Chapter 17
Translator - Zofu
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The blossoming of ability. Growth after awakening. All the processes of enduring trials and breaking through limits. Artifacts. A guild's direction and specialization. Powerful solidarity connecting continents.
If one were to say that all these achievements were accomplished by nothing more than a small clan in South Korea, could you believe it?
A place where all 'supernaturals' related to 'supernatural abilities' come to receive teachings to surpass their limits.
That is what *Ije* is.
And I am the daughter of Ije's head, *Lee Cheon-hwa*.
My name is *Arin*.
What is my life motto?
Good enough.
I don't want to go out of my way to create troublesome matters. Life is meant to be lived going with the flow. Plans are a luxury; having no plan is the truth. This was my life's direction. Moreover, even if I do something, I hate being told by others to do it. Moving according to my own will, without a single thought—that was everything in all matters.
In contrast, my father was the exact opposite. The type of person who plans everything and can only feel at ease when he's in control. Naturally, we never saw eye to eye. Like any other day, Father called me over. Not a conversation. An announcement.
"Now you're slowly reaching the age to go to school. Our little Arin is already turning seven, isn't she?"
I didn't want to go.
Why should I have to go all the way to some far place and get an education? It was a pain. And because I didn't want to be separated from that child either, I told Father I didn't want to go.
Father objected.
I got an earful. "Why does a snot-nosed kid like you refuse to listen to your elders? A brat who's not even dry behind the ears should be eager to go to a place of learning to hone yourself, yet you're going to make your father worry like this?"
To Father's words, I replied:
"Fuck you."
I enjoyed watching him explode in anger. It was always like this. Since we never got along, we always fought, and after fighting, we'd get exhausted and fall asleep. That was our basic routine. After throwing our tantrums, one of us would collapse from exhaustion, and whoever held out until the end would have their demands met. That was the basic rule.
But this time, Father didn't back down an inch.
Father's fist was consumed by flames, burning dazzlingly bright.
"Arin, do you hate school that much? Can you not hear this father's desperate plea?"
"Ugh, I don't want to!"
Though we'd only been trading blows for thirty minutes, the surroundings were already a wreck. Shattered roof tiles and pitted stone floors. The scorching air around Father and the cold, sharp air trembling around me. The cold energy emanating from my mouth spread outward.
I wrapped cold energy around both hands and answered Father.
"I like it at home!"
"I've been too soft on you all this time!"
"Argh, damn it! I don't want to go!"
Dozens of ice spears, each the size of a grown man, formed above my head. Additionally, transparent ice spikes grew from my fists. Aimed at everywhere except Father's vital points.
Dozens of fireballs, each the size of a grown man, formed above Father's head. Additionally, Father's fists were surrounded by blue flames. Aimed at everywhere except my vital points.
Our eyes met.
That was the signal.
With a bang, spears raced forward with the sound of tearing air, reaching Father's immediate vicinity. At that moment, Father raised his fist and easily deflected the spears. From there, without a moment's delay, dozens of spears relentlessly shot toward Father. Sometimes with his fists, sometimes with his arms, sometimes with fire orbs. He endlessly blocked the irregularly flying ice spears from where he stood.
There was no counterattack.
It was different from before. Usually, he'd charge in mindlessly, give me a little scolding, take a bit of a beating from my abilities, and then listen to me. This time was different. A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead, only to freeze from the cold energy. I steeled myself. It seems he's serious after all.
I raised my right leg and slammed it into the ground with a thud. Simultaneously, pure white ice thorns erupted from the ground and engulfed Father in an instant. Father's eyes shot open as he quickly sidestepped. I didn't let that slip by. I formed an ice sphere in my palm, spun my body, and hurled it at high speed. And as the ice sphere sliced through the air and reached right in front of Father's face—
It exploded with a bang.
The cold energy that spread simultaneously froze the surroundings in an instant.
I'm getting tired. This should be enough, right?
"Is that all?"
The spreading cold energy suddenly halted. The cold energy turned into warm steam, and a hot wind washed over me. The fierce wind made me squeeze my eyes shut for a moment.
This is a mistake.
My eyes shot open in surprise, but Father was already right in front of me, his fist rippling with blue flames—
"Argh!"
He didn't hit me.
Instead of a burn, a cold hand gently rubbed my stinging forehead. This fight ended in a crushing defeat.
