Chapter 623 – The Lover’s Market in Chaos (3)

Sofas were positioned in a circle around the centerpiece table. Black tea and coffee were meticulously prepared, and an abundant display of fruits, like strawberries and apples, were arranged.

With a toothpick, Aori plucked out an apple and began to peck at it. As she did, she navigated through the gaps between the table and sofas, playfully poking the women’s breasts.

– So soft! So soft!

As she rotated around the circle, a quick bout of flirtatious teasing unfurled. Both Byeol and Hong-Yeon were taken aback, letting out a small gasp at Aori’s antic.

“Huh! What?!”
“What’s going on?”

Sampling the softness of their breasts with her hands, she returned to where Tae-yang was seated.

Aori nodded, shrugging her shoulders in a nonchalant manner.

“Tae-yang, Tae-yang, I’ve figured it out.”
“Figured out what, from just now?”

Aori’s hand motioned towards Cornus.

“Her breasts are the largest and softest! Aori awards an extra 3 points!”

Was this a bizarre debate over breasts? ‘Oppai Harvard’ Cornus tilted her head, glancing at the surrounding women and their chests while a small smirk played on her lips.

The expression of a clear victor. The aura of the G1 – the top-ranked breasts – dominated the room.

“Oh really?”
“!”

Some of the women reacted to Aori’s cheeky smiles and gestures, which unabashedly chipped away at their pride. Regardless, Aori continued her ruthless evaluations.

“Drumroll, please. In second place, we have the king’s left arm, Hong-Yeon! Aori awards an extra 2 points. Bravo! Congratulations!”
“What, what does that mean…. Are we talking about breasts…? This is absurd!”

Regardless of the suddenness, it was impossible not to notice when the rankings were abruptly announced. As the women’s gazes fell upon her, Hong-Yeon blushed and covered her breasts with her hands.

Suddenly stripped of the first and second breast rankings, Byeol opened her eyes in disbelief.

‘What is she talking about…. I don’t know about Cornus, but Hong-Yeon’s aren’t that big.’

Hong-Yeon’s breast size was not particularly different from the other women. In response, Aori raised her voice as if answering Byeol’s thoughts.

“She’s wearing a chest binder.”
“!”

A binder, to compress the breasts!

‘In real life, a compressed chest!’

Byeol slammed her hand on the table, her eyes tightly shut.

“Why did the world birth me, Byeol, and that woman!”
“What are you doing?”

What was all this fuss about breast size? Se-Young asked, as Byeol wept. Even though she didn’t fully understand, Hong-Yeon, feeling a bit proud for being ranked second, scratched her cheek and asked.

“But, what’s the point of… Aori’s extra points?”
“The person with the most points, since I’ll be sweet to the king… To ensure a pleasurable night. I’ll guide you. Hehe.”

A pleasurable night?

There was no guarantee that it would really happen, and if they believed it and were betrayed, they would only suffer losses. A ridiculous and amusing contest. Yet, the women swallowed hard.

Being highly rated. After all, could it not serve as a weapon in this bustling lover’s market? He couldn’t help but stoke his pride, refusing to let it be belittled.

“The shared third place goes to the green-haired ladies over there. A bonus point for Aori!”

The World Tree of Healing and Se-Young. They comfortably secure their places as the upper echelons.

Se-Young, sipping her tea, closes her eyes as if expecting this outcome.

“The mid-tier prize goes to the sister with pink hair.”
“Mid-tier…?”
“A star that’s somewhat lacking.”
“Lacking…?”

Following them are Dallae and Byul. Aori’s offhand comment pierces the hearts of countless women like a barrage of arrows.

Byul can’t accept the reality and murmurs to herself.

“Sixth place… sixth place?”

From the outside, she too was large-breasted, brimming with confidence. She fondles her own breasts, consumed by regret. Sixth place? She, who had her pride aflame with the second position, is now sixth?

“…Sob.”

