“Please, just take a break.”
As soon as I opened my eyes, the ceiling seemed to spin around me. My entire body felt drained, and my head was swimming with dizziness. I tried to sit up, but the heavy weight pressing down on my stomach forced me to give up.
“Ugh… I’m going to lose it.”
I didn’t know why, but a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me. I let out a deep sigh and muttered to myself, waiting for the dizziness to subside as I checked over my body.
“Magic circuits are fine… no sensory issues. But my strength…”
I clenched and unclenched my hands a few times, realizing just how depleted my energy was.
Magic not only has its inherent power but also amplifies all abilities except luck. Stamina is the foundation that supports and maintains this. But I had been using high-efficiency magic without enough stamina to back it up. It was no wonder my body was rebelling. If it weren’t for my accumulated endurance and the mindset of “I can’t collapse,” I might have been the first to fall.
Realizing this, I felt a sense of urgency. Technically, my body had recovered somewhat after a night’s sleep. I was definitely better than yesterday. But I hadn’t bounced back to my usual self, meaning my recovery rate had dropped. If I continued like this, I had a strong feeling something would go seriously wrong.
“I can’t put this off any longer.”
I resolved to address my stamina issue soon, even if it meant investing all my remaining points into it.
As I lay still, blinking, the spinning ceiling gradually settled back into place. The dizziness had mostly faded, but the weight pressing on my abdomen remained.
”…”
A strange feeling crept over me. I lifted my head slightly to look down and saw the center of the blanket rising and falling gently, as if something alive was beneath it. I quickly pulled the blanket back, and there it was—a baby unicorn curled up on my stomach, lost in dreamland.
“Gyuu… Gyuu…”
“So you’re the culprit.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the sleeping baby unicorn. Carefully, so as not to wake it, I got up and quietly opened the door. Just as I was about to step out, I felt a tug.
“Huh?”
The baby unicorn, now awake, was nibbling on my heel with sleepy eyes. When our eyes met, it let go with a soft “Kyu,” as if asking not to be left behind.
I picked it up and opened the door to leave. The unicorn seemed quite pleased, nodding its head as it looked around the hallway. Just then, a shadow flitted past.
“So busy, so busy.”
As soon as I stepped into the hallway, a dark figure rushed by. It was Vivian, muttering “So busy, so busy” as she hurried towards the stairs. I decided to watch her for a moment.
“Oh! I forgot something! I have to go back to my room to get it!”
As she neared the stairs, her pace noticeably slowed, almost as if she were under a Slow spell. Finally, she clapped her hands and muttered loudly enough for me to hear. Amused by her antics, I decided to play along.
“Vivian?”
“HiKimSooHyunGoodMorning!”
She turned around immediately, as if she’d been waiting for me to call her. Her overly prepared morning greeting was almost too much to handle, but I managed to keep a straight face.
“Hey. What’s got you so… busy?”
“Oh, just a little something. But what’s that?”
“A unicorn. Didn’t you hear yesterday?”
“Oh! I did! I was dying to see it, but Go Yeonju told me not to go into your room, so I held back.”
Vivian’s eyes sparkled as she approached quickly, as if she’d cast a Haste spell on herself. She bent down to get a closer look at the baby unicorn, which was now fully awake and staring back at her with its bright eyes.
Their gazes met.
“Wow, so this is a unicorn. It’s beautiful… What’s its name?”
“I haven’t officially named it yet.”
Vivian waved her hand in a friendly greeting.
“Hello.”
“Kyu.”
“Hello?”
“Kyu?”
“Hello!”
“Kyu!”
“Please, stop.”
Vivian’s lips curled into a smile, and the unicorn’s eyes seemed to twinkle. Just as I was trying to decipher their exchange, Vivian straightened up and extended her hand with a broad smile.
“Wow! You’re a really good unicorn, aren’t you?”
“Kyu~!”
“Hoho! I like you. I don’t know if you understand, but I’m Vivian La Clacidas, the second-in-command here… maybe. Anyway, I’ll have your back from now on, so feel free to relax!”