"Do you feel like going to school now, Arin?"
Father stroked my head.
I had lost this fight.
Normally, the loser of a fight grants the winner's request. That's the basic rule of our fights. But for some reason, today I couldn't easily nod my head to Father's words. Even if I wanted to go, there was something I couldn't let slip away.
"So it's because of that child after all?"
I nodded silently.
"I see, it was because of Seok-ho. That child doesn't want to go to school either..."
Father clicked his tongue.
While doing so, he stroked my head more firmly. Then he stopped his hand. Father looked down at me.
"Then, Arin."
"Hmm?"
"If that child were to go to school... do you think you'd feel like going?"
Once again, I nodded silently.
He may be clumsy, painfully shy, unmanly, and weak-willed, but Seok-ho is the most precious person to me. And he's a weak child I must protect.
"Hoo... Another thing I have to convince him about."
Father sighed and took his hand off my head.
"That's enough for today, go back to your room, Arin. At least that child likes me, so there should be some progress."
Father turned his back and gradually walked away.
Is he really going to try to convince him?
Of course, if Seok-ho says he'll go to school too, I could swallow my annoyance and go with him.
But whether Seok-ho will listen to Father is doubtful.
Seok-ho was a bigger coward than you can imagine. He got scared if he saw a small bug. He got scared if there was a stranger nearby. He got scared if there was something sharp and pointy around. Basically, he got scared. Personality-wise, he was the polar opposite of me. A coward with no boldness whatsoever.
Also, he was so shy that he never approached people first. He didn't create any opportunities to meet people. If Father weren't close with the head of the *Han Seok-ga* family, and we didn't meet so often because of that, he would've run away without looking back at me.
He was someone with no reasons to approach and plenty of reasons to stay away.
But still... I like Seok-ho.
Well, because my preference is...
...a man I want to protect.
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Contrary to my worries, Father succeeded in persuading him.
Following Father's words, I also decided to go to school without complaint.
"H-hello..."
"Oh, Seok-ho, you came?"
I waved my hand at Seok-ho, who approached me.
Seeing me, Seok-ho awkwardly waved back and then hid behind me. And seeing that—
"Hehehe."
I couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled up.
I like it so much. It makes me happy. The way he knows his own weakness and leans on me. The way he depends on me filled my chest with an indescribable sense of superiority. I petted Han Seok-ho, who was glued to my side, comforting and coaxing him that it was okay.
Seok-ho and I boarded the limousine side by side.
Someone who would break if you held him too tightly. That's why he's someone I must protect. I stroked Han Seok-ho's head.
"Ugh... I'm okay now, Arin."
"You're okay? Really? Should I stop petting you?"
I asked Seok-ho playfully.
When I did this, Seok-ho answered like this ninety-nine times out of a hundred:
"...No."
He said no.
I see, he's still uneasy. I have to protect him.
"Pffft, okay. Stay still?"
"...Mm-hm."
In the end, until the limousine arrived at school—
My hand never stopped.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
My childhood days at seven receded along with the torn calendar pages. Before I knew it, my matured body was reflected in the mirror.
To put it simply, Seok-ho and I became lovers.
It was a love that came about half by my pushing, telling him to be 'mine'... but it was fine. Because Seok-ho was happy too. He was like a little hamster, someone I desperately want to protect. Being bound together as lovers filled me with an indescribable sense of superiority. Though I was happy, lately I had a worry.
"Ah, Arin. I have some business to attend to, so I'm heading somewhere... did you need something?"
"Hmm... no."
"Oh? Then I'll go ahead! See you later!"
"Yeah..."
Lately, Seok-ho had been relying on me less and less.
Is it because he's growing up? Even when I try to help, the things he tries to solve on his own have been gradually increasing in my daily life.
A boyfriend growing up is definitely a happy thing, but that's the general case... For someone like me whose preference is a 'man who needs protecting,' the current situation isn't exactly welcome.
After school, the orange sky reflected the leaking sunlight onto the window.
"Hoo..."
A sigh escaped.
Why do you keep trying to escape?
Just stay by my side
Just next to me
Just in front of me
Accepting only what I give you, just inside my cage...
You could stay there forever.
So why, why are you trying to leave?
From my tightly clenched fist,
A faint cold energy leaked out.
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