LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 69
While Ho-yeon and Dokan danced as if to flaunt their relationship to everyone, Ethan was fiddling with the eye patch covering his empty eye socket.
Most of the collaborators he had painstakingly gathered were either out of the game or dead due to this ambush, and the few close associates Stephanie had managed to gather had vanished, likely turning into the undead.
Ethan felt a sense of despair that even following her footsteps—without uncovering the truth—led to such a level of purging.
Could he really do it?
It might be better to leave everything to the First Apostle after all.
As he pondered how to report such a catastrophic failure, he waited with the demeanor of someone anticipating an executioner approaching, when a woman in a white dress approached him.
With dazzling blonde hair, green eyes, and a cross necklace around her neck, Ethan recognized her instantly, and his expression darkened.
She looked at him with an indifferent expression, giving him a brief wave before heading into the crowd.
Thinking that the inevitable had come, he followed her into the throng.
“Decatria. I’ve heard the news. What’s the status?”
“Most of our collaborators have left, and her close associates who had formed alliances with us are missing. We’re still investigating, but we haven’t found any evidence that the monsters’ attack was instigated by her. Additionally, I’ve been told that my wounds have been tainted by mana and cannot be healed.”
“…It’s the worst case scenario. Things are really bad.”
As his report continued, Gloria’s expression grew increasingly grim.
Originally, she wouldn’t have been invited to this party being a first-year, but for some reason, Stephanie had extended an invitation to her.
While she couldn’t grasp Stephanie’s intentions at all, she thought of it as an opportunity and responded positively to her suggestion, pondering if this is what it was meant to be.
I’m in this advantageous position. So you should just give up already.
“Your abilities aren’t in jeopardy, right?”
“Yes. As you can see, I still have one eye left.”
She felt relieved, considering it a small fortune in the misfortune. Ethan’s talent wasn’t something easily found even if one searched the continent.
Fearing someone might eavesdrop, the two of them made their way through the complex crowd, eventually passing by Dokan and Ho-yeon.
Gloria saw them laughing, with an expression of joy, clumsily leading each other in dance, and asked Ethan.
“Speaking of which… I had entrusted you with investigating that student. Any progress?”
“She is a princess from the Eastern Empire. Furthermore, she showed no signs of being affected after exposure to holy energy. That’s all.”
“Hmm. So handling mana while being unaffected by holy energy.”
That was an extremely strange statement for Gloria. It was the natural order for any being—be it beastman, elf, or human—infested with mana to be destroyed upon contact with holy energy.
Only humans exhibited dramatic physical transformations, but regardless, holy power brought a fair death to mana users, so that wasn’t the essential matter.
“That’s all the noteworthy information I have. It’s my oversight. I should have acted more cautiously…”
“No, it’s not your fault. But do improve. There are many candidates for the 13th Apostle. I’ll believe this recent stagnation is just temporary.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Remember the teachings of the Church. Always…”
“Doubt, think, and discover.”
“…Then I’ll take my leave now.”
As she departed, Ethan quietly responded to her mixed encouragement and threat that his lack of results could get him replaced at any time.
What he needed most was results.
In his eyes, he saw Ho-yeon and Dokan.
– – – –
“Now, like this, like this…!”
I tried to spin Dokan around in a whirl of excitement, but the height difference made it impossible.
How sad. Back in my taller days, I could have somehow pulled it off. Not that I would have held a guy’s hand back then either.
But now… well, I’m a girl, so it shouldn’t be too weird, right?
“Ho-yeon. You seem too excited.”
“So what does that mean…?”
Am I not allowed to be excited? Dokan’s words felt a bit strange. It probably meant he wanted me to tone it down…
But I was having fun.
At first, I was modestly following Dokan’s lead, but now I was practically leading him.
It was actually dancing to the music, but why was this so enjoyable?
At some point, I fully took over the lead and was swirling Dokan around.
“Alright, next is this…!”
As the song approached its climax, I realized it was nearing its end and wanted to strike one final pose.
But perhaps my greed had led to a mistake I previously declared I wouldn’t make.
“Ugh…!”
Fortunately, Dokan caught me so I didn’t faceplant into the ground, but instead, I ended up seeming like I was hugging him.
I buried my head against his chest, embarrassed about messing up while feeling utterly humiliated in my current awkward position, and I lacked the courage to lift my gaze.
“I told you, Ho-yeon. You were too excited. In the end, you made a mistake.”
