Gift (1)
Gift (1)
"Whoa."
Water currents streamed through the air. Dozens of rivers spun lazily around Baek A-rin, forming rings as they flowed.
Around the rings, rain hung frozen in time — dense clusters of round droplets suspended in midair.
Surveying her surroundings, Baek A-rin twirled the spear.
Crack! The water rings froze over. The droplets did the same. In an instant, her water energy converted into cold energy.
"Ohh."
She spun the spear again. Hiss! The ice scattered and became flowing water.
Not all of it converted.
Half of the ring flowed as water while the other half chased after it, freezing as it went. A ring of water and ice whirled around the area.
"This is the real deal."
She couldn't stop marveling at it.
The armament Lee Ha-yul had crafted and handed her. Baek A-rin had shaped it to resemble the spear she normally used.
Since they were in the training hall, she'd decided to test it for a moment. That brief trial was enough to feel its performance viscerally.
The conversion between water energy and cold energy was fast. Effortless. Even without devoting nearly as much attention as usual, it was far quicker and more precise.
This wasn't just a simple energy adjustment. The spear was actively modulating the operation of the Azure Sea. The whole process of manifesting and manipulating the Azure Sea had become seamless.
Even that was staggering, but what truly astonished her was something else.
Baek A-rin pulled up her cold energy. Crackle! The ground beneath her froze. The moisture hanging in the air froze too and pattered down onto the floor.
She lifted one hand slightly. Its movement had grown a little sluggish. Even against her own skin, the chill gnawed at her bones.
Yet it was far more comfortable than before.
'Does it absorb some of the burden too?'
Unlike the water aspect of the Azure Sea, the ice aspect carries a high cost. For certain reasons, the strain Baek A-rin experienced was particularly severe.
With the spear in hand, that strain was lighter.
- Crackle...
Even that reduced burden began to ease further.
The ring on her finger. The gift Lee Ha-yul had given her on the day of the closing ceremony. Warmth from the vivid ruby seeped through her body.
At the same time, warmth flowed from the spear. An armament supposedly designed for wielding the Azure Sea, yet gentle heat lingered along its shaft.
The spear's auxiliary functions for the Azure Sea were already extraordinary, and it was also greatly reducing the strain.
'A treasure.'
A concise assessment. And an objective one.
Hadn't he said he would make an armament comparable to the Beacon Fire Sword? He'd truly delivered on that claim.
This armament is in no way inferior to the Beacon Fire Sword. No — if anything, it surpasses it. Lee Ha-yul hadn't bandied about the word 'custom-order' for nothing.
And even if it hadn't been a custom order, she doubted it would fall short of the Beacon Fire Sword.
"...Hee."
Despite actively wielding the Azure Sea, the warmth spreading through her body made the corners of her lips lift on their own. Even by her own reckoning, it was a remarkably natural smile.
"Ha-yul."
[How is it?]
[Any problems or anything uncomfortable?]
At the soft call, Lee Ha-yul came trotting over as if he'd been waiting. Baek A-rin, who'd been stroking the spear, lowered her gaze.
His eyes were closed. But the way his lips and shoulders twitched every time she voiced her admiration made his feelings easy to read.
"Problems or drawbacks... at this stage, none at all. It's truly incredible."
[Hehe.]
Even now, grinning broadly, his pride and delight were blatantly on display.
Baek A-rin chuckled and pulled Lee Ha-yul into a snug embrace. Lee Ha-yul buried his face against her chest as if he'd been waiting for exactly that.
"Was it hard to make? From what I saw, it seemed like work that consumes an enormous amount of heart power..."
[Mmm...]
[It was a little hard, but it's okay...]
[Soft.]
"Pfft, is that so...? All right. Until the others arrive, want to rest like this for a moment?"
[Yeah...]
Opening her arms wider for Lee Ha-yul, who leaned obediently into her, Baek A-rin sat down on the floor.
"......"
At that sight, Lee Ji-yeon, who had been assessing the armament's performance, awkwardly made her way over.
Plunking down beside them, Lee Ji-yeon glanced between Baek A-rin and Lee Ha-yul nestled in her embrace.
Face buried against her chest, held tight — with Lee Ha-yul's build so small, he fit right inside her arms.
"...A-rin? Isn't it uncomfortable? If it is..."
"I'm fine. Ha-yul is so compact, isn't he? Honestly, holding him in my arms feels just right — it's comfortable. I like it."
"Oh, really?"
