[No title provided]

"Dad…."

Kang Seohee clung to the gaunt man and sobbed for a long while. It seemed like they needed some time alone, so I stepped aside and slowly sank into a chair. I'd been regulating two people's ether flows in such a short time, and it had left me pretty drained.

Kang Seohee, who had been weeping in her father's arms for ages, wiped her tears and came over to me, gripping my hand tightly.

"Thank you so much. I thought it was impossible to fix… So many people die from augmentation side effects. I figured my dad didn't have much time left either…."

"……."

I silently held her trembling hand.

"You've had it rough too. Taking care of someone is way harder than it looks, after all."

I said that and glanced at the emaciated man. The situation was different from what I'd expected, so I asked Kang Seohee,

"I thought the side effects ended once the ether was gone… Isn't everyone supposed to return to normal?"

Kang Seohee gave a bitter smile.

"Dad's constitution makes it slow for him to expel ether. They say some people who learned augmentation go through this."

"Is that so? How peculiar…."

The staff, which Jang-gil had turned into, quivered.

Jang-gil fell silent, lost in thought, before adding after a moment,

"Is that so? Turning them into abyssal entities—sounds just like the kind of prank that guy would love…."

"Ah."

As I muttered that it was nothing, Kang Seohee squeezed my hand tight.

"Thank you, really. I never dreamed Dad could get back on his feet."

"Yeah…."

Her sudden switch to polite speech was starting to feel awkward, so I stood up.

"I should head out now. Training at the tower's about to start."

"Ah, the tower…."

"Eunbyeol's match is tomorrow, so she'll need me."

Kang Seohee seemed lost in thought for a moment, then smoothed her lavender hair and nodded.

"Got it. Let me drive you to the tower. I've got my license!"

"…Oh! Lucky me. I was debating the subway."

"Call me anytime you need me."

With her bright smile, the drive to the tower felt warm and cozy, almost like Monica was there.

Basement level 1 of Iolde Tower. In the massive training hall shielded by a 6th-level barrier, Eunbyeol and Park Seongwoong were in the middle of a lesson.

Ever since Eunbyeol joined Iolde Tower, Park Seongwoong had been visiting often to teach her. Though he wasn't affiliated with any tower himself, he had no intention of stopping.

"Byeol, your ether concentration is still a beat slow. Hong Jiyeon's spells will hit faster, no question."

"Yes. I'm trying my fastest, but it's my otherworld limit…."

"Right. Push too hard, and the spell itself collapses."

I sat at the round table in the corner of the training hall. Perfect spot for munching cake and watching.

'Still, her mental core is weak.'

She'd climbed this far with her ether control talent, but her weak mental core limited her ether gathering and storage.

'But her opponent is the well-rounded hexagon, Hong Jiyeon.'

Eunbyeol's control-focused gifts were starting to hit their ceiling.

"Any more is impossible, teacher…."

Eunbyeol clutched her right hand, now stained purple, and slumped to the floor.

"Yeah, even I can see more training's too much. Better spend the remaining time recovering—that's the wise choice."

Eunbyeol nodded at Park Seongwoong's words and sneaked a glance at me.

"……."

Our eyes met, and after a moment's thought, I stood from my chair.

"I've been watching, and unless you elevate your mental core to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the essential realm, beating Hong Jiyeon is impossible."

Park Seongwoong nodded in agreement.

"Same thought here, teacher. Better approach it with a learning mindset than forcing it, Byeol."

At our advice, Eunbyeol set her jaw with resolve.

"I don't want to give up, though."

I shook my head, recalling my spar with Park Seongwoong.

"Win rate under 10%. And that's assuming luck's on your side."

"…Yeah."

"Still gonna run till the end…?"

Eunbyeol nodded and stood. The purple ether backlash that had stained her right arm was already gone.

"Everyone hypes me as an S-Rank Supporter, but I've never been recognized as a proper mage."

A dented star, dragged back after her retirement stage awakened support magic. Tears welled as she continued,

"So I want to show them… That I'm a mage too. That my efforts weren't wasted."

Looking at her teary face, I suddenly thought of Kang Seohee. They were oddly alike.

'Lacking talent, but full of grit and obsession.'

I closed my eyes, remembering my Mage Hunter days. I'd seen plenty of mages die trying to compensate for weakness with sheer will.

'The easiest to kill on the field.'

Drawing on old memories, I approached the 11-year-old Eunbyeol—who'd grown a head taller than at 10, making me look up a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bit.

"…You've shot up a lot."

"Hehe, my skills have too, y'know?"

"True enough…."

I smiled and whispered a few words of advice in her ear. I'd planted the seed, but blooming it was another story. I just hoped she'd understand.

The 4th round was drawing just as much attention as the 3rd.

Hajieun swallowed hard listening to the commentary.

"Forty thousand…."

"That's a lot?"

At my question, Hajieun looked miserable.

"Ilsan Stadium's only 50,000 seats…."

"Ah, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠got it."

Yeah, that huge place was 50k capacity, so 40k was massive. Now I noticed the chat scrolling too fast to read.

I skimmed the groveling chat and shot them a cold glare. I already knew what kind of crowd they were.

"Most of 'em were traitors anyway. Don't think I've forgotten Hajieun was the only one cheering me on."

At my words as Yu Eunha, emojis flooded the chat.

I furrowed my brow and turned away.

"Won't watch 'em anyway."

"Of course…?"

At my words, everyone started pretending to be newbies.

"……."

I clicked my tongue at the excited chat.

"Tch! You think I'm that stupid? Gonna fall for something this obvious?!"

The cake threat made me pause and readjust my chair.

"Hm… On second thought, if they show real remorse and effort, maybe take 'em back…."

Hajieun's eyes went wide.

"Eunha?"

"…Cake's a serious matter."

"Am I just cake-level value to you…?"

"Uh…."

I should've said no, but words stuck. Her cakes had such a massive presence.

"……."

The silence made tears well in Hajieun's eyes.

"For real?"

"No! Wait!"

I blurted the first words that came to mind.

"Jieun's cakes taste nothing like bakery ones! I've eaten tons from shops! Yours are totally different…!"

"You buy cake often?"

Hajieun asked, and I nodded frantically.

"Whole cakes, yeah… Favorites are chocolate and strawberry shortcake."

"I see…."

"Two a day, lunch and dinner dessert. Monica nagged, but now without her… two a day…."

Realizing the situation from the reactions, I bit my lip.

"Huh? I didn't say anything? Demon King spilled it herself."

"…I know."

As I pouted, the chat exploded again.

"Sigh… Wanna go home before the match even starts."

As I sighed in exhaustion, Hajieun stepped out and returned with a slice of cake. It looked meticulously made, wafting sweet aroma.

"Ta-da~ Godiva chocolate chocolate cake~"

"Ah!"

I took a bite and nodded. Her cakes really had a special flavor.

"Good, feeling energized. So today's opener is Eunbyeol vs. Hong Jiyeon?"

Hajieun beamed at my question.

"Yes! Some commentary from you would be perfect."

"Got it. Looks like the match is starting anyway…."

Hajieun adjusted the volume smoothly and faced the camera to announce the start.

"Alright, let's go? One, two, three…! Go Eunbyeol!"

At her shout, Hong Jiyeon's voice rang out.

White flames poured out right at the start, engulfing Eunbyeol's position. Hajieun and I shot up from our chairs simultaneously.

"Ehhh?!"

"…A spell that fast?!"