‘Ughhhh...’
I had a humiliating experience from the very morning. I couldn’t help but run my hands through my hair, groaning in frustration.
‘I slept with my mouth wide open all night and drooled... and not just on the pillow or blanket, but all over Baek Arin’s chest.’
It was unbelievable and so embarrassing that I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head.
I could have at least dealt with it if I was alone, but I ended up causing trouble for someone else...
“It’s fine. Drooling a little doesn’t break your heart, does it?”
Baek Arin chuckled softly at my struggling appearance as I sat on the bed. She adjusted her open shirt, then walked over and patted my back comfortingly.
I turned my head slightly to avoid her gaze.
Although the victim was saying it was fine, the embarrassment still wouldn’t go away.
Hong Yeonhwa was still fast asleep. Even though Hong Yeonhwa usually woke up when sensing a disturbance, it seemed the fatigue from adjusting my Guhwa’s wild fluctuations the night before had worn her out.
‘Ugh...’
A sigh slipped out.
A little while later, Hong Yeonhwa finally stirred and came out of her dream world.
“The trial seems to be over.”
Her comment came before we began breakfast as she checked my condition.
It wasn’t just a casual glance.
She sat me in her lap, and her hand slipped under my clothes to gently rub my stomach. A soft warmth, accompanied by her mana, thoroughly examined my body.
“The heat has settled. No signs of an outburst, and your mana has calmed down.”
The trial of Guhwa was over.
Her words carried weight, as she was someone who had mastered Guhwa far beyond my level.
Most importantly, I knew my own state. Just the day before, I would’ve turned into a fiery rage just by staying still, but now, the mana was calm and steady.
‘...’
Usually, someone who has awakened their unique ability can recognize their own power.
I’ve heard that not everyone can sense all their unique traits like I can. The major ones that stand out as abilities are usually recognized, while the minor or more subtle traits might not be.
That was how I had felt. Without needing to use my Observational powers, I could sense it easily when I focused.
The feeling of discomfort I had since waking up was still there.
I rubbed my chest with a strange expression.
Countless unique abilities. Two major ones stood out, with many smaller ones gathering around, growing steadily.
And then, near them, something that hadn’t been there before—a new, distinct, and strong unique ability, made itself known.
The awareness burned like a blazing fire.
‘Guhwa.’
It was unmistakable, but I didn’t understand it.
‘I haven’t activated Homogenization. So why...?’
I could feel Guhwa.
Even without going through Homogenization, Guhwa was making its presence known, and it wasn’t an illusion.
It wasn’t a mistake. Both my senses and Observational abilities clearly recognized it.
I didn’t understand it, but the fact was clear.
I had manifested Guhwa. It wasn’t a mere imitation through Homogenization; Guhwa had truly settled inside me.
‘How?’
My face was filled with confusion and disbelief.
Looking back, the whole thing about me facing the trial of Guhwa seemed odd.
The third round was the one where I should’ve manifested Guhwa. I had previously manifested only a partial Guhwa, using it sparingly when I was alone. I used it efficiently based on round time, and even after graduating from Siyoram, I continued to use it.
I had dealt with it for so long. But I had never actually faced the trial of Guhwa. I had assumed that because I had only manifested a partial version, there would be no trial.
So, I thought the trial wouldn’t happen to me.
I wasn’t even a full manifestation, just a temporary imitation.
It wasn’t like I had an incomplete unique ability buried inside me. I had just changed the nature of my mana to resemble Guhwa for a brief period, and I could summon the flames of Guhwa.
And yet, I faced the trial, and now, Guhwa had truly taken root inside me.
‘So now, do I need to be cautious of Guhwa?’
I hadn’t paid much attention to it before. I only needed to control my emotions temporarily when the flames erupted. But now, I might need to be aware of Guhwa’s influence all the time.
‘What if Changae and Taesan also settle in? Will I become a mental wreck with constant mood swings?’
Suddenly, I remembered a dream I had just had.
Like most dreams, the memory wasn’t crystal clear, but a few things stood out.
Guhwa, Changae, and Taesan, all in use, and in the end, I died deep in the Magic Battlefield... the memory of the third round.
And the second round I encountered at the Tower of Growth.
‘...I should have been able to learn something at the Tower of Knowledge.’
Though it’s uncertain if I can even enter at this point.
In any case, the trial of Guhwa had ended.
Because of that, my emotions were stable, and there were no indecent thoughts.
“I didn’t expect it to take this long. I thought it would be done in a few days like me...”
“Ugh...”
It didn’t happen.
The sensation of a hand rubbing my skin, causing me to squirm from the ticklish sensation, was inevitable. The itchiness was a physiological reaction, so I couldn’t help it.