Now that she thought about it, whenever she'd held Lee Ha-yul for medical reasons, she'd never felt any discomfort either.
On the contrary — nestled snugly inside her arms, filling the space, he brought a sense of ease and contentment.
Warm, soft, and carrying only a pleasant scent...
"Wasn't it the same for you, Senior Ji-yeon?"
"Well, I mean... ahem!"
"Hmm..."
"That slipped out. Ahem, ahem."
Lee Ji-yeon, who'd almost answered without thinking, cleared her throat. Baek A-rin shook her head lightly and smiled, resting her chin on Lee Ha-yul's hair.
"Anyway, I tried it out for just a moment, but... it really is impressive. Ha-yul, what's this armament's name?"
[Sinking in...]
[...Name?]
[I haven't decided yet.]
"Huh, you haven't even named it yet?"
Having assumed it would certainly have one, Baek A-rin tilted her head.
"Isn't naming important for establishing the innate talent?"
[That's because this is still an incomplete version.]
[Softness.]
[The user is gradually taming it, while the branding process happens alongside.]
"Ahh... I wondered where the Beacon Fire Sword's branding process had gone. It was just pushed to the back end, then?"
[Right.]
Forging a Beacon Fire Sword takes anywhere from a few months to well over half a year.
During that period, the intended wielder must visit periodically to undergo the branding process alongside the smithing.
It's a cumbersome procedure. And so Lee Ha-yul had simply deferred it to later.
"Then what do you plan to do about naming it?"
[Uhm...]
Cradled in her arms, Lee Ha-yul squirmed lightly as if thinking.
[Wouldn't it be best if you, Baek A-rin, and you, Senior Lee Ji-yeon... the people who'll be its wielders, decided the name yourselves?]
"So after all that deliberation, your conclusion is to hand off the choice? In that case... I'll have to give it some thought. If you think of a good name too, Ha-yul, let me know."
[Okay...]
The voice from the necklace grew languid. With the drowsiness clearly creeping in, Baek A-rin patted Lee Ha-yul's back.
It was about time for dinner, but since he was sleepy, she intended to let him doze off if possible.
They didn't exchange words, but Lee Ji-yeon made no move to stop Baek A-rin's actions either.
"Dungeon practice will be starting again soon, and I'll get to try it during the tower entry too, so I can decide then... Ah, right. Ji-yeon, the second-year tower entry is a pretty big deal, isn't it?"
"Tower entry? Ah, right. Yeah. The second-year first-semester entry was unusual too."
Lee Ji-yeon, who'd been watching Lee Ha-yul go limp in Baek A-rin's arms with a peculiar expression, nodded readily.
Typically, the tower entry curriculum follows a set pattern.
First-year, first-semester entry is mostly about 'survival and competition' inside the tower's internal environment.
First-year, second-semester entry is 'Contemplation' — fighting a manifested version of yourself.
And the second-year, first-semester entry...
"Reenactment... right. Yeah, I still remember. After that ended, I just sprawled in the dorm for days after getting out."
"I've heard everyone suffered quite a bit. Then again, after hearing what it involves, that sounds about right."
The theme of the second-year, first-semester tower entry was Reenactment. It's a famous curriculum — and a large chunk of that fame is infamy.
"Getting to experience the Demon Realm while you're still a cadet is an incredible opportunity. Though, of course, it's insanely difficult..."
"Because experiencing the Chaos Period era is impossible anywhere but Siyoram."
The African Demon Realm. Specifically, the vicinity of the Demon Realm during the Chaos Period.
The second-year, first-semester tower entry recreates that past — that space.
[Mm...]
That was the moment.
While being patted in Baek A-rin's embrace on the verge of sleep, Lee Ha-yul suddenly lifted his head.
His closed eyes even blinked open.
"Ha-yul? What is it?"
[...Yeon-hwa is here.]
"Hm? Yeon-hwa? She said she was eating out because of work today."
"Her business must have wrapped up fast."
"Or maybe she hurried through it because she missed someone..."
Slipping out of Baek A-rin's arms, Lee Ha-yul shook his head. He even rubbed his eyes to chase away the drowsiness, then trotted toward the mansion's front entrance.
He didn't just wander out; it was a greeting timed precisely through Observation.
[Yeon-hwa, you're here?]
"...Ah, Ha-yul."
Thanks to that, he managed to meet Hong Yeon-hwa perfectly as she stepped through the main entrance.
Petting the spirits that had flocked over to greet her, Hong Yeon-hwa's expression brightened in an instant.
