Chapter 44: Encounter (1)
Chapter 44: Encounter (1)
Breakfast for three had now become a daily routine.
On the surface, Kang Yujin beamed at Han Shin, but inwardly, she was simmering with discontent.
The source of her frustration was Grace, who sat directly across from her.
Dressed in a light blue short-sleeved shirt and hot pants, Grace wore her usual stoic expression, yet something was subtly different. Her skin was more radiant than usual, and her face brimmed with vitality.
It felt as if she had been completely recharged with energy.
Kang Yujin knew exactly why Grace looked this way, which only fueled her dissatisfaction. Even though she had been held tightly in Han Shin’s arms until the early hours of the morning herself, she couldn't help the jealousy bubbling up inside.
And there was one more reason for her mood.
“Shin, I think I need to head out for a bit today.”
Han Shin had a fair idea of why Kang Yujin, who had been staying home for a while, suddenly needed to go out.
“Is it because you have to enter a Portal?”
“Yeah.”
Kang Yujin, who operated under the alias 'Wolyeong,' was an Awakener the Association was deeply grateful for. As an S-rank Awakener who remained unattached to any clan and only accepted commissions through the Association, she was treated with the utmost deference by the organization, whose influence had waned significantly since the early days.
In truth, the Association had been cautiously sending her requests during her hiatus, but she had turned them down, stating she wanted to rest.
Part of it was to spend time with Han Shin, but it was also because she didn't have much lingering attachment to her life as an Awakener. From the beginning, she had hidden her abilities, wanting to live as an ordinary person. She had only started active duty as an Awakener to pay for Han Shin’s medical expenses after he was injured.
She had used a pseudonym specifically so she could quit whenever she wanted.
Her original plan was to earn enough money to retire without regret and live a quiet, happy life with Han Shin. But now, that plan had gone up in flames.
Han Shin had miraculously recovered. Not only was he healthy, but his body was in better condition than ever before.
The problem was that this recovery led him to enter dangerous Dungeons inside Portals. Since Kang Yujin loved and cherished Han Shin more than anyone, she couldn't just stand by and watch him face those risks alone. Changing her plans was only natural.
She had once considered slowly cutting ties with the Association before vanishing entirely, but...
“Han Shin, try this too...”
Seeing that cocky female knight smiling as she served Han Shin food she had prepared herself made Yujin feel like she was going to go crazy with envy.
One day, I’ll...
For now, she had no choice but to let things be while Han Shin was in his growth phase, but she vowed that she would eventually fight by his side.
After finishing breakfast, while they were having tea, Kang Yujin cautiously asked Han Shin about moving.
“Moving?”
“Yeah. I only stayed in this house because it was just the two of us, and I was trying to hide things from you. Now that Grace is living with us, don't you think it would be better to move?”
“I think you’re right, Noona.”
Han Shin thought about it. Thanks to Grace, they were no longer short on funds... and since Kang Yujin mentioned she had saved up quite a bit from her time as Wolyeong, there was no reason to hesitate.
Besides, since Grace had moved into a house originally meant for two, the two women were sharing a room, which he figured must be inconvenient. He decided to move immediately.
Hearing Han Shin’s positive response, Kang Yujin brightened instantly and nodded.
“Then I’ll start looking for a good place right away.”
“Yeah, please do, Noona.”
Having spent the last two years bedridden, Han Shin was somewhat out of touch with the ways of the world. Knowing this, he figured that trying to find a house himself might just be a nuisance. Moreover, since Kang Yujin had brought it up, he assumed she already had something in mind.
As he suspected, Kang Yujin had already shortlisted several suitable houses.
Now that I have Shin’s permission, I should go see them in person.
Though there was one person in the house she didn't particularly like, the thought of choosing a new home for them to live in together made her feel wonderful.
It’s like we’re a married couple.
The discomfort she had felt during breakfast vanished completely.
Grace watched Kang Yujin with indifferent eyes. However, inwardly, she felt she had been beaten to the punch.
