episode_0138

It’s so embarrassing.

The action was sudden.

During the banquet, which was going on normally, Hong Yeon-hwa quietly approached.

I didn’t think much of it. I got used to the Hong Lotus Flower suddenly approaching me.

And Hong Yeon-hwa stretched out her arm, draped it over my shoulder, and pulled me into her arms.

At that moment, I had no idea what had happened.

[Warmth]

[Soft]

[squeeze]

However, the soft and cozy feel that supported my body and the warm body temperature that slowly rose made me recognize the reality.

To be honest, the act itself was nothing new.

It’s a crazy thing, but I’ve been held in Hong Yeon-hwa’s arms quite often.

Every so often, it would be lying on the floor and being found and picked up by Hong Yeon-hwa.

Being held in your arms like that and being stroked and patted a lot was more common than you might think.

[Hong Yeon-hwa?]

“Yes. Why?”

[There are a lot of eyes…]

But at that time, it was all just me and Hong Yeon-hwa.

A place without other people’s eyes. Since there was no one who witnessed it, there was no need for strange words to be spread.

It was different now.

Conscious of my burning face, I looked around with the power of observation.

At least hundreds of eyes are gathering. It’s been like that ever since I entered the banquet hall.

The collateral and subordinate forces of the Gyeophwa family… are powerful enough to be invited to regular banquets.

In other words, these are people who have the ability to spread interesting gossip in an instant.

He carefully called Hong Yeon-hwa, and she responded as if there was something uncomfortable.

I felt momentarily embarrassed by this behavior and the reaction that seemed to ignore the gaze.

He slightly lifted his shoulders. The arm draped over it also trembled.

When Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to think for a moment to convey her intention with a more explicit action, she slowly moved her hand.

– Ugh…

‘Hi.’

[Tickling]

My body trembled as a hand stroked my shoulder.

It is a touch that is soft yet causes tickling.

As my body flinched at that, Hong Yeon-hwa pulled me closer, as if she was happy.

The gaze around me became even more strange.

Did Hong Yeon-hwa feel him too? Although she blushed, she did not loosen her arms around her shoulders.

At that point, I realized that Hong Yeon-hwa was acting like this even though she was aware of the gaze of those around her.

It’s something I don’t understand.

Until now, Hong Yeon-hwa has been pulling me down periodically, but she has been conscious of the gaze of those around her.

Even in the poetry cradle, when other people were present, the contact ended with stroking the head or squeezing and massaging the cheek.

There was no action as blatant as now.

I felt dizzy from the heat rising to my head.

That’s not all. First of all, since it is a banquet, food and drinks… alcohol are also provided.

It is a banquet at the home of the Gyeophwa family. There was no lack of preparation, and all the alcohol prepared seemed to be expensive, high-quality items.

Maybe it was because there was so much alcohol around me, but I didn’t feel very good.

Just like at the Tower of Growth after-party, I felt dazed and dizzy. My mind became dark, as if there was a fog.

As my face filled with heat, my head became even more dizzy.

“It’s okay.”

Suddenly, Hong Yeon-hwa patted my shoulder and opened her mouth.

I gasped at the gesture.

Saying it’s okay…

There was no evidence as to why it was okay.

In the midst of people’s attention.

She pulled me into her arms and moved around, knowing that rumors would spread, so she said it was okay.

‘are you okay…’

But Hong Yeon-hwa said it was okay.

That alone made my pounding heart calm down.

There was faith, trust, etc.

There is no way Hong Yeon-hwa would intentionally do something that would harm me.

If you take this action even though you are aware of the gaze of those around you, there must be some reason.

My shoulders stopped shaking.

I surrendered myself to Hong Yeon-hwa’s gesture and leaned into her arms.

Hong Yeon-hwa greeted those who came to greet her in that state.

It was the same as before.

Jiyeon Choi leads the conversation, and the other person responds to the conversation. Hong Yeon-hwa sometimes responds to topics involving herself.

Then, whenever the person talking in front of me turned his gaze to me, he would just glance at me and pat my shoulder as if to calm me down.

.

.

.

