15 Marriage by Duel

“……”

A sunset-lit sky.

Kim Yang and I followed Lenea as she walked along in silence.

The meeting with Han Hyojae had failed.

No, calling it a failure would be a little harsh.

We simply weren't meant for each other.

You can't divide encounters between people into successes and failures, after all.

“B-Boss. Say something comforting, at least.”

Kim Yang poked me repeatedly in the side, trying to break the heavy atmosphere.

But would anything I said now really make Lenea feel better?

Sometimes, simply staying quietly by someone's side can be the greatest comfort of all.

I decided to think a little more about Mr. Han Hyojae instead.

Just as Lenea was my customer, Mr. Han Hyojae was also my customer.

He was only a Basic member, the most basic membership plan at 1 million won, but after this meeting, I had a much clearer idea of the kind of person he wanted to meet.

‘Sometimes, seeing someone in person like this isn't so bad.’

There were things I could understand about him only by meeting him directly, things I hadn't known while sitting behind a desk and simply making matches.

It had been a good idea to come out and see things for myself today.

There was no doubt that it had broadened my perspective on my work.

“U-um—.”

When I didn't react, Kim Yang finally stepped in herself. Perhaps wanting to do something for Lenea, she began making various suggestions.

“W-why don't I go buy some cosmetics with you? W-we can make you much prettier.”

“……No.”

It was a firm rejection.

But the emotion in her voice wasn't one of giving up—not resignation or discouragement.

Rather, her golden eyes shone brilliantly in the glow of the sunset. She seemed to see clearly the path she should take.

“How should I put it? I feel like I know how to approach a dream I once thought I could achieve simply by wanting it badly enough.”

“……”

“Yes, I learned a lot. Although we weren't fated to be husband and wife, I certainly seem to have met a good person—.”

Lenea slowly turned around and looked at me with a radiant smile.

“Thank you for giving me this insight through such a new encounter.”

“That's too much. It wasn't intentional, and you paid enough for it.”

“Mm! True, 5 million won isn't exactly pocket change!”

She said it with a shrug, but Lenea was clearly in a much better mood.

“Th-then aren't you going to dress me up?”

“Mm! Isn't this one already beautiful enough? So I think I should focus a little more on something else instead.”

“……”

Why was she saying that while looking at me?

“Answer me.”

“……Well, you do look like you're in your twenties.”

“Heh heh!”

Setting everything else aside, no one would insult an elf for her looks. Not unless they had truly peculiar tastes.

The fact that elves had taken over the giant tree at the amusement park and even slept beneath a park tree, claiming it as their home—

These should have become much bigger social issues by now, but people hushed them up because of the elves' appearance.

Cats make for an easy comparison.

They never listen, and they don't even know how to be grateful.

But just as cats live off cuteness alone, elves are similar. They make a living off their faces.

“First, I want to find a job. I also have the bounty from last time, so I'm thinking of finding a small room.”

“That's a good idea.”

“Th-there's an app for finding rooms. I-I'll install it on your phone.”

She had realized how much she had been chasing ideals alone and was now facing reality.

Some might call it compromise, but I wanted to call it growth.

“Right. If you find a room and a job, you should be able to rise from F-rank to E-rank.”

“Oh! Really?!”

I should make sure she doesn't forget a day like today, so she can feel her own growth.

I felt good for some reason.

Maybe because I'd seen something good.

I felt as if I, too, had taken a step forward as the owner of a matchmaking agency.

“Aw, what the hell—I'm in the mood. Let's go to a sushi buffet today! It's on me!”

When I shouted that with a smile, Kim Yang's eyes immediately began to sparkle.

“S-sushi buffet! B-Boss, I love you! Sushiiii!”

I didn't know whether Yang even liked fish, but I hadn't expected her to be this happy.

“Sushi?”

Lenea, on the other hand, tilted her head as if she had never eaten it before.

“Heh.”

“Hoo.”

Kim Yang and I raised the corners of our mouths at the same time when we saw that.

“Prepare yourself, Elf Queen.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“G-get ready for your dentures to fall out. I-it's so delicious.”

“I don't wear dentures!”

That was how good it was.

* * *

“Yaaawn.”

Early morning.

As usual, I was on my way to work when I realized I'd run out of cigarettes.

I'd forgotten to buy some yesterday.

Still, it was fine.

The first floor of the building right next door was a convenience store, after all.

As I passed by, the proprietress of the gukbap restaurant on the first floor of our building happened to be cleaning outside the door.

“Good morning, young man.”

“Good morning, ma'am.”

“You've been getting lots of customers lately, haven't you? Good for you.”

“Haha, I guess it's because the building has a good location.”

For the record, she was the owner of the building.

“Come by for lunch. I'll load it up with meat.”

“I'll try to persuade Kim Yang. She doesn't like gukbap because she can't handle hot food.”

“The girl with the white hair? Ah, what a shame. My son seems to have taken a liking to her.”

“Really?”

That was interesting information.

“Well, my son is getting to marriageable age, but he's so shy, and he spends all his time working at the restaurant. When would he ever have time to meet anyone?”

“True, your gukbap is so good that you must be busy.”

“My, you really know how to say nice things.”

I told her that if her son joined a matchmaking agency, I'd even give her a referral discount, then headed for the convenience store.

‘Come to think of it, does Kim Yang date?’

As a famous social-media influencer, she was bound to be popular.

She even seemed to get hit on fairly often at the clubs she went to.

