A Meaningful Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hmm hmm. Hm hm hmm. Hmm hmm. Hm hm hmm.”
The next morning, the group sat huddled around the table, waiting for breakfast. Normally, they would be chatting about this and that, but today, everyone was unusually silent. All eyes were on Go Yeon-ju, who was acting a bit out of the ordinary.
Unfazed by the curious glances, Yeon-ju busily carried dishes to the table.
“Hm hm hmm. Hmm hmm. Hm hm hmm.”
With a bright smile, she hummed a cheerful tune. I had a hunch about the reason behind her good mood, but I pretended not to notice and looked away.
“Breakfast is served~.”
Yeon-ju announced in a voice twice as sweet as usual, setting the food on the table. The dishes she prepared today were a feast for the eyes, and the group couldn’t help but gasp in delight. It was a far cry from our usual breakfast.
Typically, we had the A-course meal for breakfast, which included bread, soup, and stew—a simple and light menu. I always ordered the A-course to avoid feeling too full, which could hinder the start of my day.
But today, the spread was lavish and extravagant, surpassing even the C-course. When a steaming steak was finally placed on the table, Shin Sang-yong awkwardly smiled and spoke to Yeon-ju.
“Yeon-ju, you seem to be in a good mood today.”
“Oh, do I? Hm hm hmm.”
“It’s impressive you made all this by yourself. Thanks to you, we’re having quite the feast this morning. Haha.”
“Hoho, it’s not every day you get this. Especially for the gentlemen, I’ve added some special ingredients that are good for stamina. Eat up, and maybe you’ll make more progress next time.”
“Ahem, that’s a bit… Anyway, progress, you say? What do you mean by that…?”
“Hmm.”
Yeon-ju’s playful comment left Sang-yong scratching his head awkwardly. I cleared my throat, and she winked at me before taking a seat. Memories of our kiss last night flashed through my mind—the warmth and softness of her lips. I touched my lips briefly before picking up my spoon. (As a side note, I always started eating first, and the others followed suit, a habit I couldn’t seem to break.)
Just as I was about to take a spoonful of soup, footsteps echoed down the stairs.
Thud… Thud… Thud… Thud…
Hearing Yoo-jung’s steps, I couldn’t help but smile. There was a pause between each step, and she no longer rushed down the stairs. She seemed more relaxed, as if she’d made a decision after some thought.
The others also turned their attention to the stairs, and as expected, it was Lee Yoo-jung who appeared.
Arriving last, Yoo-jung looked a bit drowsy. Her usually sharp eyes had softened, and her hair seemed to have a faint reddish tint. Watching her, I smiled to myself. It seemed she had made a bold decision, realizing she couldn’t just stay still. I glanced at Yeon-ju, who also looked surprised, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Yoo-jung joined us at the table, glancing around before quietly taking a seat. The group sensed the change in her demeanor, and they watched her with unfamiliar expressions. If the old Yoo-jung was a tomboyish rascal, the current Yoo-jung exuded a dreamy, subtle allure.
After a moment, Ahn Sol, who had been cautiously observing her, spoke up in a hesitant voice.
“Uh, sis. Did you sleep well?”
“Oh, yes. Did you?”
“Yes…”
Yoo-jung replied in a calm voice. It’s rare for someone to change drastically after wielding a magic sword, but it does happen. Yoo-jung seemed to be showing signs of such a change. Could it be that the sword truly accepted her as its user?
Sol tilted her head in confusion at Yoo-jung’s response. It was typical behavior for a female user, but having known Yoo-jung, she couldn’t quite accept it. Ahn Hyun felt the same. After staring at Yoo-jung with a blank expression, he finally spoke up, his voice forced.
“Wow, what brings you here on time? Acting like a kid, sulking. So, are you feeling better now…?”
“Hey.”
“Huh? What?”
Yoo-jung interrupted Hyun, glaring at him. He flinched under her gaze, sensing something different but unable to pinpoint what it was. The only clear change was that Yoo-jung, who would have snapped back with a curse, was now holding her tongue. This alone made the group feel awkward.
