At first, I just wanted to scold him a little.
But no joke, he doesn’t treat his own body with any care at all.
Last time, under the pretense of training together, I casually watched him from the side, and it was quite a sight to behold.
He rolls around like his body is made of clay, just messing around without a care.
Even if he gets broken or torn, he acts like his body will magically heal or grow back anyway, mercilessly abusing it.
He doesn’t even sleep. If someone like Hong Yeon-hwa doesn’t cradle him to sleep, he won’t nap for days.
Even when people around him are shocked and scold him, he just sulks and doesn’t change his behavior.
It’s funny how he’s such a compliant kid in normal situations, but he digs his heels in when it comes to this.
Like he’s being chased by something, he abuses his body like he’ll die if he doesn’t do this immediately—it’s completely baffling.
Of course, he’s a secretive kid, so he must have his reasons… but from an outside perspective, it looks incredibly precarious.
That’s why whether it’s Hong Yeon-hwa or Elia, whenever Lee Ha-yul comes to the dormitory, we’ve even agreed to rush in and put him to bed with Seo yul right away.
‘Am I going crazy…?’
It seems like Lee Ha-yul imagines his body as some machine that can just have parts swapped out or completely replaced.
I mean, with that prosthetic arm of his, it’s probably fair to think that way.
In fact, Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to rip that prosthetic off him right then and there. And it’s not just her—most people around him feel the same way.
That stiff prosthetic occupying the space where his beautiful, fair arm should be was unacceptable.
She wanted to take that thing off and feed him a ton of potion to regenerate that arm right away…
Top-tier artifact? A precious relic with sensory circuits connected? A treasure infused with unique abilities? A beautiful exterior?
…And so what?
Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to feel Lee Ha-yul’s natural skin instead of that so-called top-tier artifact…
She held back. She wanted to pounce and rip it off as soon as she saw that prosthetic, but Lee Ha-yul’s violent resistance left her empty-handed.
The temptation to flatten him for days to turn him into a bit of an idiot just to forcibly remove it did creep in, but… she somehow held back.
Even now, every time she sees that prosthetic, she feels her heart burn. Every time she touches that hard metal instead of delicate, soft skin, it hurt her heart.
As time goes on, the possibility of regenerating that arm is disappearing.
While this was all happening, he came back from a regular lecture with his remaining arm cut off?
He split his arm in half during a magic experiment?
Just that alone had her fuming, but if Lee Ha-yul were to come with another prosthetic he found somewhere claiming it was his right arm… Hong Yeon-hwa might faint right there.
“Should I try cutting off my arm too for an experiment? Would that make Ha-yul understand how I feel?”
So, she lightly scolded him, reminding him to realize his bad habit of treating his body like clay.
Trying to get him to see things from another angle—if she lost an arm and ended up with a prosthetic dangling, wouldn’t that make him feel uncomfortable? Wouldn’t it hurt him…?
“I’m sorry…! Yeon-hwa can’t be hurt…!”
But the moment she said that, Lee Ha-yul’s mood shifted completely.
Looking like a puppy completely drenched in the rain, he desperately clung to her after Hong Yeon-hwa’s comment.
“I-I’m the one at fault… cough, cough! Please, don’t say that…”
“No, I’m not really saying I’m going to rip it out; wait! Fine! I misspoke! D-Don’t cry…”
He looked so desperate that it truly seemed like she was about to rip his arm off at any second.
The kid, who had earlier been just confused and sulky about his arm being cut off, was now sobbing and clinging to her.
At that, even those who had been silent felt the need to butt in and soothe him.
“Don’t be hurt… I messed up…”
“Okay, I’m sorry for saying something weird. I promise I won’t do it again, so let’s just stop crying?”
As she eased him, Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly felt the eyes on her.
“Ha-yul? I didn’t mean it seriously… I mean, probably?”
“Yeon-hwa, you really crossed the line with that comment. Why would you say that to him?”
“Hong Yeon-hwa, that was too harsh.”
“Her harsh words brought about this chaos.”
As she raised her head, she saw the other girls who had been comforting Lee Ha-yul look at her with scolding eyes.
‘Wait, why are you all blaming me when you just stood by?!’
She shot a glare at them like, “What gives?”
They had gathered to decide they needed to scold him this time, yet suddenly they were all looking at her like she was the problem now.
It felt like they were trying to shift the blame to her to preserve their own favorability.
“Don’t bully my dad!”
“…Ahem.”
With a deadly glare sweeping over the room, Hong Yeon-hwa subtly shifted her gaze toward Seo Yul, who was looking at Lee Ha-yul with a concerned expression.
Feeling a strange feeling as if the roles of father and daughter had flipped, she couldn’t afford to drop her stepdaughter’s favor anymore…
“Anyway, I’m sorry for saying something bad, Ha-yul. But you being so sad, I really feel sad every time you get hurt…”
At any rate, she had to resolve the situation.
Tightly hugging Lee Ha-yul, who was slowly calming down, she rubbed her cheek against his snowy hair.
“Y-yes… I’m sorry.”
“Uh-huh. I’m sorry too. Please take care of your body from now on, thinking of others.”
“Yes… I’ll be careful…”
“Good boy.”
After a good cry, her heart melted at the obedient reply of Lee Ha-yul, and she smiled warmly.
Then, with affection, she kissed his fragrant hair.
“……”
“Hmph.”
She didn’t care about the multitude of piercing gazes from the front. What were they planning to do?
“Cough… Yeon-hwa, let’s move.”
“Really? You’re suggesting moving now? Like, right now?”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s expressions of affection continued until the unexpected announcement of moving.
