The rice cake shop we visited for the first time was an elegant hanok-style establishment.
Its wooden framework and white hanji-covered walls exuded a traditional charm, while the teal-tiled roof added an extra layer of sophistication. What stood out the most was the fact that this shop occupied an entire traditional-style building.
When Baek Arin mentioned this, I couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the extravagance. But instead of letting me retreat, she dragged me inside, her hand firmly gripping mine.
A staff member greeted us warmly, explaining that this was a well-known brand. Considering its location within the Siyoram grounds and the sheer size of the shop, it made sense.
“I guess even rice cake shops can be brands,” I thought, marveling at the concept. Back in my old life, rice cake shops were nothing more than humble grinding mills in my mind.
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“This place is pretty impressive,” Baek Arin commented, inspecting the interior and the pathway leading to our private room.
“The floor’s so well-made you could sit directly on it, but why bother when you’ve got cushions like this?” she added, pulling over a luxurious purple cushion and settling onto it with a satisfied sigh.
“Much better. Even with my wide hips, cushions beat the bare floor every time.”
[Yes.]
[...Wait, what?]
[Huh? What was that?]
I blinked, confused, my hands busy placing Seo Yul onto her cushion.
“Hm? My hips. What about them?” Baek Arin replied, tilting her head innocently while patting her hip with a casual hand.
She continued, “Especially during dungeon raids or expeditions. Unless you’ve got a well-prepared base, you’re always sitting or lying on the hard ground during missions. That’s when I really appreciate having some extra padding back there. It cushions the tailbone better than nothing.”
[Oh, right...]
Her frankness caught me off guard, but she spoke matter-of-factly, as though recounting a practical observation.
As a descendant of the Azure Sea clan, one might assume Baek Arin had lived a pampered life. Yet, her experiences as part of her family’s expeditions clearly shaped her perspective.
“Of course, cushions like this are still way better,” she added, ending with a mock complaint as she adjusted her seat.
For some reason, my attention briefly wandered to her lower body.
Her slender waist contrasted sharply with her wide hips, which were noticeable even through her casual tracksuit. The plushness of her figure seemed like it would indeed soften any hard surface.
[Uh... Yeah, I guess that makes sense.]
“Right?” She flashed a cheeky grin at my hesitant reply.
Somehow, her comment still felt suggestive despite being perfectly innocuous. Shaking off the awkwardness, I settled onto my own cushion.
Soon, steaming plates of rice cakes were served before us.
‘There are so many kinds,’ I thought, slightly overwhelmed by the variety.
The staff explained each type: thick duk, mung bean duk, green millet duk... each crafted with unique regional ingredients.
“Shall we eat?” Baek Arin prompted, smiling.
[Yes, thank you for the meal.]
Though the sheer number of options made choosing difficult, my limited sense of taste and smell meant it didn’t matter much to me. Texture was all that counted.
I carefully picked a few pieces for Seo Yul, using scissors to cut them into bite-sized portions.
Though I still thought of her as a baby who needed help eating, she had grown into a capable child who could use chopsticks and even chew meat with ease.
Seo Yul stared at the small pieces on her plate before finally picking up a sweet potato rice cake.
“Nom.”
Her little mouth closed firmly as she chewed, her eyes widening in surprise.
[How is it? Does it taste good?]
“...Yes, it’s delicious,” she answered, blinking as she swallowed the bite.
Her reaction made me smile. She seemed to enjoy sweet potato snacks in general, so it was no surprise that she liked the sweet potato rice cake too.
Seo Yul rarely ever showed signs of being a picky eater. She happily devoured meat, fruits, and vegetables alike.
The only exception? Eggs.
One time, when I tried to introduce her to eggs by offering a tiny piece of yolk during her weaning phase...
This angelic, well-behaved child threw herself onto the ground, flailing her arms and legs in protest.
I was stunned. How could a child who ate vegetables without complaint be so utterly opposed to eggs?
Even when I tried to sneak in quail eggs later, she reacted with the same dramatic revulsion.
Strangely enough, she had no problem with chicken meat.
It was an inexplicable aversion to eggs—a mysterious quirk I never managed to understand.
Lost in thought, I was jolted back to the present by Seo Yul’s voice.
“But...”
[Hm?]
“Dad’s cooking tastes way better.”
I froze for a moment, processing her words. Then, warmth flooded my chest.
[Haha, thank you, Seo Yul. That makes me so happy to hear!]
It didn’t matter whether she truly believed that or was just being sweet.
What mattered was the pure sincerity behind her words.
[Who taught you to say such lovely things, huh?]
“Heehee, you did, Dad!”
