The next morning.
“…Ugh.”
Ian woke up in bed, feeling refreshed.
[10:33]
Is it already this late?
It’s the first time he had slept in so late since the possession.
“…Well, I did go to bed late last night.”
Recalling the events of the previous night, Ian smiled slightly.
At the end, Danya, who was almost unconscious, fell asleep.
‘Maybe this is usable after all?’
Ian praised his still-aching lower body as he turned his head.
Did he manage to use his power and sleep even though he was tired?
Luckily, the bed was dry.
He was sure it had been completely damp just before he fell asleep.
Danya, nestled in the clean white sheets, murmured in her sleep.
“Ugh… It’s too big, Nyah.”
What kind of dream is she having?
The sound of Danya’s gentle breathing was oddly sweet.
But what really caught Ian’s attention was the way Danya was sleeping.
Lying on her side like a shrimp, she was hugging her fluffy tail tightly.
Almost like she was hugging a long pillow.
“…Wow. This is really too cute.”
As Ian stroked her tail a few times, Danya made a contented sound.
He covered her with the blanket and got out of bed.
“Ah.”
He almost slipped as he opened the door and stepped out.
Looking down, he noticed the floor outside the door was oddly slippery.
“…Did someone spill water?”
He thought he should clean it up so Danya wouldn’t slip on it.
When he went downstairs to the kitchen and living room, Elena greeted him enthusiastically.
“Woah-!”
She came running up, holding a clock in one hand, and stopped in front of him.
Then she held out the clock and exclaimed.
“Brother, sleeping in! It’s the first time I’ve seen this!”
How does she know his sleeping pattern…?
Ah. They slept together while on the island.
Elena was a sleepyhead, and it was hard to wake her up.
Did she hold onto that in her heart?
She seemed to be enjoying the fact that she had found Ian’s weakness, smiling widely and bouncing up and down.
“What on earth were you doing to wake up so late? I demand an explanation!”
She’s repeating what he said to her.
And… it was hard to argue with her.
Ian ignored Elena and poured himself a glass of water.
Gulp.
Mmm.
As expected of a luxury accommodation, even the water tastes premium.
“Sister Lina, you should say something too… huh? Why is Sister Lina’s face so red?”
Now Elena tilted her head in front of Lina.
Just as Elena said, Lina’s face was as red as a beet.
Every time their eyes met, Lina avoided Ian’s gaze.
As if she was embarrassed.
She kept tugging at her clothes, trying to cover the space between her legs.
And there were dark circles under her eyes.
Ian asked her.
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
“Oh… no, it’s not that? It’s just… I had some stuff going on, you know? Haha? I didn’t go to the second floor yesterday!”
The second floor, where Danya and Ian’s rooms were located.
Lina’s shifty eyes seemed a little suspicious, but Ian shrugged it off.
Honestly, he was in a good mood regardless of anything. Ian sat down on the sofa in the living room.
Creak.
Through the transparent window, he could see the sea at a glance.
He suddenly thought that living in a place like this wouldn’t be bad once everything was settled.
“Sister Danya also slept in!”
Ian followed Elena’s gaze to the stairs.
Elena tilted her head, looking at Danya.
But why is she walking so strangely?
Waddle, waddle.
Danya was awkwardly holding onto the stair railing as she came down, her legs spread apart.
It seemed her lower body was quite sore.
Well. Even just exercising would make one sore after doing it like that.
Ian smiled faintly and supported Danya.
“T-Thank you.”
Danya’s face turned red.
Elena muttered as she watched them.
“You two… something is suspicious.”
Elena’s eyes were full of questions.
Ian skillfully redirected her attention.
“Rather than that, how about we go to the beach? It’s been a while, don’t you think?”
“That’s what I wanted, Brother! Sounds great!”
…As always, she’s easy to distract.
Thus, they spent the last day on the island having a blast, leaving everything else behind.
They swam, fished, and even grilled the fish they caught.
Finally, they ended the day with a campfire and fireworks, and once again, the deep night settled in.
In the middle of the night.
— Creak.
Ian’s bedroom door quietly slid open.
Standing there was Danya, dressed in a fluttering nightgown.
“Sh-should we do it again tonight?”
Of course he wanted to, but…
Tonight, he had to restrain himself.
They were heading back to the Academy the next day, and if Danya ended up waddling around like before, it could make her the target of teasing.
“I’m… I’m okay with it, Nyah!”
No.
Ian couldn’t allow that.
He firmly shook his head, but Danya continued to seduce him.
Lick, lick.
Her rough tongue kept teasing Ian.
“Mmmbph!”
Danya discovered that she could find happiness even through her mouth.
“Ah… Haa…”
Though, for a while, she found it difficult to open her mouth.
◆
The massive airship ferried the students once again, slicing through the sky.
On the deck of the ship.
Ian gazed out at the distant sky the ship was cutting through, lost in thought.
‘It’s about time for the next main scenario to begin.’
The Volta Island promotion was what you’d call an interlude story nestled between the scenarios.
He had achieved Aether promotion, obtained Super Regeneration, and even received bonus perks.
It was, in essence, a 100% clean finish.
Honestly, this was an achievement worth patting himself on the back for.
Good. Very good.
But…
“I’ve got a few new concerns now.”
