Return (1)
Return (1)
The past month had been a rather difficult time for Hong Yeon-hwa.
She attended packed lectures back to back, worked through assignments that never seemed to shrink no matter how many she solved, and in whatever time she could spare, she pushed herself in personal training.
Conditioning her body and mana, controlling her unique ability, and even cultivating her mental discipline.
And though Hong Yeon-hwa herself detested it, she was also receiving briefings on family affairs and doing her part to assess the political landscape.
The increasingly ominous state of the demon realm had been a constant topic for some time.
Lately, the situation had grown so strange that fronts everywhere were on the verge of buckling.
It was all dense, complicated talk.
The old Hong Yeon-hwa would have simply thought, 'The chief administrator or Mother will handle it...' and acted like the dutiful firebrand daughter she was.
But the current Hong Yeon-hwa listened carefully to those updates, threw herself into training, and kept herself busy day after day.
It was a schedule that would exhaust someone even if they had ten bodies, but she didn't mind.
'Lee Ha-yul.'
A walking disaster who had left Siyoram twice and come back both times looking like a bloodied mess.
Of course, by now he was far stronger than Hong Yeon-hwa.
Still, she was convinced by instinct alone that if she left him to his own devices, Lee Ha-yul would sneak off again and return a heap of blood and bruises.
To prevent that—no, just to stay beside him—Hong Yeon-hwa needed to become stronger herself.
She could bear this kind of schedule as long as necessary.
'Ha-yul is... gone...'
But after moving into the mansion, only a few days passed before Lee Ha-yul left Hong Yeon-hwa hanging under the pretext of off-campus study.
Something about the Tower of Knowledge.
The location itself was already ridiculous, and apparently contact would be difficult for the entire duration.
So the mansion was left with only women, and a particular mood drifted among them.
Hong Yeon-hwa hadn't found much joy in life lately.
The Lee Ha-yul who greeted her every morning with a bright smile and asked for a kiss like a baby bird was gone.
When Hong Yeon-hwa opened her eyes, she saw only a clean ceiling and the strangely empty space beside her in bed.
The Lee Ha-yul who laid out a heartfelt breakfast every day without a single trace of reluctance was gone.
All that remained was Hong Yeon-hwa rummaging through the fridge each day to eat the food Lee Ha-yul had stocked up before he left...
The Lee Ha-yul who fit so neatly into her arms, small and warm and smelling so good, was gone.
She had to lie down in a lonely bed and fall asleep in a bedroom where only her own breathing echoed...
According to what Lee Ha-yul had said, he should be due back any time now...
"Good grief."
Hong Yeon-hwa sighed heavily and walked on.
With both hands in her jacket pockets, she quickened her stride, and a crisp breeze clung to the nape of her neck.
The roadside trees were gradually turning red.
Siyoram sat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, yet all four seasons were vividly realized there.
Right now, autumn was coming into fullness.
But spring and autumn were actually rendered relatively short, so winter would roll in before long.
The days of heavy snowfall, bracing air, and thick coats were approaching.
Also gloves on her hands, a hat on her head, a scarf wrapped around her neck...
"......"
Hong Yeon-hwa absently stroked the back of her neck.
At the same time, she thought of the scarf reverently tucked away at home.
"Ahem."
She had never had a favorite season, but this year's winter was one she rather looked forward to.
.
.
.
Her destination was a children's play facility in the commercial district.
"You've arrived, young lady."
"Yeah."
Eriel was waiting near the facility.
Hong Yeon-hwa acknowledged the greeting, then shifted her gaze.
Next to Eriel, who had inclined her head, stood Lee Seo-yul, holding the woman's hand.
Lee Seo-yul had been spending more time outside lately.
It was because Lee Ha-yul had worried that Lee Seo-yul's staggeringly fast growth might mean she was missing the most basic communication skills.
"Hello."
Lee Seo-yul, meeting Hong Yeon-hwa's eyes, gave a small bow from the waist.
At the quite polite gesture, Hong Yeon-hwa smiled.
"Hi, Seo-yul. Did you have fun?"
"...Yes, Miss Hong Yeon-hwa. I had fun."
'Looks like it wasn't that fun for her.'
The answer was ordinary, but Hong Yeon-hwa picked up on the boredom written across Lee Seo-yul's face.
A sort of, 'I'll go along with it because it's what Dad wants, but I'm not exactly enjoying myself' kind of look?
Well, she was a fairy, not a human child, so the activities might not suit her taste.
"Alright, shall we head home?"
This facility wasn't Lee Seo-yul's thing...
Mentally filing that away, Hong Yeon-hwa extended her hand to Lee Seo-yul.
Lee Seo-yul's eyes fixed on Hong Yeon-hwa's hand.
"...Yes."
She pursed her lips for a moment as if deliberating.
Then Lee Seo-yul gently reached out and took Hong Yeon-hwa's hand.
A satisfied smile bloomed on Hong Yeon-hwa's face.
Before, Lee Seo-yul had regarded Hong Yeon-hwa with sharp wariness and rejection.
But perhaps she had felt Hong Yeon-hwa's sincerity recently.
Gradually, that hostility was fading, and the distance between them was narrowing.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
She walked at a measured pace to match Lee Seo-yul's stride.
Her role as temporary guardian finished, Eriel followed a few steps behind them.
Thanks to the perception-obstruction magic tools all three wore, they drew no attention.
- Nothing unusual to report.
A voice streamed into Hong Yeon-hwa's mind as she walked.
It was a sound transmission from Eriel.
Hong Yeon-hwa gave a slight shrug to show she was listening.
- The perception obstruction was never broken, and her wings were never exposed. I detected no signs of ill intent from outsiders, either.
