Chapter 201 – “To Feast Upon Stars” (1)

– Dancing among the Reeds: ……You’re celestial?

A commendation dispatched from the stars.

I reciprocated with an affable grin.

– Me: Was all well?
– Dancing among the Reeds: Truly, it is. Se-Young is inquiring about the proper usage of a pregnancy test. But why ask me? I’ve never used one.
– Me: [Laughs]

The encounter with Star is scheduled for the week to come.
A reunion, and her plea is for a bit of moral support. I’m uncertain of my part, yet I must endeavor to fulfill the role of a boyfriend to the best of my abilities.

“There’s much to do.”

Upon entering the trials for the Keeper of the Forest… I had to notify Star about the perilous individuals beforehand.
Personally, I planned to examine the Flower and dismantle its core.

From that juncture, I would have to operate under the identity of Lee Do-won, not Lee Si-heon.

Submerging myself in the bath, I gradually immersed my face into the water.
Gurgling – air bubbles burst forth from my nostrils.

‘My mentor, I hope you are faring well.’

Heaven. The child who perennially gifted me a smile, and the mentor who guided me to regain my senses.

… I hope no harm befalls him.
He’s not one who is incapable of self-care.

– Knock!

Just then, the alert from my mobile phone rang out.
Raising my head from the water, I swept back my hair.
I tapped the screen of the phone beside me to check.

– Cornus: Do you have a moment?

A message under Cornus’s name, but judging by the tone, it definitely wasn’t she who typed it.
I promptly tapped the screen to send a reply.

– Me: Who might this be?
– Cornus: Cornus’s dedicated secretary, Sung Ji-ho. You’ve met me before, haven’t you?
– Me: Ah, I remember. What requires my attention?
– Cornus: Please delete the contents of this chat immediately. It would pose an issue if the lady were to find out. Could you spare some time right now?
– Me: Yes.

I immediately erased the messages on my phone, one by one.

– Cornus: I’ll call you in 10 minutes.

The other side, too, left only that message and then deleted all conversation records.
If one were to seek out the conversation we had, it wouldn’t be impossible to find. However, Cornus would likely deem it inconsequential.

I exited the bathroom, dressed, and promptly departed.
Azalea seemed curious about my sudden departure, but I told her it was a personal matter.
Not a woman, but business—once I mentioned it concerned money, she understood.

[Is this Mr. Lee Si-heon?]

The youthful voice of Sung Ji-ho echoed through the phone.

“Yes.”
[My apologies for disturbing you late at night.]

It wasn’t a situation where I could infer the purpose of the call.
However, I was aware that a significant event, akin to a major mishap, was about to unfold for Cornus.

Uncertain of the unfolding events, unaware if he was lost or dead, and barely a few months into our friendship, it was nevertheless impossible for me to remain detached.

“What has befallen Sansuyu?” I inquired.

“…There is no issue with the lady. It’s you, Siheon… It seems you must… separate from Lady Sansuyu,” came the unsettling response.

Separate?

The voice of Sung Ji-ho was soaked in confusion, a tone wavering between certainty and doubt.

“Pardon?” I was taken aback.

“Apologies. I’m still trying to comprehend everything. Would you be available on the 30th of this month?”

His query referred to the day prior to the selection of the forest keepers – a date some two weeks and a bit away.

“Making time isn’t the issue, what’s the matter?” I pressed.

“The circumstances are complex,” he explained.

Given the enormity and scope of the Cornus lineage, issues were bound to arise. Despite being the Heavenly Demon’s disciple, and a promising student contending for the forest keeper’s post, I was still an ordinary human.

To the Cornus family, my existence was insignificant, as irrelevant as a fly.

“…Sansuyu is unharmed, correct?” I pursued.

I couldn’t decipher the situation. It surely wasn’t a decree to avoid humans, an act which would tarnish the nobility’s dignity. From a vantage point of predicting the future, it was plausible there were nuances yet to be unveiled.

