Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Interlude: Samira's Daily Life
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It's June.
Stepping out of the Gate, the hot, humid air hits me all at once.
It already feels like the peak of summer.
"Good work out there."
"You too, Seol-hee."
We hand off our gear to the team waiting nearby and head back to Samira.
'Time for a short break...'
We'd entered the Gate after dinner last night with Seol-hee.
Over a full day had passed inside, but less than 24 hours had gone by out here.
There had been times when Earth's time flowed much faster in comparison.
The flow of time isn't consistent.
It depends on the world beyond the Gate.
According to what Jang Ho-seop had figured out, some worlds connect to many Gates on Earth, while others connect to few.
But no matter which Gate you enter, the time discrepancy never gets too extreme.
"It's so hot. I wish it would just pour already."
Seol-hee looks up at the sky as she speaks.
Sweat is already beading on her forehead after just a short walk.
Sweat from conquering the Gate.
"Looks like it might."
The sky is full of clouds.
Any moment now, it could start dumping rain.
"Um... Yi Hyun."
"Yeah?"
"You said we'd take a little break before the next Gate, right?"
I've been hitting Gates with minimal rest for days now.
It's about time for a proper break.
"Yeah. Get some good rest, Seol-hee."
Seol-hee had switched out midway with Gang I-seon once.
A bit more experience, and she'll hit level 20.
"Thanks. But I was wondering if there's anything personal you need from me."
"Personal?"
"Ah, not a request—more like an order... or what you expect from me..."
Seol-hee trails off.
I have no idea what she's getting at.
"Just use your skill on me sometime."
I always ask her to use her skill whenever I get home.
Her Fundamental Skill, Radiance of Purification, clears out things I didn't even notice were off.
So even without any issues, I ask for it like a disinfectant.
"Okay..."
I can feel her deflate at my response.
I don't want to overthink it, but since it's right there in front of me, I add,
"What's up? Does Hye-rin need something?"
"Oh, no, it's not that..."
Seol-hee is a special case under close management.
Her skills are that valuable.
Naturally, she gets plenty of Mana Stones, so she'd have everything she needs.
Plus, she lives with us and enjoys those perks.
"If there's anything tough, let me know. If it's hard to tell me, talk to Bom-i noona."
"No, really, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."
I leave it at that.
Since she's close with Bom-i noona, anything important would come through her.
Wrapping up with Seol-hee, we soon arrive at Samira's grounds.
The external teams must have just returned; a crowd is gathered at the farming materials depot.
"Yi Hyun! No injuries, right?"
Auntie Kim Soo-jung is out at the depot.
She spots me and rushes over, scanning my body first.
"Yeah, all good. Nothing happen here?"
"We're fine too. Smooth sailing today as well..."
Auntie Kim Soo-jung hands off the cleanup to someone else and sticks with me.
Jang Ho-seop comes sprinting over from the side.
We walk to the main building together, chatting.
If nothing special comes up, we skip formal meetings and report like this.
"What about you, bro? How'd it go?"
At the end of the talk, Jang Ho-seop asks about my level.
I'd kept my exact level from everyone before.
Then the level 39 cap hit, and I had to share it.
"Same as before."
"Damn... stuck, huh."
I'm still at level 39.
Even with Jang Ho-seop using his Fundamental Skill, we haven't cracked the exact way to break the cap.
'It varies per person. Conquering Gates might help.'
That's all we've got.
My leveling is stalled, but Samira is progressing smoothly.
Newly planted day-and-night wheat is shooting up in expanded fields.
Big Mamas have started breeding.
Territory expansion is ahead of schedule too.
"Bro, mind if I send some interns over today?"
"Why? Oh... the plaza?"
Jang Ho-seop gauges my expression.
Anyone who wants plaza access pays Mana Stones and gets admin rights from my group to use Spirit Stones.
It's a welfare perk, and my Spirit Stones are included.
"Yep. Yours is the priciest, but still tons of applicants."
"Send 'em. Cut it if too many, before training time."
"Got it!"
And the interns coming to me usually care more about me than the plaza.
"Oh, ban snacks or gifts, all of it."
"Huh? Uh... why?"
"Too much hassle to deal with."
Some even scrimped on their own Mana Stones to buy me gifts. Bizarre.
"Yi Hyun, maybe accept letters at least."
"Mm... alright."
I nod reluctantly at Auntie Kim Soo-jung's words.
"Then head in! After dinner, bro, I'll send the selected group."
People like and cheer for someone, drawing strength from it.
I can't relate to the emotion.
But to many in Samira, that's me.
So I'll think of receiving interns occasionally as part of the job.
#
I'm home.
Go Mi-hye comes out holding Hye-rin.
"Welcome back."
She greets me with a smile in her eyes.
She's gotten much friendlier lately.
Probably eased up seeing me around more, since my attitude toward her hasn't changed.
"Where's noona?"
Seol-hee quickly washes her hands and takes Hye-rin.
Go Mi-hye naturally follows into the master bedroom.
"Not back yet."
Bom-i noona is seriously busy.
Everyone needs her skills everywhere.
Like people with construction-friendly abilities—levitating objects or adjusting weight.
Charge them up via Bom-i noona, and work speeds up massively.
"She said she'd be here for dinner?"
"She has to stop by the lab too, so probably late."
Go Mi-hye takes my gear.
She handles all housework and meals now.
Not just Bom-i noona—Seol-hee is busy too.
"How was the Gate? Must've been tough."
Today, Go Mi-hye asks about non-work stuff too.
I give a vague reply and head to the bathroom.
She follows right in.
I give her a puzzled look, and she answers matter-of-factly.