At that moment, Byul feigns crying, overwhelmed by self-loathing.

“……”

Blanche, whose name had not been called, stares at her own breasts, her energy deflated.

Even Aori, who decided who the breast queen was, stands out only for her breasts. They are quite literally ‘boing-boing’. Byul hastily covers Marronnier’s ears.

“Don’t listen! My little kitten…! You’re enough as you are!!”
“Oh, it’s okay, sister.”

Marronnier feels envious. That chest she could proudly show off,

To the point where she can’t even conjure the pet name ‘kitten’. Blanche is deeply shocked.

– Sigh.

“Marronnier is that. What’s it called. Slender! Slender! And cute, with a nice voice, right?”
“……”

Byul rationalizes, and Blanche puckers her lips.

Tae-yang’s hand grips Aori’s forehead, lifting it up.

“Ahhhh!! It hurts! Tae-yang!! My head!!! Head!! I hate this kind of pain!!”
“I warned you not to be reckless.”
“But, but! All of this is data… Aaaahhh!! Tae-yang, you were just standing there listening!!!”

Aori’s skill in recognizing just by touching or looking at the chest is noteworthy, yet if she goes on like this, it will only become a battlefield littered with wounds.

Aori, dangled in Tae-yang’s firm grasp, appears as deflated as Marronnier’s spirits.

“I’ll handle this one, so feel free to converse.”
“Tae-yang… There’s a demand for washboards too – Ahhhhhh!”

The lineup has already been finalized, and yet they’re told to converse casually.

“Washboard…”

The kitten ends up with a deep, irremovable wound.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

There’s nothing more egregious than arbitrarily assessing another’s bosom.

Aori, who had been struck by a sweet chestnut, gently massaged her welt, pulling Ebony into a tender embrace.

“Our King’s protege is just fine. Her chest is in a state of burgeoning development.”
“Development?”

Growth holds its own value. Her bosom is quite pronounced for her age, but it’s a consequence of growing without adequate sustenance.

If she were properly nourishing herself these days, one could see the potential.

“Heh, what’s this, a developing nation? That’s a clever metaphor. So what does that make me?”

Gu-seul, who could be considered a relatively developed nation, laughed and posed her question to Aori. Aori held two fingers beside her ears, running them down Gu-seul’s chest and emitting a ‘beep beep’ sound effect. Shortly after, her eyes widened.

“This, this is… Mountain milk deer!”

Mountain milk deer?

The women who had unknowingly focused on Aori’s conversation simultaneously cocked their heads. When Gu-seul questioned what she didn’t understand, Aori answered.

“Because it’s buried.”

What could possibly be buried?

Surely…

“Submerg—Uh!”

“Fufufu, oh, I see! Gotcha!”

With the dubious gazes of academy peers Azalea and Cornus upon her, Gu-seul inwardly mused.

‘This child… her eyes are quite sharp. She’s not the king’s granddaughter for nothing.’

Aori was a genius.

-Clap.

Tae-yang clapped his hands hurriedly to gather attention.

“Alright, enough with the chest talk. Let’s discuss something else. Is this really a conversation of importance? Right?”

He hadn’t even introduced himself and suddenly it was all about bosoms. Just as Tae-yang was attempting to divert attention, Cornus spoke flatly.

“It’s important.”
“…It’s not important.”
“But Si-heon really loves breasts, doesn’t he?”

One must confidently engage in their main event. Seeing the intellectual look on Cornus’s usually vacant face, Bam couldn’t help but unleash a hollow chuckle.

‘Just look at this woman…’

Words drifted in from elsewhere.

“Now that I think about it… that’s right. Every time Si-heon drank, he always loved to touch breasts from behind.”

At the tactless words of G2 Hong-Yeon, a retreating Bam gritted her teeth.

“Ah, ahaha. Weren’t we supposed to introduce ourselves?”
“…Si-heon does have a fondness for breasts.”

