Possessing Nothing

TL: xLordFifthPR: Yul, GortEpisode 385: Party(1)

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The grandly lit bonfire illuminated the forest, with fairies laughing and dancing beyond the scattered embers.Near the fire, empty liquor bottles were strewn about. The Spear King, who had indulged heavily in alcohol without suppressing the drunkenness with his internal energy, surprisingly curled up quietly in a corner and fell asleep.Lloyd, whom the Spear King had persuaded to drink from the first glass, had also sprawled out beside him.The Black Dragon chattered away near Teresa, whose cheeks were flushed red from the alcohol, but Lee Sungmin paid no attention to what he was saying.The gossip that the Black Dragon was talking about was likely to be of interest to girls around Teresa’s age, so there was no need to listen deliberately.“What happens to a child born between a half-dragon and a human?”“First of all, is it even possible for a half-dragon to give birth?”“Well… Usually, aren’t such cases sterile? Like, donkeys are sterile, aren’t they?”“Dragons aren’t donkeys or horses.”“It would be rather blunt. No, even before that, shouldn’t we consider whether a saint can marry and have children?”Scarlett mused with a serious face while swirling her wine glass. Thinking about it, Lee Sungmin nodded, agreeing with her point.“But there is quite an age difference…”“At the very least two hundred years, right? But, if they love each other, perhaps that’s not a major issue.”“Do you think it’s possible?”“From the outside, there seems to be no issue. The personality, too, well, compared to that old man napping over there, is definitely more decent. Though comparing anyone to that old man, you’d hardly find anyone lacking.”Scarlett said, laughing gleefully at her own amusement.Putting those two aside,Scarlett glanced at Lee Sungmin with slightly lifted eyes.“What’s your relationship with the Little Heavenly Demon?”“That’s rather out of the blue, isn’t it?”“Just curious. It’s not been said directly, but it’s pretty clear you two are rather… sticky.”“Aren’t you too drunk?”“I’m pretending to be drunk, for your sake. Who else would ask about this?”“Probably no one else but Miss Scarlett is curious.”“That’s probably not the case.”Scarlett asserted, bringing her wine glass to her lips. She glanced at Baek Sogo, who was sitting near Lee Sungmin.With her cheeks tinged a rosy shade, Baek Sogo glanced over before quickly averting her gaze and taking a sip from her cup when their eyes met.“Why? Girls like this kind of talk. It’s a good topic, especially for a drinking session, isn’t it?”“Right.”Rubia, who had been sipping on fruit wine brewed by fairies due to its lack of bitterness, lit up. She shook her cat ears, huddled close, and sat next to Scarlett.“Well, I know what relationship Lee Sungmin and the Little Heavenly Demon have.”“And how would you know?”“I saw them having a secret meeting in the forest. Not only that but also past events…”“Please do not speak carelessly.”Lee Sungmin warned Rubia, who pouted and returned to her drink. These conversations always left others craving more if stopped midway.“Still confused? Remember, I’m your master. Who was the great magician who broke your contract with the Queen of the Spirits and made you a familiar?”“That would be… Miss Scarlett.”“With the Queen of the Spirits gone, I am undoubtedly your only master. So, what is their relationship?”“They have been friends since childhood.”Scarlett was not satisfied with that answer. She eagerly pressed for more details.Rubia, considering Lee Sungmin’s position, kept quiet and did not intervene further.Meanwhile, Teresa laughed at the Black Dragon’s incomprehensible jokes, and Baek Sogo slowly edged closer, keenly listening.The first encounter in Genavis, then in the dungeons, then at Rubes, then in the Forest of the Fairies, and finally in the Sleeping Forest.Lee Sungmin shared the story of his entanglement with Wijihoyeon, omitting and avoiding certain details.This approach sparked the listeners’ imaginations even more. When they heard they had spent a year together in this forest, Rubia’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade.Baek Sogo’s cheeks tensed slightly. Scarlett clicked her tongue, observing Baek Sogo.“That’s quite a disadvantage.”“Pardon?”