Side Story 32. Invitation from the Haramark Royal Palace
Seol Jihu was enjoying a lazy day for the first time in a while. Seol Jinhee was no longer a huge concern, and the restaurant was closed as well.
As it was a rare break day, Seol Jihu was lounging around to his heart’s content on Seo Yuhui’s lap. Seo Yuhui put her hand on her stomach while looking down at Seol Jihu, who was tossing left and right between her thighs.
Only two months had pa.s.sed since she got pregnant, so it was hardly noticeable. But for some reason, the baby in her womb seemed to be tossing and turning every time Seol Jihu moved, almost like it was copying its daddy’s actions.
“...Jihu.”
Seo Yuhui spoke at the mysterious feeling.
“I think our baby is tossing and turning following your movements. It’s fascinating.”
“What? Really?”
Seol Jihu turned around instantly and looked at Seo Yuhui’s stomach. He put his ear against her belly but then tilted his head.
“I don’t know. I can’t hear anything…. Do you really feel it?”
“Yep. It might just be a feeling, but I at least think so.”
“Really? Then….”
Seol Jihu organized his thoughts before speaking with a serious face.
“Spinny.”
“?”
“That will be our first child’s fetal name. What do you think?”
It was then. The baby stopped moving. No, rather, the feeling of the baby moving disappeared completely.
‘Hmm?’
Seo Yuhui blinked and looked down at her stomach. It was so instantaneous and deliberate that it couldn’t even be considered a coincidence.
‘Why? Do you not like the nickname Spinny?’
She talked to the baby inwardly, but her stomach was dead silent. Despite tossing and turning with Seol Jihu just now, the baby went radio-silent as if such a thing never happened. Seo Yuhui felt like the baby was protesting against the name Spinny.
‘Okay, we won’t call you Spinny, so feel free to move around again.’
Only after saying this did Seo Yuhui feel the baby tossing and turning again. Seo Yuhui chuckled in disbelief.
Of course, this couldn’t actually be happening as the period between weeks 5 and 8 of pregnancy is when the embryo is developing. But this was what Seo Yuhui felt.
‘I bet this child’s personality and behavior is going to be the same as Jihu’s.’
Seo Yuhui nodded her head and sighed. There was a saying that pregnancy was a war while the first 100 days after birth was h.e.l.l. Thinking about taking care of two children after giving birth, Seo Yuhui saw the coming days as being grim.
“Spinny, Spinny, Spinny~”
“Don’t say that. The baby doesn’t like it.”
“Hmm? How do you know that? The baby’s still in your belly.”
“Don’t you know that babies can remember things from when they’re still in their mothers’ wombs?”
“But still…. You’re only two months pregnant now….”
Seol Jihu dismissed the idea and tried to lay back down. However, Seo Yuhui stopped Seol Jihu by cupping her hands under his neck and then got up. It was because someone was knocking on the front door.
A messenger had arrived.
“You got letters. Two, in fact.”
Seo Yuhui handed the letters to Seol Jihu. However, he did not take them.
“Jihu?”
When Seo Yuhui turned to him, wondering what he was up to, she found Seol Jihu frozen in the same position that she left him in. He was clearly waiting for her to come back.
Seo Yuhui sighed. Only when she gave him a lap pillow again did he lay down and accept the letters.
“Let’s see who sent them. Ah, one is from Little Chick.”
“Oh, really? Come to think of it, what has Little Chick been up to these days? I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“He’s on a trip.”
Seol Jihu replied clearly.
“He left a while ago. One day, out of the blue, he announced he would find his own path and left on a trip.”
“Trip? Why, all of a sudden?”
“What did he say again? Something about all of his masters being heroes and then how all heroes died in the prime of their primes. You know how Little Chick goes back to being an egg after his master’s death, right?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Apparently, he’s never really had freedom because of it. I’m the first one that hasn’t died early. Since I won’t die any time soon and Paradise is peaceful, he said he wants to try living for himself.”
Now that Seo Yuhui heard the circ.u.mstances, it made sense. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have questions.
“For a bird? How?”
“I was curious about that too…. Let me give this a read.”
Seol Jihu’s eyes slowly scanned the letter.
“I’m living well…. Don’t worry…. I met a beautiful bird a few days ago to be my partner…. Her white feathers made her look pure…. I especially liked her abundant breast feathers…. Haha, he has good taste.”