[You said you'd eat dinner out — you're back early.]
"The work ended earlier than expected. Have you eaten dinner yet?"
[No, not everyone's here yet. Come in quickly. If you take your time washing up, the timing should work out.]
"Heh, thanks."
"Hee, hehe..."
Pulling Lee Ha-yul into a gentle embrace, Hong Yeon-hwa gave him a brief kiss.
"Yeon-hwa, you said you'd be late but you're early."
"Yeah, I thought it would take some time too, but it turned out faster than I expected..."
Hong Yeon-hwa's gaze drifted past her, her sentence trailing off. Baek A-rin was waving peacefully in greeting.
- Flutter, flutter.
Wrapped around that hand was a vivid blue winged garment.
"Huh?"
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked and turned her gaze to the side.
Lee Ji-yeon. She, too, wore a winged garment — brown and green, blended together just right.
Hong Yeon-hwa's gaze returned to Lee Ha-yul.
A white winged garment fluttering elegantly in the breeze. Incredibly similar.
"...Ha-yul, what are those two things?"
[Ah, right! I meant to tell you! I just finished making them — they're a giiift...]
As Lee Ha-yul started to explain the armaments, a jealous pinch found his cheek.
* * *
The Beacon Fire Sword of the Calamity Flame family's progenitor, Hong Yeon, is stored at the main house.
Its primary use is ceremonial.
Though it can no longer demonstrate its true function in anyone's hands but Hong Yeon's own, the symbolic weight of the Founder's Beacon Fire Sword sees it employed in numerous rites.
"But that kid looked like he could use it."
The Calamity Flame main house. The office of the Chief Administrator on the top floor.
Leaning back against the guest sofa, Hong Jin-hyeok, the current Jeonghwaju (Stop Fire Master), shrugged.
"When I saw it, the blade was clearly heating up, and the traces remain even now... Doesn't that mean it's been branded?"
"I know already, so please stop talking."
"Yessir."
At the chattering voice, Choi Ji-yeon, who had been clutching her head, snapped sharply.
Hong Jin-hyeok raised both hands in a blithe gesture and shut his mouth. Choi Ji-yeon let out a deep sigh and pressed her fingers to her forehead.
Originally, the Beacon Fire Sword is a blade bestowed only upon the family head.
Of course, excellent swords are given to other members of the forces — including Hong Jin-hyeok in his role as Jeonghwaju — but the Beacon Fire Sword is an armament that symbolizes the clan head.
Yet she had intended to bestow it upon Lee Ha-yul.
He'd grasped the Founder's Beacon Fire Sword and stained its blade. Stained the Beacon Fire Sword — which had lacked a wielder since the founder, which could not possibly find one.
And he'd done it, of all times, during the Regular Gathering. There were simply too many eyes; it couldn't be hidden.
'That's precisely why I meant to bestow it...'
Tradition and symbolism. Vital factors for rallying and maintaining the clan's power, but she had considered this case an exception.
Lee Ha-yul manifested Calamity Flame. Not only at an output comparable to Hong Yeon-hwa's, but a Calamity Flame that had progressed in an entirely different, unique direction.
They had to secure him, no matter what.
As it happened, he was already in that sort of relationship with Hong Yeon-hwa. This wasn't even an arranged marriage.
So she'd planned to send a formal invitation once Lee Ha-yul had the leisure, and to bestow it almost like a betrothal gift.
But before that leisure could arrive, a major incident erupted.
"Come to think of it, I did say that if you cling too tightly it'll turn to shit..."
"No...! It wasn't about clinging! I meant to bestow it! Through the proper! Procedures! That's what I meant...!"
"Seems like getting those procedures done maybe took a bit too long..."
"Ah, aagh...! Who could've possibly predicted something like this would happen?!"
Lee Ha-yul. Son-in-law. A unique Calamity Flame manifestor. The benefactor who reformed the mad dog Hong Yeon-hwa.
That child, bearing Calamity Flame, had manifested the Azure Sea.
And on top of that, had manifested Taesan as well.
He'd manifested three separate bloodline-inherited abilities. Why? How? No one knows. She'd heard a rough explanation, but she still didn't understand.
Incomprehensible, but he possessed them.
In other words, this was no longer the Calamity Flame family's affair alone.
'There's someone who holds Calamity Flame, Azure Sea, and Taesan all at once? Who on earth could have foreseen that...!'
Choi Ji-yeon suppressed the urge to tear her own hair out.