Eriel had been retired for some time, but she was still a hunter of formidable skill.
Her specialty, moreover, was not scouting but the assassin's arts: stealth and ambush.
Bodyguarding someone in the open wasn't her forte, but sniffing out and severing hidden threats beforehand was her domain.
Besides, she wasn't a cadet and had no particular schedule, and she had prior experience caring for the young Hong Yeon-hwa. Her strength and reliability were beyond doubt.
"Oh."
Hong Yeon-hwa's attention was suddenly caught by a shop.
It was a street stall selling skewers to passersby.
"Seo-yul, want to grab one of these on the way?"
Lee Seo-yul looked where Hong Yeon-hwa pointed.
And she tilted her head at the mention of skewers.
"Grilled skewers? Chicken?"
"No, no, pork."
At Hong Yeon-hwa's urgent denial, Lee Seo-yul gave a small nod.
Worried that she might change her mind, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly bought a skewer and pressed it into Lee Seo-yul's hand.
Fresh off the grill, it was piping hot.
Hong Yeon-hwa had cooled it to a just-right temperature before handing it over, so Lee Seo-yul could eat it comfortably.
Munch. Lee Seo-yul took a bite of the skewer and chewed quietly for a moment.
"How is it? Good?"
"It's good."
"Yeah? That's a relief. I've got a few more, so you can keep eating."
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded, relieved.
"...It's good."
As Hong Yeon-hwa looked up to take a bite of her own skewer,
Lee Seo-yul put hers back in her mouth and murmured softly, looking a little subdued.
The taste of the meat, seasoned and smoky, swirled across her tongue.
It was delicious.
Thinking of that, her dad's... Lee Ha-yul's face came to mind.
"...Oh."
Then it happened.
Lee Seo-yul snapped her head up at a signal insistently knocking at her awareness.
"...Dad?"
"Huh? Dad? Ha-yul?"
"Dad is here."
"What?"
Beside her, Hong Yeon-hwa asked back with the skewer still in her mouth.
The moment she questioned the sudden announcement of Lee Ha-yul's arrival, her smartwatch chimed.
Thinking it couldn't be, she checked the alert, and Lee Ha-yul's location marker, just now coming back online, appeared.
Hong Yeon-hwa's eyes went wide.
.
.
.
"A little while ago, he went upstairs to check on A-rin's condition. He said he needed to focus, so please don't come in if possible."
'God damn it.'
They had rushed back to the mansion immediately, but in the end, Hong Yeon-hwa couldn't see Lee Ha-yul right away.
She had been full of anticipation for their reunion after a whole month.
And now more waiting... She felt like she might burst.
But that didn't mean she could just kick the door in.
Hong Yeon-hwa crumpled her face and flopped down onto a sofa in the first-floor lobby.
Lee Seo-yul, who had flown here cradled in her arms, was now in Ellia's embrace, pouting as well.
"That Baek A-rin... it wasn't even a trial... Can Ha-yul really... fix it?"
Hong Yeon-hwa, grumbling under her breath, trailed off.
It was because she recalled the peculiar nature of Lee Ha-yul's Calamity Flame.
If Hong Yeon-hwa's—the standard—Calamity Flame could be compared to a rabid dog foaming at the mouth,
then Lee Ha-yul's Calamity Flame was like a little puppy you'd see in the countryside, wagging its tail in happy circles.
The difference in docility was that stark.
So it could surely melt even the Azure Sea's cold energy with twice the ease and without causing harm.
"...Miss Ellia. What is this?"
"Ah, this?"
That was when conversation drifted into Hong Yeon-hwa's ears as she brooded.
Lee Seo-yul had asked, curious, and Ellia was answering.
Ordinary chatter.
Listening to it, Hong Yeon-hwa closed her eyes.
When would Ha-yul come down...? She steadied her breathing to calm her anxious heart...
"Yes, hehe... it's a pendant Ha-yul gave me just a bit ago."
Hong Yeon-hwa shot upright.
When she whipped her head around, she saw Ellia beaming with utter happiness.
Now that she looked, an unfamiliar piece of jewelry hung around Ellia's neck.
"He said he made it himself... I don't know when he even found the time... fufu..."
Ellia stroked the pendant, giggling as if she couldn't contain the joy spilling out of her.
A chain of fine silver, and a yellow gem whose intricate craftsmanship was obvious at a single glance.
And the subtle mana of a magic formula emanating from it.
"......"
Hong Yeon-hwa stared, blinking slowly.
...When would Lee Ha-yul come down? She couldn't wait.
* * *
Ariel was reading.
Filling her head with information while simultaneously researching magic.
It was the daily routine she had repeated for ages past.
Having done it for so very long, it had become a deeply familiar ritual.
- Glance
"......"
- Glance
"...Haa."
But for some reason, it didn't feel familiar right now.
On the contrary, it felt awkward, even strange.
With her gaze constantly pulled in one direction, Ariel let out a deep sigh and closed her book.
And looked at the thing that kept catching her eye.
The chair across from her.
Originally, only Ariel's chair had sat there, but now there was one more.
Lee Ha-yul, who had used that chair, was gone.
Now that the person who used it had disappeared, she ought to put it away, but she didn't want to.
Compared to those long years, it was nothing—barely a speck of dust. Lee Ha-yul had only stayed for a little over a month.
Yet her heart couldn't grow accustomed to this hollow feeling.
[Missing him?]
- Ding
That was when a string of text drifted into the corner of Ariel's vision.
[I can hardly believe you'd be this forlorn, Miss Ariel.]
"...Don't speak nonsense, Gracia."
Ariel exhaled heavily and shook her head.