Chapter 279: Please, Get Some Rest
Chapter 279: Please, Get Some Rest
When I opened my eyes, the ceiling was spinning. My entire body felt drained, and my head was dizzy. I tried to sit up, but the heavy pressure weighing down on my stomach forced me to give up.
“Ha… This is driving me crazy.”
I wasn’t sure why, but a sudden feeling of emptiness washed over me. I let out a long sigh and muttered to myself. Then, while waiting for the dizziness to subside, I began to check my body, part by part.
My magic circuits are fine… Senses are normal. But my strength…
Clenching and unclenching my fists a few times, I was reminded of just how much my stamina had dropped.
Magic Power not only has its own inherent performance but also serves to amplify the output of all stats except Luck. And Stamina is the pillar, the foundation that allows the body to endure and maintain that output. But I had been wielding Eternal Flame, a highly efficient form of magic power, with an insufficient ‘root’ of stamina. Of course my body wouldn’t be able to take it. If it weren’t for the Durability I’d built up and my ‘Unyielding’ ability, I might have been the first one to collapse.
As my thoughts reached that point, I could finally feel the urgency of the situation. Strictly speaking, my body had recovered after a night’s sleep. I was certainly in better shape than yesterday. But I hadn’t recovered as much as I used to. In other words, my recovery rate had fallen. I had a strong feeling that if I kept going like this, something was bound to go very, very wrong.
I can’t put this off any longer.
I decided to resolve my stamina issue in the near future. Even if it meant investing all my remaining points into Stamina, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
As I lay still, blinking my eyes, the spinning ceiling eventually settled back into place. The dizziness had faded considerably. However, the heavy pressure on my abdomen was still there.
“……”
A strange feeling came over me. I lifted my head slightly to look down and saw that the center of the blanket covering me was raised in a round mound. It was slowly rising and falling, as if it were alive. I quickly threw back the blanket, and sure enough, there was the baby unicorn, curled up in a ball on my stomach, off on a trip to dreamland.
“Kyuu… Kyuu…”
“…So you were the culprit.”
I let out a hollow laugh as I watched the baby unicorn sleeping peacefully. I carefully sat up, trying not to wake the little one, and quietly opened the bedroom door. Just as I was about to step outside…
Chomp.
“Hm?”
The baby unicorn, who must have woken up at some point, was biting my heel with half-asleep eyes. When our eyes met, it let out a “Kkyu” and released my heel. The way it stared at me even in its sleepy state seemed to be a plea not to be left behind.
I immediately scooped it up into my arms and opened the door to leave. The baby unicorn seemed quite pleased, bobbing its head up and down as it looked around the hallway. Just then…
“Phew, so busy, so busy.”
As soon as I stepped into the hall, a dark shadow flitted past me. I looked closer and saw it was Vivian. She was walking toward the stairs, repeatedly muttering, “So busy, so busy,” as if she were in a great hurry. I decided to just watch her for a moment.
“Ah! I forgot something, didn’t I? Oh well. I’ll just have to go back to my room and get it!”
By the time she had crossed the hallway and was nearing the stairs, Vivian’s pace began to slow down noticeably (so much that I wondered if she’d been hit by a Slow spell). Then, right as she reached the top of the stairs, she clapped her hands and muttered, clearly for my benefit. I had to respect her for giving me a good laugh so early in the morning, and decided to reward her by playing along.
“Vivian?”
“OhhiKimSoohyundidyousleepwellgoodmorning.”
Vivian spun around as if she’d been waiting for me to call. Her morning greeting was so obviously prepared. I felt like I was going to die from holding back my laughter, but I managed to ask her a question.
“Yeah. What are you so… pfft… busy with?”
“Ah~. Just a little something~. Anyway, what’s that?”
“A unicorn. Didn’t you hear yesterday?”
“Oh! I did! I was dying to see it yesterday, you know? But Ko Yeonju told me I absolutely could not go into your room. So I had to hold myself back.”
