The past month had been quite tough for Hong Yeon-hwa.
She was cramming lectures and tackling assignments that seemed never-ending, all while squeezing in personal training sessions.
Not just physical and magical training, but also mastering her unique abilities and mental discipline.
On top of that, as much as she despised it, she was also keeping tabs on the family’s diplomatic affairs.
There were whispers about the unsettling situation of the Demon Realm, and the fortress had become rather unstable, with fronts wobbling here and there.
It was a complicated and difficult matter.
If it had been the original Hong Yeon-hwa, she might have relied on her general and her mother to handle everything… showcasing her talents as a perfect daughter, but not now.
This Hong Yeon-hwa was diligently listening to the unfolding situations, actively practicing, and living a busy life.
Even with ten bodies, she would feel exhausted, but she didn’t care.
‘Lee Ha-yul.’
She thought of the troublemaker who had gone out twice from Shio-ram and returned as a bloody mess.
Of course, now he was much stronger than Hong Yeon-hwa.
But deep down, she had a hunch that if he kept this up, he would sneak out again and end up as a bloody mess.
To prevent that, she felt it was necessary for her to become stronger beside him.
She could endure such a schedule.
‘Ha-yul… is gone…’
However, after moving to the mansion, it didn’t take long for Lee Ha-yul to ditch Hong Yeon-hwa under the pretense of external studies.
Places like the Tower of Knowledge.
Those external activity spots were already a mess, and it was difficult to communicate during that period.
So, only women with a peculiar aura were left in the mansion.
Recently, Hong Yeon-hwa couldn’t find joy in her life.
There was no longer Lee Ha-yul, who would greet her every morning with a bright smile and longing pecks like a baby bird.
When she opened her eyes, all she saw was a clean ceiling and a strangely empty spot beside her bed.
There was no longer Lee Ha-yul to silently prepare an earnest breakfast every day without a hint of annoyance.
Hong Yeon-hwa remained digging through the fridge every day to eat the food he had prepared before leaving…
There was no longer the adorable and warm-smelling Lee Ha-yul to snuggle with.
She had to lay down in solitude on the bed and succumb to sleep in a room that echoed only her own breath…
If Lee Ha-yul was right, he should be back soon…
“Ugh.”
With a deep sigh, Hong Yeon-hwa moved on.
She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jumper and marched forward, feeling the cool breeze wrap around her neck.
She saw the street trees slowly turning red.
Though Shio-ram was right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, all four distinct seasons were in full swing.
At the moment, autumn was about to set in.
But spring and autumn were relatively short, so soon enough, winter would arrive.
The time for heavy snowfall and the chilly air, where it would be time to layer up…
Then to put on gloves, hats, and scarves…
“……”
Hong Yeon-hwa gently touched her neck.
At the same time, she recalled the scarf waiting for her at home.
“Hmm.”
While she didn’t have a particular fondness for any season, she found herself looking forward to this year’s winter.
…
The destination Hong Yeon-hwa headed to was a children-only amusement facility in the commercial district.
“Welcome, Miss.”
“Yep!”
Nearby, Ariel was waiting.
Hong Yeon-hwa turned her gaze toward Ariel, who had greeted her.
Next to Ariel, bowing slightly, was Seo-yul, holding her hand.
Seo-yul had recently been spending more time outside.
Worried that Lee Ha-yul’s swift growth might lead to a lack of minimum communication skills, here’s the concern right there.
“Hello.”
Seo-yul met Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes and bowed at the waist.
His polite behavior brought a smile to Hong Yeon-hwa’s face.
“Hi there, Seo-yul! Did you have fun?”
“… Yes, Hong Yeon-hwa. I had fun.”
‘Guess it wasn’t that fun after all.’
His plain response did not escape Hong Yeon-hwa’s notice, as she sensed the boredom etched on his face.
It was like he was saying, “Sure, I’ll follow my dad’s wishes, but I’m not exactly enjoying it…”
At least he wasn’t a human but a fairy, so maybe it just wasn’t to his taste.
“Well then, should we head home?”
This place wasn’t to Seo-yul’s liking…
Hong Yeon-hwa mentally noted it before extending her hand to him.
Seo-yul’s eyes gazed at her hand.
“… Yes.”
He hesitated for a moment, parting his lips as if contemplating something.
Then, he gently reached out and took Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand.
A satisfied smile spread across her face at that action.
Seo-yul had previously shown sharp wariness and rejection towards Hong Yeon-hwa.
But perhaps he felt the kindness she had shown recently.
He was slowly toning down that wariness and closing the distance.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
She walked calmly, matching Seo-yul’s pace.
Behind them, Ariel trailed a few steps behind them, completing her temporary guardian role.
Thanks to all three wearing recognition-disabling magic tools, they weren’t attracting any attention.
– No unusual occurrences detected.
A voice flowed into Hong Yeon-hwa’s mind as she walked.
It was Ariel’s telepathic message.
Hong Yeon-hwa shrugged her shoulders to acknowledge she was listening.
– There have been no breaches of the recognition-disabling magic, and no wings have been exposed. No signs of external threats detected.
