Click

Click

 

Actually, the black card itself isn’t that special.

If you just paint a rectangular piece of paper black, it literally becomes a black card.

So the term ‘black card’ itself wasn’t particularly special.

But when it contains the image that people generally think of, its meaning changes.

‘The legendary card that only a few people in the world can possess.’

A mysterious card where the card chooses the person, not the person choosing the card.

It was similar to a kind of proof that just by possessing it, you could show that you’re an extraordinary person.

Anyway, as I see such an amazing card, I’m blinking my eyes in wonder.

“Take it.”

Ha-eun’s grandmother Lecia placed the card on my palm without the slightest hesitation and said.

“This grandmother doesn’t really need it. Ha-eun, you can use it.”

At those words, I blinked blankly.

Then, startled, I quickly shook my head.

“Ah, I can’t accept it!”

“Why not? It’s just a card.”

At that, I was hesitating, not knowing how to answer.

Perseus, who was standing next to me, chuckled and said to Grandmother Lecia.

“You’re being mischievous. That card can’t be transferred in the first place, can it?”

At those words, Grandmother Lecia smiled back and replied to Perseus.

“Well. The company that made this is owned by the Dragon clan. They can change the policy if they want.”

“…….”

“I’m just joking.”

Perseus looks embarrassed and doesn’t know what to do.

I find this scene fascinating and stare at it blankly.

Then, I quickly regained my senses and returned the card to Grandmother Lecia.

“This is fine!”

“Is that so? May I ask why?”

At that question, I thought for a moment, and then tried to explain as logically as possible the basis for all my actions.

The principle of returning as much as I receive.

“I have to return as much as I receive… but if I receive this, I won’t be able to return it.”

(I should return as much as I receive… but if I accept this, I won’t be able to return it.)

Hearing this, Grandmother Lecia playfully says.

“My dear. You don’t have to return it to this grandmother, but will you still not accept it?”

Being human, I was momentarily swayed by such an offer.

But I said I wouldn’t accept it, feeling that the moment I did, I would become someone who would always expect something in the future.

Surprised by my reaction, Grandmother Lecia speaks to Perseus as if boasting.

“A typical hatchling would have accepted it right away, but Ha-eun is very different.”

“Yes. That’s probably why the Elder Dragons and other dragons are so fond of her.”

“As expected of my granddaughter.”

Grandmother Lecia, delighted for some reason, pinches my cheeks while smiling.

Then she playfully says to Perseus.

“Perseus, if it were you, you would have asked for this card and then asked for other cards too. Oh, how much you deserved a knock on the head back then. Just thinking about it makes me laugh.”

“……”

“Anyway, Ha-eun, if you need anything, just tell Grandmother or Uncle Perseus. We’ll always help you.”

“…Yes!”

“Now then, let’s eat and decorate your lair.”

I nodded at those words.

* * *

I had a small wish to decorate the lair as much as possible with my own strength.

So I told Grandmother Lecia that I wanted to avoid buying new furniture or receiving furniture from others without compensation.

Grandmother Lecia looked puzzled at my words.

But wanting to respect my wishes as much as possible, she nods and tells me.

“How about this grandmother helps you reform the furniture?”

“Reform…?”

“Yes, reform. It means making old furniture new again.”

I nodded, thinking that would be fine, even if it was a bit risky.

Grandmother Lecia looked at me with an expression that suggested I had fallen for it, and said,

“Then let’s begin.”

As soon as she finished speaking, I sensed something was wrong when I saw the lair being dyed entirely in blue mana.

Space expansion, mutation, creation, removal.

With each word Grandmother Lecia uttered, the lair changed rapidly.

I stood there with a blank expression, watching the lair transform haphazardly,

When Grandmother Lecia snapped her fingers and said to me,

“In any case, this is your lair, Ha-eun, so I didn’t change too much. I just expanded the space, made the walls and floor cleaner, unified the furniture, and installed a barrier for security.”

“……”

I thought that was pretty much everything,

But true to her word about respecting my wishes, aside from the furniture colors becoming more uniform and the space expanding enormously, not much else had changed.

I was thinking that this would be enough to invite many people over to play together, my eyes shining with excitement,

When Grandmother Lecia, looking at me, continued speaking,

“Now then, we should arrange the furniture.”

“Yes…!”

“Let’s see, we have a chair, a desk, and some small furniture pieces. Where do you think would be good to place them?”

At this question, I fell into deep thought for a moment.

Ha-eun actually thought it didn’t matter much where to put the furniture since there weren’t many pieces.

Still, wanting to decorate with some care, she looked around and pointed out the spot that seemed best.

“Ha-eun, you have quite an eye for this.”

At the compliment about having a good eye, Ha-eun unconsciously wagged her tail happily.

But remembering the earlier comment about it looking like an “abandoned house,” she quickly stopped her tail.

‘……’

As she was starting to feel a bit dejected,

Chae-a, who was beside her, showed a very happy reaction seeing the expanded lair.

After running around here and there, she came back to Ha-eun and said,

“I think the ant, praying mantis, and earthworm sisters will be so happy…!”

It was true that before it had felt a bit cramped.

