“Tch, if only I’d had just a little more time, I would’ve scored….”
Min Arin, who had unfortunately lost to Yeon Haneul in the game by a hair’s breadth, kept grumbling.
True to her competitive nature, she seemed vexed that she had failed to win again this time.
Seeing her face all scrunched up, I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
Then I decided to cheer her up.
“You still did really well. I was surprised when you used that illusion magic earlier. When did you even learn that? Haneul looked pretty flustered too.”
“Oh, that? I haven’t had it for long. I learned it after vacation started and I went back to the main house.”
“About a month and a half, then… That’s impressive. Considering illusion magic distorts people’s perception, it must have been hard to learn.”
“Hmph, you only just realized how amazing I am? When I put my mind to it, this is what I can do. I’m Min Arin, you know.”
Min Arin was weak to being praised.
After receiving a compliment from me, she perked up as if she had never been sulking in the first place.
Her expression changed, and she puffed out her chest, even lifting her nose high.
Playing along with her, I raised my gaze and scanned the area.
‘Where did Haneul go?’
In truth, I had been looking for an opportunity to approach Yeon Haneul for a while now, wanting at least to congratulate her on winning the game.
But ever since the exchange gathering began, it hadn’t been easy to get close to her.
People trying to make a connection with her were packed all around her.
The situation was the same for me and Min Arin.
‘That’s strange. She was over there a moment ago… Don’t tell me she’s not here?’
We had to deal with the endless stream of people who kept flocking toward us without any sign of letting up.
Because of that, contrary to what I wanted, I hadn’t been able to go see Yeon Haneul.
Then, in the brief moment I looked away, she vanished from sight.
It seemed she wasn’t in the hall.
‘Where did she go…?’
Not being able to see her made me uneasy.
Even while talking to people, I couldn’t properly concentrate.
That was when I spotted Min Jiwan.
“Senior Min Jiwan.”
“Oh, Gyeonwoo. What’s up?”
“Do you know where Haneul is?”
Min Jiwan, who was supposed to have been staying by Yeon Haneul’s side, was in the middle of choosing a glass at the drinks corner.
After excusing myself from the people around me and pushing through the crowd toward him, I asked him my question.
As if he understood what I was thinking, he smiled lightly and shrugged.
“If you mean Haneul, she’s in the garden right now. I took her out so she could get some air. She looked pretty worn out from dealing with everyone… I was just about to bring her something to drink and go back to her.”
Min Jiwan explained kindly.
Once I understood the situation, I reached out and took the glass he was holding.
Then I turned around.
“Thanks for telling me, senior. I’ll bring this to Haneul, so please look after Arin.”
“Sure. I’ll leave Haneul to you. She seemed to want to be with you more than with me. And I told you, you can just call me hyung.”
“I’ll think about that when you stop making moves on Haneul.”
“Sorry, but I can’t help that either. I have no choice but to follow my family’s wishes as much as I can. Call me whatever you want.”
Min Jiwan treated me amicably, without showing any sign of displeasure.
He had a good personality.
Or perhaps he had judged that antagonizing me would bring him no benefit.
Either way, after giving a nod of thanks to him for stepping aside so readily, I left the exchange hall.
I had memorized the garden’s location.
Recalling the first time I visited the mansion, I found the garden without getting lost even once.
‘There she is.’
Beneath a night sky sparsely studded with stars.
Yeon Haneul was sitting on a bench in front of the fountain.
I approached from behind her.
“Why are you sitting here all forlorn by yourself?”
Yeon Haneul flinched.
Then, her rabbit ears perking up, she turned to look at me and smiled.
It was a smile full of delight, without the slightest trace of wariness.
“Gyeonwoo!”
Her red-glowing eyes, as though they would embrace everything about me, left a powerful impression.
They were so deep that it felt as if my gaze would be drawn into them.
With Yeon Haneul imprinted in my eyes, I had no choice but to become aware of my feelings all over again.
I ended up admitting it.
‘I like Haneul.’
That was why I grew greedy and impatient.
