Chapter 87: Seo Yoona
Without requiring any explanation, the guardians escorted me down to the grand dome chamber. Three knights stepped up to the outer nodes of the array, unsheathing their massive longswords and plunging them directly into the runic grooves.
HUMMMMMM!
The circle ignited with an intense mix of crimson and obsidian light.
Stepping into the center of the array, I whispered mentally to Paige, ’Hey, just in case something glitches, override and force the activation, alright?"
[Relax, Host! Your system’s got your back!] Paige giggled.
The ancient runes spun, and a wave of pitch-black darkness engulfed my vision. A second later, the weightlessness vanished, and the dark spatial void gave way to the quiet, crystal-lit interior of the hidden mountain cave back on Earth.
The three black-armored knights guarding the Earth-side node bowed deeply as I stepped off the platform. I gave them a polite nod of thanks, walked past the heavy metal gates, and stepped out onto the frozen mountain slope.
The moment I stepped into the open air, a howling arctic blizzard slammed into my body. I immediately activated my reality manipulation, constructing the same ten-centimeter thermal boundary around my skin and turning the freezing gale into a comfortable, warm breeze.
Standing alone amidst the towering, snow-capped peaks of the Eston range, I waited.
Ten minutes later, a heavy, rhythmic thrumming sound echoed through the clouds. A sleek, dark military helicopter descended smoothly through the snow, hovering a few feet above the ridge. The side cabin door slid open, and a rope ladder dropped down toward the snow.
Grabbing the rungs, I pulled myself up effortlessly, climbing into the warm, pressurized cabin.
The moment I stepped inside and the cabin door sealed behind me, my eyes fell on the passenger sitting in the plush leather seats.
I froze mid-step, blinking in confusion
At first glance, I thought it was Yerin sitting there. The woman possessed the exact same heart-shaped Korean face, fair skin, and sharp, expressive dark eyes as my girlfriend. But looking closer, the differences were stark and undeniable.
Instead of Yerin’s long, dark hair with blue highlights, this woman possessed a striking, cascading mane of deep red hair. Her aura was noticeably different too, she exuded mature, sophisticated composure while carrying an underlying youthful energy that felt strikingly familiar.
The red-haired woman offered me a smooth, captivating smile before tapping her headset. "We have the Young Master. Take us straight back to the Capital estate."
I sat down comfortably in the leather armchair across from her, resting my hands in my pockets as I studied her face for a moment.
"You aren’t Yerin," I said calmly.
The woman let out a soft, amused chuckle, her dark eyes locking onto mine with a sharp, playfully suspicious glint.
"My, my..." she purred smoothly, leaning back against her leather seat. "You certainly know Yerin well enough to spot the difference so quickly, don’t you?"
She extended a slender, manicured hand toward me, her eyes sparkling with mischievous energy.
"It’s nice to finally meet you, Seth," she said warmly. "I’m Seo Yoona, Yerin’s twin sister."
I sat back in the leather seat of the military transport, staring at the woman sitting across from me.
I knew Yerin had plenty of cousins on the Rothschild side of the family, but she had never once mentioned having a twin sister. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how little I actually knew about the Rothschild family and its inner workings.
Pushing those thoughts aside for the moment, I offered her a polite, warm smile and shook her hand. "It’s nice to meet you, Yoona."
Yoona let out a soft, elegant chuckle, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement. "I had a feeling Yerin wouldn’t bring me up to you."
"Why’s that?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Because I’m her elder sister," Yoona explained smoothly, crossing her legs gracefully. "And Yerin has a bad habit of running away from me whenever she gets the chance."
I couldn’t help a dry chuckle from escaping my lips. "To be fair, Yerin likes running away from pretty much everywhere. It seems to be her specialty."
Yoona offered a subtle, knowing smile, leaning her chin against her hand. "Not from you, though."
A sharp, quiet beat of tension hung in the air. I caught the perceptive glint in her eyes, getting the strong feeling that Yoona already knew, or at least strongly suspected, the true nature of my relationship with Yerin.
Not wanting to dig myself into a hole, I quickly shifted the topic. "So... what brings you all the way out to the Eston?"
"I certainly wasn’t going to miss my younger sister’s final farewell concert," Yoona replied, her tone carrying genuine familial warmth. "It’s a massive milestone for her. But more than that... I wanted to use this chance to personally meet you, our long-lost cousin who finally returned home, carrying a ridiculously overpowered Astral Soul."
I scratched my cheek casually, offering a modest grin. "I’m glad to meet you too, Yoona. But did you really have to fly out here in person just to pick me up?"
"Standard civilian aircraft and ordinary technology don’t function in these high-altitude zones," Yoona explained, gesturing toward the helicopter cabin. "The atmospheric mana currents around the Eston range are volatile. Only specifically enhanced, runic military transports can navigate these skies safely. So, when Aunt Alice mentioned arranging a pick-up for you, I immediately volunteered to take the flight."
"Thanks, Yoona. I really appreciate it," I said sincerely. "I honestly didn’t know how I was going to get back to the Capital in time, and there was no way I was missing Yerin’s concert."
Yoona smiled softly, studying my face. "You two really bonded well in such a short time, didn’t you?"
"Yerin’s a lovely girl," I said with a comfortable smile. "I think anyone would like her."
"My baby girl really is special like that," Yoona agreed fondly. Her expression turned slightly more serious, her tone softening with quiet sincerity. "Though I have to admit... I was quite surprised to hear how much time she’s been spending with you. Yerin usually likes to keep things to herself and maintain a strict distance from people. Her actual friend circle is remarkably small. I’m genuinely happy that you’re there for her, Seth."