What mattered was the wellbeing and safety of Sansuyu. Two weeks hence, hearing the story wouldn’t be a challenge, but the wait might lead to missing an opportune moment. If matters spiraled out of control, I contemplated infiltrating the Cornus family by force.

“All I need is that reassurance. Is it sufficient if I distance myself?” I asked.

“There is no issue… as of now,” he replied, his voice fraught with ambiguity.

A person of his stature, tantamount to the secretary of the successor of a world-renowned family, seemed to be leaving room for interpretation. I wondered, was this a plea for help?

“I’m in the process of discerning the situation. Lady Sansuyu… has been ordered to return to her ancestral home,” he revealed.

This was about Sansuyu who, until just days ago, was engaged in her studies in silence.

“Am I permitted to investigate this matter personally?” I asked.

“…It would be best if you refrained,” came the sincere caution.

Regardless of my prowess, this seemed to promise an abundance of complications.

And yet, I was torn. When it involved someone I knew, I found it hard to sit still.

Without a word, I moved to disconnect the call.

– Beep!

【 The World Tree of Purity sends you a warning. 】
【 This time, wait. 】

At that instant, a warning resounded in my head, like a forceful blow. I knitted my brows and stared at the status window in front of me.

‘…What’s this about? Why this sudden interference?’

The World Tree of Purity, an entity that had always remained unmoved, had abruptly obstructed my path.

The status window flickered, bathed in a pulsating red hue.

It was evident even to the casual observer that the World Tree of Purity was exerting every effort imaginable.

Two weeks. Two weeks hence.

Listening to this scoundrel couldn’t possibly do harm. And yet, if something were to befall Cornus, I fear I may not view Purity through a standard lens any longer.

“Understood. Please reestablish contact at that time.”

With a hint of apathy, I delivered my parting words and snapped my phone shut.

– Click.

A sigh escapes me.

“So, what wind has blown to prompt you, who wouldn’t answer regardless of my queries, to finally speak?”

【 The World Tree of Purity sends you a heart. 】

What?

You were eloquent before. I wish you would speak again. To wait this once. You did send a fervent message via the status window, did you not? Now, you revert to identifying yourself by your prints.

I returned my phone to my pocket and, while stretching my neck, retreated into my room.

Then there was that unforeseen beep, which had sounded like a warning.

Upon reflection, it had a subtle resemblance to Shiba’s voice.

* * * * * * * * *

‘She mentioned visiting her family home. Could it be true?’

As I had been informed, I ventured to the Academy and sought out the class preparing for the Forest Keeper elections. The seat where Cornus should have been was glaringly vacant.

‘It is slightly unsettling.’

I resolved to bide my time, cloaking my inner turmoil.

Well… today has its own agenda.

I retrieved my mobile and revisited the chat with the star I had engaged the previous night.

– The star within my soul : Heyyyyy
– Me: Yes?
– The star within my soul : It’s exciting!
– Me: …It’s 3 am, you know. Why such a chat nickname?
– The star within my soul : I’ve steeled myself, hoping for a better today
– The star within my soul : I can’t sleep!
– The star within my soul : Are… you sleeping?
– The star within my soul : (crying emoticon)

– Snicker.

While scrolling through the chat, I felt a surge of energy from the star’s spirited exchanges.

Her messages alone are enough to elicit excitement. I could find no one in my surroundings who matched the star’s vigour.

“Another glorious morning.”

A machine-like voice chimed through the translator. As the instructor entered, all students turned their attention forward.

Having neglected my Academy classes for a time, I had no choice but to take supplemental sessions. Information about dungeons frequently appearing in the Forest Keeper Tournament, essential magic, and so forth were drilled into my head.

Of course, even then, my mind was on other matters.

‘Assuming I ride the car gifted by my teacher…’

I had also invested in high-quality attire.

Fashion sense… To be frank, it’s not something I can commend. But there’s an appeal in my determined efforts, so as long as it’s not atrociously bad, I can avoid criticism.

