Though my eyes were still shut, my consciousness was awake.
My mind felt hazy. The bed supporting me was plush, and the blanket draped over me was unbelievably warm.
But my right hand was rather cold.
– Yawn…
Perhaps due to lingering sleep, a sudden yawn escaped me. I focused on not making too much noise.
Successfully stifling the yawn, I tightly closed my mouth.
Maybe it was because I had just woken up, but my mouth felt dry. I gurgled to moisten it and lifted my upper body.
The blanket slid off effortlessly, and a familiar voice sounded right beside me.
“You woke up early.”
After a brief moment of finger-wiggling, I activated my observation power.
A round ceiling still resembling the night sky, a bed placed in the center.
There I was, just rising from that bed…
“How’s your body? The bed is quite high-class, so you must’ve slept well.”
Baek Ahrin, who lay beside me on the same bed, waved her hand as she spoke.
My hand, still shaking, responded in unison. The coolness from our hands, which seemed strangely accustomed to one another from holding onto each other all night, could be felt.
Waking up in the same bed as another person was quite surprising… or shocking enough to knock me backward.
“……”
After pondering for a moment, I nodded.
[Yes]
[Good morning]
I was surprisingly accustomed to surprises.
.
.
.
The Sunday morning streets were quiet.
Leaving a facility resembling a celestial projector, I walked down the street but barely encountered anyone.
It was likely due to the originally low foot traffic, combined with the early morning of a Sunday.
“Oh, you’re here~”
[Table 11. The menu has arrived.]
Just as I was about to head straight back to the dorm, Baek Ahrin asked if I wanted to have breakfast with her.
After a moment of contemplation, we ended up entering a nearby restaurant together and ordering food.
The only customers were me and Baek Ahrin. Perhaps because of that, the food was prepared quickly.
The serving robot placed our food on the table.
A steaming hot broth with round, white noodles. Toppings and seaweed sprinkled on top…
The menu was just ordinary banquet noodles.
There were also side dishes like dumplings, but it seemed that Baek Ahrin wasn’t particularly keen on them.
When I asked her if she wanted to order dumplings, I decided not to.
“Bon appétit~”
[Enjoy your meal.]
Baek Ahrin picked up her chopsticks. A handful of noodles was lifted… and her mouth opened.
“Aren’t you eating?”
[Huh?]
The noodles still dangled from her chopsticks. Baek Ahrin paused, looking back and forth between her chopsticks and mine on the table.
[Ah]
[Please go ahead.]
With her hands resting on her knees and her head tilted, she urged me to eat first.
Baek Ahrin made a strange expression, and then she took a bite of the noodles.
Her mouth moved, and only after confirming that she swallowed did I also pick up my chopsticks.
I roughly mixed the noodles in the broth and grabbed a suitable amount to shove into my mouth.
I chewed on the noodles and swallowed. I nodded with a strange expression and lifted more noodles.
Honestly, banquet noodles weren’t my favorite.
When I was hungry, I’d eat anything, but… now that I was full and warm, I’d become picky about food.
Among them, banquet noodles were bland and tasteless… even with pepper, they didn’t taste that great.
‘Not bad.’
Right now, it wasn’t bad. I gulped down the broth with a peculiar expression.
It felt just like warm water… but honestly, the broth from the banquet noodles I remembered felt quite similar.
Banquet noodles are just noodles boiled in broth made from anchovies with flour noodles, right?
Considering that the original was flavorless, even while forcefully stuffing the noodles into my mouth, I felt little discomfort or distaste.
“This is my first time here, and it’s surprisingly tasty.”
[Yes.]
[I also found it quite good.]
I fiddled with my chopsticks, and after spooning up the broth, I quickly finished the contents.
Matching the pace of Baek Ahrin across the table, we were able to stand up nearly simultaneously.
“Shall we take a walk on our way back to lose some of the fullness?”
[Yes.]
[Sounds good.]
The body of a superhuman requires more food than an average person’s.
So I found myself needing more food. I wouldn’t have finished a single bowl before, but now I could easily clear one on my own.
I nodded at her suggestion to stroll while rubbing my slightly bloated stomach.
Shio-ram is vast. There’s a park for walking, but since it’s so expansive, even heading back to the dorm serves as a proper walking course.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been back.’
Walking back, I found that just walking was boring, so we chatted along the way.
Holding hands and swinging our legs, I suddenly realized it had been quite a long time since I felt like returning to the dormitory.
During the exam period, I was at the library; after the tournament preliminaries, I was in Hong Yeon-hwa’s dorm; after the finals, I was at my master’s residence…
It’s been almost a week since I returned to the dorm. Basic purification magic would be cast, so there shouldn’t be any dust accumulating.
Once I return, I really need to start training hard.
No matter how I look at it, I think I’ve been slacking off in my training for the mid-term evaluation.
Of course, I have things to do during the break, and considering the growth trial at the start of the next semester, my specs will likely see a boost then…
“Oh, right.”
My train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Baek Ahrin’s exclamation.
Curious, I turned my head, and she asked casually, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Don’t you get a lot of messages about engagements?”
[Huh?]
