Chapter 625 – Turmoil at the Lovers’ Market (5)

The voice of the adjudicator, Se-Young, resonates with intensity.

“Defendant, do you have anything to say?”
“No, nothing at all…”

There was no room for justification from the beginning.

The fact that I had forcibly seized Marronnier was undeniable, and so was the truth of having neglected them for three years. Although I had my reasons, the gravity of my transgressions was far from light.

“Starting now, recount how you met us and what transpired thereafter. Detail it all, without any attempt to evade.”
“…Yes.”

My mouth had grown dry, making it difficult to pronounce words accurately.

After finishing the gargantuan task and confronting reality, all that was left was the aftermath of the tumultuous relationships I had instigated. I knelt, and, much like the imprisoned Crown Prince Sado, I bowed my head in silence.

“Ha! Look at him repenting.”

Gu-seul, who had been stifling her laughter till now, finally gave in to her mirth. Her laughter echoed through the room as she clutched her abdomen.

Indeed, the sight of a towering man being so thoroughly humbled by a group of women was laugh-worthy. Even I would have struggled to suppress my laughter had this been a comedy show.

‘This woman…’

Gu-seul should count herself lucky that this is not the Joseon era.

Had a Joseon official laughed at the sight of King Injo kneeling before a Qing envoy, they might not have met a pleasant end, regardless of their ignorance.

“Ha…ha…ha…”
“Gu-seul.”
“Wow! Hee-hee~”

At my call, Gu-seul, whose laughter had cooled, whistled airily.

Just wait and see.

At the moment I took notice, a hand suddenly reached out and pulled my cheek.

“Woah…!”
“Where are you looking again?”

The head of the household, Se-young, stretched my cheek and signaled for me to continue my story.

“Well, I’m unsure where to begin.”
“Tell us about all your scandalous affairs with women.”
“Absolutely! Si-heon, you scoundrel! We must hear everything before deciding whether to believe you! Aren’t you all curious?”

Se-young and Star, in perfect harmony, as if they were childhood friends from the same academy.

All the women nodded. Tae-yang and Aori watched the spectacle with interest. Meanwhile, Ebony, the student observing her teacher’s disgrace, sent me an anxious look as if asking, ‘Is this really true?’

“I’m curious about Si-heon’s story.”

Cornus, who was clinging to me like a puppy as I knelt, spoke.

“Cornus, don’t stick to Si-heon!”
“…I don’t want to.”

Star jumped in to chide Cornus, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.
Azalea had been sitting next to me, lightly leaning on my shoulder since earlier. She sat politely, as if trying to protect her husband who was serving his penance.

Love for the nation, love for the comrades.

There were two people who were unconditionally on my side. With Azalea on my left, and Cornus on my right, I lightly shrugged off the two of them.

Cornus, like a devoted dog, nuzzled her head and rumbled. Azalea, catching my tender gaze, presented a faint smile, her hand clasping a pod.

“Do not be upset. This is something we all must understand, at least. You comprehend, Si-heon?”

Reflecting on it, it had been a while since Azalea had uttered my name.

“……”

A bitter taste filled my mouth as the thought of our long-awaited encounter hit me like a punch in the throat.

What should I do now? I had laid out several plans, but I hadn’t thought much about this personal relationship.

I’ve striven so hard… perhaps it’s time to be candid.

I spoke, covering Azalea’s hand, which was gently brushing the back of mine.

“I have much to say.”

My solemn voice echoed.

We all set down the fruits we were eating. In the room, only the steam hovering over the teacup seemed alive. The wound in my mouth was gradually healing. I strained my throat, endeavoring to speak slowly.

“Not just about our relationship. But also about the future.”
“““……”””

The now deceased King of Trees. Thus, the information I received from my alternate self was essentially a prophecy of the future. In some aspects, the scenarios I knew were superior information to the World Tree of Trust or Prajna’s foresight.

Based on that, I charted our future course of action. Their assistance was also needed. Of course, we needed to untangle our relationship first.

“What is the first thing you want to say?”

Se-Young’s frosty words met my hesitant response.

“Sorry-“
“Not that.”

Even before my apology was fully articulated, Se-Young, grinning and resting her chin on her crossed legs, interrupted me.

“I don’t think that’s the priority, either.”

Hong-Yeon echoed, and even Maroni, who had been sulking all this while, nodded her approval.

“Huh? Huh? It’s not an apology?”