Each ensemble costs hundreds, each swipe of the card feels like a piece of my soul is being siphoned away.

Reflecting on the cheap factory clothes I wore while living alone, I’ve come quite far.

Regardless, once this date concludes, I must return to my primary occupation. A holiday within a holiday. Considering this, it seemed only right to fully relish the occasion.

If I don’t, it’s clear that Byul will harbor significant dissatisfaction.

* * * * * * * * *

As the alarm blares, Byul springs into action almost mechanically.

“…”

4 PM. Time to prepare. Byul blinks her sleepy eyes and yawns.

“Yaaawwn…”

She stretches, flipping over like a feline. As she sits on the bed, clearing the sleep from her eyes, the reality of her situation finally dawns on her.

“This is a disaster.”

She had set the alarm in anticipation, but to actually wake up at this hour was unexpected. Who else but a lunatic would sleep until 4 PM on the day of a rendezvous?

‘Not even a child… I was so excited I couldn’t sleep until morning… I must be out of my mind.’

Still, it wasn’t yet too late. So she decides to begin preparing diligently. She rises and rummages through her wardrobe.

“Underwear. What to wear?”

Sexy? Cute?

Byul spreads out the two pairs of underwear she had prepared for today on the floor, a question hanging in the air. Yellow… Isn’t that too childish?

But then, to wear something sexy might draw Lee Se-Young’s attention. She could never compete with her physically.

She had to select not only underwear but also an outfit.

A suit so expensive it could make you gasp. Who would don such attire for a reunion? She was promptly rejected by Lee Se-Young. Nevertheless, she decided to wear something moderately expensive, something that suited her as much as possible.

She decides to show off.

I’m a girl who’s been doing well these days!

She dresses up to give off that impression. She sends a silent thank you to her only friend who helped her choose clothes while they strolled around the department store together.

“Why do you always call me when you choose clothes?”
“Se-Young is the best.”
“Crazy girl.”

“Huff.”

In truth, she should have selected her clothes the day before and then gone to sleep. But that’s not her style.

If Byul craves ramen in the middle of the night, she eats first, questions later. She quickly selects her clothes and discards them. She immediately heads into the bathroom to start her shower.

“Shaaaa!”

“Heh heh, heh.”

As the hot water hits her body, a leisurely hum naturally escapes her lips. She liberally applies a body wash imbued with the scent of starfruits. After rinsing off, she lavishly slathers on lotion.

“Squeak.”

Emerging without even a towel to shield his nakedness, he attended to his body, drying off and tending to his hair. A dash of magic eased the process of hair-drying, a convenience that rendered many women envious of wizards.

_Taktak._

Once attired and with makeup meticulously applied, he noted the time had swiftly passed, now surpassing five o’clock.

A reunion.

In name it may be a reunion, yet in essence, it was an expanded social gathering of the nobility.

Salespersons, their eyes ablaze with business intent, were seldom seen at such events. Yet, it would be a mistake to think all who attended did so purely for nostalgia’s sake. It was a reunion, yes, but it was also a platform for boasting and for seeking potential romantic partners.

“Perfect.”

He smiled at the reflection in the mirror, the impeccable makeup enhancing his features.

The rest he left in the hands of the heavens, or rather, Lee Si-heon. With handbag in tow, he boarded the subway.

The rendezvous point.

_’What fresh jest will today bring?’_

A bitter smile crossed his lips as he sighed.

Looking back, he realized he had been the object of many a fervent pursuit himself. Recalling past classmates, there was no shortage of men who had tried to win his favor.

_’I was so naive.’_

He had been oblivious. It wasn’t that he lacked interest in men, but the thought of dating a classmate had seemed intimidating.

The idea of someone knowing of his awkward middle-school years was sufficiently off-putting, causing him to instinctively build an impenetrable wall.

Yet, considering it led him to Lee Si-heon, could it not be seen as a blessing in disguise?

_”Kik-kik.”_

With a shy smile, he disembarked at his stop, stepping towards the opening doors of the subway station.