Letter
The weekend spent at the main family estate was fruitful.
So even though it was Monday, my steps toward school couldn't help but be light.
Arriving at school like that,
I looked for Yeon Haneul first.
'Looks like Haneul hasn't arrived yet.'
The back seat by the classroom window.
Yeon Haneul's seat was empty.
Since her bag wasn't visible, it seemed she hadn't come to school yet.
I had wanted to tell her directly about what happened at the main family estate, but it couldn't be helped.
I decided to wait for her to arrive while fiddling with my smartphone.
"Huh?"
I had a text from Do Sieun.
Judging by the time, she seemed to have sent it on her way to school.
"What's with this noona all of a sudden?"
Since we hadn't been in contact until now, it felt unexpected.
Come to think of it, I wondered if her body was okay.
Recalling her leaving the training ground limping, I checked the text.
[Dosieun]: Did you have a good weekend?
[Dosieun]: Next time, spar with me.
[Dosieun]: (emoticon of a cat with sparkling eyes)
It was a lively and cute emoticon that didn't quite suit the Do Sieun I knew.
Did she like these kinds of emoticons?
Imagining her making the exact same face as the emoticon made me laugh involuntarily.
On the other hand, her intentions were obvious.
'She wants to spar with me that badly.'
It wasn't like I couldn't spar.
Our levels were similar, so it would be a great help to each other.
There was no reason not to accept Do Sieun's proposal.
[Me]: Yeah, sounds good :D
[Me]: But are you okay, noona? You weren't hurt?
I sent a text to Do Sieun.
Perhaps she was also looking at her texts right then; the read receipt disappeared quickly.
[Dosieun]: It got better as time passed.
[Dosieun]: Thanks for worrying about me.
[Dosieun]: ...Are you okay?
[Dosieun]: (emoticon of a cat peeking out)
I felt sorry toward Do Sieun, but I couldn't get used to the emoticons.
Suppressing the twitching corners of my mouth, I exchanged texts with her.
Somehow, the texts continued back and forth.
"Who are you texting?"
"Ah, you're here?"
That was when Yeon Haneul arrived at school.
She dropped her bag onto her desk with a thud and was looking down at my smartphone from above my head.
When I lifted my head, I saw her with her lips pursed.
The rabbit ears I hadn't seen in two days were incredibly welcome.
I answered nonchalantly.
"I was texting with a cousin."
"Cousin? The person from the video you sent? The one who went flying with a whoosh."
"Not him, my cousin noona."
"Hmm... I see. I thought you didn't get along with your cousins, so you had one you were close with."
"I got close with this noona this time."
"Really? How old is she?"
"She's two years older than us. Fourteen. You'll probably see her at Academy City too."
"...Is she pretty?"
"Mm, on the prettier side? Quite."
The characters that appeared in the game mostly boasted outstanding appearances.
Do Sieun was like that, and so was I.
By the age of entering Academy City, we would have grown like illustrations.
Yeon Haneul was no different.
So I was able to answer her question immediately.
"Hmm... I seeee."
"..."
But for some reason, Yeon Haneul looked offended by my answer.
Her eyes narrowed, and I couldn't feel any emotion in her voice.
Above all, her rabbit ears shot up once before drooping down.
"Must be nice. Getting close with a pretty unnie."
"Uh... well, yeah. Being pretty doesn't exactly put food on the table, though... No, wait, does it?"
"You seemed busy texting the whole time, so don't mind someone like me and finish what you were doing."
"..."
With a humph.
Yeon Haneul turned her head sharply.
Naturally, her rabbit ears shook greatly too.
'What's with her?'
Yeon Haneul pulled a book from her bag and began reading, as if ignoring me.
Even so, she kept glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.
I was bewildered by her reaction.
She definitely seemed sulky, but I had no clue what she was sulking about.
'Could it be because I said she was pretty?'
That couldn't be it.
