Episode 101: Party (2)
In the end, Kang Arin changed her dress.
At first, I almost fainted.
It was pretty, and yes, my jaw did drop.
But the problem was—
‘Can this even be called a dress?’
The sight before me was practically beyond what could be considered clothing.
Her shoulders, not to mention her sides, were deeply exposed, and with every movement, her skin flashed precariously.
It felt awkward to say this, but the outfit was more suited for a bedroom than a party.
I wasn’t the only one caught off guard.
The stylists around us also fell silent for a moment.
Even though it was a custom-made dress, they clearly hadn’t expected it to be this revealing.
“Please, not this.”
I barely managed to speak.
I had intended to endure it if possible, but this was just too much.
Fortunately, Kang Arin glanced at my face, then let out a soft laugh and nodded.
“Got it~ I’ll wear this another time.”
With that, she disappeared behind the curtain again, looking completely unbothered.
A short while later—
Swish.
The curtain was carefully drawn back.
This time, it was completely different.
The dress Kang Arin stepped out in was elegant and refined.
The luxurious fabric draped softly over her body, naturally accentuating her shoulders and waist.
Though the exposure was minimal, the revealed curves were even more striking because of it.
This was powerful in its own way, but still better than before.
Arin walked up to me and playfully lifted the hem of her skirt as if curtsying.
“Shall we go now?”
She grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.
“Y-Yeah… Let’s.”
The party hadn’t even started yet, but I already felt drained.
Then—
“Ah, wait a second.”
Arin gestured for me to stop.
She pulled out her smartwatch and tapped the screen a few times.
She seemed to be typing something.
“What is it?”
I tilted my head in confusion.
Arin just grinned and pointed at her watch.
“Ah, just some work stuff.”
Her expression was oddly mischievous.
It felt like she was up to something, but I decided not to pry.
***
Meanwhile, at the Yu family’s training hall.
Clang, clang!!
The sharp sound of steel split the air.
“Haa…”
Yu Hana steadied her breath and lowered her sword.
Before her stood Yu Mujin—
Her father, gazing at her with gentle eyes.
A silent spar lasting over thirty minutes.
“You’ve improved greatly.”
Yu Mujin smiled warmly as he sheathed his sword.
Thud.
Hana also knelt, resting her sword against the ground.
“Phew… I need a break.”
“Good. Let’s end it here for today.”
Yu Mujin gave her a brief word of praise.
Then, patting her shoulder lightly, he began putting away his gear.
Hana wiped her sweat-drenched forehead with the back of her hand.
“Haa…”
As she caught her breath, she felt satisfied.
Sparring with her father always left her fulfilled.
‘I’m happy.’
Just crossing swords with him, just spending time together—
For her, it was more than enough.
Then—
Beep.
Her watch vibrated briefly.
Without much thought, Hana raised her wrist.
“…?”
The moment she saw the message, the fatigue in her body seemed to vanish instantly.
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
There, standing in a sharp suit, was the person she loved.
“Hahk…”
Hana’s breath hitched.
She stared blankly at the photos, completely entranced.
Another short message followed.
[RIN]: Tonight’s party with my secretary ♥
Her mind went blank.
All the fatigue she had just shed rushed straight to her head, turning into heat.
‘A party?!’
The only “party” she knew of was the strategic exchange meeting.
And her father hated those kinds of parties.
‘Tsk, I won’t go this time.’
Originally, Yu Hana was supposed to attend as well, but gatherings full of empty formalities and forced camaraderie?
He cherished sparring with his daughter far more.
So, in the end, he didn’t go.
Naturally, that meant Hana didn’t go either.
It was fine.
She thought it was fine.
‘No, it’s not fine.’
Hana slowly lifted her head.
Yu Mujin was walking toward the training hall’s exit.
“Take your time cooling down before you leave.”
With a faint smile, he stepped out.
Then—
“DAAAAAAAAAD!!!”
A daughter’s—
No.
A woman’s whine filled the entire training hall.
***
Meanwhile, at the Arcadia Church.
“Saintess! It’s time for the hot springs~”
“Ah, thanks~”
Cheon Yeoul waved lazily.
A rare moment of free time squeezed between her tightly packed schedule.
She was fully indulging in slacking off.
Of course, if it were a schedule with Jung Haein, she’d welcome it anytime.
But otherwise, she had no desire to carve out time for anything else.
Tonight’s strategic exchange meeting was exactly that kind of event.
Empty formalities, showmanship, posturing—
Normally, she would’ve attended out of obligation, but this time, she cut it off decisively.
