This is utterly perplexing.
The sudden action came out of nowhere.
During what was supposed to be an ordinary banquet, Hong Yeon-hwa quietly approached.
I wasn’t particularly concerned. I had gotten somewhat used to Hong Yeon-hwa making sudden advances.
Then, Hong Yeon-hwa stretched her arm and draped it over my shoulder, pulling me into her embrace.
For a moment, I was completely oblivious to what was happening.
[Warmth]
[Softness]
[Squeeze]
But the soft, warm pressure holding me in place made me snap back to reality.
Honestly, this kind of action wasn’t all that surprising.
It was ridiculous, but I’d been in Hong Yeon-hwa’s arms quite a few times before.
I often sprawled out on the floor, groaning, only to be found and picked up by her.
So being embraced like this, petted and comforted, occurred more often than I expected.
[Hong Yeon-hwa?]
“Yeah. What’s up?”
[There are a lot of eyes on us…]
But at that moment, it was just me and Hong Yeon-hwa; we were alone.
There was no one else around. No witnesses, so weird rumors wouldn’t spring up.
That was different now.
With my flushed cheeks in mind, I scanned the surroundings with my observational power.
At least hundreds of gazes were glued to us. It had been like that since we entered the banquet hall.
The Gop-hwa Clan’s branch family and affiliated forces… These were people powerful enough to be invited to the regular banquet.
In other words, they had the ability to spread scandalous gossip in an instant.
Carefully, I called out to Hong Yeon-hwa, and she reacted as if nothing was wrong.
Her nonchalant response to the situation left me feeling momentarily baffled.
I subtly shrugged my shoulders, making her arm shake as well.
When my intent was conveyed through my rather blatant action, Hong Yeon-hwa, seemingly deep in thought, slowly moved her hand.
– Swoosh…
‘Yikes.’
[Ticklish]
I shivered at the sensation of her hand rubbing my shoulder.
It was a soft yet ticklish touch.
As I tensed up, Hong Yeon-hwa pulled me in closer, seemingly pleased by my reaction.
The gazes around us grew even stranger.
Did Hong Yeon-hwa notice them too? She blushed but didn’t loosen her grip on my shoulder.
At that point, I realized that even though Hong Yeon-hwa was aware of the attention, she chose to act this way.
I couldn’t fathom the reason.
Until then, she would periodically hug me, but she had been mindful of others’ gazes.
In Shio-ram, when there were other people around, her touches would only extend to gentle head pats or cheek pinches.
Nothing as overt as what was happening now.
Heat surged through me, leaving my mind swirling.
And that wasn’t all. It was a banquet after all, with plenty of food and drinks… Including alcohol.
This was a gathering at the Gop-hwa Clan’s main house. There was no shortage of preparation, and the alcohol on offer seemed all high-end.
Surrounded by such fine spirits, I wasn’t feeling great.
Just like at the Tower of Growth after-parties, my mind became hazy and dizzy, as if enveloped in fog.
With my face heating up, my head grew even more foggy.
“It’s okay.”
Suddenly, Hong Yeon-hwa patted my shoulder and spoke.
I blinked at her gesture.
She said it was okay…
But there was no reasoning behind why it was okay.
In the midst of everyone’s gazes.
Even while embracing me and moving around, knowing very well that rumors would spread, she simply said it was okay.
‘It’s okay…’
But since Hong Yeon-hwa said so.
That alone calmed my racing heart.
There was trust, faith, or whatever you want to call it.
She wouldn’t deliberately cause me harm.
If she acted like this despite being aware of others’ gazes, there had to be a reason.
I stopped my fidgeting shoulders.
Resting in her arms, I leaned my body against her.
Hong Yeon-hwa welcomed the approaching guests while holding me like that.
It was just like before.
Choi Ji-yeon led the conversations, and the others responded. Hong Yeon-hwa would occasionally interject when the topic involved her.
Then, whenever someone in front turned their gaze toward me, they’d glance at me, and Hong Yeon-hwa would soothingly pat my shoulder.
