Chapter 462: First Morning

The next day, morning.

“……”

Somehow, I felt like I’d woken up from a really deep sleep, and my body naturally sat up in bed.

It seemed like because my body was completely exhausted right before I fell asleep, I went into a deep slumber the moment my back hit the mattress.

Thanks to that, even though I’d gone through grueling events for two days straight, I was reasonably able to move.

Though, I didn’t want to move to the point of exhausting myself like the day before yesterday or yesterday.

“Anyway, today’s the day I meet Han Min-ah for hunting, so I can just take it easy.”

Going on dungeon raids with Min-ah, just the two of us, had many advantages in various ways.

The best part is that Han Min-ah takes care of everything I usually have to pay close attention to and be careful about.

Searching for monster locations, scouting the dungeon paths, finding or disarming any potential traps or pitfalls.

In short, I didn’t need to worry about anything that required attention and brainpower. Because Min-ah would find and solve everything on her own, even if I just stood there.

Besides, that’s her role as a scout anyway.

Of course, I also assist her as a tank and dealer who’s second to none, so it’s a mutually complementary relationship in many ways.

“……”

Eunbyul, did she already wake up and go back to her room?

Seeing as her clothes, which she’d left beside the bed, were also gone, that was likely the case.

Considering what we went through, she must have been just as tired as I was, but perhaps she’s so used to servant life that she wakes up before me, her master.

Just as the thought naturally crossed my mind that I should hurry up, thinking about the appointment time with Min-ah.

Three knocks came from outside, followed by Eunbyul’s voice.

-Knock, knock, knock.

“Master, did you cough?”

“Yes, I just woke up.”

“Breakfast is ready, so please come down and eat whenever you’re ready.”

“Ah, yes.”

If she’s already prepared breakfast, it means she woke up at least an hour or two earlier than me.

This must be the professional consciousness of a current maid.

It had been quite a while since someone else prepared breakfast for me, so I walked down to the first-floor dining room with some anticipation.

On the dining table was a simple yet complete breakfast spread.

Rice, soup, and about three side dishes – a typical Korean breakfast table.

“…Did Eunbyul prepare all this by herself?”

“I recreated a breakfast typical of a common household using ingredients from the refrigerator. I just followed a recipe I saw online, so it might not suit your taste, but….”

“It looks delicious just by looking at it, so what are you worried about? Besides, I’m just grateful that Eunbyul prepared this for me.”

“…Please eat before it gets cold, Master.”

The maid in the black dress offered me the meal with a slightly embarrassed smile.

Feeling her gaze on me to some extent, I quietly began my breakfast.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“Thank you.”

Will I be able to eat breakfast like this every day from now on?

…Of course, saying ‘every day’ is a stretch, considering I go out 2-3 times a week.

Still, it meant I could probably receive meals like this at least on the days I woke up at home.

“Then, I will go tidy up your bedding, Master. Once you finish your meal, you can just leave the dishes and any remaining food right there.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Eunbyul went up to my room with a maid’s bow, hands clasped at her stomach.

I watched her retreating figure as I focused on the breakfast on the table and thought.

Indeed, deciding to protect Eunbyul in my home was definitely the right decision.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Even after receiving breakfast from Eunbyul, her maid services continued without pause.

After showering before heading out, I found clothes for going out neatly prepared in front of the bathroom door.

The dishes from the breakfast I just ate were already washed and put away.

Finally, she even saw me off at the entrance as I headed to work.

“Please be careful on your way, Master.”

“……Yes.”

It feels less like having a maid and more like having a devoted wife.

Considering we shared a bed just last night, it might not be far from the truth.

…If ‘sharing a bed’ is the standard, then I have a fatal problem of already having double-digit wives.

As I walked towards the company for the first time in a while with such thoughts, I encountered a familiar face on the street in the villa district of Gangdong District.

The scout from Sky Blue Shield cautiously waved and greeted me.

“…Taekyung, hi~.”

Han Min-ah, still hesitating for a moment before pretending to be nonchalant as she greeted me.

I waved back appropriately in response to her greeting.

“Min-ah, hi~.”

“…Come to think of it, it seems like you’re going to work for the first time in ages? What did you do the day before yesterday and yesterday?”

“The day before yesterday, I had a sword-fighting sparring session with Eunyoung Noona. And yesterday… um….”

…Wait, come to think of it, this is something I shouldn’t tell her.

Perhaps because most of what happened yesterday was confidential, my words, which were naturally flowing into a story, cut off awkwardly.

Han Min-ah, sensing something was off, tilted her head and asked again.

“Huh? What about yesterday?”

“…I just rested. After taking sword-fighting lessons from Eunyoung Noona, my whole body feels drained.”

“Then just say you rested, why act like something happened….”

Well, I guess there’s no real need to hide Eunbyul’s presence from Han Min-ah, but still, there’s no reason for me to reveal it first.

Rumors always start spreading from the smallest details.

