Chapter 194 : Chapter 194

Chapter 194 - Side Story Chapter 1

Tomatoes. Lettuce. Salad tossed with sugar-free dressing.

Golden-brown grilled bacon. Hash browns. Bangers. Eggs. Toast with a few kinds of spreadable jam. Waffles topped with maple syrup.

It was a typical English breakfast.

When it came to English food, the prejudice arising from its nationality alone was enough to make one’s aversion skyrocket. However, the Victorian breakfast, which could be completed simply by throwing various things into a single pan and frying them up, was a bit of an exception. It was easy to cook, delicious, and surprisingly, if you paid a little attention to the ingredients, you could even strike a decent nutritional balance. Though one had to try hard to ignore the eye-popping calories and cholesterol.

She wiped off the excess oil with a kitchen towel and plated the food on a concave dish. Since most of the dishes were dripping with oil and meat juices, the liquid would easily overflow if placed on a flat plate. The doctor hummed as she arranged the food neatly.

Meirin wasn't an exceptionally good cook, but she had a beneficial hobby of learning things from other people who were skilled at cooking from time to time. Thanks to that, she was at a level where she wouldn't be embarrassed when serving food to someone.

“That kind of assessment is not humility, it’s self-deprecation. How is this just at a level where you wouldn’t be embarrassed?”

Kim Gyu-sik, sitting at the dining table and examining the food she had brought out, said in a dumbfounded voice.

He had just finished his morning workout and his whole body was drenched in sweat, but he had been kidnapped by her before he could even wash it off.

Normally, for him, who valued a regular lifestyle, eating at a different time than usual was not a very welcome thing. At least, if she hadn't said with a grin that she would cook for him herself, he would have explained that fact clearly enough for her to understand.

However, refusing the ardent goodwill of one of his first-ever... 'housemates' to her face required a great deal of courage. And no matter how much of a superman who had saved the world numerous times he was, as a beginner in the romantic aspect, it was not an easy task to display that much nerve.

Also, as he was cutting the yolk of the egg, which was cooked to a picture-perfect sunny-side up, he felt that with a meal of this quality, who cared about rhythm.

“Is it good?”

And seeing Meirin asking that with a face full of a happy smile, the thought that he wouldn't have been able to easily confess even if there was something he didn't like crossed his mind.

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

“Gyu-sik-ssi, you tend to eat too little. You need to eat heartily like this sometimes, you know?”

No, if I ate like this every day, I would fail at weight management.

That thought passed through his mind, but instead of saying it out loud, Kim Gyu-sik picked up his utensils again. Ignoring his stomach, which had begun to scream under the heavy stimulation, he put more food in his mouth.

With the person who had cooked for him smiling so brightly in front of him, a little indigestion was probably one of the hardships he could endure.

It had only been two days since they had started ‘living together,’ but a feeling that he was already receiving too much kindness was blooming.

He soothed his stomach, which had started to send strike signals, and cleanly swept even the last waffle crumb into his mouth. To be honest, it was an amount that made him feel nauseous, but deciding that his future self from a few hours later would take responsibility, Kim Gyu-sik decided to enjoy the sight of Meirin, who was smiling with genuine happiness in front of him for now.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Don’t just eat convenient or frozen food because you’re busy. I’ll take care of you like this sometimes, so let’s eat together. You can’t let your body get ruined, can you?”

“...”

Well.

You're probably the only person who checks on the lifestyle rhythm of someone who saved the world.

As that question blossomed in Kim Gyu-sik’s mind, a sudden chilling sensation ran down his spine.

Seeing the black energy storming into the kitchen right away, it seemed that feeling wasn't just for nothing.

“Avataaar-niiim...”

The sight of Darien, who was clearly a low-pressure system in the morning, squirming and crawling along the floor was a scene fit for a horror movie.

The expressions of Kim Gyu-sik and Meirin, who were watching her, hardened simultaneously, but the person who created the situation was just smiling innocently.

Of course, making such an expression while wearing a demon weapon only added to the grotesqueness.

“...Aren’t you a religious leader of some sort? What do you think your followers would think if they saw you like this?”

“They’d probably think I’m working hard to assist the Avatar of the Savior, right?”

“Just looking at you is draining all my energy. Can’t you stop?”

“Eeeh-... but I can’t help it.”

Darien, who was radiating the fact that she had just woken up as she rubbed her eyes, continued speaking with a sleepy but firm expression.

“Meirin-ssi’s ‘period’ is definitely until today. Doing anything more than this is cutting in line, you know?”

“...That was the promise.”

As Kim Gyu-sik reluctantly agreed, Meirin looked back and forth between him and Darien with a face that had slightly lost its color.

And she cut in with an urgent voice.

“S-still! He’s in the middle of breakfast, so until this time is over, I’m his partner...!”

“...Hmm...?”

Darien tilted her head blankly at the desperate protest.

“That’s strange. Did you fail, by any chance?”