To be precise, the concerns he originally had became clearer.
You could say the enemies he needed to face had become clearer too.
First of all, there was Emilia Raymond.
She had definitely shown hostility toward him.
If she returned to Lichten and attended the Aether classes, she might become more aggressive in her attacks. Or perhaps even sooner.
But she wasn’t the only problem.
“What on earth was with Aria?”
Aria, who had written in Korean on the ground.
The more he thought about her, the more anxious he felt, as if something completely unexpected might emerge.
As soon as he got back, he needed to take a closer look at the ‘Love Journal’ that Pongpong had written.
Moreover, there was the item he obtained as a ‘Player Perk,’ the [Rotten Chain Links].
Its effect was excellent, but the given context was troubling.
It was like a prophecy of future events, an item that saves him from death three times.
‘It’s basically telling me that I’ll face at least three life-threatening situations.’
Why did the future seem so bleak?
Ian looked down at the three strands of chains engraved on his finger.
“Three life-threatening situations.”
If he thought it through, he had quite a few enemies.
Emilia Raymond.
Aria’s knight.
And then a sudden name popped into his head.
“…Blood Witch.”
His first encounter with her was so shocking that she would occasionally cross his mind.
How wide was the gap in skill between them?
He couldn’t even begin to gauge it.
“Well…”
This isn’t an easy game.
Maybe that’s why he liked it so much.
There’s no need to be scared already.
– Crack.
Ian stretched his shoulders and neck.
The upcoming main scenarios.
To be honest, he wasn’t too worried.
He felt confident that he could get through them just fine.
“Time to get prepared.”
◆
“My apologies, but without the branch manager’s permission, you cannot enter.”
The building had become sleek and polished.
It was decent before, but now it had an unexpectedly flashy appearance.
“Hmm.”
This feels like…
The sudden transformation of a mid-sized company that landed a huge contract overnight.
“Customer? Excuse me, did you have an appointment with Branch Manager Silvia Laurent?”
The guard asked again.
Ian, who had been tilting his head in thought, nodded confidently.
“No?”
“Then I’m afraid you cannot enter.”
“…”
This was an unexpected obstacle.
Ian had come to give Silvia a ring that had crossed his mind, but now there was a barrier between them.
‘I should’ve contacted her through Kirtos first.’
But going back to his accommodation was too bothersome.
Isn’t it Silvia’s fault for suddenly hiring security without warning?
Feeling slightly indignant, Ian decided to try something bold.
“I’m friends with the branch manager here.”
“…Friends?”
“Yes.”
The guard briefly glanced at Ian, then quickly lowered his gaze, probably remembering the training about not being rude to guests.
A professional, indeed. Silvia sure knows how to pick people.
“I’m sorry, but your name isn’t on today’s guest list. Maybe you could schedule another—”
“I’ve had meals with the branch manager!”
Just as Ian was trying to bluff his way through, the sound of footsteps echoed as a graceful woman stepped out of the building.
“…What are you doing, Ian-nim? Stop bothering the poor guard and come on up.”
At Silvia’s words, the guard’s eyes widened.
“So, you really were a friend?”
“Told you.”
“My apologies.”
“No problem. I was just teasing a bit. I’m the one who should apologize.”
With a grin, Ian followed Silvia inside.
Click. Without a word, Silvia opened the door to her office and walked in.
Ian followed and let out an impressed whistle.
“Wow, your office really got a luxury upgrade.”
Wasn’t this the same office that used to be so cold she had to wear fur boots?
Silvia chuckled softly as she looked at Ian.
“Haha. I spruced it up to win the business contracts with the Lichten City Council and the Academy. People judge by appearances, after all. And honestly, it didn’t cost that much.”
The business with the city council and the Academy.
Silvia had even given up on the Aether promotion to compete with the Raymond Merchant Guild.
“…So, how did it go?”
At Ian’s question, Silvia’s face turned somber, and she hung her head low.
‘Did she fail?’
…Well, if nothing unexpected happened, it would make sense for the Raymond Merchant Guild to take over all of Lichten.
Just as Ian was about to offer some words of comfort, Silvia suddenly flashed a bright smile and made a V sign with her fingers.
“I succeeded!”
Before Ian could even praise her, Silvia jumped at him and hugged him tightly.
“I did it, I really did it!”
She then started bouncing up and down. Silvia, who rarely showed such joy, was beaming, and Ian found himself smiling and jumping along with her.
But only for a moment.
‘…Big.’
Ian couldn’t help but notice how close Silvia’s body was pressed against him.
Although she had a slender figure, the softness was unmistakable.
As Silvia’s excitement faded, she blushed and quickly stepped back.
“S-Sorry. I think I got too close. Why did I even do that…”
Silvia fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, looking flustered. Ian spoke confidently.
“No need to apologize. I actually liked it.”
Silvia looked at him in disbelief.
“…P*rvert.”
“I was just being honest about how I felt.”
“Huh? W-What exactly did you like?!”
Silvia snapped back at him.
Ian shrugged and responded honestly.
“The feel of your body? It was soft and pleasant when I hugged you.”
“U-Ugh…!”
Silvia’s face turned as red as a beet.
It was a bit too crude for someone who grew up as a noble lady, but it was still a compliment that made her feel good.
