Side Story 34. The Story After (34)

Sreu-reuk-

Soft blankets wrap around my face.

A late morning where even the chirping of birds can’t be heard.

Lee Hoyeon lifted his heavy body from the bed.

“… Oof, I feel like I slept soundly for the first time in a while.”

Magic sparring with Im Sol.

Sex with Im Sol.

Sex with Baek Ahyoung.

After going through an absurdly demanding schedule, Lee Hoyeon’s stamina was reaching its limit.

Honestly, it was amazing that I felt better after just one night’s sleep.

“I came back too late yesterday. Ugh….”

Lee Hoyeon stretched and got out of bed.

After exposing Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung’s audacious pranks, thanks to returning home late last night, the sleeping arrangement order at the Lee Hoyeon mansion was pushed back by a day.

‘Yesterday was Rebecca-ssi’s turn.’

The only fortunate thing was that since Rebecca-ssi also returned late, it wasn’t solely Lee Hoyeon’s fault.

Since I fell asleep after confirming Rebecca wasn’t here, she probably had busy work too.

Lee Hoyeon yawned, left his room, and went down to the living room.

Maybe I should go to the Academy for the first time in a while.

I hope I don’t get kicked out…

“Lee Hoyeon. Lee Hoyeon. Something terrible has happened.”

As I headed to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, Liliana approached me.

Liliana’s way of speaking had somehow changed back to resemble her old self.

The counseling definitely seemed to have had an effect.

Sometimes she gets sharp, but that’s also charming.

“What’s wrong? What terrible thing is it this time?”

Lee Hoyeon gently pressed Liliana’s cheeks while smiling.

Anyway, even if it’s ‘terrible’, it’s probably something like ‘the bird that was crying this morning laid an egg’.

“Mmmmph…. Ah, ahh. Now’s not the time! Look over there.”

Liliana, who had entrusted the underside of her chin to Lee Hoyeon’s hand like a puppy, grinned vacantly before suddenly snapping back to reality.

Then, she pointed her finger towards the middle of the living room.

“Huh? What the? Everyone’s over there?”

In the living room, Scarlet, Nam Daeun, and Rebecca were visible.

If I had to pick something strange, it was that Rebecca was diligently packing something, while Scarlet and Nam Daeun were watching her with worried eyes…

“Huh?”

Chagok-chagok-

Cheok- cheok-

Lee Hoyeon dazedly walked towards the center of the living room.

Then, Scarlet, sensing his presence, turned around.

“Hoyeon-nim. Good morning. Did you enjoy last night?”

“Scarlet. What is that? Am I seeing things wrong?”

“You are seeing correctly. Daeun-yang and I were also wondering what to do, but fortunately, Hoyeon-nim woke up.”

“Hoyeon-ah. Please stop Rebecca-ssi…”

Lee Hoyeon approached Rebecca.

She was stuffing miscellaneous items into a large bag, and those items looked familiar.

“… Rebecca-ssi, what are you doing?”

The books about pregnancy that Rebecca cherished so much.

The strange gymnastics equipment she loved like her own life was going into the bag.

‘Has Rebecca-ssi lost her mind…? Because she can’t get pregnant?’

If not, could something like this happen?

Lee Hoyeon, startled, shook Rebecca’s shoulder.

“Rebecca-ssi. Rebecca-ssi?! Are you okay?”

“Sob. Baby’s father.”

Rebecca’s shoulders slumped as she organized the pregnancy supplies.

Seeing that, sweat began to form on Lee Hoyeon’s forehead.

Even though I just woke up, my body is tense.

“A-are you okay? Huh? Is it because I came home late yesterday? I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you right now. So…”

“No. It’s daytime right now…”

“Huh? What does that matter? Day or night…”

“Sob. Sob…”

Rebecca bowed her head deeply.

A few words couldn’t resolve this frustrating feeling.

“Lee Hoyeon made me cry. I saw everything.”

“I saw it too. Liliana-nim.”

“You guys, shut up for a sec! Rebecca-ssi, what’s going on? Huh?”

Lee Hoyeon glared at Liliana and looked back at Rebecca.

She lifted her head and looked at Lee Hoyeon with a determined expression.

Fortunately, the atmosphere suggested she was about to explain what happened.

“Baby’s father. I need potent genes.”

“… Well, uh. If you just say the word, I’ll try my best.”

What is this?

It’s no different from usual.

Wasn’t she just cleaning the house?

Under Lee Hoyeon’s suspicious gaze, Rebecca continued.

“That’s not what I mean. More than what baby’s father is thinking! Baby’s father can usually ejaculate 5 times a day, so you hold it in for 3 days and do it 15 times…!”

“I’m only human, so that seems a bit difficult…”

“Why not? Baby’s father, you can do it.”

“No, you can’t just accumulate it like that simply by gathering. Just because Rebecca-ssi doesn’t use magic for 3 days doesn’t mean she becomes 3 times stronger, right?”

