I'll Stay Closer to You
I'll Stay Closer to You
The tower entry schedule spans five days.
Depending on the circumstances, that time can feel long or short.
[Kkonnim... let's go out together...]
For me, it was far too short.
I burrowed into the embrace that hadn't left my side for a single moment during those five days. I whimpered a little, and she smiled awkwardly, brushing my hair back with a gentle touch.
- I, too, wish to remain by your side and assist you, but my current situation still makes that difficult.
[But still...]
The Tower Master of the Dead had perished, and the Tower Master of Bitter Cold's circumstances grew so urgent that their restrictions loosened.
Thanks to that, I was able to meet Kkonnim, but not to the point of freely acting.
- Though it was brief, it was an undeservedly happy... hnk...!
[Saying it like that makes it sound like goodbye!]
I squeezed her voluptuous chest through the thin cloth, and the ominous words came to a halt.
Kkonnim flinched, her body trembling. Then she gently stroked my hand, soothing me calmly.
- I-I'm sorry for causing you worry. But I hope you'll understand it as a sign of how happy my time with you, Lee Ha-yul, has been...
She used to tremble as if struck by lightning when I played with her chest, but now she calmly soothed me, which felt oddly endearing.
- Personal happiness aside, I am also relieved that I was able to teach you everything possible in that short time.
[Because of the Blessing of Growth.]
Inside the Tower of Growth, the blessing is amplified.
Unlike ordinary cadets, I also carried a special blessing. The Tower Masters had even reverse-engineered the curse to further amplify my growth rate.
It was an environment where the speed of growth couldn't help but be in a different dimension.
- As the saying goes, "one should not judge a future pillar by its early leaves," your achievements, Lee Ha-yul, are not the result of a blessing but of your own potential blossoming.
[Hehehe]
Kkonnim had a wonderful way with words. Even when I did nothing, she held me in her arms, lulling me gently, lavishing me with praise sweeter than honey.
[It's all thanks to you teaching me so well, Kkonnim.]
It wasn't empty flattery. With our thoughts linked by the Authority of Harmonization, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to teaching me as much as she could.
Her main focus was the Authority of Growth and Word Command. Beyond that, I also learned various techniques and magic.
'Still, when it comes to magic, Miss Ariel is still—'
- It is true that my magical skill falls short compared to Ariel's, under a cold assessment. Compared to me, who focuses on word commands, she is a true mage.
'Ah, no, that's...'
My thoughts had flowed out along the Authority of Harmonization.
I flinched, thinking I'd been rude, but Kkonnim simply patted me on my lower back as if it were nothing.
- However, Ariel is a woman who has devoted her entire life to magic. Even if she were to start a family, she possesses the madness to prioritize magic above all, which is how she reached such heights.
'?'
Kkonnim was nonchalantly badmouthing Miss Ariel.
[The Tower Master of Knowledge bristles and refutes.]
[You mustn't take the poisoned candy dripping from that impudent tongue at face value.]
[She's only putting on an absurd show of feigned innocence because you're watching; in essence, she's a woman who carries a blade on her tongue.]
Ding! Miss Ariel had jumped in after overhearing the gossip.
[The Tower Master of Growth scoffs.]
- Hah! If we're talking about feigned innocence, that sounds like what you've been up to. I never dreamed your acting could be so superb.
[The Tower Master of Knowledge adds:]
[The lives that willingly gave up because of that venom-laced tongue number at least a hundred; if you would but hear a few of those remarks—]
[The Tower Master of Growth hastily refutes:]
- That is a vile slander, Lee Ha-yul. An old saying warns against blindly trusting the words of one consumed by the madness of magic—
- Ding-ding-ding-ding!
The status window blared noisily with a string of alerts. I chuckled softly, watching Miss Ariel and Neriel bicker.
[You seem very close.]
- ...Whether we like it or not, we've weathered difficult times together.
Swallowing a sigh, Kkonnim resituated me. I smiled softly, nestling into her arms, then my expression crumbled into a pout.
[I don't want to go. Come with me.]