As time passed, it was finally time for the regular banquet to end.

General managers Choi Ji-yeon and Hong Yeon-hwa also exchanged greetings with everyone who attended the banquet.

There is enough time for participants to have necessary conversations among themselves.

“I’m starting to feel tired. It’s not normal to play with your tongue for hours.”

Jiyeon Choi said, drawing their attention. Everyone silently stared at Choi Ji-yeon as the topic of conversation announced the end of the banquet.

From now on, it was a ceremonial recitation.

Thank you for joining us today. We will continue to have periodic meetings in the future. I hope it graces the occasion as well. Let’s get along well in the future, etc…

Perhaps it is a characteristic of the Gyeophwa family that does not prefer formal procedures, but the hesitation ended quickly.

“ Therefore, it is right for the original head of the family to conduct the meeting, but since the current head of the family is absent, Hong Yeon-hwa, the successor, will conduct the closed meeting.”

“Wait a moment.”

With those words, Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been putting her hand on my shoulder, carefully let go.

Then, he stood on the central podium with a confident gait without any hindrance.

The closing ceremony of the regular banquet is held with the head of the family pouring fire into the beacon sword.

As the head of the family is currently absent, Hong Yeon-hwa, the successor, has taken on that role.

There was a sword stuck upside down on the platform. The sword body looks as if it was made of transparent glass.

Just looking at its appearance, it looks like it would break apart if you just kicked it.

However, I knew that that would never happen, even with the knowledge of the original work and the information observed in real time.

‘Beacon sword.’

The Gyeophwa family, a unique weapon wielded by the head of the family.

An armed force that exists to fully contain, coordinate, and amplify the vicious and violent terror.

I remembered Hong Yeon-hwa holding and swinging the beacon sword in the original work.

The reason was that Hong Yeon-hwa’s power increased while holding the Beacon Sword… but the other reason was because she knew at a glance the cost that went into it.

The main material for the sword is the magic stone of a level 3 or higher monster that possesses fire.

The auxiliary materials added to it are various jewels filled with magic of the highest purity…

Even jewels imbued with high purity magical power are items that are difficult to obtain with money due to lack of supply.

The magic stones of monsters of level 3 or higher are assets that cannot be converted into money in the first place.

Low-grade magic stones are initially classified as strategic assets. I remember that I could easily run several horsepower power plants with just that one.

In short, it is the same as holding and swinging a sword that was made at a cost that easily exceeds the price of a castle.

Without any delay, Hong Yeon-hwa drew out her beacon sword.

-Srumbling…

The beacon sword stuck on the platform was pulled out without much resistance.

The beacon sword is not specifically chosen for its owner. The weight itself is not astronomically heavy, so even an ordinary person can lift it.

Hong Yeon-hwa held the handle with both hands and raised the tip of the sword toward the sky.

The transparent blade was temporarily tinged with orange light.

– Howling!

The blade was engulfed in red flame.

The wild fire that exploded from Hong Yeon-hwa’s grasp shook violently and poured into the transparent blade, creating a rough vortex.

In proportion to that, Hong Yeon-hwa’s fear came out even more violently.

The surroundings became hot.

Exclamations of admiration flowed from the mouths of some people at the output of the painting that could be felt through the skin.

‘oh…’

I, too, was inwardly amazed.

It was completely different from the fear Hong Yeon-hwa felt at the beginning of the semester. In terms of output, it went beyond the first line.

It seems that going through the heights of growth and overcoming the ordeal of being defeated once was effective.

– Ugh…

Suddenly a wind rose. Embers flew along the pattern of the wind that arose around the scarlet lotus flower.

The robe draped over Hong Yeon-hwa’s shoulders fluttered in the wind. Even the embers that were blowing along the wind were sucked into the blade.

A beacon sword that endlessly devours fear.

The blade, which was transparent, gradually became red as it became greedily filled with flames.

but.

– Grumbling…

Hong Yeon-hwa’s petty flowers did not pour out infinitely.

At a certain point, Hong Yeon-hwa sighed deeply and stopped Gyeol-hwa.

The stem of the wildflowers that had been pouring down inexhaustibly and rising to the ceiling swayed and suddenly disappeared.

