly from Seok Harang and held their hands.

“Kissing will be fine. But sex is a no-go. The moment you do that, your soul will be bound to the other person. Understand?”

“……Is that possible between women too?”

I almost burst out laughing. The 21-year-old Seok Harang was more naive than I thought. I wore a suggestive smile and pushed Seok Harang down.

“Kyaa?!”

Seok Harang screamed and fell onto the beanbag. I climbed right on top of Seok Harang and stared intently. Our bodies overlapped, and Seok Harang’s face turned red like a persimmon.

“Ah, no way. I have Yuha unnie….”

“See? You fell for it again, didn’t you? You can’t get your head straight, can you?”

“Then don’t tempt me! What the hell are you doing right now!”

I raised my index finger and placed it on Seok Harang’s lips.

“Shall I teach you how to do it between women?”

Seok Harang swallowed hard. As their head subtly nodded, I smiled and raised my hand,

“Snap out of it, you brazen half-wit!”

Paak! I slapped Seok Harang’s forehead with my palm. Seok Harang blinked in disbelief, their face bewildered.

“……Wow, this is driving me crazy. Did I fall for it again, just now? If I keep this up, I might just end up as a wh-“

Paak! Again, my palm hit their forehead. Seok Harang huffed and lost their temper.

“Why do you keep hitting me!”

“Because you can’t get your head straight. This won’t do.”

I raised my finger and conjured a flame. More delicately than usual, I imbued the flame with mana, thinking of my memories from Seok Harang’s route and Gwanggeom’s love for Seok Harang.

‘Seongju-nim, please help just this once so they don’t fall for just anyone.’

Hwareuk. Mini Phoenix spread its wings and landed on Seok Harang’s head.

“If Seok Harang gets swept away again, peck their forehead.”

– I shall watch carefully.

“…What’s this now?”

Seok Harang showed interest in the Mini Phoenix on their head.

“It’s a Divided Spirit using the power of a Spirit. You’ll be able to use it too once you get used to it….”

“Is this how you do it?”

An ice butterfly appeared on Seok Harang’s finger. The butterfly immediately attached itself to my collar and folded its wings.

– What are you looking at? Aren’t you going to lower your gaze right now?

“…Should I call this Mini Rusalka, or Mini Harang?”

“Their words are a bit rough, aren’t they?”

I suppressed my rising annoyance and pressed the Mini Harang on my collar with my hand. Soon, the Mini Harang seeped into my clothes and became a butterfly-shaped badge. Seok Harang asked in surprise.

“How did you do that?”

“Just a moment. It’s called mana materialization….”

I stood on my tiptoes and ran my hand over Seok Harang’s hair. The Mini Phoenix’s mana solidified into a crystal, forming a bird-wing-shaped hairpin.

“Here. Wear it always. Even when you wash.”

“Won’t it die if it gets wet? Is this waterproof?”

“It won’t die even if you drench it with all your might, so it’s fine. If you wear that, even if you lust after a passing cockroach, it’ll peck its beak into your forehead to make you snap out of it.”

“…Aren’t you subtly too harsh with your words? Isn’t a cockroach a bit too much?”

I quietly glared at Seok Harang. Seok Harang raised both hands and nodded.

“Alright. I’ll be careful. But Yuha unnie….”

“That’s for you to figure out. If you feel it’s true love, challenge and win it, or find another true love.”

“That’s quite picky.”

I placed my hand on the white butterfly badge and infused it with mana.

[Got a problem?]

“Heeik?! A g-ghost?!”

I sighed at the startled Seok Harang.

“…It’s remote communication possible between Spirits. Through each other’s Divided Spirits, you can talk no matter where you are in the world.”

Seok Harang placed their hand on the blue bird hairpin.

[L-Like this?]

“Oh? The dialect isn’t coming out?”

“…How would I know?”

Seok Harang, excited, kept their hand on the hairpin.

