“Hey, are you really too dense to understand, or are you just pretending not to get it?”
The voice pierced through Kim Hanbyul’s mind like a sharp needle. She looked up with a dazed expression, only to find Seong Yubin sitting there, legs crossed, looking down at her with an air of arrogance. Yubin took a drag from the cigarette in her right hand and exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
“Are you really that clueless? What? You don’t get it? Hahaha!”
Seong Yubin laughed—or at least, Hanbyul heard laughter. But the Yubin sitting in front of her wasn’t laughing at all. Her eyes were sharp, almost predatory, and Hanbyul instinctively took a step back.
“Ah.”
A small gasp escaped Hanbyul’s lips. It felt as if invisible chains were binding her, rendering her unable to move. No matter how hard she tried, her body wouldn’t respond, and a sense of despair began to creep over her face.
“Let me spell it out for you. Listen carefully. You need to get close to that guy. Use your body, offer yourself to that mercenary, Road. Got it now? Do I really have to say it so bluntly?”
“No…”
Hanbyul’s voice was barely a whisper, squeezed out with great effort. But nothing changed. The chains held firm, and Yubin’s eyes were filled with mocking disdain. Hanbyul couldn’t turn away, couldn’t cover her ears, couldn’t close her eyes. Memories she wished to forget began to flood in.
“Don’t worry. Once you do the job, we’ll take care of the rest. Just close your eyes once and let it happen.”
“Not like this…!”
“Why do you want to stay so pure? Don’t feel bad. When I joined the Golden Lion…”
It was then that Yubin’s form began to distort grotesquely, and the words that had been stabbing at Hanbyul’s mind started to fade. Though she hadn’t regained her freedom, the mere fact that Yubin was disappearing allowed Hanbyul to breathe a sigh of relief.
But then, the distorted image of Yubin began to reform into another face. Cold eyes, a sharp nose, lips set in a calm line, a composed and indifferent expression.
The moment Hanbyul recognized the fully reformed face, a small scream escaped her. The person now before her was none other than Kim Suhyun.
As their eyes met, the flow of time seemed to pause, only to rush forward again with a flood of new memories.
“People who believe in me. And those I can trust.”
“I wished I had at least one person who felt like family.”
“No…”
The memory of the day before her academy graduation. Hanbyul shook her head in denial, but only a few tears fell. Despite her efforts, more recent memories began to surface.
“And during that time, nothing happened to break our trust.”
“No! It’s not true!”
“Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn’t trust someone who left like that.”
“Nooooooo!”
When I woke up in the morning, my head was buzzing with a dull ache. I felt exhausted, probably because I hadn’t slept well. I had woken up several times during the night to Hanbyul’s restless murmurs—she must have been having nightmares. Instinctively, I glanced at the bed next to mine, only to find it neatly made and empty. She must have left early before I woke up.
I let out a meaningless sigh and slowly got up. Today was a day I had been looking forward to—Go Yeonju was visiting the academy. I was eager to hear about the kids I hadn’t seen in a while and curious about what decision she had made regarding Park Hyunwoo’s proposal.
After a quick wash, I stepped out of the dormitory and was greeted by the slightly bustling scene of the academy. Normally, weekends were quiet, but today was different, likely because of the anticipated meeting between Go Yeonju and Park Hyunwoo.
“The Golden Lion must be in quite a stir.”
Knowing a bit about the internal affairs of the Golden Lion, I clicked my tongue and moved on. There was still plenty of time, but I planned to arrive early at the Easter Egg and wait for Yeonju. Besides, the fresh air mixed with the scent of grass might help clear my cluttered mind.
Upon reaching the Easter Egg, I stretched out on the grass, feeling the refreshing air fill my lungs. The warm sunlight bathed me, and a cool breeze blew, gradually washing away the fatigue that had settled in my body.
”…”
I activated my senses, just in case someone approached, and enjoyed a moment of peace.
Time passed, and soon my stomach reminded me it was lunchtime. I felt a bit hungry, having skipped breakfast. Just as I considered grabbing a bite in case Yeonju was late, I sensed someone approaching the Easter Egg from the right.
Turning my head, I saw Go Yeonju emerge from between the trees, a gentle smile on her face. Seeing the basket hanging from her left arm, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of delight.
