“You have a point, huh?” “Right?
So you’re buying the drinks tonight.” “Bullshit.” “You earn so much money, and you still want me to treat you?” “Who told you to call me?
Shut up and order the large pig trotters for tonight, no matter what.”
Ryu Seoram, finally seeming to have calmed down a bit, looked at Lenea.
“The Net Queen is a magical beast with a bounty on it.
Seeing how cleanly you killed it, you’re not ordinary, are you?” “Ah, this person is-.” “Wait, wait, wait!”
I was cut off.
Lenea, clinging to my back as if assassinating me, covered my mouth.
She whispered secretly into my ear.
“Keep it a secret that I am a former Elf Queen.” “…Why?” “Ahem, personal information protection.
Please, for something like that.”
Well, if she insists.
As I nodded, Lenea let go of her hand.
Ryu Seoram spoke immediately.
“A former Elf Queen?
Hey, Kim Juseon.
Your client’s a bigger shot than I thought, huh?”
What was the point of whispering in front of her?
We should have been at least 1km away.
Thirty minutes later, the ambulances arrived.
As people were loaded on one by one, Yi Kang-ho stuck right by Yu Mia’s side.
“Um, may I go with her?” “Are you her guardian?” “Ah, no.
It’s just-.”
To the tilting head of the paramedic, Yi Kang-ho shouted out as if he’d made up his mind.
“I’m her husband!” “Excuse me?” “She’s my wife!
I have to go with her!”
Yu Mia was still unconscious.
The bewildered paramedic glanced my way.
I gave a slight nod.
“That’s right.
They’re a married couple.”
*
That night, in the hospital hallway.
“Tsk, buy me pig trotters next time.
I got some flak for calling the ambulance.”
Ryu Seoram clicked her tongue as she looked at her phone.
I’d been curious about this for a while, so this was perfect.
“Who did you call earlier?” “The hospital director of Neo Seoul Hospital.” “…” “I’m leaving, so put it on my tab.”
Just before she left, Ryu Seoram added.
“The Net Queen’s bounty will be processed later.
Let the elf know.” “She knows best.
That’s the first thing she checked earlier.” “Is that so?”
She hesitated for a moment as if she had something to say, then added without looking at me.
“…Take care.”
Ryu Seoram left.
Left in front of the intensive care unit were me and Hunter Yi Kang-ho.
“Um, President… Thank you so much for today.” “Oh, it’s nothing.
You’re our esteemed client.
The doctor said her life isn’t in danger.
Go get some rest.
You went through a lot today.”
Just as Lenea said earlier, it seems the Net Queen injected an anesthetic component to keep its prey fresh.
Thanks to that, everyone in the cocoons was safe.
Grip!
Yi Kang-ho, grasping my hand with both of his, began to cry again.
“No, it’s not nothing.
Thanks to you, President, I was able to find her like this.
If it really wasn’t for you, President… I’d still be wondering why Mia suddenly got tired of me.
That’s what I would have been agonizing over.
While Mia was actually dying inside a cold cocoon!” “…Have a beautiful love.
That’s all that matters.” “Yes, yes-!
I absolutely will.
Absolutely.”
Leaving Hunter Yi Kang-ho, who was thanking me over and over, I was on my way out.
When I ran into Lenea, who was standing at the corner of the hallway.
“What is it.” “Where are you going?” “To smoke.”
Lenea, who had been hesitating, nodded.
“I do not smoke.” “I didn’t ask you to follow.”
Nevertheless, Lenea trotted after me.
As I arrived at the smoking area and put a cigarette to my lips, Lenea immediately asked.
“Those two will be alright, won’t they?” “You’re not still looking for an opening, are you?
There’s no room to butt in anymore.” “I have no preference for ruining a beautiful relationship either.”
Could she even ruin it?
“…It was beautiful.”
A complicated voice mixed in with the cigarette smoke.
“It was beautiful.
A relationship like that.
Have you ever had one?” “Who knows.
Maybe?”
As I mumbled evasively, Lenea gave a small laugh.
“Forget it, I won’t pry.
Since I haven’t had one either.” “…” “Even though I’ve lived for a whole 1,900 years.
I’ve never had one, not even once.”
A clenching fist.
A short sigh, as if making a resolution.
“That’s why I want one even more.” “…” “It’s funny, isn’t it?
A 1,900-year-old elf-.” “No.”
Fsssh!
I put out the cigarette.
“I’m the president of a matchmaking agency.
You think I’d laugh?
On the contrary, I welcome it.”
Lenea looked at me.
The emotion on her face was asking for an answer.
“There’s no reason to give up on love just because you’re old.
Even more so if it was to fulfill your own duty.”
The life of a queen.
I don’t really know, but wasn’t it probably a time where she couldn’t even think of things like love?
For me, who finds it burdensome just to be responsible for one matchmaking agency, it was hard to even dare to imagine what her life, responsible for an entire race, must have been like.
“…Yes.”
A small smile formed on her face.
This time, it wasn’t a fake smile, but a real one.
“Thank you.”