The beacon sword sucked up even the last ray of fear.

– Ugh…

The sword blade was red-hot.

The blade trembled for a moment as if resonating, but the blade gradually returned to its original transparent glass-like appearance.

The Bonghwa sword handled by founder Hongyeon has never found a new owner.

I don’t know the exact mechanism, but I can only guess that it is because it has already been tainted by the founder Hongyeon’s fear.

For this reason, it is used as a ceremonial sword in various events of the Gyeophwa family.

“Phew…”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who had stopped releasing the fear, let out an excited breath. He is probably in the process of adjusting the escalation of his emotions as he has pulled out a powerful scare in an instant.

This time, the purpose is not to fight, but to fill the beacon sword with intimidating fire.

Therefore, as in battle, he would have pulled out a fearful attack instead of being self-critical.

– A glance

Hong Yeon-hwa, who was controlling her heightened emotions, glanced in this direction. I tilted my head to see the complicated and sticky gaze shining in my eyes.

The gaze became more sticky. Hong Yeon-hwa closed her eyes tightly and turned her sword.

– Squeak

Hong Yeon-hwa, who was raising the tip of her sword toward the sky, spun the sword around and plunged it back into its original position.

A beacon sword that slides in naturally as if the teeth are interlocking.

Normally, this would conclude the closing ceremony.

Jiyeon Choi opened her mouth.

“This concludes this regular banquet─”

The participants knew that too and were preparing to applaud.

“─Before I declare, I have news to deliver to Gyeophwa’s blood relatives.”

I couldn’t applaud. Those who were about to clap their hands stopped midway, blinked, and then looked at each other.

The question was what did you hear, and no one had an answer to that.

At that point, I walked steadily as instructed.

My attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps in the silence.

Woosoosu went up to the podium, accepting all the stares.

The participants looked puzzled at me suddenly appearing on the podium…

“?”

Instead of being affected by…, he nodded as if he had expected it.

On the contrary, I stopped for a moment at the unexpected reaction.

My still hazy mind couldn’t understand why the participants’ reactions seemed as expected.

When I turned my head towards Jiyeon Choi, Jiyeon Choi nodded.

Since ancient times, the Gyeophwa family has often shown its worth through actions rather than words.

We also decided to show this confirmation through action.

“……”

Hong Yeon-hwa fell a few steps away from the Beacon Fire Sword.

The blood inside my body was still sticky.

It seems like it’s a bit difficult to control your emotions.

Considering that the fear inside my body was sticky throughout today’s banquet, I wonder if I’m not in a good condition after all.

Or maybe I just couldn’t adapt to the heightened emotions that rose along with my output.

I stood in front of the Beacon Sword as if representing Hong Yeon-hwa and held the handle of the Beacon Sword.

-Srumbling…

As before, the beacon sword was drawn out naturally without any creak.

The red-hot sword body had already cooled down, revealing a transparent appearance.

I quickly turned my observation to the surroundings.

The eyes of those staring at me showed no surprise, as if they were still expecting it.

“……”

I felt a sense of relief and raised my magic power.

Magic affinity expansion ability

Homogenization…

‘I’m scared.’

Grumble! The blade of the sword caught fire.

The fire that exploded from the right arm wrapped around the beacon sword.

The transparent blade and orange interior were dyed a deep red.

“……”

Ordinary eyes, as if expected.

“……?”

Eyes that blink as if sensing something strange.

“……!”

Only then did my eyes open wide.

The eyes of those staring at me widened in astonishment and surprise.

Now, a somewhat normal reaction has returned.

In a more foggy mind than usual.

Perhaps because my emotions were heightened, I felt a somewhat childish sense of satisfaction.

* * *

[Player Correction System: Measurement]

▶Mental state

…

｢Guilt｣: Feeling responsible for a mistake committed

｢fullness｣: full and full

｢Warmth｣: Emotions, attitude, and atmosphere are friendly and cozy.

｢Drunk｣: Drunk and dazed.

｢Heightened emotions｣: thoughts or emotions are at their peak or heightened.

…