It was the first weekend she had faced since enrolling.
Because it was a day off, she honestly wanted to go downtown with Do-gyeon-woo, feel the breeze, and just enjoy herself.
Unfortunately, he already had other plans, so they couldn’t spend time together.
Apparently, there was a gathering meant to strengthen camaraderie among students from prestigious sword families, something called a Noble House Assembly.
“Every time this happens, I realize it again…”
Whenever Do-gyeon-woo had to leave because of matters related to his family, it became painfully clear.
Unlike herself, who had been born without knowing who her parents were, abandoned at an orphanage, and grown up as someone socially vulnerable, he lived in a completely different world.
He was a man of a noble house.
Not just any house, but the Divine Sword Do Clan, one of the Ten Great Houses that stood above all others.
Because he never flaunted his background, she sometimes forgot, but in truth, this was never a relationship that should have become this close, even if they had been childhood friends.
“….”
Contrary to how it appeared on the surface,
She and Do-gyeon-woo were not equals.
The only reason this relationship seemed balanced was because he adjusted himself to her.
If his heart were to change, it was a relationship that could be swept away at any moment.
She would have no way to resist.
They lived in different worlds.
The five years that had allowed them to know each other deeply and regard one another as part of their lives sometimes felt as fleeting as a dream.
“Don’t abandon me…”
Whenever she woke from that sweet dream and became aware of the bitter reality,
Yeon-ha-neul would sink into a depression she could never speak of to others.
The anxiety that Do-gyeon-woo might suddenly overturn everything and push her away made her dig endlessly into her own thoughts.
When her emotions slipped out of control, dark ideas crept in.
Maybe…
“I should just tie Gyeon-woo up in my room so he can never go anywhere.”
She imagined cuffing their wrists together and holding on until death.
No, even after death.
“Should I try studying black magic while I’m at it?”
She could almost understand why black mages became obsessed with the study of souls.
Yeon-ha-neul harbored dangerous thoughts.
They were nothing more than fantasies.
She knew all too well that acting on such desires would be socially unacceptable.
In the first place, the scenario she feared was nothing more than hypothetical.
Those five years weren’t meaningless.
From the moment they met until now, he had given her unwavering trust and certainty that he would never leave her.
So, she didn’t waver.
“And how would he even live without me?”
For no reason at all, her mood lifted.
Hugging a rabbit plush doll that resembled Do-gyeon-woo, Yeon-ha-neul rolled around on her bed, a faint smile blooming across her face.
Soon, she sat up.
“I can’t just stay in my room all weekend. I’ll go out for a walk.”
On the way back, stopping by the convenience store to buy strawberry milk sounded nice.
A little reward for herself.
Just as Yeon-ha-neul gathered herself and began getting ready to go out, there came a knock at the door.
“Yes? Who is it?”
“Ha-neul, it’s me. Your girlfriend!”
“Eun-bi?”
Ko Eun-bi’s voice came from outside.
Dragging her feet in her slippers, Yeon-ha-neul went to the door and opened it for her.
“Eun-bi, what’s up?”
“I was bored staying in my room, so I came to play! What were you doing?”
As soon as she entered, Ko Eun-bi hugged Yeon-ha-neul and rubbed her face against her like a puppy.
Now accustomed to her physical affection, Yeon-ha-neul laughed softly and gently patted her, even as it tickled.
The long rabbit ears twitched happily, bouncing as if in delight.
“I was about to go out too. I got stuffy staying in my room, so I thought I’d get some fresh air. And maybe buy some strawberry milk…”
“You like strawberry milk, Ha-neul? I’ll buy you a whole box of strawberry milk and chocolate milk from Aka Market. Want to live as a pillow in my room forever?”
“Huh? Really? Should I?”
“Yes! I got myself a hugging pillow!”
“Hugging pillow? What does that even… kyaah!”
Thump.
Before she knew it, Yeon-ha-neul had fallen onto the bed, caught by Ko Eun-bi’s sudden move.
Climbing on top of her, Eun-bi revealed the handwork she’d been hiding.
Unable to withstand Eun-bi’s technique, Yeon-ha-neul squirmed and twisted.
Laughter burst out as the ticklish sensation overwhelmed her.