Though Ariel had been retired for a bit, she was still an excellent hunter.
Not the search type but skilled in stealth and ambush, being an assassin type.
While guarding someone directly wasn’t her specialty, finding hidden threats and neutralizing them was her forte.
Furthermore, she wasn’t actually a cadet, so she didn’t have any special schedule and had experience supporting young Hong Yeon-hwa with undeniable strength and trustworthiness.
“Oh.”
Suddenly, Hong Yeon-hwa’s gaze landed on a shop.
It was a food stall selling skewers to passersby.
“Seo-yul, should we grab one of those to munch on?”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s gesture drew Seo-yul’s attention.
He tilted his head slightly at the mention of skewers.
“Skewers? Chicken?”
“No, no, it’s pork.”
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly denied, and Seo-yul slightly nodded in understanding.
Worried he might change his mind, she hurried to buy skewers and handed one to Seo-yul.
Freshly grilled, warm meat skewers.
Since Hong Yeon-hwa had cooled them down to the perfect temperature beforehand, Seo-yul could comfortably eat them.
Nom- Seo-yul took a bite of the skewer, chewing for a moment.
“How is it? Tasty?”
“It’s delicious.”
“Really? I’m glad. You can eat more since there are a few left.”
That reassurance made Hong Yeon-hwa nod in relief.
“… It’s delicious.”
While Hong Yeon-hwa looked up to take a bite of her skewer, Seo-yul cooed discontentedly with the skewer still in his mouth.
The flavor of the meat, mixed with seasoning and the smokiness, was delicious.
Thinking about it brought to mind images of Dad… Lee Ha-yul.
“… Oh.”
At that moment, Seo-yul suddenly lifted his head as if struck by a thought.
“… Dad?”
“Huh? What’s that? Ha-yul? Hae-yul?”
“Dad is here.”
“What did you say?”
Hong Yeon-hwa asked, her mouth full of skewer.
Upon mentioning Lee Ha-yul’s unexpected appearance, her smartwatch started buzzing with an alert.
Anxiously checking the alarm, she saw a signal tracing Lee Ha-yul’s location.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened in surprise.
…
“A short while ago, he went up to check on Ahrin’s condition. He asked not to be disturbed to focus.”
‘Oh no.’
Having rushed back to the mansion only to not meet Lee Ha-yul right away.
She’d been looking forward to this reunion after a whole month.
And now, she had to wait again… It felt like her insides were about to burst.
But there was no way she could just kick the door down and barge in.
Hong Yeon-hwa grimaced and plopped down on a sofa in the lobby on the first floor.
Seo-yul, cradled in her arms, sulked while snuggling close to Elia.
“Doesn’t seem like Ahrin had any real trials… Could Ha-yul handle this…?”
Hong Yeon-hwa muttered in frustration, trailing off at the end.
She remembered the peculiar nature of Lee Ha-yul’s Gop-hwa.
To put it simply, while Hong Yeon-hwa’s Gop-hwa could be compared to a rabid dog foaming at the mouth, Lee Ha-yul’s version matched the image of a happy puppy wagging its tail from the countryside.
There was that big of a difference in their temperament.
Thus, he might very well melt away the chill of the Changhae without batting an eye.
“… Elia, what’s this?”
“Oh, this?”
At that moment, a voice broke through Hong Yeon-hwa’s contemplations.
Seo-yul, confused, asked, and Elia answered.
It was an ordinary conversation.
Listening to it, Hong Yeon-hwa closed her eyes.
When would Ha-yul come down?… She took a deep breath to calm her anxious heart…
“Yes, heh… This is a pendant that Ha-yul gave me just a moment ago.”
Hong Yeon-hwa jolted in surprise.
Turning her head quickly, she saw Elia radiating happiness.
She noticed a piece of jewelry around her neck that she had not seen before.
“He made it himself… I wonder when he made it… heh heh…”
Elia giggled as if she couldn’t contain her joy while stroking the pendant.
A classy silver chain and a strikingly crafted yellow gem that sparkled even in fleeting moments.
And there was a faint trace of magical energy emanating from it.
“……”
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked in a daze.
… When would Ha-yul come down?
She eagerly awaited his return.
*
Ariel read a book.
Gathering knowledge while simultaneously researching magic.
It was a routine she had followed for an incredibly long time.
But, for some reason, it felt unfamiliar now.
It felt awkward and strange.
Ariel let out a deep sigh and closed the book, her gaze caught by something once again.
Across from her was a chair.
Originally, there was only one chair for Ariel, but now there was an additional one.
Lee Ha-yul, who used to sit there, was gone.
Now that the person to sit there was also gone, it should be removed, but she didn’t want to.
Only a mere month compared to the long time she had known him, yet she couldn’t adapt to this emptiness.
[Missing him?]
At that moment, a message flickered in the corner of Ariel’s vision.
[It’s hard to believe that the great Ariel is feeling this lonely.]
“… Please don’t say unnecessary things, Gracia.”
With a long, tired sigh, Ariel shook her head.
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.
