Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 61

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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61.

* * *

Breathing in the fragrance of lush greenery drifting on the breeze, Hand Ogeong reflected on the series of events that had unfolded.
The moment Jiho bolted from the classroom, it was Cheonhaerang who followed her.
Cheonhaerang had sent him a telepathic message—that something was wrong with Jiho, that she wasn’t responding to his call.
Kim Seulgi’s trap appeared to have been set from the lunch hour when she’d encountered Jiho.
Then Cheonhaerang reported that Jiho had vanished.
That was when Jiho’s necklace reacted.
Cheonuyhua’s aura spreading in all directions—there was no way Cheonhaerang could have failed to sense it.
Cheonhaerang had stopped him. By the time he arrived at the scene, the Heavenly Realm’s mark had been erased.
By Cheonhaerang and Ryujiho.
The children had grown stronger than he’d anticipated.
Moreover, the bow that Ryujiho wielded—it was unmistakably Seowangmo’s bow.
This meant that Seowangmo had acknowledged Ryujiho.
But he hadn’t expected Ryujiho to handle that bow with such ease.

‘Things are progressing quite entertainingly. Now then….’

Hand Ogeong shifted his gaze to where Kim Seulgi had been scattered to ash.
He’d provoked her, but he hadn’t expected her to move this quickly. Was it because of Cheonhaerang’s return? She seemed hasty.
Was this solely Kim Seulgi’s intention, or was Gihyeongrang’s will also involved?
Could Gihyeongrang truly not have known that Kim Seulgi would be eliminated like this?
A presence beside him ended his contemplation. He didn’t turn around, yet he knew who stood at his side.
Hand Ogeong turned his head. The dazzling beauty’s gaze was fixed on the two figures in the distance. Within her eyes lay a faint warmth.
Suppressing the feeble impulse to make that warmth turn toward him, Hand Ogeong looked away again.
His gaze was directed toward something far more distant.

“By now, Yerim must have met with Gihyeongrang, wouldn’t you say?”

Hand Ogeong spoke lightly, opening the conversation.

“Likely so.”

Yeonhwa answered in an indifferent tone.
I had been contemplating new uses for Yerim, but I never expected the subject herself to come forward like this.
A spy. If done well, it would be nothing but advantageous.
But there was a problem.
Whether Gihyeongrang trusted Yerim or not.
It was certain that Gihyeongrang hadn’t forgotten Yerim. But that didn’t necessarily mean he trusted her.
Gihyeongrang wasn’t the type to speak of such things as romantic affection.
If he had been that sort of person from the beginning, perhaps the war would never have occurred. He would never have destroyed the place where his beloved lived.

‘Still, he won’t kill her.’

Knowing his past, eliminating her would be more advantageous. There would have been many opportunities to kill her.
Yet Gihyeongrang did not kill Yerim.
Even if he doesn’t trust her, he won’t kill her easily. Perhaps that was something to be grateful for.

“Do you think Yerim the Celestial Maiden will be capable, Your Highness?”

I felt Hand Ogeong’s gaze fixed upon me. I spoke without turning to face him.

“Even if she fails, she has value as a hostage.”

It was a somewhat callous and cold statement—that Yerim the Celestial Maiden could be taken hostage at any time.
But it was also an extremely objective assessment.

“What if Gihyeongrang doesn’t even care?”
“He still won’t let her die.”

At my response, Hand Ogeong let out a soft chuckle. Then he spoke.

“Then shall we depart? I am at your service.”

Yeonhwa, who let out a quiet laugh as if amused by his words, soon vanished.
After glancing briefly at Cheonhaerang and Jiho in the distance, Hand Ogeong too concealed his presence.

* * *

“Have you cried it all out now?”
I asked gently, carefully wiping away Cheonhaerang’s tears with my sleeve. His eyes were flushed a pitiful shade of red.
I wished I had a handkerchief. Unfortunately, I didn’t carry one with me. There had been no need for it until now, so it was only natural.
Truth be told, I never expected Cheonhaerang to cry like this.

“We’ve already skipped class anyway. Should we head home now?”