“… Huh? Is that so?”

Rebecca blinked with a vacant expression.

My plan was to collect as much semen as possible since it was only for one day, but that plan crumbled.

Lee Hoyeon sighed in frustration watching her.

“Is this person crazy? Why are you suddenly acting like this? Explain it.”

“Well, actually…”

*

Lee Hoyeon listened to Rebecca’s situation, crossed his arms, and fell into thought.

‘… Does that even make sense?’

No, no matter how special the Rune clan is, aren’t they still human in the end?

How is it possible that pregnancy only occurs on a full moon night?

Maybe she fell for some cult? That seemed more likely.

Perhaps the other heroines thought the same, as Liliana, who had been listening while seated, suddenly stood up.

“No way! Even I, a succubus, have never heard of such a thing! Isn’t that old hag mistaken?”

“Liliana-nim. I find it more surprising that succubi actually exist.”

Scarlet shook her head.

Nowadays, demons and the Underworld are well-known, but ten years ago, ordinary people didn’t have such information.

If one reported a person who only gets pregnant on a full moon night and a succubus to the Iris Guild simultaneously, it was obvious they’d be cursed twice over for bringing two pieces of garbage information.

“What? Succubi are a venerable race! Much prouder than humans!”

“That seems true, though. Liliana-ssi looks just like a human on the outside…”

Nam Daeun nodded.

She had lived quite a tumultuous life herself, but succubi or the Rune clan were entirely different matters.

How should I put it?

It feels like they’re beyond the category of ‘human’.

“……”

Lee Hoyeon fell silent at their words.

Liliana also looked incredulous, but it wasn’t because of her.

‘This world was strange from the start. Why didn’t I realize that?’

Come to think of it, magic, monsters-this world is full of unexplainable things.

Perhaps humans with fixed pregnancy cycles aren’t that special after all.

“So that’s why Rebecca-ssi couldn’t get pregnant… I thought it was Hoyeon’s fault… Ah, sorry, Hoyeon-ah.”

“… Daeun-ah. I thought you, at least, would believe me.”

Even Nam Daeun was looking at me that way.

I’ll have to reignite the proof of my masculinity again tonight.

“Baby’s father… I’m sorry. Sob. I thought baby’s father was the problem. To doubt my husband without properly checking my own body…”

Rebecca bowed her head to Lee Hoyeon, her face crumpled in tears.

For the Rune clan, who must give their all to their husbands with passion and sincerity, to forget their duty and oppress their husband was truly a sin worthy of death.

Of course, the Rune clan isn’t that extreme… but at least, that’s what Rebecca thought.

“…”

Lee Hoyeon swallowed hard.

Actually, the fact that pregnancy wasn’t happening was partly Lee Hoyeon’s problem too.

Until now, Lee Hoyeon had been an existence that didn’t belong in this world.

‘The long period of humiliation and persecution… it was tiresome.’

However, it was also true that Lee Hoyeon was unilaterally attacked for the reason of not being able to get pregnant.

In fact, even Nam Daeun, whom I trusted, was looking at Lee Hoyeon that way.

Considering that, it would be fine to just stay put here.

Lee Hoyeon hugged Rebecca as if nothing was wrong.

“Rebecca-ssi. Don’t say things like that. Don’t blame yourself for what’s already past. Let’s think about what to do going forward.”

“Baby’s father…”

Kko-ok.

Although I feel a little guilty, Rebecca is also at fault.

It was definitely Rebecca’s fault for relentlessly pestering Lee Hoyeon and making him go in and out of hospitals without knowing the problem was with herself.

I guess I can accept this much of an apology.

“Hmm. By the way, what does ‘the night the full moon rises highest’ mean? Isn’t there only one full moon a month?”

“Uh-huh. Once a month. The ‘highest rising night’ is probably about the time, not the date. So… around midnight, I guess.”

“Aha… It’s nothing major.”

It’s not as difficult as I thought.

Because all I have to do is work hard for several hours from the moment the full moon rises.

If there’s a problem, it’s probably that the opportunities themselves are scarce.

Rebecca-ssi knows that too, which is why she waited and asked for a lot.

“… For now, please put this stuff away again. And, uh, let’s reconsider the schedule.”

“Uh-huh… Baby’s father. Okay.”

Lee Hoyeon shook his head, watching Rebecca gather the pregnancy supplies haphazardly.

It seems like there will be many things to think about going forward.

Ttirring- Ttirring-

Just then, a smartwatch rang.

It wasn’t Lee Hoyeon’s, but Scarlet’s.

“Excuse me. Just a moment. …… Huh?”

An uncharacteristically vacant voice from Scarlet.

Scarlet, who had been frowning and then relaxing her eyes while looking at the smartwatch, soon spoke up.

“Hoyeon-nim. I think you need to see this.”