“Darling~.”
“It’s been… a while.”
Her enthusiastic greeting caught me off guard, and I stumbled over my words. I chuckled awkwardly, noticing that she was dressed differently than usual. She usually had a slightly playful vibe, but today she looked more like a demure wife. Surprisingly, the look suited her well, and I found myself appreciating her outfit with a light heart.
After a warm embrace, we sat side by side on the grass and opened the basket. Seeing the delicious food Yeonju had prepared, I was glad I hadn’t eaten breakfast.
“Are you hungry? How about we eat first and talk later?”
“Sounds good to me.”
As I ate the food Yeonju had made, I listened to her stories. Since I was eating, she kept the conversation light, a thoughtful gesture to ensure a pleasant meal.
I was particularly interested in the kids’ training progress, and I was pleased to hear they were doing well. With the academy graduation approaching, I looked forward to seeing how much they had grown.
Yeonju mentioned that Vivian missed me a lot, and with that, I finished most of the food. As I rubbed my full stomach, Yeonju began tidying up with graceful movements. Her unusually compliant demeanor struck me as odd, but I decided to let it go, thinking it was a good thing.
Watching her fold the cloth we had spread on the grass, I spoke in a quiet voice. It was time to get to the main topic.
“Yeonju.”
“Yes?”
“What about Park Hyunwoo’s proposal? What did you decide?”
“Oh, I accepted it. I figured it would be better to help out a bit.”
Accepted. Yeonju answered nonchalantly, which didn’t surprise me since it was within my expectations. She must have her reasons. But I was curious about those reasons.
“You told me not to trust the Golden Lion, right?”
“Yes, I did. I don’t trust them either. But even considering that, I concluded that it’s worth investigating. You’ve heard the gist, right?”
“Yes. What do you think, Yeonju? Do you really think the Grandmother is missing, or is it just the Golden Lion’s paranoia?”
At my question, Yeonju paused her tidying and seemed lost in thought. After about a minute, she turned to me and spoke calmly.
“Honestly, when I first heard Suhyun’s words, and even until this morning, I was inclined to refuse. But after doing some research and seeing the records Park Hyunwoo provided, I changed my mind.”
“So, is the Grandmother really missing?”
“Nothing is certain yet. But at least it doesn’t seem like the Golden Lion is exaggerating. And…”
“And?”
“Well, I guess we’ll have to see for ourselves. But I can’t shake this uneasy feeling. Like maybe we’re already too late…”
Yeonju trailed off with a worried expression, then closed the basket lid. She pushed it aside and turned to me with a soft smile.
“We’re set to leave tomorrow. We’ve recalled the current investigation team, and we’ve also secured support from allied clans, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous.”
“So, you’ll be leading them?”
“Of course. We’ll conduct a preliminary investigation to decide whether to enter the mountain range. If we confirm entry, we’ll proceed with a second investigation. If it ends with the first, it might be quick, but if it goes to the second, it could take at least two weeks.”
“Two weeks, huh? The kids will be thrilled.”
I spoke sincerely, but Go Yeon-ju burst into laughter, perhaps thinking I was joking. Then she reassured me, “Don’t worry, Ha-yeon is here.”
“Oh, right. Speaking of Ha-yeon, since I’m leaving tomorrow, I need to delegate some tasks. I came here planning to decline, so I completely forgot.”
“You could handle it over the phone, but it sounds like you have a busy day ahead.”
“Seems like it. I need to hand things over… I’ll be joining the investigation team and Princica later.”
“You’re working hard. Aren’t you tired?”
“Aww, Su-hyeon~ I’m exhausted~.”
Yeon-ju immediately leaned into me with a playful whine. I awkwardly embraced her, noticing how her initial demure expression was fading, revealing her true self.
‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’
As I tried to calm my restless mind, Yeon-ju’s voice, tinged with excitement, reached me.
“The real departure is tomorrow. Since we’re meeting this afternoon, we still have some time.”
“Hmm. Still, it’s better to prepare in advance, isn’t it?”
“I’d like to, but I’m completely drained right now. Someone needs to recharge me quickly.”
“Haha. So hugging me is your idea of recharging?”
I replied with a wry smile, recalling past events. But unexpectedly, Yeon-ju shook her head.
