“How did you get here again?”
“I missed Mom. So I begged and threw a tantrum to Dad.”
“Oh my. Dad must be really busy these days. That won’t do. Children who beg and throw tantrums are naughty children.”
“Is Maru a naughty child?”
“No, not exactly.”
“Then is it okay to beg and throw tantrums when Dad isn’t busy?”
Seraph nodded and said, “Yes, that’s fine. Just a little, though.” I felt utterly baffled. I was trying to gently hold Maru, who had run over, and reason with him one by one, but Seraph didn’t even seem to notice me. I wasn’t some straw dummy. I’d been called here, and this is how I’m treated?
I deliberately cleared my throat.
“I heard you called me.”
Only then did Seraph look up.
“Yes, Suhyun. Welcome. You must be tired today as well.”
Seraph smiled softly, speaking as warmly as a gentle spring breeze. Suddenly, I felt a faint tickle on my face, as if the way Seraph spoke was like greeting a husband returning home from work. …Wait, why is he subtly scooting over to the side again? Does he think I’ll just get up and sit at the altar?
“Dad!”
Just then, as Maru was about to plop down on the floor as usual, he suddenly turned his head, called out to me, and reached his hand. I froze mid-motion, awkwardly stuck in place. What was so good about me? Maru’s face was lit up with a wide, beaming smile, his eyes sparkling as if silently pleading, “Dad, please come too.” I couldn’t bring myself to look away.
Though I walked over slowly, in the end, I sat down on the altar. I tried to perch on the far left edge, but Seraph immediately scooted closer, pressing his body against mine until we were almost touching. Damn it. The spot where we touched didn’t rot away or anything, but a soft, sweet fragrance wafted from there.
“Ha ha.”
…Is it really that good? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Maru smile so purely before.
“Suhyun, just a moment… I’ll ask for your understanding.”
Seraph smiled gently and, as if to soothe a delighted child, began to calm Maru, who was squirming with joy. Holding him close, he patted Maru’s back. Feeling a bit mischievous, I tickled Maru’s small, white foot, and he burst into giggles, wriggling wildly. I was about to poke his side too, but Seraph gave me a look that said, “Don’t,” so I stopped.
Time passed. Maru, exhausted from all the fuss, slowly closed his eyelids. Seraph hummed a quiet lullaby, and when Maru finally fell asleep, a faint smile played on his lips. …Well, I guess now we can finally talk. I need to get my compensation quickly and leave while Maru sleeps.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“No problem. By the way…”
“Yes. The reason I called you, Suhyun, is that the reward for your previous request has been confirmed.”
“Oh… really?”
“First, as the basic reward for the request, you will receive 100 gold points for each user you rescued. Also, separately, I think you should check the total gold points you’ve accumulated so far.”
“…Oh, okay?”
I hadn’t meant to sound so reluctant, but the words slipped out anyway. Seriously, Seraph was speaking so straightforwardly. Not only that, he was leading the conversation himself, as if he already knew what I wanted.
‘Request “Rescue Users in the Western Continent” completed! Reward: 43,100 gold points granted!’
‘Current user Kim Suhyun holds 10,857,460 gold points.’
When the message appeared floating in midair, I couldn’t hide my surprise. The basic reward was one thing, but the total gold points I’d amassed were staggering. It must be thanks to Kushan Thor’s demi-god awakening. I’d earned nearly six million just then. But thinking back, it wasn’t even that much. When I obtained the Zero Code, I remember earning over a hundred million gold points.
“We have many rewards available—weaponry, armor, accessories, spell scrolls, and so on. But none of these seemed quite enough to satisfy you.”
Seraph’s quiet voice caught me off guard. For some reason, his use of my name today grated on me.
“Wait a minute, Seraph. You’ve been calling me by name all this time…”
“So, I proposed—and although it’s already been used once—that you be granted the right to open the User Secret Shop one more time. This proposal was approved, which is why I called you.”
At that moment, I felt my eyes sharpen. The User Secret Shop can only be opened once per user by spending 77,777 gold points. The first time, some users who discovered this feature couldn’t buy anything because they had no gold points left after paying the fee. I had also exhausted mine after completing the second trial. But now, they were offering to restore that right? No question about it—I was all in.
“Alright! Then I’ll buy all the potions that raise stamina, no—actually, all the potions that boost stats…!”
But I had to stop mid-sentence. Seraph was shaking his head. My soaring excitement deflated a bit.
“…Not allowed?”
