The successful casting of unique magic happened at lunchtime that day.
In the morning, I reviewed the progress so far and completed the final adjustments.
Then, I attempted the unique magic in the practice room, and it was successfully manifested.
Afterward, the magic broke down.
Among the dissipating remnants of magical energy, Ha-Yul could not bring himself to feel happy.
The next day, I would have to leave the tower.
That thought pierced my heart, as if a skewer had been lodged in it.
‘......’
Time passing was only natural.
Especially when a person is focused on something, time seems to move even faster.
Since entering the Knowledge Tower, I had rarely loosened my focus, and that only made it feel even faster.
Half of my day was spent in intense focus, studying diligently.
The other half, I also studied on my own, or took naps in Ariel’s embrace or attended to other tasks.
Because of this, time passed even faster, and the approaching separation felt too sudden.
“Let’s go to bed early tonight.”
Ha-Yul’s mood was clearly visible from his demeanor.
After successfully casting unique magic,
The sudden release of tension made him realize the impending separation.
It felt as though a dark cloud followed him everywhere, bringing a heavy atmosphere with it.
Especially the wings he wore had dramatically changed.
The artifact so deeply connected to him affected Ha-Yul’s state.
The bright and clear blue color was now shadowed, like clouds overtaking the sky.
What once floated cheerfully in the air now drooped sadly and dragged on the floor.
“Now... come here.”
Ariel, who had been debating whether to give him time alone to control his emotions,
Finally embraced him as his gloom continued to deepen.
And that night, they went to bed early.
The first floor of the tower was dark early in the evening.
Only a faint moonlight-like glow illuminated the floor.
As usual, Ariel leaned back in her chair, gently brushing Ha-Yul’s hair as he rested quietly in her arms.
"...Can’t you sleep again tonight?"
After a little time had passed, Ariel whispered softly in Ha-Yul’s ear.
His senses were already alert to the warmth of her embrace and the soft scent of her skin.
Normally, he would have quickly fallen into sleep after a little indulgence, but now his consciousness seemed too clear.
[Yes...]
Ha-Yul shifted a little in her arms before responding.
A feeling of ticklishness spread through his body, and he finally raised his face from her chest to rest his chin there.
Ariel placed her hand on Ha-Yul’s cheek,
Gently cupping it and massaging it tenderly.
Ha-Yul didn’t resist the comforting touch of her hand.
“Can’t sleep, or is there something uncomfortable? I can try to fix it.”
[It’s not uncomfortable...]
“Then why can’t you sleep?”
Ariel’s voice was calm, but her gaze, as she looked down at him, was filled with a kindness that suggested he could indulge in any whim.
Ha-Yul hesitated and mumbled,
Just... the simple thought of not wanting to fall asleep.
But he was too embarrassed to say such childish thoughts aloud, so he buried his face back into Ariel’s chest.
“......”
Soon, Ariel’s hand gently stroked his hair, calming him as if to soothe his thoughts.
There were no words spoken, but a feeling passed through her touch, as if saying she knew exactly what was going on in his mind.
Ha-Yul, even more, hid his face deeply in her embrace.
When there are meetings, there must also be farewells.
He knew that truth, but Ha-Yul had never been accustomed to either meetings or farewells.
The suppressed sobs resonated in his throat.
He reached out and tightly wrapped his arms around Ariel’s waist.
Though his arms were short, Ariel’s waist was so small that he could embrace her fully.
And when he buried his face into her chest, her warm and gentle touch, along with her body heat, surrounded him.
As he pressed his face into her warm flesh, the soothing scent of her body calmed him, bringing peace to his mind and body.
“......”
The soft breaths he took, enjoying the scent of her skin, and his body’s tender movements as he pressed closer to her were becoming familiar now.
When familiarity fades, loneliness begins to creep in.
Suddenly, Ariel turned her gaze and looked around.
Nothing had changed.
The surroundings were still empty, with only a table and a newly placed chair beside them.
It was a chair added recently, something meant for Ha-Yul, but it would be removed tomorrow.
Thinking of him, Ariel felt a sudden ache in her chest.
A strange resonance filled the air, and ripples spread through the chair she was sitting on.
The ordinary chair, now affected by magic, transformed into a rocking chair.
[?]
“It’s fine.”
Startled by the sudden change, Ha-Yul lifted his head from her chest.
Ariel smiled faintly and patted his back to calm him down, pushing gently with her legs.
Creeeek...
Ha-Yul tightened his hold around Ariel’s waist as he felt the strange sensation.
Creeeek...
He then relaxed his arms a little as his body rocked forward.
The rocking chair moved back and forth.
The sensation of the chair rocking for the first time in his life... felt strangely unfamiliar.
“How does it feel? Is there anything uncomfortable?”
[Uh... no.]
“Good.”
Ha-Yul awkwardly mumbled in response as the rocking continued.
Ariel found his reaction quite cute.