Unable to resist, I pulled her into a tight hug.
She giggled, her soft cheeks brushing against mine as she snuggled closer, radiating a warmth that melted all my worries away.
.
.
.
After finishing our meal, we roamed around the commercial district.
The main goal of this outing was twofold: to purchase the necessary materials for crafting equipment and to give Seo Yul, who clung tightly to my hand, a chance to explore the outside world.
I also utilized my observation ability to scan the surroundings.
[There are so many students out today, aren’t there?]
The thought manifested through my pendant.
Although it wasn’t unusual for the commercial district to be bustling, the sheer number of students stood out.
“It’s because the Tower session just ended yesterday. Everyone’s probably out here blowing off steam,” Baek Arin explained casually.
[Ah, I see.]
A quick observation confirmed her words: the majority of the crowd consisted of first- and second-year students.
Since I had exited the Tower early on Thursday, it hadn’t occurred to me. But for most others, they’d been released on Friday night.
With the big event over, it made sense for them to flock here to unwind with friends.
Perhaps Hong Yeonhwa and Elia, who had claimed to be busy, were also out enjoying themselves with their peers.
[Baek Arin, are you sure you’re okay spending your time with me?]
“Hm? What’s with the sudden question?”
[Well, instead of resting or hanging out with your own friends, you’re stuck helping me and Seo Yul...]
While others were clearly enjoying themselves, Baek Arin was tagging along with me and Seo Yul, seemingly wasting her day.
She chuckled softly, waving off my concern.
“I am resting and having fun right now, though. What are you talking about?”
[Huh?]
“I mean, we just ate together, and now we’re walking hand in hand. Isn’t this what relaxing and having fun looks like?”
She swung our clasped hands playfully, a casual smile on her lips.
[Oh... um...]
[Thanks for saying that.]
“No need to thank me when I’m genuinely enjoying myself,” she replied with a cheerful grin.
Her radiant smile made my chest tingle, and I found myself turning my head to avoid her gaze.
[W-Well, let’s get those materials first.]
Clutching Seo Yul’s small hand tightly in mine, I strode ahead, ignoring the soft laughter coming from behind me.
The commercial district was filled with convenient and entertainment facilities, but it also housed numerous shops selling materials for alchemy, metallurgy, and other crafting disciplines.
While I’d never stepped foot in one of these stores before, today was different.
[Hmm...]
I rubbed my chin, observing the products displayed on the nearby shelves.
We were on the second floor, where materials for metallurgy were displayed.
Most of the shelves were stocked with ingots of various metals, alongside tools like hammers and specialized catalysts in liquid or powdered forms.
“This place has everything you could need,” Baek Arin remarked, scanning the selection.
She wasn’t wrong.
The shop was certified by Siyoram, so there was no risk of encountering subpar or counterfeit goods.
Seo Yul, still holding onto my hand, peeked curiously at the shelves around us.
I bypassed the ingots—those were primary materials I already had in stock or could source elsewhere. What I needed were secondary materials like catalysts and reagents.
As we approached the section lined with these items, the staff member who had been shadowing us quietly followed.
The wall of secondary materials was almost overwhelming, featuring raw herbs, finely ground powders, and liquids stored in small glass vials.
I glanced at the price tags.
Even a single vial of reagent was exorbitant, with a price starting at seven digits and trailing a string of zeros.
Even with my growing wealth and the bonuses I’d accumulated, I couldn’t help but grimace at the cost.
The sheer quantity of these premium-priced items was staggering, filling an entire wall.
After some mental calculations, I solidified my shopping list.
[Excuse me, staff member?]
“Yes, how may I assist you?”
The staff member offered a professional smile.
‘Never thought I’d actually get to do this in real life,’ I mused awkwardly.
Raising my hand, I gestured toward the leftmost section of the shelf.
[From here...]
I drew my hand across the length of the wall.
[...to there. I’ll take it all.]
“Pardon?”
The staff member blinked, a question mark practically hovering over their head.
Their reaction wasn’t surprising.
With such steep prices, most people would hesitate to buy even a handful of these reagents, let alone an entire wall’s worth.
Only someone truly reckless—or absurdly wealthy—would make such a request.
Even with the funds I’d earned from the Sifnaa and China incidents and other ventures, the cost was daunting.
But then again...
‘At Siyoram, being a special admission student makes you untouchable...’
With a smirk, I retrieved the card the Vice Principal had given me during a previous meeting.
Thanks to it, I managed to secure a 30% discount stacked with an additional 65% off.
Even so, my wallet felt a bit lighter after the transaction.
But hey, when it came to progress and crafting top-tier equipment, no expense was too great.