“It’s not that it’s not allowed. The stamina potions you want are no longer available. Have you forgotten?”
I gasped. Of course—I’d already gulped down all the stamina potions. There’s only one of each stat-boosting potion, and you can only buy one at a time. The same goes for Angel’s Tears.
“Then what about the others? Strength, endurance, agility, magic, luck potions must still be there.”
“Yes. Each potion raises the corresponding stat by 2 points. With the restoration of the shop’s function, you regain the right to purchase again. The one-per-item limit still applies, though.”
I nodded slowly. It was a shame I couldn’t boost stamina, but this was better than nothing. I’d heard the rewards wouldn’t be stingy, but I never imagined they’d be this generous.
Just then—
“Hmm… I take it you’re still not satisfied with the rewards.”
Suddenly, Seraph said something strange. I felt uneasy. Why was he assuming I wouldn’t like the rewards?
“Well, since it’s only the restoration of the right, and you still have to spend gold points directly, it’s understandable that it’s not a perfect reward. I get it. Then why not take a slow look through the User Secret Shop’s items? You might change your mind. Normally, I shouldn’t do this, but just this once, I’ll open the items for you to browse. Of course, you can’t buy anything.”
“Uh… uh? S-sure?”
Seraph went on at length.
Something felt off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it felt like he had prepared these words in advance. As if he wanted me to act a certain way.
Soon, the secret shop’s menu appeared swiftly in midair before me. I was just going to look around quietly, but suddenly Seraph moved his hand and pointed to one item.
‘Trial Entry Ticket (150,000 GP)’
Description: Allows the user to enter the Trial area. Entry permits a stay of up to seven days.
“How about this?”
“Trial Entry Ticket? Hmm. Not really interested.”
Seraph nodded as if he expected that, then pointed to the next item.
“Then please take a look at this newly added item…”
‘Monster Summoning Box 1 (1,000 GP)’
‘Monster Summoning Box 2 (10,000 GP)’
‘Monster Summoning Box 3 (100,000 GP)’
‘Monster Summoning Box 4 (1,000,000 GP)’
Description: Randomly summons monsters found throughout the whole Plain. The higher the number on the box, the stronger the monster summoned. If you can defeat it, you can claim its corpse or any equipment it wears.
“This box can summon monsters not only from the East, West, South, and North continents but also from distant, unexplored regions beyond the user’s reach.”
I tilted my head. I understood the description, but even if I summoned a monster decked out in gear, it was all down to luck. To increase the odds, I’d have to buy the fourth box, but the price was astronomical. I didn’t see any reason to invest.
“Hmm. I’m not sure. But this seems way too dependent on luck…”
Did a smile flicker at the corner of Seraph’s mouth, or was it just my imagination?
“Oh dear. Still not satisfied, I see. I promised you wouldn’t be shortchanged on rewards… I can’t help but feel sorry.”
Seraph sighed deeply and closed the secret shop menu.
No, I’m perfectly fine with just the restoration of the secret shop’s function.
That’s what I thought, but I kept my mouth shut. I stared at Seraph calmly, lost in thought. Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind.
Come to think of it, this had happened before. Back when I was an instructor at the User Academy, Seraph had subtly dropped a piece of advice.
“Look Before You Leap. User Kim Suhyun, remember those words well.”
Look before you leap. That’s the advice—to carefully assess every situation before taking action. Following that counsel, I discovered Jegal Haesol, a user with extraordinary talent. And now, I was feeling that same familiar excitement again.
“Or perhaps, Suhyun, is there any additional reward you’re hoping for? If you let me know, I’ll do my best to accommodate your request.”
When Seraph emphasized the word ‘additional,’ it finally clicked—I understood the true intention behind those words. And suddenly, I realized why Seraph had acted in ways that didn’t quite make sense before.
First of all, the reward was already guaranteed. More precisely, the situation was set so that I could receive a reward from the angels. And as of now, I was the only one who knew about the secret shop; it would be a long time before anyone else found out. In other words, Seraph was suggesting that the baseline reward be given not in gold points, but through access to the secret shop—and that I should ask for more beyond that.
Right. From the start, Seraph had been telling me there was no rush. Since there was no guarantee this opportunity would come again, I should squeeze out as much as I could while I had the chance. If I pushed just a little beyond the line this one time, there was a good chance it would be accepted—so long as Seraph backed me up.
Why Seraph suddenly decided to support me like this, I had no idea. But with such a setup laid out, I had no reason to refuse.
“Alright… I’ll think it over carefully.”
