Fired Characters from an Idle Game

55. Must Be Nice Having Two Mothers – (1)

It took a great deal of effort to resolve Celine’s misunderstanding.

“Celine, there’s a reason for all this! Please, just listen to me!”

No matter how much I protested, she showed no sign of listening. The Emberbolt Sword burned with a flame more dazzling than I had ever seen, and I realized an uncomfortable truth: Celine had never exerted her full power before.

In response, Karune unfurled her black wings without hesitation and drew the five-star weapon I had gifted her in the game.

Kugugu!

The Emberbolt Sword clashed with the scythe. Immediately, a rapid and fierce battle unfolded, too fast for a mere human eye to follow.

Unable to stand by and watch, I summoned the four-star Calamity, Rock Crusher, to stop their fight, but within a minute, I was forced to watch our golem become a one-armed wreck.

“Mirien, can’t you try to stop them?”

“Huh? Why should I?”

Ironically, Mirien, the Great Disaster, North Sea Storm, the only one capable of mediating this fight, was surprisingly munching on popcorn.

Indeed, she was watching their fight with enjoyment, as if she were enjoying the show.

“Wouldn’t it be great if they just fought each other to mutual destruction? Then Actor could be with me, and I’d be happy, right?”

“… .”

Indeed, no camaraderie existed between them. How on earth was I supposed to resolve this total mess? I sighed, a low groan escaping my lips.

In the end, without my intervention, the fight only ceased when both sides were incapacitated. Selene’s shoulder seemed dislocated, her arms dangling uselessly around her waist. Carne, on the other hand, had a sizable chunk, almost a handspan, sheared off his left wing.

Well, if we shoved them back into the stronghold, they’d revert to their initial state after a time, so it wasn’t exactly a critical injury. But the result of two Great Calamities fighting with all their might was nothing short of disastrous.

The nearby mountain was now barren, the stream that flowed there had evaporated, and even the area surrounding the cavern had been utterly destroyed.

“…How am I supposed to clean this up…”

This much damage occurred just from the aftermath; I hadn’t even fought Carne, who harbored such animosity towards me.

What excuse was I supposed to give to the soon-to-arrive Chinese Awakened Alliance?

As I pondered, my eyes landed on the Stone Crusher, missing an arm, and a brilliant plan formed.

First, I rolled around in the blood-soaked earth surrounding the cavern, then thoroughly disheveled my hair until it hung in tangles. I ripped a few buttons off my cheap shirt and shredded the cuffs on a sharp rock.

“What are you doing? Stop it. Actor, self-harm is bad.”

“Not self-harm, a disguise. Making an excuse.”

“An excuse?”

Mirien didn’t understand, but I paid her no mind, transforming myself into a battered wreck. Finally, after a few sets of burpees, I was completely exhausted.

Rayhoo and Yoo Joon-seo arrived just a few minutes later.

“Mr. Nam Joo-yeon!”

Yoo Joon-seo, exiting the car, rushed towards me. His running posture was awkward, and it seemed he’d slightly soiled himself during the fight.

“What happened! What a state! Are you alright?”

Yoo Joon-seo asked the obvious question, and I, catching my breath, lied calmly.

“Yes, well, I’ve roughly settled the situation.”

“Settled… you don’t mean you cleared the dungeon…”

“Cleared… not exactly. Just drove out the dungeon’s master.”

Yoo Joon-seo, a flicker of doubt in his eyes, questioned me.

“Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, are you saying all this destruction… is from your fight?”

“More or less.”

I gave a wry smile as I looked at the Stone Crusher, still kept in summon.

Our poor Stone Crusher, who had lost an arm after being caught in the crossfire of Selene and Carne’s battle, must have looked to the Chinese Awakeners like a revolutionary, a national hero, fresh from the war with the Kuomintang. Though, of course, the Stone Crusher’s hand was gone, unable to point out which bird was harmful.

“So… Mr. Nam Joo-yeon… killed all these calamities and drove out the master…”

Yoo Joon-seo, finally grasping the situation, gave a hollow laugh.

“…Seriously, Joo-yeon, won’t you consider becoming the Awakened Association Chairman?”

“I will not.”

The refusal came, sharp as a blade.

