Chapter 210. Elise (5)
Elise's mansion.
Standing in her room, Elise checked the time while fixing her hair in front of the mirror.
7 PM.
The sun had nearly set.
"...Why isn't he here yet?"
Academy classes should have ended a while ago.
She'd overheard him saying to Lucy and Lumi that he was stopping by the student council and Professor Im Sol.
'He said he'd just say hi, but how long is that taking?'
Elise anxiously paced as she waited for Lee Hoyeon.
Knock knock
"Yeah, come in."
At her response, Sebas-chan entered the room.
"Miss. Preparations are complete. ...But are you truly okay with this?"
"I told you I'm fine. It's not like I'm being scammed. I already confirmed the effects."
She meant the mana massage.
Sebas-chan had been concerned when he heard Hoyeon would be giving her one.
"Well, even if it's not a scam... I still worry. Maybe it's my age, but I tend to be conservative."
"Don't worry. What you're imagining isn't going to happen."
Sebas-chan was trying to be tactful, but Elise knew what he meant.
Still, what could she do?
It was part of the treatment.
'It's part of the healing process. Yep...'
Elise nodded to herself.
"Ahem, anyway. Any word from Father?"
"No. He hasn't returned to headquarters yet."
"...Because of that centaur?"
"Yes. The government requested help, so the Guild Master is fully committed."
"He never answers when he's working... Got it."
The Iris Guild Master didn't accept any contact during work for the sake of perfection.
Knowing this, Elise just stretched.
"Anyway, just leave the preparations. I told him to come."
"Understood."
After Sebas-chan left with a bow, Elise threw herself onto her bed.
"...Should I send a message?"
Wouldn't it be okay to ask when he's arriving?
It was a contract.
He wouldn't think she was clingy for checking.
It was a big deal, not a small favor...
"Student council and Professor Im Sol..."
That's who Hoyeon went to see.
Especially Moon Surin at the student council.
"Why does he have so many women?"
Lucy, Lumi, that weird live-in girl, Baek A-Young, Im Sol, and Moon Surin.
No matter how talented he was, not even her father, the Iris Guild Master, had six women at that age.
"Playing with other girls and ignoring our contract..."
Elise was annoyed.
She didn't mind if he played around.
But being late because of that? That was unacceptable.
'If he messages me, I'll give him a piece of my mind.'
Yes. That's what she'd do. Sternly.
Ding-dong—
Just as her thoughts ended, her smartwatch buzzed.
It was Lee Hoyeon's exclusive ringtone.
- Lee Hoyeon: Elise. I'm on my way now. Sorry for being late. I'll be there soon.
"Gasp, he's coming."
Elise hesitated just as she was about to reply.
"No. If I reply right away, it'll seem like I was waiting."
She put the watch down and stared at the wall.
"Scarlett?"
"Yes, Miss."
Swoosh—
As soon as Elise called her name, Scarlett dropped from the ceiling.
"...You were up there, huh."
"Yes. Do you need something?"
"Hoyeon's coming soon. Get Sebas-chan out of the way."
"Ah... I'll do my best."
Scarlett always understood the situation without needing much explanation.
"Yeah. Thanks."
After Scarlett vanished again, Elise picked up her watch.
"...Replying now should be okay."
- Me: It's fine. I was handling work too. Take your time.
Done.
Totally natural, like she wasn't waiting at all.
Elise smiled contentedly and sprayed perfume in preparation for his arrival.
"Haa... Old folks are really hard to convince."
Scarlett had a hard time persuading Sebas-chan to wait outside during the massage.
There'd be moaning, and explaining that was difficult.
Even with a rune sound barrier, Sebas-chan would notice it.
She needed another excuse... but none came to mind.
Of course, there was one surefire excuse.
Throw Elise under the bus.
Still, she wanted to save that as a last resort: 'Miss Elise doesn't want Sebas-chan nearby.'
That might make Sebas-chan suspicious about Elise and Hoyeon.
But with no other option, Scarlett used her trump card.
- Actually... Miss Elise doesn't want you nearby.
- Ah, the Miss...? Then it can't be helped... Scarlett, you watch over them...
- ...Yes. Understood.
Sebas-chan's retreating figure looked like a dad who just got told, "I hate you, Dad."
'She's already switched to Hoyeon, so it can't be helped.'
Sebas-chan wouldn't let it show to Elise.
But he'd definitely be hurt.