‘Se-Young! Aaargh! You’re so oblivious! What’s the deal? Do you intend to dive in halfway?’

That isn’t the point.

There must be some common ground.

Se-Young’s thoughts, unbeknownst to Bam who was busy scoring points. Bam, filled with feelings of inferiority, puffed her cheeks and wore an angry expression. Now that it had come to this, she had to be straightforward.

“Well, he does! He touches them a lot. Even when we were playing a game recently.”
“Recently?”
“……Three years ago, to be precise.”

Poor Bam.

Bam hung her head low at Se-Young’s words. The women who responded to her ‘three years’ comment asked in confirmation.

“Now that we think about it… the timing seems to be off.”

“Indeed. He attended the academy once upon a time, and then suddenly established his own power. We’re marking it from a three-year point.”

The conversation between Hong-Yeon and Tae-yang is guided in a way that allows for inference.

“That void is well known to Aori, myself and the former sage. Let’s talk, aligning our memories.”

Even Maronnier had only a few encounters over those three years. Blanche, who had been nursing her wounded chest – not a real one – returned to her original state and lent her ear.

“First love…”
“Hmm? What did my little kitten say?”
“I heard that Se-Young was his first love.”

Eyes naturally converge on Blanche’s words. Tae-yang, Gu-seul, and Aori wore expressions that suggested they were already aware.

Neither Azalea nor Cornus have any remarks about this point. The star, who had secluded herself into the side room, had forfeited her right to speak.

“If it’s about Se-Young… “

At Hong-Yeon’s words, Lee Se-Young sets her glass down and raises her hand slightly.

“… Hong-Yeon, you’d know it well, right?”
“Ah, the matchmaker. But his first love?”

Strictly speaking, it could be considered his first love since arriving in this world.

Seeking to gain some bonus from this concubine chamber, Byul raises her voice before Se-Young can speak.

“You all don’t know. Initially, Si-heon only wanted to court Se-Young.”

A tale of extreme love!

“But she found it hard to cope with him, so she created another opportunity. If it hadn’t been for Se-Young, things wouldn’t have escalated this far.”
“…So, are you saying that Si-heon and we would never have become lovers?”
“Good understanding, Blanche.”

She understands, but the story is slightly different. Se-Young, with eyes gleaming like a snake, glared at Byul.

“Couldn’t cope?”
“Hmm.”
“… Well, if we overlook the minor things, the story is similar. Si-heon came from another world. He found it hard to accept polygamy.”

Another world.

A few of the women who were unaware of this fact widened their eyes.

Being lovers, it’s necessary to know.
Tae-yang, having made this judgement, nodded. He raised his voice and explained in Se-Young’s stead.

Lee Si-heon, in fact, hails from another world line, and was initially a candidate to be the husband of the World Tree. But unlike other husbands, due to quests that threatened his life, he had to frequently engage with women while fulfilling quests from the academy’s status window.

The fact is, Se-Young was the first he encountered at that time.

“How romantic!”
“Romance… Ahem.”

At Aori’s words, Byul clamped her mouth shut. Byul, who was aware of Lee Se-Young’s first relationship, could only laugh.

“Why are you laughing? It’s a good story.”
“Well, the thing is… the first relationship was rape.”

Rape.

In other words, a crime.

Maronnier’s expression changes, and the other women hold their breath. A drop of sweat trickles from Se-Young’s forehead as she keeps her mouth tightly shut.

“That’s romantic.”
“I agree.”

Undeterred by Aori’s and Chi-hwa’s thoughtless remarks, Se-young calmly pinched Byul’s thigh.

“Yikes!?”
“I’m not incorrect. Back then, I wasn’t an innocent maiden either. It was a serendipitous encounter between two scoundrels.”

Surprisingly, a policy of honesty.
Given Lee Si-heon’s reputation as the embodiment of carnal desire, there were few reactions of revulsion.

On the contrary,

“Perhaps… it may have been enjoyable.”
“Mm-hmm.”

