By the time they realized the strange phenomena were the work of an evil spirit, it was already far too late.
Some called it the resurrection of an ancient evil god,
others claimed someone had summoned a malevolent spirit—
but none of that mattered.
What mattered was that the spirit’s harmful energy swiftly took over the skies,
and its influence spread down to the earth.
Across the nation, forces were assembled to hunt down the evil spirit,
each dispatching their own extermination squads to the source of the anomaly.
Yet, after dozens of failed attempts, no progress was made.
They couldn’t even reach the source, suffering only pointless losses.
Realizing their mistake too late, the kings united their forces for the first time in history,
forming a nationwide coalition—the last extermination force of humanity.
Surely, this final squad may have reached the heart of the anomaly.
But as if waiting for them, the evil spirit appeared and mercilessly ambushed the force.
Though they fought bravely, the last extermination squad was ultimately defeated and scattered.
Thus, humanity’s final thread of hope vanished.
The land grew barren, and the world began to wither.
The once brilliant sun lost its light, and darkness shrouded the skies.
Animals, infused with the dark energy, hunted humans to death.
It was an age when everything in the world, except humans, turned their backs on them.
And then—
When people finally realized how luxurious it was just to live like humans,
a beautiful and sacred woman appeared in this fading world.
She emerged from the Shrine Maiden’s Valley,
calling herself a dancer.
Her graceful dance revived the dead earth,
and with a single flick of her fan, she dispelled the darkness that covered the sky.
She banished misfortune and calamity,
bringing forth fortune and blessings.
She held onto the forsaken world,
summoning a warm breeze of hope that no one else could,
no kingdom had ever achieved,
beginning to restore the lost light.
From now on, this record is a memorandum dedicated solely to the woman who fought the darkness alone.
We call her the Dancer of the White Night.
—From the prologue of “The Legend of the Dancer,” Secret Library of the Southern City of Atlanta.
“Su-hyun, wait a moment.”
“Hmm?”
A drowsy voice tickled my ear while I was deeply engrossed in reading. I obediently stopped and set the record aside. I’d only gotten through the prologue anyway; I could read the rest on the way. Besides, this record wasn’t as long as the “Victoria Dynasty Chronicles” last time. With focus, it would take just an hour or two.
Soon, I submerged myself in the hot water up to my abdomen. Tilting my head back, the warm steam filled the bathroom, blurring my vision. After a moment, a soft cough sounded, and someone parted the water to come closer. I lowered my eyes to look at them.
“…”
Their slender, graceful neck resembled a deer’s, and the delicate collarbones on their petite shoulders were utterly captivating. Below their generously curved chest, a narrow waist traced a smooth line. Though the water obscured the details, I could faintly make out healthy thighs and firm hips.
“It’s almost done. Just need to wash up now.”
Soon, the water level in the tub began to lower quietly as they tidied up. A gentle hand reached out and softly caressed my body. As the water receded, Go Yeon-ju carefully cleaned every exposed part with tender, meticulous care. Her touch was so gentle and refined. Unable to resist any longer, I reached out and cupped both of her breasts.
“Hey.”
A stern voice warned me, but I ignored it and continued to fondle her. The warmth of her skin, heated by the water, clung to my hands like a soft flame. I squeezed with both hands, swaying side to side, then circled my palms in a gentle spiral…
Go Yeon-ju only gave me a sweet sideways glance, not stopping me. That’s why I like her. If it were Im Han-na, I probably wouldn’t have a back left. Heh.
“Oh, I can’t live like this.”
With a resigned sigh, Go Yeon-ju lifted her body, supporting my head as she pressed her chest close. Reflexively, I parted my lips, and her nipple naturally docked inside my mouth. As I pursed my lips, a mischievous, breathy giggle followed. She murmured softly.
“Really, you’re not a kid, but you calm down as soon as you get to suck on breasts. Why do you like them so much?”
Nibble nibble.
“Wait. Could you not bite?”
Smack smack.
Sighing deeply, Go Yeon-ju looked down at me with a faint smile and resumed washing me.
“When do you start at the User Academy?”
I spoke with my mouth still on her breast, moving my lips around, and she looked at me with a curious expression.
“They said enrollment ends tonight.”
“Is that so? Then it sounds pretty busy.”
“It doesn’t really matter. I’m not the chief instructor. And besides, you called me here, didn’t you?”
“Hmm.”
That was true. But there was a reason I’d called Go Yeon-ju. This “Shrine Maiden’s Valley” expedition was arranged suddenly, so clan members who had joined the User Academy were automatically excluded from selection. Go Yeon-ju, like last time at the “Tomb of the Barbarian King,” couldn’t participate again. I wished I’d given her a heads-up, but she never showed it on the surface. Still, I knew she must have felt a little hurt inside.
That’s why I called her—to soothe her, even just a little.
“All done. Want me to help you get dressed?”
“Wait.”
Just as Go Yeon-ju tried to pull away from my breasts and sit up, I grabbed her and reached to my side with my left hand. I found something small and round. I popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t resist and swallowed it. Crunch, crunch. She ate it well.
“What’s this? Doesn’t taste very good.”
“Just swallow it first.”
“What is it? Some kind of aphrodisiac?”
“Why do you always think that way?”
I was about to scold her for always jumping to those conclusions but stopped myself. The light laugh that escaped her throat was too charming. Then, in an instant, her smile vanished. A message must have popped up. I saw a flash of panic in her eyes before I brushed past her and headed out. Just before leaving, I heard her slump down with a thud. I couldn’t help but smile.
“‘Strength increased by 2 points…?’”
