The Spirits' Trends Research Society Through Samguk Yusa Analysis (2)
I stroked Aqua's back and hugged her tight.
"A bad human, right? Lying to Aqua."
[That's right! A bad human!]
"I won't play with you until you apologize."
I shot Han Areum a look. She caught it and bowed her head with a smile.
"Aqua. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trick you."
[Hmph!]
Aqua whipped her head away. But her expression had softened a lot compared to before.
"Aqua. Unnie's sorry."
Han Areum cooed in a sweet voice, gently petting her.
"It was because you're so cute. Won't you forgive me?"
Aqua glanced back halfway, shooting her a side-eye. Her pouty lips and puffed cheeks were still there, but it was clear her anger was fading.
"Truth is, when I heard senpai got a spirit, I just wanted to prank him once. Do you know how long we've been waiting for you?"
[......You guys?]
"Yeah. We all hoped so much for Hyunwoo senpai to get a spirit."
Han Areum reached out with a sorry look on her face.
"Unnie's really sorry. Won't you shake on making up?"
Aqua stared at the hand for a moment, then delicately placed her own on top. They clasped hands and shook.
Aqua spoke as she watched Han Areum smile.
[You truly are a pure and kind person.]
"Me?"
[If you were a spirit user, spirits would line up to contract with you.]
Spirits were instinctively drawn to good people.
"Thanks. You're super cute too, right? Didn't spirit users line up for you?"
Aqua's nose rose at the cuteness compliment.
[If I'd declared open contracts, they all would've come to me!]
With that, Aqua spun around and hugged me tight.
[Of course, I still chose you!]
A smile crept onto my lips.
[Hee hee hee!]
Han Deuri let out a small sigh as he watched us embrace.
"Whoa, feels like I already have a niece or nephew."
Han Areum smacked her brother's back at that.
As we caught up after so long, Jang Gilsan's secretary brought out sliced watermelon.
"Thank you!"
"Looks good, Secretary Uncle!"
[Oh, watermelon!]
We all dug in. The beautiful siblings watched in fascination as Aqua's body gradually turned pink, then exchanged words.
"Were the undines at the academy this cute too?"
"Hmm...... But I don't remember seeing many spirits there."
"Now that you mention it. Why didn't we see many spirits at the academy?"
I answered their question.
"Spirits at the academy don't need to use spirit power."
Those without Spirit Affinity couldn't see spirits unless they manifested. Plus, most spirits in the human world didn't bother materializing and wasting energy, so it made sense we didn't see many at the academy.
"In private spots like this with lots of non-spirit users, sure, but no need to waste power otherwise."
"That's true. But shouldn't spirit users at least use some spirit power?"
It was Jang Gilsan speaking.
"To others, it looks like spirit users are talking and petting thin air."
Han Areum laughed.
"Oh, I know. When I first entered the academy, I thought spirit users were crazy."
I gave a wry smile. To most who couldn't see spirits, that's how we looked.
Aqua, who'd been listening with interest, asked me.
[What's the academy?]
"We call the Awakener Education University the academy."
[The place you go back to after break ends! What's it like?]
Aqua seemed very curious about it.
"It's fun. A hall of learning."
But the beautiful siblings didn't agree.
"Nah, it's boring."
"Me too. I just wanna hit gates and make money ASAP."
"Well, at least we met senpai thanks to the academy, so it's not a waste."
Jang Gilsan nodded at Han Areum's beaming words.
"That's enough. Schools are for networking anyway, not learning."
Aqua asked again.
[How did you all become friends?]
"Same club."
[Club?]
"A small group with shared hobbies or interests."
[Oh, what hobby brought you together?]
We exchanged awkward glances and said,
"The Club Studying Spirits' Movements Through Analysis of the Samguk Yusa."
[Samguk...... what?]
"The Club Studying Spirits' Movements Through Analysis of the Samguk Yusa."
[The Club Studying Spirits' Movements Through Analysis of the Samguk......?]
Han Deuri burst out laughing.
"No need to memorize it. I couldn't either."
"Me neither!"
Han Areum proudly raised her hand too.
[What's that hobby?]
"Our club has nothing to do with the name. We made it sound hard on purpose to keep people out."
Last year, as third-years starting to be called upperclassmen, Jang Gilsan and I had one worry: no place to kill time between classes, the so-called 'free periods.' Lounging in the department lounge drew stares from underclassmen, and joining clubs was a hassle to manage.
So the unofficial research room Jang Gilsan got with a huge donation became our clubroom.
"We made the club just as a lounge for me and Gilsan. Those two just happened to connect with us and joined."
[Oh, I see!]
Aqua nodded with an amused smile.
I asked,
"Our story fun?"
[Fun!]
"Even without knowing what it's about?"
Aqua laughed like it was obvious.
[It's your story, which I don't know! How could it not be fun?]
I thought the opposite. If undines talked about Aqua in the Spirit Realm?
I could listen all night.
I smiled and stroked Aqua's back.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua beamed back at me and asked,
[Can I study there with you too?]
"Wanna try studying?"
[Of course! Studying is an adult's duty!]
"If you want, you can do anything."
I gently stroked her back.
"Study in the library, eat in the cafeteria, chat all night in the clubroom, take classes together—or skip them."
[Skip class? Is that allowed?]
"Of course. The academy draws out infinite potential from us, not ties us down."
[Hee hee hee! Just hearing it sounds fun!]
Aqua laughed happily and hugged my hand tight. I smiled happily too.
Academy life with Aqua.
What would happen? What joys awaited? My cheeks hurt just imagining.
Of course, what I needed to do to reach that happy future was clear.
-Defeat Niagara.-
-Don't let Aqua go.-
A battle I couldn't lose.