Star, who had been expecting an apology, looked around in confusion, not understanding the situation. I could barely grasp what they wanted.

Azalea tightened her grip on my hand.

“I can’t even imagine how hard it must have been for you. Si-heon, you endured as much as we did.”

No need for apologies.

A hand stroked my swollen forehead. The green luminescence emanating from Azalea’s touch gently caressed my lump.

Even though it was only intermediate healing magic, it cradled my wound for as long as my recovery was slow.

The unyielding belief radiating from that gesture perfectly resonated with the language of the azalea flower.

‘I thought it wouldn’t be odd if it cooled off at any time.’

I had distanced myself. I was in a position where I had no words even if things went awry.

Merely three years passed since the powerless boy began to reclaim his rights bit by bit, and now even the deities couldn’t hush.

Azalea had not just raised Shiva respectfully, but had also professed her boundless love.

Internally, I reformulated my words.

“Love-“

Each one, without exception, shouldered the responsibility for their own desires.

A satisfied smile slowly unfurled across their faces.

-Click.

The front door swung open, and the voice of a child echoed.

“…Is Daddy here?”
“Does our Wiki too yearn for Daddy?”
“Where! Where is he? Yes?”

Ah.

Wiki, swaddled in her teddy bear coat, approached with a trot, hand in hand with Alba.

-Thump, thump!

‘Ah.’

An overwhelming sense of impending disaster swept over me. The face of the king who had crossed the River Jordan flashed before my eyes once more.

The sound of the child’s uncertain footsteps grew louder and louder. Eventually, Wiki, having reached the living room, poked her head out to see me.

“Ah! Found you!!”

Wiki, whose gaze met mine. Blushing shyly, she stamped her feet and released her grip on Alba’s hand.

“Daddy~!!!”
“Wiki! Daddy’s tired, so don’t be too bothersome.”

Daddy.

The faces of the women, turning towards that title.

“Kyaaah! Hehe.”

Wiki nestled in my arms, rubbing her rosy cheeks against me. Wiki, who moved as if everything had been planned from the start. Clinging tightly to my arm, seated on my lap, she caressed my chest while observing the women around her.

“…Daughter? Daddy?”

The stark white star discharged its soul.

Blanche and Hong-Yeon, who had known all along, clenched their eyes shut as if the inevitable had arrived. Cornus nonchalantly held onto my right arm, swiveling her head. Se-Young exchanged a slightly dark smile with Alba.

“…Did you arrive late on purpose for this?”
“Not at all. Wiki’s homework just wasn’t finished…. Have the greetings concluded?”
“Yes, well… Ah-“
“Hehe.”

The two exchanged a chilling laugh. The tiger and dragon, flipping over and trading their vitality.

“We, Wiki.”
“Daddy, are you hurt?”
“Uh, uh, no. But hold on, Wiki.”

-Grip.

A shiver passed from my left hand. It was then that I lost my words, turning my gaze to Azalea. Her eyes were wide open, focused intently on me.

“……”
“……”

Silence.

How would she feel, seeing another child, while she had been holding on with my child, with my thoughts? Even if she loved the child, the shock wouldn’t just disappear.

“Azalea.”
“……”

Azalea remained silent for a long while. The constant tremors from her touch conveyed a tiny strand of trust.

As if there was no way to alleviate her shock, she did not respond to my call. She simply sat there, staring blankly at me.

-Drip.

Tears flowed without any forewarning.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Si-heon… I, I am. That is, I am.”

As tears shed from a profound sense of betrayal, a sharp pain resonated on my right cheek. The pointed heel stabbed into my cheek, an infuriated countenance of the soaring star fleetingly crossing my sight.

-Quaang!!

The heel executed a drop kick.
My vision blurred.

* * * * * * * * * *

-Stop hitting my father!!

If it weren’t for Wiki’s agonized cry, I might have been beaten to oblivion already.

I, who had nearly met death as a daughter, managed to evade it, also as a daughter.

“…So it happened.”

I concluded the tale of Wiki’s birth, my body stripped bare, clad in mere undergarments.

Whether they were aware of Wiki’s existence or not, the reaction of most was chillingly indifferent.

“So you were drunk and conceived a child in a moment you can’t even remember, is that it?”

Byul’s voice trembled, choked with tears. Blanche, unaware of the particulars, shot me a glare, her cheeks puffed in resentment.