“E-Eun-bi, stop already…!”
“Stop? With Gyeon-woo gone, how could I stop now? Yeon-ha-neul, don’t expect to go home today!”
“Th-this is my roo—”
During all their time together, Ko Eun-bi had thoroughly explored Yeon-ha-neul, learning exactly where she was sensitive.
She could confidently say she knew Yeon-ha-neul’s weak points far better than Do-gyeon-woo did.
Ignoring her pleas, Eun-bi followed her own desires, exploring her body without restraint.
“Hoo… today was fulfilling.”
“Ah…”
After their rough play ended,
Ko Eun-bi wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, looking refreshed, as if she’d completed a mission.
Meanwhile, Yeon-ha-neul lay limp on the bed, her emotions tangled.
“Is it… already over?”
Though she had struggled and protested, she had secretly enjoyed it.
But before she could fully savour it, Eun-bi had stopped on her own, leaving her oddly unfulfilled.
It should have felt like a relief, yet she felt dissatisfied and strangely regretful.
“Ha-neul, did you feel good? I’m pretty good, right?”
“….”
Eun-bi lay beside her, grinning and basking in her own satisfaction.
Yeon-ha-neul found her terribly annoying.
“Gyeon-woo isn’t like this.”
She couldn’t help comparing them.
Do-gyeon-woo never handled her roughly. He treated her delicately, as if she were a work of art, with care and reverence.
And somehow, even the lightest touch sent a powerful shiver through her body.
On top of that, his hands were large and masculine, his fingers long and beautiful…
“…And firm.”
As her thoughts drifted that far, dissatisfaction stirred in her heart.
She grew irritated at Eun-bi, who was still giggling beside her.
Yeon-ha-neul decided it was time for revenge.
“Take this!”
“Kyaa!”
Springing up from the bed, Yeon-ha-neul straddled Ko Eun-bi.
The situation reversed in an instant.
“H-Ha-neul…?”
“You’re the one who lit the fire in me, Eun-bi.”
“W-wait, let’s talk this ou—ngh!”
“You’re the one who came into my room.”
“Kyaa, d-don’t!”
“Now you get a taste of it too.”
Roles reversed. Round two.
It wasn’t only Eun-bi who had been doing the touching. Yeon-ha-neul had been doing the same whenever she had the chance.
Which meant that just as Eun-bi had learned Yeon-ha-neul’s weak points, Yeon-ha-neul had learned Eun-bi’s as well.
Pinning Eun-bi’s stomach firmly with her hips so she couldn’t escape, Yeon-ha-neul moved her hands deftly.
She intended to make Eun-bi experience the same sense of unfinished tension she herself had felt.
Eun-bi struggled, but it was useless.
She couldn’t overpower the taller Yeon-ha-neul.
Even if she manifested her internal mana, the outcome wouldn’t change.
In terms of mana control, Yeon-ha-neul was overwhelmingly superior.
As the top-ranked entrant in the magic department this year, she was not someone Eun-bi could stop.
“Hngh…”
“You don’t have to hold back. Just accept it.”
In the end, Ko Eun-bi was toyed with in exactly the same way she had done before.
No, even more intensely.
With no one around to see, Yeon-ha-neul had completely lost control.
“Take that!”
“…!”
But Ko Eun-bi was resilient.
Not fully surrendering to pleasure, she seized an opening and turned the tables.
Using Yeon-ha-neul’s strength against her, she reversed their positions.
For someone aspiring to be a ranger, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Take this!”
“…!”
Yet Yeon-ha-neul didn’t stay down.
This time, she flipped Eun-bi back onto the bed.
They repeated the childish struggle for dominance again and again.
The two of them rolled across the bed.
“O-okay, let’s stop…”
“I-I give up too…”
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Completely drained, they lay sprawled on the bed.
They didn’t even have the energy left to fool around.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, they focused on catching their breath.
“Ha-neul… what did we just do?”
“Good question…”
As their breathing settled and their composure returned, what lingered was emptiness and an inexplicable sense of self-reproach.
They lay in silence for a while.
“You said you were going for a walk earlier, right?”
“Yeah. And to buy strawberry milk.”
“Should we rest a bit, then go?”