Afraid that someone else might snatch her away.
* * *
Not even a day had passed since I had fooled around with Yeon Haneul on the train, yet it felt like something from long ago.
It was probably because the time we had spent apart at the exchange gathering had felt that long.
There was also the fact that we had been so busy dealing with people that I couldn’t even remember all their faces.
So, to catch our breath calmly and spend some time alone together, we decided to sit on the bench and get some air.
It was then that she held out a small case.
“Here.”
“So this is the treasure of the Arcane Min family.”
Inside the case, a brooch modeled after one wing was shining gold.
Carefully taking it out, I checked the artifact’s information.
[Guide of the Single Wing]
◆ Equipment Classification
—Accessory (Brooch)
◆ Detailed Description
—A treasure of the Arcane Min family.
—A brooch obtained from the boss monster Delphin Silverion of the Red Gate “Silverion’s Castle III.”
—It was originally made as a pair, but the whereabouts of the other half are unknown.
—It contains the blessing of the North Star, which wishes for the safety of those who wander.
◆ Detailed Effects
—Agility +1, Mana +2
—When equipped, raises the level of all skills at the 5th tier or below by 1.
—When equipped, reduces the mana consumption and cooldown time of all skills at the 5th tier or below by 10%.
—When equipped, increases the effect of all skills at the 5th tier or below by 5%.
—Skill “Casting Boost”
I had heard the explanation back in the exchange hall, but when I directly opened the information window and confirmed it, I couldn’t help but marvel.
For any mage of the 5th tier or below, these effects were enough to make their eyes flip.
No, anyone would be tempted.
‘An effect that raises agility and mana without restrictions, and even a skill that increases magic casting speed and assists mana control… Amazing.’
It made even me want it for no reason.
With this brooch, I would be able to handle electric current control more proficiently.
But since it belonged to Yeon Haneul, it wasn’t something I should covet.
In order not to grow attached to it, I decided to keep the brooch away from me.
So I tried to return it to Yeon Haneul, but…
“That’s yours.”
“What?”
“It’s a gift I’m giving to you.”
“…”
Yeon Haneul pushed my hand back.
Holding the case with the brooch inside, I could only stare blankly.
For a moment, I had to doubt my ears.
Then, as if to engrave it into me, she repeated the same words.
“How many times do I have to say it before you understand? It’s a gift I’m giving to you, so that brooch is yours. Yours. I felt like I’d only been receiving things from you all this time… so I wanted to give you something too.”
“…Then you even used your Gift in the game so you could give this to me?”
“Yeah… I didn’t really have anything I could give you… So when I heard the explanation about the brooch, I really wanted to give it to you. I thought it would help you… Or am I wrong?”
“…”
If Yeon Haneul equipped the Guide of the Single Wing, her mana stat would reach 90.
In terms of raw numbers, it was a level where it would be hard to find anyone who could match her.
If there were such a person, they would probably have to be an existence beyond the world.
That made me reluctant to accept it so readily.
It felt as though I might be taking away her fated opportunity and hindering her growth.
On the other hand…
“There’s no way it wouldn’t help. Thanks. I’ll use the brooch well.”
There was no way I wouldn’t be happy about a gift Yeon Haneul had given me while thinking of me.
I didn’t want to disappoint her as she waited for my reaction.
After some thought, I decided not to refuse her sincerity and accepted it gladly.
Only then did her face brighten.
“Yeah! I should be the one thanking you.”
“What do you have to thank me for… I’m the one who’s more grateful. And this—will you put it on for me yourself?”
“Right now?”
“Yeah, right now.”
“Okay. Then stay still.”
Yeon Haneul took the brooch out of the case.
Then she leaned in to pin it to my collar.
In order not to get in her way, I simply looked down at her without moving.
‘She’s pretty.’
The rabbit ears bobbing around in front of my eyes made my heart flutter.
Yeon Haneul shone as she struggled with my collar in her grasp.
More than anything, the heart she had shown in caring for me made me feel elated.
In the end, I couldn’t suppress my emotions.