Vivian’s eyes sparkled as she approached with quick steps. It was as if she’d cast Haste on herself this time. When she was right in front of me, she leaned over slightly and brought her face close to the baby unicorn. The unicorn, now fully awake, stared back at Vivian with its naturally bright, clear eyes.
And so, their gazes met.
“Hee~. So this is the unicorn. It’s so pretty… What’s its name?”
“I haven’t officially named it yet.”
Vivian looked at it with eyes full of curiosity, then waved a hand in a light greeting.
“Hello.”
“Kkyu.”
“Hello?”
“Kkyu?”
“Hello!”
“Kkyu!”
Please, stop.
The corners of Vivian’s mouth turned up slightly. The corners of the baby unicorn’s eyes curved as well. Just as I was trying my best to understand what meaning could possibly be contained in their conversation, she straightened up. With a blooming smile, she held out her hand.
“Wow~! You’re a really good guy, no, a good unicorn, aren’t you?”
“Kkyu~!”
“Ho ho! I like you. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m Vivian la Classidus, the second-in-command around here… maybe. Ah, anyway, I’ll be watching your back from now on. So you can relax and make yourself at home!”
“Kkyu-kkyu~!”
Wait, are they actually communicating?
Slap!
Good grief. Now they were even high-fiving.
They were both beaming at each other, clearly delighted. And I could only stare blankly at the scene for a long while.
*
Despite the little incident, running into Vivian in the hallway this morning turned out to be a stroke of luck. Thanks to her, I was able to have breakfast procured(?) for my room. It was a bit of a flaw in her story that Vivian, who claimed to be so busy, brought her own portion as well, but it did lead to the heartwarming scene of us feeding each other, “you take a bite, I take a bite,” with the baby unicorn. Of course, I didn’t forget to ask about the elixir during the meal.
Originally, I had planned to have everyone eat breakfast on their own and then hold a simple debriefing. However, most of the clan members didn’t stagger out of bed until around noon. I had no intention of blaming them. The fact that they ate and drank past their limits yesterday was a secondary reason. They, too, had accumulated fatigue from the expedition, and they needed to relieve it with plenty of sleep. Though I was a little surprised that Jung Hayeon had woken up late.
For that reason, it was well past lunch by the time I was able to hold the debriefing.
“Yuni-ya, Yuni-ya.”
“Kkyu-kkyu, kkyu-kkyu.”
“Did you eat~. A good breakfast and lunch~.”
Ahn Sol had the baby unicorn standing in front of her and was making it do a doll dance by holding its front legs.
The baby unicorn had become an instant star the moment I introduced it to the clan members. It had already been passed from Vivian to Lee Yoojung to Kim Hanbyul, and was now with Ahn Sol. One would think it would be getting a little annoyed by now, but the little one showed no signs of it, happily kkyu-kkyu-ing with a joyful look on its face.
“Soohyun.”
As I was watching Ahn Sol and the unicorn play, Jung Hayeon’s clear voice gently knocked on my ear. I turned my head and saw her clear, blue-tinged eyes. She had always been elegant, but after engraving the Gem of Amplification, her intelligent and mysterious aura had grown stronger. As I gazed into her eyes, her cheeks turned pink.
“Why… why are you looking at me like that…?”
“Just because. Anyway, why did you call me?”
“Ah. I was wondering if you had thought about what you’re going to do with the unicorn.”
“Let’s see. For now, I think it’s best to keep it hidden until the Clan House is complete… What do you two think?”
Ko Yeonju and Jung Hayeon were seated on either side of me. When I asked them with a big stretch, they both fell into deep thought. Then, they began to share their opinions.
“Hmm~. If you’re planning on revealing it eventually, I don’t see a reason to hide it. And it’s not like we’re the only ones who know, right? Other Users already know, so the rumor will spread one way or another. If you’re worried about Hanna, don’t be. I’ll talk to her.”
“I agree. And from what I heard yesterday, it’s a pitiful child. Wouldn’t locking it up and making it feel stifled just make its depression worse? I think just letting it roam freely is better for us and for the baby unicorn.”