Finally, Yoo-jung spoke slowly.
“Why don’t you stop talking and eat? Don’t ruin my mood first thing in the morning.”
“What, what did you say?”
“Oppa, have you started eating?”
Hyun stammered, but Yoo-jung ignored him and turned to me. I chuckled at her response and nodded.
“Yes, let’s eat.”
“Wow, what a feast today. Looks delicious. Enjoy your meal, oppa.”
“Yes, yes. Let’s all dig in.”
I declared, looking at the still-bewildered group, and cut a piece of steak, savoring the tender meat filling my mouth. I was satisfied, knowing they must have had a long conversation last night.
I had my doubts, given the sword’s nature, that Yoo-jung might change for the worse. But it seemed my worries were unfounded. Their compatibility was better than I had anticipated. Of course, only time would tell how things would unfold, but the start was promising.
“Oppa, try this.”
Yoo-jung placed a neatly cut piece of meat on my plate, and I smiled contentedly.
“Hehe, I’m so full. So happy.”
“I think I ate too much this morning, Master.”
“It’s fine~ It’s fine~.”
Vivian patted her slightly protruding belly with a blissful smile. Ah, I wanted to tease her, but anyway, Shin Sang-yong chuckled and sipped his tea beside her.
Four of us, including myself, sat at the table. After breakfast, the group usually followed my orders, but today, some were lingering.
The user who impressed me the most was Ha-yeon. After breakfast, she dragged Sol upstairs as usual. She must have noticed Yoo-jung’s change but deemed it positive, so she didn’t question it and took Sol with her. It was a rational decision, typical of Ha-yeon.
As for Yeon-ju, she began clearing the dishes once everyone finished eating. When she took some dishes to the kitchen, Yoo-jung, who had been deep in thought, followed her with her own dishes. The users were surprised, but I remained unfazed.
Yoo-jung didn’t come out of the kitchen, and I didn’t know what happened inside. (Of course, I could have found out, but I chose not to.)
I did catch a glimpse of Yoo-jung’s face as she entered the kitchen, and her eyes had a faint reddish glow. The progress was faster than expected. After a while, Yeon-ju returned to collect more dishes, her smile noticeably brighter.
Some of the group tried to question Yeon-ju, but I silenced them with a gesture. Since things had turned out this way, I decided to let Yeon-ju handle it as she pleased.
“Ugh… I have no idea what’s going on. Hyung, why is Yoo-jung acting like that all of a sudden?”
Hyun, who had been scratching his head in confusion, grumbled. Watching him, Vivian yawned and replied.
“Yawn~ Yum yum. It’s delicious. Who cares? It seems like a good change. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Well, yeah, but… Ugh, you don’t get it. I’ve known her since the beginning, and today is the first time Yoo-jung felt like a woman. It’s so awkward, I could die. Ugh.”
I sipped my tea, observing them. It was time to wrap things up. We couldn’t sit around forever, especially with Yoo-jung still in the kitchen.
“Hyun, we don’t have time for this.”
I spoke to Hyun in a calm voice. He looked up, startled, and swallowed nervously.
“Yes, hyung? What do you mean we don’t have time?”
“You know why Yoo-jung followed Yeon-ju, right?”
“Well… It’s because of what you asked her to do last time, right? She should have done it sooner instead of making things awkward and then regretting it. Tsk tsk.”
Ahn Hyun shook his head as he spoke, but beneath his words lay a strong sense of pride in his skills as a spear master. Pride is good, but when it crosses the line into arrogance, it can lead to a dangerous complacency. It seemed like Ahn Hyun needed a bit of a wake-up call.
“Heh, anyway, the important thing is that Yoo Jung is fired up enough to act like that. Go Yeon Joo is a recognized expert, after all. Plus, I gave Yoo Jung a powerful weapon last night. You better keep up, or you’ll be left behind.”
At first, Ahn Hyun looked indifferent, but as the conversation went on, his expression grew more serious. Especially when he heard the words “powerful weapon,” he looked at me with a rather aggrieved expression.