What did saying my cousin was pretty have to do with Yeon Haneul sulking?
Still, you never know.
I gauged her reaction and added,
"You're pretty too."
"...What?"
"I said you're pretty too. Especially your rabbit ears..."
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
...Had I done something deserving of getting hit?
Yeon Haneul's rabbit ears shot skyward out of nowhere as she whacked me repeatedly.
"Ah, why are you hitting me all of a sudden?"
"Because you're saying stuff like that!"
"Did I do something wrong? And even if I did, you hit me like this?"
"Nooo... No, I'm the one in the wrong, not you. Sorry for hitting you out of nowhere. But still, how can you say that where everyone can hear? I'm not pretty at all."
"Okay. I won't say things like that from now on..."
"Who said not to?"
"..."
What tune am I supposed to dance to here?
I rubbed my shoulder and looked at Yeon Haneul.
Her face was flushed bright red.
"These things have, you know... atmosphere, mood. Ugh... what am I even saying right now... Anyway, don't do it in front of other people."
"Ah, uh, okay."
"You just brushed it off, didn't you?"
"I didn't."
"Liar."
Yeon Haneul pressed her rabbit ears against her head with her hands.
I snickered at her rambling.
The reactions she showed were truly amusing.
'Still, it seems her mood has improved.'
To cool down her reddened face,
Yeon Haneul fanned herself with her hand.
I fanned her from beside me with a notebook.
Then I handed her what I had brought to school today and placed on the floor.
"Here."
"What's this?"
"It's a sword I brought from the main family estate."
"A sword?"
"Yeah. Since you're learning the sword too, I thought it would be better for you to have one of your own personally."
"..."
The sword wrapped in black cloth.
Her eyes grew round like a rabbit's.
I unfolded the cloth so she could see it properly, then lifted the sword.
Srring.
Upon drawing the sword from its scabbard, Yeon Haneul and the classroom scenery reflected off the chill blade.
"Since you're learning anyway, wouldn't it be better to learn with a good sword? The swords used at the Swordsmanship Hall aren't bad, but they probably can't compare to the ones supplied to the main family estate."
"This... you're giving it to me?"
"Yeah, for your personal practice."
"...Thank you. I only ever receive things. I'll really put it to good use."
Yeon Haneul carefully received the sword.
She examined the sword's condition as I had, then smiled bashfully.
It was then.
"Can't you show us too!?"
"Me too! Show me too!"
"I want to touch it!"
How long had they been watching us?
The children in the class were sending gazes toward us.
Some of them approached our seats and made earnest requests.
Perhaps because the majority were children born in ordinary households, they seemed curious about the sword.
I vaguely understood how they felt.
"It's not like looking at it will wear it down, and there's no reason I can't show you. But only look. If you touch it carelessly, it could cause problems."
"Wow! Thank you so much!"
I raised the sword high so all the children could see.
Then instantly, the children swarmed in with a rush.
"Haneul, are you going to become a Hunter too?"
"Do you go to the Swordsmanship Hall too?"
"Ah, I..."
"Wow, that must be so cool!"
While cheering at the sword, the children also showed interest in Yeon Haneul.
She seemed quite flustered, not having expected their attention.
Yet she didn't seem to entirely dislike it, answering questions shyly.
'Unintentionally, has Haneul finally started talking with her classmates?'
A smile bloomed on Yeon Haneul's face.
That sight was truly pleasant to see.
I'm glad I brought the sword to school.
I looked at her chatting with the girls with a gaze of pride.
That was when the homeroom teacher came in.
"Gyeon, u, ya?"
"Ah, teacher."
"You mustn't bring swords to school. And a real sword at that... It's dangerous, so could you put it away quickly?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Fortunately, I didn't get scolded because I was from the Divine Sword family.
"Why of all classes was I assigned to this one... The other teachers said he was a quiet child, but quiet my foot. Just one year, I'll endure just one year. Sigh..."
