“……”

Cha Si-eun peeked up at Seo Jun-ho from over her novel, perhaps wanting him to leave. She stared at him intensely, narrowing her eyes. 

“I won’t leave even if you look at me like that.”

“Haa…” She resigned herself and lowered the book that was blocking her face. Seeing as how her cheeks were slightly red, she was probably embarrassed. She started to make excuses as if she was caught doing something wrong. 

“I’m 23 years old. I don’t think it’s strange for a grown adult to be reading novels.” This new side of her was refreshing, Seo Jun-ho thought. 

“I didn’t say it’s strange. I just…” He shrugged, “don’t think the secrets of the world our ancestors mentioned are hidden in that book you’re reading,” he teased.

(PR: Referring to what Cha Si-eun said in Chapter 21: “The old scholars would say that books hold the secrets of the world.”)

(TN: ‘Munchkin’ is a gaming term for an OP player.)

Just by looking at the title, it was easy to predict the contents of at least the first two books. 

“Th-this… This is…” Cha Si-eun started to fumble, blushing all the way to her ears. “Wh-what amazing book is Jun-ho-nim reading, then?”

“I, of course…” Seo Jun-ho’s face fell. He quickly covered the book. 

It’s… evenly matched.

He’d been enjoying the story of a priest who went around in a game with a sword. But the title was cliche and he didn’t want to show her. 

“Can’t we call it a tie?”

“If you show me the title, sure.” 

He showed her with a resigned look on his face, and she burst out in laughter. Her voice was silvery and pleasant. 

“…It’s not that different from mine,” she muttered. 

“……” 

Seo Jun-ho had nothing left to say and took a seat in the chair across from her. They’d both taken critical hits and spent the rest of their time quietly reading their books. The only sounds were the flipping of pages and the ticking of the clock. 

“Phew… That was good.” Seo Jun-ho finished his novel and rolled his stiff neck. Cha Si-eun seemed to have finished at the same time and closed her book with a bright, satisfied look on her face. “Did you finish it too?”

“Yes. It was very good.”

Seo Jun-ho looked around the shabby manhwa bang. “To be honest, I was a little surprised.”

“To see me in a place like this?”

“Yes. I heard you were an elite. I thought you were far above places like this.”

“Most people think that.” She stretched and pulled out her hair roller. “But I like this place. I can read books comfortably without being bothered by anyone.”

“That’s why manhwa bangs are the best.”

“E-books on Vita are popular these days, but I like the feeling of flipping pages.”

“Ah, and the smell of books is nice.”

“Exactly! And old books have an elegant scent like the passage of time itself.” They ended up talking for half an hour more, fueled by their mutual love of books. Their short conversation was richer than everything else they’d talked about combined. 

“Ah, it’s already this late…” It was past eight o’clock. Cha Si-eun stood up. “I’m gonna get going.”

“Do you want me to call a taxi for you?”

“That’s ok. I live right next to here.” She looked down at her three-stripe slippers and nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Have a safe trip home.” 

(TN: It’s a common farewell/sendoff even though she lives close.)

Seo Jun-ho watched her leave and smiled dimly. 

“…She must have a hard time.” It was a shame that she couldn’t enjoy herself often because she was living the elite life everyone expected her to. But that was the life she had chosen. 

Well, I’m not one to judge. She was still a great secretary. In fact, he had a newfound respect for her.

“I’ll do my best too.” 

Seo Jun-ho got up from his seat. He’d been able to recharge in multiple ways. 

* * *

“What? America?” Shim Deok-gu blinked. “You’re not thinking of going to the Shadow Brothers’ funeral, are you?”

“Why would I?” The act he’d put on for the interview was more than enough. He didn’t want to fake it again at some fiends’ funeral. “My tears are expensive, you know?”

“Of course. Of course you wouldn’t… Why do you want to go, then?”

“I found out one of the Fiend Associations’ meeting places thanks to the Shadow guys.”

“What?! Really? Where?” Seo Jun-ho shook his head. Shim Deok-gu probably wanted to send players right away. 

“I’ll be going myself.”

“Hmph, I’m worried…”

“About me?”

“No, the fiends. We need to get information from them, but I’m worried that you’ll kill them all.”

“…I’ll get the information. Don’t worry.” The laundromat he’d seen in the Shadow Brothers’ memories wasn’t a dangerous place. There were only two small-fry fiends there. 

If I can’t extract anything useful from them… the trail will go cold. He prayed that they’d have useful information. 

“Well, since you say that, I’ll stop worrying. Just let me know if you ever need help.” He sure was reliable. Shim Deok-gu changed the subject. “Did you hear? There was a civilian petition on the Blue House* homepage to give you a medal.” 

(TN: Korean equivalent of the White House.)

“Medal? Why?”

“Korea became the first special safe zone thanks to you.”

“Geez…” Seo Jun-ho sulked. 

“The Association can help you get it if you want… What do you think?”

“Deok-gu, do you know how many medals Korea has?” Deok-gu was snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. 

“Nope. It’s not like it’s common knowledge.”

“There are 56 in total. How do I know? I received all of them.”