‘Not going~’
She just dumped it on the Hero’s faction.
All that dressing up and puffing out their chests… Well, they liked that kind of thing anyway.
Wasn’t it a win-win?
Thanks to that, she could finally soak in the hot springs after so long.
Yeoul dipped her toes into the water and let out a long sigh.
“Huu…”
Then—
Beep.
Her watch chimed softly.
“Hm?”
She usually turned off most notifications while bathing.
Except for the “important” ones.
Yeoul absentmindedly checked the screen.
Instantly, her vision froze.
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
“……”
The moment she saw the photos, Yeoul lost all sense of reason.
In the pictures—
A man standing under cool lighting.
Dressed in a sleek black suit.
The high-quality fabric reflected the light softly, draping naturally over his broad shoulders.
His neatly combed hair made his sharp features stand out even more.
Even the tie knotted effortlessly around his neck—
Perhaps because he wasn’t used to this kind of attire, his expression in the mirror looked slightly awkward.
Yeoul unconsciously held her breath.
“So cute…”
And at the same time—
‘So damn handsome.’
Yeoul, as if entranced, instinctively saved every single photo.
But then—
Her mind snapped back to reality.
What was going on here?
[RIN]: Tonight’s party with my secretary ♥
“…!”
A short message.
Yeoul bit her lip hard.
There was only one party Kang Arin would attend.
The exchange meeting.
Splash! Splash!
Yeoul scrambled out of the hot springs, barely wrapping a towel around herself.
Outside, a female priest was organizing the clothes Yeoul was supposed to wear later.
“Sister!”
Yeoul called out urgently.
“Yes— Huhk?!”
The priest looked up and reflexively covered her mouth.
Yeoul, draped in nothing but a towel, still glistening with water.
The vivid silhouette visible beneath it.
The soft, beautiful curves were enough to steal the breath of anyone who saw.
“The Hero—has their group left yet?”
But Cheon Yeoul quickly cut to the chase.
She was the one who was supposed to attend the exchange meeting.
The priest, flustered, replied.
“Yes… They just left—”
“Ah.”
Yeoul stood still for a moment, swayed unsteadily, then turned back toward the hot springs.
***
As usual, Jung Haein’s dorm room.
Rustle, rustle.
Under a thick blanket, a small girl quietly curled up.
The lights in the room were off, and the curtains completely blocked out any outside light.
Only the occasional rustling of the blanket filled the space.
But then—
Beep!
A faint notification sound leaked out from under the covers.
And not long after—
“Kyaaaak!”
A short scream burst from beneath the blanket.
Instantly, the blanket jerked violently.
Flap, flap.
Small movements caused the blanket to tremble from within.
Lately, with no major incidents happening, and Jung Haein had been holed up in his dorm.
Weekdays—no entry allowed.
These days, some insane mage had been periodically setting up barriers around it.
So the only time anyone could get into his room was on weekends, when everyone was out.
Sion was, in her own way, starving.
And so, just like always, she had taken advantage of the owner’s absence to enjoy some quality time in his room—
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
[RIN]: (Photo)
In the photos—Jung Haein, dressed impeccably.
For Sion, this was news equivalent to a nuclear bomb dropping.
Earlier that morning.
She had outright refused her grandfather’s invitation to attend the party together.
‘Today… his room will be empty…’
By now, her grandfather was probably already there with Sung Ara.
She tapped the watch screen.
Beyond Jung Haein’s awkward reflection in the mirror, she caught sight of Kang Arin wearing what could barely be called a dress—so minimal it was practically criminal.
“That crazy bitch.”
Tap, tap.
Annoyed, she poked at the screen.
The photo zoomed in.
Haein’s shoulders, his hands, the line of his neck.
“Hah…”
She tapped again.
The photo zoomed out.
Another tap.
Zoomed back in.
An endless cycle.
Then, the watch screen vibrated.
[RIN]: Tonight’s party with my secretary ♥
A short message.
The read receipts beside the message disappeared instantly.
Meaning—everyone had seen it.
And yet, no one replied.
Not the sender, nor the recipients.
Probably, they were all thinking the same thing.
Sion already knew.
That there was nothing they could do.
“Ah…”
She was, without a doubt, the defeated one.
Rustle.
Lowering the watch from her fingertips, she left the screen enlarged on Haein’s photo as she slowly curled back into herself.
Then quietly, very quietly, she burrowed back under the blanket.
Deeper.
Even deeper.
“…Ngh.”
In the darkness beneath the covers.
Sion swallowed her defeat alone.
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