In Nippur, there was a custom where choosing the home a couple would share was considered very important. Grace had been waiting for the right moment to suggest using her own treasures to buy a much larger, better house, but Kang Yujin had made the first move.
Grace felt a bit dejected, but Han Shin didn't notice; he was too busy looking at the photos of houses Kang Yujin was showing him on her smartphone.
I need to prepare something for Han Shin as well...
Now that they both clearly recognized each other as romantic rivals, Grace felt a slight sense of urgency, having lost this round to Kang Yujin. She quietly began to ponder what else she could do to be of help to Han Shin.
★ ★ ★
Draped in a black robe and a face veil, Kang Yujin—now in her persona as Wolyeong—was in an excellent mood.
She was happy that Han Shin had agreed to move and that she got to pick the house, but the icing on the cake was Grace’s reaction.
They had only lived together for three weeks. While they were rivals competing for Han Shin, sharing a room and constantly keeping tabs on each other meant they had naturally come to know one another.
Han Shin hadn't noticed, but Kang Yujin could feel the competitive fire burning behind Grace’s indifferent mask. She knew that while Grace didn't show much emotion, that specific look of indifference actually meant she was annoyed.
It was a microscopic difference, nearly impossible to describe, but Kang Yujin could see it.
Realizing that her suggestion to move had unintentionally provoked Grace made Yujin feel incredibly refreshed. To be honest, even though they were rivals, Yujin usually felt like she was losing whenever they bickered. Or more accurately, she was losing.
That was why she often felt jealous and acted prickly when they were alone... whereas Grace would calmly brush off her comments, making Yujin feel like she was falling behind in the race for Han Shin’s heart.
But seeing Grace’s reaction today made her feel like she had finally settled the score.
“Wolyeong-nim, please come this way.”
Kang Yujin quickly adjusted her expression. Even though she was wearing a veil, a smile could still be detected, so she had to be careful.
She was currently at the Association building in Daejeon, having accepted a desperate plea to come and hear them out. Usually, they only requested her help when there were too many Dungeons to clear in a short time, but this time they had insisted on an in-person explanation due to security concerns.
Having intentionally avoided the Association’s calls to spend time with Han Shin, she decided it was time to throw them a bone.
She was led to a room. As soon as she entered the lobby, she was taken straight ahead; the Association always prepared a room on the first floor when receiving Wolyeong. This was a courtesy to her, as she hated wasting time going to higher floors and preferred to conduct business quickly.
“It has been a long time, Wolyeong-nim.”
Park Min-woo, the Korean Branch Manager of the Awakener Association, stood up and bowed deeply the moment the woman in the black robe entered the room.
It was a somewhat comical sight—the head of the Korean Branch acting as if he were greeting a superior. This was largely because Park Min-woo was genuinely awestruck by Wolyeong’s power and treated her with the respect due to the truly strong.
Park Min-woo believed Wolyeong was the most powerful Awakener currently in Korea. As an S-rank Psychokinetic, she was a unique asset, the likes of which didn't exist in other countries.
Having personally witnessed her clearing Dungeons, he was amazed by how she easily handled tasks that other parties struggled with, even when she wasn't giving it her all.
Furthermore, unlike the large clans, Wolyeong was a rare Awakener who operated solo and only took commissions through the Association. From Park Min-woo’s perspective, she was a godsend.
In a situation where the Association’s influence was dwindling and large clans were seizing more of the pie, she was a vital pillar of support. Normally, the Association would have to beg the large clans to handle international support requests, but Wolyeong would coolly accept as long as the pay was right, clearing Dungeons alone that would typically require multiple parties.
That was why he had hesitated before calling her in this time.
“Why did you call for me?”
Wolyeong spoke while standing, despite there being chairs available.
She’s not using it again.
Park Min-woo muttered to himself. He prepared a chair every time, but Wolyeong always remained standing, kept the conversation brief, and vanished. He kept the chair ready just in case, but today was no different.
While Kang Yujin did this because she saw no reason for long talks and was wary of potential traps, Park Min-woo had no way of knowing her true thoughts.