« Remind me again… why are we here? »
It was Friday. After spending several days cooped up at home without stepping outside, Ji-kai and Camestra had finally ventured out to one of Seoul's massive shopping complexes.
At the moment, however, they stood right in the middle of the mall… doing absolutely nothing.
« We're here to buy a gift. I got a message from Seobin Woo saying that Kim Hawo-ya, my noona, successfully underwent surgery — the tumor was removed. »
« So I should go visit her… and, of course, bring the souvenirs I brought back from Egypt. » Ji-kai replied as his eyes wandered around the busy complex.
« You say that as if I know who they are — and what do you even mean by 'tumor'? Give me a proper explanation. » Camestra complained, clearly irritated by his vague answer.
« Ah, right. You don't know them. My bad. »
Realizing his mistake, Ji-kai apologized before elaborating — or more precisely, explaining what Camestra hadn't understood — as they walked through the mall together.
« Seobin Woo is a college girl I know. She works at a small shop near my old neighborhood.»
« She used to work with Kim Hawo-ya, who's… sort of like an older sister to me. She recently had a tumor removed — a cancer operation near her lungs. »
« And what is this… cancer? » Camestra asked, puzzled by the strange word. For a brief moment, she pictured it as some kind of sea creature — a crab, perhaps.
« It's the worst disease a human can suffer. Something like a countdown to death.»
« It's similar to a reverse mana flow — both lead inevitably to death, and recovery is rare. In Hawo-ya's case, though, she managed to survive. »
Speaking of that…
I also received an unexpected reward around that time, along with unlocking my mana slot.
[ Item: Luck Enhancement Card ]
[ Rank: C ]
[ Details: A simple-looking item with a remarkable effect. When used, it greatly increases one's luck for a limited duration. ]
[ Available: 1 / 3 ]
I remember that happened while I was in a group of beginners in an E-ranked dungeon — a sudden variable occurred.
That variable led to me receiving an extra reward.
Why? According to the system, I'd somehow earned the respect of several people indirectly, which triggered the variable.
I still don't fully understand how it worked… but who cares? I got a great item out of it!
« So… you're saying you want to buy her a gift to celebrate the success of this 'tumor-removal operation'? I'm struggling to understand the significance of that. »
Camestra tried to piece together his logic.
« Maybe that's because you're a queen, » Ji-kai replied with a faint grin.
« Things like this aren't really common in your life, right? You probably live in that majestic castle of yours where everything's already prepared for you — nothing ever missing. »
He made sure to say it quietly enough not to draw attention.
Though it was meant as a joke — since, truthfully, he had no idea how vampire royalty lived — he noticed Camestra's expression stiffen again, sending a small wave of unease through him.
What's with that face again? Every time she makes it, I get uncomfortable.
I want to tell her to stop — seeing that same beautiful face wear two conflicting expressions is… unsettling.
From Ji-kai's perspective, Camestra's behavior was strange, but he sometimes chose to ignore it.
Camestra, on the other hand, would fall silent for a moment before eventually returning to her usual self.
« There are some amazing things over there — let's go and— » Before she could finish, Ji-kai grabbed her hand and started pulling her away.
« Nope, not happening. You still have new clothes you haven't even worn yet. Stop wasting money. »
« You tyrant!! » Camestra shouted, loud enough to draw several curious stares — some surprised, others quietly laughing at the scene.
Yeah yeah whatever ...
Hours passed. Ji-kai and Camestra eventually finished their light shopping and went straight to the hospital where Kim Hawo-ya was recovering after her operation.
Even there, the duo drew attention immediately.
Both possessed flawless physiques and youthful, striking features — beauty that naturally caught eyes.
Still, they ignored the stares and made their way to Hawo-ya's room.
« Hello, noona~ I'm back, » Ji-kai said cheerfully the moment he opened the door.
« Oh! Ji-kai! Welcome back! » Hawo-ya exclaimed, her surprise blending with genuine happiness.
She was sitting upright on the bed. Beside her was an elderly woman with long, graying hair, holding Hawo-ya's hand gently, while a nurse stood by with a clipboard.
« Mom, this is Ji-kai — the one I told you about. The boy who… forced me to go through with the surgery after paying for it himself. »
Her wide smile was impossible to suppress — her face radiated more life than ever.
The elderly woman beside her, Chayeon Ha, was indeed her mother — the resemblance between them was undeniable, something Ji-kai noticed almost immediately.
« It's an honor to meet you, ma'am, » Ji-kai said respectfully.
« Welcome, young man. I'm Chayeon Ha, Hawo-ya's mother. Thank you for helping my daughter through her hardship.»
« You can't imagine how happy I was to see her healthy again after the operation succeeded, » she said softly, her voice trembling slightly as tears threatened to fall.
Ji-kai smiled warmly in response.
« There's no need to thank me. »
Yes — no need at all.
« Hawo-ya noona is like an older sister to me. When I had my falling out with my family, she stood by my side. So… I just did what I had to do — to return the favor. »
Hawo-ya chuckled playfully at his words.
« Return the favor? That's your idea of payback? Anyone hearing you would think I saved your life or something. All I did was talk to you a little. »
Her tone was teasing, lighthearted — clear evidence of her emotional recovery alongside her physical healing.
The nurse, too, seemed touched by the moment, though she couldn't help sneaking glances at Ji-kai from time to time — right up until Camestra suddenly burst into the room.
« Hey! Those weird people outside keep pestering me with papers full of strange numbers! Handle them before I decide to handle them myself! »
She stormed in angrily, clutching several papers covered in phone numbers.
Was she seriously being hit on? That's hilarious… but it could turn into a disaster if she actually figures out what those numbers mean.
« Excuse me, miss, but you can't just barge in like that, » the nurse said sharply, annoyed by Camestra's blunt behavior.
« It's fine — she's with me, » Ji-kai interjected quickly. « I told her to wait a bit while I finished my visit, but I guess she got bothered by some people. »
He explained calmly to clear the misunderstanding.
Then he turned to Hawo-ya and her mother, gesturing toward Camestra, who had finally quieted down.
« This is my teammate, Camestra Orlandria. She's… a girl from Britain I met during my trip to Egypt. After talking for a while, we decided to form a team — since she doesn't belong to any guild, she's free. »
I have no idea if that sounded convincing…
Especially her name — I couldn't come up with a better alias!
Please buy the story, please buy the story…
I can't exactly explain that I'm contracted to an arrogant Vampire Queen.
Both Hawo-ya and her mother were momentarily speechless.
Camestra was undeniably stunning — breathtakingly so. For a second, Hawo-ya even thought she might be under some kind of coercion.
As much as she wished Ji-kai happiness, this situation was… crazy. Not to mention Camestra's clothing leaned distinctly toward the masculine side.
After some conversation — which, judging by their tones, seemed to revolve around Ji-kai — the visit eventually came to an end about an hour later.
The two then exited the hospital, waiting on the sidewalk for a taxi.
« To be honest, that Hawo-ya woman was quite lovely, » Camestra said, nudging Ji-kai's side with her elbow.
« She's much better than you described… or maybe you're just terrible at describing people. »
« Seems like women understand each other pretty well, huh, » Ji-kai muttered, trying not to smack her on the head to shut her up.
[ Warning ]
[ Someone is following you — and watching you with the intent to kill. ]
Well then…
I guess it's time we head somewhere more appropriate, don't you think?
A place where we can dance far better… my twisted little stalker.