Chapter 4
“Does this… even make sense?”
I headed to the temple at the same time as always today. Then, as usual, I hid behind the pillar and stared at Yushen with a helpless look in my eyes.
No way, how could he stay in the temple without stepping out for three days straight? Looking for criminals!
Sure, the criminal he’s looking for might be staying in this temple, but wouldn’t he usually be looking around tirelessly, sweating like crazy? Isn’t that the duty of a detective?
“Well, although a paladin is not a detective, they do similar things….”
Anyway! Why are the other paladins coming and going outside while Yusen sticks to the temple like gum stuck to a shoe?
“No way… Did he notice that I’m here? Pfft, he couldn’t possibly have noticed.”
I couldn’t quite grasp the situation and listened intently to the conversation between Yusen and a knight whose name I didn’t know.
“Commander, when are you going to get married?”
“Married?”
Yushen replied in surprise, like a startled fish, to the resentful tone of the other person.
“I’ve told you countless times, my younger sister keeps eyeing you without a clue! She says you’re too good for her! Please marry someone else before she catches a cold from waiting.”
“Why me…”
He looked genuinely clueless, almost as if he were about to ask for my answer instead.
This side of Yushen in the novel is quite charming, given the numerous comments saying, “It’s refreshing to see a male lead who isn’t the usual 19-rated trashy tyrant!” But looking at those innocent eyes, I felt really frustrated, almost going crazy.
“I’ve already told you! Commander, you’re too handsome, you know? You should look a bit more mediocre like me to be less popular.”
“Umm… Would it be less troublesome if you looked more like Winter?”
At Yushen’s casually thrown remark, his subordinate’s face turned crimson.
By this point, I couldn’t tell if Yusen was clueless or just pretending to be clueless.
“By the way, was that guy Winter?”
I scanned the face of the somewhat rugged and scruffy guy.
If you’re wondering who Winter Hartwick is, he’s the deputy commander of Luche and the original novel’s female lead’s close brother.
So, the sister Winter is talking about would be the original novel’s female lead, Idellia Saintess, right? This must be the part where Idellia relentlessly rejects Yusen. Absolutely should not get involved. Idellia . has a personality I don’t particularly like, like a naive youngest sibling.
As I momentarily lost myself in thought, Winter’s flushed face gradually returned to normal.
“…Commander, are you crying again?”
Huh? Crying? Yushen?
As I hadn’t been able to see his face clearly from a distance, I didn’t know, but when I focused intently with narrowed eyes, I saw Yushen bowing his head.
And soon, he wiped my eyes with his gloved hand…
Did he really cry? Just because of this mild teasing?
“…Don’t cry.”
“Really? Then what is this liquid?”
Winter pointed somewhere on Yushen’s face with a face trying to hold back laughter, but eventually burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha!”
Even I, seeing Winter for the first time today, noticed that it was a joke, but the person involved didn’t?
It was a moment when I doubted again if Yusen, who was chasing me, was correct.
“Ah, our leader, being so tender-hearted, how do you become someone else on the battlefield? Even though we’ve been together for quite a while, I still find that part fascinating.”
Yushen, quietly listening to Winter’s words, scratched his cheek and asked, looking downwards.
“Um, Winter. I’ve been thinking, but does that side of me… not look good to others?”
“Excuse me? Who said anything to our leader? Who are those brats? Did those Royal Knights say something?”
“Oh, no, it’s not like that!”
Yushen denied hastily, waving his hands desperately.
“It’s not like that, it’s just… sometimes I’ve had such thoughts. Even I think I change a lot when I work.”
“If anyone says something like that, bring them to me. I’ll make sure they never utter such words again.”
Winter put on a serious expression, clenching his fists. Thanks to him, his body trembled slightly.
I need to be careful not to let my inner thoughts reach Winter’s ears in the future.
Soon, Winter relaxed his fists and spoke with a faint smile on his lips.