Scarlett felt a little bad, but she was already contractually bound to Hoyeon... and treated better than by the Iris Guild.
No pay, but the "employee benefits" were top tier.
'Time to start planning my switch early.'
Having succeeded, Scarlett slipped out of the mansion.
'Should be around here... Ah, there he is.'
Even from afar, that handsome man stood out.
And the faint anti-recognition barrier around him.
Scarlett could pierce it, but normal people would just see a regular guy.
She approached Lee Hoyeon.
Even if she left the Iris Guild, it wasn't because she hated Elise.
'I gotta help my lady score too.'
From Scarlett's perspective, Elise had deep-seated issues.
Growing up watching her mother suffer under a playboy Guild Master, only to fall for one herself.
Still, Scarlett cheered for her.
If Elise ended up with Hoyeon, that was good for Scarlett too.
If lucky, she could secure both Hoyeon and the Iris Guild.
Rustle—
Scarlett crept behind cover as she approached Hoyeon.
"Scarlett?"
But Hoyeon noticed her instantly.
"Hello, Mr. Hoyeon."
"Been a while."
He wasn't startled by her sudden voice and kept walking.
He'd sensed her mana and knew she was coming.
"It's only been a day since your discharge, and your mana-sensing is already back."
"I wouldn't be walking around if it weren't. I have too many enemies."
"Well, you have done a lot of bad things."
"...."
*
"I'm not that late, right?"
It was almost 8 PM.
I left Im Sol's lab, cleaned myself up with a cleanse spell, and headed to Elise's.
Her neighborhood was lined with big houses.
"Maybe I should move to a place like this. Dorms are too cramped."
I seriously considered moving as I looked at one of them.
There were four people living in my dorm, after all.
Thankfully, I'd set up a bed in the living room for Liliana's streams, so it worked... but still, it was tight.
One day, I'll upgrade.
As I neared Elise's place, I sensed familiar mana.
That dual-loyalty blonde—Scarlett.
"Scarlett?"
"Hello, Mr. Hoyeon."
"Been a while."
Her mana stealthily merged into my shadow.
She didn't want to be seen.
Still careful of others' eyes.
Couldn't be too sure with experts like Dr. Kang Hyorin lurking.
"It's only been a day since your discharge, and your mana-sensing is already back."
"I wouldn't be walking around if it weren't. I have too many enemies."
"Well, you have done a lot of bad things."
"...."
'That stings. But she's not wrong.'
It'd been days since I last saw her, but we still talked like usual.
We had built that kind of rapport.
"Miss Elise has been waiting forever. Why so late?"
"Really? She told me she was busy with work."
"Nope. She's been bouncing on the bed for two hours waiting. It was exhausting to watch."
"You really have it rough."
Scarlett trailed behind, hidden in my shadow.
Even without seeing her, I could picture her exasperated expression.
'Wow... we've really gotten close.'
When we first met, she was so cold. Now it's just funny memories.
"So why are you here? We're already heading to Elise's."
"Just to say hi... and wish you luck."
"Luck?"
"You were off playing with other girls. Be good to our Miss Elise. She's totally fallen for you."
"...."
Elise... was that into me?
I gave her a massage, sure, but I didn't think it was that serious.
'No, wait.'
It was called a massage, but from the outside, it definitely looked like romantic skinship.
Thinking she didn't like me despite all that was naive.
'These eroge heroines are hard to read.'
Elise especially so.
She seemed to be jealous of my other girls...
But still acted cold, even with high affection.
Watching my sex tapes while masturbating, yet acting all aloof in front of me...
"Should I just go for it..."
Maybe a bold move would work.
Her affection was high anyway.
"Isn't it a bit early to whip your dick out just like that?"
"Don't say weird shit."
"Yes, sir."
I stomped my shadow to silence her, but got no reaction.
"Seriously... Oh right. Liliana and Dahee miss you. Stop by the dorm sometime."
"I'll have to wait a bit... But I do miss Miss Liliana."
"Yeah, yeah."
I knew Scarlett liked Liliana.
She always looked delighted hearing Liliana's moans at the dorm.
After some chatting, we reached Elise's house.
"We're here. You can head off now."
"I'll just hide inside again. Anyway, take good care of our Miss."
"What's with the Cupid act today?"
"Something like that. You two dating would be nice for me too."
"I'll do my best."
After Scarlett vanished, I rang the bell.
Ding-dong—ding-dong—
Big house, but the doorbell sounds normal.
Click—
A moment later, the gate creaked open.