New Daily Life

I looked at Han Yura and asked, “So… why’d you do that?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, nothing.”

“I came to the cafeteria to eat, and there was this cute kid sitting alone.”

She smiled at Psi. “So I just said hi.”

Then she turned to Psi. “Sorry if I scared you.”

At that moment, Psi opened her mouth.

“…Auntie.”

Han Yura’s expression froze solid.

“…What did you say?”

I could feel the atmosphere chill instantly.

We're screwed.

I forced a laugh. “Ha, haha…!”

“Psi must’ve said it wrong.”

I gently pressed down on Psi’s head. “Not auntie…”

“Sister. Big sis.”

Han Yura stared at me for a moment, then snorted with laughter.

“Sung-jun.”

“You need to retrain your daughter.”

I laughed awkwardly. “Sorry about that…”

She waved it off. “Whatever.”

“See you in class later.”

With that, she got up and left.

I finally let out a sigh of relief. “...Phew.”

I looked at Psi and Dmol. “Anyway.”

“You hungry?”

“Let’s eat.”

I sat down and started my meal. Psi was munching on salad, while Dmol pecked at small bits of meat.

A little later, I asked cautiously, “...So, Psi.”

Psi looked up.

“Why’d you call her auntie earlier?”

Psi set down her salad and said with a serious face, “Dad.”

“Listen up.”

I tensed for a second. Psi declared firmly, “All women are the enemy.”

I was speechless.

Psi grabbed my arm tight. “Dad only needs us.”

At that moment, Dmol spread her tiny wings a bit and chirped.

“Kik!”

As if agreeing.

I could only smile awkwardly at the sight. “...Haha…”

“Yeah…”

“We’ll talk about that later.”

We finished eating and headed to the classroom.

As soon as I opened the door, four pairs of eyes locked onto me.

I smiled awkwardly and walked in. “...Haha.”

Lee Sea spoke first, her voice calm. “Sung-jun.”

She looked at Psi. “Who’s that kid?”

Then at my shoulder. “And that dino on your shoulder…”

“We’ve never seen them before, right?”

I smiled awkwardly. “...Yeah.”

I lifted Dmol into my hand. “This one…”

I showed her off. “She hatched a few days ago.”

“Well, exactly on the day I cleared the dungeon.”

I smiled a little. “She’s my new family member.”

“Her name’s Dmol.”

Dmol spread her small wings on my palm and chirped. “Kik.”

Then Psi stepped forward confidently from my side.

“I’m Psi.”

All eyes turned to Psi. She puffed out her chest.

“I’m that dino you’ve seen a few times.”

And added proudly, “I turned human to protect Dad and stay with him.”

I smiled awkwardly beside her. “...That’s what she says.”

The classmates were still staring at Psi in wonder.

Lee Sea spoke again, cautious but serious. “So…”

“You’re living in the same room?”

I nodded. “...Yeah.”

Lee Sea thought for a moment. “Still…”

“She’s a girl.”

“Sharing a room with a guy might be a bit…”

Hearing that, Psi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“No way.”

Psi clung to my arm. I looked at her, then shrugged.

“...Me too.”

“I’m not separating from Psi.”

I said quietly, “She’s family.”

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

Then the door opened, and the Instructor walked in. His gaze swept the room and stopped on me.

“Park Sung-jun.”

He beckoned curtly. “Come here.”

I stood and walked over. The Instructor looked down at me.

“I heard from the Principal.”

“She wants you to take an ability test.”

He added shortly, “We’re doing it now.”

He turned. “Follow me.”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

I looked at Psi and Dmol. “Let’s go.”

Psi stuck to my side, and Dmol hopped naturally onto my shoulder.

We left the classroom. I could feel eyes on us from behind.

I didn’t need to look to know—the classmates were watching us with disappointed looks.

I called back, “I’ll tell you all later.”

And with that, we headed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to the training ground.

A short while later, we arrived at the training ground.

The Instructor nodded toward the sandbags. “There.”

“The test is simple.”

“Show me your ability.”

I nodded and stood in front of the sandbag.

Psi stood beside me. I took a deep breath.

“Psi.”

“Feather Missile.”

In that instant, Psi’s body was enveloped in light.

Her human form blurred ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠away in a flash, and the next moment, she was back to her small dinosaur self.

“Beep!”

Psi launched into the air. Her tail feathers glowed red.

Dozens of feathers rained down from above.

Whoosh!

The sharp feathers shot toward the sandbag.

Thud! Thud-thud-thud!

The sandbag shook violently. A few feathers embedded deep.

A moment later, the ability ended.

Psi was wrapped in light again and slowly returned to human form.

She stood by my side once more.

I muttered as I watched. “...I see.”

I looked at Psi. “So when you use abilities or fight…”

“You switch back to your true form.”

Psi nodded.

With that, I continued my personal training. I swung my sword through basic forms, mixed in some endurance work. Run, slash, reset stance.

My body grew heavier, but I didn’t stop.

Meanwhile, Psi sat off to one side of the training ground, with Dmol beside her.

They watched me at first, but soon started chattering and playing like old friends.

Psi would pat Dmol’s head now and then, and Dmol would flap her wings playfully.

I glanced at them briefly, then refocused on training.

A while later, I set down my sword and approached the Instructor.

“Instructor.”

He eyed me, arms crossed. “What.”

I caught my breath. “When’s the next gate entry?”

It had been days since I cleared the lowest gate, but I’d only been in once so far.

What I needed most right now was mana stones—for growing my abilities, for gacha pulls.

So I wanted back in a gate.

The Instructor looked at me. “Don’t rush it.”

His voice was low and firm. “That’s how accidents happen.”

I shut my mouth for a moment.

The Instructor stood thinking, then pulled out his phone and checked the screen.

A bit later, he said, “Won’t be long.”

He pocketed it. “I’ll hook you up with one soon.”

I bowed my head. “Thank you, Instructor.”

He nodded curtly, no more words. “Training’s done for today.”

“Stretch and head back.”

“Yes, sir.”

A short while later, I sat on the edge of the training ground, catching my breath.

My body was pretty worn out, but my mind felt clear.

Taking a break, I decided to review my current status.

I slowly opened the Status Window.

The familiar screen appeared before my eyes.

I stared at the Status Window for a long time.

Then I muttered softly, “...It’s changed a lot from the beginning.”

Compared to right after awakening, everything was completely different now.

I glanced to the side.

Psi was sitting next to me, and Dmol was perched on my shoulder.

I slowly stroked their heads.

Psi narrowed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her eyes in pleasure, and Dmol flapped her tiny wings lightly.

I chuckled. “...Still.”

“We’ve got a long way to go.”

With that thought, I rested a bit longer.