novel[24th Round] Sister-in-law vs. Niece
| ← Ch.360 | Ch.362 → |
"You don't want to let go, huh?"
"What about you?"
"I'm thinking about it."
"Me too."
"..."
"..."
We gradually loosened our grip. The end of all this would never have come otherwise.
I was the first to make concessions.
I was against Kang Han Soo, after all. He was who I once was.
It wasn't humiliating for me to give in to "myself."
... Perhaps.
Finally, we let go of each other and mingled with the crowd.
Kang Han Soo, who was walking side by side along the street with me, spoke first,
"Passing Fanatic X, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Fanatic X?
He was very wary of me.
"I noticed you and decided to invite you to take part in the tournament. I don't think I'm mistaken about choosing you."
"Why do you need it?"
"You're Kang Han Soo, aren't you? You're quite famous. If I beat you, I'll earn more money from this tournament."
"Hehe... Indeed. I see what you're up to."
There was no emotion on his face.
But I could tell just by looking into his eyes that he was intrigued.
We went to an alley and visited a tavern loved by the locals of Duke Q's estate.
One of the reasons I chose this place was that Kang Han Soo, who had no memory of reuniting with the Sword Princess, Haris' mother, didn't know of it.
This was where I stayed the night after my heavenly date with her... No, to be more precise, I stayed here until noon.
The Sword Princess, born and raised in her father's territory, recommended this tavern to me.
"The homemade fruit wine here is amazing."
"Yes, I agree. Impressive."
"Not many people know about this place. Even I, born in this kingdom, learned about it after I got married."
"... I see."
I didn't lie.
My "mother" was a princess who escaped here from a neighboring country and a childhood friend of the Sword Princess.
... Looking back, my past turned out strange. Before I was wedded to my fiancée, I had already impregnated her, who was much older than me back then.
That aside...
"I've been preaching Mollan's Teachings among stupid people for years already, and I would like to settle down now."
"You want to take the daughter of this place's ruler as your concubine? You're brave."
"If I win the tournament, that would be the case. What about you?"
"... My situation's a little more complicated than that."
Well, that was understandable.
For Kang Han Soo, the Sword Princess was a crazy bitch who showed up in a negligee and then threw herself at him with a sword.
But he came after her anyway because a strong swordsman was useful as a companion.
We talked while drinking fruit wine.
"Another bottle?"
"Of course."
I hadn't experienced this feeling for a very long time.
The higher your skills, the more difficult it was to get drunk.
However, now that I had become God, such restrictions did not apply to me.
I could get drunk at will.
My stats at this point had just become decoration.
? Race: Royal Noble
? Level: 2001
? Job: Apostle (Patronage = Ability)
? Skills: Faith Z, Divinity Z, Preaching MAX, Endurance MAX, Incitement MAX, Fabrication MAX, Versatility MAX, Gifted MAX, Dignity MAX, Prayer MAX, Holy Spirit MAX, Nature MAX, Luck SSS...
? Status: Drunk, Blessing
My skills made at the core of the Fantasy system were mere products of fiction.
Simply put, the formula was:
[World] = [Nature] + [Time] + [Space]
One could think of skills as part of the [World], and I was God dealing with [Nature], which was the world of Fantasy's core.
If I wanted, I could raise all of my skills to GGG rank.
I could endlessly use Nature to transcend my limits, after all.
The same was true of my level.
"Fanatic X, are you that much of Master Mollan's believer?"
"Of course. He's the one who made me who I am today."
"What a strange coincidence. The same goes for me, but I didn't think it would turn into a religion."
"A toast to Master Mollan."
"To Master Mollan!"
Thanks to our unanimous respect for the greatest being to ever exist, the atmosphere around our table softened a bit, and Kang Han Soo became more relaxed.
I was really curious about him.
According to his file, he died on Earth and was resurrected on the Northern Continent of Fantasy as an ordinary hero.
"Tell me your story."
"My story? Hmm..."
"If you don't want to, you don't have to."
"... Well, mistaken for the Demon Lord, I was killed shortly after I returned to my homeland."
"Woah."
"Do you believe me?"
"There is no reason not to believe the words of one who reveres Master Mollan."
"Thank you for understanding. Cheers."
"I am ready to listen to all lost souls. Cheers."
Once more, we shouted, "To Master Mollan!"
We continued to get drunk on fruit wine.
"My soul suffered because of that incident."
"But you're alive."
"Yes, but I will never be able to return to my beautiful home planet."
"A pity."
Kang Han Soo left out many details.
Graduates who died on Earth automatically returned to the world of Fantasy, again enrolled in training.
But his case was different.
Fugitive Senior trapped him during his attempt to hunt down Demon Lord Pedonar, who had escaped from Fantasy.
Dying in such a way resulted in a different outcome.
It was comparable to the complete annihilation of one's essence.
However, because the Demon Lord Pedonar decided to make him his successor, he was able to be reborn in the world of Fantasy, saving his soul.
This was really ironic.
He died because of my father-in-law and was reborn thanks to my father-in-law.
"Ah. I'm rambling."
"What are your plans for the future?"
"I'll help my juniors defeat the Demon Lord. I've suffered a lot in my time because of bad companions, and I don't want them to experience the same pain."
"That's great."
"Haha! I'll help them with the knowledge I've gained over 20 years."
"..."
This was truly insane.
He only had 20 years of experience in the world of Fantasy, but he was already helping heroes who had been studying here for more than 200 years.
Kang Han Soo continued.
