Chapter 41 – Preparation
#041.
“Um…”
When I opened my eyes, I saw a yellow stained ceiling.
I turned my head and gazed at the group of lights that spread into the room from beyond the window, then stretched out and got up.
“I slept soundly after a long time.”
I can’t even remember the last time I slept through the early hours of the morning without a night watch. After monopolizing many opportunities, I didn’t even feel physical fatigue, and later I didn’t get any time to close my eyes while dealing with the invaders.
After the return, I think it’s been almost 5 years since I slept with Chorin alternately in the forest where monsters might attack.
As the fatigue accumulated without knowing or knowingly was relieved, the condition of the body was better than ever after the regression.
Gaon got off the bed and headed to the washbasin on one side. If it’s a normal fantasy world view, there’s no way to have something like this in an inn, but it’s been decades since the incorporation of the Hunter District. During that time, a large part of modern cultural relics were also applied to Union.
The combination of magic and modern knowledge greatly advanced Union’s water-related technology, raising the level so much that it could easily supply water to even such a cheap inn.
Thanks to this, Gaon was able to wash his face as soon as he woke up, so there was no complaint.
“Fu— shall we go soon?”
After wiping his face with a towel hanging on a cradle next to the washbasin, and shaving his head, Gaon put it back up and took the spear.
I thought about it for a while, but there are many things that take a little bit to go out with bare hands. As the Union is a group of people gathered to resist the dimensional invaders, albeit nominally, the security within the city is considerable.
However, no matter how good the security is, sometimes crazy people are born, and it is essential to be prepared to avoid being wronged by such people.
Leaving the room with his spear slung over his shoulder, Gaon felt refreshed by the wind blowing in his hallway and went down his stairs.
After I had a spare water bottle, I often washed my face like now, but it was still incomparable to using proper facilities.
Feeling quite excited, Gaon went down and caught the two of them welcoming him in a corner.
As I approached right away, Chorin smiled brightly and greeted her.
“Good morning Gaon!”
“Yes. Good morning. How have you been, Cheon Jae-hee?”
“Ah yes! It was nice to sleep comfortably after a long time. Gaon, sit down too! Meal was pre-ordered.”
“Thank you.”
With gratitude, Gaon stuck his butt across from him.
He looked around her, trying to make a rough answer to Chorin’s chatter about the sink.
‘Earth people… Is there any?’
It hasn’t even been a day since the gate opened, and even if they set foot in Union, they can’t use the inn because they don’t have money.
If you want to sleep at the Jeong Inn, you have to sell the things you own, but usually you can’t afford to have that.
That’s why you can’t sell weapons, so in the end, there is no option other than homelessness.
As he listened to his surroundings, worried that there might be information different from what he remembered, an employee soon approached.
“Here is today’s breakfast menu! Bon appetite.”
“And! It must be delicious.”
“Thank you.”
Cho-rin and Cheon-hee each took the dishes brought by the waitress, put them on the table, and swallowed.
However, in the act of staring at herself without touching her hand, Gaon held up her fork, feeling the atmosphere created implicitly.
“Then let’s all eat.”
“Yes!”
“Thank you for this food.”
When the two of them had a proper meal for the first time in a while, they began to pick up the food happily, as if they were hungry. It was like that yesterday, so I’m not really shy.
Of course, as Gaon, she didn’t like to be ostentatious, so she felt more satisfied with that appearance.
Soft bread, warm soup, and even fried eggs with bacon. The stomach, which had eaten only grilled fish and fruit for a month, screamed with joy.
Actually, what I ate yesterday wasn’t that different from this. It was clear, however, that at that time there was no time to enjoy the taste.
Seeing the party eating deliciously, Gaon seemed to have a much better appetite than usual.
The food quickly dwindled, and the group’s meal quickly came to an end. Slowly drinking water and leisurely waiting for the stomach to go down, I saw Cheon Jae-hee getting restless.
Gaon put down his water cup and asked, feeling the anxiety of not being able to stay still while holding his hands.
“Genius Jaehee. Is there something wrong?”
“Ah, that. That… I have something to tell you two.”
“Tell. I am listening.”
Cheon Jae-hee, who had been mumbling while receiving the curious gazes of Cho-rin and Ga-on, finally spoke.
“I heard about a place called the Magic Tower this morning.”
“Magic Tower… ?”
“Hmm…”
I wondered what he was going to say, but he seemed to be thinking of going to the Mage Tower. Showing symptoms of anxiety was an act to show to Chorin, not Gaon.
Chun Jae-hee nodded his head slightly so that the vote wouldn’t go unnoticed.
“They say it’s a place that teaches magic. He said that as long as you become a member of the Magic Tower, you will receive all the support you need for living or research. They said they can arrange accommodation for you if you want. That’s why I’m going to the Magic Tower.”
“…”
“Okay. Certainly, being part of a larger organization will make your life at Union much easier.”
“… Sorry.”
Is there anything to be sorry for?
Rather, Gaon tried to recommend it to Cheon Jae-hee by secretly leaking stories about the magic tower, but he is rather comfortable when it comes out like this.
And on the contrary, the image of Cheon Jae-hee will not be good. As proof of that, when the talk of the magic tower came up, the smile that filled Chorin’s face disappeared as if it had been washed away.
Chun Jae-hee lowered his head and turned away from his gaze as he stared at him with a stiff expression.
Gaon hurriedly opened his mouth thinking that if he did something wrong, the relationship between the two that had barely improved might be ruined.
“Good. In fact, I came out for a short time yesterday evening and heard about it, so it was a car I was going to recommend. Thank you for telling me first.”
“… Did you?”