As he recalled that time while holding me, I felt blood rushing to my face.
“…Shut up.”
I pushed him away gruffly, but several people nearby were already staring hard at us as if they had witnessed that moment.
Ah. I’m really too embarrassed to die. There’s no one else I can blame but myself for bringing this on.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I hope you have had a wonderful time. Please be informed that the ball is now concluded. There are many more scheduled events ahead, so we would appreciate your enjoyment. It’s lunchtime soon, so feel free to grab a meal.”
Just as Stephanie’s announcement came in a timely manner, I could shift some attention away, but the fact that I had been seen was inescapable.
“…Ugh.”
“You were too passionate. I apologize. I probably should have taught you better.”
“Ah… no. You did nothing wrong. It’s my immaturity…”
“Well, let’s leave it at that.”
This guy? By saying sorry, he pushed the blame onto me!
It was absurd, but having spent more than half the song leading Dokan, I didn’t have a strong basis to argue against it.
“…Then, let’s go now.”
“Are you leaving already? We could have lunch…”
Dokan said this regretfully, but I had no desire to stay any longer.
After all, who knows what blunder I might commit next?
…But lunch should be fine. It’s free after all. This time I wanted to eat privately, just the two of us.
“A lunch should be okay.”
– – – –
“So… you see. Back home, nobody approaches me! Why does it have to be like this for me?! Am I really that scary?!”
In the end, I failed to form bonds with the other heroines. Ho-yeon was always holding on tightly, so I couldn’t do anything.
Still, I was glad to keep her in the party room with a glimmer of hope. I even got to briefly chat with Cecilia.
But that was where it ended.
Even after forcing her to stay until dinner time, suggesting that we have a drink together turned out to be my folly.
“No, you’re truly beautiful.”
“Is… that so? Hehehe… I see… But then… why do I have no friends…?”
She started getting strange after just one drink, and by the third, she was in her current state.
There was no way to look elsewhere now. This is exactly the situation I feared.
It was just ripe for some weird guys to come and take her away.
“Indeed…”
It would be more surprising if someone bold enough to approach her after knowing she was the child of the Emperor and Divine was around.
“Besides, there’s more to it…! Ugh, Father expects too much from me… I don’t know if I can meet his expectations…”
Her speech patterns and the swordsmanship she occasionally revealed were probably all taught by Jeongho. Being an only daughter, he would want to cherish her a bit more… but it seems that weighs down on Ho-yeon.
She may be drunkenly rambling, but it must be her own burdens.
“You don’t need to strive to please your father so much. Just doing things your own way might not be so bad. Rather than burdening yourself…”
“Really… You only say what I want to hear. I really like that… Do you know? At first, I found you quite displeasing. But now I cherish you. Heh… I just wish you’d keep looking only at me… But… it seems your heart keeps wandering to other girls.”
As she began to nod off, her eyes were slowly closing. But in her half-asleep state, she brought forth the matter I had been trying to avoid.
“Am I… lacking? Just tell me. What must I do for you to only look at me…?”
I had been neglecting her while trying to woo the other heroines.
There are unavoidable circumstances on my end. If I don’t court all the heroines, an absolute bad ending awaits, so I had no choice.
I still didn’t even know if that ‘all’ meant 1/1 or 8/8.
If it were the former, I could focus on Ho-yeon immediately, but if it was the latter, I had to act like this.
And that was an action Ho-yeon despised.
“That’s… well.”
“Hey. Don’t make excuses. I know that’s your true nature.”
“…”
“Just… forget about me…”
As Ho-yeon spoke and drifted off, the words she was trying to articulate became lost to me.
What a predicament. No matter how much I called her name, she showed no signs of waking up.
…Byeolbi, please forgive me for the transgressions against your daughter.
Cautiously, I carried Ho-yeon on my back and headed toward the exit.
“Excuse me. Which way should I go to exit?”
“You must be Lady White Royal Family’s Eldest Daughter and Sir Han Dogon. Please wait a moment.”
The invitation I had tucked under my arm floated up and soon transformed into a doorway.
Every time I see that, I can’t help but think how impressive it is. How could I possibly compete with someone as magically gifted as Stephanie?
That thought could wait for later.
For now, my priority was to lay Ho-yeon down.
As I passed through the door, I found myself instantly standing in the corridor where I signed the invitation. To leave Ho-yeon in her room, she would need to wake up first.
Since I lacked something to unlock a door like hers, I thought this was unavoidable.
I opened my own door.