“…That time. It was that time with me too.”
“Yes.”

[Pouting!!!]

The emotions emanating from Marronnier’s gaze were akin to the point of a needle. It was when I was entwined with the sage, Marronnier, liberated from her bondage, was deeply entangled in a struggle of emotions with me.

No matter how numerous my lovers may be, it was enough to shock Blanche.

“Moncheries-“
“Yes.”
“I, I don’t know…”

Marronnier, snorting and avoiding my gaze. What she likes is what she likes, and what she’s mad about is what she’s mad about.

But at that moment, there was someone far more infuriated than Blanche. I looked at Byul, being comforted by Se-Young, my body bared and scarred.

If Marronnier was [pouting!!], then Byul was [mega pouting.]

“…….”

Having lost her mind, she had turned pallid and began to sing an odd tune.

“Byul is… a dung beetle… nothing… can be done…”

Byul, singing the timeless classic, “Fireflies,” in a variation. Her mental collapse was evident and left me speechless.

I sat next to her and observed Azalea, her hands resting on her knees.

If Marronnier is sulking, and Byul is mega sulking… Azalea was in a complete sulk, to the extent of refusing to utter a single word.

“…….”

Her cheeks puffed up as if on the verge of bursting, her shoulders trembling from suppressed sobs, she glared at me without a blink.

“Hic. Hic.”

The ceaseless sound of hiccups. An explanation would not soothe her wounded heart. Azalea, who, despite everything, held no intent of rebuking me, was indeed the epitome of a lady.

The predicament was that Azalea, who had continually assured everyone “it’s alright,” even when her mental state was shattered, now found herself at a loss for words.

“Brother.”
“……”
“Every storm passes.”

A pure romantic without a harem. Tae-yang, the man of the sun, utters these words with a sardonic laugh.

“My King.”
“……”
“A man who has many women is bound to face such a moment at least once.”

Did King Mokryeong experience the same?
His granddaughter, Aori, seemed to comprehend my present predicament.

“…Heh.”

Gu-seul was again stifling her laughter, which had erupted unbidden.
Our Wiki was scanning the surroundings, a look of dissatisfaction on her face.

“So, you’re his girlfriend, right?”
“Wiki. Quiet now. Your father is receiving his just deserts.”
“…Why is dad being punished? Why is my existence a reason for my father to be despised?”

Clever Wiki.
She comprehends everything and pierces the hearts of the women.

Hong-Yeon raised her hand to silence Wiki.

“That’s not what we’re saying, Wiki.”
“…Tch. Dad, you’re innocent. Dad, get dressed and stand up. Okay? Huh-“

Wiki, who was about to approach me with clothes, was abruptly silenced by Alba.

Hush- Alba, who had silenced Wiki, wore a soft expression. I shot Alba a pointed glare.

‘I understand, but still.’

I comprehend the intent.

Without any awkwardness between us, dropping the bomb and restarting with everything laid bare.
The moment they began to doubt each other, the relationships between a man and multiple women were doomed to disintegrate.

-…….

The protracted silence. Se-Young, who had been gently scratching the back of Byul’s head, locked eyes with Alba for a long while before sighing.

“Having heard everything, is there anyone here who now dislikes Lee Si-heon?”
“Here… The concubine is a star…”
“Ah, my phrasing was a bit off. Is there anyone who wishes to let go of Si-heon?”
“……”

Byul, her mental state fractured, kept her mouth shut this time.
Even Azalea, visibly livid, clenched her teeth and seethed through her nostrils.

No one responded. No one around.
Having confirmed the intentions of the women, Se-Young shot Alba a pointed look.

“…The jest has gone too far.”
“Has it?”

Se-Young’s forehead marked with veins.
The slight twitch at the corner of her eyes indicated her mounting anger.
Se-Young sighed and swept her forehead to cool her temper.

“…Si-heon.”
“Yes.”

If a dispute begins here, the backlash will only escalate.

“I understand.”

It’s up to me to halt this.
As my gaze shifted to Alba, she bowed her head and stuck out her tongue as if to indicate that enough had been done.

“…Still, I thought it necessary to inform you all. I apologize to everyone. So, don’t you think we each need a moment to reconnect?”

Following her apology, she proposes a plan.
Alba’s eyes were still on Azalea, who hadn’t yet expelled the wind from her cheeks.

“For starters… beginning with Azalea. Will half an hour suffice?”