- You ask the same question repeatedly.
Kkonnim patted me softly on the back. Her touch carried such affection and coaxing that I jutted out my lip.
In the end, I burrowed into her embrace and hugged her tightly.
[...I'll come see you again soon.]
- If possible, next time, I hope to be the one who comes to see you.
Kkonnim, holding me close, stroked my head several times, then pressed her lips to my crown in a soft kiss. Warm mana and will thought flowed into me.
『May you continue to be happy in the days to come.』
My consciousness gradually faded.
I could have resisted it, but I swallowed my regret and accepted the energy.
As if to praise me for being good, Kkonnim gave the top of my head one last peck, and then my awareness was drawn outward.
My consciousness cleared in an instant.
The surroundings were bustling. I let out a long breath and inhaled the outside air. I could feel cadets gathering thickly in the plaza.
The tower entry was over. It seemed I had come out a little late.
I scanned the area, then turned my head toward the Tower of Growth.
An imposing ivory tower of majestic grandeur. I focused my mind and fumbled along the connection still maintained by the Authority of Harmonization.
'Kkonnim?'
- Ding!
When I muttered softly, the status window popped up.
[Kkonnim smiles gently and replies...]
[?]
[The Tower Master of Harmonization cackles.]
[Ahahahahahak...!]
I had been waiting anxiously for an answer, and my face immediately brightened. Fortunately, the connection seemed to be working fine. Even if Miss Gracia's prank had gotten me too used to that nickname.
"Ha-yul."
"Ah."
Just as I had laid a hand on my chest in relief, Yeon-hwa suddenly burst through the crowd and dashed over.
At the intensity of her delight, I gave my winged garment a gentle flutter. Yeon-hwa spread her arms wide, and I slipped naturally right into her embrace.
[So nice...]
I soaked up the sweltering warmth like a heated compress. When I buried my face in her chest, Yeon-hwa gave a quiet laugh and stroked my head.
"You weren't in our space. You said you were going to meet the Tower Master of Growth—were you in a different spot the whole five days?"
"Yes. I was with Kkonnim... the Tower Master of Growth."
"Kkonnim... Ah-ha? So that's how it was?"
A breeze blew over the top of my head. That was because Yeon-hwa, still holding me by the waist, had buried her nose in my hair and taken a deep breath.
My body squirmed from the ticklish sensation, and as if to tell me to stay still, the arm wrapped around my waist tightened.
I enjoyed the pleasant pressure and obediently let her keep her nose there.
"You smell nice."
[Yeah... I like your scent too, Yeon-hwa.]
"There's also a smell you don't usually have."
[?]
"It's really strong. Almost like I'd spent five days glued to your belly, rubbing against your breasts or something."
Yeon-hwa murmured softly, pressing her nose against my crown. Squeeze... The arm wrapped around my waist tightened further.
"Yeon-hwa...?"
"I know the Tower Master of Growth is a woman. But is the owner of this scent, this someone you're already calling by a pet name like 'Kkonnim,' by any chance, the Tower Master of Growth?"
"Huk—"
I reflexively swallowed my breath.
That was answer enough.
Yeon-hwa lifted me right up into her arms.
.
.
.
The first tower entry of the second semester, which lasted five days, came to an end.
Though it was only five days, every cadet who came out of the tower, regardless of year, had grown by leaps and bounds.
The second-years also recorded significant growth.
It was a survival and competition format similar to the first-year entry, but apparently, the monster ranks were higher and the terrain made survival far more precarious than before.
Yet, their physical levels had been reset to that of their first-year entry.
Before they entered, worry was rampant among the cadets that they might end up killed by monsters or caught in traps.
But it seemed no one had found it as difficult as feared.
'Of course not—their skills had improved.'
A year and a half had passed since that first-year tower entry. That was more than enough time to achieve at least several times the normal training results through the Blessing of Growth.
They'd all felt their progress as they moved with their old physical levels, and in that harsh environment, they'd pushed their abilities even further.
"My expansion ability has finally bloomed."