The topic was rather unexpected.
Engagement.
It’s a relationship promising future marriage without immediately holding a wedding ceremony.
There could be many reasons for this.
Like being too young to hold a wedding, or circumstances not allowing it.
Or perhaps, regarding my thoughts on the concept of engagement, especially its political implications.
“No, I just thought you’d been getting a lot previously, and now that the mid-term evaluations are over, they might start coming in more heavily.”
Baek Ahrin added an explanation as she looked at me. She seemed curious about my answer, prompting a hesitant nod from me.
At the start of the semester, even without proving my qualifications, I received strange messages.
We belong to such-and-such clan, or power, or our lineage is quite considerable, would you like to form a blood relationship with our child…
Fluffily embellished emails. The first few made me scratch my head wondering if they were spam, and I tossed them in the trash.
But as time passed, they kept coming in, more and more.
Not just a couple; I’d find ten a day if I checked.
Moreover, the content changed, with the heavy themes of engagement disappearing; now there were many lighter messages asking if they could meet once.
Despite feeling reluctant at that time, I recalled that it was something that existed in the original story.
Political engagement.
I remembered that this was a culture that existed back in a time when kingdoms and noble classes were around.
Even if such a concept isn’t entirely absent in modern times… it wouldn’t be common for neighbors Cheolsu and Minji to hold engagement ceremonies, right?
At least that was how it was in my understanding of the original world.
Things were a bit different here.
In reality, the existence of superhumans and the powers they’ve gathered can rival or surpass the might of the nobles I knew about.
In fact, the concept of a state is quite blurred; in various regions, those factions dominate, casually selecting administrative staff to manage affairs.
Not Korea, but lands of the Korean Peninsula or regions of Korea.
Not China, but ancient Chinese lands…
In fact, it has been quite a while since the names of countries like China, Korea, and Japan referred to regions instead.
“Indeed… many thought it was a sure win, I suppose.”
…The person sitting next to me, who was wide-eyed and asking if I had received messages on the first day of the semester, was also a successor of such a large power.
A successor of the Changhae Clan, ruling over northern Korea and regions like Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk.
At this point, they might very well be akin to royalty or nobility. If anything, they wield even more power…
“What do you think, Hayul? About the engagement talk.”
Amidst realizing the considerable identity of Baek Ahrin once again, she suddenly asked me.
“……”
That question made me instinctively halt my legs.
Baek Ahrin, who matched my pace, stared at me with her usual blue eyes.
Engagement… I had dismissed it as spam mail, but having seen the overwhelming amount of messages, I pondered the topic a little.
– Clack…
The necklace of confession creaked.
[No, I don’t like it.]
– Creak…
The sound felt akin to a chalkboard being scratched, rising a sense of rejection.
[I don’t like it.]
Baek Ahrin was surprised as her expression shifted.
[I have no intention of interfering with others’ affairs.]
Realizing her reaction, I quickly added an explanation.
[It’s not that I feel a strong aversion…]
[Uh… ]
[So… ]
How should I explain this? Feeling somewhat perturbed, I fidgeted my feet, searching for an appropriate response.
[It’s just burdensome.]
“Burdensome?”
[Yes…]
[It’s overwhelming for me.]
An engagement means pledging to marry someday.
Marriage means two people becoming a couple and starting a family.
If an engagement occurs, a marriage will follow, leading to a family and a marital bond.
That would mean… perhaps children would come too.
Thinking that far, placing myself in that scenario, I felt an overwhelming pressure as though my body would crumble.
To put it bluntly, I lacked confidence.
I had no confidence in making a partner happy.
No confidence in raising children safely and happily, helping their future remain bright and joyful.
Right now, I was a mess, just like this.
How could I possibly make someone happy, nurture them, and teach them?
If I couldn’t resolve my curse, I wouldn’t know when I would die…
“Indeed. I can understand. Honestly, feeling burdened at this age is quite normal.”
‘Oh.’
Only then did I snap back to reality and control the necklace.
Somehow, I had vented my thoughts out. While the chilly sensation lingered, the soft touch of her hand as it continued to hold mine felt okay, prompting my thoughts to spill out.
Although I didn’t fully expose my deep feelings, I had at least conveyed that it felt burdensome and overwhelming.
Baek Ahrin, who listened to my explanation, nodded in agreement, understanding that it was a valid stance.
Then, she once again pulled my hand and we resumed walking.
The conversation came to a halt. Baek Ahrin seemed to be pondering something.
I checked if there was anything odd among the words that the necklace had released.
Fortunately, there was nothing unusual. I had merely expressed feelings of burden and uncertainty.
While I regretted revealing so much, I was relieved that extraneous past matters hadn’t slipped out.
It seemed my effort in regulating the confession necklace had paid off.
“Here we are, at last!”
Finally, we arrived at the dormitory.
[Thank you for walking me back.]
[It was really enjoyable yesterday too.]
I stood at the entrance of my dormitory building, bowing my head slightly in gratitude.
I genuinely meant the words about enjoying our time. At least I walked away without any bad memories.
“Now that I have confirmation from you again, I feel relieved!”