.
.
.
As time passed, it finally reached the end of the regular banquet.
The presiding lord, Choi Ji-yeon, and Hong Yeon-hwa exchanged greetings with everyone in attendance.
The participants also had plenty of time to chat with each other.
“It seems we’re starting to feel tired. It’s not normal to talk for hours straight,”
Choi Ji-yeon said, drawing everyone’s attention. As she announced the end of the banquet, everyone quietly stared at her.
After that, it was a customary speech.
Thank you for gracing us with your presence today. We’ll continue to have regular meetings in the future. I hope you’ll bless those occasions as well, and let’s keep good relations moving forward, etc…
Perhaps due to Gop-hwa Clan’s disfavor for formal procedures, such mumbling ended swiftly.
“Now then, while it is customary for the head of the family to conclude, the current head is absent, so the successor, Hong Yeon-hwa, will preside over the closure.”
“Wait a moment.”
With that, Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been resting her hand on my shoulder, gently withdrew it.
Then, walking confidently and unimpeded, she stepped onto the central podium.
The closing ceremony of the banquet is conducted by pouring Gop-hwa’s power into the Beacon Sword by the head of the family.
Since the head is absent, the successor, Hong Yeon-hwa, took on that role.
A sword was embedded upright on the podium. It looked as if it were made of transparent glass.
Just looking at its appearance, it seemed like it would shatter to pieces with a mere kick.
But I knew from experience and knowledge from the original story that wouldn’t happen.
‘Beacon Sword.’
The Gop-hwa Clan’s unique weapon wielded by the head.
A weapon that exists to completely contain, regulate, and amplify the violent and chaotic Gop-hwa.
I remembered how Hong Yeon-hwa wielded the Beacon Sword in the original story.
It was not just because of the rise in her power when she wielded the sword… but also because I had a vague idea of the costs that went into it.
The main material of the sword was monster crystals from creatures of rank three or higher.
Additionally, it was adorned with various jewels soaked in the highest purity of magic power.
Just the high-purity magic power gems are hard to come by and nearly impossible to obtain with money.
Monster crystals from rank three or above are practically priceless assets.
Such crystals are intrinsically classified as strategic assets. I remember that just one could power several magic power plants.
In short, it’s as if she were swinging a sword worth the price of a castle.
Without delay, Hong Yeon-hwa drew the Beacon Sword.
– Swoosh…
The sword, embedded in the podium, came out without resistance.
The Beacon Sword doesn’t particularly choose its wielder. Its weight isn’t astronomically heavy, so even an ordinary person can lift it.
Hong Yeon-hwa gripped the hilt with both hands and raised the sword toward the sky.
The transparent blade temporarily glowed orange, illuminated by the ambient light.
– Whoosh!
The blade began to blaze with fierce red flames.
The Gop-hwa power bursting forth from Hong Yeon-hwa swirled wildly, pouring into the transparent blade.
As if in response, Hong Yeon-hwa’s Gop-hwa also erupted forth more powerfully.
The surroundings grew hotter.
The output of Gop-hwa was felt on our skin, causing some to exhale in awe.
‘Oh…’
I couldn’t help but admire too.
It was nothing like the Gop-hwa I felt at the beginning of the semester. It crossed a whole other line in terms of output.
It seemed that going through the Tower of Growth and overcoming a trial of Gop-hwa had paid off.
– Whoosh…
Suddenly, the wind stirred. Sparks danced in the air as the currents swirled around Hong Yeon-hwa.
Her outer garment fluttered in the wind. The sparks carried by the breeze were sucked into the blade.
The Beacon Sword devoured the endlessly pouring Gop-hwa.
The once transparent blade gradually turned a fiery red.
But.
– Whoosh…
Hong Yeon-hwa’s Gop-hwa couldn’t flow infinitely.
At some point, she let out a deep sigh and stopped the outpouring.
The cascade of Gop-hwa that had been soaring to the ceiling wobbled and swiftly vanished.
