388 Changed. Unchanged.
It was then. A sudden chill swept over me, sending shivers down my spine. As I took a deep breath, I felt the icy air pierce right through to my bones.
“Lonely…”
The moment I acknowledged my loneliness, I was startled, almost as if my eyes had widened in shock.
Loneliness, solitude, and desolation…
In the past, these feelings were my constant companions, so much so that I had grown accustomed to them. That was normal for me.
Yet, the loneliness I felt just now was strangely unfamiliar to my current self.
At that moment, the faces of my brother, Han So-young, Go Yeon-ju, and Jung Ha-yeon flashed through my mind, only to fade away quickly.
For the first time in a long while, I found myself wishing for someone to be by my side.
”…”
My body was still weary, demanding more sleep. But I had a feeling that if I stayed in bed any longer, I would become endlessly sentimental.
“Damn it.”
Unable to bear it any longer, I abruptly sat up in bed.
Clink!
A faint metallic sound from my waist broke the silence. Instinctively, I reached for my waist and felt the cold steel of “Victoria’s Glory.” At the same time, I noticed the blood-stained sheets illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window.
“Ha.”
Seeing the stained sheets, I let out a dry laugh. Sleeping with my sword was one thing, but I hadn’t even bothered to wash up before collapsing into bed. Clearly, I had lost my grip on reality.
I quickly unbuckled “The Glory of the Sun” and set the sword aside. I had planned to head down to the underground training hall to work up a sweat, but I changed my mind.
First, I needed to wash off the bloodstains covering my body and soak in hot water to rid myself of this grimy feeling. Maybe then I could finally get some sleep.
‘The main bath… was it in the basement of the annex?’
Without delay, I left the room and headed down the stairs. It was still early morning, so I figured I could enjoy a leisurely bath without any interruptions.
However, my expectations were shattered as soon as I reached the basement of the annex. Despite the starry night sky, the bathhouse was brightly lit.
I hesitated for a moment in front of the bathhouse, scratching my head, but then slowly began to undress. After all, the bathhouse was a public facility, with separate sections for men and women, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.
Though I did feel a bit uneasy about exposing the scars that covered my body…
‘They’ve already been seen once.’
Back at the “Modest Lady” inn, there was an incident where I was forcibly stripped in front of everyone. The culprit was Go Yeon-ju. I think she said something like, “This is how you undress a man.”
Recalling that memory, I let out a wry smile and picked up a towel. I gently pushed open the door, fogged with steam.
Inside, the bathhouse was filled with a hazy mist, and various bathing facilities were spread out in the spacious area. On one side, showers powered by magic circles were neatly lined up, while the other side featured baths and saunas.
When we first built the Mercenary House, we tried to make it as modern as possible, and it was indeed quite similar.
The sound of water pouring from the showers indicated someone was already using them. I needed to wash up before entering the bath, and I was curious to see who it was, so I walked through the warm steam.
Splash, splash!
The floor was soaked, and each step sent ripples through the shallow water. Through the dim amber light, I began to see a familiar silhouette.
‘Huh? Long hair?’
I stopped in my tracks, sensing something was off. Even at a glance, the long hair indicated the figure was a woman. I was certain it wasn’t Go Yeon-ju or Jung Ha-yeon.
For a moment, I wondered if I had entered the wrong bathhouse, but I quickly shook my head. I had confirmed it was the men’s section before entering.
I considered turning back, but my eyes, against my will, were already fixed on the figure ahead. The steam, rising dreamily, was no obstacle. I had unconsciously heightened my vision.
The figure, slightly turned to the side, was a vision of pure white, unadorned by even a thread.
The graceful curve of her shoulders led to a chest that was truly captivating. Her full breasts, slightly drooping due to their size, formed a teardrop shape. At the peak of each mound, a pink nipple stood out like a strawberry on a cake.
Below, the S-curve of her waist flowed into a taut, rounded backside, reminiscent of a white moon.
Her thighs, as if coated in honey, and her smooth calves completed a figure that was both fresh and sensual, exuding a ripe beauty.
It was then that the woman’s movements suddenly halted. Her wet hair swayed vigorously before she resumed moving, albeit with a hint of awkwardness.
‘Did she notice?’
“La la la, la la la.”
For a moment, I thought I was caught, but then she began to hum a tune.
’…Did I imagine it?’
I was entranced for a while, but the sound of the water stopping snapped me back to reality. As the woman slowly turned, I closed my eyes.
Upon recognizing Im Hanna, I silently berated myself.
I still had a long way to go. I was still lacking in discipline.
‘Go Yeon-ju, Jung Ha-yeon. I’m sorry.’
“Oh my!”
A surprised exclamation reached my ears. I kept my eyes shut and quickly wrapped a towel around my lower half. At least my body hadn’t reacted inappropriately.
“Oh my, Mercenary Lord.”
“I’m sorry, User Im Hanna.”
Im Hanna’s voice, despite her initial surprise, was gentle and calm. I tilted my head, still with my eyes closed, and continued speaking.
“I didn’t expect you to be here in the men’s bath… I’m truly sorry.”
