Chapter 440 – Declaration of War (2)

‘When I think about it, it’s absurd.’

In a temporary shelter prepared for the upcoming raid in the Forest Keeper Tournament, Gu-seul sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, deep in thought.

Wiki, Ebony, and Gu-seul were staying in the temporary shelter, while Lee Si-heon had gone to meet the sage alone.

‘So, he just leaves us here and goes off to see his lover by himself?’

A man who abandons his daughter to mix flesh with his lover—what a piece of human garbage.

Though Lee Si-heon had told Wiki and Ebony that he would meet the sage in person, he had been out of contact since leaving. The evening wore on without any news from him.

‘From the looks of it, they must be having quite the time together.’

By now, wouldn’t he be treating that blue cat very roughly in bed? The image of a tearful Marronnier crossed Gu-seul’s mind.

‘Well, even if everything turns out fine.’

Gu-seul scanned the interior of the living room with her eyes.

‘What should I do about this awkward atmosphere?’

A silent scene.

Ebony sat hunched in a chair, keeping an eye on everything. Wiki, who had been laughing heartily before, now stared at her laptop screen with a blank expression, as if she had never laughed at all.

‘…Does her expression not change at all when her father isn’t around?’

Wiki’s love for her father was truly astounding.

*Sigh.*

A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. Was it natural that the dynamics centered around Lee Si-heon would falter without him? After all, Ebony and Wiki had only interacted with each other in Lee Si-heon’s presence.

If it were Ebony, it might be somewhat better to exchange words, but Wiki was the problem.

Although Lee Si-heon might have intended for them to grow closer during this opportunity, it was awkward to start a conversation when Wiki was only focused on her laptop screen.

‘Do I even need to bother? But she is older than me, after all.’

Gu-seul, having difficulty deciding whether to speak up, cautiously asked.

“Wiki, what are you doing?”
“I’m reorganizing my plans.”

Wiki responded mechanically to Gu-seul’s question.
Her tone was stiff, showing no interest in her surroundings. However, this had been anticipated for a long time.
Gu-seul introduced a topic that Wiki couldn’t help but be interested in.

“Si-heon, would you like to hear some old stories?”

Gu-seul had judged that there would be nothing more intriguing for a doting father’s child than a tale about their father.
Little Wiki, who had been tapping away at her laptop, stealthily lifted her hands from the keyboard and gazed at Gu-seul.

“…Dad?”
“Yes, your dad.”

Wiki inquired cautiously.

“What kind of story is it?”

In truth, Gu-seul didn’t have much knowledge either.
The extent of her understanding was limited to the details of Si-heon’s romantic relationship with Azalea and his actions during his time at the academy.

“It’s about when Si-heon was attending the academy…”

Yet, even that was a story as sweet as sugar to Wiki.

As Wiki focused intently on Guseul’s words, she quickly took on the appearance of an adorable child, and a fleeting expression of relief crossed Guseul’s eyes.

“Back then, I wasn’t as tall as I am now, and I didn’t have any strength.”

Lee Si-heon’s achievements served as the framework for the story Guseul fleshed out.

“But there was this child who had nothing. At some point, they started training diligently, gradually taking shape.”
“Did you watch all of this from the sidelines?”
“Something like that.”

This was during the time when Lee Si-heon had taken the lead in resolving the attack on the academy.

‘In truth, I was secretly watching.’

Guseul held a position in Flower that was neither high nor low. Although she now belonged to the ranks of senior officials, she had been treated poorly back then. It was because she had been someone else’s possession.

“But… how did the two of you meet?”
“Since we’re on the topic, let’s discuss that as well.”

Wiki was aware that Guseul was a part of Flower. Thus, she was naturally curious about the reason behind their meeting.

Now that they were colleagues, Guseul spoke frankly.

“Was your goal to get involved with your dad from the start?”
“No, it wasn’t. It happened suddenly. I was initially sent to investigate the academy.”

