Verdandi was finally pleased that her moment to shine had come. Woohoo! The fact that she only needed to subdue without killing anyone was just the cherry on top. Bam!
For that moment on stage, she felt truly recognized as a hero by the people.
The cheers of the crowd, the acknowledgment from her opponents as they respected her strength, and the good feelings shared between them all felt fantastic.
“Master! I won!” Yay!
Among all this, the reason Verdandi had grown fond of the Yong Bong Gihwa was precisely because she could appeal to her master, Bing Yeon, who had taken her under her wing.
Until now, Bi Wol had been constantly throwing herself at her, leading Verdandi to believe she’d have no chance with her not-so-perfect figure.
After spending a long time in a master-apprentice relationship, no matter how much they tried to bridge the gap between them, Verdandi and Bing Yeon were getting nowhere.
After a lucky kiss, Bing Yeon had completely shut down all of Bi Wol’s advances.
“Well done.” Applause!
“Pat me harder! Touch my cheeks too!” Slap!
But now, she had a rightful reason to be praised—she had won by pinning down the heir of the renowned Namgung Clan with the same sword.
“…….”
Grabbing Bing Yeon’s wrist, Verdandi pressed her face around with glee. Bing Yeon accepted her whims with an expression that said, “I can’t help it.”
To the original author, Han Dohyun, these girls were more precious than anything else. They were figures he wanted to protect even if he had to burn out his insignificant life for them.
It was also like having a daughter left from his deceased lover, Yoo Seolhwa.
“If sister hadn’t lost, I might have had my moment to shine…”
While Verdandi wore a goofy grin, Azazel slightly bit her tongue to speak up. Her tentacles behind her softly wiggled, then suddenly shifted to a more alert form.
“If you’re jealous, just honestly ask the master for a pet!” Nudge!
Looking at Azazel, Verdandi realized she too wanted to be coddled by their master, Bing Yeon, but was hiding it.
“W-why would I say I want to be petted by that guy…?!” Gasp!
“If you don’t like it, then don’t say anything!” Shush!
With an eye that could distinguish truth from lies, Verdandi beamed at her.
What she was indulging in now was a childish love rivalry.
Like when there’s only one strawberry cake left, both of them cautiously eyeing who gets to eat it first. Munch!
Taking advantage of the moment when her fiercest rival, Bi Wol, momentarily stepped out, Verdandi was aiming to capture Bing Yeon’s attention.
– Tsk, Azazel. Why can’t you just be a little honest? When that Bi Wol girl comes back, you won’t be able to approach Bing Yeon at all!
Mordigian sighed lightly at the still-proud Azazel. The honey in his gaze as he secretly glanced at Bing Yeon dripped, and if their eyes met, Azazel would turn her head away, cheeks turning red like a lovesick girl.
Everyone else knew, but she didn’t.
A new breeze of love was blowing towards that girl who had pined for years.
“I-I never said I disliked it!” Whine!
With her eyes closed, Azazel yelled out, charging at Bing Yeon. Mordigian skillfully used his tentacles to embrace her.
“……?!”
“…Uh, Mordigian…?!” Confusion!
Stuck together like cicadas clinging to a tree, their bodies pressed together made Azazel’s cheeks and ears glow as red as a tomato.
The solid muscles of a trained man were too overwhelming for the innocent blank slate that was Azazel.
“Azazel, I can’t breathe. Can you let go of me…?” Wheeze!
“…I-I didn’t do this because I wanted to!” Flustered!
They couldn’t drop apart. Instead, they pressed closer together, unwilling, as if filling the gaps between them. The tentacles behind her wouldn’t move as they pleased either.
– Truly a troublesome kid, huh.
Everything was part of Mordigian’s plan, who was watching them with a suffocating gaze. If things went on like this, he’d lose to Bi Wol and Verdandi.
If he didn’t push things along, they’d spend a lifetime pretending they didn’t have feelings for each other and keeping their distance.
“Wha, what the…?!”
Soft, tickling sensations spread as their bodies made contact, and even their breaths were shared in close quarters. Bing Yeon attempted to take a deep breath to regain her composure.
“D-Don’t move! Breathing is forbidden…!” Panic!
This only fueled Azazel’s imagination, recalling the scene she had seen in the future.
“Huh…?”
Locking eyes once more with Bing Yeon, Azazel envisioned a different future. As her rationality teetered on the edge, she found herself unable to avoid nosebleeds again.
*
– Brother, do you know what prophecy followed me a few days ago?
