episode_0091

28, Third Tower. (4)

Our ‘cat fight’ ended when Hyunseok came running in while Yeonseo and I were having a little fight.

Of course, it was true that I was the one who started the fight. However, because Yeonseo’s consciousness had fallen deep into the depths of her inner self due to Arkrich’s brainwashing, a great stimulus was needed to pull her up.

That’s why… I said that…

‘ No, come to think of it again. Are you mad? Did I do something wrong? No, that girl… ‘

As I was thinking that, I glared at Yeonseo. She seemed to notice my gaze and started glaring at me too.

As they slowly stare at each other, the distance between them begins to narrow again.

” Hey, what are you staring at? Honestly, you started it first! ”

” What? Hey! Did I do that on purpose? This is all for you! ”

We just growl at each other and look at Hyunseok’s actions of coming between me and Yeonseo and making us fall.

” Calm down, both of you! First, Yeonseo, you should at least wear this. ”

As he said that, he took Yeonseo’s robe out of his arms.

” Oh, thank you. Even these clothes… were a bit like that… ”

As she said that, Yeonseo looked at the clothes she was wearing and quickly put on her robe, looking a little embarrassed. Hyunseok was watching her.

‘No, why do you keep watching that?’

His lover is clearly himself, so why is he watching Yeonseo instead of himself? The sight is so annoying that he almost pinches his arm!

” Charlotte, can I talk to you for a minute? ”

With a low voice, he grabbed my arm before I could grab it, and dragged me away from Yeonseo for a moment to the back of Geunjeongjeon.

*****

” Hey… why did you come all the way here? No, more than that, why on earth were you with Yeonseo earlier… ”

While he was talking, he was upset and grumbling because he kept looking at Yeonseo.

Hyunseok pushed me against the wall and grabbed me by both arms to keep me from moving, and he came close enough for our lips to touch.

Knock knock, knock knock.

When I suddenly saw his face approaching me, my heart started to beat. My heart, which had been cold with jealousy just a moment ago, started to warm up and melt away.

I closed my eyes in anticipation of him kissing me, but the moment I opened them I felt a pain in my chest.

” Tongue…Hyunseok…? ”

” Why did you say that? ”

” That…is that what you’re saying…? ”

Hyunseok raised his eyes as if he was angry.

” Why did you mention Seojin hyung when I was here?! ”

” That’s it! Wake up Yeonseo’s consciousness… Haha! ”

His hands kneading my chest hard once again made me gasp for breath at the faint pleasure I felt despite the pain.

” Did I do something wrong? Or didn’t I do something wrong? ”

” Me… Me! ”

As your body turns, your face turns toward the wall and your buttocks turn in the direction he is.

The raised arms were tied with rings made of wind.

” Okay… Wait a minute! ”

” A child who doesn’t know what he did wrong… should be punished, right? ”

” No! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you! Eek! ”

A “creak!” sound echoes from the buttocks.

This time, it was from the opposite side of the spot where it had been hit, and then a sharp, snapping sound came from the opposite side.

As he said, it wasn’t terribly painful or anything.

Rather… a faint pleasure felt along with a tingling sensation.

His hands, which were caressing my chest, were also messing with my mind, breaking me down.

” Now do you see what I did wrong? ”

Sticking out my tongue slightly and panting with excitement

” Yes…! Hyunseok is… there… and you said someone else’s name! ”

” If you do something wrong again next time… then you have to say, ‘I’m sorry, oppa.’ Got it? ”

” Hey! I’m… sorry. Oh…bro…! ”

As the wind ring that had been binding my arms disappeared and I sat down, panting, he came to me and stroked my head.

” Good job. If you do it wrong again next time, it won’t end here, right? ”

” Yeah… ”

As I held him in my arms and felt his hand continue to stroke my head, I calmed my panting breath and the shame that soon surged up within me.

‘What… did I just get… done to? No, why did Hyunseok…! More importantly, he… called me… bara…! ‘

As I sat there with my head heated up by the things I had never said and the things he had never done, someone came towards me, trudging.

” Oh my, I suddenly heard a strange… sound…! Hyunseok, what on earth did you do? ”

” Haha… I got angry without realizing it and ended up doing something I normally don’t do. ”

” Well, it’s not that I don’t understand. It’s because Bul-yeo-si said that first! Huh! ”

Listening to Yeonseo and Hyeonseok’s conversation, I felt that it was unfair, but in his arms, I just… stayed still as the sensation continued to rise from the parts that had been touched or rubbed.

*****

” Charlotte, I’m so sorry! ”

Hyun-seok bows down in front of me as if he was doing a handstand and shouts his apology. I accept his apology…

” I’m really sorry! I’m just jealous because I think Charlotte is calling someone else instead of me…! ”

Because I couldn’t not accept the apology…

” This… This is just this once… Me too, a little… ”

As I helped him stand up straight, I heard something from the side.

” Okay, you can do the petting later. First, you should continue conquering the top, right? ”

Yeonseo was checking her own physical condition as she spoke bluntly, as if she was annoyed by Hyunseok and I’s behavior.