“Ah…”
By the time I came to my senses, I had already lifted Yeon Haneul’s bangs and kissed her forehead.
She froze at my sudden action and looked up at me.
In her round eyes, wide like a rabbit’s, there was only me.
Her gaze stirred a strange sense of satisfaction, pride, and confidence within me.
‘A girl like this is looking only at me.’
The corners of my mouth rose.
As if to show off, and without even asking for permission, I stole another kiss from Yeon Haneul’s forehead.
Once again, a soft gasp slipped from her parted lips.
If I followed my heart, I wanted to steal her lips too and block that bewitching sound.
But if I went any further here, I felt like I would completely lose hold of my instincts.
Instead, I asked her.
“Three years.”
“…”
“Wait for me just until we graduate.”
I had vaguely thought about it before, but only today did I finally realize it.
Yeon Haneul was attractive as a member of the opposite sex.
And I wasn’t the only one who felt that kind of attraction toward her.
Min Jiwan was only the beginning.
People aiming for her would continue appearing in the future.
But I had no intention of handing her over to anyone.
I absolutely didn’t want her taken from me.
“By then, I think the conditions will be right… I’m sorry to say this to you, but could you wait just a little longer?”
However, I couldn’t confess my feelings to Yeon Haneul right away.
If I wanted to explore a new relationship with her, there was a major hurdle I had to overcome first.
The hurdle called the Divine Sword Do Clan.
‘When I stopped by the main house this time, the clan head’s attitude was firm. There’s no doubt he’ll disapprove of Haneul and oppose it. If that happens, I don’t know what kind of sanctions the family might impose.’
I didn’t care if I suffered disadvantages.
Even if it became a serious variable in the situation where the game’s story was progressing, I was willing to accept it.
The problem was that I had to keep in mind the possibility that Yeon Haneul might suffer disadvantages and have her future twisted into misfortune.
That was something I could never wish for.
More than anything…
‘I feel like I’d fall for her so hard that I wouldn’t be able to pay attention to anything else.’
Someone might laugh and call me foolish, but to me, it was an extremely serious reason.
Even now, my eyes were drawn only to Yeon Haneul, to the point that no other thoughts came to mind.
If I fell for her any more than this, I might push the game’s story to the back burner and slack off constantly.
If that happened, the ending was obvious.
A destruction ending would be waiting.
‘So until I clear the story, until graduation, I have to hold it in.’
Of course, even after graduating from the academy, there would still remain story events that occurred automatically regardless of timing if certain special conditions were met, such as the destruction ending caused by Gate Encroachment.
Even so, I would be able to breathe somewhat more easily by comparison.
After indirectly conveying those thoughts, I burned with anxiety inside.
I was afraid that she might lose affection for me and turn her heart away.
Then, she broke the long silence.
“I just have to wait until graduation? For the next three years… no, only two and a half years?”
“…Yeah, only two and a half years.”
“I see… That’s not as long as I thought. I thought it would be much longer than that. Or… I wondered if you were just satisfied with this relationship. Since I’m not from a prestigious family, and I’m a demihuman…”
“There’s no way I’d care about something like that. I don’t care what kind of person you are.”
“Yeah. That’s why I’m grateful. I’m glad… You really were thinking about it properly… I’m happy.”
“…”
“I’ll wait. I promise.”
Yeon Haneul smiled bashfully.
Only then could I fully relax and simply be happy.
At the same time, worry began to sprout.
‘She keeps provoking me like this… Can I really hold out until then?’
Ridiculously enough, I couldn’t trust myself.
Two and a half years remained until graduation.
As I counted the remaining time inwardly, it only felt far too long.
I gave a wry smile.
“But what if.”
“What do you mean, what if?”
“If you even think of standing me up… then….”
“…Then?”
“You die, and I die.”
“….”
“I’ll really destroy it all… everything… If I can’t have you….”
“Let’s not say such scary things.”
Yeon Haneul’s eyes were chilling.
She seemed to mean it, after all.
I resolved to be careful not to incur her resentment.
