20 – Event – 2
***
Even after the boat ride, there were still plenty of things to do.
Normally, Sowol would have taken Heehyun to various places, but she wanted to bask in the romantic atmosphere they had just experienced on the boat.
So Sowol chose a calm stroll along the lakeside instead of experiencing the facilities there.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. It suits me perfectly.”
“No… that’s not it.”
Heehyun wanted to say, “You and I don’t go well together,” but there was no need to unnecessarily create friction.
The atmosphere isn’t so great, is it?
It’s much better to simply go for a walk than to say something unnecessary and upset Sowol’s mood.
“Do you want to say something?”
“If my disciple wants it, I’ll do it. It seems like that side is the walking route.”
Heehyun pointed to a place that was a walking path, designed to go around the lake.
It seemed like a nice place with lots of flowers and trees, perfect for families and couples to walk.
“To suggest a place like that… Hm. Master is something.”
As they quietly observed the couples passing them, Sowol turned her head slightly to look at Heehyun.
“Isn’t that a place for families and couples? What would people around us think if we went there together?”
“Don’t you like it?”
“…It’s not that I don’t like it, but…”
Giving it a light bounce, Sowol and Heehyun walked into the walking path together.
The scent that bloomed from the flowers and trees was lovely, as if the tourist destination had been properly developed.
Feeling a warm sensation in her heart, Sowol walked the path with Heehyun and pointed to one side.
“Look over there. There.”
Sowol was pointing towards the lovers walking hand in hand. Seeing that, Heehyun reached out his hand to Sowol.
“You want to hold hands, is that why? Come on.”
A large hand was extended. A rough hand with many scars.
As So Wol silently gazed at the large hand that seemed to show the rough days Hyun had lived so far, she gently raised her own hand.
A small, clean, and pretty hand.
When her hand touched Hyun’s hand, So Wol unintentionally trembled and shivered.
“Oh my goodness. Are you two close siblings?”
So Wol, who was intoxicated by the warmth of their hands touching, regained her composure due to the voice of an elderly couple passing by.
Close siblings.
Is that all they appear to be now?
So Wol looked at their reflections in the lake by the lakeside.
An adult and a child. No matter how favorably they were looked upon, they would only seem like siblings with a significant age gap.
“Haha. Do we appear that way? We do get along well. Don’t we?”
Hyun continued to pat So Wol’s head without realizing.
She wanted to say something, but it was difficult to open her mouth because of his hand gently scratching her head.
In the end, unable to say a word, So Wol fixed her messy hair and silently gazed at Hyun.
“Why?”
“…It’s nothing!”
For no reason, she suddenly walked forward with strides. But it was only for a moment. So Wol, who had been walking ahead, stopped her steps and silently reached out her hand without turning back.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and come.”
After the walk, the sun was rising high overhead.
When it was almost time for lunch, So Wol looked around her.
There were quite a few restaurants, perhaps because it was a place with many tourists.
In that case, it would be better to go to a nice place with a good atmosphere. So she led Hyun to the closest large restaurant by the lakeside.
“Welcome! Allow me to guide you to the lakeside seats on the second floor!”
Judging by the clothes that Hyun and So Wol were wearing, it seemed that they were considered to be wealthy.
The waiter guided them to a seat on the second floor and took their order right away.
It was a moderately priced restaurant, but So Wol didn’t find it particularly impressive.
It was because they had the ability to pay for it comfortably.
“What is the best-selling dish here?”
“Our grilled trout steak and steamed trout.”
“Please give us two servings of those. Along with wine and…”
“A bottle of whiskey, and a glass of milk.”
“Please give it to me like that.”
Once again, wine was not ordered.
So-wol pursed her lips, but Yi-hyun’s attitude remained firm.
Without a thought of disobeying his instructions, So-wol fidgeted with the large milk glass that had been brought out.
“When can I drink alcohol then?”
“When you become an adult.”
Yi-hyun stated bluntly.
An adult.
Typically, adulthood refers to after the age of 20.
A long period of time still lay ahead.
So-wol sighed deeply and took a sip of milk.
“And how does one learn to drink alcohol as an adult?”
“If the opportunity arises.”
“Then, don’t forget what you said. I’ll definitely have my first drink with you, Master.”
Facing her assertive statement with a clenched fist, Yi-hyun chuckled.
By the time So-wol became an adult, he probably didn’t know if he himself would still be at the academy.
Would he be able to teach So-wol to drink then?
Yi-hyun pondered the question, but he also knew there was no need to voice it now.
“Alright, alright. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“It’s a promise.”
Extending her pinky finger, So-wol confidently spoke.
Yi-hyun shrugged and hooked his pinky finger with hers.
“Pinky promise~. Bet~. Promise~. If you break it~. Ten praise stickers~.”
“You’re being terrifying!”
Trying to collect ten praise stickers just for breaking a promise.
As Yi-hyun shivered, So-wol burst into laughter.
“The dishes are served.”