” Yeonseo, how about you skip out this time? ”

” What? Don’t make me laugh. No matter what, I have to pay you back since I’ve been treated like this. Hyunseok, you know my personality so well, why are you saying that? ”

” I know, but are you really okay? Didn’t you push yourself too hard when you fought with Charlotte a little while ago? ”

At those words, Yeonseo frowned as if she was annoyed, then sighed deeply.

” That’s right. If it were me, I’d definitely not be able to move anymore. It’s annoying, but it seems like the strength and knowledge I gained from being hit by Arch Lich… haven’t completely disappeared? ”

” What?! Charlotte. Wasn’t the purification a success? ”

” Hyunseok, calm down. The purification was successful. ”

” Then what the heck?! ”

To calm down Hyunseok, who was looking back and forth between me and Yeonseo with a look of bewilderment, I held Yeonseo’s hand.

” What? Why are you suddenly… ”

” First, try channeling your magic power to create ice. ”

” Okay. ”

As Yeonseo channeled her magic, small ice cubes appeared in her hands.

If there was anything different from usual… it was that her magic power, which had been sky blue, appeared to have changed to a light purple.

” As you can see, Yeonseo’s magic power has changed. ”

” Changed? ”

” Magic power originally had a different color depending on the caster’s attribute. In Yeonwoo’s case, it was green like grass. Yeonseo’s was a transparent blue like ice.

But Yeonseo has now accepted his magic power through Archrich’s hands. If only we had arrived a little faster… it wouldn’t have happened… ”

” Hey, why are you bringing up something that happened in the past? You said you cleared it all up anyway, right? ”

” That’s right, that’s why. Since she accepted the guy’s magic power and summoned the beast, Yeonseo’s body has already accepted Yeonseo’s magic power and Archlich’s magic power.

Of course, his skin turned purple because he couldn’t accept it properly. He had the pattern tattooed on him to keep it that way.

Because I severed the connection with him and purified him, the purple magic has now turned into pure energy and mixed with Yeonseo’s magic. ”

The two listened to my story and looked at the ice she had created.

” Huh~ So that’s why my magic power changed like this? Is there a side effect or something? ”

” Well, at least it’s better than before in both quantity and quality. ”

” That’s true. I feel like it’s stronger than the magic I’ve used so far. ”

” Then, what about knowledge? Charlotte. Is there no problem with the knowledge that Yeonseo got? ”

Hyunseok asked me if I still had any leftover food for her and if it would be a problem.

It’s a natural thought. Is there any such thing as forbidden knowledge for no reason?

Because just getting a taste of it can often lead to madness.

But this time, things are a little different.

” It’s okay. I took a quick look while purifying, but the knowledge that Archrich gave Yeonseo wasn’t dangerous.

It’s just that I filled in what Yeonseo was lacking. ”

” What was lacking…? ”

” Yeah, like a way to strengthen your summons or a technique to protect yourself when you don’t have a summon. ”

” Ah~ You mean the ice spear I blocked? ”

” Right. I just used the simple and stupid method of making a long piece of ice and throwing it, but at the time, it looked like a pretty sharp spear, right? ”

” Hey! Who’s just plain ignorant? Of course, I made it like that because I was lazy. ”

It was the first time I saw Yeonseo speaking to me confidently and then slowly crouching down.

Perhaps it is because our relationship has become closer because of this incident?

I never thought that my relationships with people would change any further after I became a lover with Hyunseok.

My relationship with Yeonseo also feels like it has changed a lot. From just an annoying guy to a somewhat decent friend.

And now… a precious and indispensable friend.

” Well, even so, I don’t know what else he might have planted in the depths of your consciousness, Yeonseo… So stay with me for the time being. Okay? ”

” What is he doing that for… I got it! I got it! Don’t look at me like that.

Really… thank you… for not giving up on me. ”

As he stared at Yeonseo, who was trying to refuse, she declared that she would give up, but soon after, she spoke as if she was embarrassed but secretly happy.

As if responding to her, I smiled and grabbed her hand.

” Of course! You’re my friend! You’re such a precious… friend! ”

” Charlotte… ”

He hugged her as she sobbed and cried, and gently rubbed her back.

Sure… it must have been scary. Having unwanted memories and emotions come into your mind.

The feeling of having someone you love but then forgetting about them and being forced to like someone else and blindly follow them must have been the worst.

I know because I’ve had similar experiences.

The embarrassment and awkwardness that comes when you hug each other and then slowly look at each other.

But I don’t hate it.

” Ahem! Then, should we go to the guy now? Shouldn’t we make him pay for what he did? ”

Yeonseo’s ears, which were bright red and contrasting with her blue hair, walked forward confidently.

” That’s right. That guy… I will never forgive him. Never…! ”

” Still, don’t you both try too hard? I think it’ll be a bit difficult for me to deal with it alone. ”

We run next to her and stand side by side.

Ahead of him, a black-painted tower and an arch lich await.