Regardless, from that point onward, things proceeded with remarkable ease. With such blatant evidence of a battle having taken place, the Awakened Alliance, including Lei Hu, held no suspicion towards me. Quite the opposite, in fact. They hailed me as a savior, the one who rescued China from its crisis, showering me with every conceivable honorific.

According to Lao Ying’s interpretation, they even invoked some term like “Martial Arts Alliance Leader,” giving a clear indication of just how immense the gratitude of this Chinese man, obsessed with wuxia, was towards me.

“So, the Alliance is planning a celebration to commemorate this victory. They are wondering if Mr. Nam Juyeon, who is as good as the main player in this victory, would like to attend…”

“I decline.”

I shook my head, offering an awkward smile.

“I am rather fatigued; I think I will rest today.”

“…Ah.”

My disguise was perfect.

An utterly exhausted countenance.

“Then the Alliance would like to assign a physician to you.”

“No. That will not be necessary either.”

As a matter of fact, I was not wounded in the slightest.

However, Yoo Junseo interpreted my refusal differently.

“Yeah, can’t trust those Chink doctors.”

As always, he had to add his two cents.

*

The Chinese Awakened Alliance may be in a celebratory mood, with all their problems resolved, but for me, the work had just begun.

Indeed, one might say that this was only the beginning.

“That harlot dared to lay hands on our liege! She must have used mind control magic!”

“Oh, Selene. That’s a bit harsh. What could be wrong with a child caring for their mother, and a mother embracing their child?”

“It’s that *way* of speaking that’s the problem!”

Unsurprisingly, Selene and Karne, newly summoned back to the lodging, were already at each other’s throats once again. Thankfully, both seemed to possess some sense of restraint, so a direct sword fight did not erupt within the embassy.

Selene pointed a finger at Karne, her face twisted with intense displeasure. Karne, in contrast, maintained a faint smile.

“From the start, you touched our liege with impure intentions. That alone is blasphemy.”

“There were no injuries, dear. And I have already apologized to Actor. Haven’t I?”

Karne cast a glance my way, as if seeking confirmation. I offered an embarrassed expression and nodded, prompting an even more vehement reaction from Selene.

“Liege, that woman is falsely claiming to be your mother!”

“It was that child herself who requested it of me. How could I refuse such a darling, begging me to be her mother? Above all, I believe it is not the posture of a good vassal to argue with the decision of a child to accept me.”

“My Lord, do you truly intend to bring such a black-haired beast into this sacred territory? That harlot was, but half a day ago, turning her back on you, determined to destroy the world!”

This should have been a conversation between the two of them, but Selene was relating it to me as if in complaint.

I equivocated.

“…That… is true… but not anymore….”

I could understand Selene’s outrage.

Even *I* couldn’t have imagined that Karne would smile at me over such a simple game of mother and child.

Good if good, bad if bad. While the external matter being resolved smoothly was a welcome fact, managing this internal discord was not so easy. Moreover, Karne was amiable towards me, but not towards Selene.

“…But Selene, as this rather wretched mother, I do have some misgivings.”

“About what, my Lord?”

“You failed to protect Actor, did you not?”

“Wh-What are you saying….”

“Am I wrong? Only a few hours ago, Selene, you were defeated by me. I, this mother, am not sure I can entrust the protection of my precious child to such a weakling.”

“….”

*Crack.*

A sound that could not possibly have originated from a human being emanated from Selene.

The sound of her losing the thread of reason.

My heart plummeted, fearing Selene might draw her sword, but thankfully, instead of drawing a weapon, she sought out her saving grace, Mirien, her eyelids fluttering.

“Spell-slinger! Say something, you!”

“Huh? Ummm…. Well… wouldn’t you say they both have a point? Or maybe not.”

Mirien answered with a simpering face, and Selene’s eyes narrowed.

“…Spell-slinger.”

“What?”

“Why are you sitting on our Lord’s lap?”

“…Because it’s comfortable? Mind your own business and finish your fight.”

“….”

Mirien was already nestled in my arms.

A shrewd opportunist, a trader of intermediaries, so to speak.

Of course, as the one stuck in the middle, I was tasting death.

“…C-Can’t we all just… get along?”

Eventually, I had no choice but to utter the words I’d repeated countless times.