“Seems like you’ve been sighing a lot lately.”
I rolled my eyes playfully, and Go Yeon-ju responded with a soft smile and a nod.
“Yeah, my mind’s been a bit tangled.”
“When your mind’s a mess, taking a break is the best remedy. How about stepping away from work for a bit and refreshing yourself?”
“Oh my, is this a date proposal? You usually stay quiet no matter how much I try to coax you.”
Somehow, we had slipped back into formal speech with each other. It was a sign that we were wrapping up the conversation rather than dragging it out. It also meant that Go Yeon-ju had caught on to my intentions. I gently tapped her forehead, causing her to frown slightly, and replied in a calm voice.
“Haha, you could say it’s a date proposal. I’m planning another expedition outside the city next month. How about we hold hands and explore together? I’ve found a great spot.”
Go Yeon-ju chuckled at my words and shook her head.
“To you, a date means holding hands and laughing while slashing at monsters?”
“Better than moping around in an inn, right?”
“I should just stop talking. How long are you thinking?”
“Three weeks.”
At my straightforward answer, Go Yeon-ju looked stunned for a moment, then narrowed her eyes and spoke.
“Are you trying to bankrupt the inn? Do you know how much money went into building this place?”
“It’s already failing anyway. Hardly any users come by except us.”
”…Tch.”
With nothing to say to my blunt remark, she pouted and turned her head away. By the way, she was still resting her head on my lap, which was quite awkward as she moved around. I gently turned her head back and continued speaking.
“I told you it’s a great place. Don’t worry too much. Running this inn for three weeks in its current state would be less profitable.”
“Ha. Planning to discover another dungeon, are you?”
I answered her grumbling with a nonchalant face.
“Oh, how did you know?”
”…”
Go Yeon-ju looked at me, speechless.
After finishing my morning meditation and a quick wash, I came out to find the inn in chaos. The kids, who should have been sound asleep, were all gathered on the first floor with anxious faces. As I trudged down the stairs, I felt their eyes on me.
“Brother!”
“Yes, Sol. What’s going on?”
“There’s trouble! The inn is closing down!”
”…Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at An Sol’s words.
An Hyun and Yoo Jung looked quite disheveled, but An Sol seemed relatively neat. She must have woken up early, come downstairs, and been shocked by Go Yeon-ju’s actions, prompting her to wake the others. And when she couldn’t find me, she probably woke the others as a substitute. I could easily picture her actions and scratched my head as I took a seat.
“Ah… geez. Oppa, did you hear anything from the innkeeper?”
Yoo Jung plopped down next to me, looking annoyed, probably because she was woken up from a deep sleep. When I didn’t respond, she leaned her head on my shoulder. As I gently stroked her hair, her expression softened a bit.
An Hyun was looking around blankly, and An Sol was fidgeting nervously. (I didn’t realize her anxiety might be because Yoo Jung was leaning on my shoulder.)
Ha Yeon and Shin Sang-yong sat quietly at the table, seemingly having some inkling of what was going on from last night’s events.
Soon, the inn’s door creaked open, and a familiar user appeared. After closing the door, Go Yeon-ju walked over to me. Standing in front of me, she spoke in a relaxed voice.
“You’re up and about early.”
“Thanks to someone. Anyway, they say strike while the iron is hot. I’ve been feeling a bit lazy lately, so I thought I’d take care of it.”
She was probably referring to the deal we made last night. Her words were laced with thorns, but I shrugged and continued.
“Then you should have told me in advance. Please refund the remaining days.”
At my words, Go Yeon-ju bit her lip and glared at me sharply.
“Hmph. Looks like everyone’s here, so let’s have breakfast. What do you want to eat?”
“The usual. Seven servings of Course A.”
“Eight servings of Course A. Am I invisible?”
She poked me in the chest and headed to the kitchen. The others, who had been listening to our conversation, looked puzzled. Only Shin Sang-yong, with a serious expression, spoke to me in a low voice.
“Leader.”
“Yes.”
“You seem to have quite the knack for this.”
“Haha…”
I let out an awkward laugh, and Ha Yeon, who had been unsure, covered her mouth in shock.
“Soo-hyun… did you…?”
“No, we made a deal.”
“A deal?”
Ha Yeon asked skeptically. I nodded and gestured for the still-standing group to sit. An Hyun, who had been tilting his head in confusion, and An Sol, who had been glaring at Yoo Jung, quickly took their seats.
“I can’t share the details yet, but she’s agreed to close the inn for at least three weeks. The official reason is poor business.”
The group nodded in understanding. It was true that the inn hadn’t seen many users lately. I continued.
“During that time, she’ll be part of our caravan. As a fifth-year user, I believe she’ll be a great asset. I’ve given you a brief overview, but we’ll discuss the details when she returns. Any questions?”
Vivian immediately raised her hand. I nodded, allowing her to speak.
“Soo-hyun, I’m sure you have your reasons, but I’m a bit worried.”
“What worries you?”
I asked, and Vivian glanced around before continuing.
“You said more than three weeks, so does that mean you’ll take her on the next expedition?”
“Most likely.”