Ha-Yul, who had once leapt over tall buildings and ripped through the air,
Now felt unfamiliar with the gentle rocking of the chair.
As Ariel quietly looked down at him, she slowly began to speak.
“Grasia... The head of the Tower of Coordination was really lighthearted and reckless. She stirred up trouble by needlessly poking things that would have passed if left alone. In an industry where speaking carelessly could cost you your life, it’s truly surprising she survived until she met us.”
Ariel's words were trivial stories from the past.
Light topics, unencumbered by restrictions.
But for Ha-Yul, who didn’t want to fall asleep and wanted to stay close to Ariel, this conversation was actually welcome.
Moreover, the topic was interesting, and Ha-Yul listened attentively.
As he listened, various sounds filled the air.
The crackling of firewood, the soft hum of a breeze, the distant clanking of golems wandering around...
When Ha-Yul pressed his ear against her chest, he could hear the steady rhythm of her heartbeat right beside him.
That heartbeat sounded like a lullaby.
“May I ask you something?”
How long had he been immersed in such warmth and whispers?
In the growing drowsiness, a cautious question came to him.
“How... did you come to care for me?”
[Yes...?]
Ha-Yul lifted his head slightly from her chest.
With a look of surprise, Ariel softly continued, sensing his confusion.
“Do you not dislike us for giving you affection?”
In truth, Ariel had both looked forward to and feared her first meeting with Ha-Yul.
He didn’t know the whole truth, but he must have guessed who had brought him here.
The moment Ha-Yul entered the Knowledge Tower,
Ariel had thought it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried to kill her.
He might have even shown hostility and disdain.
She and the other tower lords had brought Ha-Yul to this world.
They had their reasons, and they had worked hard to prepare for him.
But in Ha-Yul’s eyes, they had thrown him into an unfamiliar world.
In the end, the powers the tower lords had given him had worked out unexpectedly well, and Ha-Yul had almost faced death the moment he arrived in this world.
No matter how much they justified their actions, if Ha-Yul held hostility, there was no way for her to defend herself.
[No, I don’t dislike you.]
[In fact, I’m grateful to the tower lords.]
Ha-Yul couldn’t quite believe that he was the one receiving gratitude.
“...How...?”
[From what I’ve heard, my original world was going to be invaded anyway.]
“...But that’s just speculation. In the end, we brought Ha-Yul here and forced you into battle.”
[Then, it’s better to fight in a better environment, isn’t it?]
Ariel’s face grew complicated at Ha-Yul’s simple response.
While it wasn’t an incorrect statement, one couldn’t just think of things so positively.
[I don’t want to hate Ariel.]
Of course, if he looked for reasons to hate, there were many.
But Ha-Yul thought it was just nitpicking.
On the other hand, there were many things to like about her.
The Tower of Space and Coordination had entrusted their powers to Ha-Yul, and they endured the duties of the tower on his behalf.
Though the match between the powers was unexpectedly perfect, almost causing his death upon arrival, even they hadn’t foreseen that.
The Tower of Growth had built the Siyoram, a safe and fast-growing place for Ha-Yul.
As for the harm he faced outside... that was his choice.
Looking back, there were more reasons to be thankful than to hate.
And...
[Thanks to you bringing me here,]
[I’ve been able to meet people I care about.]
In his previous world,
There were many fleeting relationships, people passing by without a trace.
How many people did he pass on the street, and how many connections were broken with just a few words?
But he never truly had a deep connection, someone he could rely on and trust.
Even his online friends during his reclusive days—though they shared some emotional exchanges—Ha-Yul had always prepared himself for the day they might disappear.
In truth, he had never truly met anyone face-to-face with whom he formed a real bond.
Back then, Ha-Yul was afraid of the outside world and those he met outside.
Even those who smiled at him could harbor dark intentions, and despite their good intentions, Ha-Yul was always terrified and ran away.
If he hadn’t been forced to go outside and make connections,
If he hadn’t been summoned to this world,
He might have lived his whole life alone.
He might have never known the warmth of others, the comforting sensation of a hug, the sweet scent and heartbeat of another person, and could have died lonely.
[Thanks to you, I’m happy.]
[And I’ve gained the strength to be happy.]
[Thank you so much.]
Rather than finding reasons to hate, Ha-Yul wanted to find reasons to be grateful.
It was better to like than to hate.
The necklace of confession conveyed these feelings quite well.
“......”
Ariel no longer asked any questions.
Instead, she sealed her lips and calmly continued stroking Ha-Yul’s head.
The last night passed in that warm atmosphere.
"...When will Ha-Yul come back?"
Late that night,
Hong Yeonhwa, rummaging through the kitchen and pulling out the food Ha-Yul had prepared, muttered to herself.
Lately, she had felt lonely.
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She missed Ha-Yul, the small and fragrant presence she could always hold close.
[The Tower of Coordination’s head says not to slander Ha-Yul.]
...
[The Tower of Coordination’s head is sniffing.]
[The Tower of Growth’s head bows deeply.]