That was probably the right answer.
“Yes. Understood.”
Seraph gently stroked Mar’s hair and spoke in a brighter tone than ever before.
There’s a saying:
Memories become the nourishment that fuels tomorrow.
After Kim Suhyun left, Seraph moved back to the center of the road altar and smiled softly to herself. She no longer looked lonely or forlorn. Instead, a warm, happy energy filled the summoning chamber.
“Welcome back, Suhyun. You must be tired from today’s efforts.”
“Suhyun is…”
The words she had practiced countless times, the scene she had dreamed of over and over.
Recalling that moment, a faint blush spread across Seraph’s cheeks as she closed her eyes gently.
But could she just let that happiness be?
Seraph, are you in your right mind?
She’s lost it. Completely lost it.
Just as I was about to dwell on the earlier scene, several voices suddenly struck my ears sharply.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
But Seraph showed no sign of fluster. Instead, she calmly opened her eyes and tilted her head in curiosity.
Are you really asking because you don’t know?
We said the revival of the secret shop function was unfair. Do you even realize what you’ve done?
Though alone, Seraph shrugged her shoulders as if clueless about any wrongdoing.
“Did I ever tell you where that provision is?”
“Wasn’t it always planned to be officially released soon? What’s the problem?”
“I never once mentioned that.”
Seraph’s casual reply cut off the two voices like a storm suddenly dying down. Thinking it over, they had no real argument. There was nothing inherently wrong with Seraph’s words or actions. The real issue was how Kim Suhyun would take it.
…Anyway, what Seraph did just now definitely crossed the line. We won’t let this slide. You can count on that.
I’ll personally bring this up for discussion. Just wait and see.
A quiet but threatening tone echoed in my ears.
At that moment, the warm atmosphere vanished, replaced by a cold smile on Seraph’s lips.
“Are you two confident in that?”
“No, I must have misspoken.”
Then the voices fell silent once more.
Today, Seraph’s intentions had gone too far. But her words and actions hadn’t crossed any real boundaries. Introducing the item could simply be explained as an effort to satisfy user Kim Suhyun.
By the way, angel society is fundamentally hierarchical. But because of the nature of helpers, the more they guide their assigned users in the ‘right’ direction, the more points they earn toward their rank. As a result, Seraph’s authority had risen to an unprecedented level.
Because of this, among angels, it’s not uncommon for some to discreetly look after their users—always within limits—as a way to increase their influence. It’s an open secret, justified as motivating angels to focus on their helper roles.
In the end, it boiled down to a simple question:
‘Have you never done the same?’
That was what Seraph was asking the two of them.
“Well, I don’t intend to just stand by either, but if you insist on bringing this up, I won’t stop you.”
With that, Seraph abruptly ended the communication and quietly closed her eyes, beginning to recall the earlier scene.
Meanwhile, at the same time—
“So this is… Atlanta?”
“Impressive.”
Two users stepped out of a warp gate. Both were cloaked in thick robes, but the blonde hair spilling from beneath their hoods was striking.
“Sara, then from here…”
“Yes. I heard it’s south, so let’s get moving.”
The two hooded users quickly picked up their pace.
And then—
“See? No announcements again today!”
“Ha ha ha. Maybe they’re just really busy.”
In the central square of South Atlanta.
In front of a bulletin board used by many users, a man was trying to calm down a complaining woman.
“I’m sure I heard at the conference they’d be recruiting new members!”
“Y-yeah, that’s right. I definitely heard that.”
“Then why hasn’t the announcement gone up yet?”
“W-well… Seungyoon, you see…”
The man scratched his head awkwardly and sighed, staring at the bulletin board. But no matter how thoroughly he searched, there was no sign of a mercenary clan recruitment notice. Then again, if the notice had been posted, there’d be no need to search so hard.
After a moment—
“Ugh, this is so frustrating! How many days has it been now? I should never have trusted you, oppa!”
The woman plopped down in irritation, kicking her legs restlessly.
“Um… Seungyoon.”
“Shut up!”
“No, listen. So, what if…”
“…What if?”
The man smacked his lips thoughtfully, then reached out his hand to the seated woman and spoke quietly.
“How about we go check it out ourselves?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Fight with your wife = Pickled radish on the breakfast table the next morning.
Get along well with your wife = A feast fit for royalty on the breakfast table the next morning.
Kim Suhyun has successfully achieved option number two. Applause, please!
By the way, it looks like Ansol is increasingly likely to become a kind of magic wand. Ha ha ha.