“Sure. Let’s rest for about ten minutes…”
“What should we eat for dinner later?”
“I don’t know…”
Normally, unless something special came up, they ate dinner with friends.
But tonight, it seemed it would be just the four of them: Yeon-ha-neul, Ko Eun-bi, Kang Han-byeol, and Park Sa-gun.
Do-gyeon-woo, the triplets, Yong Hae-rang, and Min A-rin were all attending the Noble House Assembly.
Lisa also seemed to have a social exchange with people from the Grace Empire.
“Come to think of it, Eun-sol said she was attending the assembly too…”
Yeon-ha-neul suddenly thought of Cha Eun-sol, whom she’d grown close to during the entrance exam.
They stayed in touch from time to time after the exam.
Not long ago, Eun-sol had mentioned that she, too, would be attending the Noble House Assembly.
Since Do-gyeon-woo wasn’t around this weekend, Yeon-ha-neul had wanted to meet her for dinner, which made it all the more disappointing.
At the same time, the revelation had surprised her.
“To think Eun-sol is from the Sunhwan Cha Clan…”
The Sunhwan Cha Clan, the foremost noble house in the spirit arts.
She never would have guessed that Cha Eun-sol belonged to one of the Ten Great Houses.
She, too, lived in a different world.
When Yeon-ha-neul first realized it, she was genuinely shocked.
In any case, since she hadn’t been invited to the Noble House Assembly, Yeon-ha-neul would have to settle for dinner with those in the same situation as herself.
“Well, it’s not like I wasn’t invited at all, but…”
Only one.
There was exactly one gathering to which Yeon-ha-neul had been invited.
It was a social exchange meant to build connections among those sponsored by the Divine Sword Do Clan.
Since the host clan was the same, the venue was on a lower floor of the same hotel where the Noble House Assembly was being held.
However, because she was shy around strangers, Yeon-ha-neul didn’t want to attend a gathering full of unfamiliar faces by herself.
If Do-gyeon-woo were there, it might be different.
“…Gyeon-woo is probably having dinner there, right?”
Truly, he was a childhood friend whose absence left a hollow feeling.
It had only been a few hours since she last saw him, yet she already missed Do-gyeon-woo.
“….”
She wanted to see him.
Once that thought took hold, Yeon-ha-neul spoke up.
“Eun-bi.”
“Hm? What is it? Have you decided what we’re eating?”
“Should we go eat with Gyeon-woo… no, I mean, go see him?”
“Gyeon-woo? How would we do that? Isn’t he attending the Noble House Assembly right now?”
“I heard there’s a Divine Sword Do Clan exchange being held downstairs. If we go there…”
“I’m not sponsored by the Do Clan. Can I even attend?”
“You can come as my guest. Or should I ask Gyeon-woo first?”
“There’ll be lots of good food there, right? I’m in! If you’re asking him anyway, why don’t you ask if Han-byeol and Sa-gun can come too?”
“Yeah. I’ll message him.”
“Ha-neul.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like him that much? Your face is glowing.”
“…I don’t knooow.”
Since they were people from swordsmanship noble houses who took pride in their blades, it wouldn’t do to simply wander around chatting and laughing.
For those who wield swords, conversation wasn’t done with words, but with steel.
Moreover, the main purpose of this Noble House Assembly was to help freshmen and upperclassmen blend smoothly.
It was about fostering a sense of community.
A bonding event where students from sword families showed off their skills, praised one another, and fought together inside a gate that fits that purpose perfectly.
“The preparations for the bonding event are complete. We will guide you now.”
Here, in the basement of the Regulus Hotel, an artificial gate had been installed.
The bonding event would take place inside it.
Having formed at least a small connection with the students of the sword families, I headed underground to participate in the event.
As I did, my thoughts drifted elsewhere.
“Ha-neul said she wants to come to the exchange. That’s unexpected…”
Just a short while ago, Yeon-ha-neul had contacted me.
She said she wanted to attend the Divine Sword Do Clan exchange with Ko Eun-bi, Kang Han-byeol, and Park Sa-gun.
Knowing her personality, it was genuinely surprising.
Wanting to attend a social exchange out of the blue, I couldn’t guess what had gotten into her.
“It’s obviously Eun-bi who talked her into it.”
