Chapter 48 – The Melancholy of Alexander Natalia
“Uh? Uh, yes Drunk…”
I stuttered at Natalya’s unusual attitude.
What, what! It looks like I did something bad!
“Did you come right after waking up?”
Natalya, who had risen from the bed, approached slowly. The black dead eyes and the shadows under them made me feel intimidated.
-Gulp.
My back hit the wall.
Since when have I been stepping back?
Natalya walked up to him, put her hands behind his back and pressed her chest against my body.
Originally, he would have had an erection excited by the touch, but the feeling of intimidation Natalya radiated made it difficult for him to think that way.
“You know? Soap at this inn is handmade?”
“Yes.”
Looking at its rough shape, it is not difficult to guess that it is a handmade product.
“Soap and the like are not brought in at most inns. Especially the inns in border cities like Arpagon. Since this inn is the most expensive place, there is handmade soap.”
“⋯⋯.”
I just came from taking a shower with Roin. So, the body smells of fragrant soap.
Natalia took a deep breath in as she sucked on the nape of my neck.
“Haoop, you came to sleep outside… Lick. The soap smells very strong. Your hair is also wet. It looks like you just washed up?”
Sweat started flowing down his back.
Not good. I have a hunch that something bad will happen if I don’t convince Natalia today.
“You always get an erection when I caress you like this… I can’t get an erection at all…?”
“⋯⋯.”
How is Natalia now? What is she thinking?
What am I to Natalia?
From Natalya’s point of view, Hanseong is the one who has sworn to devote her heart and body to her eternal side.
“This inn is well soundproofed. But all morning I heard faint moans from the room next to her.”
Fuck.
“Hanseong doesn’t come back… Shortly after the moans in the next room that had been heard all morning had stopped, Hanseong came back looking like he had just finished taking a shower.”
Natalya is naive, trusting, but not stupid.
Before she even turned 8 years old, he took off writing and magic, and is a genius who is the youngest person ever to enter a magic school.
It’s safe to say that Natalya noticed this. No, I noticed.
How should I speak out?
She took a deep breath and put her hand on Natalia’s shoulder, looking into her face.
“Sigh…”
I involuntarily inhaled.
Tears welled up and dripped from Natalia’s eyes.
A noise that had formed in his mind began to stir and sway, and then grew in size.
The noise that rose up in size and swayed and started poking at her chest.
My heart pounded at the melody of pain and emotions I felt for the first time, and my head did not roll.
“Is it me, Natalie?”
“Sniff, I love Hansung.”
“Yeah…”
“It was Hanseong-nim who taught me what happiness is. If it wasn’t for Hanseong, I would have died long ago.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I don’t care what happens to anyone other than Hanseong. I’m not interested in other people. All I need is Hansung.”
Natalya’s hand gripped his shoulder.
At the pitiful movement, as if trying to catch sand slipping through your fingers, the melody that had been throbbing in your chest pierced your heart even more.
“Hanseong-nim, what do you think of me?”
“Love you.”
“⋯⋯.”
The clear blue eyes overflowed endlessly as if they were the sea.
“I sat alone all night. I sat and thought of Hansung. It was the first time I had such a cold and lonely night.”
He gently rubbed Natalya’s back. My hair, soft like a silk blanket, tightly wrapped around my hand.
“Please don’t throw it away. I, I would be without Hansung…”
“It’s Natalie.”
He gently stroked the back of his head.
“Why do you think I would abandon you?”
“Aren’t you getting tired of me and making another woman?”
“Do you remember the oath you made to me?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me again.”
“⋯⋯. I swear to dedicate my body and soul.”
“I am forever by your side and you are forever mine. This is my oath.”
“Yes…”
“You are mine forever. I will never ever abandon you.”
“Really…?”
“Don’t doubt me. Or, is Natalia not trusting me?”
“I believe it… I believe in Hansung. I only believe in Hansung.”
