A Delinquent Who Earns His Keep

Shin Sua's mansion was way bigger than I'd imagined.

Argo operated by granting initial investors the right to lease sections of the deck in exchange for usage fees, but even long-term leases cost as much as buying prime land in a major city. And yet, the previous chairman of Goryeo Group—the stubborn old codger who'd taken Shin Sua's father as a son-in-law—had shelled out a fortune to build this lavish villa here.

Indoor and outdoor pools with both seawater and freshwater setups, a sprawling Western-style garden adorned with topiary in ever-changing shapes through the seasons. The staff managing the five-story mansion and attending to Shin Sua numbered in the high double digits, all live-in. They only called in Goryeo Group's security from the mainland for something major, like discovering a Spirit Vein, because the on-site personnel were all elite combatants with rigorous training.

Whoa, no way. Is that what I think it is behind the mansion?

"Yeah. A compact 12-hole golf course."

How the hell do you even know about that?

"You would've learned this stuff if you'd gone to school too."

For real?

"Nah. That's why you get called a clutch purse—falling for dumb shit like that."

This delinquent punk... just you wait.

I teased Gemma and followed after Shin Sua. Luckily, Gemma's sour mood didn't last long.

The prepared meal was a formal spread of hanjeongsik—small portions, but top-tier flavors and nutrition that had Gemma cooing nonstop.

"Didn't you say you ate well at home? Why the fuss?"

That was years ago. But this food is insane. Seriously next-level.

Once the lively meal wrapped up—thanks mostly to Gemma—a villa servant showed me to my room. Out of dozens of guest bedrooms, it was the prime one: top-floor corner suite with the widest floor space, featuring 180-degree panoramic glass walls overlooking the garden, golf course, and the open sea beyond.

Isn't this the best room in the house?

"Probably."

I answered while eyeing a framed portrait on the wall. A woman in a dress, seated gracefully—Shin Sua all grown up and reformed, maybe? Argo had been sailing for 42 years now. Rumor had it Shin Sua's mom stayed in this room right up to delivery. In the game, Shin Sua would stare at her mother's portrait from this very bed until she dozed off on insomniac nights. Who knew she'd hand over her favorite spot?

To live up to expectations, I couldn't afford to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lose this marriage-meeting spar. I changed into workout gear and started stretching.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Not gonna open Mun Hee-jeong's gift?

"Later, before bed. Or tomorrow's fine. Shin Sua doesn't know whose ring it was yet, so no rush transferring the blessing."

Ah...

Transferring the knight's ring blessing to my gloves would take time. Better save it for when I had a moment—straight to the training room now.

And shortly after.

*Knock knock*

"Pardon the intrusion."

The servant led me down to the basement training hall.

I glanced at Gemma's possessed traits and abilities while tailing the servant. Not that I'd orchestrated the soul fusion for this, but our relationship rank jumping from 1 to 4 had unlocked new ones.

"This way."

*Whirr*

About a minute after reaching the underground training hall entrance via the corridor's central elevator, Shin Sua descended from upstairs with leisurely strides. Her usual low twin tails braided up high, loose-fit hoodie, leggings hugging her soft lower body's lines—peak athletic wear. In the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠game, leggings screamed Seol Romi, but on Shin Sua's slender frame, it stirred some protective instinct.

"What're you doing? Get in already."

Shin Sua channeled spirit power; the pattern-authenticated central control opened the door.

"Quit rushing me."

It would've been cute without the bitchiness. I kept that to myself and stepped inside.

"Drink up."

Two bottles sat on the inner table. Downing one flooded my body with energy, rapidly refilling the spirit power I'd burned at Argo. A spirit recharge aid borrowing artificial soulstone output—but only active during training here.

"Fancy having this stuff."

"You think I'd drag you here, spirit power tapped from school, with zero prep?"

Fair enough—befitting a chaebol heiress.

"Let's start."

Shin Sua, refusing to waste a second, snapped at the air. Doors locked, hundreds of lights blazed on. A massive cavern several times bigger than Argo's personal halls.

*Rumble rumble*

Walls receded, floor dropped—usable space expanding exponentially.

