Quite some time had passed since Seraph had followed Kim Suhyun into the Mercenary clan.
It was no secret that the Mercenary clan was fiercely exclusive.
Since its founding days on Mule, they never let anyone join without a fight.
There were incidents too numerous to count—like Lee Yujeong’s rejection of Kim Hanbyul, the early power struggles with Go Yeonju and Jegal Haesol.
Big or small, these events hardly felt like mere initiation rites; quiet acceptance was rare.
Given this history, expecting Seraph to blend in smoothly without any friction was wishful thinking.
Seraph knew this better than anyone.
She never expected a warm welcome the moment she arrived.
Having served as Kim Suhyun’s assistant for years, it would have been a lie to say she didn’t understand the Mercenary clan’s nature.
Her bold declaration at their first meeting—that she wanted to bear Kim Suhyun’s child—required considerable courage.
It wasn’t a joke, but a sincere statement.
Not as a spy planted by the angels, but as someone willing to give up everything to live as Kim Suhyun’s wife.
That was as far as she dared to go.
To be frank, angels no longer held the upper hand over their users.
The decades-long relationship had completely flipped the moment Kim Suhyun defeated the demons and claimed the Zero Code.
The fact that seven or eight out of ten angels, led by Gabriel, fled to Heaven was proof enough.
This shift was painfully clear to Seraph.
Wherever she went, watchful eyes followed, and she met wary attitudes at every turn.
They didn’t outright exclude her, but if it weren’t for Kim Suhyun, some hot-headed members might have pushed harder.
She had given up everything to follow Kim Suhyun, but that wasn’t the end of it.
Wanting to be by the side of the one she loved required not only his permission but the acceptance of everyone around him.
In the end, Seraph’s only option was to live quietly, like a mouse, always on guard.
Showing the typical angelic air of superiority would have brought nothing but trouble.
With that in mind, Seraph found herself increasingly uneasy with Kim Suhyun’s steady attention since their reunion.
No, it wasn’t fear of the gaze from the man she loved.
More precisely, it was the fear of what would happen if she accepted that attention.
“Look at her. She’s clinging to oppa again.”
“Huh? Oppa went to her first, didn’t he?”
“Still, I don’t like it. I don’t get why oppa likes her either, but every time I see them together, I get uneasy.”
“Why?”
“Look at her. She’s an angel, and oppa is now the owner of the Zero Code. Who knows if she’s just waiting for a chance to use him again?”
“Hmm… that’s true…”
The many women already surrounding Kim Suhyun made Seraph uncomfortable.
Because their feelings weren’t just simple jealousy or petty emotions.
The fifteen years of complex bonds—love and hatred, trust and suspicion—that connected Kim Suhyun and Seraph were not shared by these women.
From their perspective, Seraph was just an angel who had used their user.
Their suspicions were understandable.
So Seraph refused, again and again.
“Seraph, how’s life these days?”
“It’s good. I’m happy.”
“Not too hard?”
“No, not at all. Really, you don’t have to worry about me.”
“Ah, I’m just feeling cooped up from all the work lately. How about going out together sometime…?”
“You should go with the ladies first.”
“Seraph, if you have time, maybe tonight…?”
“Sorry, I’m a bit tired. I appreciate the offer, but could you understand if I pass just for today?”
In other words, she was keeping her distance.
Given what she’d done, she couldn’t help but be cautious.
That day was no different.
A baby Pegasus lounging in the garden spotted a baby Chaos Mimic who had wandered out and immediately charged at it.
Seraph was watching their fierce little battle with great interest.
“Seraph!”
At that moment, Kim Suhyun, stepping outside with his entourage, called out cheerfully.
Seraph quickly straightened up, clasped her hands politely, and bowed.
“Are you going out?”
“Yes. There’s a meeting at the Central Management Agency today.”
“I’ve heard about the old and new factions clashing. Do you think it’ll be resolved well…?”
“Well, probably? I think we can wrap it up today.”
Kim Suhyun sounded tired but suddenly reached out and grabbed Seraph’s wrists firmly.
Startled, the angel tried to pull away, but it was too late.
“Su, Suhyun?”
“Just hold still for a moment.”
“I’m tired. When you stay like this, it somehow feels healing. Okay?”
“B-But…”
Kim Suhyun’s gaze drifted upward as he gently rubbed Seraph’s wrists.
The sun hung high in the sky.
After a moment, he glanced sideways at Seraph, whose face had flushed and who looked unsure what to do, then spoke casually.
“Now that I think about it, we have some time… How about lunch before the meeting? No, let’s do it.”
Jo Seungwoo, standing nearby, looked uneasy.