He rubbed his tear-stained cheek with his hand.
Perhaps calming down, Natalia closed her eyes and began to feel my touch.
At Natalya’s stable appearance, the pulsating melody in his heart calmed down.
It seems difficult to bring up the story of Roin now.
Better to wake up and talk.
It was late lunchtime, when the sun had passed over the top of her head, when she opened her eyes.
Natalya in her arms woke up shortly after I woke up and we took a light shower and sat side by side on the bed.
I was the first to speak up.
“I was in the room next to Roin and her last night.”
“⋯⋯.”
Natalya listened silently. She continued her speech at the sight.
“The old man said he loved me.”
I could see Natalya clenching her fists, and she gently covered them. Her firm hand slowly loosened.
“As you expected, I mingled with Roin.”
“⋯⋯.”
Natalia’s eyes began to moisten again.
“Hey Natalie. I love you.”
“Yes…”
“I told Roin that too. He said he wouldn’t mind the second time.”
“I, I… I’m not sure⋯⋯. Hanseong with another woman…”
“It’s Natalie.”
She met Natalya’s eyes with hers.
What should I say to her eyes full of anxiety?
No, it’s a pity that Natalya isn’t telling her what she wants to hear.
I have to convince and understand Natalya to get what I want.
All I want is to get Natalya to approve of Roin being my second girl.
‘Cause I’m a selfish person I have to get everything I want.
I liked both Natalya and Roin, so I’ll get them both.
“If I first met Roin, not you, if I said I love Roin, would you give up on me?”
I can’t give up
Love is the most cost-effective emotion to use. If it’s for the one you love, you have to do anything inefficient.
Now Natalia loves me. No, she is dependent on me beyond love.
“⋯⋯. Give up, I can’t⋯.”
“Yes, wouldn’t Roin feel the same way?”
“That’s… But…”
She understands with her head, but not with her heart. From Natalya’s point of view, she must feel like I’m being taken away.
But Natalya now values me more than herself. So she uses that to make Natalia understand.
“Natalie, it breaks my heart to see you so sad.”
“⋯⋯.”
“And if you reject Roin, Roin will be hurt too, and even thinking about that hurts her heart.”
Natalia looked into my eyes.
“Please. I don’t want to see Natalya or Roin get hurt. I think that would be too painful. Doesn’t Natalya hate me for being in pain?”
At my words, Natalya bit her lower lip gently.
“Yes. Then⋯. Can you promise me one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Always… Can you tell me that I am the first, that I am the most precious?”
“Of course not, Natalie. You are always first and you are the most precious.”
“Hug me⋯⋯.”
“Come here.”
Natalya in her arms whispered in her ear.
“Hanseong is… Because you are a really nice person You can’t see other people getting hurt, right? I can’t help it⋯⋯. I don’t feel comfortable because I feel like Hanseong is being taken away, but I think it’s right to give in a little bit rather than Hanseong getting hurt…”
“Thank you for understanding, I love you.”
“I love you too…”
Apparently, things went according to plan.
But, what is the reason why the noise vibrates silently in my heart?
“I am hungry. Shall we go eat?”
“Yes.”
“There must be an old man in the next room, but I’ll wake him up and come. The three of us, let’s talk while eating.”
“Yes, I think that would be good.”
Natalya crossed her arms. In that state, I went to the next room and knocked on the door, and the old man came out.
The expression looks a little stiff.
“I am Natalie… Mr. Hello⋯⋯.”
“Shall we talk while eating? We.”
“That, that would be nice…”
The old man followed behind Natalya and me, who were crossing their arms.
He seemed to be very nervous, so he wrapped his arms around Roin’s waist.
“Ha, Hanseong?”
“Why are you so stiff? We can coordinate our opinions while eating. Don’t be too nervous.”
“Yeah…”
I came down to the first floor with Natalya and Roin on either side of me, and the usually blunt clerk looked at me with round lips.