‘Come to think of it, Haneul was one of the leads of the destruction ending too. The one who becomes disillusioned with the world and falls into utter despair, runs her Gift berserk, and is reborn as the Calamity Witch… Ah, wait… So that means…’
In other words.
It meant Yeon Haneul could destroy the world whenever she set her mind to it.
Even after clearing the game’s story….
‘I can’t get away from her. Not that I intend to.’
He becomes the childhood friend of the mid-boss.
Soon, I will take responsibility for you for life.
He truly realized that the resolve he had taken for granted was anything but light—it was heavy.
But what he felt now would not be the end.
For the more he got to know Yeon Haneul, the more new things he would only find himself experiencing.
* * *
Do not resign yourself, and do not compromise.
Simply act as your heart commands.
That day, the advice Do Gyeonu gave over the phone gave strength to Gang Hanbyeol, who had been conflicted and unable to make a decision.
‘There’s someone asking for help, and I don’t want to just pass them by.’
It went against his master Seo Jeongjin’s teachings, but more than anything, he himself was not satisfied.
Having steeled his resolve, Gang Hanbyeol conveyed his intention to join the operation to Gwon Boram then and there.
She had refused stubbornly at first, but eventually raised the white flag.
[…Understood. I accept. So please refrain from any reckless acts, such as charging in alone. It would only cause trouble for us as we carry out the operation.]
“Thank you, sunbae. If you’re letting me in on it, of course I wouldn’t do something like that. Where should I go?”
[Hoo… I’ll send the location via Talk. Please make sure to arrive on time. And we absolutely cannot afford to let any information leak to those bastards.]
“Yes, of course. I’ll be there on time.”
With this, Gang Hanbyeol was able to participate in the operation not as a student, but as a dispatched agent of Shield.
He infiltrated the Broker gang’s stronghold together with Gwon Boram and the members of Shield and Sword.
“The opponent is a Hunter. Under normal circumstances, we won’t be the ones facing him, but please be careful regardless.”
Shield’s role was to find the gang’s ledger while Sword arrested the Broker gang.
Thus, Gang Hanbyeol, who belonged to Shield, followed Gwon Boram and combed through the building.
It was then that Gang Hanbyeol made a significant contribution.
“Boram sunbae! I heard from Seoyeon noona that there’s a passage leading underground around here!”
“…A secret passage. Let’s go in.”
Gu Seoyeon, the female Hunter bound by Han Junpyo’s slave contract.
Having obtained information from her beforehand, Gang Hanbyeol was able to discover the hidden path in the stronghold.
And at the end of that path.
“Kuh… How did you know to come here!”
“How did I know? Because I’m just that good.”
Gang Hanbyeol and Gwon Boram’s party encountered Han Junpyo, who had sensed something amiss and was fleeing with the ledger.
It just so happened that Gang Hanbyeol had been wanting to take Han Junpyo down personally.
He did not hesitate to pick a fight.
And so.
“If you tried to exploit others, you have to pay the price.”
Han Junpyo couldn’t withstand a few exchanges before being struck in a vital point and collapsing.
Gang Hanbyeol looked down at him with an indifferent gaze and regulated his breathing.
It was then that Gwon Boram approached.
“Good work. With Han Junpyo caught, the investigation will be much easier.”
“Ah, you worked hard too, Boram sunbae. But… we were only able to catch Han Junpyo thanks to Seoyeon noona, so will this count for some leniency?”
“It won’t completely absolve her crimes, but it will be reflected to some extent.”
“Is… that so….”
“I’ll request that Shield do all they can to defend her.”
“Really? Then thank you. I’ll be counting on you.”
If Shield defended Gu Seoyeon’s circumstances, he would be able to worry a little less.
Gang Hanbyeol sincerely expressed his gratitude for Gwon Boram’s consideration.
Meanwhile, she waved it off as nothing much and picked up the ledger.
Then, as if she had just remembered something, she opened her mouth.
“Why don’t you enlist in Shield properly while you’re at it?”
He had become the childhood friend of the mid-boss.