That was the only conclusion that came to mind.
Considering Ko Eun-bi’s sociable nature, it made perfect sense.
In any case, I had no reason to refuse, so I readily agreed to Yeon-ha-neul’s request.
“If I’m lucky, I might get to see her.”
The Divine Sword Do Clan exchange was being held at this very hotel.
If I found the right moment to slip away from the Noble House Assembly, it wouldn’t be impossible to see Yeon-ha-neul.
Thinking that way made my mood lift.
“I’ve been talking about swords for hours. I kind of want to poke Ha-neul’s ears.”
She really was a childhood friend whose absence left me feeling empty.
That was probably why the term existed in the first place.
With that sense of hollowness lingering, I soon found myself standing before the artificial gate.
“Yellow.”
The artificial gate was already active.
After confirming the color of the dimension, I stepped forward into it.
[You have entered the gate.]
[Yellow: Bison Grasslands I]
Bison.
Large, horned monsters resembling wild buffalo.
Compared to actual buffalo, they were far more ferocious and violent.
[The conditions for clearing the gate are as follows.]
[Defeat the Blood Bison that holds the gate key.]
I dismissed the message floating before my eyes and looked around.
As expected, various types of bison roamed the grasslands dotted with tall grass.
“It’s a yellow gate, so the strongest ones here will be rank three at most.”
They were far enough away that none showed signs of attacking immediately.
Still, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.
I rested my hand on the scabbard at my waist, ready to draw the Azure Sword at any moment.
That was when Do Si-eun activated the microphone with the help of her attendants.
[I’ll explain the bonding event.]
Her calm voice rang out.
Everyone’s attention turned to her.
[Only bison-type monsters appear in this gate. We’ll be hunting them. Any byproducts you obtain are yours to keep. The Divine Sword Do Clan will not claim ownership over anything acquired here. All spoils belong entirely to the individual.]
Not even charging for use of the artificial gate, it was an incredibly generous offer.
And this was a yellow gate, where rank-three monsters could drop mana stones and other valuable materials.
The students murmured in admiration, clearly tempted.
[You’ve all checked the gate conditions. Among the bison is a rank-three monster known as the Blood Bison. It’s a field boss that appears whenever the number of monsters in the area drops below a certain threshold.]
“….”
[The bonding event will end once the gate key drops from that monster. Until then, I hope you’ll hunt diligently and defeat as many monsters as possible. Fight solo or form parties. That’s up to you.]
Since the goal was camaraderie,
the bonding event planned by Do Si-eun avoided excessive competition.
As a result, the students could enjoy themselves freely and earn rewards based on their efforts.
Smiles spread across their faces.
Not long after—
[Then we’ll begin the bonding event. Be careful not to get hurt.]
After finishing her final cautions, Do Si-eun officially started the event.
The students present drew their swords and dashed out into the grasslands to hunt monsters.
Meanwhile, I stayed where I was.
Because—
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s hunt bison together now.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve fought alongside you, noona.”
“Yeah. For the first time since five years ago, right? Let’s do as well as we did back then.”
I had decided to party up with Do Si-eun.
She drew her Water Edge Sword.
I drew my Azure Sword.
The clan that presided over the Spirit Arts Noble House Assembly was the Sunhwan Cha Clan, one of the Ten Great Houses.
Leading the spirit arts students and representing their collective voice effectively fell to members of the Sunhwan Cha Clan.
Because of that, Cha Eun-sol, a direct descendant of the clan, was dragged to the assembly by her family regardless of her own wishes.
“The people arriving now are from clans closely allied with ours. Don’t offend anyone unnecessarily and try to maintain friendly relations.”
“Yes, oppa. I will.”
“…Okay.”
For someone who disliked troublesome matters, it was nothing short of miserable.
On top of that, she had to follow the third-year representative around and receive training for the role.
Of course, she had no intention of becoming a representative.
Nor did Sunhwan Cha Clan expect her to actually fulfil that role.
She was only attending in name. Someone else had already been chosen to serve as the first-year representative.
After all, she hadn’t even been the top-ranked entrant in the spirit arts department.
“Eun-seo, make sure you learn properly. Eun-sol, just be aware.”
“Don’t worry.”