[Ooh]
The first-years in particular had achieved remarkable growth.
Above Lee Ha-sol's palm, the Gale whipped and swirled.
A gentle breeze compressed, its density climbing. The focal point was intense will-thought—an innate talent that had expanded within Lee Ha-sol.
[You've finally done it!]
"Only one branch so far. But I can already feel another path taking shape too."
With a soft smile, Lee Ha-sol raised her hand.
Bang! The sphere of wind burst, and in an instant a single line was drawn, cleaving the sky in two.
"The name that came to mind is Line-Wind Path."
[Line-Wind Path... The output is impressive. And above all, it's incredibly fast.]
I let out a quiet murmur of admiration.
The line was thin, but its condensed force was overwhelming.
The compression boosted its penetrative power, and though she'd omitted it now, I could sense the potential for that condensed force to transform instantly into a raging Storm.
[And there's plenty of room to fuse it with archery, isn't there? You handle a bow, Miss Lee Ha-sol, so I imagine that mental image is reflected here.]
"...Do you see functionality and intent all at once like that? The Authority of Observation really is extraordinary."
Blinking at my words, Lee Ha-sol shook her head from side to side.
I wore a subtle expression.
'That wasn't Observation—I used Mana Detection.'
I considered correcting the misunderstanding, but decided against it, shrugged, and shook my head.
[And Senior Daera has manifested her expansion ability as well.]
— Crackle!
Instead of a reply, a bolt of lightning streaked past. Blue lightning carved across the lawn in quick succession.
"—Whoa, this is insane...!"
Then someone popped out of the lightning.
It was Senior Daera. Visibly brimming with excitement, she let strands of Heavenly Thunder ripple from her body.
"Did you see that speed? It's seriously crazy. Who's catching this?"
"It's definitely fast... but almost too fast to control, isn't it?"
"Not at all. Turns out it includes accelerated cognition. So handling it's no problem!"
Zap! Raising both hands, Senior Daera was engulfed in Heavenly Thunder and vanished.
"Gack."
"Good grief."
Senior Daera returned just as quickly and toppled face-first onto the ground. Head planted and rear raised, she drew a head-shake from Lee Ha-sol.
[The mana and heart-power consumption is severe, though. It's Elementalization-based, after all.]
The 8th Iteration had used it like breathing because he'd enjoyed that much surplus mana and heart power.
"Urgh... the real weird part is using this as a mobility technique... If you just charge in, seems like everything would die anyway."
[Rather than charging in, firing Heavenly Thunder or arrows from a distance was stronger. Of course, Senior Daera's circumstances are different.]
The 8th Iteration had been a ranged specialist who used Heavenly Thunder and a bow.
But Senior Daera was a close-combat specialist focused on brawling.
'So the functionality is a little different.'
When I analyzed it with Observation, several differences emerged.
The most notable was that Senior Daera's Lightning Step Movement was slower than the 8th Iteration's.
Instead, her paths for traveling via Heavenly Thunder were wider and more varied, and her speed when switching positions between lightning bolts was faster than his.
Probably a result of reflecting the number of angles from which she could dive in during extreme close-quarters combat, and her swiftness.
[Once you build up enough mana, you'll be nearly impossible to catch.]
"The problem is building up that much mana in the first place— H-heeek...!?"
[?]
Nodding along, I used the Winged Garment to poke Senior Daera's rear.
Senior Daera, who'd been sprawled out so nonchalantly, let out a shriek and flinched, then started flopping like a fish and scrambled away in a hurry.
[Senior Daera?]
"D-don't poke my butt!"
Face flushed bright red, Senior Daera covered her rear with both hands and yelled.
.
.
.
After inadvertently discovering Senior Daera's weak spot.
I walked in the opposite direction from the mansion and entered the medicinal herb cultivation area.
'They're growing well.'
Vivid green sprouts blooming in high-quality soil.
These were high-grade medicinal herbs that drank in the clear breeze and mana, still growing even now—a finicky species that would die at once if their environment shifted even slightly.