My train of thought was abruptly interrupted.
“It took almost ten days, didn’t it? Finally done!”
Clap-clap—Elia clapped her hands, her eyes shining as she looked at me with a bright smile.
I wasn’t the only one in the living room.
Baek Arin, who had been sleeping next to me, was there, along with Elia and Seo Yul, who had come out from the other room.
“Does this mean Guhwa won’t go out of control anymore?”
“Yeah... for now, it seems like that. But it’s never completely safe, since Guhwa can erupt at any time, even outside the trial...”
“You mean it’s just like usual? That’s good! Then, we can all sleep together, right?”
“Y-yeah... that’s true...”
“Lately, Seo Yul has been really lonely. Right, Seo Yul?”
“Yes, I want to sleep with Daddy.”
Elia asked, and Seo Yul, as if prepared, replied clearly.
Her glaring eyes pierced into me. My shoulders involuntarily shrank.
I hadn’t been able to spend time with Seo Yul because I was dealing with Guhwa. I had dedicated myself entirely to training with Guhwa, trying to get used to it while I could.
It seemed like Seo Yul had built up some complaints over that time.
“......”
Hong Yeonhwa, with a somewhat awkward look, alternated between looking at me, who was still in Baek Arin’s arms, and Seo Yul, who was in Elia’s arms.
It seemed like she felt a bit dissatisfied, but at the same time didn’t want to separate a parent from their child. Her eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
With those words, a strange silence filled the room.
“Well, now that the trial is over, I suppose Guhwa will change, right?”
[Yes, it will.]
The silence was broken by Baek Arin’s calm voice.
In the awkward atmosphere, everyone, except Hong Yeonhwa, was looking at me with watchful eyes, and I smiled and replied with a hint of color on my face.
Then, I extended one hand forward.
It was to check the state of Guhwa. I knew it had settled within me, but only by activating it could I be sure of the changes.
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I was curious to see how Guhwa had transformed.
Had the output increased? Maybe like Hong Yeonhwa said? Or maybe the side effects also grew?
‘Manifestation... Guhwa.’
Guhwa settled in my palm.
The sunlight that had been pouring in earlier seemed to recede, and the flames colored the surroundings.
The flames rose up, stretching upward like Guhwa awakening.
“Wow...”
Squeak... My arm, which had been around me, tightened as I was still in Hong Yeonhwa’s embrace. She was staring at me with a dumbfounded expression, muttering in awe.
The reactions of everyone else weren’t any different. Their eyes widened, staring at the flames in front of them, and gasps of admiration escaped their mouths.
“It’s beautiful...”
Elia’s comment.
Even I, watching the flames, couldn’t help but agree.
The fire swayed vigorously as if it were a burst of life, then, like accepting the world’s natural cycle, it twisted gracefully as though performing a dance.
It still had its red color, but there was something different about it—somehow, it felt warmer, more soothing than dangerous.
Before the evaluation, it was undeniable that the flames themselves were aesthetically pleasing. That’s how my brain interpreted it.
“Wow, wow... it’s so beautiful...”
“...Yeonhwa. Can such changes occur?”
“Huh? Well... It’s not like changes haven’t been observed before, but... I’ve never seen one like this.”
Hong Yeonhwa, who was supporting the flames in my hand, answered slowly, as if lost in admiration.
It wasn’t just Hong Yeonhwa. Everyone had gathered around me, watching the flames closely.
‘...Why does it look so beautiful, even though it’s fire?’
I tilted my head slightly, still puzzled. I thought it would just increase the output and end there, but the atmosphere of the flames had suddenly changed.
Outwardly, it looked more like a decorative flame rather than one for battle.
I couldn’t help but marvel at it.
The flames remained beautiful, and everyone continued to admire them until I extinguished the flames.
...
With the trial over, the ticking time bomb that had been clinging to me disappeared.
Though the danger wasn’t completely gone.
Now, I had to be cautious of Guhwa even in my everyday life. Before, I only had to control it when the flames erupted, but now I might be affected by Guhwa at any time.
‘If Changae and Taesan settle in as well... will I become a mental wreck, with emotions constantly fluctuating?’
Suddenly, the dream I had earlier resurfaced.
Though not a clear memory, some parts lingered.
Guhwa, Changae, Taesan—together—and in the end, the Hayul of the third round died in the Magic Battlefield...
And the second round I encountered at the Tower of Growth.
‘...I should have learned something at the Tower of Knowledge.’
Although it’s uncertain whether I can even enter there.
At any rate, the trial of Guhwa was over.
Thanks to that, my emotions were stable, and indecent thoughts didn’t cross my mind.