The Beacon Sword absorbed even the last strand of Gop-hwa.
– Hum…
The now-red blade had briefly trembled with resonance, but it slowly returned to its original transparent glass-like appearance.
The Beacon Sword, once wielded by the founding Hong Yeon, had yet to find a new master.
I can only guess that it’s because it’s tainted by the Gop-hwa of the founding Hong Yeon.
That’s why it was used ceremonially in various events of the Gop-hwa Clan.
“Phew…”
After halting the Gop-hwa release, Hong Yeon-hwa exhaled a warm breath, likely adjusting the rise in her emotions that had spiked from the exertion.
This time it wasn’t a battle, but rather filling the Beacon Sword with Gop-hwa.
So she must have poured it out without restraint, unlike during a fight.
– Glance
As she was calming the rise in her emotions, Hong Yeon-hwa glanced this way. With complex and sticky eyes, she tilted her head.
The gaze grew even stickier. Hong Yeon-hwa squeezed her eyes shut and twirled the sword.
– Stab
Pointing the sword toward the sky, Hong Yeon-hwa swirled it around and smoothly sank it back into the original position.
The Beacon Sword nestled back into place like cogwheels meshing together.
Originally, this would conclude the closing ceremony.
Choi Ji-yeon began to speak.
“With that, I declare the end of this regular banquet─”
The participants were prepared to burst into applause.
“─Before declaring it, I have an announcement for the bloodline of Gop-hwa.”
The applause never materialized. Those preparing to clap halted, blinking as they exchanged confused glances.
What news did you hear? Yet no one answered.
At that moment, I walked forward as instructed.
With footsteps echoing in the silence, all eyes were on me.
Receiving the multitude of gazes, I stepped onto the podium.
The suddenness of my appearance puzzled some of the participants…
“?”
…but they nodded as if they had expected it.
I, however, froze momentarily in response to their unexpected reaction.
My still-dizzy mind couldn’t understand why they were looking at me as if they anticipated my arrival.
Turning toward Choi Ji-yeon, she nodded at me.
The Gop-hwa Clan has a long history of showing rather than telling.
This confirmation? It seemed they wanted to show it through action as well.
“……”
Hong Yeon-hwa stepped a few paces back from the Beacon Sword.
The Gop-hwa within her still felt slippery.
It seemed controlling her emotions was a bit difficult.
Considering the Gop-hwa had been flowing through her for the entire banquet, it seemed like her condition wasn’t ideal.
Or perhaps she couldn’t adapt to the rise in emotions alongside the power output.
I stepped forward in place of Hong Yeon-hwa and took hold of the hilt of the Beacon Sword.
– Swoosh…
Like before, the Beacon Sword slid out smoothly without a sound.
The once red-hot blade had cooled, revealing its transparent exterior.
I glanced at the onlookers.
Their eyes remained expectant, as if they expected nothing less.
“……”
Feeling a bit awkward, I focused on channeling my magic.
Expanding magical affinity
Homogenization…
‘Gop-hwa.’
Whoosh! Flames erupted from the blade.
The Gop-hwa burst forth from my right arm, wrapping around the Beacon Sword.
The transparent blade and the orange-lit room were now tinted deep red.
“……”
The onlookers kept their calm expressions, as if this was expected.
“……?”
They frowned at the oddness of the situation.
“……!”
Only when I began to unleash more Gop-hwa did their eyes widen in shock.
Finally, a somewhat normal reaction came forth.
Amidst the hazy confusion, feeling somewhat childish satisfaction swell within me, I continued.
*
[Player Adjustment System: Measurement]
▶Mental State
…
‘Guilt’: The feeling of responsibility for wrongdoings
‘Fulfillment’: Being entirely engrossed
‘Warmth’: Emotions, attitudes, and ambiance are gentle and cozy
‘Tipsiness’: Tipsy from alcohol, feeling dazed
‘Emotional Rise’: Ideologies or emotions reaching their zenith
…
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