Sailing Back Home
Eunbyeol maneuvered the truck with the trailer carrying the sailing yacht all the way to the dockside and gently set it down on the ground. Her expression remained the same unchanging blank mask she'd worn throughout, but the way she drove the truck and the slight lilt in her voice betrayed a subtle thrill of enjoyment.
"I'll return the truck and trailer to the garage and come back. Please wait here for a moment, the two of you."
"Got it."
"Understood."
While Eunbyeol headed back to the garage after unloading the yacht, I said to Sihee, "Eunbyeol seems subtly pleased."
"Of course. Yacht sailing is her favorite hobby, after all."
"Yacht sailing is her hobby?"
"She says slicing through the sea breeze and gliding forward on nature's power is quite enjoyable. It feels like becoming one with nature, or so she claims."
It wasn't so surprising for a chaebol heiress, but for a maid? That struck me as oddly fascinating. Was I just trapped in stereotypes? I asked Sihee again to confirm.
"That's a rather upscale hobby. Is that yacht her personal property, by any chance?"
"It was Eunbyeol's personal belonging... unfortunately, it's mine now."
"...I see."
She trailed off in a way that hinted at more, but I didn't pry into whatever history tied Sihee and Eunbyeol together. Knowing she'd once been a foundation hunter now serving as Sihee's maid gave me enough insight into her circumstances.
"If yacht sailing is her hobby, she could've enjoyed it while we were on the island."
"I suggested that. Strictly speaking, attending me isn't her role—she was only asked to pilot the helicopter when needed. But she insisted on focusing solely on serving me during our time together and refused. What can you do?"
"If that's what Eunbyeol said, no choice then."
Still, her tireless efforts had given Sihee and me a comfortable vacation at the seaside villa. I was truly grateful.
"Well, at least she's getting some hobby time now. She probably hasn't indulged properly since starting as my maid."
"Bad things happen, so good things must balance it out."
The deeper the conversation went, the more intriguing she became. Helicopter piloting, cocktail mixing, seafood prep, A-rank hunter combat skills, and now yacht sailing. At this point, it might be easier to ask what she couldn't do.
"I'm back, Mistress, Mr. Kim Sungcheol."
"Good work, Eunbyeol."
"We'll launch the yacht into the sea now and head straight for New Guinea Island."
"Ah, need a hand?"
"No need, Mr. Kim Sungcheol."
Even for a one-person yacht, it looked heavy—I figured I'd help move it. But Eunbyeol casually lifted it with both hands and lowered it into the water. More precisely, she used her awakening ability to levitate it slightly as she carried it over.
Come to think of it, Sihee had said Eunbyeol was the original owner. The yacht was probably customized inside with blades or tools suited to her metal-manipulation powers for easy handling.
She leaped aboard from the dock and called to us, "Please board the yacht as well."
Sihee and I followed, finding our seats. Sihee, having ridden this yacht before, familiarly pulled cushions from a drawer under the seats and placed one on mine and one on hers.
Once we were seated—me first, thanks to her consideration—Eunbyeol announced, "Casting off."
Riding a sailing yacht piloted by an active maid was a first for me. She raised the anchor with a rotating winch straight out of a cartoon, unfurled the folded sails, and our yacht began gliding slowly toward the open sea with the three of us aboard.
"How long until we arrive?"
"Judging by current wind speed and direction, about three hours."
Three hours. We'd arrive around evening, then.
"I braced for longer since it's an hour by helicopter, but that's not too bad."
"You came from inland initially. From the coast to the island, New Guinea Island isn't far from the mainland."
"Right."
Three hours to New Guinea Island. That meant the time I could spend with Sihee, whom I hadn't seen in ages, was limited to just that.
Do Sihee would exchange goodbyes and dive straight into work—no leisurely dinner together. If not for the monster wave, we could've had a dozen more hours. Plenty of time to make love. Mostly in the sexual sense.
"...Looks like no rematch swim after all."
Was I the only one regretting the parting? Sihee gripped my hand and murmured wistfully.
"Yeah. I could've claimed another wish coupon from you."
"Sorry, but no. I'd have won if we did."
"What were you planning to use the wish coupon for, anyway?"
"...It's basically already fulfilled, so it doesn't matter now."
"Huh?"
Sihee pondered briefly before cautiously explaining her original wish.
"Truth is, I was going to suggest partying up for raids when we had time."
"Party raids together?"
"We can't form the same party across guilds, but in shared dungeons like abandoned cities, we could meet up like last time. The foundation doesn't restrict teaming with other guild hunters there, so I figured we could do dungeon dates."
"I see."
"...It happened in a slightly different form thanks to the monster wave."
Do Sihee glanced back at the receding island and muttered forlornly.
"If I'd known, I'd have suggested taking down the kraken together from the start. Shame."
"You know we nearly died, right? What if Eunbyeol and I hadn't come back? Don't ever pull something that reckless again."
"I won't. Jumping from a flying helicopter? Once is enough."
Couldn't do it twice. Neither leaping from 50 meters up nor facing an S-rank monster solo. Still, it had yielded rewarding results, so that was something.
Plus, with help from those two (and a helicopter), I'd pierced the kraken's eye with my own hands. Solid growth, all things considered.
...With this much power, I wouldn't relive those memories from age ten.
"Let's do party hunts often when we get the chance."
"Really?"
"Meeting you frequently would be a joy for me too. There were a few shared dungeons between the Association and the foundation, right?"
"Then let's. I'll readjust my schedule. Oh, but to avoid the foundation spotting you, Sungcheol, should I go solo? Hmm..."
For a rear-guard like her, soloing was risky in many ways. I pointed to her maid. "Isn't Eunbyeol foundation too? We can go as a trio next time."
"It doesn't matter to me, Mistress."
"...You sure? I deliberately didn't mention it, thinking Sungcheol might feel awkward."
"We've spent a day together and staked our lives fighting side by side."
Even the most standoffish person would warm up after that. Hence why Eunbyeol's anticipated points with me had maxed at 10.
"Besides, like it or not, she's seen everything there is to see of me—my body, my abilities. In return, I don't have to hide my powers around her. Makes her ideal, actually."
"...You're right, now that you mention it."
"Thank you for the kind assessment, Mr. Kim Sungcheol."
"Alright. Next time a slot opens, I'll bring Eunbyeol too. Her combat skills rival mine."
With that, Sihee leaned against the bench amid the fluttering sea breeze, her expression turning bittersweet.
"...Even so, it'll be a while before we can. I need time to wrap this up first."
The blonde heiress let out a quiet sigh, as if suddenly recalling her future burdens.
Eunbyeol, at the helm, spoke softly to Sihee. "...Mistress."
"Yes, Eunbyeol?"
"Check the inner drawer under your seat. There's a waterproof sleeping bag and pillow prepared."
"I know. You put them there for your hobby trips, right? You said sleeping up top while drifting feels great."
"The deck is a bit hard, but laid out properly, they'd provide ample cushioning for the two of you to make love."
"Pardon?"
Sihee blinked, not catching on immediately, and asked her maid again.
"We still have at least two hours to New Guinea Island. More than enough for some intimacy before we arrive."
In every way, her perceptiveness was impeccable. Truly an exceptional maid.