Chapter 26. Expedition Preparations.
Yael hurried straight to Ji-hyuk's office. Her knock on the door carried a frantic edge.
“Boss, it's Yael.”
“Come in.”
The drug-addicted teaching assistant pushed the door open and stepped inside. She tried her best to stay composed, but her fidgeting hands and feet betrayed her. She rushed to his desk and bowed her head deeply.
Ji-hyuk lifted his eyes from the stack of documents and looked at her. He smiled, but she couldn't muster one in return.
“Boss…!”
The hero could tell right away from her expression why she'd come running like this. …He'd actually seen it coming from a mile away.
“Alright, what's up?”
“I know complaining to you is a huge breach of etiquette, but… I just can't let this slide.”
“What?”
“…The expedition roster.”
“You being on Mahushu's team?”
“Yes. …Isn't it my turn to join your team this time?”
Ji-hyuk rubbed his chin with his fingers.
“It's not like it's set in stone.”
“…Still…”
“…I wanted to bring you along too. But we need Ludvine for this expedition. Her alchemy knowledge is crucial.”
Yael had figured there must be some reason behind his decision. …But the human heart wasn't so easily satisfied with logic and resignation.
Ji-hyuk softly called out to Yael, who had her head bowed low. She slowly raised it.
“Yael.”
“…Yes, Boss.”
“Let's go with it this way, yeah?”
“…Understood.”
The druggie assistant felt ashamed of her outburst. She bowed even deeper.
“Sorry for showing such an ugly side of myself.”
“Nah, having that kind of passion is a good thing. It's natural to ask questions when something doesn't sit right. You didn't do anything wrong, so don't beat yourself up.”
Yael clenched her teeth. Her sad eyes hardened into resolve. She had poured countless hours into double casting research just to live up to his expectations. And the brilliant results were right around the corner. …Boss, it's almost done…!
A year and a half had passed, but she still hadn't forgotten their promise. If she succeeded in double casting, he'd fuck her while she was high. …It wasn't the only reason she'd trained like a maniac, but it had been the decisive motivator for all that effort.
Double casting was now in the final stages. The fruit of her brutally obsessive research and training. She'd even kept at it relentlessly after expeditions, churning out papers without rest. Her magic skills had improved noticeably too—she could now chant high-level fire spells much faster than before.
So she was dying to show off this remarkable growth to her boss—her whole body itched with anticipation!
Yael decided to look on the bright side. She hadn't perfected double casting yet, so she'd master it perfectly on this expedition and then demonstrate it proudly in front of him.
“I'll head out now. …Sorry for interrupting your work.”
“Yeah, see you later.”
Yael left Ji-hyuk's office. Grendal was waiting in the hallway—he'd heard about the roster and watched her dash inside moments ago.
“Grendal… sorry.”
“No worries, I get it.”
The kind orc flashed a good-natured smile and patted her shoulder lightly. Anyone in the know was aware of her crush on the boss. Being left off his team again? No wonder she was worked up.
“I'll do my best. …I'll keep a close eye on Mahushu too—she's still green in a lot of ways.”
“…Appreciate that.”
As they walked side by side down the hall, chatting idly, Ludvine and Rozalia appeared from the other end.
Oh—
Ludvine approached with a cheeky expression, sneaking glances at Yael's face.
“…You okay?”
“With what?”
“The roster's out.”
“And?”
Ludvine's eyes widened a bit. Yael looked utterly unfazed, perfectly calm.
“It's the boss's call. Not my place to argue. Of course I accept it.”
Yael turned the tables, scolding her instead. “And you—don't just act like a kid. If you slack off and it causes problems later, I'll chew you out big time, got it?”
“Ugh, come on, I'm not a kid! And I'm super useful, you know—?!”
“Yeah, help the boss out good. You're the only mage. Train your magic every day, study hard, got it? No slacking.”
“Fine, fine… Geez, such a nag.”
“Ludvine.”
“Okay, okay, Assistant Yael! I'll do it. Magic training every day, studying too. Happy now? …So strict.”
Only then did Yael soften her stern expression, reaching out to lightly pat the half-witch's messy red hair.
“Good. I trust you.”
“Got it, don't worry.”
Yael knew Ludvine was diligent and smart beneath the bratty exterior. She turned her gaze to Rozalia beside her.
Ah—
Rozalia, still shy about eye contact, ducked her head as Yael looked her way.
“You too—listen to the boss, study hard, build your stamina. Got it?”
“Yes, understood, Sister Yael.”
Grendal watched them with a knowing smile. The two groups soon parted ways. The orc remarked that Yael seemed just like a teacher.
“Looks like you'll be raising kids next.”
Ah—
Yael's cheeks flushed pink. The word "kids" conjured an image of her husband—the boss—without her even trying. …She wondered if that day would really come someday.