Baek Ahrin responded with a bright smile.
It seemed my earlier venting hadn’t upset her in the slightest. I felt relieved as I was about to release her hand.
“Hayul.”
Baek Ahrin lifted our clasped hands up to my face.
“If the engagement becomes too burdensome, I can help.”
[Help?]
“Yes, help.”
Puzzled by the mysterious words, I tilted my head as Baek Ahrin gave a strange smile and released my hand.
“Just know this: if it becomes overwhelmingly burdensome, I’ll lend you a hand.”
In short, it meant she’d be there to help me when things got tough.
[Thank you.]
[If I find it hard, I’ll ask for help.]
In any case, it indicated a genuine gesture of goodwill.
I nodded my head, and Baek Ahrin smiled and waved.
.
.
.
Returning to the dorm after a long time. Although it has only been a week, it felt much longer.
I walked down the hallway, experiencing a peculiar sensation.
Having just exited the elevator, I finally spotted my dorm room within my range of observation.
This wasn’t someone else’s house; it was mine. There was no need for restraint in observation.
With that thought in mind, I let my observation continue.
– Splosh… Splosh…
I instantly recognized the Egg of Origin, which was actively shaking.
‘…Oh my god!’
For a moment, I froze in place, before rushing over and flinging the door open.
In the corner of the living room sofa.
The Egg of Origin was swaying left and right, scattering fragments all around.
The barrier that obstructed observation shook. It was a definite sign of hatching.
‘Oh my god…!’
Although my eyes were closed, I was certain that my inner eyes sparkled with excitement.
‘It’s opening, it’s opening…!’
The Egg of Origin.
The hidden piece that I thought I had secured.
And the hidden piece that sparked doubts about never hatching…
It’s opening. It’s hatching right now, in real time. It’s about to come out…!
My heart thudded. Calming my racing heart with anticipation, I squatted before the sofa.
‘What’s going to come out?’
Full of expectation. My body couldn’t stop quivering.
‘Extreme Potion?’
Could it be the potion that significantly contributed to the outrageous stat formation of ‘Golden Warrior’ in the 11th run?
‘Or perhaps the Dual Mirror?’
An artifact that enables a single unique ability to be copied in the 3rd run ‘Triad’?
‘Or the Order of Reversal would also be nice.’
The one-time-use artifact that created the ‘Reverse Mage’ in the 5th run.
To be honest, using it might be complex, but even that would be something. Even if I didn’t use it, selling it at auction would mean an outrageous fortune based on a superhuman’s earnings.
Considering my previous thoughts of it never hatching, I could happily accept even a simple potion set.
I could consume it or, if doubtful, smell it and then consume or sell it.
Anything would do.
Still, I hoped… that it would come in something usable during the break.
Of course, I’d plan to have insurance in place, but if I were to undertake something dangerous, I hoped it would quickly turn into a strength for me.
– Splosh, splosh─!
In response to my excitement, the Egg of Origin quickened its hatching pace.
At last, a large crack marred the egg.
The barrier remained, but upon closer inspection, it had already split in half.
‘Is it opened?’
My heart raced. After a few deep breaths, I cautiously reached out.
– !
The Egg of Origin shook violently. The upper portion of the shell tilted precariously. This reaction, unseen until now, froze my hand mid-movement.
The egg shook again, as if indicating that something was inside.
‘?’
My hand trembled. A faint, instinctual unease coursed through me.
And then.
– Splosh!
A hand burst forth from the crack in the egg.
A small, pale arm stood out prominently.
For a brief moment, it seemed to flail about as if checking its surroundings, then—splosh!—another arm shot out from the other side.
The flailing arms quickly drew back. Moments later, a small hand peeked out and lifted the shell covering it.
The small hand rose, and so did the shell.
At last, the entity inside revealed itself.
“Pyaah!”
A carefree and cheerful laughter echoed.
With no sign of any outside influence, the baby had snow-white hair and sparkling eyes filled with innocence.
It was an exotic-looking baby…
No, it was more than just exotic.
The truly exceptional aspect lay elsewhere.
Behind this laughing baby, a pair of wings fluttered.
Unlike the pure white of the head, the wings were semi-transparent and stunningly beautiful, displaying a spectrum of colors…
‘……’
My mind froze. My thoughts became abruptly blank, and a dull headache enveloped me like a heavy fog.
The ringing in my ears intensified. I felt my knees weaken, and it seemed I might topple backward any moment.
In that instant, the eagerly waving baby turned its gaze toward me.
Since I was squatting in front of the sofa, my eye level was almost at par with the baby sitting on the couch.
The baby’s mouth opened.
“A, baaah!”
My ears rang. The sound trailed off.
A, baaah…
Daddy…
Daddyyyy…?
To whom?
To me?
– Bang!
In that moment.
A sudden, unparalleled wave of intense headache and pressure overwhelmed me like nothing I’d ever felt before.
What was once dark in my vision deepened to an even darker hue…
*
[The Egg of Origin accepts the origin of the bearer.]
[Searching for suitable conditions for the bearer…]
[The Egg of Origin hatches.]
…
[Fairy Knight… Hatch complete.]
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