“…Alright.”
Cha Eun-seo, a collateral member of the Sunhwan Cha Clan.
She was the one who had entered the spirit arts department as the top-ranked student.
Though lower in standing than a direct descendant, the clan planned to make her the representative in Cha Eun-sol’s stead.
Knowing that full well, Eun-seo tried to take the training seriously.
But her role was nothing more than a substitute.
A purely formal representative meant for administration and external relations.
Everyone who came to greet them showed interest not in Eun-seo, but in Cha Eun-sol.
“Hello, sunbae. I’m Cha Eun-seo—”
“Eun-sol, it’s been a while. We met once before. Do you remember?”
“Hello. Sorry, who are you?”
“Ah… you don’t remember. I suppose we only spoke briefly back then. Let’s say this is our first meeting, and do a proper introduction. I am—”
“….”
The difference in how people treated Cha Eun-sol and Cha Eun-seo was stark.
Before even considering direct versus collateral lineage, Cha Eun-sol herself was simply special.
Every spirit mage possessed, and most were born with, two innate qualities: spirit affinity and spirit resonance.
The ability to be loved by spirits.
Cha Eun-sol had been born with those qualities to an extraordinary degree.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that no spirit mage alive could even compare.
“Oh! My water beetle spirit—!”
“…Hello?”
“….”
Just by breathing,
spirits flocked to her as if intoxicated by pheromones.
Even spirits already contracted to other people gathered around her.
That was how fundamentally different her talent was from that of other spirit mages.
She was a true genius.
With someone like that standing right beside her, it was only natural that people’s attention gravitated toward Cha Eun-sol.
“This was expected. Don’t let it get to you…”
Being compared to Cha Eun-sol made Cha Eun-seo’s chest tighten.
Still, she desperately tried to steady her emotions.
She had been dealing with this since childhood, no, for far longer.
Being the same age, the two had always been compared within the clan.
“….”
Taking on every task in Cha Eun-sol’s stead whenever she lazed about,
being treated like a substitute for her, none of it was new.
It wasn’t something that had happened just once or twice.
So, she had to resign herself to it and accept it.
Until death, for the rest of her life.
“…Don’t envy her.”
It was an inescapable fate.
Cha Eun-seo clenched her teeth.
That was when the third-year representative spoke up.
“Huh? Where did Eun-sol go?”
“Ah… you’re right. I’ll go find her.”
Cha Eun-seo snapped back to her senses.
While she’d been lost in thought, Cha Eun-sol, who was supposed to be by her side, had disappeared.
Suppressing her irritation, she hurriedly scanned her surroundings.
Since spirits always gathered around Cha Eun-sol, it wasn’t difficult to find her.
Cha Eun-seo walked up to her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Hm? I was hungry, so I’m eating.”
Food was piled high on her plate.
Cha Eun-sol was chewing away, her mouth stuffed full.
It was a sight utterly lacking in dignity, hardly befitting someone of the Sunhwan Cha Clan.
Cha Eun-seo was left speechless.
Letting out a sigh, she spoke.
“Stop eating and come back. There are still a lot of people we need to greet.”
The third-year representative was waiting.
As members of the Sunhwan Cha Clan, they had roles they were expected to fulfil.
Trying to be gentle, Cha Eun-seo attempted to coax Cha Eun-sol along.
Then, after swallowing her food, Cha Eun-sol suddenly asked,
“Can’t you just do it by yourself?”
“What?”
“You’re the representative anyway, not me. You don’t really need me there, do you?”
“….”
With an innocent expression, Cha Eun-sol tilted her head.
She went “yum” and took another bite.
“I mean, I want that too…”
But everyone’s interested in you, not me.
Cha Eun-seo desperately held back the words that were about to spill out.
Her face twisted.
“Do you have any idea how I feel?”
Cha Eun-sol, hailed as a genius, would never understand.
What it meant to be born ordinary, and through relentless effort, become no more than merely talented.
“You’ll never understand. Not ever.”
She couldn’t expect her to.
Expecting understanding was a luxury.
Cha Eun-seo reminded herself of that, again and again.
“Yum yum. This is good. Ha-neul said we should eat together. Maybe I should’ve brought her along… what a shame.”
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