Chapter 271: Winter (1)
Z1wWThe Kang Geom-Ma Karon remembered wasn’t someone particularly associated with diligence. He wasn’t irresponsible either—just someone who did “the bare minimum.”KXI
HGVlZ1But lately, something had clearly changed. The current Kang Geom-Ma—the Heavenly Sword—did nothing but work day and night.6PEJBhx
cet‘They say the title makes the man.’yzr
CcJCShail seemed surprised too, though she didn’t show it outwardly. Karon could tell by the way she occasionally glanced at him with curious eyes, as if she found him fascinating.ffftFH
wc4Shail often joked around with him, and Karon understood that her intention was to draw his attention away from work, even just a little. That’s why he never said anything or intervened.VrWd
9xeSHe only gave her a quiet warning now and then about jokes that might cross the line—especially those that Miss Abel might not appreciate. Shail would just smile and turn away without replying.HIO3MnB
Gce5Between Karon and Shail, the hierarchical roles of butler and maid were fairly loose.d4SuqTn
GmuCmMEven though Shail always addressed him formally, she had a strong will of her own.oLMwZk
PXYq1And Karon accepted her opinions when they made sense—when they didn’t, he firmly called her out.5pKEYF
7QgThey could be described as something like a father and daughter. Karon had watched Shail grow up, and that process was key in helping someone once branded a demon rediscover his humanity.skNnZQt
wYt0Still, hearing her drop such suggestive comments first thing in the morning.NSugP
zPxB2Even knowing her intentions, it was more than a little awkward for Karon, now well into his mature years.CLS
r0ueUjSometimes he couldn’t even tell whether she was joking or being serious.ieVkTH
9keLAnd that was something he didn’t dare ask. If she were serious, a bloodbath might very well sweep through Castle Sigurd.q0wyGu
WXtK‘A rivalry between Miss Abel and Shail?’Uge7ZOF
CF4If Shail was serious, Karon wouldn’t hesitate to support her. She was far too talented and beautiful to remain in domestic service forever.w61Z
2DwllUnlike him—who served as a butler out of penance—Shail bore no such obligation. She claimed it was to repay Lord Orion, but…UUfCvp
Tzll7l‘You’ve grown so admirably, Shail.’5BjMS7
1ilcBKaron imagined those would be Orion’s words himself. Shail deserved to be free.CUTB
yO0qbmIt was her time to live her own life. She was in her twenties, after all—an age made for love and companionship.CLkk
tb9The only problem was the person in question—Kang Geom-Ma himself.yYpUU7
7VvX7G‘Until recently, there didn’t seem to be any tension like that between them…’fl7vZd
qoTWThen he recalled something Shail had once said in passing about her ideal type.JKk39R5
VEwi— I like people who are dedicated to their work and have a strong sense of duty. Like Lord Orion. He gave his life fulfilling his duty as a hero. Even in his final moments, the look on his face showed he was thankful to carry that burden himself.oxm
cvZBXP“……”5f6ip8
Y2TSAV9Karon quietly averted his gaze, remembering those words.oWos1S
7DjTXdIn Kang Geom-Ma—now completely absorbed in his duties, even during winter break—he could see Orion’s face. And Shail, always nearby, continued to watch him closely.Lk8wh34
bE5xf7QPerhaps sensing that gaze, Kang Geom-Ma slightly turned his head. Their eyes met.Q2TRdJE
dDWW“Would you like another cup?”v3H1
cGtvmGIt was Shail who broke the silence, lifting the teapot slightly.DGu0x
rI3P“Ah, yes.”IZL
qFmZqMYKang Geom-Ma emptied his cup and placed it back on the table. As the tea warmed again, steam gently rose.yAJb1km
YHwIn the slightly dry office, the soft aroma of herbal tea spread. Through frost-covered windows, the winter sunlight streamed in, spilling across their backs. A bucolic midday in the middle of winter.QHtz4
BDmDThe scenery was tranquil, like a watercolor painted in soft tones on a white canvas.3FzYt7n
k7cQhXKang Geom-Ma took a sip and exclaimed with admiration.Lvr44ZJ
kqc3N“This is delicious. What kind of tea is it?”QbRkE
JITW8EUShail smiled.l0Kv
nlkpVQ“It’s Harrod’s black tea. Both the Swordmaster and Lord Orion enjoyed it. It’s usually supplied only to the British royal family, but Harrod makes an exception for Nibelunga.”GRnFfq9