In the afternoon, I went down to the underground training hall with Aqua for light training.
"Yes. With only three days to the showdown, managing your body for peak condition on D-day matters more than ramping up intensity."
Mulsuja watched our training, practically abandoning hers. Not just her—most spirit users stuck to us, giving all sorts of combat advice.
"Training's key, but eating right too. Got it?"
"Gear matters. No special suits?"
"Any guild gear we can lend?"
"You know the gate near Wonsan? Our crew took all available gear there."
Undines gathered around Aqua too, along with salamanders, gnomes, and sylphs.
[Aqua-nim, fighting!]
[Don't go! Play with us more!]
[I like Aqua-nim more than Niagara-nim!]
[Got it, no worries! I have no plans to lose!]
Buoyed by their fiery cheers, we finished training.
Jeong Ri-on blocked our way back to the cabins.
"Want me to prep a missile?"
"Hahaha!"
I burst out laughing, but he seemed serious. What an unpredictable guy.
Back in the cabin with Aqua, a fancy meal awaited.
"We made it!"
"Special meal for our senpai!"
Han Areum and Han Deuri greeted us in aprons. The table had fried eggs, grilled ham, dumplings, chicken wings, pizza. One side had stamina-boosting samgyetang and banana salad. Mostly simple retort foods, but nearly twenty varieties. Plus drinks for Aqua by type.
[Whoa! Is this the buffet I've heard about?]
Aqua gulped at the cola, cider, coffee, milk, aloe juice—even hangover cures and plain water.
Han Deuri pointed inside with a satisfied smile at our reactions.
"Expenses covered by the gentleman over there."
Jang Gilsan, on the window sofa with his tablet, just nodded at my glance.
[Thanks!]
"Looks good."
Starved from training, we dove in right away. The siblings and Jang Gilsan joined. Aqua and Mandu noisily stuffed their faces. A boisterous, lively mealtime that filled not just bellies but something deeper.
Next morning, warm summer sun woke me.
[Zzz...~.]
Aqua's tiny snores came from beside me. Eyes closed, I reached out. Squish—my hand met Aqua. As a water spirit, her texture was amazing, cool to the touch too. The deeper summer got, the better skinship felt.
I found her belly and tickled with my fingers. Sleeping Aqua twitched a few times, curled up, and giggled.
[Tee hee hee!]
To stop it, she hugged my hand tight. I tickled her empty side with the other.
[Ahahaha!]
Aqua finally burst out laughing.
[Hey! Revenge!]
She climbed onto my belly and rubbed it with hands and feet, trying to tickle.
"Ahahaha!"
Not ticklish at all, but laughter bubbled up anyway. Happy laughter. We tickled for minutes, chasing sleep away.
Mandu, waking late, blinked at us.
Bustling noises came from outside—they were having breakfast.
"Shall we go eat too?"
[Yeah. Let's.]
[Chit!]
I scooped up Aqua; Mandu hopped onto my shoulder. Opening the door, Han Areum and Han Deuri were noisily prepping breakfast in the kitchen.
"Ah, hyungnim! You're up?"
"Sit tight. Breakfast coming right up!"
Jang Gilsan was already at the table with an English newspaper. I sat opposite and chuckled.
"You look like the real boss."
"What?"
"Bossing the kids around like an employer."
Jang Gilsan smirked and folded the paper.
"Where's the secretary?"
"Gave him vacation. Too crowded otherwise."
The siblings brought plates—two each. Toast, fried eggs, bacon, baked beans: English breakfast.
"English breakfast!"
"Enjoy!"
"Yep."
"Thanks."
[Thanks!]
[Chit!]
Aqua's share: fresh strawberry milk with pureed berries.
Soon after eating started, the siblings bickered again. Han Areum stole Han Deuri's bacon.
"Hey, that's my bacon!"
"You left it and weren't eating."
"Saved it for last!"
"Thought you weren't gonna."
"Give that back then!"
"Whoa! That's way bigger than what I took! Thug?!"
Aqua finally chimed in.
[Don't fight over food!]
Han Deuri looked at Aqua, then her milk bottle.
[Hah!]
Before Aqua could defend, he snatched the strawberry milk.
[What're you doing, you lanky pig!]
Aqua used spirit power to reclaim her precious milk. Han Deuri stared oddly at thin air, then at me.
"Hyungnim. Weird, right?"
"What?"
"Feels good when noona or Aqua calls me pig. Isn't pig a slur?"
"......"
Scrape—Han Areum yanked Han Deuri's chair away.
I pulled Aqua close too.
"Stay away from Aqua."
"Can't believe my brother's a perv."
Han Deuri chuckled heartily and looked at Jang Gilsan, face saying 'Hyungnim agrees, right?'
"Eat your toast."
Jang Gilsan shook his head like he was seeing a lunatic.
After breakfast, I decided to sell Healing Water to Jang Gilsan.
"Thanks for calling those guys."
First words in his room.
Han Areum and Han Deuri had a knack for livening things up with their sociable vibes. Eased a lot of my tension.
"Lean on us sometimes."
Jang Gilsan said something cringey for once. I stared in mild shock; he cleared his throat awkwardly and tapped the table.
"Anyway, show the Healing Water."
I smiled faintly and got to business.
"Gilsan. Two favors."
"Shoot."
He nodded without hesitation, like he'd grant anything.
"Some credit."
"How much?"
"Double the Healing Water sales."
I planned to buy Spirit Realm's Blessing from the Spirit Shop. Jumping from D to C-rank would make facing Niagara way easier.
"Got it."
He nodded like I asked for a buck. My tension deflated.
"And?"
"Lend me the Poison King's suit."
"Poison King......?"
[Poison?]
Aqua looked up at me in surprise.