Chapter 273 – Kathy and Diary
"Why have you been smiling since earlier, Diary?" Katherine asked, raising an eyebrow, looking at her coworker over her glasses, "Have you finally met your 18-year-old husband?"
Diary’s lips twitched instantly at those words. She turned toward Katherine, who was busy tallying yesterday’s earnings for LeBon.
"When will you drop this? I regret ever telling you about my situation."
"Just asking." Katherine shrugged, "It’s not like I’m wrong, am I? Isn’t he 18? The same age as your daughter?"
"I’ll do you one better, they’re in the same class."
"And you’re still willing to be with him?" Katherine finally tore her eyes fully off the runic screen, fixing them on Diary, "Are you serious?"
"Kathy, please, not today." Diary sighed, waving a hand lazily, "You don’t know my situation at all. You can’t understand it. The only reason my daughter is here, and I got this job at the Academy, is thanks to that same young man."
She shot her a glare, "I’m not like you, with your high connections in the Kingdom."
Katherine said nothing, just watched her new friend.
Recruited on the same day, close in age, the two of them had grown close almost instantly, finding fort in each other in this unfamiliar environment.
Both had been vulnerable at the time. And vulnerable women, especially old women like them, tended to open up more easily.
That was how Katherine knew about Diary’s situation. Or at least, the part Diary was willing to share.
And no matter how hard she tried to find the reasonable angle in it, none of it quite made sense to her.
Still...
"If that’s what you want." Katherine nodded, unwilling to overstep and jeopardize their still-fragile friendship, "I hope you get what you’re hoping for with the young man. But you still haven’t told me, what will you do about your current husband?"
"I filed for divorce. He cheated on me more times than I can count, and never tended to my needs." Diary’s lips twisted, "I’m a woman, at the end of the day. Not some Vorn-cursed golem without desire."
"Did he agree to the divorce, though?"
"...no." Diary replied after a long pause, swallowing a heavy sigh, "and he’s threatening me with...well...I can’t tell you that part."
"You’ve told me enough already."
"What about you?" Diary asked, leaning back in her chair, "Even though we’re old, and our breasts have sagged, we can still hope for a bit of love, can’t we?"
"I’m not interested in that kind of love." Katherine shook her head before her expression broke into a smile, "I already have my son. He has all the love I have to give any living being. I don’t need anyone else."
"Are you sure?" Diary frowned, "Don’t you have desires?"
"We all do."
"Then?"
"I find contentment in being a mother. That contentment keeps my desires in check."
"I wish I were you." Diary whispered, not remotely sincere.
One of her greatest joys was being held by a man. Not just any man, for Diary respected herself too much for that, and had only ever allowed her husband.
That was why she’d never once cheated, despite being left starved for attention for years.
It was also why she still hesitated to see Jurkil Julaibib, despite wanting to meet the young man who loved her.
’Did he really love me? Or does he just love that I’m a mother?’
It was a strange question. But a fair one. And Diary already knew the answer.
That was the second reason for her hesitation.
She sighed again, slowly lifting her right hand and watching her skin slowly wrinkling with age.
She was getting old. And she wasn’t talented enough to advance past the Third Rank.
At this rate, she would simply die of old age, once her lifespan ran its course.
’...I was young and beautiful once.’ Her lips twisted, and she closed her eyes against the quiet ache, ’Young and beautiful.’
Katherine spared her coworker a glance, noticing the shift in mood. She didn’t care much either way, and chose to ignore it.
But every time she caught herself thinking that way, her son Cassius’s face came to mind.
Would he have left Diary to sit in her sadness? Definitely not.
So, trying to be a good mother for him, Katherine forced herself to feel some passion for Diary.
"You have every right to be happy." She said, offering a practiced smile, "and if sleeping with an 18-year-old makes you happy...why not?"
"Argh. I don’t like the way you phrased that, Kathy."
"I was trying to be understanding."
"I felt that. And thank you. I admire you, honestly. You must love your son deeply to be satisfied by that love alone. I’m not satisfied. I always want more."
"You just described humanity in all its glory." Katherine gave a thin smile, "Always wanting more. A gift and a curse."
"My case?"
"Needs more time to know." She said, then steered the conversation back, "You still haven’t told me why you were so happy earlier."
"Oh, I just met a beautiful young man today who called me ’Miss.’" Diary giggled like a young maiden, "I felt...seen."
"You’re so easy to please." Kathy shook her head, returning to her work.
Diary’s lips twitched, "Because he was young! And beautiful! And polite!" She said firmly, glancing at the time and realizing it was time to tell those twins to clear the room.
She sighed and stood up, stretching until her body cracked audibly across the office.
A contented sigh escaped her as she walked toward the door, "I especially liked his flaming crimson eyes." Diary muttered under her breath, just as she stepped out of the office.
Katherine froze instantly at those words, her head snapping up.
"Crimson eyes?"
Her eyes slowly widened.
"Don’t tell me?!"
She shot to her feet and ran out the door after Diary, hurrying to check the room.
...
Cassius hadn’t gone far after his meeting with the twins. He found a deserted alley and took shelter from the sun, settling into the fort of the lingering shadows.
His flaming crimson eyes stayed fixed ahead of him, his lips curling into a smile.
DING!
’This is what makes it worth it.’
[You have pleted your Fated Quest.]
[You are not an Angel, Last Born. Anyone calling you such a name risks the wrath of true Angels. You’re not even a Devil either, the Desdemona are worse than that.
So what are you, then? We know. But why would we tell you? Keep guessing.
Congratulations on manipulating two innocent women, both chosen by the same god, into joining your Goddess’s Church.
You have mitted one of the most frowned-upon acts: stealing believers from another god. Not just any believers, we stress.
Good luck surviving what es next.
But...
Shall we help you, Last Born?]
[Rewards: 1,000,000 VP, 80% Discount Ticket, Mind Protection Ticket (God-Tier, Duration: 1 minute)]
Cassius didn’t get the chance to dismiss the system’s words and appreciate his rewards before another panel flashed before him, so bright he had to squint.
DING!
[The Church of The Reader has, for the first time, been declared aloud by the Blessed himself. The name has been registered.]
[The Church of The Reader is beginning to take shape.]
[The Epithet "Reader" of Lady Ananke is growing more prominent in the Eye of the Divine.]
[Due to the increased authority of the Epithet "Reader," Lady Ananke has gained the Book of Faith.]
[Lady Ananke’s amount of GeumGeum has increased.]
[Lady Ananke’s position on the Ladder is slowly, but steadily, rising.]
[Due to Cassius Desdemona’s remarkable actions in building his goddess’s Faith, a reward has been specially granted by the Eye of the Divine.]
Cassius’s crimson eyes widened, and he felt something cold seize his entire being.
He gasped, breath fogging out in front of him, his back slumping, knees slamming to the ground before he even registered it happening.
Crimson veins, bulging and twisting, spread across his skin like raindrops sliding down tree bark.
’Queen’s skirt...!!!’
[Congratulations, Cassius Desdemona. Your Villain Status has advanced to the next level.]
[In the eyes of the World, you are now a Cursed Villain.]
[The gods of the Villain’s Path are stirring.]
[They are whispering...]
The world held its breath.
[...another Desdemona is ing.]
—End of Chapter 273—
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