Seol Jihu finished reading the letter jovially.
“And keep this a secret between you and me…. In truth, I cheated too…. My bird life was a mistake…. But I won’t make an excuse…. I just couldn’t control myself when I saw her crimson feathers and heard her melodious chirps…. The h.e.l.l is this guy on about? You can’t justify cheating, no matter what!”
Seol Jihu cursed Little Chick before feeling a stare and turning sideways. Seo Yuhui was looking at him with narrowed eyes.
“What?”
“Like master, like pet.”
“Hmm?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Seo Yuhui shook her head.
“Anyway, how did Little Chick write this letter? He’s a bird. He doesn’t have opposable thumbs.”
“I’m curious too. What a mysterious guy.”
Seol Jihu glossed over the matter and took out the other letter. It was from the Haramark Royal Palace.
“Can I read it too?”
“Ah, stay still. Don’t make sudden movements like that. I’ll come to you.”
Seol Jihu moved closer toward Seo Yuhui so that she could get a better look.
The letter was as follows.
—It has been a while, o hero of Paradise. I hope the state of your health has been superb and wonderful. The reason I am writing this letter is to relay an important message to Lord Seol Jihu privately.
If possible, please drop by the Haramark Royal Palace at your convenience. Again, this matter is of utmost importance. I will be waiting for your arrival.
The letter was signed with Teresa’s name.
Seol Jihu’s expression turned grave as he looked at the letter. The tone of the letter was stern and dignified, as expected of a formal letter from the royal palace. Still, it was too… stiff.
Moreover, the Princess Knight that Seol Jihu knew wasn’t this elegant and dignified.
“It’s hard to believe it came from Princess Teresa.”
“Yeah?”
“Her writing style isn’t like this. You should know too. The Haramark Royal Family was the quickest to understand and adopt Earthlings’ culture.”
Seol Jihu flicked the letter a few times.
“The fact that Princess Teresa sent something like this… could only mean that this isn’t a simple dinner invitation.”
“Maybe it’s to ask you to revive people?”
Seo Yuhui gave a plausible idea. However, Seol Jihu shook his head.
“Probably not. I revived Queen Fertina and Princess Olivia last time.”
“Maybe they want to revive relatives or acquaintances.”
“That’s possible, but I don’t think that’s it either. I had asked if they wanted anyone else to be revived, and King Prihi had said that two was enough. He vehemently denied asking for any more than that.”
“Mmm…”
Seo Yuhui pondered hard while caressing Seol Jihu’s face.
“Ah, I heard Haramark has been busy eradicating traitors after the war.”
“Hm? Traitors?”
“You took care of a lot of them, but it’s not like you fished out all of them.”
“I guess that’s true….”
Although the mock.u.mentary he directed with Philip Muller demolished organizations or bound them through contracts, that obviously was not enough to take care of all traitors.
Of course, they had gone into hiding after witnessing Seol Jihu and Valhalla obliterating every dissent ruthlessly.
“Paradise’s residents must be anxious and resentful. It’s to be expected.”
Seol Jihu nodded at Seo Yuhui’s explanation.
“I’ll have to go visit them then. I better get going right away.”
He then looked up at Seo Yuhui.
“Do you want to come to?”
Seo Yuhui made a troubled expression.
“I’m sorry, I have a previous engagement.”
“Previous engagement?”
“Yep. I’m going to the hospital with Miss Sora….”
“What? Hospital?”
Seol Jihu’s eyes shot open.
“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
“Jihu, wait, it’s not a big deal. We’re just going to make sure our babies are growing up strong and healthy.”
“But we still need to go together!”
“I’m fine! Miss Sora and I can go together. Besides, you have to go to Haramark, don’t you?”
When Seol Jihu showed a strong desire to return to Earth right away, Seo Yuhui stopped him in fright. Seol Jihu was taken aback too. He looked at Seo Yuhui with a face that was plainly asking why she stopped him.
Seo Yuhui hesitated for a moment before speaking with a sigh.
“Miss Sora told me to keep it a secret. To be honest… Even I don’t know the reason. Did you do something when you went to the hospital with her last time?”
“No, not at all.”
Seol Jihu shook his head. Honestly speaking, it wasn’t that he didn’t remember anything. He just didn’t think he did anything wrong.
To be more precise, Phi Sora was almost embarra.s.sed to death when she went to the hospital with Seol Jihu. She was grateful that he was so attentive and caring, but he just went too far.