Yeah, she must have been surprised. Go Yeon-ju is a veteran user, so without potions or equipment, it’s hard to expect stat boosts. And her stats are already high, so gear doesn’t help much either.
Strictly speaking, Go Yeon-ju taking a strength potion isn’t much more effective than Gong Chan-ho’s. It’s not even comparable. But since she’s an assassin class, it’s not a bad choice. Still, I think it’s better to give it to her. Of course, I can’t deny I’m a bit selfish wanting to take care of her.
I’d already cleaned myself thoroughly inside the tub, so no more washing was needed. Everyone was probably gathered on the first floor waiting. I hurriedly started putting on my gear. I instinctively grabbed my martial arts uniform but chuckled softly and let it go. First, underwear, then maybe try on the Shirt of Hope?
“Oh.”
Putting on the Shirt of Hope, I couldn’t help but exclaim. I’d just stepped out of the bathroom, still feeling a chill, but the moment I wore the shirt, it vanished. A perfect warmth spread through my body, making me feel comfortable. Truly, a treasure is a treasure.
But I wasn’t done yet. I strapped the Blessing of Rasillas to my wrist, donned the Armor of the Heavenly King Chiwoo, and slipped on the Obelo Knight Boots. Draping the Red Moon Cloak over my shoulders, I grabbed my sword. Looking back at myself, I smiled. Thick, jet-black armor with a faint red glow on the cloak. I wasn’t sure if it suited me, but I worried it might be too conspicuous.
“Su, Su-hyun!”
By then, Go Yeon-ju seemed to have calmed down and hurried out of the bathroom. But when she saw me, she froze again, slowly parting her lips. No words came out. Considering it was Go Yeon-ju, this was a rare sight.
“Well, I’m off. Take care.”
I greeted her as she stared blankly, then leisurely stepped out the door. Of course, I didn’t forget to bring the records and the Crystals of Light and Darkness.
The armor and shirt’s effects were incredible. More precisely, it was the combined effect of “lightweight” and “unity.” I’d worried about feeling awkward wearing armor after so long, but it didn’t bother me at all. It felt like part of my body, and my movements were perfectly natural. In fact, the clanking of metal as I descended the stairs felt oddly out of place.
On the first floor, countless clan members had gathered—both those selected and those who weren’t.
“Is everyone here?”
I calmly scanned the lobby.
Nam Da-eun, Woo Jung-min, Lee Yoo-jung, Jin Su-hyun, Cha So-rim, Heo Jun-young, Ha Seung-yoon. Eight melee fighters including myself.
Kim Han-byul, Geun-won, Jegal Hae-sol, Ha Seung-woo. Four mages.
An Sol. One priest.
Baek Han-gyeol. One special operative.
That brings the total to fourteen. I had originally expected between eleven and twelve, but after a string of last-minute requests last night, the number crept up to fourteen. There’s still one more user who plans to join, but we agreed to meet at the main gate. Still, why is no one saying a word?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Margot came into view, staring blankly at me while cradling a baby Pegasus. I stopped walking and bent my right knee. She’d come to see me off, knowing I was heading out on this expedition today. How thoughtful.
“Margot.”
But even after calling her, her reaction was much like Ko Yeon-ju’s—wide-eyed, silently fixed on me. I poked her chubby cheek, but she didn’t respond. If this kept up, I’d be late for the meeting. Hastily, I pulled out the crystal of light and darkness from my pocket and placed it in front of her.
“This is a gift.”
“…”
“I’m entrusting this to you. Use it however you like, okay?”
“…”
No reaction. I mean, I gave her a present. The least she could do is glance at it once out of courtesy. Or maybe time itself had frozen?
“Are you ready to depart?”
I straightened up and asked, but still no answer. Finally, I drew my sword from its sheath and slammed it hard against the ground.
Bang!
“Snap out of it!”
『“Lord, command!” has been activated.』
Huh?
A message suddenly popped up. I had no idea why, but its effect was clear. Everyone jumped back in surprise, but it seemed to have jolted them awake.
“Y-yes! It’s, it’s over, sir! We’re ready to go now.”
“I see. Then, user Jegal Haesol?”
At Jinsu-hyun’s hurried prompt, I nodded and turned my gaze, trying to look as stern as possible. Selecting Jegal Haesol hadn’t been easy. She was still deep in research and had been quite resistant, complaining about the hassle even though she’d just returned recently. But to get there as quickly as possible, her transport abilities were essential, so I’d practically dragged her along.
“Y-yes?”
“We’ll be meeting the mercenaries at the East Gate first. Once we leave the wasteland, we’ll move quickly, so have your transport ready around that time.”
“Y-yes… I’ll prepare…”
“…?”
Surprisingly, Jegal Haesol was unusually compliant. I expected her to pout and grumble about being treated like a shuttle, but instead, she lowered her eyes slightly and fiddled nervously with her fingertips. What was she embarrassed about? It was so unlike her usual self that it almost felt anticlimactic.
“Then let’s go.”
After one last headcount, I didn’t hesitate and stepped forward.
Just before leaving the castle, I glanced up at the sky.
“…Still dark.”
It remained shrouded in darkness.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I’m sorry.
Today, I feel utterly drained.
Not just with writing, but in every aspect of life, I lack motivation.
No matter what I try—walks, stretching, anything—it only helps briefly before the fatigue returns.
I’ve already finished the outline, but the words just won’t come out as I want. It’s maddening.
I’ve had similar bouts two or three times before, but this one feels the worst.
It seems like a rough patch is coming. I’ll do my best to get through it.
As always, I hope to overcome it once again.
Thank you all.
Wishing every reader a good day.