Chapter 66
Chapter 66
‘…There were other seats open, but of course it had to be the thirteenth.’
Kang Ihyun wanted to frown as much as he pleased, but because his grandfather was there, he only smiled brightly and sat in the thirteenth seat.
The maids naturally served salad and appetizers. Kang Ihyun placed his napkin on his lap and began to eat.
“Ihyun, are you feeling alright? I heard you got hurt.”
No sooner had he started his meal than his youngest uncle leaned in with a grin and asked. That man always threw the first jab at his weaknesses.
“We heard you were hospitalized for a few days. We worried about you every day. What happened?”
His aunt, seated next to his uncle, dabbed her lips with a handkerchief as she spoke. Worry, as if. She was probably delighted to have found a flaw in her nephew.
“What do you mean what happened? He probably got into trouble again. Or perhaps it was because he was born a bad kid in the first place?”
“Your cousin is such a remarkable Hunter, you shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Remarkable~ sure. His life took off because he got lucky enough to meet a Constellation. Honestly, that Archangel must have peculiar tastes. Or maybe he came to fix our cousin’s wicked thoughts every time he tries something bad?”
A cousin chuckled. An uncle tried to hush him, telling him not to be rude, but it wasn’t because he really disliked what he was doing. The Archangel raged through indirect messages.
[The Constellation, Staff of Purification, rolls up his sleeves and swears that the scoundrel is definitely going to hell!]
[The Constellation, Staff of Purification, tells you not to mind too much, and strokes your head, saying they always love you.]
‘I know. Don’t worry, I don’t even get angry anymore.’
“Now that I think of it, Ihyun really stands out among us. I guess it’s because you’re the only blonde one. You’re also tall and handsome, so always take care of your looks. Then when you marry a fine young lady from a good family, it’ll be a great joy for our house.”
“Right. Don’t you think it’s about time to quit being a Hunter? No matter how much money you earn or how good-looking you are, plenty of families don’t want a son-in-law who works with his body. A man should work in cool places when it’s hot, and warm places when it’s cold. You could still go to university. You’re not too old to take the entrance exam.”
“Yes, thank you for the advice. I’ll think about it.”
Even at the words of his grandaunt and granduncle, who pretended to worry about him while drawing a firm line of separation, Kang Ihyun only smiled.
He had to let it pass. He knew from long experience that if he argued here, he would only get cursed.
Even though his sacred power had returned, Kang Ihyun felt his stomach twist again. It must have been stress.
After the appetizers, Hamburg steak was served. When Kang Ihyun gave it a slightly puzzled look, his third uncle explained.
“Ah, my child had dental treatment a few days ago and can’t eat regular steak, you understand, right?”
“Of course. Has his tooth gotten better?”
Kang Ihyun deftly picked up the second set of knife and fork. Just as the relatives’ chatter died down, his grandfather spoke.
“So, I hear you went to the Wargod this time.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“How was it? I heard you made quite a contribution.”
So he had heard that much. Kang Ihyun put a small piece of Hamburg steak in his mouth. The uncle and aunt who ran the electronics subsidiary were smiling at him. It was about time to move on to the real matter, whether there was any way to break into the Wargod’s domain.
‘Contribution? I almost died there.’
He dabbed at his lips with his napkin and smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Well, it was just so-so. Their system was excellent, though.”
‘Not that it really was.’
“Is that so? I heard the God of Battle was unwell, but it seems he’s healthy after all.”
“Yes, very healthy. So don’t worry.”
He said it flatly, as if leaving no room for further probing, and smiled. Everyone in this family always wanted too much. They couldn’t be satisfied with what they had, they were always greedier.
Kang Ihyun looked at the cross hanging on the wall behind his grandfather. It was said it was harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Then his whole family probably had no chance of heaven.
His stomach twisted more, but he kept smiling as if nothing was wrong. Seeing his smile, his grandfather suddenly laughed loudly.
“Is that so? I’m glad you’re healthy again, Ihyun.”
‘…What? What’s with him all of a sudden?’
Feeling his stomach twist harder, Kang Ihyun glanced at his grandfather, who was watching him with genuine joy.
“No, it’s just that your cousin said he couldn’t chew tough meat, so I asked the chef to add plenty of milk to the dish.”
‘Ah.’
Kang Ihyun gripped the knife and fork tightly. His third uncle was smiling. The dental treatment had been an excuse.
Come to think of it, his stomach had hurt ever since the appetizer. The sauce on the salad must have been milk-based too.
‘…Damn it.’
Kang Ihyun was severely allergic to milk. It hadn’t always been this bad, but because his grandfather forced him to keep eating dairy as a child under the belief “you’ll get better if you eat it,” it had grown so bad that now even the smallest amount caused immediate reactions.
Even Raphael, Archangel of Healing, couldn’t cure everything. Allergies, for example, couldn’t be healed completely. All he could do was lessen the symptoms.
