Chapter 362: Three Part Vacation (8)

Vega, who had been lying on the bed made from the remnants of the Black Heaven, slowly opened her eyes.

“

Hmmm

.” She carefully groped the spot next to her, but found nothing there and sat up with a disappointed look. “My child?”

She could see Kwon Oh-Jin sitting with his head in his hands and deeply sighing not too far away.

“M-My child!”

Could something have happened to him? With a look of shock, Vega shot up and instantly flew over to him.

“A-Are you hurt?”

“

Huh?

” Kwon Oh-Jin shook his head. “I’m not hurt.”

“Then why were you tearing at your hair like that just now?”

“

Uh

, t-that’s...”

“Why can’t you answer?!”

“It’s just that...”

Even for someone as thick-skinned as Kwon Oh-Jin, he couldn’t tell her that he had reached ten stars because of their passionate star’s union.

His lips parted, but no words came out.

“Answer me right now!”

Please wait a second, Miss Goddess. This isn’t something I can just spit out.

“A-Are you planning to hide the truth from me again?!”

“That’s not it.”

“Why... why can’t you just trust me?”

“It’s not like that.”

“If you’re in pain, say you’re in pain. If you’re suffering, say you’re suffering! Is it so hard to speak the truth?!”

“Calm down and listen to me.”

“Does it look like I can calm down?!” Vega’s eyes welled with tears as she pulled Kwon Oh-Jin’s head into her chest.

The sight of him clutching his head in agony... Surely this was some side effect of the Black Heaven she didn’t know about. As always, he had been swallowing the pain alone, not telling anyone, so no one would see him suffer.

“Please... I don’t want to see you keeping your pain all to yourself anymore,” Vega said with a hint of sadness.

Buried between her soft cleavage, Kwon Oh-Jin said, “

Mmff

... pffcame a ten stur.”

“

Hmm?

What was that?”

“

Pwah!

”

Finally pulling free from her embrace, Kwon Oh-Jin could still feel the lingering softness against his cheek as he cleared his throat.

“I reached ten stars.”

Vega’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit. “W-What?”

How had he suddenly reached ten stars?

“Was it because of the energy in the Grave of Stars?”

Kwon Oh-Jin remained silent.

It made sense for her to assume that since he suddenly reached it out of nowhere.

“

Haaa

...” With a short sigh, he looked at Vega.

Before, he would’ve just brushed it off and lied.

I decided that I’m not going to live like that anymore.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

“W-Why are you sighing all of a sudden? You are hurt, after all—”

“It’s not because of the Grave of Stars. Lately, my Stigma of Lyra has been growing stronger too.”

“By ‘lately,’ you mean...”

“After you and I became lovers.”

Vega flinched at the still unfamiliar word. “W-Wait. Then, could it be...”

It seemed she had concluded the same thing as Kwon Oh-Jin about how he had suddenly reached ten stars. The goddess’s cheeks flushed bright red like they had been seared by a hot iron.

“B-B-Because of the star’s union, you reached ten stars?”

Kwon Oh-Jin shook his head slowly as if he couldn’t believe it either. “Probably...”

He didn’t know the exact reasoning behind it, but making love with Vega had undoubtedly strengthened his Stigma of Lyra.

“I-If that’s the case, then if we,

umm...

c-continue to do the union—”

“My Stigma will probably grow that much stronger.”

Vega’s eyes widened, and she stomped in excitement. Then, she clenched her fists and shouted joyfully, “Nice!”

“

Huh?

”

“

A-Ah,

n-no! I mean, not nice!”

Which is it? And what do you mean, not nice?

“

A-Ahem!

That means there’s now a reason for us to continue our union regularly!”

“Well, I just reached ten stars, so I should be fine for now—”

“What are you saying!” Vega firmly placed her hands on her hips and scolded him like a mother disciplining a picky child at the dinner table. “Do you not have an important mission to change the fate of the world?!”

“Y-Yes, but still—”

“Well then!” Vega shook her head firmly. “This is not just for the two of us, but for those two as well!”

“That’s...”

Well, if the Stigma of Lyra grew stronger, he could certainly protect Song Ha-Eun and Isabella better. Vega wasn’t exactly wrong.

“

Ahem

, there’s no helping it.” Vega awkwardly cleared her throat and turned her head slightly. “I-It’s not my own wish, but... For the fate of the world and those two children, I shall sacrifice my body!”

For someone delivering such a dramatic line, the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably upward, trembling as if she couldn’t stop smiling.

Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled and shook his head. “You don’t need to force an excuse like that.”

“I-It’s not an excuse!”

“Even if the Stigma of Lyra doesn’t grow stronger, we can always be together anytime.” He placed his hand lightly on her waist and kissed her.

Sparks crackled on top of her head.

“L-Let’s go back now.” Flustered, Vega quickly turned and walked toward the exit of the Grave of Stars.