"I think it's my job to help you relax comfortably at home."
"And?"
"You need to de-stress too. Can't you leave it to me just once?"
Go Mi-hye asks for a chance.
Everything's prepped so I can eat dinner right after washing.
I get it immediately.
'Desire, affection.'
I read her emotions.
Desire is the strongest.
"Just sit back, Yi Hyun. Think of me like a close noona and relax..."
I nod, and she lights up.
Then she strips right there.
"Must be so hard shouldering all these people."
Led by her hand, I sit on the bathroom chair.
She wets me down and starts washing my hair.
"I'm always grateful. If there's anything you want to say or need, tell me freely. It'll stay between us."
If only she'd shut up sometimes.
Last time she came on strong impulsively, I'd turned her down.
Things are different now.
'She prepped this for me.'
So I let her have her way.
"Want to lie down here?"
After the hair wash, I lie face-down on the massage bed.
Her prep, apparently.
"No need for massage. Doesn't feel good at all."
I tell Go Mi-hye kneading my shoulders straight up.
It really doesn't.
"Got it. On to the next step."
She climbs naked onto the bed.
Sprays something, then rubs her body against mine.
'Wasn't she a professor?'
She's skilled, like she's practiced.
#
I accepted everything Go Mi-hye prepared.
Nothing bad for me.
'The ear-piercing moans were kinda much.'
Go Mi-hye was way too loud.
The act itself was amateurish.
Her looks aren't my type either, but with Bom-i noona gone, pheasant for pheasant.
We ate dinner together, then I stepped into the hallway.
Even at the table, she'd only focused on me, serving sides and all.
"Uncle."
Yu-na is waiting at my door.
A group of women huddles on the opposite side of the hall.
Samira's interns.
"Yu-na, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Then why?"
She can use her own Spirit Stone for plaza access.
No reason to be here.
"Well... ah! Escort duty."
"Escort?"
"Yeah."
Yu-na nods.
I shrug it off and approach the interns.
"Yi Hyun! Thank you!"
Ki Eun-chae greets briskly.
She's leading them, I guess.
'Perfume...'
Most interns waiting are Myeongsin Women's University students.
All made up, some with perfume.
Crammed in the narrow hall, the scents overwhelm.
"Eun-chae, been a while. Shall we?"
"Yes!"
Starting with Ki Eun-chae, I grant plaza access one by one.
They finish up quick, like it's planned.
"Good job. Keep it up."
"Hee-hee, yes! Thank you!"
After plaza time, they shake my hand and report their work.
I give formal praise and encouragement.
Their joy hits too vividly.
"Alright, next."
If anyone drags on, Yu-na cuts in.
"Hello, Yi Hyun. Do you remember me...?"
One by one like that.
A short, slight woman looks up at me.
I remember.
Back when the bob-cut girl from Myeongsin dorm 2's leader opposed me, this girl was beside her.
When I told those not on board to leave, she was first off the stage.
"Ah, thanks for remembering. I'm Jo Bo-yeon."
Jo Bo-yeon shares something a bit different from the others.
"So you want to write about me?"
"Yes! A fanfic... no, novel based on facts. I even did interviews!"
"Interviews? With who?"
"Director Kim Soo-jung. And I heard from Bom-i unnie too..."
I nod at Auntie Kim Soo-jung's approval.
"I'll report back once volume 1's done!"
"Uh... sure. Thanks. Work hard."
It's her voluntary off-hours project.
Says it's fun.
Feeling absurd, I move to the next.
Soon, I sense Jang Ho-seop and Auntie Kim Soo-jung coming up the stairs.
"Mom, look. Fan meet, not plaza."
"Son... jealous?"
"Nah... maybe a bit? Man, trimming the list was tough. Bro doesn't do it often..."
Mother and son chat off to the side.
I overhear.
"Thought I've been having lately."
"Yeah?"
"Jesus must've been crazy handsome by that era's standards."
"What?"
The fan meet—er, plaza session—ends quick.
Strangely more tiring than Gate runs.
#
While Yi Hyun handles what was basically a fan meet disguised as plaza access...
Two women chat in his house.
"Mi-hye, why didn't you bathe Hye-rin?"
Seong Seol-hee speaks with clear irritation.
Even after the Gate, she'd been busy.
Showered while washing the baby too, hasn't eaten dinner yet.
Chasing Yi Hyun around wore her out, no rest.
"Room's not cleaned, Hye-rin's bottles too..."
Same now.
Where Yi Hyun looks is spotless, but Seong Seol-hee's room isn't.
Laundry including baby clothes sits untouched.
Seong Seol-hee judges Go Mi-hye slacking on her duties.
"Sorry. It wasn't on purpose..."
Seong Seol-hee tries suppressing her anger, but it's obvious.
Go Mi-hye bows her head to her.
Truly apologetic tone.
"You know you two have been so busy lately."
"Y... yeah."
"Managing the house alone, some things slipped. I prioritized Yi Hyun..."
Go Mi-hye subtly boasts what she'd done for Yi Hyun.
Even mentions helping in the bathroom with shower and relief.
"And I still need to maintain his gear."
"Ah..."
Invoke Yi Hyun's name, and Seong Seol-hee's words falter.
"Must be upsetting with Hye-rin. Truly sorry. I'll work harder..."
Go Mi-hye bows deeply.
Her hair curtains down.
So Seong Seol-hee doesn't see.
Go Mi-hye's lips twist.
In the end, weary Seong Seol-hee turns away.
Feeding and more await.
No one knows Go Mi-hye had lounged all afternoon in Yi Hyun's house.