“Even if she’s a fifth-year user, can she integrate well into our caravan? She’s just an innkeeper… I’m honestly a bit uneasy.”
Vivian’s concerns weren’t entirely unfounded. Although she had adapted to the modern Hall Plain, she sometimes confused it with the ancient Hall Plain.
I clicked my tongue and addressed everyone.
“Sigh. Vivian.”
“Yes?”
“If you can hold your ground against that female user for more than ten minutes, I’ll never bother you again.”
“Uh, what?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Uh.”
Vivian, An Sol, Yoo Jung, and An Hyun all exclaimed in surprise. Although Ha Yeon was new, Vivian was still considered the second-in-command of the caravan. Despite her usual ditzy demeanor, she always showcased her skills during expeditions.
But I had judged the innkeeper to be superior to Vivian, which surprised everyone.
Honestly, while Vivian was skilled, she was no match for Go Yeon-ju, who had reached the <Top 10>. Even if Vivian summoned the best legion, Go Yeon-ju had the special ability
If Go Yeon-ju and Vivian were to fight, Go Yeon-ju would win decisively. So I spoke with confidence.
“I can vouch for her skills. What do you think, Vivian?”
Vivian blushed and lowered her head, replying softly.
“I-I don’t want to.”
“Huh?”
“I said I don’t want to.”
“Alright. Any other questions?”
I quickly changed the subject, hoping the others hadn’t heard Vivian’s dangerous implication. Fortunately, Yoo Jung seemed lost in thought, muttering, “Yeah… it was strange back then…” An Hyun and An Sol were staring blankly at each other, and Shin Sang-yong kept glancing towards the door, waiting for Go Yeon-ju. Only Ha Yeon had her eyes closed, lost in her own thoughts.
I was somewhat surprised by Go Yeon-ju’s actions. I thought it would take more time, but she was unexpectedly decisive. Or maybe it wasn’t so unexpected.
Just then, I heard the sound of a cart being pushed from the kitchen. An Hyun, snapping back to reality, quickly stood up from his chair.
“Hyung, I’m going to wash up.”
“Why not eat first?”
“No, I’ll be quick.”
Without waiting for my response, An Hyun dashed up the stairs. Watching him move faster than ever, I shook my head and waited for breakfast with a light heart.
Eventually, Go Yeon-ju pushed the cart right up to us, calmly set the food on the table, and took a seat. She glanced around at the group with an indifferent expression before finally addressing An-sol, who was sneaking glances at her.
“Hello, little one. Where’s your brother?”
“He… um… went to wash up…”
An-sol mumbled, fidgeting, and Go Yeon-ju leaned in as if she hadn’t heard.
“Sorry, what was that? Could you speak up a bit?”
“Ugh…”
An-sol, who was painfully shy, pouted and looked to me for help. Yu-jeong sighed at the sight and spoke up.
“He’s gone to wash up.”
“Ah, I see… how cute. Anyway, User Kim Soo-hyun, have you told them about me?”
“Somewhat. Would you like to fill in the rest yourself?”
“They’ll figure it out as we go along. I’ll explain more when everyone’s gathered after the meal. For now, let’s eat while it’s hot.”
Despite Go Yeon-ju’s gentle encouragement, no one picked up their utensils. When she looked around in confusion, everyone was staring at me. With a sigh, I picked up my spoon and took a sip of the soup. Only after I had taken a bite did the others start eating. Watching this, Go Yeon-ju began her meal with a composed demeanor, though I could see her lips twitching as she tried to suppress a smile. I silently vowed to break this habit soon, casting a slight glare at Yu-jeong, who had started this whole thing.
A little while later, we heard a commotion from upstairs as An-hyun came clattering down the stairs. His face was still damp, as if he’d just splashed some water on it in a hurry. The hurried footsteps slowed as they reached the first floor, and soon, a more measured pace echoed through the lobby.
An-hyun entered the dining area where we were seated, feigning surprise upon seeing Go Yeon-ju. He quickly adopted a polite tone.
“Oh, you’re joining us for a meal today.”
“Yes, it seems so.”
Go Yeon-ju replied with a charming smile, and An-hyun nodded slightly before continuing.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m An-hyun, a first-year user. My profession… well, I use a spear.”
His face was full of pride. Yu-jeong, in the middle of eating stew, looked disgusted, and An-sol, despite being his sister, acted as if she didn’t know him. Amused by everyone’s reactions, Go Yeon-ju chuckled behind her hand and responded in a languid tone.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Go Yeon-ju, a fifth-year user. My profession is… the Shadow Queen.”
“Oh, I see…”
“Phfft!”
At that moment, An-sol, who had been drinking water, couldn’t help but spit it out in surprise.
Where she had heard it, I didn’t know, but An-sol was indeed the model student.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yu-jin.
Yes, I apologize. There will be no reply for episode 128. I swear I posted it right at 12:00 on March 12th, but it showed up as March 11th, 11:59. Sigh… I couldn’t let that slide, so here’s another chapter. I have to get up at 6 today, and it’s driving me crazy. Haha.
Sometimes I think I might have a touch of OCD. Oh dear. ㅜ.ㅠ
Well, I’m off to bed now. I hope you all have a restful night. :)