In stark contrast to the previous scene, in a pitch-dark room where nothing was visible, only the silhouettes of two people swayed.
– What is it? Azazel.
– Hehe, are you curious?
Her rainbow-colored eyes shone even in the darkness. Seeing this, Azazel instinctively realized that the person in front of her was a future version of herself.
The shadow was now taller and the voice seemed a bit more mature, causing the current Azazel to gulp.
This was her first glimpse of the future since her connection with Kang Si Woo had soured. Unlike last time, when Bi Wol from the future had interrupted, this time seemed devoid of such interruptions.
– To prosper widely and bring peace to the world.
– …?
In a voice that seemed to melt away, the future version of herself was coaxing Bing Yeon. What could happen for her to adopt that tone?
– Do you understand what this means, brother?
– I don’t get it.
– It means you and I need to leave descendants.
She seemed to smile seductively, a teasing laughter escaping her lips as she regarded him. If only she knew, he’d later realize he would be drawn into this situation.
‘Am I really going to say something so ridiculous later…? Really…?’
Even while knowing that, understanding that she would say such things was challenging. After all, she had been taught that babies just appeared, like swans being delivered or floating ashore.
Why would she say such things in this dark room?
In a situation where only their voices were heard, current Azazel was pacing, expressing her frustration outwardly.
– Why does that happen? Surely….
– Shh, brother, you’re truly oblivious, huh.
Future Azazel mimicked a shushing sound as if she wanted her past self to hear.
– Right now, there are four women including me gunning for you, aren’t there? If I wait my turn, I might lose my chance altogether.
Four? At that odd term, Azazel lifted her gaze toward the voice.
Bi Wol, Verdandi, and Azazel.
No matter how she thought about it, there was no space for the fourth person. Wasn’t it only these three around Bing Yeon?
– I’m quite greedy, you know, brother. I’ve gone so far as to set the stage to seduce you.
Who could that mysterious fourth person be, to make future Azazel fidget in this way and take such bold measures in the dark with her master?
– Why are you suddenly acting like this? Didn’t you have something weighing on your mind that you wanted to consult me about…?
Bing Yeon’s voice seemed drained compared to now. It sounded like she was gasping, possibly limping in the shadow flickering behind her.
– Yes, indeed. It’s because I have such strong feelings for you, brother, and I don’t know how to handle them.
To that Bing Yeon, future Azazel calmly and sincerely spoke her feelings.
– You saved me from almost meeting a trashy guy. Without expecting anything in return.
As if asking Bing Yeon to solely focus on her now, her rainbow-colored eyes glistened with intent gaze on one point.
– Perhaps you do hold some black intentions toward me? I don’t think my looks are something to find demeaning, you know.
– No way!
– Hehe, I suspected it. I’d confirmed it through Verdandi sister, but I wanted to hear it straight from you.
Watching the future Azazel, who kept emitting flirtatious laughter, the current Azazel was hiding her face with her hands.
Peeking through her fingers, she was becoming more aware of the figures coming into view.
– Will you take responsibility for the rest of my life?
– …….
– No response? Then, certainly…
She was at her breaking point with her face becoming hotter, almost wanting to jump in between them.
– How about you remove that hand? Proper turns should be followed, right?
In that moment, a voice she had never heard before echoed, pulling her consciousness away.
*
“Are you okay! Master!”
Verdandi’s urgent voice cut through as she sliced off several of the tentacles behind Azazel with her holy sword, freeing the two from their bind.
“Thank you, Verdandi.”
“I’m so relieved you’re okay!”
Verdandi let out a sigh of relief.
In a space where everyone could see, Azazel was fainting from a nosebleed, and they had been locked in a violent hug.
“Th-thank you. I almost lost my mind there.”
“…But why did you act out like that?”
“I-I didn’t know Mordigian would suddenly….”
“Still, you could have resisted!”
Verdandi couldn’t understand.
The tentacles behind her were connected to an outsider, so wasn’t that outsider trying to capture Bing Yeon?
It didn’t seem like a lie but felt like a rather convenient excuse, ruining her mood. After all, she hadn’t experienced the embrace yet.
“Then hold me too!”
While Verdandi initially expressed jealousy towards Bing Yeon for the first time, a presence was felt nearby.
“…What just now, you two? What did you say?”
Bi Wol returned from the side, glaring daggers at Azazel and Verdandi, her gaze fierce as that of a predator.
“Who did what with the master?!”
Her voice carried a menacing aura, making some nearby feel like crying or collapsing under her overwhelming possessiveness.