In a way, they were both right. I always consider the ‘what if’ possibilities. This habit might be helpful on expeditions or in life-threatening situations, but it was often inconvenient in daily life.
Jung Hayeon might not have, but Ko Yeonju probably understood my intentions. Some of the women among the Flowers of the Night had sticky fingers, so there was no harm in being cautious.
Well, it’s true we’ve never had anything stolen before. And it wouldn’t hurt to reveal it a bit earlier. It might even help promote this expedition…
After doing the mental math, I finally made up my mind. I wouldn’t go out of my way to reveal it before the Clan House was finished, but there was no need to desperately hide it either. Of course, thoroughly protecting the unicorn was something I would have to do from now on.
Just as I was organizing my thoughts and about to nod…
“Hey, but I don’t think ‘Yuni’ is a good name.”
“Wh-what? Why, why~?”
“It’s the truth. What kind of name is Yuni? Honestly, you’re terrible at naming things. And what was that other one? Nunu? That white ball thing. Its name is weird too.”
“Nu-Nunu? It’s Ruru! And what’s wrong with Yuni…?”
A tense spark flew between Lee Yoojung and Ahn Sol. Maybe she was annoyed that Ahn Sol had been holding the unicorn for so long, or maybe she genuinely disliked the name. To be honest, I didn’t think Yuni was a great name either, so I was secretly glad to hear Lee Yoojung’s comment. Maybe Kkyu-kkyu would be better?
As I watched them bicker, I spoke up in a quiet voice.
“Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes, Soohyun. Alright! Everyone, be quiet.”
Ko Yeonju answered immediately, then raised her voice. The moment the words left her mouth, the noisy atmosphere died down in an instant. The unicorn, sensing the change in mood, slipped out of Ahn Sol’s arms and ran straight to me. It was a clever little thing.
I gently stroked the head of the unicorn, which had quietly folded its legs in front of me, and spoke to Lee Yoojung and Ahn Sol.
“Let’s take our time thinking of a name later. This little one is smarter than it looks. I’m sure it will react when it hears a name it likes.”
““Yes.””
The two of them answered meekly and returned to their seats. When everyone’s attention was gathered, I spoke in a languid voice.
“As I said yesterday, to the clan members who went on the expedition, and to those who stayed in the city to handle things here, you all worked hard. Seeing the life back in everyone’s faces makes me feel good too.”
“……”
“However, I think we need to exercise a little self-control. It’s good to have fun in moderation, but too much of anything can be poison. And our work isn’t completely finished, is it? There are still things in progress. I trust you all know that.”
The room had quieted down, but it wasn’t the tense, on-thin-ice atmosphere of before. Just a few of them looking a little sheepish. But I also knew the importance of morale and didn’t want to be a clueless boss, so I decided to leave it at that.
I then naturally changed the subject by turning to the demurely seated Jung Hayeon and asking about the first item on the agenda.
“User Jung Hayeon. Please report on the progress of the Clan House.”
“Yes. I’ll begin right away. Since the Lord returned earlier than expected, I wasn’t able to show you the completed Clan House. However, you can consider it almost finished. We’ve kept the basic structure of the building, but the exterior has been neatly renovated, and the interior renovation is in its final stages.”
“What about the additional request I made before I left?”
“You mean the personal training grounds? They’re complete. All construction should be finished in five days at the latest. Of course, there’s still the matter of furniture and hiring staff…”
“I see… I have to go out today anyway, so I’ll take a look on my way back.”
Jung Hayeon took out a thick report and smiled brightly. I gave a faint smile and waved my hand. I did plan on looking at it, but not right now.
“User Shin Sangyong. I heard a rough summary from Vivian this morning… Is it true?”
“Ye-yes? Uh, what is…?”
“Vivian told me. The success rate for the elixir’s alchemical refinement was originally 50 percent, but you raised it to 80 percent.”
“Ha, haha. What are you talking about? The Master led the process from the start; I merely increased the potential for success. It, it was a coincidence. And I can’t guarantee its efficacy.”
Even though I hinted that I already knew the whole story, Shin Sangyong answered humbly. I smiled gently at him, then turned my gaze to Vivian.