They weren’t pressed for time, but fitting in a meal was tight.
Still, Kim Suhyun, worn down by recent heavy workloads, wanted a moment’s rest.
He also wanted to hear about Seraph’s life in the middle world.
“Sorry.”
But Seraph declined gracefully, maintaining her composure.
“Again? Still no?”
Disappointment was clear on Kim Suhyun’s face.
“Well… I have a prior engagement.”
“With whom?”
“User Go Yeonju invited me.”
“You might want to skip that.”
Half-joking, Kim Suhyun said, but Seraph shook her head seriously.
“How could I? I’ve already told her I’d come.”
“Clan Lord, we have some time, but it wouldn’t hurt to get there early. Better to finish quickly today and enjoy a relaxed evening.”
Jo Seungwoo chimed in at just the right moment.
Kim Suhyun sighed, resigned.
Turning away, he added one last thing before leaving.
“You’ve been acting a little strange lately.”
“…Excuse me?”
“You’ve been here about three or four months, right?”
“That’s about right.”
“But I feel like I see you less than when you were in the summoning room.”
“That’s not it…”
“Anyway, have a good time. And I don’t think this will happen, but if you ever feel pressured, tell me right away.”
His words carried weight.
“By the way, you always made excuses to avoid eating with me before…”
Muttering, Kim Suhyun closed his eyes gently.
Seraph took a step back and bowed slowly.
Jo Seungwoo, ever perceptive, noticed something odd about the angel.
Maybe because her eyes were closed, she seemed oblivious to the shadow of displeasure on Kim Suhyun’s face—something he thought she would know better than anyone.
Contrary to Kim Suhyun’s worries, the meal with Go Yeonju’s group was warm and friendly.
The topic everyone was curious about was: what kind of user was Kim Suhyun during his first cycle?
Go Yeonju, drawing from her own experience receiving Gehenna, was surprisingly warm, and Seraph answered the questions from Go Yeonju, Kim Hanbyul, Im Hanna, and Jung Hayeon with consistent humility.
At one point, Im Hanna served a dish she had made herself, and Seraph didn’t refuse but ate it with evident enjoyment.
She knew Im Hanna was the type who found joy in seeing others enjoy her cooking.
“I can’t believe it. Oppa had a time like that too…”
“Me neither. Honestly, it was hilarious.”
As time passed and the atmosphere grew more relaxed, the conversation gradually shifted from the past to the present.
“Thanks to this, I had a more enjoyable time than I expected.”
Go Yeonju suddenly spoke up.
“Heh. Honestly, I was suspicious when Seraph first followed him out. You know, our feelings about angels aren’t exactly warm… Understandable, right?”
“I can only apologize.”
“That’s not why I’m saying this. You were probably a middle manager anyway… And like your brother-in-law said, we know you’re different from them.”
“…”
Her tone was serious, unlike before.
“To be frank, I feel some of my prejudices have lifted here.”
“…”
“If you keep showing such sensible behavior, I believe the other clan members will soon drop their cold stares. You know what I mean, right?”
“…”
Sensible behavior.
A phrase fitting for the lady of the Mercenary clan.
The angel silently agreed to herself.
The long gathering finally ended well past evening, as twilight settled unevenly over the land.
When Seraph was asked, “Want to join us for breakfast tomorrow?” she felt surprisingly good.
It was the favor of the Shadow Queen herself.
She had succeeded in earning a positive evaluation from the most influential woman around Kim Suhyun.
After three cautious months, her efforts were finally paying off.
As Go Yeonju said, the day would come soon when she wouldn’t have to be so careful, nor pretend to ignore Kim Suhyun’s attention.
“Just a little longer… just a little more…”
Seraph smiled quietly to herself as she climbed the stairs.
And then—
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
For some reason, very few readers have called me Royujin…
Alright then, go ahead and shout your hearts out.
You’re coming up with words I never even imagined, popping up like weeds. I’m jotting them all down and will be submitting an update to the banned words list.
By the way, I’ve been hearing that “xxmi” has suddenly been removed from the banned words. I checked, and it’s true.
I’ll have to file a complaint with Joara tomorrow.
Anyway, I can’t exactly take revenge on my readers, so I’m left with no choice but to make poor Seraph suffer.
I originally planned to keep things sweet, but it looks like I’ll have to put Seraph through the wringer.
Seraph, you’re not going to have an easy time getting together with Kim Soo-hyun…!
P.S. After reading the comments, I checked on the award situation…
I honestly thought it didn’t apply to me, so I was pretty surprised. ^^;
Thank you so much to all the readers who voted. (__)