Though I had already seen almost everything, I felt the need to offer some kind of excuse.
I turned to leave. It was a shame I couldn’t enjoy the hot bath and sauna, but I couldn’t stay and bathe together.
Just as I took a step forward, a soft hand quickly grabbed mine.
“Wait a moment, Mercenary Lord. You haven’t washed yet, have you?”
Her words, accompanied by a gentle touch, seemed to refer to the dried blood covering my body.
“Weren’t you here to wash? You really should. It’s dried on too much.”
“Well, I do have a private bathroom…”
“But since you’re already here… Please, go ahead. If you’re leaving because of me, don’t worry about it.”
“What?”
Rustle, rustle.
“You can open your eyes now. Like this, see? Hehe.”
At her words, I cautiously opened my eyes. Im Hanna stood there, wrapped in a towel, smiling kindly.
‘Did she know I was here from the start?’
No, that couldn’t be.
Her reaction was puzzling, but I chalked it up to her personality and nodded.
“I hope I’m not imposing. I’m really fine.”
“Imposing? Not at all. I’m the one imposing, barging in without permission. I’m sorry.”
“By the way, why…?”
“Oh, Vivian is using the women’s bath right now.”
Her explanation was hard to accept, and I frowned slightly. Noticing my expression, Im Hanna added more.
“She wanted to be alone.”
Her next words were quite shocking.
”…What?”
“I think she was hinting for me to leave… And I felt uncomfortable joining her. She seemed so deeply depressed.”
“No matter the reason… I can’t believe this. That girl…”
“Oh, no! I understand Vivian’s feelings, and I prefer being alone too, so please don’t be upset. Honestly, I’ve snuck in a few times before at dawn…”
Watching Im Hanna stick out her tongue playfully, I felt a mix of disbelief and amusement. She continued, “It’s a habit. I like being alone. And the women’s bath is a bit competitive, even at dawn. But the men’s bath…”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“Well… I’ll talk to Vivian later. But User Im Hanna, please try to avoid this in the future. Unexpected situations like this can happen.”
“Yes, I understand. I won’t do it again. And I’m sorry for startling you.”
I let out a short sigh, my thoughts drifting to Vivian. For now, I decided to let this one slide with just a warning. After all, she had spent the most time with Shin Sang-yong and was his first official disciple, so it was only natural that I felt a strong attachment to her.
I turned my gaze to Im Hanna, wondering if she might leave. But seeing her apologetic expression, it was clear she had no intention of giving up her spot.
“Old bloodstains are tough to remove. You should rinse off first and then soak in a hot bath.”
“True, but… were you in the middle of a bath?”
“Oh, yes. I was just about to start…”
“Then I’ll just wash quickly and get out of your way.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Finally, I managed to slip past Im Hanna and into the empty shower stall. The faint scent lingering from her recent use tickled my nose. I secured the cloth around my waist and pressed the magic circle. As the water cascaded down, I began to wash.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
‘To really get rid of it, a bath would be best…’
I glanced sideways. Even then, Im Hanna was watching me intently.
’…’
Her gaze was unsettling, but given my earlier actions, I couldn’t find the words to say. After all, what could I possibly say after everything that had happened?
So, I decided it was best to scrub quickly and get out.
“Phew…”
Just as I was finishing up, I heard a light sigh from beside me.
“You’re really something else…”
Her muttered words made my heart skip a beat.
Then it happened.
Splash, splash.
My heightened senses picked up the sound of footsteps on the wet floor. I turned, thinking she might be leaving, only to see Im Hanna approaching me. Before I could speak, she reached out, and I felt her gentle touch on my back.
“There’s still some left here.”
As her soft hand moved across my back, I finally found my voice.
“User Im Hanna.”
“Mercenary Lord.”
“What are you…?”
“Suhyeon.”
I stared at her, wide-eyed. It wasn’t just that we spoke at the same time; she had suddenly dropped the formalities with me.
I was momentarily taken aback, but then it hit me. I remembered…
‘I’ve always wanted a friend.’
‘Shall we be friends then? We can drop the formalities in private, even if we can’t in public.’
‘Oh, no! I didn’t mean it like that at all.’
‘I don’t mind.’
‘Then, I’ll keep speaking formally for now, but could you speak casually to me?’
‘Sure. I’ll try to speak comfortably from now on.’
‘Thank you. I’ll do the same once I get used to it.’
A flood of memories rushed through my mind.
There was indeed a time like that.
But since then, Im Hanna had always spoken formally to me, and I had gradually returned to doing the same.
Still, it was surprising. I never expected Im Hanna to approach me like this.
Yet, she continued calmly, undeterred.
“I have something to tell you.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
This chapter and the next will unravel Im Hanna’s backstory and refine Suhyeon’s inner thoughts. (There is no planned bed scene with Im Hanna. Apologies. (__))
There are about 4-5 chapters left until the end of Part 1. I’ve almost decided on the direction for the series after that. I’ve made some changes to the ending plan, and I’ll announce it in a future note once I’m certain.
It’s not that I can’t write these days; I’m just really tired. Thank you for your concern. I’ll push through without any breaks until the end of Part 1.