“…Is this a dream?”
Yena doubted her eyes.
Why on earth was there Miss Lily dressed as Santa and Lord Leo dressed as Rudolph in front of her?
Of course, unlike Lord Leo, who wore a brown Rudolph pajama complete with a red nose, Miss Lily was in casual clothes with a white robe that had a red trim.
It was a completely different vibe from the fluttering white saintess outfit she usually wore.
Santa Lily chuckled and shook her head.
“It’s an event for the hard-working young child. Surprised, huh?”
“I’m really surprised. So surprised.”
“……”
[?]
[Santa Lily!]
[OMG Lord Leo is so cute in that Rudolph pajama lol]
[Wow]
[Big Lily]
[You said you were going to eat, so why are you here?]
[????]
[Ah lol I came here to eat]
[?]
[Do we have to call that a Santa girl too?]
[Leo is so adorable for real]
[Look at Yena getting emotional lololol]
[This is great, but something feels off… ]
[Legendary]
[If you’re going to wear something, wear a REAL Santa outfit ㅜㅜㅜㅜ]
Thunk.
Yena, whose legs gave out, plopped down and lowered her head.
Sniff.
“What’s wrong? Yena, are you crying?”
“…No.”
“You’re crying, crying. Why are you crying?”
Rudolph Leo spun around, asking, and then patted Yena.
“Don’t cry. If you cry, you won’t get presents.”
“…Huh.”
Hiccup, hiccup…
[? hahahaha]
[Yena is going dark ㄷㄷ]
[So scary lol]
[Look at Leo being adorable]
[Santa girl Lily OMG…]
[So cute]
[Ah lol If you cry, you’re a bad child!]
“If you cry or laugh, your butt hair…”
“Ah! What am I supposed to do!”
Waaaah! Yena suddenly shot up from her seat.
In front of her stood Leo, his eyes sparkling as he held a mountain of gift boxes.
“Ugh! This hidden dungeon just won’t end! I’ve been stuck here for two months, my stamina is at 15%, and unless it’s a special move, I can’t even take a hit! I’m seriously going crazy!!”
“…Hmm.”
“Huh?”
“I see you haven’t rested and have been playing for over 10 hours a day, and recently, you’ve been playing 18 hours straight because if you don’t clear it before the Great Cataclysm, you’re doomed, right? Ugh, hiccup… Ahhh…”
Waaaah…!
Yena cried loudly.
Not just a few tears, but she was bawling her eyes out, and Leo tilted his head while I quietly checked Yena’s chat window.
[Hahahahahaha]
[Yena is wailing lol]
[Yena’s land… how can you create your own dark history?]
[It’s hilarious seeing her wail lol]
[Dark history ON]
[Hahahahahahahaha]
[Lily and Leo are so deadpan, it’s hilarious, lol]
[Poor Lily!!]
[Yena, don’t cry. This is the hidden choice you made.]
[Yena, Yena…]
[But Yena did go through a lot… even with the viewers being super harsh, she kept trying.]
“Ugh…”
“But this…”
“Yes?”
“If we upload this on YouTube, it might get a lot of views.”
“Hey!!”
Yena’s red eyes sparkled with motivation, and the chat window was flooded with hahahaha.
I chuckled softly and shook my head.
“I’m joking. You must have had a hard time, right, Lord Leo?”
“Compared to the Empire quest, this is just a drop in the bucket.”
“……”
“Come on, come here and sit down and rest a bit. Sometimes you need a day like this to relax.”
I lightly flopped onto a comfy sofa with a red carpet, and after creating something like a campfire in the middle, I patted the sofa.
Yena walked over with a droopy posture and sat beside me.
Plop! On the opposite side, Rudolph Leo put something in the fire.
Due to the Magical Fire, something quickly roasted was held up by Leo, who stretched his arm out to bring it to Yena’s mouth.
“…What is this?”
Yena sounded a bit blunt due to Leo’s indifferent comment.
But Leo, with a carefree smile, insisted on bringing it closer.
“Eat it!”
“……”
Yena shot him a slightly resentful glance but then took a bite of whatever it was.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Soon, Yena took another bite, and another, bringing more and more to her mouth.
Before long, her cheeks were puffed up.
Hehe. Leo laughed and retrieved the stick he had eaten all the marshmallows from.
“Delicious, right? I mixed Arne’s favorite marshmallow with Lily’s secret sauce.”
“…It is tasty.”
Glug.
Before they knew it, Yena had swallowed all the marshmallows and was glancing between the fire and Leo.
Leo chuckled and tossed a few marshmallows into the fire.
How long had passed as they silently ate?
Yena held ten sticks in her hands.
“…Cough, cough!”
“Have you calmed down now?”
“I wasn’t mad.”
“What about earlier?”
“That was just about myself… um… that…”
Yena turned her head away, feeling embarrassed.
Whether it was the fire or true embarrassment, her face was beet red.
Seeing that, I also ate a roasted marshmallow and laughed.