“That does recharge me, but it takes too long. I need something more direct and quick.”
“What? A quick recharge?”
“Yes. You need to energize the Go Yeon-ju product quickly, or I might just collapse.”
“What are you…?”
Yeon-ju gave a sly smile and spread her legs, pointing with her finger to the center of her thighs.
“Here. This is the socket. So, would you plug it in?”
Her gaze shifted downward, and I instinctively closed my legs, speaking in a flustered voice.
“Yeon-ju, we’re inside the academy, and this is a public place.”
“So what? Outdoor play can be fun sometimes. I’ve always wanted to try it.”
“Wait a minute. How did we end up talking about this?”
“Hey! Who told you to tempt me first?”
With a spirited shout, Yeon-ju lunged at me. I wanted to protest that I never tempted her, but a memory of a brief kiss we shared flashed through my mind. How did that become a provocation?
But I had no time to think or react. I could only watch in a daze as her quick hands reached for my pants.
Thankfully, the outdoor play that day went off without a hitch (meaning we didn’t get caught), and Yeon-ju left with a satisfied smile.
I was supposed to see her off, but instead, she ended up supporting me all the way to the main building. As a side note, when I stumbled into my dorm, Kim Han-byeol, who was sitting on the bed folding my instructor uniform, looked at me with a shocked expression.
After sending Yeon-ju off, I heard that the investigation team, led by the “Shadow Queen,” had set out at the start of the ninth week. It wasn’t officially announced, but Hyun-woo Park had mentioned it in passing, and it was an open secret among some clans due to the support they received.
There wasn’t much I could do in the meantime. I just hoped she would return safely as I continued my days at the academy, which were slowly winding down.
And so, two weeks passed.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yu-jin.
Ah, Kim Su-hyeon, you sly character. Pretending to be flustered when you’re actually enjoying it. T^T Just wait a little longer. Oh, forget what I just said. I was just planning Su-hyeon’s future… (thud thud!) Ahem. It’s a lovely weekend! (Changing the subject!) I recently asked readers about marriage, and I was surprised by the overwhelming number of comments. I read each one, and here’s what I gathered: 1. Marriage depends on the couple. 2. It’s better to shatter the author’s fantasies. 3. Money. These three points sum it up. Hahaha. OTL I was also shocked to see comments about husbands living on allowances. (Do you really receive that little? ;ㅇ;)
『 Reader Replies 』
Riman: Congratulations on being first. It’s always refreshing to see new faces in the comments for the noon updates. (?) I hope you enjoy this chapter too. :)
psinfx112: Oh! Is that true? If it’s not too much trouble, I’d love to know who you are! I’m curious!
Shiraya: Right. Some clans might actually welcome users like Park Hwan-hee.
Sereson: It’s sad to see a reader who embodies Ansol leaving. ㅜ.ㅠ Thank you for your support. I’ll be waiting with plenty of content for your return!
HarujionS: Haha. The academy is entering its final stages. I’ll address the key points, but I’ll try to move quickly through the rest. :) Please wait a little longer~.
Letzgo02: Sniff. Please have pity on Han-byeol. But I still have a secret weapon for her… Oops! Almost spoiled it… Ahem.
LegendaryUser: Thank you for your kind words. Your comments are applicable to my real life too. With finals and assignments approaching, I’m planning to prepare in advance this time. Haha.
Ocean: Before the academy, the protagonist’s true feelings will be revealed at least once. Please read it then, and if it still seems off, I’d appreciate your advice. I’ll definitely consider it for future revisions or e-book corrections. (__)
sk456ttt: Thank you for your valuable advice. I also enjoy seeing the protagonist in action. Running a clan, exploring dungeons, building reputation, and establishing a foothold, etc. However, please see the current academy arc as laying the groundwork for the protagonist’s future actions and the main flow of Memorize. Also, your tone was not offensive at all. You were very polite, much more so than some others in the past. (…….)
Kotikarte: Of course. I’m worried that my strong convictions might come off as stubbornness, but I plan to stick to my plans. However, I read all the comments from readers. I can’t always be right. :)
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t feel too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the replies.
If you have any pressing questions, feel free to message me, and I’ll respond!
With that, I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.