"... If I meet a good woman during my adventures, I should get married. I'm almost forty."
"Married?"
"Is it strange?"
"Uh... no."
But it was.
I knew our way of thinking was a little different due to our circumstances, but words about marriage coming from him were too unexpected.
Ssosia?
If I didn't fall into the trap of my vile father-in-law, she wouldn't have been my wife.
I had a different opinion about this matter now, but that wasn't certainly the case then.
I wondered what changed.
"Returning to my native land, I lost a girl who was unrequitedly in love with me. Her name was Hippolia."
"..."
"We had a master-slave relationship, but she was the best woman I ever met. I only realized that now. We could have been together. She would have given birth to my child, and I would've proudly introduced my grandson to my terrifying mother... Haha..."
"I'm sorry."
Drinking another glass of wine, I thought about it.
When I was reborn, Saintess H was by my side as if that was how it should be. And she protected my mother until she gave birth to me.
But Kang Han Soo was different.
He thought her death was his fault.
"Is this the power of Mollan's Teachings' Apostle? This is funny. I'm talking so much about myself... to a person I recently just met."
"It is Mollan's will."
"Well... I don't mind. Thank you for listening. Mollan."
Mollan united souls!
We drank for a while without saying a word until Kang Han Soo spoke up.
"What about you?"
"About me?"
"You said you were married."
"Ah, that's right. Much to my surprise, when I returned home from a business trip, I found my wife holding a baby that had come from nowhere."
"And now you have your sights set on the Sword Princess?"
"... Mollan."
"Hey, Fanatic! You don't think the outcome of the tournament's already been decided, do you?"
Of course, I did.
It was an obvious misunderstanding, but I decided not to make excuses to complicate the situation.
"Why are you so worried about this, Kang Han Soo?"
"What?"
"Why do you care who the Sword Princess marries?"
"... Because I am a hero."
"Hmm. I see. Heroes often help bring people together, yet you're opposed to what I desire. Do you really think I'll make her that unhappy?"
"..."
"Be honest with me. What do you think of the Sword Princess?"
"We'd better have another drink."
"Haha! That is a great answer."
For Kang Han Soo, who couldn't get drunk due to his high skills, this wine was like juice, but I enjoyed the alcohol to the fullest.
How many years had passed since the last time I got drunk like this?
I got so wasted that I ended up passing out, and Kang Han Soo, who calculated the full cost of our tab, quickly faded away.
***
"I paid, hubby."
"What? That bastard ran away?!"
My head was splitting with pain.
"I know you have a hangover, but don't scream."
"Mmm."
My little son slept in Ssosiel's arms, drooling.
"Why do you constantly carry him in your arms?"
"Because this is my child."
"But to do that all day long..."
"You are too insensitive and do not understand my feelings. You have no idea how much I've wanted a child."
"... I'm hungover for the first time in 200 years, and my wife is nagging. Isn't this how a normal family should be?"
I rubbed my temples and slowly lifted my upper body out of bed.
It seemed I spent the night on the second floor of the tavern.
I was probably carried here when Kang Han Soo left.
I opened the window with a wave of my hand, almost as if I was using a remote control.
"While listening to Kang Han Soo's story, who decided to end his adventures after 20 years and settle down due to the loss of his woman, I suddenly thought, 'Will I settle down as well only after I lose something of value to me?\'"
"That's a strange question. You didn't settle down when my aunt took Hippolia away from you."
"... Isn't that because I already have you?"
"Why are you suddenly so frank? I'm not ready for such words!"
Ssosiel, sitting on the edge of the bed, turned away, blushing.
"How sweet, my niece!"
"Auntie!"
"Shh! Be quiet. You'll wake dear Sidael up."
The First Spirit never left my head before.
But now, she was sitting on Ssosiel's shoulder, staring at our baby.
"What are you doing now?"
"I watched how my niece gave birth to my nephew from the beginning to the end. During those moments, I decided I must protect this cute little boy until he becomes an adult."
"Stop! You just said something strange."
Her niece gave birth to her nephew?
"There's nothing strange about that. Ssosiel is the daughter of my brother Pedonar, so she's my niece, and Sidael is the son of my brother Parmamon, so he's my nephew."
"What is wrong with our genealogy..."
By becoming the "God of Nature, " I further ruined our family tree.
By the Addicted Spirit's logic, I married my brother's daughter.
Ssosiel sighed.
"Don't pay attention to what my aunt says. It's always been like this with deities."
"Hey! Don't spoil it for him!"
"Auntie..."
"Call me sister-in-law from now on!"
"Tsk! Okay! Then starting now, you are forbidden to kiss Sidael on the cheeks."
"Cowardly niece-in-law! How dare you take my handsome nephew hostage!"
... It seemed like it would take some time before these two could decide who was what in this family.
I got myself out of bed somehow.
My hangover made me feel dizzy, but it made me feel like a living being.
It wasn't a bad sensation at all.
"Where are you going, hubby?"
"I'll be registering for the tournament."
"Are you sure? Distoria might notice."
"Don't worry. She didn't notice yesterday."
She still considered me "a deity with motley powers, " after all.
And if she did get to the bottom of it?
I would just say that I decided to discourage the bachelors who tried to covet my woman.
It was a matter of honor.
"... Handsome husband."
"What?"
"Are you sure you want to lie in front of your sweet son? Be honest."
"... I want to teach a guy a lesson for escaping without paying for our drinks."
| ← Ch. 360 | Ch. 362 → |