The moment I reached out to Vivienne with greedy eyes, a memory flashed through my mind. It struck me hard, shaking me to my core, and in that shock, I managed to pull my reason back from the brink of desire.
This isn’t right. A feeling of wrongness pounded in my chest.
Suppressing the lust that threatened to overwhelm me, I stepped away from Vivienne. Acting on instinct like an animal, just because the opportunity presented itself, was not who I was. I had brought her to this secluded spot with ulterior motives, but even that was a mistake from the start. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.
I’m not a eunuch, nor am I uninterested in women. I’m a healthy young man with a fair amount of interest in the opposite sex. But wanting to be with Vivienne and actually doing it were two different things. I wasn’t some beast who acted on every whim, determined to have a woman no matter what. I never saw myself that way, and I didn’t live like that.
Another deep breath.
Lately, things had been going my way, and I might have been taking my surroundings too lightly. I was regaining my lost humanity, but the sharp edge I once had was dulling.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being with a woman. I could be with Vivienne if I wanted to. But as I said, I refused to be ruled by my desires. Desire should be controlled and restrained to shine, not recklessly displayed. The thought of being someone who must have a woman today was embarrassing. If I had returned just to satisfy such urges, I might be too ashamed to face Seraph again.
“Suhyeon? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
”…”
When I opened my eyes after calming myself, Vivienne spoke to me hesitantly. Seeing me just staring, she continued in a cautious voice, unable to bear the silence.
“Maybe it’s just me, but you seemed like a different person…”
”…Really?”
“Yeah. Don’t make that face again. It gave me chills.”
Vivienne shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. I quickly softened my expression and gave a gentle smile. Only then did she seem reassured, smiling brightly and linking her arm with mine. I gently disentangled myself and started walking towards the inn. I heard her whine behind me, but I ignored it.
“Suhyeon. Suhyeon.”
“What?”
Despite my indifference, Vivienne hurried ahead of me, turning to face me. When I responded in a flat tone, she pouted.
“So, I’m going to be with you guys from now on, right?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Okay. But I have a concern… Ah!”
Walking backward, Vivienne tripped and fell, her robe flying open and exposing her. Rubbing the back of her head, she quickly covered herself when she saw my gaze, her face turning sour.
“Pervert.”
“How am I a pervert?”
“You’re lying. You saw.”
“I did see, but I didn’t lie. And it wasn’t like I did it on purpose. You tripped and your robe opened. Don’t accuse me of being a creep.”
At my logical and calm response, Vivienne’s eyes widened, and she looked flustered. She nodded reluctantly.
“Oh, right. Sorry. But you didn’t have to be so serious. It’s embarrassing.”
Seeing her admit it so easily, I replied, “Just be more careful next time. You tend to be a bit careless.” I offered her my hand, and she took it, standing up.
“So, what’s your concern?”
“Well… since we’re going to be together…”
“We just talked about that. Get to the point.”
“Yujeong and Ansol… I think they don’t like me.”
“Yeah, they probably don’t.”
When I nodded in agreement, Vivienne sighed. But it was true that the others didn’t like her. It was better to address the issue directly and encourage her to improve her behavior.
“But they’re good people at heart. If you show them your good side, I’m sure things will get better.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’ll talk to them too, so don’t worry too much.”
“Thanks. But I have another worry…”
I nodded for her to continue, and after hesitating, she spoke in a tiny voice.
“My clothes…”
It seemed Jeongyeon’s robe was indeed too small for her. Seeing her squirm with embarrassment, I promptly headed to a shop.
After buying a new robe for Vivienne, we returned to the inn, “The Modest Lady,” where we had stayed before. Although there seemed to be a lot to do upon returning to Mule, I wanted to rest first. Most tasks involved the others, and rushing wouldn’t help. It was more efficient to rest properly and focus when needed.
As I opened the creaky wooden door and stepped inside, I saw that the inn was busier than before. People were ordering snacks and beer, chatting loudly. Go Yeonju, bustling around, turned her gaze towards us as we entered.
“Hello, User Kim Suhyeon. You’re a bit late compared to the others.”
She greeted me with a graceful smile. I returned the gesture and asked if the others had gone up. Instead of answering, she pointed to a corner where the others sat with sullen faces, picking at the food piled on the table.
As I sighed, Go Yeonju chuckled and looked at them fondly.
“They must have been waiting for you. They’re quite rare these days.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job. But I see a new face…”
Her curious eyes landed on Vivienne, who stood awkwardly behind me. I introduced her.
“She’s a new member of our group.”
“Looks like a mage. You’ve got quite the talent.”
“Thank you. You seem busy.”
“Oh, right. I’ll see you later.”
Go Yeonju seemed eager to chat more, but I politely declined, as it wasn’t the right time to introduce Vivienne as a resident. She understood and withdrew, hinting at a future meeting. Since she was also a potential recruit, I had no reason to refuse when we were alone.
The others, noticing me, waved with brighter faces. I joined them at the table and spoke.
“You didn’t have to wait. You could’ve eaten and rested.”
“But we didn’t feel right relaxing while you and Vivienne were out.”
“Alright, let’s eat. It’s probably cold by now.”
Ahn Hyun, always the considerate one, smiled sheepishly. If I had been with Vivienne, they would have waited, hungry. Feeling guilty, I urged them to eat and picked up my utensils. Vivienne, unfamiliar with chopsticks, opted for a fork, eyeing the spread before her.
“You ordered a lot.”
“We were hungry. Sorry, oppa. I ordered a bit too much.”
Yujeong admitted with a playful smile. I appreciated her honesty and reassured her.
“It’s fine. We have enough money. Just don’t waste it, but this is okay.”
“Did everything go well?”