“Nothing, it’s nothing.”Feeling mixed emotions, Scarlett rested her chin in her hand. She had quite a fondness for Lee Sungmin.Upon reflection, Lee Sungmin was the only man by her side. He was healthy in stature, handsome, with a reasonable personality and skills, and someone she had known for a long time.For Scarlett, there hadn’t been many choices. Like most magicians, she had lived a life devoted to magic rather than love, relationships, or marriage.She felt a bit of regret and loss but wasn’t particularly sad about it.”What, if it doesn’t work out, I wouldn’t mind being the second or even third choice.”In that regard, Scarlett was quite open-minded. Of course, she didn’t mean she would want that right now.Her priority was to finish her ultimate goal first and then to accomplish her secret wish as a magician. Love, dating, marriage. Perhaps those could come afterward.But Baek Sogo was different.Scarlett glanced over at Baek Sogo’s pale, stricken face. Just a while ago, her face had been slightly flushed from the alcohol, but now, not a trace of that remained.It seemed she had used her internal energy to sober up while listening to the conversation.[Won’t you confess?]It can’t be helped. I guess I’ll have to play Cupid myself. Scarlett sent a telepathic message to the shivering Baek Soro.Baek Sogo, startled, looked at Scarlett.[What are you talking about all of a sudden?][What do you mean, all of a sudden? Do you not see the expression on your face? Should I get you a mirror?][What’s wrong with my expression?][Never mind that. What will you do? Won’t you confess? I think now is the perfect time. If you’re willing, I’ll set things up properly for you.][I… I don’t have those kinds of feelings for my mentor.][Then what’s with that look?][What about my look?][You have the expression of a foolish woman who couldn’t confess her love to the person she has a crush on, keeping it to herself for over ten years with unfounded confidence that she’s the only one, only to find out that in fact, the person had been through thick and thin with someone else behind her back ten years ago.]Baek Sogo couldn’t reply and bit her lower lip. Scarlett tutted and glanced at Baek Sogo.Lee Sungmin poured more liquor into his cup, feeling like he might have touched on a sensitive topic.[Anyway, I get it. You still don’t want to say it yourself, right?][…I don’t think it’s a conversation appropriate for these times. And, I mean… I don’t have… more than fraternal feelings towards my disciple.][That’s what you think. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.]It seemed playing the role of Cupid was a bit too ambitious. But Scarlett did not give up.Scarlett took the bottle Lee Sungmin was holding and filled his cup herself.“What do you think about polygyny?”“……What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden……”“Just answer.”“……Polygyny means a man having multiple wives, doesn’t it?”“Yes.”“Then, wouldn’t the women fight among themselves?”“It’s possible for the women to understand each other and not fight.”“Still, it’s a bit……”“What about polyandry?”“I dislike it.”“Such trash.”He immediately responded, prompting Scarlett to curse at him outright.“You dislike one woman having multiple husbands, but one man having multiple wives is fine?”“I never said I liked it.”“Your answers differ. You implied that women could understand each other and make it work.”“That’s not what I mean.”“Just shut up. Trash, all men are the same. After all, what man would say no to a woman coming onto him? Especially if she’s pretty, they’d never say no.”“Why do you take everything so negatively?”“Because you’re detestable, you bastard.”“What have I done to you……”“Baek Sogo. What were you doing 10 years ago?”“……Eh?”Scarlett swiftly turned her head to Baek Sogo. Seeing Baek Sogo’s shoulders slump, she startled and looked at Scarlett.“Eh?”“What were you doing 10 years ago?”“I… was wandering the world.”“And before that?”“I was in the mountains of Mush…..”“In that damn mountain again? I guess I was in a better situation than you. Stuck in the mage tower, taking in the musty smell of old books until my fingertips went numb from writing spells and cramming theories until my head was about to explode. And you? You were getting cozy with the Little Heavenly Demon!”“I wasn’t just doing that! And what do you mean by ‘getting cozy’……”“So, you didn’t do it?”“That……”“You really are, in this regard, pointlessly honest. Couldn’t you at least lie and say, ‘I didn’t do it’?’”