He constantly told her to watch where she was going and even held her in a princess carry when walking upstairs. While they were waiting for the doctor, he embraced her belly tight, talking about how cold it must be for the baby.
Simply put, he straight up gave her a princess treatment.
Phi Sora heard so much giggling and comments about Seol Jihu being a devoted husband that her face flushed red. Although she threw a fit on the way out and got Seol Jihu to promise never to act like this again, Phi Sora never went to the hospital with Seol Jihu afterward.
Seo Yuhui was no different. Even though she did not hear what happened to make Phi Sora be against Seol Jihu accompanying them, she could easily guess what happened.
Was it a week ago? It wasn’t like she had a pregnancy craving. She just woke up in the middle of the night and said she kind of wanted a sweet, melon, or peach-flavored drink.
Hearing this, Seol Jihu got up right away, threw on his clothes, and ran outside. He then brought every fruit imaginable in less than thirty minutes. Not just one of each, but a whole pile!
Though it was a little excessive, Seo Yuhui praised Seol Jihu. After all, he had done it for her. But she shouldn’t have praised him.
On another day, Seo Yuhui smacked her lips and mentioned wanting jokbal. Seol Jihu ran out right away. She got a call from him after about two hours. He asked her to come outside, and Seo Yuhui was met with an unbelievable sight.
Seol Jihu greeted her in the driver’s seat of a huge truck. She looked back, thinking there was no way, and lo and behold, hundreds of jokbal were piled on top of each other.
Not only did he wipe a jokbal factory clean, but he had also signed a contract with them. Seeing the brightly smiling Seol Jihu, who told her just to say it if she ever wanted jokbal, Seo Yuhui learned what it meant to have mixed emotions.
After that, Seo Yuhui never mentioned anything about food to Seol Jihu, even when she had an intense craving for something.
“Are you two leaving me out?”
“Jihu, listen, we’re not leaving you out. It’s just….”
“It’s fine. You guys can go together.”
Seol Jihu stood up, grumbling. No matter how Seo Yuhui consoled him, he did not listen. He was sulking for sure. Seo Yuhui just didn’t know whether it was tiny-sulk or little-sulk.
But that was still fine. According to Baek Haeju, Seol Jihu would get over tiny and little-sulk with a little bit of time.
“Oh yeah, Yuhui.”
Seol Jihu quickly moved on and threw a question to Seo Yuhui, who was at a loss for what to do.
“I just remembered. Haramark has Sicilia, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Miss Agnes and Miss Cinzia are there too.”
“That’s right.”
“So why would they need me?”
Seol Jihu asked.
“Haramark stood at the forefront of the battle during the war against the Parasites. Its culture should have been molded by war.”
Seol Jihu continued.
“Since there are two Executors in the city…”
Seol Jihu trailed off and then tilted his head.
“If they’re really calling me about a group of traitors….”
“....”
“Would that mean they can’t be dealt with the combined forces of Haramark and Sicilia?”
Seo Yuhui didn’t have a clear answer to this.
“I don’t know. It’s hard to say without exactly knowing what the situation is….”
Seo Yuhui threw her long hair back and spoke carefully.
“But if that’s the case, it must mean they really need your help.”
Seol Jihu’s expression sank. He had a look of seriousness that had not appeared in a long time.
“...Then.”
Seol Jihu stretched out his arm. Whis.h.!.+ A long, white object flew through the air and landed in his grasp. It was the Spear of Purity.
Realizing his intent, Seo Yuhui nodded with a smile. She knew just how strong Seol Jihu was. She could not imagine her husband, the man who defeated the Parasite Queen, losing to anyone, with or without his main weapon.
Of course, it was always better to be safe than sorry.
“Good decision.”
Wooong! The Spear of Purity also let out a roar. It had been used for over a year as a vegetable-cutting tool or a dough-kneading rolling pin, so it was crying out in happiness at finally being put to proper use.
“Don’t worry.”
Seol Jihu spoke confidently as he walked out the door.
“I’ll have to listen to the situation first, but if it sounds serious, I can always just kick them out using Divine Wishes.”
Oh right, he has an unlimited number of Divine Wishes. Seo Yuhui muttered inwardly and threw aside the last inkling of worry in her heart.
1. In Korea, there is a culture of giving an unborn baby a nickname.