From the private military academy to El Academy.
Unlike other spies, Guseul entered the academy after obtaining her diploma through a formal route from an early age.
This is why the meeting between Azalea and Jung Si-woo took place long before.

Originally, Guseul’s mission was to gather information about the academy, but the mission changed significantly once she entered the academy.
This was because a person believed to be the king’s successor appeared.

“I see…, so that’s why.”

Wiki nodded as if she understood, but her expression seemed to be lacking something.

Wiki muttered, glancing at her laptop for a moment.

“Do you like your dad, too?”

A word that lingered for a moment.

“If only I could have experienced such emotions, I would never have entered the Flower.”

Wiki blinked at Guseul’s words, which were both refreshing and bitter.

She then tilted her head and spoke as if she already knew everything.

“Well, it couldn’t be helped.”

Her demeanor suggested she understood Guseul’s origins and the cunning attitude of someone named Guseul.

Guseul stroked the chilly nape of her neck with her hand.

“When will Dad arrive?”
“…Not sure.”

Wiki was undoubtedly a child. When she was with her father, Lee Si-heon, her childlike appearance was even more pronounced.

However, that image might have involved some acting to a certain extent. Guseul suddenly had this thought upon seeing Wiki’s unexpectedly mature appearance.

Wiki opened her mouth once more and clasped her hands together.

“You know, I overheard something when I was taking a bath with Dad. They say there’s a difference between the connections from three years ago and those that came after.”

“What?”

Gu-seul asked in response to the unexpected remark.

It was something Lee Si-heon had defined internally. A story concerning an awkward attitude, now intertwined with a certain degree of contradiction. Should it be considered incomplete? People are said to possess contradictory attitudes, but observing them heading in such a painful direction evokes pity.

Gu-seul was somewhat aware of this.

However, it was an emotion too complex to express in words. Wiki pressed the power button on the laptop. The eyes reflected on the now-darkened laptop screen appeared intensely black.

“Then, who are you meeting now? A connection from three years ago…? Or a current connection?”

What could she be talking about? Gu-seul couldn’t understand what Wiki was saying.

* * * * * * * *

“……”

Marronnier’s eyes, peeking out from the blanket, seemed uneasy.

“What’s wrong?”

On the bed where Sansuyu, Sephirot, and Marronnier had been chatting together. Picking up a tumbling horse chestnut and placing it in her mouth, the pouty Marronnier pursed her lips.

“…Have anything to say?”
“Something to say?”

Everything that needed to be announced had been shared.

To Sephirot, the World Tree of bystanders, and Marronnier, the sage. The aim was to inform them of future events step by step and to provide advance notice to prevent confusion.

Thus, meeting Marronnier was inevitable, and that’s how things unfolded.

“Not those business-like things.”

However, our night cat seemed somewhat discontent.

Marronnier shook her head and said.

“…Don’t you have… an apology?”

Ah.

That’s what she meant.

By the time this realization struck, it was a bit late, and Marronnier’s eyes, which had been gentle like a docile cat, now turned cynical.

“Was it only me… who waited so long?”

Unable to utter an apology, a sulky murmur was heard instead.

-Whack!

The pristine blanket covered Marronnier’s face. Blanche, having turned her back, shrugged her shoulders to emphasize her annoyance.

“…”

Hmph! As if to vocalize her irritation, her hips and shoulders twitched.

This had happened once before.

It was the time when, entangled with a sage, she had no choice but to inform Marronnier of her survival. Marronnier, furious to her core, had ignored her words for days.

Perhaps what she sought this time was an apology for the neglect she had experienced. No, more accurately, she craved her affection in one way or another.

Not to claim the upper hand in their romantic relationship, but simply a sweet, playful pout.

“Blanche.”

“…”

At her call, Marronnier’s head quivered.

The silhouette of her head twitched like a cat folding and unfolding its ears.

