episode_0263

[Baek A-rin, does the Lord of the Sea come to visit you on the birth ceremony?]

He was in Baek A-rin’s arms, melting her.

While I was analyzing the situation with such concentration that my head started to squeak, a thought suddenly occurred to me and I put it on a necklace.

“Ugh, haa… Well… ”

Baek A-rin blinked and trailed off. Her breath, now lukewarm, tapped against her hair. She, who was as limp as water, strengthened her arms that held me and continued to speak languidly.

“There has been a series of rampages in the territory recently. I am not sure because you are leading the troops to deal with it.”

[aha…]

“Because the territory is so large, this happens often. There are no casualties because it’s a no man’s land filled with dungeons and monsters, but if left alone, it will continue to grow, so we have to deal with it quickly.”

Among the three major families, the one with the largest territory is the Changhae family.

Unlike the Geumhwa and Taesan clans, who had their bases in the inner part of the Korean peninsula, the Changhae clan secured vast territories in the northern part of the Korean peninsula.

Of course, most of the territory is a barren land that has changed to a cold climate, but dungeons occur frequently in the vast territory.

As the management area expands, the number of dungeons and monsters to handle also increases. It is common for forces to fall because they cannot handle them.

The existing powers are reducing unnecessary territories, and the newly established powers are also maintaining small territories.

Because the Changhae family has the power to handle the dungeons and monsters that occur in the vast territory.

‘Besides, right below, there is a huge mountain called Taesan.’

The three major families have maintained a relationship that is almost like a blood alliance for the past 200 years.

A relationship where we actively interact with each other on a regular basis and are generous in sending each other what we need.

When the two-headed dragon appeared and China was turned upside down, even Gaphwa and Taishan were terrified and the lords led their troops up to help.

“Swoop, hoo… If things get sorted out properly, you might be able to come later, but if things get sorted out late, you might not be able to come.”

[I understood]

However, since he has to put that much effort into managing the territory, the head of the Changhae family must be very busy.

So, Baek A-rin explains that she is not sure about the visit during the birth ceremony.

Baek A-rin shrugged her shoulders and buried her nose in my hair. Sniff sniff… Her breath, which had become quite lukewarm, tapped the inside of my hair.

The way she sniffed my scent so openly. It wasn’t awkward. It was the same for everyone else, especially Baek A-rin, who would always bury her nose in my hair whenever she was warming me up.

‘… … ‘

Although he wasn’t offended, he did have a complaint that only Baek A-rin could smell my scent.

Every time Baek A-rin moved her body, her puffy white shirt rubbed her face. She had already taken off her outerwear, and her white shirt was half wet with water and half wet with sweat.

I was frustrated that I buried my nose in that chest and sniffed hard, but I couldn’t detect any smell.

… Every time that happened, I felt the urge, but I somehow held back and pouted.

‘Will we not be able to meet the head of the Changhae family at the birth ceremony?’

The current head of the Changhae family is Baek Wol-seon, the biological father of Baek A-rin, and he is renowned as one of the best heroes.

‘I don’t know if that person knows Baek A-rin’s condition…’

Baek A-rin’s biological father. It wouldn’t be strange for parents who have been with her since birth to know about Baek A-rin’s condition.

On the other hand, since it is a secret that is difficult to find even with the power of observation, there is a possibility that it is unknown.

Whatever it is, I really want to meet you and ask you about it.

‘… Of course, I’m very nervous about meeting you… ‘

As I hugged Baek A-rin’s waist tightly, I suddenly noticed the ring on her finger.

This is the ring I made for you last time, and it is worn on your left ring finger.

As I observed it, a strange sense of satisfaction tickled my heart.

.

.

.

Although it was overshadowed by the grand festival of the birth of a child, the midterm evaluation was also approaching.

Midterm evaluations are given every semester. The second semester midterm evaluation is given before the birth ceremony.

Of course, it is not as big as the first semester.

Usually, I take the first semester midterm exam very seriously and the second semester midterm exam is easy.

This midterm evaluation will be conducted over two days, not five. No outsiders will be invited, and no large-scale tournaments will be held to send the participants outside.

The schedule is simple: written exam on the first day, and practical exam according to major on the second day.

Moreover, since the grading system itself was better than in the first semester, the students did not feel much burden.

However, since it is an evaluation that affects grades, the students who were excited about the upcoming birthday festival tended to maintain a certain level of tension and prepare for the last exam of the school year.

I was similar.

I wasn’t particularly nervous. We just spent a few days studying and training together at the mansion.

“The written test will begin soon.”

The first day of the midterm evaluation was like that.

I took my seat inside the evaluation room assigned to me and waited for it to begin.

Unfortunately, I was assigned a different evaluator than everyone else. To this extent, I even had a foolish suspicion that there might have been some strange manipulation.