HG8JdI“And is it okay to be using such exclusive tea like this?”bfC
AKYm6iL“I deducted it from my monthly salary. Also, I have the Swordmaster’s approval. So there’s no need to worry.”1ednVV
DdDn“…Now I’m even more worried, hearing it’s from your paycheck.”cSZ
8xSuapG“Oh my.”XHpaP
2yTtEPShail covered her lips with one hand and spoke in a clearly theatrical tone.25FHC
dcaewU“I’m so touched that the Heavenly Sword is concerned about my bank account. What a gentleman!”k21
mPncQ“I only said that because it sounded expensive. There’s no deeper meaning.”ZJONqz
ksyXE“No deeper meaning? How can you toy with a woman’s feelings like that?”eLZWM
UrBacI1Shail’s perfectly dry eyes sparkled like freshly sun-dried laundry. Kang Geom-Ma pointed at her with irony.JGO
KCL“If you’re going to pretend to cry, at least moisten your eyes. Crying without moving a single muscle in your face is creepy.”LH1
u80K“Using the word ‘creepy’ with a woman you really have no filter, do you?”EDzLs0
04qCGR“In the month we’ve spent together, you’re the one who’s shown no restraint in what you say.”XeIqmL
AlQQF8s“If we take away ranks, I’m older.”qvct
WGBQB“But with ranks in place, I outrank you.”F5vL
7gQ33gShail pouted.Iorb
1IDahSw“You’ve changed, Heavenly Sword. Back in the summer break, you used to blush just from seeing me. Now you’re all corrupted by the world.”6LGuP
8s7MqF“I never blushed. And if I did, it was because of your reckless advances.”t2e
9HYQIShail puffed out her chest proudly.ktfNS
NARSeP“I never crash.”rNP
r3lh6“Just in case, let me remind you that the speed limit in Korea is 120 km/h. Be careful if you ever get behind a wheel.”9VwC2gS
8mkFj“120 km/h…? That’s turtle speed. In the tortoise and the hare fable, I was always on Team Hare. Though… rabbit men aren’t really my type—”9mE1
pr5MV“Enough.”suy
a10Kang Geom-Ma’s hand shot straight to the desk drawer.bZuvj
yKqKy“……”z5mao
8ctQJ0c“……”ZqKOKOb
FQkZSilence fell over the office like the calm after a storm.i9Pmchm
yxO2kzShail let out an annoyed sigh. But even that was part of her act, so Kang Geom-Ma simply tuned her out. After living with her for a month, his instinct for detecting Shail’s antics had sharpened.GqN
HpW3jShe was a joker. And rather than toning it down over time, her antics only escalated the more time they spent together.frSO2o
Q1pmUThis very moment was proof of that. A grown woman dropping rabbit-themed innuendos on a minor. Good thing Kang Geom-Ma was technically of age—otherwise, her flirting would be skirting the edge of legality.VPuy6LU
4DTauIC“Heavenly Sword, sitting for too long is bad for your back. A man’s back is his life!”ZoqXO
TpRK“You should get some fresh air. Pretend it’s a date with me, let’s go?”E3wug
lR8“My night is more beautiful than your day.”Zznhma
Qm8“You need to eat well to stay strong. This eel lunch will restore your energy. Aaah~”DBB
uZzajThat was her usual script.iDnd
t5KShail linked every conversation back to that kind of teasing.Rcxu
1eexagsAnd the only way to survive unscathed was to either ignore her completely or crush her with rank—which she absolutely hated.Uu4R1J
DgdK9‘And to think I used to believe Shail was the most normal one here.’458xYj
SfzzmyThat serious attitude she showed at Castle Sigurd must’ve been for Abel and the Swordmaster’s sake.QIxQk
NUMhHMyHer true personality was someone who shamelessly voiced her darkest desires.bYd
r7TnXlShail was a pervert. The living embodiment of lust.r54
a5I‘I should’ve realized it when she floored it downhill, snorting steam from her nose…’ZTA9x
eDEbpKang Geom-Ma sighed. Finding someone normal was proving difficult.IRZ
gAGWaUAs the great sage once said, in any group of five people, one’s bound to be insane.fg6TH
qXZ17But around him, when five gathered—all five were insane! Even the seemingly sane ones turned out to be utterly broken. Kang Geom-Ma lamented his social circle.BAF73q
9kpThough really, he’d forgotten one important detail—“Tell me who you walk with, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Lunatics stick together.xbDS
Y4akszjIf he was at the center of that circle, then it was only natural his madness would spread to the others.2pkrp
HtwJ“A report just arrived from the Sacred Knights.”0WYPw
qnAe0JKaron, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, with a deep breath he tried to stifle.4phSzwR
JDf69“They’ve begun the purification of the Gate of Gehenna.”gR2aUXM
NfsoSzKaron was usually the one relaying reports. Kang Geom-Ma was far too busy to check every update himself.zMp
H2CaPIE“The formation of the joint army between the Association and the Knights, as you ordered, is also progressing smoothly. The squad captain said there’s nothing to worry about.”FiPqv8Z
IhCHspKang Geom-Ma nodded.k0dja
2zLlM“To get all that done in just a month impressive. Send a message to the captain—I want to meet with him when he has time. Come to think of it, we haven’t even spoken face to face.”rX7A0
Tn8Ofa“Understood. A message also arrived from the Lancelot Company.”BkRV
xpULancelot Company. The hero agency to which All Mute belonged.IJSv
YBJA“Actually, it’s not just Lancelot. Many other hero agencies, both domestic and international, have expressed interest in joining you.”mOz
H0VyH1bKang Geom-Ma’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected such a surge of support.WCp
zdWSmLZHumanity was no longer safe. The age of peace was over.n3kyHx
UZqDemons could invade at any moment.u4LXz
oOxI2And Kang Geom-Ma didn’t deny it—the great war, expected in two years, was approaching fast.FUF
8eFd1yxThat’s why, in the name of the Seven Stars, he began recruiting heroes. To face the demons. To reignite a sense of duty dulled by peace.9EwJ
k38nlIt was a mission he had to fulfill during this winter break. And he knew it wouldn’t be easy.JZ5dN
4tlC“Hero agencies don’t move without money. So why now…?”ROO
LCfHIn a world with such a rigid class system, there were fears that the voice of a commoner—even one of the Seven Stars—might not carry enough weight.IV2zuI
8AiS3But apparently, those fears were unfounded.58aw
fIpdh“If humanity goes extinct, money becomes nothing more than paper. Our ideal has always been profit, but right now, supporting the Heavenly Sword is the best way to preserve that ideal. —All the hero agencies.”5HjbFP
mnjKPaeKaron’s usually dry tone softened as he quoted them.epXe
x96J“That was their official statement. But the truth is—they want to follow your lead. To walk the path you’re carving.”qGd
3MJH5aKang Geom-Ma barely opened his mouth to reply, but Shail spoke first.AA8yXt5
NZjbl“The world is changing.”8j71
oIFRShe smiled gently.YCpkQs
nNlx9“People are no longer bound by status. They can speak freely. And they’re asking themselves what they can do to help you, Heavenly Sword. Because everyone knows—everything you’ve done has always been for humanity’s sake.”5gj4z
EfEjcBIShail placed the teapot on the table and moved to stand beside Karon. The two exchanged a brief glance. Then, they bowed in unison.WBoS
lyN3RdxKaron spoke.iVw8
bRDv0Xo“We’ll depart for Switzerland tomorrow.”ijb2SnT
i5HtlFbIt wasn’t a surprise. It was part of the arrangement they had made.3K10F0
a5BaGAw“Over this past month, we’ve seen you work tirelessly—day and night.”z7wW2NM
VPUydGShail added.zzh
VVcUT4“And even though your actions must remain confidential, we will never forget them. It’s been an honor to serve you, even if only briefly.”2D9n
C5LXaUIn that moment—TDA
fziCMemories flickered through his mind.mrs
UCIGuHc— Sitting too long is bad for your back.
When he leaned back in the chair.0f2
QAzqukx— You should go get some air.
When he had spent three straight days holed up in the office.3yMGf
oQNSN2— My night is more beautiful than your day.
When his day-night rhythm flipped completely.UBlXoZ
9Zp3O— You need to eat to stay strong.
When he skipped meals entirely.zLM
Ua7CB8PKang Geom-Ma stood and stepped between the two of them. He reached out and embraced them tightly.L6bZZoj
Mj5lms“…I’m the one who’s grateful.”cnfOkS
D8dEsHis voice was barely a whisper, as if something were caught in his throat.uVQ
Xshn“Thank you.”u1D5en
Cb12N3Two pairs of hands patted his back. The warmth of three people spread through the heart of the harsh winter.U7FX
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!