Hong-Yeon and Cornus’ expressions of envy were dominant.

“……”

Azalea, her face subtly flushing, was no different.

Byul, having failed to restrain them, mused internally,

‘What’s with these women… Have they all collectively lost their minds?’

Ironically, Byul herself had nearly been caught off guard during a blind date. Ebony was the one who appeared closest to normalcy.

“Master… You are so… forceful…”

As a juror, she had inadvertently overheard the Master’s private matters. Just as she was on the verge of frothing at the mouth, Aori discreetly blocked Ebony’s ears.

“Beep beep! It’s pay-per-view from here. Minors are prohibited from listening!”
“…?!”

What is she to do if she’s already heard it?
Se-young, suppressing a laugh, collected her thoughts.

“Anyway, does anyone have questions about this story? Or anything to add?”

Two hands shot up simultaneously. Blanche and Hong-Yeon.

Hong-Yeon was the first to speak.

“So, are you implying that Si-heon’s first love was you, three years ago?”
“That’s one way to put it. Sister.”

Hong-Yeon tilted her head, appearing puzzled.

“Hmm… But Si-heon was also around more than a decade ago.”

A fact, intervening in another fact. However, these two incompatible truths stirred up the crowd.

“What? What?”
“?”

What does this mean?
Hong-Yeon raised her finger.

“When I was still young… That was when Do-won was present.”
“But sister, that was such a long time ago.”

Byul’s retort fell on deaf ears. Hong-Yeon continued explaining, blinking her eyes.

“Before Do-won fell, he… he accepted the flirtatious advances I made.”
“Lies! What sort of advances are you talking about?”
“I had offered to share the wine I brewed myself!”

Byul was taken aback.
He drank her homemade wine?

That’s as romantic as consuming fruits or flowers one has grown oneself!

“……”

And Lee Si-heon also existed three years ago?

Just as Blanche was about to gently lower her hand amidst the surrounding commotion,

“Marronnier, who the hell are you!”
“…Ah!”

Byul abruptly seized Marronnier’s wrist.

Blanche, looking around nervously, clenched her eyes shut.

“Well, it’s… it’s not a big deal….”
“Start talking.”
“Se, Seyoung said… that’s how it was when we first met.”
“And so?”
“I also…”

A delicate body, a body she desperately wanted to protect.
Blanche murmured, her eyes filled with apprehension.

“…Dang, because it happened.”

I was involved.
In what?

Being compared to Lee Se-young, it implies ‘that.’
Yet, unlike Lee Se-young, with Marronnier it was somewhat different.

“At first, it was unpleasant, but… that.”

An innocent, adorable, and ‘infantile’ kitten.
It’s like such an expression. If it becomes such a narrative…

“Good heavens.”
“Siheon…? With such a sweet child?”

Suddenly, his reputation spirals downwards.
Marronnier must have expressed empathy for sharing the experience, but contrary to her anticipation, the surroundings turned shockingly white.

Tae-yang, Aori, and Gu-seul chuckled quietly to themselves.

“A lie.”
“…No, it’s not.”
“When did this happen!”
“Locked in the dungeon for 24 hours-“
“24 hours!?”

Stars collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
Even Lee Se-young exclaimed, “This is a bit much,” refusing to accept the situation.

Where is this rascal Lee Si-heon?
Just as a subtle rage gauge fills to its peak…

-Startle-

The door of Lee Si-heon’s room opened, and a man with a lustrous glow peered into the living room.

“What’s all the commotion-“

Our eyes locked,
A sense of liveliness was felt.

“……”

Why are these people gathered?
Why is Marronnier blushing,
Why can’t they contain their seething anger?

-Startle-

Soon after, the door was shut.

“This bastard!!”
“You, how could you with such a young child!”

Star shouted, and Lee Se-young kicked off into a frenzy.

Though they said all this… Si-heon and Marronnier were of the same age, after all.