“I didn’t do it.”“I really want to kill him.”As Lee Sungmin replied with a grim face, Scarlett shook her shoulders, uttering in a voice filled with anger. Lee Sungmin coughed and gulped down his drink.“I must be a fool to try talking to you. How did I end up with someone so clueless…”“Why am I clueless?”Lee Sungmin retorted, staring intently at Scarlett. His eyes were unnecessarily deep.Startled, Scarlett jerked her chin back. Lee Sungmin sighed and shook his head.“I don’t know much.”“Hey.”“The Apocalypse is not yet upon us. We may have annihilated the Queen of the Spirits, but Geniella and the Martial God still remain. Plus, who knows what other calamities are out there? So…”“I knew you’d do this. Why can’t you just relax and enjoy your drink instead of going all serious?”“It’s just… what does it matter now, with polygyny or polyandry?”“The world might end tomorrow; shouldn’t we live a life without regrets?”“Are you planning to plant an apple tree or something?”“What kind of nonsense is that? Why plant an apple tree?”“It’s something from the world I came from. If the Earth were to be destroyed tomorrow, plant an apple tree…”“What kind of madness is that? What’s with Earth? And if it’s going to be destroyed, why plant an apple tree? You might as well just eat another apple.”Scarlett snapped back sharply. Lee Sungmin wanted to argue in response, but since he couldn’t even recall the philosopher who made that statement, he simply kept quiet.“…Anyway, I don’t really want to talk about this. While we are here doing this, Wijihoyeon is…”“Probably having a tough time. Thanks to that great person, we could easily capture the Queen of the Spirits. Even if we do nothing, Little Heavenly Demon alone could prevent the end.”“I don’t want to place all the burden on her.”“I’m just saying. I don’t want to blindly trust the Little Heavenly Demon I’ve never met. I need to act and see for myself. Why is the mood getting like this again? Why are you unnecessarily bringing up the end of the world and fussing…”“Ah.”Before Scarlett finished grumbling, something suddenly flashed through Lee Sungmin’s mind.Baek So-go, who had been managing her complex feelings while looking down, jumped in surprise.“Spinoza.”“What?”“It’s Spinoza. The name of the person who said he would plant an apple tree.”“So what?”“Just… it suddenly came to mind.”“Crazy…”“Ahaha!” Teresa laughed loudly. 

Scarlett wrinkled her eyebrows as she saw Teresa, who was having a conversation with the Black Dragon across the bonfire.“What’s so funny that she’s breaking into laughter like that?”“Must be more humorous than expected.”“Still a eunuch, though.”“That’s not yet confirmed.”“Chances are high, though. But what do you think Little Heavenly Demon would say?”“About what?”“Polygyny.”“Are you still on about that?”Lee Sungmin couldn’t help but ask, exasperated. Again, Baek Sogo pretended not to listen intently. Scarlett nodded seriously.“Upon reflection, Little Heavenly Demon’s opinion seems more important than yours.”Recalling a past conversation with Wijihoyeon, it was a discussion they had before parting ways after leaving the Forest of the Fairies.“…She said it doesn’t matter because she’s the first.”“The first?”“That’s…”“Ah, it’s fine. I get it. She wants to be the first, no matter what. Doesn’t care about the second or third. Wow, that’s some confidence. I haven’t met her, but I can tell what kind of person she is from this.”That was a sufficient gain for the discussion. It seems Wijihoyeon wouldn’t mind having a second or third. Scarlett smirked at Baek Sogo.[Even if there’s a second, it’s fine.][…So you mean, I shouldn’t have those kinds of feelings for him…][No, I think you do have those feelings.]Scarlett cut off Baek Sogo’s words without listening further and filled her glass to the brim with wine from the decanter, smiling contentedly.“Ah, this wine is good.”She drank the wine from the glass with a pleasant sense of satisfaction.