“.....”

Cha Si-Eun peeked at Seo Jun-Ho from over her book, perhaps wanting him to leave. She tried to stare at him intensely and even tried narrowing her eyes, all in the hopes that he would leave. 

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

“Haa…” At those words, it seemed like she had given up because she 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.” 

“I didn’t say it’s strange. I just…” 

Seo Jun-Ho found this new side of her refreshing. He shrugged. “Don’t think the universe our ancestors mentioned is hidden in that book you’re reading,” he teased.

<The SSS-rank Munchkin Who Trained for 990 Million Years> [1]

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

“T-this…this is...” Cha Si-Eun started to fumble, blushing all the way to her ears. “T-then, what amazing book is Jun-Ho-nim reading?”

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

‘It’s...evenly matched.’

He was 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 it to her. 

“Can’t we call it a tie?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

“If you show me the title, sure,” Cha Si-Eun replied.

He showed her the title 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. He took a seat in the chair across from her. They had both taken critical hits and spent the rest of their time quietly reading their books. 

Flip flip

The only sounds that remained between them were the flipping of pages and the ticking of the clock. 

“Phew…that was good.” Seo Jun-Ho finished his novel and stretched 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.”

Cha Si-Eun revealed a bright look. 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?” Cha Si-Eun asked.

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

“Most people think that.” She stretched and pulled out the hair roll in her hair. “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 in them 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 had talked about since they first met. 

“Ah, it’s already this late...” Having realized that it was already past 8, Cha Si-Eun stood up. “I have to get going.”

“Do you want me to call a taxi for you?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

“That’s ok. I live right next to here.” She pointed at her three-striped slippers before briefly nodding at him in farewell. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Have a safe trip home.” Seo Jun-Ho smiled faintly as he watched her leave in her slippers. 

“...She must be having 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 live. But that was the life she had chosen herself. 

‘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 was able to recharge himself today 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 had put on for the interview was more than enough. Seo Jun-Ho 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 one of the Fiend Associations’ rendezvous points thanks to the Shadow guys.”

“What?! Really? Where?” 

Seeing how Shim Deok-Gu looked like he wanted to send Players right away, Seo Jun-Ho shook his head. “I’ll be going myself.”

“Hmm, I’m worried…..”

“About me?”

“No, not you. 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 had 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 would have useful information for him. 

“Well, since you say so, then 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.”[2]

“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 for achievements?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

Shim Deok-Gu was snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. “Nope. It’s not like it’s common knowledge.”

“56 in total. How do I know, you ask? Because I received all of them.”

“...” 

When he was Specter, he had been showered with medals. He had received every medal there was from the famous Grand Order of Mugunghwa to the insignificant Saemaeul Merit because it was forbidden by law to receive two of the same medal.[3]

“The highest I can get is probably the 3rd-grade Order of Diplomatic Service Merit. I don’t need it. I already have it.” [4]

“...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 at it, 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. You take half. Give the rest to Kwon Noya and commission him for a sword.”

“Wait.” Shim Deok-Gu turned on his Vita and opened a memo, ready to take notes. “Do you 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 that he still knows?” 

Seo Jun-Ho grinned when he felt Shim Deok-Gu’s worry. “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.”[5]

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

“Keke.”

“Anyways, thanks for the dragon bones.”

“Yeah,” Seo Jun-Ho coolly replied.

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

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

- (an emoticon of a cat saluting)

Cha Si-Eun never used emoticons in their conversations before. Seo Jun-Ho felt like this was a sign that they had 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 valuable 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 data. 

[Flute of Tidal Breath]

Grade: Unique

Playing the flute will grant one of the following abilities.        

1. King’s army                                                        

2. King’s expanse                                                        

3. King’s purity                                                        

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

Use requirements: Level 20.

Possession of title ‘Helper of Ascension’.

“...It’s grade is unique.” The end of his lip curled up. The item grades that had been discovered so far were normal, magic, rare, unique, and legendary.[6]

“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 had saved the best for last. Seo Jun-Ho looked at the Title he received from the Nameless Dragon. 

[Seo Jun-Ho]

Level: 20 

Strength: 59                 Stamina: 58

Speed: 64                    Magic: 82

“Kya~” 

Clap clap clap

Seo Jun-Ho started clapping, overwhelmed with emotion. “This is the first time that my magic stat is higher than all the other stats.” It was something he had never imagined to happen to him since 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.[7]

‘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 in the future.” It had been 25 years since his prime, and he was curious what the strongest Players looked like in this era. Seo Jun-Ho eagerly checked his new title. 

[Title: Helper of Ascension]

Rank: B

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

Effect: All stats +3

Clap clap clap

He clapped once again from his bed. 

“It would be stupid to expect effects of the same level as the ‘Bringer of Spring.' This one’s B and that one’s S. I’m still very thankful that it has this much effect.”

At the rate that he was growing, the day he could use a sword aura wasn’t far off. A sword aura didn’t simply require a high magic stat but also required an understanding of it. His magic stat had been 115 when he understood sword aura and started to use it in the past.

‘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 had to fine-tune his body with his new stats.

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

That was one of his favorite mottos. 

1. munchkin is a gaming term for an op player ☜

2. Korean equivalent of the White House ☜

3. 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. ☜

4. Second-highest medal after the mugunghwa, one of the highest civilian awards. Has 5 grades (1 being the highest) ☜

5. Type of Korean mandarin orange ☜

6. Item grade is not the same as skill or power/energy grade ☜

7. Idiom meaning ‘genius/talent displays itself at an early age’ ☜