Of course, she said she turned them all down by using my name as an excuse and claiming she had a boyfriend.

‘If she could just improve her Third-Floor speech a little, she'd probably get a boyfriend in no time.’

She hardly improved at all.

It seemed like stuttering had become a habit for her.

“Jingle, jingle.”

I stood in front of the convenience-store counter, but there was no employee there. Judging by the sounds coming from the stockroom, someone seemed to be organizing supplies.

I knocked lightly on the counter.

“Excuse me, could you ring me up?”

“J-just wait a moment!”

“……Huh?”

What was this familiar way of speaking?

It wasn't just her manner of speaking that was familiar. The person coming out of the stockroom was Lenea, Meracle's premium customer.

“Oh, Boss! Good timing. Buy me a strawberry milk!”

What was with this shamelessness?

Was this what came with getting old?

“You work part-time here?”

“Mm! I thought I should get some real-world experience! And shouldn't I rise to E-rank?!”

Then, with a sly smile, she let her true thoughts slip out.

“I met a B-rank even while I was F-rank, so once I become E-rank, I can get with an A-rank—!”

It wasn't quite that simple, but whatever. Dreams were free, so I decided to let it go.

“For the record, part-time work is classified as unemployed. Keep that in mind.”

“Huh? Why?! I-I'm making money too!”

“Good grief, who would consider a spouse with a part-time job employed? That doesn't count.”

“……”

Lenea pouted and glared at me. I decided to pretend I didn't see it and just buy my cigarettes.

“One Marlboro, please.”

“Oh? Customer! You have to bring it to the register!”

Lenea looked smug after delivering the line she'd practiced. That would be right for other merchandise, but these were cigarettes at a convenience store.

“Hey, they're cigarettes. You have to get them from behind the counter.”

“Oh, those are cigarettes? Why didn't you say so?”

Well, whatever.

It was obviously her first day on the job.

“Maaaarlbooorrrooo—.”

The way she hummed really did sound like a grandmother.

“It's right there. No, to the left. A little higher. No, lower than that. One slot up. No, I said up—why are you moving to the right—ah, fuck.”

“What?! Did you just say fuck?!”

“Ahem—no, sorry. But this is frustrating. Is it really okay to put a customer through this?”

“You will properly experience how much of a nuisance I can be at Meracle after work.”

Ah, fuck.

Should I lock the office door?

“You will see that I haven't wasted my 1,901 years.”

Was she planning to lie down on the floor and cause a scene at the age of 1,901?

In the end, we compromised by buying one Marlboro and one strawberry milk and putting them in her hands.

“Whew.”

What a pain in the ass, first thing in the morning.

After smoking a cigarette and entering the office, a gust of wind blew from inside.

“Gah?!”

My hair fluttered, and the smell of tobacco clinging to my body was completely blown away.

When I opened my tightly shut eyes against the sharp wind, a woman I'd never seen before was standing there.

“I'm sorry. I simply can't stand strong smells.”

The black-haired woman was wearing a white martial-arts uniform. Her features were elegant yet pure.

She performed a palm-over-fist salute, bowed, and immediately introduced herself.

“I am Baek Yeonhwa from the Taeguk Yin-Yang Sect. Though I am unworthy, I am also known as Yin-Yang Dual Pulse, one of the Ten Great Masters of the martial world.”

She wore a confident smile.

A customer from the Old Martial World on the fifth floor.

Kim Yang peeked her head out from behind Baek Yeonhwa and gestured to me.

“B-Boss. It's her.”

“Her?”

“I heard Meracle is the best matchmaker on the Third Floor, so I came here. There's only one thing I want.”

The way she immediately blurted out only what she wanted made it clear she was from the Old Martial World.

Especially as one of the Ten Great Masters, she must hold a considerable position—.

“A man who can defeat me. Yes, that's enough! I want to become the wife of a man who defeats me in battle!”

It was a bold declaration.

The moment I heard it, I understood why Kim Yang had called her ‘that.’

“Ah, I see. One moment.”

“Pardon?”

I immediately went to my desk and opened the bottom drawer. I took out one of the documents buried in a pile of various papers and held it out to her.

“Here, write your name.”

“Hmm? What is this—?”

“A list. To put it simply, the Marriage-by-Duel List.”

“Huh?”

I handed the pen to her, who was staring at me with a blank expression, and pointed to the very bottom of the list.

“Write it here. Oh, wait, can you write in Third-Floor characters? If not, shall I write it for you? What was it again, Yin-Yang Dual Pulse Baek Yeonhwa?”

Another name was about to be added to this list.

[Marriage-by-Duel List]

- The Grand Duchess of the Night, Lumiere.

- The Infinite Library, Beloa.

- The Heartless Sword Maiden, Namgung Hwaryeong.

- The Neon Valkyrie, Mosko Bichakos.

- The Yasha, Ryu Seoram.

- The Clearwind Martial Queen, Peng Sorin.

- The Elf Queen, Lenea.

I hadn't expected the space beneath Lenea, who had asked to be added just in case, to be filled so quickly.

- Yin-Yang Dual Pulse Baek Yeonhwa.

“I've put your name down for now. When a challenger appears, we'll decide the contract fee and membership tier then.”

“C-could this list be—?”

“Yes, it's the waiting list for Marriage by Duel.”

“……”

“But people don't get off this list easily. Maybe someone got off it once in the past year? Even then, it seemed like they were allowed to win—.”