“There are 30 questions, and the test time is 1 hour per subject. If you have answered all the questions for a subject, you can move on to the next subject. Students who have finished the evaluation within the time limit may leave first.”

As I listened to the guidance sound coming from the speaker hanging high on the ceiling, memories of last semester came flooding back to me.

I sat down and looked over the information I had organized several times, meditated, took deep breaths to calm my nerves…

I still vividly remember that the test I took while being so tense was extremely difficult and I had no time to rest as I was pressed for time.

How anxious were you that you might slip and your ranking would drop? If that happened, the perception of those around you would also drop.

Honestly, I didn’t really care about my reputation, but I was desperate to avoid disappointing my teacher who taught me.

“Time has passed. We will now begin the written test.”

I wasn’t particularly nervous at the moment. I took off my smartwatch, handed it to the staff member who came over, and waited for a moment before the test began.

I checked the problem printed on the tablet with a calm expression.

As in the first semester, the first subject is magic. It is a vicious sight to see difficult subjects placed first in order to shake the cadets’ mentality.

’30 questions per hour… Both the questions and the time have decreased compared to the first semester. The difficulty level… has gotten harder as the progress has progressed.’

I checked all 30 questions of the magic subject by manipulating the tablet while the students started to solve the problems in a hurry.

Immediately after, we used some split thinking to compute the problem in parallel.

‘The solution is complete.’

– Ugh, ugh…

While the other students were just solving their first problems, my pen continued to move without stopping for a moment.

[I will leave]

“Yes? Oh, yes, I understand. You can leave your tablet at your seat and leave. You can get your belongings back at the desk.”

[thank you]

That way, I could leave early, leaving behind the students who were drooling and writing on their pens.

I did rush it a bit, but I never doubted the outcome.

I took my smartwatch back from the employee who looked flustered and asked if I was leaving already, and quickly left the evaluator’s office.

– Phew!

– … Phew…

A cold, cold wind blew against my hair. Suddenly, I blew into the wind and white breath came out.

I walked quickly past trees whose leaves were falling in clusters.

The pedestrians’ clothes became thicker, and conversely, the trees dropped their leaves.

The cradle has now taken on a wintery feel.

It was a season I hated the most.

Cold and chilly season.

It was so hard to sleep on the floor because of the snow and ice that had stuck everywhere. The chill that seemed to freeze my bones made my limbs go numb.

If I quicken my pace, I can quickly reach my destination.

It was the entrance to the 6th Evaluation Building, which was still deserted.

I killed some time by loitering around the deserted entrance.

– Praise be to God, this time it seems like the Superhuman Special Law has been met.

– Have you written down all the laws that apply in a disaster situation?

– Oh shit… Huh?

After a short wait, when it was time for the test to end, students began to come out of the entrance.

The cadets who had been coming out one by one in dots soon began to pour out like a tidal wave.

The cadet who had been grumbling at the front opened his eyes wide when he saw me.

[hello]

“Oh, yes, hello.”

When I slightly bowed my head to him, the cadet greeted me in a bewildered manner. The cadets following behind also reacted with surprise when they saw me.

I turned my back on them and opened my eyes slightly. I ignored the sound of someone swallowing their breath and rolled my eyes from side to side.

Wherever I looked, my vision was filled with a dull fog. I recognized the cadet in front of me with his mouth open, but it was not reflected in my eyes.

Red shone through them.

Bright red hair and eyes that sparkle like jewels.

Instead of the baseball jacket he usually wears, he puts on the outer garment of his cadet uniform.

The sweet scent of flesh wafting from afar.

A red scarf of the same color as her fluttering hair wrapped around her neck.

“Hehehe.”

The corners of my mouth, which had been shut tightly, began to weep in satisfaction. I ignored the noises that kept coming from my surroundings and kept walking.

“Softening.”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been walking out with her hands in her pockets, opened her eyes wide. In the meantime, I ran quickly and hugged Hong Yeon-hwa tightly.

The surroundings, which had been cool, suddenly became warm. I raised my head, shivering at the warmth that was transmitted through my clothes.

“What, were you waiting outside? Where are you going in this cold… ”

Hong Yeon-hwa placed her hand on my cheek with her eyes wide open. The slightly chilly cheek slowly melted at the body temperature.

“I got there just before it was over, so it’s okay… Yeah, keep touching me.”

A gurgling sound came from my throat. I grabbed the hand that was about to fall and pushed my cheek in.

As I lifted my chin and shook my head, I could feel the soft texture of the red scarf.

“Hehehe.”

Once again, I was filled with satisfaction.

It was a warm winter.

* * *

[The mental state “Possessiveness” affects the mental state “Yo?Jeong”]