Lee Ha-yul blinked in shock as he held up a key he had retrieved from his pocket.
*
Moving is generally a tedious task.
Changing one of the three elements essential for a living—home.
One wrong decision can lead to a year of struggle, so it requires careful deliberation.
Among that cumbersome process, organizing moving boxes is considered especially bothersome.
There’s just so much stuff that comes from a house.
You have to sort everything one by one, pack what you’re taking, and set aside what you’re leaving behind.
You have to handle heavy furniture and valuable items that can easily break during transport with utmost care, and on top of that, the miscellaneous items keep piling up, which can be draining.
I personally don’t have fond memories of moving.
‘That was really tough back then…’
Ever since my name was splattered across the news just because I got hit by a car.
I would roll my eyes seeing all those nosy people barging into that tiny goshiwon.
I can’t even imagine how much that bothered the residents of the building. Just because one resident appeared on the news, suddenly we had swarms of people buzzing around for days.
I was already annoyed, and the thought of inconveniencing others drove me crazy.
So ultimately I had to move to escape it… but packing while missing a leg was a real hassle.
But that was a tale from the previous world.
Lee Ha-yul’s situation is quite different now, as he’s physically strong and capable of tossing cars around.
– Whooooosh…
A hole opened in the air. With a strange vibration, the created hole shifted the flow of the surrounding air. One light gesture made the hole follow the movement.
The air layered through and around the hole, along with the accumulated belongings, were suddenly consumed by it. Soon, all that was left in the spot where the hole passed was a dust-free floor.
With a few more gestures, the hole zoomed around the dormitory, gobbling up the moving boxes.
Dressers or furniture containing clothes were taken whole, and anything that was separate followed suit into the abyss.
The miscellaneous clutter was effortlessly snatched by the wings of the sky and placed gently into the hole.
It looked like a flimsy, airy fabric on the outside, but when pressure is applied, it can slice through metal like tofu.
The process was neat and swift, with not a trace of noise or dust.
Moving preparations? With the power of space, it’s no problem at all.
Just stuff everything into the interdimensional space. No damage, no effort, and quick!
‘The power of space is divine, and the void is indestructible…’
Now that is true power.
A satisfied smile crept up on my face.
“To unfold spatial magic so precisely… you’re amazing!”
While I was packing everything into the interdimensional space, Baek Ahrin, standing behind me, had her eyes wide in awe, gazing at the hole devouring the belongings.
“It’s right in front of me, but I can’t even feel the magic.”
“Isn’t it? Plus, a bed, fridge, furniture… it all goes in!”
“Size expansion is free, and the capacity is unbelievable… It’s rare to find someone who can handle space magic like this…”
‘……’
I managed my expression while observing the reactions of Baek Ahrin and Elia, who were admiring the space around it.
Can’t feel the magic? Think the size and capacity are absurd?
‘Well, that’s because this isn’t just magic; it’s true power…’
The power of space. The more I’m familiar with it, the more I can do.
Initially, it was space perception, then interdimensional space, exercising dominance, spatial barriers and their separation, applications of gravitation and repulsion…
Still, when it comes down to it, the scope and depth of what can be done far outstrip magic.
Though unlike magic, since it isn’t my innate strength, if the power is taken away, I’d be helpless…
‘…will I be able to use it then?’
That thought suddenly crossed my mind as I tilted my head. Now, using this power feels as easy as breathing. The senses and techniques have become second nature. Is this something that can’t be replicated?
Even though it’s an ability of another entity, strictly speaking, it can be regarded as the tower’s unique capability.
If that’s the case, couldn’t I replicate it…?
“Did you say you learned spatial magic from the Vice President?”
[Ah, yes.]
[The Vice President personally taught me.]
I replied with the premeditated excuse that cut through my thoughts as Hong Yeon-hwa asked.
It’s the same explanation I had given to Ji-yeon before.
Space power and spatial magic. Others can’t distinguish them, so it’s the perfect excuse.
“…Did you meet up separately?”
[Yes, yes… Why do you ask?]
“…Oh, it’s nothing.”
Something about Hong Yeon-hwa’s expression seemed off. When I tilted my head in curiosity, she shook her head, insisting it was nothing.
[Should I leave Baek Ahrin’s belongings separate?]
Now that I think about it, Baek Ahrin doesn’t need to live here together anymore. Since my Gop-hwa has stabilized, she will probably return.
As I felt a strange reluctance to let her go and asked, she tilted her head.
“Oh, do you perhaps lack capacity?”
[No, capacity isn’t an issue. But it feels wrong to stuff it all in without permission…]
“Then let’s bundle it all together. Since I need to clear out everything anyway, I’d feel bad leaving mine behind, and it’d be a hassle to sort out later, right?”
[Are you really okay with that?]
“Yes, yes, it’s fine. I’ll handle it later. What’s the problem anyway?”
Baek Ahrin smiled sweetly. I nodded in agreement and swallowed the belongings in her “room” into the interdimensional space.
“Oh, and please take care of my underwear. Don’t let any slip out in the middle.”
[?!]
“Shut up and leave…! Get out now!”
With a furious shout, Hong Yeon-hwa chased Baek Ahrin away.
“Wow, she really shoved me hard…”
Rubbing her back after being pushed away, Baek Ahrin pouted as she complained.
“Oh, and.”
As she put on her shoes at the entrance, she suddenly turned back and gave me a peculiar smile.
“See you tomorrow, then?”
[…?]
[Yes, see you tomorrow!]
Since tomorrow is a weekday, we’ll meet during class.
It’ll be busy with moving as well tomorrow.
With that thought, I nodded.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
