EP.47
“Have you been waiting long? Sorry.”
“…Huh? Oh, yeah. Uh-huh.”
Jin returned to the room, holding two teacups in his hands. Inside the room, on the bed, Erekaya was still sitting stiffly, her body rigid with tension.
But why does she look so restless?
Of course, from Erekaya’s perspective, this was the first time she had ever been in a man’s room—this was an unnecessary observation relayed by the Erekaya in Jin’s mind. It’s only natural that she would feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar in this situation.
Jin had told her to make herself comfortable as if it were her own room, but how many people in the world could actually feel that way in someone else’s room?
However, even taking that into account, Erekaya’s current state was a bit excessive.
She had stiffened her entire body, and although it was just a little, she seemed to be trembling slightly; even Jin couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable urge to tremble in response.
—It’s nothing significant. It’s just that my past self was excessively pure, like a naive young lady in a court. Well, I suppose I still maintain some of that naivety even now.
‘…Pure? You?’
With a tone that suggested disgust, Jin remarked, making Erekaya respond as if she were showing off.
—Of course, if I am not pure, then who in this world could be? I’ve never held hands with any man besides my father until I die. Even if you searched the whole world, the only woman who could claim to be cleaner than me would be a nun from the monastery.
After saying this, Erekaya leaned in slightly and whispered something as if sharing a secret with Jin.
—Aren’t you attracted? The past me, meaning the current version of me, is like a blank slate, completely unaware. Even though I act composed and confident on the outside, simply entering a strange man’s room like this makes me tremble like an innocent girl.
‘…So what?’
Is this girl really insane? So what does she want?
—Tsk, still pretending to be innocent and clueless even after coming this far. You’re quite the lecherous man, aren’t you? Do you intend to make me explain everything?
—Men generally enjoy staining innocent women, like blank slates, with their own colors. And you are the top of that pack of wolves.
—But that’s alright. I will grant you permission for everything. Even if you push all boundaries today, I will forgive you. So, go ahead and do as you please.
—You don’t have to decline. Isn’t this also a step for the future of humanity? I can’t imagine you, like a trembling lamb, making a fuss over not being able to enjoy a perfectly set table, can I?
‘If all the innocent and pure people die, it wouldn’t be long before your turn comes too.’
Setting aside whether Erekaya is currently pure or not, and putting aside how Erekaya’s subtle provocation can verge on criminal, the power disparity between Jin and Erekaya is something that can hardly be overstated.
If Jin were to even touch Erekaya with a single finger, it could very well be a mercy for her to end his life instead.
“Enough of this nonsense. Let’s stick to the advice you usually give. This chance to converse with you like this is truly invaluable.”
Saying that, Jin handed one of the teacups he was holding to the trembling Erekaya before him.
In his mind, Erekaya was overly cunning and shameless, yet the current Erekaya appeared so innocent and young.
The current Erekaya and the Erekaya in his mind existed ten years apart.
So, what kind of experiences and time did Erekaya go through in those ten years that caused such a change in personality?
“…..”
Well, it’s not the time to think about that now. Such things can wait until later when he has more time to ask Erekaya. The opportunity to converse with the current version of Erekaya is truly rare.
It’s a chance that has come after a whole month of waiting. To woo her, make her fall in love, and ultimately ensure her happiness, he had to create some connection here.
“Here, take it.”
“Uh? Oh, uh, thank you.”
With that, Erekaya cautiously accepted the teacup from Jin. After inhaling the scent of the tea, she elegantly took a sip.
Jin watched as Erekaya sat gracefully on the edge of the bed, holding the teacup and sipping the tea—a seemingly mundane scene. However, with her exquisite beauty and flawless etiquette, it transformed into a picturesque moment.
As Erekaya sipped the tea Jin had offered, she paused to savor the flavor, her eyes widening in surprise.
“…Huh? Is this Earl Grey?”
“Is it not to your taste? If so, I apologize. It’s just my favorite tea.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m just… surprised.”
“Surprised about what?”
“The truth is… I also love Earl Grey. Quite a lot.”
Seeing Erekaya express her fascination while sipping the tea made Jin feel an inexplicable sense of guilt.
“I’m sorry… I don’t actually enjoy tea that much. I don’t even know what that Earl Grey is supposed to taste like.”
As someone from the civilized society of the 21st century, Jin preferred coffee over the refined pastime of tea-drinking.
Nevertheless, the only reason he had brought tea to share with Erekaya at this moment was because he knew that she loved Earl Grey.
—No matter how impressive I am, right now I’m just a seventeen-year-old girl. And girls at that age tend to fervently believe in concepts like destiny and coincidence.
“Destiny?”
—Yes. The most significant way for two people to become friends and grow closer is to create common topics of conversation. If we can “coincidentally” overlap on certain things and have similar tastes, she will surely feel a sense of destiny in that.
Erekaya laughed lightly, and there was something villainous about the way she seemed to manipulate the situation.
—You must be aware of everything I’ve shared about myself, right?
“Her name is Erekaya Del Pendragon. Blood type A, height 170.4 cm, favorite foods include Earl Grey and mildly sweet dishes with a clean aftertaste, hobbies are reading and archery, her personality is one that dislikes losing and strives to give her best, and her least favorite type of person is a dirty, unkempt man….”