Everyone seemed to feel a bit confined, but now that it had expanded this much, Ha-eun thought they would all like it.

As Ha-eun was thinking about throwing a welcome party when the insects returned later, she suddenly felt something bumping in her pocket.

‘Oh, right.’

She was supposed to give a gift.

Ha-eun carefully took out the rectangular box she had put in her pocket.

In addition to decorating the lair, she carefully held out the gift to express her gratitude for visiting today.

When Ha-eun presented the gift, Grandma Lecia looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Ha-eun smiled somewhat shyly at Grandma and explained what it was.

“This is a gift…!”

“A gift?”

Grandma Lecia looked at me with wide eyes, as if she never dreamed I would have prepared a gift.

Soon after, she spoke to me with a very touched expression.

“Thank you so much.”

Her gratitude makes me feel even more embarrassed.

I remember that the box contains a simple flower ring, and I’m regretting not preparing a better gift.

But contrary to my regret, as soon as Grandma Lecia saw the flower ring, she smiled brightly and carefully put it on her finger.

“… This is the happiest gift this old lady has ever received.”

Grandma Lecia, who was barely touching the flower ring for fear of disturbing it.

After smiling for a long time, she then gently touched my and Chae-a’s cheeks and continued speaking.

“I’ll do my best to ensure that Ha-eun and Chae-a can continue to be happy.”

“Yesh.”

Although the pronunciation was even more slurred due to my cheeks being pulled.

Grandma Lecia didn’t seem to mind much and smiled very brightly.

I thought to myself that receiving gratitude from someone is indeed a very joyful thing, and smiled along.

* * *

Grandma Lecia returned home earlier than expected.

Originally, she had planned to feed me the elixir, then spend the night at the association with me and Chae-a.

But saying, ‘Since I received a gift, this old lady should give a surprise gift too.’

She left the association after giving me the elixir.

I experienced the farewell faster than I thought, as she left before I could even show my disappointment.

“……”

How should I express this?

Ha-eun would normally not be too affected by such a separation, just feeling a bit regretful.

Is it because the body has become younger? I feel a little… no, quite sad.

I’m feeling deflated, as if there’s a hole punched through a corner of my heart.

Chae-a, with her arms full of plastic bottles, tilts her head and quickly approaches me.

Chae-a looks at me slumped over and makes a serious face.

Then, suddenly startled, she touches my cheeks randomly while saying.

“Ha-eun, are you sad?”

“……?”

It seems she thought I was slumped over because I was sad.

In a way, it wasn’t wrong, so I was about to nod.

But not wanting to worry her, I shook my head.

“Okay! Then let’s eat this. We need to nom nom.”

Chae-a puts chocolate in my mouth and starts running off somewhere.

‘What’s making her so busy?’

I was curious.

But for the sake of Chae-a’s independence, I decided to hold back and leave her be.

Seo-rin, who was next to me, gently picks me up and says.

“Ha-eun, is it okay if I talk to you for a moment?”

Wondering what it’s about, I tilt my head.

After hesitating for a moment, Seo-rin confesses one fact to me.

“I’m planning to go somewhere for a few days soon. Probably Han A-rin and Spirit User Uncle will go too, including me.”

“……?”

I blinked blankly at the sudden news.

Seo-rin spoke with an awkward smile.

“Well… It’s something really necessary, so I’ll be back soon. So don’t be too surprised if we’re gone for a few days, okay?”

“Gone…?”

“No, no, not gone forever. Just for a few days.”

Emphasizing the words “a few days,” and hearing that many people, including Han A-rin, were going somewhere at the same time.

It wasn’t hard for me to guess that the place Seo-rin was heading to was related to ‘terrorism’.

Since this was something that had to be done eventually.

I knew well that I shouldn’t hold Seo-rin back or say it’s not allowed.

‘… Something’s definitely up.’

Thinking that I’m getting a bit sad due to experiencing consecutive farewells, my cheeks puffed up slightly.

With my tail swishing towards the floor in a sulky manner, I silently stared at Seo-rin.

Realizing that reacting this way would be too cruel to Seo-rin, I lowered my head to hide my expression.

Then, as if squeezing out my voice, I said.

“It’s okay… Come back safely.”

At those words, Seo-rin smiled awkwardly.

Then, she casually asked me.

“Ha-eun, can I ask you for a favor?”

“A favor…?”

“Yes. I think I’ll miss you terribly while I’m far away, so can I take just one picture?”

Being photographed was quite embarrassing.

But I couldn’t coldly refuse Seo-rin, who I wouldn’t be able to see for a long time, so I nodded.

Seo-rin quickly brought her phone extremely close to my face and took a picture.

– Click.

 

I wondered if it was taken properly since the phone was pressed against my face.

Unexpectedly, it seems to have been taken well, as I notice Seo-rin’s very satisfied expression.

As I tilt my head looking at this, Seo-rin holds out her phone to me and says.

“Want to see how it turned out?”

I nod at this question and slowly lean in.

 

I can see a somewhat funny face captured in the photo.

Wondering if this is right, I tilt my head, and I notice my hair swaying gently.