Kwon Oh-Jin followed her with a faint smile.

“Y-You can come a little closer.” Perhaps because they had reaffirmed their love for one another, Vega looked far more relaxed than at the start of their date.

She tugged at his hand.

“

Hmm

. What is it?” he asked.

Staring at their intertwined hands and lost in thought, Vega hesitantly pulled him into her embrace. She pressed herself closer to him, and a soft warmth spread along his arm.

She turned her head slightly, and as if making an excuse, hastily said, “Ha-Eun and Isabella always do this with you, don’t they?”

Both of them did prefer holding onto his arm and pressing close rather than just holding hands.

“You don’t have to copy them.”

Vega possessed her own charms, after all. She didn’t need to imitate Isabella or Song Ha-Eun.

“I-I wasn’t copying them.”

“But just now—”

“B-Be quiet!”

Kwon Oh-Jin laughed as she pinched his side and turned her head sharply away.

It seemed like she was copying Bella and Ha-Eun, but...

Perhaps she just wanted a decent excuse to cling to his arm.

Realizing there was no point in worrying earlier, Kwon Oh-Jin turned with a shrug. “Let’s go.”

On their way to the Grave of Stars, they had ridden on a sphere of lightning like a cloud. On the way back, they walked slowly and savored the lingering sweetness in the air.

“I truly had a great time today,” Vega said.

“Me too.”

“

Hehe

. Things will get busier from now on, but I hope we can have another day like this someday.”

“We can whenever we want to.”

While she leaned on his arm and enjoyed the warm afterglow, the goddess of Virgo with pink hair came running toward them at full speed.

“Unnieee!”

Startled, Vega quickly released Kwon Oh-Jin’s arm and turned to look at Spica in surprise. “W-What are you doing here?”

“I was curious, so I waited for you to come out!” Spica’s eyes sparkled like stars as she looked between Vega and Kwon Oh-Jin.

For someone who loved anything related to romance, how could she not be curious about Vega and Kwon Oh-Jin’s secret graveyard date?

“How was the Grave of Stars? It’s kind of creepy, but it’s also really pretty, isn’t it? Bouncing toward them, Spica was practically brimming with excitement.

Vega narrowed her eyes slightly and extended a hand toward Spica. Blue lightning danced at her fingertips.

Crackle!

“

Kyaaaaa!

”

After roasting Spica with lightning again, Vega snorted and sharply turned away.

“Excessive curiosity will only bring you trouble.” Vega clearly looked annoyed that her intimate time with Kwon Oh-Jin had been interrupted.

“

Ugh

, sorry, unnie... but I just couldn’t hold back. I’m too curious.” Spica knew full well she had interrupted their date, but the curiosity had been unbearable.

The Weaver is going on a date with some human!

Among the hundreds of Celestials, the North Star held the highest rank. The cold and aloof Vega, once considered even more fitting as the Celestial of Cygnus than Deneb himself, was now dating someone? How could Spica possibly sit still after hearing that?

Not being curious is practically grounds for losing my position as the Celestial of Virgo!

Snorting excitedly, Spica stepped right up to Vega. “Five minutes! Just give me five minutes of the story, and I won’t bother you again. Promise!”

“How can a Celestial behave so improperly before my child?” Vega prepared to scold her sternly.

“

Huh?

” Spica cocked her head.

Like a hunting dog, she leaned in close to Vega and began sniffing.

Vega’s expression turned dark. “What do you think you’re—”

“Unnie, don’t tell me... You did it in the grave?”

Vega’s jaw dropped. Her face froze in shock, and she took a step back. “H-How could you know...?”

“Did you forget which constellation I am?”

Spica was the Celestial of Virgo, the goddess of purity and love. For her, noticing Vega’s change was child’s play.

“Not only do you have a human lover, but outdoor play too...?” Spica stared at her with trembling eyes in disbelief.

“I-It’s not like that!” Vega was about to lose her composure from the shame.

Kwon Oh-Jin stepped in between them. “I suggested it.”

He figured that Vega would lock herself in the temple again if this kept going, so he decided to take the blame.

Spica narrowed her eyes at him. “You...?”

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded and calmly explained, “You’re aware of the legend tied to the Grave of Stars, Lady Spica?”

Spica acted like a teenage girl obsessed with romance, so she definitely knew about the superstition that lovers who came together in the grave would be together for life.

That’s right. She definitely knows.

“

Huh?

What are you talking about?” Spica asked.

“W-Wait! Wait a moment, my child!”

Still trembling with embarrassment, Vega lunged forward and clapped her hand over Kwon Oh-Jin’s mouth.

Spica cocked her head, utterly confused. “What legend about the Grave of Stars?”

“

Ah

...” Kwon Oh-Jin quietly exclaimed.

Shit.