Ji-hyuk's team made their preparations in the thick darkness of pre-dawn. He inspected each member gathered in the first-floor hall one by one: the bald brute Gid, lizardman Kayak, half-witch Ludvine, shy Rozalia, and the foul-mouthed chain-smoking Grace. With the hero, that made six total.
A few guild members had come to see them off: hero Mahushu, orc Grendal, and mage Yael.
“Have a safe trip—!”
Mahushu waved energetically, promising to see them soon. Ji-hyuk loaded his team onto the carriage first, then shook hands with the remaining group. Yael sent him off with a smile. The hero climbed aboard soon after.
With a rumble—the carriage carrying six pierced the dim dawn air and set off.
By the pillar outside the mansion, witch Jeanne watched the departing carriage. Ludvine was too busy soothing tense Rozalia to notice.
Ji-hyuk gave a casual wave. He caught Jeanne bowing her head as the last sight.
By the time a bloody sunrise crept over the horizon, the carriage had left the capital behind. It barreled south with vigor.
“You're visiting Eretria too, right?”
“Yeah. …You're an otherworlder too, aren't you?”
“Yes.”
Lizardman Kayak suddenly realized over a decade had passed since his arrival. He could barely recall the exact years anymore.
“Miss home?”
“…I've forgotten it all. No point clinging to a place I can't return to. Gotta adapt and live here.”
The lizardman gave a textbook model answer. …Well, that fucking tutorial fairy sack-of-balls never mentioned a way back anyway.
Even Ji-hyuk didn't know what would happen if he defeated the Great Demon King. He pressed on with a sliver of hope that clearing all threats might open a path home. …Even if not, he couldn't just sit idle while the Great Demon King threatened the continent. Otherwise, he'd have to face that ballsack fairy's mug again.
“Boss… uh, Earth, was it? Right?”
The bald brute scratched his smooth dome, recalling the name.
Earth—the word sparked questions from Ludvine.
“I heard all Earthlings are weaklings… What was Earth like?”
All eyes turned to Ji-hyuk.
Earth, huh… A sly smile crept across the hero's lips.
“Not exactly peaceful.”
“How so?”
“Incidents and accidents never stopped. Noisy inside and out, every day.”
Ji-hyuk gazed out the carriage window, his eyes distant with nostalgia.
“Before coming here, I was a student fresh out of the military… Like you, Ludvine.”
“Really?”
Everyone leaned in, rapt by tales of their revered boss—the enigmatic otherworlder!
“See that castle over there?”
“Yes.”
“Earth had those everywhere. Hundreds lived inside each one.”
“Whoa—.”
“This carriage could move without horses too.”
“I think I heard something similar from an Earthling long ago.”
Kayak nodded, dredging up old memories.
“People rode massive things that flew through the skies with hundreds aboard, chatted across continents.”
Ludvine's mind reeled at the scale. Earthlings must all be master engineers, just like the rumors.
“And they had insanely powerful weapons. Dragon breath? Laughable.”
“Wow…”
Hmm— Ji-hyuk pointed at the reddish fields bathed in sunlight.
“Imagine 20,000 knights there.”
“20,000—?!”
Not soldiers—knights, 20,000 strong. Even the empire couldn't ignore that force.
“Earth has these things called nukes.”
Ji-hyuk raised his index finger over the imagined spot, mimicking a falling arrow. “If one nuke drops there…”
He clapped his hands with a boom effect.
“Every last one of those 20,000 knights dies. No exceptions. I stake my honor on it.”
Silence fell. Not even dragon breath could wipe out 20,000 knights in one shot. Earth had that kind of power?!
“Earth's magic is incredible…”
Ludvine's head spun at the unimaginable might.
“And countries stock thousands, tens of thousands of those dangers.”
“Wouldn't they all perish?”
“That's why they can't attack. One drop turns a nation to hell. Mutual fear keeps hands off. Overkill weapons become the deterrent.”
The lizardman nodded in realization.
“So that's why humans ended up so weak—no amount of training saves you from that power.”
“…Not wrong.”
The Earth talk wrapped up there. Team members started yawning hugely, dozing off as best they could. Rozalia and Ludvine leaned on each other; Gid kept bonking his head against the carriage wall in sleep, his rock skull oblivious to pain. Kayak sat ramrod straight, arms crossed, eyes shut.
Only the boss and Grace stayed awake. The chain-smoking healer savored her cigarette, puffing away while staring outside.
With Earth talk stirring memories, Ji-hyuk sank into homesickness. He thought of family faces fading from memory. Where was our house? Where did I live? How old was I? What did I study? Time bleached it all. His years here dwarfed those on Earth now.
He was no longer a returning student. He was a battle-worn hero of this world.
The only Earth legacy left to him was three letters: Kang Ji-hyuk.