“Hyung, that’s not fair. Why do you favor Yoo Jung so much?”
”…What? You little… After all the rare class and spear skills you’ve got?”
“Oh, I guess I overreacted a bit. But hearing you say that makes me anxious. I thought I was working hard, but I guess I need to step it up.”
“That’s not a bad idea. While rest is important, you’re still in your first year, so you can never train too much. And you have that excellent guidebook, the record book.”
“Oh, right. I finished reading the translated version yesterday. Perfect timing. Vivian?”
“Hmph.”
Ahn Hyun called out to Vivian, who immediately pouted. She seemed annoyed at being disturbed while she was feeling content. Ahn Hyun glanced at me, and I turned my gaze to Vivian. Under my steady gaze, she reluctantly got up, and Shin Sang Yong followed suit.
As I gathered everyone’s teacups, I spoke up.
“Just leave the teacups. I’ll take them to the kitchen. We have a meeting about new objectives soon. Even though it’s a maintenance period, let’s not get too relaxed. Have a productive day, everyone.”
“Yes, hyung.”
“Yes, leader. I’ll do my best.”
Ahn Hyun and Shin Sang Yong responded energetically, but Vivian just nodded with a sullen expression, probably thinking I was talking about her. After sending them off, I took the teacups and headed to the kitchen.
“Hmm. At least it looks decent.”
Once in the kitchen, I looked around and muttered to myself. It was my first time in Go Yeon Joo’s kitchen. The dishes were still piled up, unwashed. I figured I could just stack the teacups on top, and they’d get cleaned eventually. Just as I was about to set them down—
Bang!
“Ugh!”
There was a door in the kitchen. As far as I knew, Go Yeon Joo lived in the room beyond it. Now, I heard a loud thud from inside. Instinctively, I realized Yoo Jung and Go Yeon Joo had already started training.
“Get up right now. Do I look like Kim Soo Hyun to you? Up in one second.”
“Ugh… Haaaah!”
“I told you not to swing so wildly.”
Thud! Bang!
“Cough! Ugh, blegh.”
”…”
I heard Go Yeon Joo’s voice and Yoo Jung’s pained cries, followed by the sound of retching. The sounds of hitting and being hit were just a bonus. I was a bit taken aback, not expecting this kind of teaching method.
Starting with a beating. I sighed at such a brute-force approach. Still, I realized Go Yeon Joo was passionate about teaching in her own way. As a user of the “10th Rank,” it would be silly for me to interfere. Despite my initial doubts, I decided to stick to my original plan.
I stood for a moment, listening to the sounds from the door, then quietly set the teacups down and left the kitchen.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. I was writing today and got so sleepy that I lay down for a bit. I think it was around 10:41 PM. Fortunately, I woke up at 11:01 PM. I almost fell asleep, but I managed to get up. Haha.
I always think it would be great to have three bodies, or even just two. It would make things so much easier. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Hmm hmm;;: Oh, congratulations on being first. I didn’t know you could use <;;> in a username. Haha.
obscura: I’m starting to like Go Yeon Joo more and more. Originally, it was Han Byul for me. :)
Dorae: I’m back!
Hanery: I laughed so much after reading your comment. Really, when you think about it, it’s true, isn’t it? Su Hyun is so unfair. What if the girl gets tired and refuses to kiss him out of frustration? LOL.
BrokenFan: Thank you for the Seraph update today. I could feel the attention to detail just from the illustrations. I always enjoy the fan art. Thank you! :)
DawnBlade: That’s right. Han Byul is the best.
CelestialBloodGod: LOL. LOL. LOL.
Infernius: Su Hyun isn’t impotent. LOL. He proved it last time, so why is this rumor coming up again? LOL.
Trickster: Oh, that sounds interesting. Han Byul’s fate might be in the hands of the readers. (?!)
zjekfksqlc: Haha. Please wait a little longer. I want to meet Han Byul soon too. I miss you, Han Byul. ㅜ.ㅠ
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
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If you’re really curious about something, send me a message, and I’ll reply!
That’s all for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
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