“Kyu Kyu~!”
“Are they actually communicating?”
Smack!
And now a high-five.
Whatever was so delightful, they both beamed at each other, and I found myself watching the scene in a daze.
Despite the little morning incident, running into Vivian in the hallway was a stroke of luck. Thanks to her, I managed to have breakfast delivered to my room. Although she claimed to be busy, she brought enough for both of us, which led to a heartwarming scene of the baby unicorn and me sharing bites of food. Of course, I didn’t forget to ask about the elixirs during the meal.
Originally, I planned for everyone to have breakfast on their own and then hold a brief meeting. However, most of the clan members didn’t wake up until around lunchtime. I didn’t blame them. The excessive eating and drinking yesterday were just part of it. They needed to rest and recover from the fatigue of the expedition. I was a bit surprised that Jeong Ha-yeon woke up late, though.
In any case, it wasn’t until well past lunch that I could finally hold the meeting.
“Yuni, Yuni.”
“Kyu Kyu, Kyu Kyu.”
“Did you enjoy your breakfast and lunch?”
An Sol had the baby unicorn in front of her, making it dance like a puppet by holding its front legs.
The baby unicorn was an instant hit with the clan members. It had already been passed from Vivian to Lee Yoo-jung to Kim Han-byeol, and now to An Sol. One might think it would be tired of the attention, but it seemed to enjoy every moment, chirping happily.
“Soo-hyun.”
While watching An Sol play with the unicorn, Jeong Ha-yeon’s gentle voice reached my ears. I turned to see her clear blue eyes. Her already elegant appearance had become more intellectual and mysterious since she engraved the Amplification Gem. As I gazed into her eyes, her cheeks flushed slightly.
“Why are you looking at me like that…?”
“Just because. Anyway, why did you call me?”
“Oh, I was wondering if you’ve thought about what to do with the unicorn.”
“Well, I think we should keep it hidden until the clan house is completed. What do you two think?”
On either side of me sat Go Yeon-ju and Jeong Ha-yeon. As I stretched and asked, they both fell into thought before sharing their opinions.
“Hmm~. If you plan to reveal it eventually, I don’t see why we should hide it. It’s not like we’re the only ones who know about it. Other users are aware, so rumors will spread. If you’re worried about Hanna, don’t be. I’ll talk to her.”
“I agree. And from what I heard yesterday, it’s a poor thing. Keeping it cooped up might make it more depressed. I think letting it roam freely would be better for both us and the unicorn.”
Their points were valid. I always consider the “what ifs.” This habit might be useful during expeditions or in life-threatening situations, but it can be inconvenient in everyday life.
Jeong Ha-yeon might not understand, but Go Yeon-ju likely caught my drift. It’s never a bad idea to be cautious, especially with some of the women from the Night Flowers having sticky fingers.
“Well, we’ve never had anything stolen, so maybe it’s fine to reveal it sooner. It could even help promote our recent expedition…”
As I mulled it over, I finally made up my mind. We wouldn’t go out of our way to hide the unicorn before the house was completed, but we wouldn’t flaunt it either. Of course, protecting the unicorn would be a given.
Just as I was about to nod in agreement, someone spoke up.
“Hey, but calling it Yuni seems a bit off.”
“What? Why? Why not?”
“You know it’s true. What’s with ‘Uni’? Seriously, you have no talent for naming things. And what’s the deal with ‘Nunu’? That white blob? That name’s weird too.”
“N-Nunu? It’s Lulu! And what’s wrong with Uni…?”
A tense energy crackled between Yujeong and Ansol. Was Ansol upset about holding onto the unicorn for so long, or did she genuinely dislike the name? Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of ‘Uni’ either, so I found Yujeong’s words somewhat refreshing. Maybe ‘Kyu-Kyu’ would be better?
Watching the two bicker, I decided to intervene with a calm voice.
“Go Yeonju.”
“Yes, Suhyeon. Alright, everyone, quiet down.”