I lay down behind Marronnier, wrapping my arms around her back. My body felt slightly cold from the sweat that had just dried.

“Sorry.”

Marronnier’s lips curled up slightly at the sincere apology. Yet, as if that hadn’t satisfied her, she brought up another grievance.

“…Did I do something wrong or not?”
“Yes, I was wrong.”
“What did I do wrong…?”

Her voice was timid but cute. The purity in her inability to properly express anger was truly charming.

“Was it because I avoided talking to you for a while?”
“We did that last time.”

That’s right. So, what else could it be?

“Is it because I haven’t come to see you for a long time?”
“…That couldn’t be helped.”

Unavoidable circumstances. There were so many things we had to let go, claiming they were beyond our control.

At this moment, was there only one thing left to say?

“Sorry for making you wait.”
“…I wanted to hear ‘I love you’ more than an apology.”

Is that truly a satisfying answer?
Marronnier discreetly turned her back and locked eyes with me.

“That remark. Earlier… I should have said it before embracing you.”

Then, with her small fist, she lightly tapped my chest.

“Were you upset?”
“Uh-huh… During sex… the whole time. Did you think everything would be fine just by holding me?”

Well, not exactly.

“Considering that, Blanche, you seemed to be thoroughly enjoying yourself too.”

I recall Marronnier’s face as she writhed on the bed.
She had enjoyed my touch so much that she took my finger into her mouth and tenderly swirled her tongue around it.

At my slightly teasing words, Marronnier shyly averted her gaze.
Her face flushed a subtle shade of red.

“…That, that’s because… you’re so good at it…”

It was endearing when she buried her face in my chest, so I gently stroked her head.
Marronnier shivered, seemingly pleased.

She held my waist tightly and pressed her slightly enlarged breasts against my body.

“It’s quite a distance… Even when we meet after a long time, we act as if nothing has changed. It feels like I’m the only one who cares.”
“That made you uneasy.”
“…Yes.”
“Is Blanche anxious?”
“…Blanche is anxious.”

He managed to say it when guided.

She occasionally uses formal language during intimate moments. It seems the power dynamic from their first encounter has left a lasting impression on her. When pleasuring him with her hands, she does so politely using both hands, and when using her tongue… Perhaps it’s best to say she enjoys being treated a bit roughly.

Even Marronnier, who knows she’s adorable, sometimes refers to herself as Blanche.

“Are you doing that on purpose?”
“Huh? What?”
“Calling yourself by your own name.”
“Well, that’s… I do it because you like it…”
“That’s not it. You always say that when you’re lost in the moment.”

Marronnier’s ears flushed red.

There have been rumors about this.

I had a habit of calling myself by name when I was young, and sometimes it resurfaces unconsciously. Back then, I was in middle school—a time when I would only do good deeds in hopes of receiving a gift from Santa.

“No, not now.”

“Alright.”

By now, Blanche already knows everything. Comparing her current knowledge to the abundant innocence she possessed when we first met, it’s evident how much she has grown.

“I don’t know…”

Today, with the adorable Marronnier cradled in my arms, I’m brimming with happiness.

– *Tick*.

The sound of a clock ticking.

After a while, Marronnier asked me.

“Hey…”

“Hmm?”

“Waiting can be incredibly difficult, you know?”

“I know.”

“How long are you going to keep the others waiting?”

At that, I fell silent for a moment. It was an issue that both she and I had been diligently avoiding.

Unlike Lee Se-Young, who had consented from the beginning, Marronnier only discovered the truth about my relationship later on.

Even at this juncture, there was a reluctance to discuss that particular matter.

Feeling it, I understood the difficulty, and I wondered if others were hinting for me to be attentive to it as well.

Nevertheless, now was not the time.

“Later. Once we’ve settled down.”
“…I see.”

Marronnier, having responded, nestled his cheek against my chest. The sensation of his warm, supple skin was intoxicating.

“But please, don’t make me wait too long.”

I desired that as well.