“But you said there was a problem, right?”
“Yup.”
“A problem with the Warp Gate? What do you mean?”
“I don’t really know the details. I got a message through the crystal ball the day before you came back, Soohyun. Apparently, the ingredients I ordered from Barbara are suddenly going to be late.”
“A little more detail.”
“Honestly, I ordered a generous amount, right? Since you said you’d give me full support, and I had some experiments to run beforehand… So when this suddenly happened, well, I was a bit put off too. But they said it would definitely arrive within three days, so you don’t have to worry. Besides, these are things we can only get from Barbara.”
Vivian hadn’t just been playing around either. She said she had gone all the way to the metropolis of Barbara to find ingredients and look for the necessary alchemy equipment to increase the success rate. But I’d heard from her briefly this morning that a problem with the Warp Gate’s usage had caused a delay in shipping.
“Hmm…”
In principle, the right to own a Warp Gate belongs to a city’s representative clan. In other words, a disruption in the gate’s use meant that Golden Lion Clan was pulling some strings. I tapped the table quietly, then let out a short sigh.
“Well, we can’t start the refinement until the Clan House is complete anyway. So, you’re saying it will definitely be resolved within three days?”
“Yup. They said if it really doesn’t work out, they’ll get it to us even if they have to go through another city. Hehe. Maybe they’re being nice because I bought so much?”
It’ll probably be the same in other cities…
Unless Golden Lion Clan had lost its mind, it wouldn’t completely cut off the Warp Gate just yet. However, it was possible they were meddling with passage. I’d experienced that kind of thing so many times I was sick of it, so it wasn’t even surprising anymore.
In any case, I had a rough idea of the progress. But waiting around was nothing but a waste of time. I nodded once or twice, then looked around at everyone and spoke.
“Understood. Then I will briefly explain our future plans. First, I will be a little busy today with the expedition report.”
“The expedition report? Don’t tell me you’ve already written it?” Jung Hayeon asked, her eyes wide. I slowly shook my head.
“Not yet. But the news has probably reached the Istantel Low Clan by now. They’ll likely want it as soon as possible. I plan to visit the temple in person today and give a verbal, simplified report. For Monica, that alone should be enough to form an investigation team.”
The temples of the Beech Tree and Mule were just that pathetic; the system the Istantel Low Clan had built in Monica was on a completely different level. It was even possible that an official from the Istantel Low Clan was already at the temple.
“User Ko Yeonju.”
“Speak.”
“Just in case, please look into the Warp Gate situation. I plan to return late this afternoon.”
“I accept the Clan Lord’s command.”
“I’m counting on you. And… User Baek Hangyul.”
“Ye-yes!”
“You, follow me after the meeting. There’s somewhere we need to go together.”
“Understood!”
Baek Hangyul answered in a stiff voice, as if he were extremely nervous. I smiled to myself and turned my gaze to the kids.
Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Lee Yoojung. I didn’t give the three of them any particular instructions, other than to take good care of the baby unicorn. But Ahn Hyun seemed to have understood my intention to protect the unicorn, as he replied not to worry and thumped his chest.
That guy only has these flashes of insight when it counts.
It would be nice if he were like that all the time. Anyway, Vivian and Shin Sangyong already had their own tasks, so there was no need to say anything to them. That left two clan members I hadn’t called on yet. I rose from my chair and spoke to the remaining two.
“User Jung Hayeon. User Kim Hanbyul.”
““Yes.””
Two pleasant, quiet voices answered in unison. What I was about to instruct them to do was what everyone had been eagerly waiting for.
“You two, prepare the Goods Appraisal scrolls.”
“Goods Appraisal… Ah.”
“And take out all the equipment from the warehouse. Have everything ready so we can conduct the performance review and distribution of rewards as soon as I return.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“Then, this meeting is adjourned. I’ll be heading out now, so I will see you all this afternoon.”
After finishing my words, I strode toward the door. I could feel Baek Hangyul hastily getting up and scrambling to follow behind me. I immediately pushed the door open.