Chapter 117
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: I'm Back
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"I'm back."
‘I never thought that bastard Lee Jae-hyeok's hunch was spot on.’
He'd been even warier of Su-hyeon than Ga-eun.
His behavior had been so off-the-wall that she'd figured he was hallucinating or something, but apparently, there had been some real basis for it.
Na-rin gazed at Su-hyeon with a complicated look and let out a deep sigh.
What could she do about it now? Even if she wanted to drag her straight home, it was already too late.
It was probably best to just keep things friendly and private, like they were doing.
"Little miss, what's this? You serious? It's actually growing out of you?"
"What kind of leaf is that?"
"Gah! It's... an ash tree leaf... probably."
Once the guild masters snapped out of it, they naturally turned their attention to the cause of the fight, the target, and the one who'd helped them out—the girl right there.
They'd only heard about Su-hyeon from Jun-hyeok before, so this was their first time seeing her up close. It was only natural.
"Ash tree? Oh, like Gungnir? Yggdrasil? Hercules? Achilles?"
"What, showing off your fancy vocab in front of a kid?"
"I'm not showing off... Didn't you read Greek and Roman myths as a kid?"
"Gungnir and Yggdrasil are Norse mythology."
"Anyway, this guy's the one putting on airs."
"But hey, miss, if you can't control your powers right, won't a tree grow out of your head later? Whoa, it'd be like ten meters tall."
"...No, it won't."
There was no way.
These weren't leaves that had sprouted from poor control of her powers.
Still, just in case, Su-hyeon cupped her hands over the top of her head.
"Man, fighting while carrying this girl around? You'd be Odin or Achilles for sure."
"I heard Gungnir's a thrown spear. Hweee~."
"Hyaaah...!"
They looked exactly like irresponsible uncles tormenting their niece on a holiday.
"Hey, you old guys."
Clap clap clap—
Na-rin clapped her hands to snap everyone to attention, shaking off any lingering nonsense.
"Stop messing with the kid and get up. Everyone back to work. How long you gonna slack?"
"Aw, we just came to."
"I know you're all fine. Healthier than before the fight, even."
The moment her feet touched the ground, Su-hyeon scurried behind Na-rin.
"Miss, if a tree grows, make me a spear out of it?"
"......No thanks."
What kind of creepy request was that?
That'd mean slicing off part of her body.
As Su-hyeon shuddered, the dad-joke uncles burst out laughing—wahaha—and got right back to work on their own.
Just like that, the situation wrapped up quickly, and before long, Su-hyeon was riding home in a car.
It was all thanks to her using her powers to wake up the workers.
Come to think of it, what about the other participants?
She probably shouldn't go blabbing about this everywhere.
"They'll be fine on that front. I saw them calling people over and talking earlier."
That was Ga-eun, sitting next to her in the back seat.
"Really?"
Well, if so, no need to worry.
Seemed like people more capable than her had it handled...
Monday.
Even after all that chaos, daily life went on.
Jun-hyeok and the others seemed swamped with cleanup, but Su-hyeon? Shockingly, nothing for her to do.
Thanks to the news blaring nonstop about "The Fall of a Hero" all day, everyone knew it had really happened—not just a dream.
Pushing that aside, Su-hyeon returned to her routine of going to school.
This morning: a two-hour liberal arts class with Min-ji and Ji-eun.
Media and Communication.
An easy class with no tough content and good grades—perfect for boosting GPA.
But there was one tiny issue.
Group activities were mandatory, and with the focus on communication, it was brutal for true introverts like Su-hyeon.
"S-so... th-that means... in modern times... uh, as m-media d-developed..."
And yet, incredibly, Su-hyeon was giving a presentation.
A presentation.
Not some fancy PowerPoint thing, but straight out of elementary school.
No podium big enough for her tiny frame anyway.
They'd shoved her aside because she was too short to be seen.
But why was Su-hyeon presenting...?
Truth was, when groups were first formed, they'd passed out sheets for quick peer evaluations.
The deal: base today's presentations on that survey, and the most introverted group member presents for big extra credit.
"O-our group, through last week's d-discus... dis, discussion... a bit more..."
Her paper trembled in her death grip from nerves, words stumbling out.
"Th-thank y-you. That was Group 4's p-presenter, Kim Su-hyeon..."
But somehow, she powered through to the end.
Thunderous applause rained down.
Sniff.
The professor recalled the first day of the semester.
Still vivid in her mind.
How could she forget?
A child sitting in her lecture hall.
Huddled in a corner, trying not to draw eyes.
Despair in those eyes at "form groups."
She'd thought then:
‘Won't see her next week.’
Figured she'd drop during add/drop period.
She'd checked around: not actually a kid, but an adult.
...Even so, living as an adult in a child's body? Hard to form normal relationships.
That first-day attitude confirmed it wasn't going well.