“Allergies always get better if you eat through them. Seems you’re all better now?”
He was already on the verge of vomiting. But he had to finish eating. Otherwise, he didn’t know what would be said. So Kang Ihyun smiled.
“Yes, thanks to you, Grandfather, I seem much better.”
He had to endure. Nari endured too. So he had to endure. He gripped the knife tighter, his fingertips turning white.
His grandfather, seeing this, smiled in satisfaction. After he forced down even the dessert that made him nauseous, when the family began rising from their seats one by one, his grandfather spoke.
“Ihyun. Until your father’s state funeral this year, you’ll stay here. I’d like to talk privately with my eldest grandson. I’ve invited many stylists too.”
“…Yes, Grandfather. Then may I go to my room now? I’d like to see the one I used to use.”
“Yes. You’ve done well. Go and rest.”
Damn it, damn it, damn it. Swallowing those words, Kang Ihyun smiled.
He climbed to the second floor of the penthouse and went straight to his old room. As soon as the door shut, he rushed into the bathroom.
* * *
“Ugh… ugh…”
After vomiting everything, Kang Ihyun lay pale-faced on the bed.
[The Constellation, Staff of Purification, strokes your head and tells you you did well.]
“Yeah…”
At some point, whenever his grandfather fed him dairy, he had developed the habit of vomiting it out immediately.
At least his sacred flame circled his body in time to keep his throat from swelling shut. The stomach cramps slowly subsided.
“Grandfather… trying to kill his only grandson now.”
If his sacred power hadn’t returned, he really might have died. Before contracting with Raphael, he had even been taken to the ER once.
Half-joking, he wiggled out of his suit jacket and looked up at the ceiling. He sighed, wondering how long he had to keep living like this.
[The Constellation, Staff of Purification, looks at you worriedly and asks if you can’t just ignore your grandfather.]
“Probably not.”
He couldn’t. If Kang Ihyun stopped obeying, his grandfather would torment the people around him, like Kang Sujin, Min Jaewon, or Min Jaeyoon. And now even Lude.
“So I have to endure…”
He brushed off his Constellation’s concern with a laugh. Just then, his phone chimed. When he checked it, his eyes widened.
“…It’s Nari.”
A message was waiting. It was the first time she had ever texted just to ask how he was doing. Kang Ihyun couldn’t help but grin as he typed back a quick reply.
[The Constellation, Staff of Purification, looks at you as if to ask what you’ll do if your grandfather gets hold of this data.]
“It’s fine. The data gets wiped on a schedule. He won’t know it’s Mr. Lude.”
Ignoring the Constellation’s worry, he kept messaging until he stopped short at Nari’s last text.
[If you’re up for it, wanna hang out?]
“…”
Kang Ihyun couldn’t answer. Even when the Constellation sent another message asking why, he stayed silent, his eyes half closing.
“…I want to. But…”
Grandfather probably wouldn’t like it. Swallowing that thought, he closed his eyes and hesitated.
He wanted to spend time with Nari. As the Archangel said, he wanted to forget this family and just enjoy himself. But was that possible? He had to endure.
Only if he endured all the insults here could his aunt, Jaewon, Jaeyoon, and Nari stay safe. Otherwise, who knew where his grandfather’s wrath would fall.
Biting his lips hard, he started to type a refusal. Just then, his phone buzzed. A call.
“Huh?”
Maybe she was worried because he hadn’t replied quickly. After a moment’s hesitation, he answered.
His aunt had told Nari about the wiretaps, so Nari must have called instead, keeping that in mind.
“…Hello? Nari?”
[What’s with you, why didn’t you reply?]
“Ahh, I’m at my grandfather’s house. He called me over.”
“Oh,” she said over the line, sounding like she understood. Thanks to his aunt, Nari must have realized his grandfather wasn’t a good person. Shame flushed through him, and he clutched at his clothes.
[So I guess you can’t come right now, huh?]
“Yeah… I’m sorry. I made you worry for nothing. I honestly thought about it, but since I’m at Grandfather’s…”
[It’s fine. I’m alright. But why does your voice sound like that?]
“What?”
He touched his throat without thinking. The allergic reaction was easing, but his neck was still swollen.
[It sounds really swollen.]
“Ah… this is, well…”
There was silence on the other end. Nari was quick to catch on in times like this.
Hadn’t she, after only a few days of working with him, switched all his lattes to soy or oat milk because she had seen his allergic reaction to dairy?
[Did you… drink milk?]
“…Yeah.”
Kang Ihyun knew he couldn’t deceive her. Nari’s voice turned confused.
[Why? Everyone around you knows you’re severely allergic. You’re always so careful. There’s no way your grandfather doesn’t know…]
She fell silent again after that. Kang Ihyun held back the urge to cry. Nari’s urgent voice came next.
[Where’s your grandfather’s house?]
“Nari, I’m fine. Really.”
[Say it now. Before I get angry.]