I spoke in a playful tone, attempting to cheer him up in my own way.
At my words, Cheonhaerang answered with a nasal whimper.

“…Then not home. Let’s go on a date.”
“Huh?”

His long, moist lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.
My wide, round eyes met his glistening gaze. He grasped my hand, and the corners of his mouth lifted upward.
A radiant smile, bright as sunlight, now graced his face.
“Let’s go on a date, Jiho.”

* * *

Colorful lights and various machines filled the expansive space. This place, where everything was unfamiliar to me, was called an arcade.
I looked around with a bewildered expression until my eyes met Cheonhaerang’s. He smiled brightly and led me forward.

“Shall we take a look?”

Boom. Boom. Drum sounds mixed with music, and people danced while watching the screen, singing along.
Cute characters moved about on the large monitors, and some were even battling each other.
Cheonhaerang first led me to a shooting game station.
He placed a gun in my hands. Unlike the gun I normally used, the game gun was surprisingly heavy.

“When you step on this pedal, you attack. When you release it, you hide. To shoot, just press the pedal and fire. Got it?”

I nodded. At least I understood what Cheonhaerang was saying.

“Then let’s begin.”

Money slipped into the machine, and the screen flickered to life. A video played, explaining the game character’s mission.
Then, with the title ‘STAGE1’ displayed, the screen shifted and the attack began.
Cheonhaerang controlled the gun with practiced ease, firing away. Following his lead, I pulled the trigger as well.
Rat-a-tat-tat. The screen was dizzying and the sound was deafening, yet somehow I found myself enjoying it.
And finally.
‘ALL STAGES CLEAR’ flashed across the screen. Only then did I lower the gun.
My hands tingled from the recoil of the game gun, but I felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

“You’re so good at this for your first time, Jiho.”
“Well… this much is pretty standard.”

At my coy response, Cheonhaerang let out a low chuckle, then took my hand and led me elsewhere.
Lost in the frenzy of gaming, I hadn’t noticed time slipping away.
After one last round at the claw machine, we stepped outside to find the Blue Sky had already turned crimson.
I held the penguin plush that Cheonhaerang had won for me close to my chest and gazed up at the sky.
A strange lightness filled me.
Enough to nearly forget Kim Seulgi’s disappearance.
They were terrible beings who hunted humans. They deserved to die.
But witnessing that death firsthand couldn’t be called pleasant.
I didn’t know how many more times I’d have to face something like this.
Perhaps that’s why Cheonhaerang brought me out like this.
Though surely it must be harder on him than on me.
I glanced down at Cheonhaerang’s hand, which held mine so firmly. He gripped it as if refusing to let go.
I lifted my gaze. Our eyes met. He asked me.

“Should we go get dinner now? Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

Now that I thought about it, eating out with Cheonhaerang like this was a first.
The spaces we’d shared until now had been so monotonous.
I seemed to ponder for a moment before answering.

“Then… let’s go get tteokbokki.”
“Sounds good.”

Cheonhaerang answered with a bright smile and led me somewhere. It was a snack shop near the school.
Since it was well past school hours, there weren’t many students around.

“This place is a real gem, you know.”

Cheonhaerang pulled out the chair for me to sit, speaking as he did so. Once I settled in comfortably, he took the seat across from me.
Not long after we placed our order, the table was laden with food.
Two servings of tteokbokki, an assortment of fried items, and even fish cakes.
I’d thought I wasn’t particularly hungry, but seeing all this food before me, my appetite suddenly awakened.
As if sensing my hunger, Cheonhaerang picked up a piece of tteok from the dish and held it out to me.
I took it into my mouth as though enchanted. The sweet and spicy flavor bloomed across my palate. The tteok was wonderfully chewy.

“How is it? Delicious, right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Then eat plenty, Jiho.”
“You too. Eat plenty yourself.”
“Mm-hmm.”

Cheonhaerang answered with a gentle smile, yet contrary to his words, he didn’t touch the food at all—his eyes remained fixed on me. I was quite hungry, it seemed, and soon found myself wholly absorbed in eating.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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