“Sinking sky and sea flip over and then close in once more. The Mermaid Queen’s seawater engulfed Yuhyun’s skills as well. Everything around was water. Downward, downward as if being sucked in. Light seeping through illuminated a towering building. Dimly, a flooded road and cars came into view. The Water City lay silent. Yuhyun’s arms still held me tight. And I held him just as firmly.

We sank slowly. Unlike before, the water level was lower, so light faintly reached the ground. Since it was winter, only bare avenue trees remained, and somewhere a floating star ornament drifted between them. A golden star atop a tree twinkled softly.

Yuhyun turned his body first in a smooth arc. I followed and stood upright. His foot touched the asphalt road. The hem of my coat billowed around me. I lifted my head and looked up. The water’s surface had already begun to redden. Yuhyun bent his knees.

Thunk—

A muffled, heavy sound rang out as the water swallowed us. The road cracked sharply, then caved in. With scattering asphalt fragments, in one sweep—

Whooooosh—!

We shot up above the surface. Beneath the sunset, countless droplets scattered in the air. The vanished black butterflies reappeared, fluttering, and a gentle warmth enveloped our chilled bodies.

“Let him go, Mister, I think I’m going to—!”

Yerim, standing on the rooftop, called down to us. She’d intentionally positioned herself a bit away from the Sesung building.

“I mean, if he refuses! Uh, Han Yuhyun? Hunter?”

Seeing Yerim freeze, uncertain what to do, a smile formed on my lips. To her, Yuhyun was still Yuhyun. It was impossible for her to treat him as someone entirely separate.

The water beneath our feet rippled. Frozen pillars of ice rose one after another around Yerim. Yun-yun’s portal had already vanished. Song Taewon and Liet, bearing Seong Hyunjae, stood on a slightly distant rooftop.

Even if the Mermaid Queen’s sea had contracted compared to before, it still spanned a vast area. It wasn’t a distance Yuhyun could clear in one leap. If he tried to carry me away, Yerim would promptly block us with water.

“Yuhyun.”

I gave my brother a gentle shove. Sensing my intent, Yerim raised water. The top of the column froze, creating a cold platform. Yuhyun’s arms loosened, and he stepped back.

“Let’s go home.”

He gave me a calm look.

“I know you worry about me. But—”

“All that remains for me is your safety.”

Yuhyun spoke curtly.

“I’m nothing but the ghost of someone already dead, driven by a single purpose.”

“Han Yuhyun!”

“I’m dead, and soon I’ll disappear. That will never change.”

…I know. I understand.

“But that doesn’t matter! Do you think living is some grand thing?”

There’s nothing grand about it.

“Ghost or walking corpse, what difference does it make? Standing here, you talk to me, and I talk to you! That’s enough!”

Han Yuhyun speaks, and Han Yuhyun listens. We see, feel, and affect each other. Whatever else changes, this is enough for us to live together. Living doesn’t require some extraordinary proof. That refrain of “I’m dead, I’m dead, so give up” is just empty words.

“Yuhyun, you—”

“Mister!”

Yerim shouted.

“The water—!”

The surface heaved. The ice platform beneath me trembled. Then—

Guh-woon

With a heavy reverberation, a massive shadow of water soared upward. A deep-blue mass composed of water. Huge fins spread out like wings.

“A whale?!”

“I didn’t realize it was the same water!”

Yerim shouted as she tried to bind and pin the whale with water. But the whale absorbed the surrounding water, lengthening its fins as it vaulted toward us. Water splashed wildly. The ice platform shook violently and collapsed, and Yuhyun reached out toward me. At the same moment—

Clink—

A familiar metallic sound rang out. Chains coiled around me and pulled tight.

“Teacher Skill!”

Seong Hyunjae shouted. He immediately cast Teacher Skill on both himself and Yerim. I felt his intention. ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Yerim called forth her own water, not the Mermaid Queen’s, to encircle us, and I elevated my Grace Grade, closing my eyes.

It all happened in an instant. The water whale surged before me like a wall. Yuhyun leapt onto the whale’s head. Its translucent fins, its crimson-tinted body mass—water sounds echoed endlessly in my ears.

Crackle!

Light sparked. Colliding along the chains that bound me, Yerim’s water and my Grace melded, our magics reinforcing each other.

Kwoaaang—!

An enormous explosion occurred. Even with my eyes shut, the world turned blinding white. Half of the whale’s body burst apart, unable to withstand the pressure, and was flung away as if torn. Sunset-hued droplets filled the sky. Through Yerim’s gaze, I saw Yuhyun receding. It seemed the water had shielded him from the blast’s damage. The whale, halved, reformed, cradling Yuhyun protectively. Despite the dazzling light, Yuhyun kept his eyes fixed on me.

My body was dragged backward. My brother turned his back as well. Whoooosh— the droplets that had spouted upward rained down like a storm. I opened my eyes. The sky, now darker, shivered through the raindrops. Night’s purple hue seeped in, pressing out the evening glow.

“Mister, are you okay?”

Yerim approached as she set me gently on the rooftop.

“I felt movement in the water, but it seemed like small fish! There are fish that come up from the Han River. I thought it was a school of fish, but then they suddenly merged into one giant creature!”

“I’m fine. No injuries. If you share the same Water Attribute skill, you can even harness the Mermaid Queen’s sea.”

“…I couldn’t fully control it—it was more like I’d just released it.”

“That alone is impressive! Don’t worry. The subordinates seem to be regaining their skills.”

“Ah, what happened to Sigma? Hyuna unnie called, then Yun-yun appeared out of nowhere—I don’t understand what’s going on!”

“Here’s the thing.”

Yerim froze the water to create a bridge back toward the Sesung rooftop where the three were. While Seong Hyunjae crossed with her, I explained what had transpired with Mun Hyuna.