[Then can I keep asking you for favors? I think I’ll have a lot to ask about, like how to handle power, love troubles, or defeating Villains.]

“You’re asking me to help you with that right now? I’m a Villain, you know?”

Seok Harang grabbed my cheek with their other hand and rubbed it.

[Aw, come on. You don’t want things to be awkward between us either, do you?]

“Your true intention is to exploit me and then kill me, isn’t it?”

[You caught me. Hehe.]

Seok Harang took their hand off the hairpin and laughed.

“Even though I fucking hate it just thinking about my father, you know more and are stronger than me, so shouldn’t I learn? Why? Are you scared I’ll get stronger than you and actually lose?”

“No way. Ask as much as you want. But no interrupting me, alright?”

“…That’s a bit of a problem.”

I approached the wall and opened the window. The night breeze was starting to get chilly.

“Well then, good night. Niece. Seoul is a bit busy.”

“If you ever want to die, come down to Busan. I’ll make sure you eat a live pufferfish.”

I swallowed a curse inwardly. Seok Harang themselves hadn’t noticed, but I had long since read their true feelings and emotions towards me from their mana.

Love-hate. As fellow Spirits, they felt a sense of kinship and familial love, but at the same time, there was hatred for the enemy who killed their teacher and father.

Suddenly, Gwanggeom’s words came to mind. I said to Seok Harang while standing on the windowsill.

“It’ll get better with time, won’t it?”

“What kind of pretentious pose are you striking? Now get lost. …Be careful on your way.”

“Tsundere is an Azhdahak attribute, though.”

“What are you talking about?”

I flew straight into the sky. The cool sea breeze brushed against my skin.

“…Tsk.”

Seok Harang, who had approached the window, waved their hand in greeting. They were shaking their fist with only their middle finger raised.

“Should a child’s wrongdoing be blamed on the parents?”

I flapped my wings rapidly and flew towards Seoul.

Somehow, it felt like I had gained an annoying younger sister.

* * *

“…Hoo.”

Seok Harang buried themselves in the beanbag, calming their pounding chest.

“That damn bitch, they have no openings.”

Seok Harang clenched and unclenched their hand. Sharp ice spikes formed at the tips of their fingers, then turned to powder and vanished again.

“I’m grateful, but….”

Intellectually, they understood. Seok Harang themselves would naturally choose world peace if they had to weigh it against someone else’s family.

But their heart ached as if it would tear. From the moment they learned that family was actually their teacher, their father, Seok Harang wanted to erase Phoenix from this world.

Grateful, hateful, sorry, annoyed, lovely, and hateful. Two conflicting emotions constantly swapped, making their heart seethe.

“…I should ask the net.”

Seok Harang immediately pressed their smartwatch to bring up the screen. They posted a question expressing their feelings on the secret board of the Hero community they often visited.

Beep. A comment was immediately posted.

[YU☆HA★ : That’s just how older brothers are. They’re useless, but you feel empty when they’re not around when you actually need them.]

[MAZITENSI : UnnieㅠㅠI totally relateㅠㅠㅠI thought I posted that commentㅠ]

“…That’s an older brother?”

Seok Harang seriously began to explore the relationship between siblings. Beings programmed to kill each other. The more they searched, the more ambiguous it became, and their head started to ache.

“This doesn’t seem right….”

I don’t know. But one thing is certain.

“I’ll find out everything in time.”

Whether to kill them, or to hate them but forgive them. It wouldn’t be too late to decide after defeating Seongju. For now, Phoenix was needed in many ways.

Seok Harang remained buried in the beanbag and fell asleep.

“…But how does that bastard know Yuha unnie?”

Seok Harang couldn’t fall asleep until the sun rose.

* * *

Beijing, Central Party Headquarters.

“Your Excellency. All preparations are complete.”

The man bowed. The frail young man sitting at the table trembled before the man and barely managed to speak.

“D-Do as you wish.”

The man frowned. At that, the young man cowered even more.