“Pardon?”

“The atmosphere feels like you couldn’t pull off the deed and are trying to hold on for even a little bit longer.”

At Darien’s words, Meirin’s face turned beet red.

However, Kim Gyu-sik, who was listening to the same words, just tilted his head.

“Do what?”

“Oh my goodness. It seems you really couldn’t do it. Do you even know why we’re doing this?”

“...”

While the clueless Kim Gyu-sik stood there blankly, Darien poured out a reprimand in a dumbfounded voice.

At this, Meirin hesitantly managed to offer a rebuttal.

“S-still. I needed a little mental preparation...”

“Oh my. What kind of preparation do you need? When it comes to sharing affection with the Avatar of the Savior, I’m always-”

“Wah! Wak! Wawawawak-!”

“...”

“...”

The two of them simultaneously shut their mouths at the sight of Meirin screaming with a face so red it looked like it would burst if poked even slightly.

“...Sigh. We have a long way to go. Anyway, your time is up, so hand him over. I will never make a mistake like you.”

“No, I mean, what are you even talking about.”

“It means it’s my turn to have a fun day with you!”

As she said that, Darien threw her arms up on both sides.

It was a pose that reminded one of a flying squirrel asking to be held, but far from the cuteness that such an image might evoke, it felt like getting involved with her in any way would lead to... big trouble.

“...”

The word ‘squeezed out’ suddenly came to Kim Gyu-sik’s mind, and he tilted his head.

From where and in what context did such a word come to mind?

‘...In the first place, how did I end up starting this thing.’

That thought sent his consciousness back a few days.

***

“Mr. Kim Gyu-sik is looking for a wife candidate.”

At that one phrase, which fell like a bolt from the blue, everyone gathered in the Guild House lounge began to exchange glances as quick as lightning.

If gazes had physical force, the sparks that flew in those few seconds alone could have powered a generator.

“...Aren’t you being a little too blunt? I doubt the people here are interested in that sort of thing.”

Gazes containing a chill cold enough to freeze and shatter the newly activated generator flew towards Kim Gyu-sik and struck him all at once.

It was a terrifying pressure that made even the man who had saved the world multiple times as if it were a joke feel a momentary sense of danger and shut his mouth.

“...Well, so, let’s leave this blockhead aside.”

Seo Ah-in, who had naturally taken on the role of MC again, looked around and continued speaking.

Seo Hye-in, Evangeline, Meirin, Lee Si-yeong, Darien, and on top of that, the Guardian of the Tower.

Lined up like that, it was a ridiculous lineup.

“There are so damn many...”

“...”

“...”

At Seo Ah-in’s miserable mumble, everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

In any case, the personnel gathered here alone were enough to destroy a country if they all joined forces. It was absurd that they all held common feelings for just ‘one’ man.

“Well, so. This block of wood here probably won’t get it until the end, so if we proceed with the discussion amongst ourselves, Mr. Kim Gyu-sik here is in a situation where he needs to find the best wife within 7 days.”

After confirming that everyone was nodding with a tense expression, Seo Ah-in continued the sentence with a determined expression of her own.

“So, let’s settle this among the seven of us. Since it’s a week, let’s each take one day.”

“...What?”

Kim Gyu-sik let out a question as if to ask what on earth she was talking about, but no one turned to look at him.

“Within one day, you attempt your most powerful appeal. The choice, of course, has to be left to him... but we’ll use that to establish a ‘ranking’ and line up accordingly. Does everyone agree?”

“...I, I don’t really have those kinds of feelings for Mr. Kim Gyu-sik, but for now, I agree.”

“...Eh, um. I don’t know what you’re talking about either, but I agree~”

“Me tooo...? I, a, greee..?”

It was a rather blunt discussion to have in front of the person concerned, so answers tinged with various shades of embarrassment came out from everyone.

However, no one was in a situation to deny the premise that Seo Ah-in had laid out.

“...Then let’s consider this matter passed for now.”

Seo Ah-in sighed and clapped her hands, tak, tak. It was to draw everyone’s attention.

“How about we give bonus points if one of us scores a goal?”

“...A goal? What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about this-”

Seo Ah-in, who had made a ring by touching her thumb and index finger together, then brought her other index finger into that circle-

“What on earth are you doing, so vulgarly?!”

The startled Seo Hye-in slapped her hand, so the motion wasn't completed.

In any case, in an atmosphere where everyone seemed to have understood the meaning, Seo Ah-in nodded again with a determined look.

“For now, I’m curious if there’s anyone who can drag that block of wood that far. I think everyone will try. If it’s possible within a day, bonus points should be more than enough, don’t you think?”

“...No, everyone is saying they don’t want to. Is this really going ahead?”

“You just shut up. Please.”

“...”

In the heavy atmosphere that somehow compelled agreement, Kim Gyu-sik decided to quietly shut his mouth.

Somehow.

He had a feeling the next week was going to be very eventful.

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