“So that’s why Hyuna took Sigma with her. Seong Hyunjae’s awake now, so Sigma must’ve fallen back asleep.”

She probably put him to sleep for our safety. Yerim grimaced but nodded.

“I was worried too. I have friends there. Honestly, I even felt like Hyuna unnie did.”

Yerim glanced at the approaching Seong Hyunjae and whispered.

“That makes sense. Mister, you weren’t entirely without hesitation either.”

I reached out and hugged Yerim, lowering my voice.

“Even though Hyuna left, she hasn’t fully gone. Because we parted ways, we can be more certain of our own paths.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. Yerim, you don’t have to think exactly as I do. It’s okay if we clash. As long as your decision comes from your own deliberation.”

“Even if we end up fighting?”

“Hyuna and I are like that right now. We might clash harshly if it comes to it. But I still believe Hyuna is right, and I care about her. I’m sure she feels the same.”

We might fight and fall out. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As I said at twenty-nine, people differ. We compromise and accept each other, but we also misalign and collide.

“If it really seems dangerous—”

Yerim hesitated before saying,

“I might side with Hyuna unnie and Han Yuhyun. But right now, I’m on your side, Mister. Sesung Mister also kind of likes you. I want us all to go back together.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled as I spoke. Yerim smiled back and waved toward Seong Hyunjae. He hopped lightly onto the rooftop and greeted her.

“You must have slept a long time.”

“It was very late, you know? I went through so much trouble escorting you home!”

Seong Hyunjae’s gaze fell to his feet. Faint scuff marks ran along the toe and side of his shoes. Yes—I had dragged him. But I did it proudly.

“Who asked you to grow so tall? Would have been better if you’d stopped at ten centimeters, or twenty.”

Then I could have carried him easily. Taking care of him instead of abandoning him was enough.

“I thought you wanted to grow another three centimeters.”

“Stop with the creepy comments. Our kids want them to grow fast, but we full-grown adults don’t get that treatment.”

What’s the point of getting taller at this stage? Yuhyun, Yerim—and Noah, you should outgrow him too. Maybe you’d secretly like it. Pray you won’t die so quickly. He can give his height to Noah.

“Anyway, about Hyuna unnie’s situation—”

“You mentioned it on the way here to Director Song Taewon.”

“Yes. That’s what happened.”

I looked to Director Song.

“You must have been worried too.”

“Yes.”

He nodded slightly. With his temperament, he couldn’t have been calm. Though he vowed to help Seong Hyunjae remain himself, it was an uncertain method.

“…It was my responsibility to bear that.”

“Don’t say that. Hyuna unnie and Seong Hyunjae both said to do what you want. So you, Director Song, do your job. You said you wanted Hyunjae to protect himself, didn’t you?”

Director Song’s gaze flicked briefly to Seong Hyunjae before dropping away. He looked inexplicably weary.

“…Yes. My own desire was certainly mixed in.”

“That’s fine.”

“But I—”

“Though each of us thinks and wants different things, let’s do our best!”

The path ahead was pitch dark. As I cheered on Director Song, Yerim asked Liet where she’d gone.

“Noah oppa? Didn’t he come with you?”

“Well, here’s the thing—can’t tell you right now. But he’s safe.”

Liet sighed deeply and hugged Yerim. I didn’t know the full circumstances of Noah and Liet’s business. It struck me how everyone really had their own path.

—Kyaang!

“Peace!”

A small fledgling monster with wings wide spread swooped in from the darkening sky. It must have gone beyond the Dongjak Bridge and returned. The fluffy ball of fur leapt into my arms.

“Our Peace worked hard too. Well then.”

I looked up at the sky. Next to the large moon, a smaller one had risen.

“Let’s rest for a bit. Since Sigma’s asleep again, Yuhyun can’t come searching.”

And with Yun-yun present, there was no need to worry on that front. Yerim fashioned an ice boat and we returned to the Sesung Guild.

“There’s a Comet feed storage at Sesung, right?”

I pulled dried monster meat from my inventory. Dream monsters vanish upon death, so there’s nowhere to get their meat. Peace must not starve.

“Soyeong arranged a large freezer. Even if power cuts, its emergency ranestones keep it frozen for a month.”

“Soyeong unnie should have told me about that!”

She’s thorough. Dodam and Gyeonggi breeding also had superfreezers. We cold-stored dungeon plants for herbivores too. I’ll borrow some Comet feed now and drop by Dodam when I have time.

“Mister, I boiled water~.”

On the table before Yerim lay various cup noodles and instant meals—taken from the vending machine by Liet, since pressing buttons was tedious. Darkness had fully settled, and the moon shimmered white on the black water. I wondered if Yuhyun was eating well.

‘…He’s not starving, right?’

I fed Peace and shouted toward the railing.

“Han Yuhyun! Eat your meal! Both of you!”

That Water-using subordinate must be nearby keeping watch. I hope he passes on the message.

“Seong Hyunjae, can’t you heat this with electromagnetic waves?”

“There should be a microwave in the staff lounge.”

“How bothersome.”

“They also have a massage chair—probably for non-Awakened staff.”

An F-rank could use it; I was tempted. After about three minutes, I sipped the noodle broth. A warm sensation in my stomach lifted my spirits.

“Director Song, coffee? We have milk, sugar, creamer, or black. Just sit down, please.”

Vending-machine coffee has its own old-school charm.

“…Milk, please.”

“I’ll have black.”

“I’ll take oat milk.”

“I’ll have vending-machine milk—it’s been a while!”

Vending-machine milk is tasty. Oat milk means barley tea? Then I’ll do creamer. Everyone drank well, but Seong Hyunjae only nibbled at his. We agreed to take turns, then planned to rest our eyes for a moment.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep