Chapter 17 – Wishing to Grow Closer (7)

“I, too, am a candidate for the World Tree’s spouse.”

It was an issue that had to be addressed eventually, a story that needed to be unveiled.

My life’s timeline had been abruptly severed, erasing everything from my accumulated academic records to the mother who bore me.
It was a dreary and unfortunate existence.

“…Did I hear that incorrectly? Say it again.”
“You heard me correctly.”
“So, you’re truly a candidate for the World Tree’s spouse?”

Se-Young listened to my words earnestly, despite her expression hardening. She removed her hands from the keyboard and turned off the computer.

“How did that happen? Tell me in detail.”
“Will you help me?”
“Help? I’m asking because I don’t know what kind of position this is. Shouldn’t we be humbled by this situation?”

Se-Young muttered something under her breath and swept her hand across her forehead. Her eyes trembled.

First, I took a seat and slowly recounted my circumstances up to this point.

Of course, I didn’t mention that I came from another world. I simply made up a story, saying that I was chosen by chance and that’s how I ended up like this.

After hearing my story, Se-Young placed her index finger on her lips, deep in thought, and demanded proof.

“Can you prove it?”
“Give me a moment.”

I immediately activated the system, entered the store, and performed a draw.

-Jiing!

Exactly five seconds later, a Tree Ring appeared in my hand. Lucky me.

“The Tree Rings I mentioned last time, I obtained them all through draws in the store.”
“… It does match the information I’ve heard.”

Se-Young, witnessing the results firsthand, licked her dry lower lip and scratched the back of her neck. Seeing her unusual reaction, I couldn’t help but smile and ask.

“Are you surprised?”
“… No.”
“You look surprised.”
“I said I’m not!”
“You’re definitely surprised.”
“Ugh, fine! Yes, I was surprised! Are you happy now, teasing your teacher like that?”

Honestly, it’s quite enjoyable. She’s beautiful, and I can forgive everything, even though she once tried to deceive me. Se-Young teased me with a slightly flushed face.

“So, what do you need my help with?”
“First of all, please keep it a secret that I am her husband.”
“Then, won’t you be unable to provide proper support? The orc family is large, but… when seen globally, it’s not that significant.”
“You used to boast about being the daughter of the orc family, but now, why do you suddenly speak in a pleading tone?”
“Damn it, when did I ever do that! It’s just… it’s just the truth.”

Honestly, the world tree’s husband is not someone we can handle on our own…

Se-Young, disheartened, continued speaking with a subdued voice. She seemed a little unsure of herself.
Contrasting with Se-Young, who was always confident, I suppressed a chuckle and said,

“It’s because you’re the only person I can trust.”
“…Really? Am I the only one?”

“Yes, it’s true that I tried to betray you and even attempted to kill you, but you’re the only person I can trust.”
“Hey, is there a thorn in your words?”

It’s true, after all. They were both guilty of committing crimes against each other.

“So, did I really try to betray my husband, the World Tree?”
“That’s right.”

Se-Young, who initially reacted with disbelief, shuddered as she came to terms with the reality.

“Ah, anyway. There are limits to my power, too? And…honestly, you should give me something as well.”
“I’ll give you a tree ring if there’s any left over when you pick something up.”
“Sounds good. What do you want me to ask?”
“Jin Dal-rae’s father.”

At my words, Lee Se-Young’s face hardened. The influence of the Jinmok Group couldn’t be ignored.

“Do you know what kind of person he is?”
“I don’t, really. Just gather some rumors for me. I’d like to investigate in detail, but I don’t have the money or power to do that… You know what I mean? I saw that he’s your stepfather.”
“My stepfather…”

She seemed to know something.

Se-Young smiled as she feigned attentiveness while sitting upright and continued her tale.

“The story is getting longer. Originally, in the Jin family, the females possess a strong connection to the World Tree’s power, so the genealogy follows the female line.”
“Yes.”
“Azalea’s father was human. He was resourceful, which allowed him to grow the Jinmok Group. I don’t remember his name. The important thing is that he and Jin Yeo-Hee were a couple who had a good relationship.”

Se-Young furrowed her brow slightly as if forcibly dredging up memories.

“I don’t know how it happened. One day, a rumor circulated that a secretary hired by her husband was having an affair with Jin Yeo-Hee.”

Affair. She lent her ear to the rumor that seemed to hold some truth.

“Since the women held the rights in name only, that secretary seduced Jin Yeo-Hee and managed to seize the company. It’s preposterous.”
“Does that make sense?”
“…No, it doesn’t. That’s why it’s so mysterious.”
“Then what about Azalea’s father…?”
“He committed suicide.”

Se-Young spoke calmly, but her voice had an air of detachment to it.

It seemed like she had a rough idea of the situation.

Why did Azalea look as if she wanted to kill someone there?
What grudge did she have against that man?

“Did Azalea and her father have a good relationship?”

Se-Young nodded her head. As if that wasn’t enough to answer the question, she reluctantly added a sentence.

“He doted on her a lot. He was known for being a doting father.”
“Then, is it natural for Azalea to harbor a grudge?”
“Yes. I think she probably intends to take revenge.”

Since he did that to her father, it’s only natural that she would want revenge.

There was a separate, critical issue.

“Then, do we think of the man we know as a stepfather? The one who swallowed an entire company?”
“He must know.”

Lee Seong-Han. The fact that the man knew the truth.
Just by that alone, I could already tell that the man was scheming.

He leaves Azalea’s revenge unattended.

In this case, two interpretations are possible.

Believing he could control Azalea at any time, or perhaps seeking to exact revenge on Azalea and reap the benefits for himself.

Azalea likely knew this, but still tried to retaliate.
It was a de facto cold war.

“Understood. Thank you.”

Having roughly grasped the situation, I hugged Se-Young from behind as a token of gratitude.
I didn’t have any ulterior motives. I was just a bit troubled and wanted to embrace her warmly.

Unraveling unwanted family affairs just to make a friend.
It’s a disheartening matter.

“Wh-why are you doing this all of a sudden? Have you lost your mind?”

Se-Young, who blushed up to her neck from my embrace, tapped my chest with the back of her head.
I loosened my grip slightly and placed the wooden ring on her table.

“I’ll give you what I picked out this time.”
“Huh? Really? No take-backs? Don’t snatch it away later saying you need it.”
“A-ah… yes.”

Is the value of the wooden ring that high? I thought to myself as I turned away. I had gathered enough information.

– Squeak.

Just as she was about to leave the office, Se-Young, cradling a tree ring in her arms, approached her.

“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“I have a question too.”

He tilted his head.

“…Why on earth did that guy, the candidate for the World Tree’s husband, do that, you know, that with me?”
“What?”

There were too many things she could guess, so Se-Young’s mouth twitched as she looked at her puzzled face.

“Sex… you bastard. Sex…!”
“Ah, that.”

I stepped out of the door and spat out a word.

“I hate the World Tree. I’ll definitely marry a person. Keep up the good work.”

Ignoring Se-Young’s surprised expression, I went outside.

– Hey, what does that mean? Hey!

It was a truth without a single lie.

* * * * *

After finishing all my work, I looked at the time and it was a little past 6.

I wondered if it would be okay since the appointment time had passed, but I hurried my feet, thinking of getting there as quickly as possible rather than worrying.

– Thud!

When I opened the door to the training room and entered, I saw Cornus sitting in her seat.

She gazed at me with her usual aristocratic poise, leisurely turning her head.

“Have you arrived?”

A voice that seemed to make one’s heart flutter just by hearing it. The unmistakable, prominent breasts. Clumsily applied bandages left visible marks on her white cotton shirt.

“I apologize for being late.”

I spoke to Cornus with a hint of awkwardness.

The reason I came here today was to inform her that I couldn’t train.

“But I don’t think I can exert myself today.”
“Why?”

Cornus’ eyes narrowed slightly. In response to her probing expression, I involuntarily lowered my head.

“There’s someone I must meet tomorrow. Can we start the day after tomorrow?”

Despite my desire to give my all, it appeared that my intentions had not been clearly conveyed to Cornus.

“I wanted to do it with you today…”

She twirled her hair and murmured in a petulant manner.
As I observed her, a rumor I had once heard in a corner of the classroom fleetingly crossed my mind.

You know that girl Sansuyu, right? I heard there have been many people who approached her and ended up dealt with silently.

A family possessing immense power. They have produced several guardians of the World Tree, and if you don’t know her, there are rumors that you might be a spy.

– Spine-chilling.

Could this be foreshadowing my demise?
A shiver runs down my spine.

“I apologize. In return, I will do whatever I can for you.”

Upon realizing it, I found myself making excuses.
Pathetic, Lee Si-heon. But I must live, right?
Stay strong, Lee Si-heon.

“Anything?”

With Sansuyu’s distinctively emotionless expression, she glanced at the eyes behind my mask.

“Then–”

My heart races.
On one hand, I think I should not have said it without any reason; on the other hand, I feel like an idiot.

Sansuyu rolled her bright yellow eyes towards the ceiling or the mirror, and with a resolute face, as if asking for a difficult favor, she quietly inquired.

“…How about it?”
“Pardon?”
“How about being friends?”
“…?”

As she stood there, bewildered, she hastily added an explanation.

“Jihoo.”
“Yes?”
“Sihoo… told me to make friends.”
“May I ask who this person is, Jihoo or Sihoo?”
“My secretary. And it’s not Sihoo, but Miho.”

Whether it was Miho, Jihoo, or Sihoo, it seemed certain that this person had breathed life into Sansuyu’s desire for friendship.

“I see~”

Uttering a self-deprecating exclamation, I smirked and thought to myself.

‘There’s no rule saying I must die.’

Kudos to the secretary.
Whoever they were, I’d make sure to repay the favor someday for saving my life.

“So, are we friends starting today?”
“Formalities.”
“Don’t be formal?”

– Nod.

Looking at the still emotionless Sansuyu, I brushed the thoughts from my mind.

“Alright. But are you really okay with me?”
“…There’s no one else to be friends with.”

I chuckled inwardly once more at Sansuyu’s disposition. I never expected things to go this smoothly.

Seeing my warm smile, Sansuyu asked me, exclaiming “Ah.”

“What’s your name?”

I realized I hadn’t mentioned my full name yet.

“It’s Lee Si-heon.”
“Mission. I’ll memorize it.”
“No, Lee, Si, Heon.”
“E-Sion?”

I wasn’t sure if she was teasing or if it was just playful banter among friends, so I paused and observed Sansuyu’s expression.

With a small, white hand, she reached out to me, seemingly convinced that my name was E-Sion.

“Nice to meet you, E-Sion.”
“It’s not E-Sion, it’s Lee Si-heon-“
“You mean, when English doesn’t work?”

What was she thinking?

“No, that’s Siwon, and I’m Lee Si-heon. Heon, as in ‘old’ when referring to worn-out clothes.”
“Lee Si-heon.”
“Yes, that’s it! Please take care of me!!!”

After several corrections, she finally uttered my name correctly.
Why was I so pleased with this? I grabbed Sansuyu’s hand and shook it a few times.

“Is that good?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”

Sansuyu let go of my hand and, gauging my reaction, reached out again for another handshake.

“Is that good?”
“Yeah.”
“Jihoo said friends should do nice things for each other…”

I couldn’t help but smirk at Sansuyu’s continuous mention of her secretary.

He couldn’t even be sure if his actions were right.
As an instinctual defense mechanism, he clung to the secretary’s words, repeatedly asking if he had done well.

His human relationships seemed exceedingly fragmented.
Was he exhausted from being too involved in public affairs? Or had he always been like this?

This line of thought only stirred up sympathy for her. Of course, he couldn’t determine whether his imagination was a chilling deduction or a baseless fantasy.

“Sieon?”

Upon seeing his face, Sansuyu tilted her head.

“Didn’t you say you were leaving?”
“Huh?”
“You mentioned you have work tomorrow. You should go.”

Ah, right. Time to go.

Since he had achieved his initial goal of becoming friends, he decided to leave for the day.
After all, becoming friends so suddenly hadn’t been part of the plan.

“The day after tomorrow. 6 o’clock.”

Having received the appointment time, he exited the training room.

*Thump.*

The outside world had already become shrouded in darkness, and a luxurious-looking sedan was parked in front of the training room.
Watching it, suspecting it might be waiting for Sansuyu, he found himself locking eyes with a man through the car window.

Could this person be the secretary?
I expressed my gratitude with a bow and pondered as I made my way to the dormitory.

[Current friends: 2]

All that remained was Azalea, and she alone.