“Yes. Wasn’t it originally supposed to be together for a week? Since I said it first, I think Cheon Jae-hee must have been anxious too. Does Lee Cho-rin think so too?”
“…”
Gaon tried hard to defend her in order to somehow relieve Chorin’s mood, but she had no answer.
In fact, Gaon thought that Chorin would be angry at the news of Cheon Jaehee’s departure, but that was far from the truth.
Rather, Chorin had a hard time suppressing her joy welling up from deep within her.
‘I can’t do this!’
I was so pathetic that I was happy to hear the news that Cheon Jae-hee was leaving the company.
Thinking that if she left, all of Gaon’s attention would be focused exclusively on him, Chorin tried to restrain her unruly lips, to the point where her face hardened.
During the week Cheon Hee was together, the skinship that Cho Rin had with Ga On was, at most, holding her hand.
Before she joined, she mixed her flesh and ate semen every day.
This is the news I heard in such a situation.
Since Gaon first promised to be with her for a week, leaving her to find her own way of life is an act that cannot be called betrayal.
That’s why I didn’t have any resentments.
With no resentment or betrayal, and only the fact that Gaon and I are together, how can we feel bad?
It felt like my heart would explode at the height of the vertical rise after breaking through the highest point.
As he lowered his head, worried that such feelings would be revealed, Gaon mistook it for anger right before it exploded.
“Chun Jae-hee must have thought about it for a long time. So let’s understand. Or do you think Lee Cho-rin also wants to go to the Mage Tower? If that’s the case—”
I’m sorry but can’t you join me? Just as she was about to say that, Chorin slammed her table! She jumped up and screamed.
“No! There’s no way I’m leaving Mr. Gaon behind!!”
“… Okay.”
For an instant, silence fell within the inn.
After the meal, everyone who had been chatting with each other focused their attention on Chorin.
Only then did she grasp the meaning of her words, and Chorin’s face burst into red, then she slowly sat back in her seat and covered her face with her hands.
Cheon Jae-hee, who was exchanging glances with Ga-on at her shameful appearance, reached out and patted Cho-rin on the back.
“Are you okay?”
“… Are you okay.”
I said it was okay, but it wasn’t okay for anyone to see.
In that state, Cheon Jae-hee continued to pat her on the back, and only after 10 minutes did Cho-rin reveal her face.
“Sorry. Gaon Mr. I just screamed.”
“No. I really appreciate it. If you said you were going, I was going to catch you.”
“… Really?”
“Yes. I need Lee Cho-rin.”
At Gaon’s words, not only Chorin’s face but also her whole body turned red like a bomb about to explode. This was nothing more than a half confession to her.
And Cheon Jae-hee, who was listening next to him, also understood that.
‘Didn’t she say she wasn’t a lover?’
She’s heard something the other day, and while we’ve been together, I haven’t noticed anything like that, so I thought she was just a colleague, but there must be something going on.
Even though Gaon was extremely expressionless, Chorin’s reaction was so full of fresh emotions that anyone could see it at a glance.
Cheon Jae-hee, who looked at the two with a happy expression, retrieved his arm that had been patting his back.
“Chorin. Sorry.”
“No, no. It’s not like we can’t meet again even if we go to the Magic Tower, right? Yes?”
“Once you become a member of the Mage Tower, you will have to take on tasks there as requested by your sponsors, but other than that, you will be able to act freely.”
I don’t know where he got this much information in one day, but Cheon Jae-hee knew more about the Mage Tower than he thought.
But there was something they overlooked. They don’t have to worry about breaking up right away, so they seem to think it’s okay, but unfortunately that’s not the case.
Chun Jae-hee’s talent for magic is truly astonishing. There was no way that a rare genius, who had never appeared even in the history of Union for tens of thousands of years, could be left alone in this one branch.
If I report directly to the central mage tower, the leadership will definitely come.
Of course, it will take a few days, so I won’t leave right away.
“Then there should be no problem. I will visit you sometime.”
“Yes. I’ll come to you when I have time.”
“Then… Are you leaving right away?”
“Because there is nothing good about hesitating. Gaon, thank you. Save me then.”
“It’s okay. I plan on getting that amount back later.”
“Of course! I will learn a lot of magic and help you.”
It was called Hoejajeongri (會者定離).
If there is a meeting, there will be a parting someday.
It’s not a farewell that we’ll never see again, so there’s no need to be sad.
One is torn apart and becomes two, but each other’s hearts are still connected. Even at the time of parting, there was no sadness to be found.
“I will take you to the Magic Tower. Let’s go together.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course, what! Jae Hee. Song!”
As soon as opinions were gathered, they left the inn and headed for the Magic Tower. Without having to ask anyone, anyone could tell that it was a mage tower from the gigantic cylindrical tower that was visible when one raised one’s head.
Chorin and Cheon Jaehee chatted and chatted as usual, and Gaon stayed silent.
“Ah! We have arrived.”
“Genius Jaehee. Then we’ll see you later.”
“If I fail the test, maybe I’ll pick it up right away?”
“That won’t happen. Chun Jae-hee has a talent for magic.”
“Thank you. Then see you later!”
They split in two from one mass.
Gaon and Chorin faced the magic tower, and Cheon Jae-hee exchanged greetings briefly with her back on her back, then disappeared inside the tower.
“Miss Gaon. Will Jaehee be okay?”
“Of course. Chun Jae-hee has a natural talent for magic in my opinion. If wizards have the right eyes, they will try to get accepted into the organization somehow.”
“Then I’m glad.”
Gaon glanced at Chorin, who was staring at the magic tower, and turned his back.
“Then let’s go too.”
“Yes? Where?”
“You will know when you go.”
Gaon led Chorin and left the Mage Tower.