Of course, since I’m protecting Eunbyul in my home, it’s highly likely Hye-eun or Eunyoung Noona will find out soon.

If that time comes, I’ll need to think about what excuse I’ll use to introduce Eunbyul.

I couldn’t just blurt out that Geum Nari, the third daughter of the Geumhyang Group, is living in seclusion at my place.

“Hey, Sung Taekyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Come to think of it, didn’t you take Jin-ah and Seon-ah to the dwarf workshop a while ago?”

“…How did you know?”

“Seriously, how could I not know? Last time, when the kids came home carrying weapons, of course I knew.”

“…Right, come to think of it, their place was a single room.”

Seon-ah’s knuckle claws aside, hiding Jin-ah’s long spear would have been impossible from the start.

“…How much did it cost?”

“Huh? Wh-what are you talking about?”

“The cost of the kids’ weapons.”

“How much did it cost?”

“I-I don’t really know what you’re talking about?”

“Hey, you bastard, should I just calculate it roughly and send it to your Cocoa Bank account?”

“Hey, hey! Don’t do that! You said you’re spending a lot of money on the move these days…!”

Han Min-ah pulled out her smartphone as if to show off, intending to send the money, and I briefly wrestled with her to stop her.

It seemed I couldn’t just play dumb anymore, so I confessed part of the truth about what happened that day.

“It’s nothing much. Ever since I started my healer part-time job at the company, Jin-ah and Seon-ah have been coming back injured every day, and it was hard to keep watching, so I just gave them something each.”

“Why did you do that for them? They’re my sisters, you should have told me instead.”

“Well… because I have a dwarf acquaintance and you don’t?”

“…I-I do know a dwarf acquaintance too? …I mean, I have to meet them through a connection or two, but, ah, I definitely have one.”

“If you have such an acquaintance, why are you hunting with only company-issued weapons from D-rank to A-rank? If you have a dwarf contact, shouldn’t you be using some proper weapons yourself?”

“…Th-this one’s pretty sharp too, so it’s fine.”

Han Min-ah hid the scratched dagger behind her back, avoiding my gaze.

Where else would the twins’ shabby personalities come from?

From around the time they started maturing, they grew up watching their eldest sister, not their parents, so it’s obvious who they resemble.

To Han Min-ah, who looked embarrassed and avoided my gaze after my sudden counterattack, I continued explaining about the twins’ weapons.

“It’s really nothing, so don’t worry about it. I didn’t even give them graduation gifts, so let’s just consider this their graduation present.”

“…I think Jin-ah and Seon-ah already consider you taking their virginity as their graduation present.”

“Then call it a company joining present. It doesn’t really matter which, right?”

“……”

“And besides, you saw their weapons, you probably know roughly. That they’re just ordinary mass-produced weapons. Of course, with a dwarf artisan’s touch, they’re more useful than the ones the company gives, but they’re not outrageously expensive, so don’t worry about it.”

“…Okay, fine. If you say so, then it is.”

…Actually, those weapons were just given as temporary ones; the real gifts will be custom-made weapons crafted in a few days.

The fact that they cost nearly several hundred combined must remain a lifelong secret. If Han Min-ah, with her bird-brain… no, cat-heart, heard about it, she’d just get unnecessarily startled.

She’s already busy with the move, so there’s no need to add more worries.

“Ah, right.”

“Our moving date has been set.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. Next Tuesday.”

“Next Tuesday… that’s only four days away.”

“Yeah, so I’m taking that day off because of the move. We don’t have much stuff, so we didn’t hire movers. The three of us, Jin-ah, Seon-ah, and I, will manage somehow.”

…Even if full-service movers aren’t necessary, wouldn’t it be better to at least hire a moving truck?

If needed, I’ll have to help out with my spatial pocket ability.

“Where is it located?”

“The location itself isn’t too far from where we used to live. It’s just changing the district from Gangdong-gu to Hanam City.”

“Hanam City is right next door, though. How many rooms?”

“Two. I’ll give one to Jin-ah and one to Seon-ah, and I plan to sleep in the living room.”

Considering how much they’ve struggled, they deserve a room each, but…

Well, it’s presumptuous to meddle in other people’s family matters, so I didn’t pry further.

Besides, even if I don’t say anything, Jin-ah or Seon-ah will probably consider Min-ah’s feelings.

Thinking about the sisterly bond Han Min-ah and her sisters share, they certainly would.

It was a bit disappointing in many ways that I couldn’t go back to that semi-basement villa, which held many memories for me too.

“…Min-ah.”

“Yeah?”

“Since your heat cycle is coming up soon anyway, want to do it one last time there before you leave the semi-basement villa? It was a meaningful place for your first time, after all.”

“…Stop talking nonsense and get lost.”

Han Min-ah, her face bright red, lightly punched my side with a fist that carried a bit of weight.

It was enjoyable in many ways to see the cuteness radiating from her embarrassed expression.

Yeah, this is why I can’t stop teasing Han Min-ah.