The list of details felt oddly reminiscent of a strange video introduction, yet it was undeniably necessary information to win Erekaya over.
But is it really okay to go this far? Even if there’s a justification for the future of humanity, is it acceptable to use cheat-like tactics to seduce that innocent girl?
…Well, I don’t know. I’ll think about that later. Right now, I need to focus on my own situation instead of worrying about anyone else.
“I brought some desserts too, so let’s eat together. Earl Grey goes well with slightly sweet foods.”
“Ah, thank you. Actually, I also enjoy eating cookies with tea.”
Thus, while drinking tea, Jin and Erekaya engaged in seemingly trivial conversation.
Of course, for Erekaya, it was nothing significant, but for Jin, it was a conversation that made his head ache.
—Don’t trail off at the end of your sentences. I absolutely detest indecisive men. When you talk, you should look me straight in the eye. The House of Pendragon teaches that conversations occur through the eyes of people. And! You can’t keep your hands still either. You have a base instinct to fidget during conversation. Where on earth did you learn that habit?
‘…Annoying.’
Jin couldn’t tell if the tea was going down his throat or coming out of his nose due to the incessant chatter echoing in his mind.
Moreover, he couldn’t understand what Erekaya was saying right in front of him. He was merely parrying her comments with reflexes, relying on the information embedded in his mind.
“How fascinating… Really.”
At the conclusion of their short yet impactful exchange, Erekaya gazed at Jin with a look of wonder.
“It feels like we share so many common interests. And… our conversation flows so well. Talking to you feels like chatting with another version of myself.”
“…Is that so?”
Of course, it had to be. After all, another version of Erekaya resided in Jin’s mind.
What Jin had done was simply resemble a spokesperson, reciting the words of Erekaya within his thoughts.
As they continued to chat animatedly, Erekaya suddenly grew serious.
After a brief moment of contemplation, she opened up to Jin, as if resolved.
“Jin, the reason I came to see you today is partly because of the rumors surrounding you, but… I also wanted to ask you something.”
“Something you wanted to ask?”
“If you think my question is rude, you don’t have to answer. It’s okay to look down on me. But I’ve decided that I absolutely must ask you this question.”
With those words, Erekaya looked at Jin with a distinctly sharp gaze, unlike her demeanor until now.
“Outwardly, you are known as a commoner who entered the High Department, but as the Student Council President, I know something that other students don’t.”
“When you enrolled here, you claimed to be a descendant of the Seven Heroes. The admissions director and the chairperson acknowledged that you are indeed a descendant of the Seven Heroes.”
“…And?”
“Right, I do not deny that you are a descendant of the Seven Heroes. It would require proper teachings from a noble house to reach such a profound level at such a young age.”
“However, this raises one question. Then, which hero are you a descendant of?”
“Since the Divine Maiden and the Thunder Emperor were manifestors, you can’t be their descendant. And since Altina doesn’t know you, you seem unrelated to the house of Count Seryas. That leaves only one hero among the remaining heroes who wielded a sword.”
“Jin, what is your relationship with the House of Pendragon?”
Seeing Erekaya gaze at him with a truly piercing look, Jin realized that the moment he had anticipated had finally arrived.
He felt no surprise, confusion, or fear at all.
After all, hadn’t he been swinging a sword in the training ground every morning just to make Erekaya naturally come to this realization? Didn’t he deliberately showcase the “Dance of the Dragon” move during his spar with Hugo?
Having scattered so many clues, Erekaya was certainly not someone who could be oblivious.
“Of course, I wouldn’t say we are complete strangers.”
With that, Jin raised a finger and drew a small circle in the air with it. At the same time, a bizarre flow of power manifested around his finger.
While it looked like a simple and unremarkable gesture to the outside world, Erekaya, who possessed synesthesia, likely perceived Jin’s movement differently.
“The Dance of the Dragon…!”
As Erekaya widened her eyes in disbelief, Jin internally smiled in satisfaction.
To practice this seemingly simple yet impressive movement, he had invested countless hours and effort over the past month.
While it was of no practical use in combat, at least it made him appear skilled in front of Erekaya; all the training under her harsh criticism paid off as he watched her stare in astonishment.
“Then, Jin, you are indeed as I suspected….”
“There’s no need to elaborate further. I believe this concludes the evidence regarding me.”
Jin cut her off with a tone that left no room for further discussion.
The first rule of lying:
To deceive others, one must not ramble about any facts carelessly.
One must leave room for imagination by providing just enough information to allow the other person to construct their own conclusions.
This way, even if the lie is uncovered later, there remains a possibility to make excuses or find a way out.
“Truly perfect.”
—Of course it’s perfect. Who devised this scheme? It couldn’t be anything less than perfect.
Thus, a connection was established: Jin was a fellow student of martial arts alongside Erekaya. This connection would greatly aid him in approaching her in the future.
As Jin and the voice of Erekaya in his mind celebrated this victory, Erekaya in front of him showed signs of hesitation before finally managing to speak up.
“If so… can I ask just one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“Are your parents… are they still alive? Please tell me they haven’t both passed away.”
“…..”
But despite everything, why was she suddenly throwing such a curveball at him?
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