“……” 

When he was Specter, he had been showered with medals. He’d received the famous Grand Order of Mugunghwa*, and the insignificant Saemaeul Merit* because it was forbidden by law to receive two of the same medal. 

(TN: The mugunghwa/rose of Sharon is the national flower of Korea. This medal is only given to Presidents and their spouses. Saemaeul Merit is given to those who make social contributions.)

“The highest I can get is probably the 3rd-grade Order of Diplomatic Service Merit*. I don’t need it. I already have it.” 

(TN: Second-highest medal after the mugunghwa, one of the highest civilian awards. It has 5 grades with 1 being the highest.)

“…Most people would tremble at the thought of getting the 5th-grade Order.”

“You try getting 50 medals. The ceremony’s hella annoying. And…” Seo Jun-ho took out 10 kg of dragon bones from his inventory. Shim Deok-gu stared, dumbfounded. 

“Bones?”

“Dragon bones.”

“……” It depended on the individual grades, but 10 kg of dragon bones could easily sell for hundreds of millions of won. 

“So you got it from killing the Nameless Dragon. But why did you take them out?”

“This is 10 kilograms. I’ll take half. Give the rest to Kwon Noya and commission him for a sword.”

“Wait.” Deok-gu turned on his Vita and opened a memo. “You don’t have any other specifications? The weight, the length?”

“Just tell him to make the one I always use. He’ll know.”

“The old man’s turning 100 tomorrow. Are you sure he will?” Seo Jun-ho grinned. 

“Then tell him this: if he can’t remember that much, he should put down his hammer and start a gamgyul* orchard in the countryside.” 

(TN: A type of Korean mandarin orange.)

“…It’s not my fault if he adds a suicide bomb to the sword, okay?”

“Kek.”

“Anyways, thanks for the dragon bones.”

“Yeah,” he replied coolly.

Seo Jun-ho went back to his room and flopped onto his bed. He tapped on his Vita and sent a message to Secretary Cha. 

– Secretary Cha, please get me a ticket to Las Vegas for tomorrow. 

– (An emoticon of a saluting cat.)

She never used emoticons before. He felt like it was a sign that they’d gotten closer after yesterday. 

“Now, then…” 

Seo Jun-ho’s eyes sparkled as he rifled through his inventory. A moment later, he pulled out a refined bamboo flute. 

“The Flute of Tidal Breath.” It was the ritual flute that rid the whole world of hardships and brought peace. Depending on how it was used, you could have the whole world in your hands. It was such a treasure. He admired the flute with a new glint in his eyes. 

It looks cool. Though I won’t know the extent of its abilities until I use it. He checked the item info. 

「Flute of Tidal Breath」

Grade: Unique

Playing the flute will grant one of the following abilities:

This item will break after three uses. (0/3)

Use Requirements: Level 20, Possession of title ‘Helper of Ascension’.

“…Its grade is Unique.” A corner of his lip curled up. The item grades that had been discovered so far were Normal, Magic, Rare, Unique, and Legendary.* 

(TN: Item grade is not the same as skill or power/energy grade.)

“It’s the highest-grade item I’ve received since returning.” Its abilities weren’t normal either. 

They’re probably strong enough to completely turn the tide in a major battle or even a war. 

But he’d saved the best for last. Seo Jun-ho looked at the title he’d received from the Nameless Dragon. 

[Seo Jun-ho]

Level: 20

Titles: The One Who Opens Spring, Helper of Ascension

Strength: 59               Stamina: 58

Speed: 64                       Magic: 82

“Kya~” Seo Jun-ho started clapping, overwhelmed with emotion. “This is the first time that my Magic stat is higher than all the others.” It was something he’d never imagined when he was a magic idiot. 

But it’s not like my other stats are low. With these stats, he would have no problems hunting on the 2nd floor. Sandalwood is fragrant even as a seed leaf*. He was starting to wonder about his future.

(TN: Proverb that means ‘genius/talent displays itself at an early age’.)

At this rate, even the 3rd floor…

Wouldn’t he get stronger than the top players, the Nine Heavens?

“I want to meet them sometime.” It had been 25 years since his prime, and he was curious as to what the strongest players looked like in this era. Seo Jun-ho eagerly checked his new title. 

⟬Helper of Ascension⟭ 

Rank: B

Description: The title of the one who helped the Forgotten Dragon ascend and remember its original name.

Effect: +3 to all stats.

He clapped again from his bed. 

“It would be stupid to expect effects of the same level as ‘The One Who Opens Spring’. This one’s B-rank and that one’s S-rank. I’m still very thankful for this much.”

At the rate that he was growing, the day he could use sword aura wasn’t far off. Sword aura didn’t simply require a high Magic stat but also required an understanding for it. In the past, his Magic stat had been 115 when he’d received an understanding and started to use sword aura. 

I might be able to get it faster than in the past. 

Seo Jun-ho had been planning to rest all day, but he suddenly sat up. 

“I can’t just lay around after seeing this.” He needed to fine-tune his body with his new stats.

A drop of sweat spilled in training is a drop of blood saved on the battlefield. 

That was one of his favorite mottos.