In the meantime, the completed dishes were brought out. On the dining table lay grilled trout steak, steamed trout, and other appetizing dishes.
Observing the quite appetizing spread, Yi-hyun raised his whiskey glass.
“Shall we toast?”
“What shall we toast to?”
“For your growth.”
“Growth…”
Growth. I want it. I want to be a bit taller, have a larger chest.
I wanted it to look like a relationship other than the brother-sister vibe I sensed during our walk earlier.
But in the end, maybe it’s just a matter of time.
In a few years, I’ll surely grow more, and by then…
“Well, the Master is teetering on the edge because I’m a pretty and capable woman. But still, he’s the Master!”
It was a pleasant meal in its own way.
While eating, Lee Hyun tried to attack, but I dodged well, so there was no problem.
“Shall we start heading back now?”
“Let’s do some shopping first.”
When I asked the waiter earlier, I heard there are good things in the shopping district here.
Since we have enough money, I want to buy things like jewelry. So Wol took the annoyed Lee Hyun and headed to the shopping district.
As the waiter said, the shopping street for tourists was lively. There were many pretty things as we wandered around the crowded streets.
“Master, what about this…”
I liked the earrings being sold on the stand. I tried putting them on my ears and turned my head to ask Lee Hyun what he thought, but he wasn’t there.
Where did he go?
Perplexed, So Wol looked around, and her expression stiffened.
Because a beautiful woman with long black hair and a large chest was chatting and hugging Lee Hyun with a bright smile.
It seemed like they were quite close friends.
The charming woman with a teardrop under her left eye, after hugging Lee Hyun, spoke joyfully.
“Oh, is this young lady your disciple?”
“Yes, So Wol. Greet her. This is my friend, Rebecca.”
Another friend. Are all the Master’s friends women, and such beauties?
“…I’m So Wol.”
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“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Rebecca, also known as the Witch of the Black Forest. Hm… I can see why Hyun chose you as his disciple. Remarkable talent.”
“Is that so? It’s not easy to find someone with such talent.”
“If you had talent in magic, I would have stolen you and taught you myself. Anyway, it seems like he’s taking up a lot of your time, so I’ll let you go now.”
“Yes? Where to…”
“Rebecca is an exceptional sorceress capable of creating dimensional portals. Since she mentioned she could open a portal to our territory, I asked for a favor.”
“Ah… I see.”
If she can use dimensional portals, there’s no need to waste time getting back.
At those words, Sowol let out a sigh, tinged with regret.
Now that she knew the time with Ihyun and Dan Duo was over.
“When you’re ready, come find me. I’ll be at that cafe over there.”
Rebecca, with a bright smile, left. Watching her go, Sowol let out a low sigh. The elation seemed to settle a bit.
“That earring.”
“Huh…”
Come to think of it, she bought an earring. While Sowol was fidgeting with her ear, Ihyun gently laughed while stroking her hair.
“It suits you very well.”
“…..!”
With that one sentence, the subdued feeling floated back up.
No matter what, Ihyun was taking good care of her.
Pleased by the fact, Sowol blushed slightly and lowered her head.
“The original is beautiful, so anything suits you well. Anything else you want to buy?”
“Yes, nope.”
“Then let’s go back.”
Ultimately, without saying anything more, Sowol followed behind Ihyun.
Rebecca, who was waiting at the cafe, smiled widely when Ihyun and Sowol entered.
What’s so good about it?
Rebecca came up to Ihyun and patted his shoulder when they reached the stable, then pointed to Sowol.
“Raise your disciple well. I think she’ll be able to have a good match with my disciple in the future.”
“Oh well. My disciple will win, so what’s a good match.”
“Hahaha!! You’ll only know if it’s long or short after seeing it, right? Well then, go safely. See you again later.”
As she lightly waved her staff, a faint white door appeared.
A dimensional portal. Inside the door that only high-level sorcerers could create, the entrance to the eastern upper realm was visible.
“Let’s go.”
With one hand holding the reins, Ihyun casually extended his other hand.
Sowol, who silently gazed at that hand, gently clasped it. Without hesitation, Ihyeon stepped into the dimensional portal.
Upon passing through the dimensional portal, what appeared was the entrance to the eastern upper realm.
“Ah! Now that you’re back, we can resume training… Huh? Why the long face? Do you have something to say?”
Having reached the front of the eastern upper realm, it was time to enter.
But should she let go of this hand?
Sowol looked at Ihyeon’s hand, held firmly in hers, and was about to speak.
“Oh? Miss! Master! When did you arrive?!”
It was then that a vigorous voice was heard. Startled, Sowol quickly released the hand and turned her gaze to the owner of the voice.
It was Laila.
Having just arrived, she spoke brightly to Ihyeon without even changing out of her travel attire.
“Master! I was thinking on the way here, there’s that reward at the Harvest Festival, right?”
“Oh. Right. What about it?”
“Wouldn’t it be great if Master could be my partner for the Harvest Festival?”