'All of this is being tended automatically by the Word Commands imbued here.'
And yet these finicky herbs were being cultivated in bulk on the mansion grounds.
It was all thanks to the Word Command functions that Kkonnim had densely inscribed into the mansion and its estate.
'Word Commands are said to be impossible to preserve long-term, and yet...'
The Word Commands on this mansion and its grounds had endured for decades even without being renewed.
Proof of how extraordinary Kkonnim's Word Commands were.
'I tried modifying them with magic before, too...'
It had been possible.
When I engraved a spell formula into the site, the Word Commands automatically rearranged themselves. But directly interfering with the Word Commands themselves was difficult, so I'd left them alone.
Now, however, things were different—because I had learned Word Commands from Kkonnim, a peerless Word Command sorcerer.
'I'll give it a try... and if anything goes wrong, I can fix it with magic.'
"Were you looking at the herbs again?"
Just as I was about to test my newly learned Word Commands, a voice spoke and a heavy weight settled on my head.
— Squish.
It wasn't just heavy. A soft, plush sensation pressed firmly down on my head. A familiar weight and texture.
[Miss Lee Ji-yeon.]
"Did your meeting with the Tower Master of Growth go well?"
It was Lee Ji-yeon, who'd stepped out on a brief errand after finishing her Tower entry and had now returned.
When I turned around, Lee Ji-yeon smiled brightly and opened her arms to embrace me.
[Yes, I met with him without any issues.]
"Glad that advice about hitting him and running wasn't helpful. In fact, it went so well that Yeon-hwa's been grumbling about it."
[Ahaha... you saw Yeon-hwa too?]
"I stopped by to say hello on my way back. From what I gathered, you should brace yourself to be stuffed and rolling around tonight."
That was... a happy and yet terrifying warning.
Shivering, I burrowed deeper into Lee Ji-yeon's arms. Chuckling, she patted my back and waist.
[Did you finish all your errands as well, Miss Lee Ji-yeon?]
"Yes, I had a brief discussion about the schedule for the clan head succession ceremony."
[Ah...]
It hadn't been announced with any fanfare, but the Taesan family's clan head seat was currently vacant.
That was because Lee Ji-ah had aided the Tower of the Dead's invasion.
Though she'd been under the Tower Master of the Dead's control, she couldn't wholly evade responsibility, so Lee Ji-ah had been deposed from the position.
The next clan head would naturally be Lee Ji-yeon.
But Lee Ji-yeon still had immediate matters to handle, and an abrupt leadership change risked compounding the chaos, so officially the clan head remained Lee Ji-ah.
[So a date has been set for the succession ceremony...?]
"The turmoil has more or less settled, and we can't keep a ghost in the clan head seat forever."
[Then... Siyoram...]
[Visible Unease]
If she became clan head, her duties would surely be immense. Rolling my eyes, I let a small—no, actually quite large—worry show.
"Don't worry about that. I'll just undergo the succession for now, and the Chief Administrator will handle the substantive work until graduation."
[Ah.]
[Relief]
When I brightened and smiled, Lee Ji-yeon laughed, her shoulders lifting.
"So don't go fretting for nothing. I came by to give you an invitation in advance."
[An invitation?]
"I was hoping the King of our Fairy Kingdom might grace the occasion with his presence."
Lifting my face from her chest, I tilted my head.
Lee Ji-yeon smiled, her gaze somehow deep with meaning, and brushed my hair back.
"The detailed schedule will be finalized later... Would it be difficult for you?"
[Of course I'll come.]
I nodded at once.
It was the event of Lee Ji-yeon ascending to clan head—there was no way I could miss it.
"Thank you. I'll let you know the schedule as soon as it's decided."
[Yes, ehehe...]
At my immediate answer, Lee Ji-yeon beamed and pressed her lips to the corner of my mouth.
At the soft, pecking kiss, a smile bloomed of its own accord. Lee Ji-yeon cupped my cheek with one hand and brushed her lips lightly against mine.
"When that day comes... I'll have you closer by my side."