“Chairman Your Excellency. There will be no other opportunity if not now. This is our chance to cross the Liao River and seize half of the peninsula.”

“I, I know nothing, so you handle it. Aren’t you the one in charge of the monsters?”

“Although I hold the lowly position of Director of the Grand Monster Management Measures Bureau….”

The man cupped his hands and laughed like a beast.

“The one who will become the Emperor of the world in the future is none other than Your Excellency.”

“Director Mao Zeping. I merely inherited my father’s position….”

“That is precisely proof of your legitimate succession. Chairman Your Excellency. I will assist you by your side. This nation will unify the world, and I will assist you by its side. Therefore….”

Mao Zeping growled and raised his voice.

“Please grant permission for the advance to Pyongyang.”

* * *

Osaka, Net Cafe Osaka Ichiban.

“Right. Those older brothers are no help at all.”

The black-haired girl tapped on the keyboard, her small hand peeking out from the sleeve of her white gown. The mechanical blue switch keyboard clattered loudly.

Ding-dong. An alarm rang from the desk. The girl immediately put on her headset.

[Customer. We are very sorry for the inconvenience during your use. We’ve received a complaint about keyboard noise from the next seat, so could you please lower the volume a little….]

“No, are you kidding me? If typing sounds are too loud at a net cafe, why would anyone come here?”

[We are truly sorry. Our net cafe primarily uses virtual keyboards, so the personal keyboard you brought….]

“Ah, that’s enough! I haven’t even been here for 3 hours yet, you know? If it’s like this, I’ll get a refund and leave!”

The desk attendant was flustered by the girl’s stubbornness, which even included threatening to leave. The girl took off her headset and started typing on the keyboard again.

“As if my head isn’t already killing me right now.”

Nearly eight screens were turned on in front of the girl. Each played a different video, and all of them were related to the Seoul Reclamation Operation.

The girl chugged an energy drink she had placed on the table. There were already five more canned energy drinks on the table.

“It was just the moment I finished my analysis….”

Knock knock knock. A knock was heard from beyond the closed door. The girl irritably opened the door.

“Ah, what do you want?!”

In front of the door stood a fierce-looking man with a snake tattoo protruding from his collarbone. His forearms, exposed beneath his short sleeves, were covered in knife scars. The girl quickly bowed her head.

“…I apologize.”

Yakuza. The man subtly lifted his vest to show what was inside. It was a knife.

“Student, if you keep being noisy…Heeik?!”

The yakuza was startled and terrified upon seeing the girl’s face. The girl frowned sharply at this. The yakuza pointed a finger and shouted.

“M-Murderer?!”

“……She’s my younger sister.”

The girl stood up and bowed deeply. A look of bewilderment flashed in the yakuza’s eyes.

“I apologize for the noise. I will be quiet from now on. I am sorry to have caused trouble….”

“Ah, no! Haha! It can happen at a net cafe! Haha! I, I’m going home now, so do whatever you want!”

The yakuza hastily left. The girl held her throbbing head and closed the door. A call came in from the desk.

[I apologize. We usually leave the seats on both sides empty, but there were so many people today that….]

“No, it’s fine. I apologize for causing trouble. I’ll restrain myself.”

The girl, who had taken off her headset, looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then slammed the keyboard. One keycap flew off, and the surroundings were instantly enveloped in silence.

“That bastard older brother is supposedly like me…….”

The girl opened a search window and irritably typed.

Jilpungek. The man in the character information that appeared in the search results looked remarkably like the girl.

“…Huh? What’s this?”

Suddenly, the rankings on the real-time search trends fluctuated wildly. The girl adjusted her glasses and her expression hardened.

“Okinawa S-rank monster confirmed as the second form of the Water Demon Dragon…? Currently moving north……?”

* * *

The aura of a Spirit is felt.

Shadow, who had been dormant for over a decade, opened its eyes.

Its location is unknown.

However, it is certain that it is in the north.

■■■■■■

The monster led its subordinate army across the sea.