Yeonju responded immediately, raising her voice. As soon as she spoke, the noisy atmosphere quickly settled. Even the unicorn seemed to sense the change, slipping out of Ansol’s arms and trotting over to me. Smart little thing.
As I gently petted the unicorn’s head, now quietly settled in front of me, I addressed Yujeong and Ansol.
“Let’s take our time thinking of a name. This one’s smarter than it looks. It’ll probably react when it hears a name it likes.”
“Okay.”
The two nodded and returned to their seats. Once everyone’s attention was on me, I spoke in a relaxed tone.
“As I mentioned yesterday, thank you to the clan members who went on the expedition and those who stayed behind to handle things in the city. It’s nice to see everyone looking lively again.”
”…”
“But we should be cautious. It’s good to enjoy ourselves, but too much of anything can be harmful. And remember, our work isn’t completely finished yet. There are still ongoing tasks. I’m sure you’re all aware.”
The room was quieter, but not as tense as before. Just a few embarrassed faces here and there. I knew the importance of morale and didn’t want to be an oblivious leader, so I decided to change the subject.
Turning to Jeong Hayeon, who was sitting quietly, I asked about the first agenda item.
“User Jeong Hayeon, please report on the progress of the clan house.”
“Yes, I’ll start right away. Since you returned earlier than expected, we haven’t been able to show you the completed clan house yet. But it’s almost done. We’ve kept the basic structure of the building, but the exterior has been completely renovated, and we’re just finishing up the interior.”
“What about the additional requests I made before I left?”
“You mean the personal training area? It’s completed. All construction should be finished in five days at the latest. Of course, we still need to furnish it and hire staff, but…”
“Understood… I’ll take a look when I head out later today.”
Hayeon smiled as she pulled out a thick report, and I waved it off with a light chuckle. I planned to inspect it, but not right now.
“User Shin Sangyong. I heard something from Vivian this morning… Is it true?”
“Y-Yes? Uh, what exactly…?”
“Vivian mentioned that the success rate of the elixir distillation was originally fifty percent, but you increased it to eighty percent.”
“Haha, what are you saying? It was all under the guidance of my mentor. I just improved the odds a bit. It was a fluke, really. And I can’t guarantee the efficacy.”
Despite my knowing tone, Sangyong answered humbly. I smiled gently at him and then turned my attention to Vivian.
“But you mentioned there’s a problem?”
“Yeah.”
“Something about the warp gate? What’s going on?”
“I’m not entirely sure. We got a message through the crystal ball two days before you returned. The materials we ordered from Barbara are suddenly delayed.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“Honestly, we ordered a bit extra since you said you’d support us, and we needed to experiment. But now, out of the blue, there’s a delay. They assured us it would arrive within three days, so there’s no need to worry. The materials are exclusive to Barbara anyway.”
Vivian hadn’t been idle. She’d gone all the way to the big city of Barbara to source materials and check the equipment needed for alchemy. But there was a hiccup with the warp gate, causing a delay in delivery, as she mentioned earlier.
“Hmm…”
Warp gates are typically controlled by the city’s leading clan. So, a problem with the gate likely meant the Golden Lion clan was causing trouble. I tapped the table thoughtfully and let out a short sigh.
“Well, we can’t start distillation until the clan house is complete anyway. So, it’s guaranteed to be resolved within three days?”
“Yeah. They said if it doesn’t work out, they’ll route it through another city. Hehe, maybe they’re treating us well because we bought so much?”
‘Other cities might be similar…’
The Golden Lion wouldn’t completely cut off the warp gate unless they were out of their minds. They might be pulling some strings to complicate things. I’ve dealt with such tactics enough to not be surprised.
Anyway, I had a rough idea of the situation. But waiting idly would be a waste of time. After nodding a couple of times, I addressed everyone.
“Alright. Let me outline our next steps. I’ll be busy today with the expedition report.”
“An expedition report? You mean you’ve already written it?”
Hayeon asked, eyes wide with surprise. I shook my head slowly.
“Not yet. But the news should have reached Istantel Low by now. They’ll want it as soon as possible. I’m planning to visit the temple today and give an oral summary. In Monica, that should be enough to establish an investigation team.”