The homeroom teacher lamented something, but I decided to pretend I hadn't heard.
* * *
Yeon Haneul and I tended to eat lunch at a leisurely hour.
When we had time, we would take a walk around the school grounds until afternoon classes started, partly to aid digestion.
Today was no different.
Then, a call came from my father.
[Yeah, Gyeonu.]
"Dad? What's going on at this hour?"
[You see, I just got a call from Hunter Hong Yena.]
"Ah, yes."
The Five-Colored Witch, Hong Yena.
I stopped walking at the name.
There was a bench nearby.
"Haneul, let's go sit over there."
"Yeah, okay."
[Haneul's with you too? You two sure are stuck together all the time.]
"We were taking a walk after eating."
"Why'd you say that!?"
[What wonderful timing.]
Yeon Haneul fired back in a small voice.
I seated her on the bench and took the seat beside her.
The location was good.
The tree shade blocked the direct sunlight, and a cool breeze blew gently.
I could watch the children playing down below.
"What did Hunter Hong Yena say?"
[She said she came up to Seoul today and asked if we could meet tomorrow. Are you free tomorrow?]
"It's a day I go to the Swordsmanship Hall, but... it's not a day I'm learning the complete forms, so skipping a day won't matter."
[Then shall I tell her tomorrow?]
"Wait. Haneul, are you free tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? I'm fine."
"Haneul says she's fine too. Then please tell her let's meet tomorrow."
[Okay, I got it. I'll let her know.]
After thanking my father, I ended the call.
That was when Yeon Haneul, who had been quietly keeping her place, asked.
As Yeon Haneul leaned her body forward, her rabbit ears moved with her.
"It's about the instructor you mentioned before, right?"
"Right. The call was asking if we were free to meet tomorrow."
"So we're meeting tomorrow... What kind of person is she?"
"Her name is Hong Yena, and she's someone with deep insight into five-element magic. That's why she's called by the alias the Five-Colored Witch."
"She's an amazing person, right?"
"It's hard enough to handle one element; if you handle five, you're an incredible person."
When Gang Hanbyeol enters Academy City, she'll be called the Seven-Colored Witch, but
I couldn't tell Yeon Haneul that.
Even so, Yeon Haneul seemed worried just from that.
"So we're learning from someone like that... Can we do well?"
"You can do it. Don't worry."
"Yeah... I'll do my best. But... why are you touching my ears?"
"To cheer you up."
"That cheers you up, not me."
Yeon Haneul glared at me sharply.
But Yeon Haneul grumbled yet didn't tell me to stop.
I decided to touch her ears to the extent that she wouldn't hate it.
"Lunch break will be ending soon, so let's rest here a bit before going back."
"Yeah, let's."
Feeling the wind while looking down at the children playing in the field, I touched her rabbit ears beneath the shade.
This must be what peace is.
We sat on the bench like that, then returned to the classroom when it was time for afternoon classes.
"What's fifth period?"
"Ethics."
"Why do we learn that? I'm a moral person even without learning it."
"I don't think that's true..."
"Where is there anyone as kind as me?"
"Then are you confident you'll get a hundred without studying?"
"Of course."
Chatting like that, we rummaged through our desk drawers to take out our ethics textbooks.
It was then.
"Huh? What's this?"
"..."
There was a letter in the drawer.
I held the letter and examined the front and back of the envelope.
No name was written on it.
"Who put this here? I don't think I saw it before lunch..."
The envelope was incredibly crude.
However, three stickers were attached to the envelope opening.
Gold, silver, and bronze heart stickers.
"Haneul, do you have any idea..."
"..."
"Haneul?"
"Ah... uh, yeah... What did you say?"
"I asked if anything comes to mind."
"No, nothing..."
"..."
What's with her now?
With her eyes fixed on the letter, Yeon Haneul's eyes were undergoing an earthquake.
I Became the Mid-Boss's Childhood Friend