[Hahahahaha]
[Yena is super cute today]
[What’s with embarrassed Yena’s cuteness!!]
[Hahaha]
[Yena’s emotional ups and downs have gotten intense…]
[Of course, sugar makes it better]
[Lily is an angel]
[Is it really that tasty?]
Tap.
I insert a new marshmallow into the fire.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s going well.”
“…You call this going well?”
“Do you really think you can defeat a top-level World Boss just by practicing a few times? Especially without any special restrictions?”
Unlike various raids where your powers might be limited or there are devices that can effectively inflict damage on the boss, this is just a pure one-on-one duel.
Even Leo, the Sword Saint, wouldn’t be able to scratch a hair on Myeosin, so how could Yena possibly beat her?
“It’s going to be tough, but I’m sure there is a way. It might seem meaningless right now, but it’ll definitely help later on.”
“…So does that mean I won’t be able to go out after the Great Cataclysm?”
“Not at all. Miss Yena has to play her part too.”
I shook my head as I glanced at Leo.
Leo, with cheeks stuffed full of marshmallows like a squirrel, suddenly widened his eyes and presented a gift box that he hadn’t given earlier.
“Opening it soon!”
“What is this?”
“You’ll find out when you open it.”
Yena alternated her gaze between me and Leo as she opened the box.
Inside, there was a hexagonal jewel radiating a special power.
“This is…”
“Miss Yena might not be sure yet, but the technique itself is complete. The important thing is the vessel to hold it.”
Just like Leo’s ‘Nymph Transformation’ and Candy Star’s ‘Magical Girl Transformation.’
Yena also needs to have resistance strong enough to handle a technique that could ripple through the souls.
And conveniently, the very person who could provide that resistance is right there.
Myeosin is staring at me intently.
More precisely, the thing she handed over to me.
I hesitated a bit when she first proposed giving it to me, but it seemed reasonable, and anyway, I would earn the right after it’s over.
This method must be the best direction to take.
Yena lifts the intricately structured hexagonal jewel.
Faintly engraved patterns on the inside.
Though faint, it looks like it represents a cat.
Just looking at it, you can feel the mysterious power emanating from the jewel.
“It’s a jewel? What do we use this for?”
“If you use that, you’ll be able to clear it within the remaining time.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say last time that I shouldn’t clear it with brute strength?”
“I did.”
Yena’s main goal isn’t just to obtain strong power through quest clearing, but to ensure smooth usage and stability of ‘Roar.’
But we can’t delay any longer.
Myeosin also said that this way is the most fulfilling path for me, Yena, and herself.
‘Yena is a talented child. So if she accepts it early, she’ll be able to reach a high level.’
“This isn’t that great of a power. It’s just for enhancing senses and ki perception. The increase in combat power itself is minimal.”
“It’s like a power-up for a dragon. The increase in combat ability is quite minimal, though.”
“…? Then why…”
“But as I said earlier, Miss Yena has already reached completion. Now all that’s left is to fully grasp that sensation.”
If she can capture that sensation, Yena can achieve mastery and succeed in the quest within six days.
Holding the gem, Yena nods with a strangely anxious expression.
“Uh… I don’t know what it is, but since Lady Lily gave it to me! I’ll gratefully accept it.”
“Be sure to clear it and make a grand entrance. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Yes! Should I use it right now?”
Whether she’s in a good mood or not, as Yena lifts the clenched jewel, something pink begins to stir.
I wave my hand to halt that flow.
“Not now; try it later when you’re alone.”
“Why?”
“It takes some time for the power to seep in. It’ll probably take about 10 hours while you’re asleep, and it’s not like we can just end the broadcast now, right?”
“Well… that’s true.”
Nodding, Yena understands and puts the jewel inside her pocket.
Looks like everything went according to plan.
[?]
[So envious]
[Something’s going on]
[The power Lady Lily gave…]
[Give it to me]
[Definitely not normal]
[If it’s pink, isn’t it a hidden NPC?]
After that, the three of us sat around a campfire and conducted a Christmas broadcast.
It would be nice to include Myeosin in the conversation, but Myeosin is bound to the system.
There wasn’t much we could discuss with someone not directly involved here.
‘I can’t just send Leo out either.’
Yena, having drank quite a bit, seems tipsy and giggles while shaking her head.
Deoen’s Yena is a super-human, so she doesn’t get drunk, but intoxication is a “status effect” that confuses the mind.
If intentionally allowed to have a status effect, she could certainly get tipsy.
“Hehehe… Once the hidden part is over… you will truly see the Transcendent Mythical Goddess Yena descend upon this land…”
“Wow. Sounds exciting.”
“…What’s with that tone?”
“It’s truly exciting, you know.”
Am I the only one excited?
I turn my head to look at Leo.
Before I know it, Leo, who’s been hiccuping, stares at Yena with a flushed face.
He seems tipsy, but maybe it’s just his usual weirdness making his mental state even sharper.
He shakes his head.
“Fire land…”
“Excuse me?”
“No, no… Hehe. I’m just cheering for you.”
“?
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