Our place was decent, but this makes it look like crap.

"Whaddya gonna do? She's loaded."

As we chatted, a synthesized electronic voice emanated from ceiling speakers.

Hundreds of holographic cannons materialized on ceiling and walls, zeroing in on me and Shin Sua.

*BOOM!*

Realistic blasts roared as they fired in unison.

"Damn, touchy much?"

"Shut up and dodge."

On Shin Sua's cue, I triggered Spirit Descent.

"Warning buzzer every hit—no half-assing it."

"You too."

These holograms mimicked top Shangju patterns, powered by small soulstones for physical impact. A training method projecting tangible holograms via compact soulstone output.

I weaved through massive cannonballs and humanoid holograms, dashing everywhere in the hall.

*Crunch!*

*Bang!*

Impacts dented the shape-memory alloy floor shallowly. Not super powerful—the flooring prioritized easy repair over ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hardness, nearly throwing off my footing from overexertion.

"Who designs this shit to be such a pain?!"

"Optimized for my weight and leg strength!"

Selfish even here. Figures.

"I'll signal an opening. Touch the wall in 2 seconds—done."

Shin Sua leaped high with her giant brush as a pole, mid-air bicycle-kicking a holo-shell away. "Why're you calling shots when I'm doing the work?"

"Jealous? Fight me fair then!"

"Such a brat...!"

No way I'd play along blindly. Even if she opened a path like before, crossing hundreds of meters in 2 seconds? Impossible.

"Spirit Lord Transformation!"

Fired Tonnerre at a falling humanoid, then triggered Passepartout.

*Click!*

Path cleaved through the barrage curtain. Straight-line safe zone. I reshaped the key to shotgun form, gripped the Flag of Courage on the barrel.

"I didn't signal yet—who said you could—"

As flustered Shin Sua yelled, I jammed the flag's heavy plumb bob into Tonnerre like loading a battle rifle, blasting at the ceiling.

*BOOM!*

Plumb bob embedded, flag extended like wire along it.

"Going!"

I sprinted full tilt, arm-snaking Shin Sua's waist.

"Wh-what the hell, you psycho—dare touch me?!"

She couldn't finish. Flag retracted fast, launching us airborne like a swing, arcing forward.

*Whoosh!!!*

Wind whistled past. Faster than flat-out sprinting. New Wire Action pulling its weight.

"Kyaa!!"

Oh yeah—in the game, she feared Viking rides.

"One, two."

Even morphing swordstick Spirit Lord into Tonnerre kept Passepartout active. Two seconds up.

"Incoming...!"

Quarter distance left. Path closed regretfully, barrage resuming.

Focus, Kim Taeyang!

"Got it!"

No eating hits stupidly like at school. Recalled ceiling flag.

"Hold tight—no falling."

"You maniac, you think I'll just—"

At 10m-plus height, I released her waist, two-handing Tonnerre.

"Hey! You serious?!"

Stomach-churning, Shin Sua instinctively clung to my waist—and

*Snap!*

Flag enveloped the barrel like a giant umbrella.

"Hah... huff..."

Shin Sua braced the wall, panting raggedly. Wall-touch met sim-end conditions; barrage halted. Honestly, the craters I'd gouged in walls/ceiling probably would've stopped it anyway.

"What was that? You didn't pull it at school."

"Secret weapon."

She grilled me suspiciously, so I quipped back.

*Zap*

Even seated, Shin Sua eyed me warily. But breaking a 2nd-year runner-up barrage in a day—even simulated—clearly thrilled her; those chubby, adorable thighs fidgeted mischievously.

Hope the marriage-meeting spar ends this easy.

"Doubt it. With such an obvious weakness, they'd prep close-quarters countermeasures."

That sly Jeong Da-un might dig up new intel beforehand. Or Igabi's personality—probably countermeasures against 1st-year prying.

"I'm beat. Heading out."

"Wait—still gotta analyze the recording—"

"Analyze what? We barely did anything."

I ignored her and left with Gemma.

*Whirr*

Mun Hee-jeong's message hit right then.