Too bad, but what could she do?
Couldn't give special treatment.
If it were a real kid, maybe she'd meddle...
But against her expectations, Su-hyeon showed up next week, bright and early.
And for her group's grades, volunteering on the spot to present...
‘She's really... grown.’
Dabbing her eyes, the professor gave Su-hyeon's group full marks.
Truth be told, she'd been too focused on the trembling to catch half the content. Didn't matter.
"Haaah... I don't remember a word I said..."
Min-ji and Ji-eun welcomed the wobbly Su-hyeon back.
"Su-hyeon, you were amazing!"
"You nailed it."
"...Really?"
"Didn't hear the clapping? Professor was crying?"
"Eh, wha...? I was too zoned out..."
Crying? That seemed over the top.
Min-ji was always exaggerating.
"Don't worry. I wanna replay the video forever."
"Th-that's a bit..."
Anyway, glad she did well.
Min-ji's dramatics aside, if even Ji-eun said so, it must be true.
Professor said the extra credit was huge—should pull an A even if finals sucked.
"Worth mustering the courage."
"Yeah yeah, good girl."
As Su-hyeon slumped over her desk, she felt a hand stroking her hair.
Su-hyeon had taken another step forward.
Good for her.
And that evening.
A mysterious video popped up in the group chat.
Riiing...
-Unable to connect. Beep... forwarding to voicemail...
"Yaaah!!!!!!!"
Su-hyeon, who'd just been betrayed by her trusted axe-wielding foot-chopper.
Su-hyeon had definitely changed since finishing camp.
She used to avoid eye contact, staring at the ground—but now she could manage it.
Couldn't help ducking behind someone if a stranger waved like they knew her...
Still, huge progress.
Now she shopped not at the convenience store, but the big supermarket way over there.
Though the groceries she bought weren't much different.
She ate out three or four times a week—ingredients spoiled fast anyway.
Not to mention, no cooking tools.
"Nngh..."
Su-hyeon stood on tiptoes, rummaging the fridge shelves with a clatter.
Wearing an old stretched-out T-shirt.
She'd tossed all her clothes in the washer to do laundry.
Balancing on the storage box, her back view looked dangerously precarious.
Grk—
Su-hyeon's fingers finally snagged a tuna can midway up the shelf.
"...Got it."
First tuna can from the fridge in ages.
She set it on the storage box, then scooted down awkwardly.
Grabbed her prepped spoon, jammed it under the lid, and pried with gusto.
Kakagak—
Couldn't open by hand—fingers too soft to grip the tab properly.
But hey, she was trying new things, not just plain tuna anymore!
"One big spoon gochujang... one spoon vinegar... half sugar and minced garlic... sesame oil... this all?"
She was actually cooking now.
No more cold rice packs with straight-from-can tuna.
"Shoulda used a bigger bowl... don't have one."
Recipe from a Nutube video: tuna bibimbap.
No fire needed? Pure coincidence.
Su-hyeon squeezed tube after tube to mix the sauce.
"Oh..."
Mixing with the tuna, it looked pretty legit.
"......"
She stared at the damp perilla leaves, then tore them with soft hands and tossed in.
Tear tear.
Half-worried it'd feel wrong, but nope—no guilt.
Guess she didn't see them as kin or anything.
Or maybe since they were already cut leaves.
Ta-da.
Surprisingly decent tuna bibimbap complete.
Now, one bite...
Wah—nom.
"Gasp."
Eyes lit up.
Tiny leaf perked up.
Spicy-sour tuna sauce with fragrant perilla.
Did I make this?
Good enough to sell.
Of course, credit to the Nutuber for the easy recipe anyone could follow. But hey, not selling for cash.
"...Fhew."
Su-hyeon patted her belly, emptied in a flash.
Slightly tadpole-puffed.
"Hmm... yeah, I could keep at this."
Confidence in cooking bloomed.
Two decent successes in a row—fair enough.
With this skill, time to try her idea.
What she'd been thinking: cook for Ga-eun.
Instead of the weapon gift she couldn't give before, this seemed fitting.
Perfect timing—Ga-eun's birthday soon.
A big one for her.
Afterward, she'd turn 19 internationally.
Could take over the corp under Da-hye's name, become real boss.
Wouldn't need this hassle with parental consent, but oh well.
Su-hyeon pondered.
‘Miyeokguk's the way.’
Living alone and all.
Boiling her own birthday seaweed soup? Kinda sad.
Decided.
Now, research ingredients on Nutube.
Criteria: short, simple video; pretty thumbnail.
‘Meat. Gotta have meat.’
‘Oh, this too.’
‘Worth a shot?’
‘Japchae on the side...’
But human greed knows no bounds.
Her picks merged into a full six-course birthday spread.
With no ladle, just one pot and a frying pan at home.