Unlike the chaotic temples of Yew Tree and Mule, Monica’s system, established by Istantel Low, was remarkably efficient. There might even be a representative from Istantel Low at the temple by now.
“User Go Yeonju.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Please gather information about the warp gate. I plan to return late this afternoon.”
“Understood, Clan Lord.”
“Thank you. And… User Baek Hangyeol.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Follow me after the meeting. We have somewhere to go.”
“Understood!”
Hangyeol, who seemed quite tense, responded in a stiff voice. I chuckled inwardly and turned my attention to the others.
I didn’t give specific instructions to Ahn Hyun, Ansol, or Yujeong. I just asked them to keep the baby unicorn entertained. Hyun seemed to understand the importance of protecting the unicorn, confidently patting his chest and assuring me not to worry.
‘He always shines at times like this.’
It would be nice if he were like that more often. As for Vivian and Sangyong, they were already busy with their tasks, so there was no need to say more. That left two clan members I hadn’t addressed yet. Rising from my chair, I looked at the remaining two and spoke.
“User Jeong Hayeon. User Kim Hanbyul.”
“Yes.”
Their calm, pleasant voices responded in unison. What I had for them was something everyone had been eagerly anticipating.
“Prepare the Goose Appraisal orders.”
“The Goose Appraisal… Ah.”
“And take out all the equipment from the storage. Make sure everything is ready for evaluation and distribution as soon as I return.”
“Understood.”
“Then let’s conclude the meeting here. I’ll be heading out now, so I’ll see you all this afternoon.”
With that, I strode towards the door. I could hear Hangyeol scrambling to his feet and hurrying after me. I opened the door wide.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Haha, yes. The subtitle for this chapter reflects my own feelings. Haha. Haha. Ha. Oh dear. I’m on break, right? Right, dear readers? Oh dear. ^_ㅠ I had a call with Joara today, and I guess I was whining too much. They even comforted me, telling me not to stress too much about the e-book editing. LOL. But honestly… looking at the early parts… Ugh, my hands and feet… Ugh. There’s a lot to cut and change. Maybe I’m too ambitious. But they say once you get past the beginning, things pick up speed, so I’ll give it my all. I feel a newfound respect for the readers who have stuck with me this far. Hehe. :) Thank you!
Ps. Thank you so much to everyone who sent coupons!
『 Reader Comments (277th Episode) 』
TearsRiver: Congratulations on being first! Congratulations! Congratulations! TearsRiver, congratulations on being first! The ability points today reflect Suhyeon’s determination. I don’t plan to use them all, but I definitely need to boost my stamina. :)
Blami: Yes. The Spirit Master is a Secret class. It exists. It’s a very powerful class. According to the current setting, if it were to face off against Vivian one-on-one, Vivian would lose. ‘The current’ Vivian, that is. Hehe.
Shin Yujin: Corrected. Thank you. A unicorn as an arm. ㅜ.ㅠ
Brikio: Item information will be in the next episode. :D
Lea: Of course! We need to set up a room for Yuni too! I’m thinking of making the clan house top-notch. Haha. Oh, I’m currently proofreading the e-book. I’m planning to soften the interactions between Seraph and Kim Soo-hyun in the beginning. Looking back, Soo-hyun is quite prickly. LOL.
『 Reader Comments (Episode 278) 』
Minlkj: Oh, you got first place! Congratulations on being first! I think this is the first time I’ve seen you here. Haha. :)
Ramarua: There, there. Hang in there. ㅜ.ㅠ Sob sob. How can I atone for the sin of not updating continuously?
HumanLife: Well, if you only made one mistake, you did well. ‘ㅅ’ I totally get how you feel. Haha. I’m sure that person appreciates your efforts too. :)
Uther: Yes, I delivered 15KB today!
FallenPigeon: Since some people wanted to see it, I changed the cover. I like this one too, and I also loved the cover drawn by BrokenFan. (That one was amazing.) I wanted to upload Ansol’s cover as well, but I’m not great at lettering. LOL.
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