“Oh, right… the temple…”
Ahn Hyun, starving, was shoveling food into his mouth. Ansol quietly focused on her meal, and Vivienne, savoring the human food, chewed with delight. I tore a piece of bread, dipped it in soup, and tasted the warm, savory flavor.
“I went to the temple and stopped by a shop. Vivienne needed new clothes.”
“Her old ones were embarrassing. Good choice. Did you go to the temple for the exploration report?”
“Partly. But they were too busy for that. I had Vivienne treated and signed a contract. Nothing major.”
“A contract?”
The kids, intrigued by the mention of a contract, paused their chewing and turned their attention to me. After briefly explaining what had happened, I pulled out the contract for them to see. Vivian was watching me cautiously, so I felt the need to elaborate a bit more.
“As you can see, Vivian will be living with us and supporting us in every way possible. I’d love to give a more detailed introduction, but there are too many eyes and ears around right now…”
I paused and glanced around. Sure enough, those who had been sneaking glances at us quickly turned away. Most of the attention seemed to be on Ansol, Yujeong, and Vivian, giving me a good idea of what people might be thinking.
Once the attention had somewhat dissipated, I continued.
“Vivian will be working with us from now on. She’s quite a skilled magician, so keep that in mind. We’ll let her introduce herself properly tomorrow. I understand how you all feel, but I hope you won’t judge Vivian too harshly. She’s trying to start fresh now that she’s human again. You understand what I’m saying, right?”
Ahn Hyun nodded absentmindedly, as if he had expected this outcome since we left the dungeon. Sol pouted but reluctantly nodded at my earnest words. However, her reluctance was still evident, suggesting it might take some time for her to fully accept Vivian. Deciding that time would be the best remedy, I turned my attention to Yujeong, who was watching with a twisted smile.
“Hohoho. ‘Never hostile’ and ‘support in every way’… really? Hohoho.”
With a dangerous smile, she read through the contract thoroughly. After handing it back to me, Yujeong looked at Vivian with sparkling eyes. Vivian gave an awkward smile, to which Yujeong responded with a bright one of her own. Ahn Hyun, who had been quietly observing, spoke to me in a low voice.
“Hyung, don’t worry too much. I’ll keep an eye on things.”
”…Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“And, have you asked us anything yet?”
Despite having eaten so much, Ahn Hyun picked up another large piece of meat. Understanding what he was getting at, I quickly responded to his unspoken question.
“Yes, I was just about to ask. What about the users we brought back?”
“Neither of them has woken up yet. They’re definitely alive, judging by their breathing. We’ve moved the man to your room and mine, and the woman to Sol and Yujeong’s room. The rooms are a bit bigger than the ones we used before.”
“Good job.”
“What do you plan to do?”
I pondered for a moment. Their stats were good, and I liked their disposition. We’d have to talk once they woke up to know for sure. But Vivian was a concern. Everyone knew she had been the dungeon master spider.
Even if things went well and we offered them a place, would they accept? I tapped the table out of habit before speaking. There was so much to do, and it felt like solving one problem only led to another.
“Let’s wait until tomorrow. If nothing changes, we’ll visit the temple again. We can’t just take on everything ourselves.”
“Okay, hyung.”
Having said his piece, Ahn Hyun returned to his plate. The food was undeniably good, both in quality and taste. I could eat more, but I wasn’t a big eater, so I set my spoon down. Sol, who had been watching me, promptly placed a large piece of meat on my plate.
“Oppa, you should eat more, especially since you’re not feeling well.”
Seeing Sol’s sparkling eyes, I smiled wryly and picked up my spoon again. The tension was easing, and the reality of being back in the city was sinking in, lightening the atmosphere. I turned my head to gaze out the inn window.
The sun had long set, and dusk had settled over the ground. For now, I just wanted to sleep without thinking about anything.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Yes, it seemed like Suhyeon might finally shed his “eunuch” title, but alas, his self-restraint prevailed. (Suhyeon’s claim that he’s not an eunuch is a small act of defiance. Haha.) Vivian is about to become part of the family, so having a forced first experience wouldn’t be right. Unless she willingly makes a move, that is.
Let me elaborate on why Suhyeon didn’t engage with Vivian. Vivian is an ally. She can be seen as someone who will help Suhyeon. If she were an enemy or a vagrant, he might have been ruthless, but since she’s an ally, Suhyeon showed some leniency. He’s endlessly kind to those within his circle (by his own standards), but as for those outside… well, you know how Suhyeon thinks from his actions so far.
『 Reader Comments 』
MTBear: Congratulations on being the first to comment. And thank you for the coupon. Happy New Year to you too! :)
C.Y.B: It almost happened, but Suhyeon’s restraint pushed it to the next opportunity. Haha.
GradeRown: This contract is almost worse than a slave contract… Sorry, Vivian. ㅜ.ㅠ
hohokoya1: Haha. I’ve decided not to do a remake. It’s better to keep moving forward. Thank you for the valuable advice.
HumanLife: There was a reply at number 9. Haha. Seems you missed it. :)
zeromax: Tears welled up when I looked at my wallet. My nieces and nephews really got me with their rush. They came in, bowed, and held out their hands. Sigh.
PpuingPpuingA: Ppuing?
Oricon: Yes, such a pretty cat. Sol has already claimed the dog, so let’s see who suits the cat better between Vivian and Yujeong. Haha.
Prandil: Hmm. If we add the condition “for each new member,” even spending 1200 gold wouldn’t make the contract valid. Haha.
WinterTomorrow: I’m glad you find it entertaining. Haha. Thank you for the coupon. Happy New Year to you too, WinterTomorrow! :)
I always read all the comments repeatedly. Please don’t feel too disappointed if there’s no reply. If you’re really curious, send me a message, and I’ll respond! (Please leave lots of comments! And recommendations too… ☞☜)
I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Pre-selections, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.