“Leader, I like you as you are now. You’re just doing your job diligently. And….”
“And?”
“Seeing you lost in work and then looking like this, it makes me think that our leader is just like me, a human being, doesn’t it?”
“…Is that a compliment?”
“Yes, it is!”
Despite Winter acknowledging it as a compliment, Yushen still didn’t shake off his somber expression.
While I lean towards disliking Yusen, I also somewhat agreed with Winter’s words.
I thought the part showing the opposite personalities of Yushen in the novel I read was a display of human nature.
Perhaps the author deliberately set it up to target readers like that.
‘Being chased by such a character…’
Silently sighing, I completely hid my head that had been peeking out behind the pillar.
I had a reason to eavesdrop like this even though I needed to avoid Yushen.
I need to know how much progress has been made in finding me.
So I can respond appropriately to the situation, right? Either run away from here without looking back, or hold out to the end.
As the conversation between the two ended, it was just the moment when I was about to leave the place as I had some tasks assigned by the assistant priest.
“Tia!”
Caught off guard by an unexpected summons, I widened my eyes in surprise and glanced around. Across from me, I saw my roommate Lucy emerging from the dorm building.
Not knowing if the sound had reached Yushen’s ears, I glanced over my shoulder, but fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t heard. He was still engrossed in conversation with Winter.
I tiptoed over to Lucy, muffling my footsteps. She looked at me curiously as I approached.
“What are you doing here? Were you hiding with the kids playing hide and seek?” she asked, her tone teasing.
“Just taking a break,” I replied.
“Is that so?” Lucy drawled, giving me a mischievous look.
With an anxious heart, I nibbled on my tender flesh, realizing I was in trouble.
”Oh no.”
Lucy, despite her slow demeanor not matching the solemnity of the temple, was quick-witted. She would soon figure out what I had been up to.
As expected, Lucy, who had been silent for a moment, quickly caught on to the fact that I had been watching someone.
“What were you so engrossed in watching that you jumped in surprise? Let me see too,” she said.
“No, you can’t!” I protested, blocking her path with my body. Thankfully, she was smaller in stature; otherwise, I wouldn’t have stood a chance.
To divert Lucy’s attention, I quickly changed the subject.
“Lucy! Why did you come looking for me?”
”Oh, right! The priest said we’re gathering for prayer.”
Luckily, Lucy was perceptive but simple.
If she hadn’t been so simple, she might have discovered that I was the criminal Lucy was searching for.
Anyway, I pushed Lucy forward, steering her towards the sanctuary.
I straightened my clothes and took my place, and as soon as I did, the prayer began.
Unlike the past week, I couldn’t afford to relax during prayer. The Lucerne Knights were also praying with us.
Today, for some reason, Yusen felt closer than ever. Only two people stood between us like a curtain.
So, I didn’t dare lower my guard, keeping my head bowed deeply throughout.
“With the power bestowed upon us by God…”
The assistant priest standing at the altar recited the prayer with fervor, his face and neck turning red with zeal, but unfortunately, it didn’t register in my ears.
All my senses were focused on Yushen.
About an hour later, the prayer ended without incident. My neck and eyes were sore from constantly glancing around, trying to catch sight of Yushen.
“I need to go back to the dorm and take a steam bath.”
But oddly, the path to the exit seemed blocked today.
The people around seemed familiar, but coming from the country 8282, South Korea, I felt stifled.
Why couldn’t I move quickly in there, as if I were trapped?
As I tried to peer through the crowded space, a familiar voice echoed in my ear.
“Found you.”
My body stiffened like a dead tree.
As I reluctantly turned my head halfway, the gentle face vanished, replaced by the familiar grim visage of Yushen.
The red warning lights in my head blared. I needed to run!
But before I could, a firm hand gripped my shoulder.
“Move an inch, and you’ll be shot.”
The menacing voice made every hair on my body stand on end.
I was done for. Was this it for me?
God, Buddha, Allah, Triple Goddess, please, save me!
