The adult ceremony has come to a successful conclusion.
Absolutely and perfectly so.
Thanks to Lee Yang-hoon introducing Jinseong to various people, he managed to achieve the ‘connections’ he desired. He made a solid impression on high-ranking officials as well as influential figures in the business world. Not only that, but he also caught the attention of military generals.
And not just any generals.
Perhaps it was Yang-hoon’s intuitive awareness of Jinseong’s interests.
These were generals connected to the DMZ, GOP, and Safe Zones.
Considering the presence of evil spirits and ghosts in North Korea, these connections could prove exceptionally useful.
Thus, Jinseong’s adult ceremony ended flawlessly.
“Jinseong’s” adult ceremony, that is.
“Ugh, so annoying!”
Unfortunately, for Iarin and Iserin who attended the event, the day would not be remembered in a good light.
The approaches of others seeking to build connections left the worst impression on them.
Connections are essentially like spider webs, spreading across.
However, even if they grow outward, those connections remain tenuous at best.
Just like the relationships between people, connections require ‘trust’ to transform into something sturdy and useful. And building such trust takes a long time and considerable effort.
But there exists a groundbreaking method to bypass this tedious process at once.
Blood ties are precisely that.
“That guy’s marriage, engagement, marriage, engagement, marriage, engagement.”
Objectively speaking, Yang-hoon’s family was not bad.
Moreover, his daughter was an exceptional prospect.
No, not just exceptional.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her top-notch.
She was beautiful, with a decent personality. She didn’t cause trouble, was not overly extravagant, had no scandals, and was quite sociable. On top of that, she was a ‘Capable Person’ to boot.
That alone was exceptional, but her abilities were also those that people preferred!
A warrior who could maintain youth and health for a long time, coupled with being a rare contractor recognized globally!
People went wild, approaching Yang-hoon, proudly bragging about their children while saying, “I’ve heard your daughter hasn’t linked up with anyone yet. She’s getting on in years; how about my son?”
And as soon as Yang-hoon began introducing Jinseong, all kinds of men flocked over, hiding their ulterior motives while pestering her with chatter.
Thus, it was no wonder they were annoyed.
Iarin expressed her frustration openly, venting her anger, while Iserin leaned against the Grimoire with a sulking expression, seeking solace. Iarin, unable to release her irritation fully, seemed even angrier, flailing about to her heart’s content. She tossed and turned on the bed, disturbing the covers, and skillfully sent her pillow darting off the wall and back to her in a game-like manner. Perhaps wanting to take it out on Iserin’s sullen face, she even threw the blanket over Iserin like a net, bouncing around on the bed and making noise.
And thus, the “room owner” protested.
“Hey, Puma. What the heck are you doing in my room?”
Ella shouted in annoyance as her room descended into chaos due to the sudden intruders. However, Iarin paid little attention, continuing to bounce about on the bed, and when Ella approached her, trying to assert her authority, Iarin applied the kinjutsu she learned at school to capture her.
Iarin’s arms slithered like a snake up Ella’s arms, reaching her shoulder, and before Ella could resist, Iarin unbalanced her, causing her to crash onto the bed. As soon as Ella fell, Iarin wrapped her arms and legs around her as if she were constricting her prey.
It was a technique incorporating jujutsu and pankration learned at school.
“What the heck! Let me go right now! Unwrap me!”
Ella screamed, having come to enforce her rightful authority, but she was met with misfortune. She shrieked as though about to burst Iarin’s eardrums, wriggling around desperately to escape.
But isn’t jujutsu precisely about how hard it is to escape once caught?
Ella was trapped, unable to move, and eventually lost even the strength to resist, lying still in submission. Confirming she was entirely worn out, Iarin finally loosened her grip with a satisfied smile.
“Ah~ That felt good.”
With a refreshing expression, Iarin stretched as she rose, then flashed a bright smile at Ella, who was giving her a vacant glare.
“You really relieved a lot of stress for me, thanks!”
“You stupid Puma….”
Iarin seemed to find amusement even in that expression. Then, as if a thought struck her, she grinned and plopped her head right on the waist of the prostrate Ella.
She lay on the bed using her as a pillow.
Suddenly turned into a pillow, Ella twisted her body as if trying to resist, but Iarin used her head to hinder Ella’s movements, making her efforts futile.
Seeing this, Iserin muttered in disbelief.
“Why is she using the art of flower exchange like that….”
She sighed at Iarin’s trifling yet impressive antics in the Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users, where only a handful realized the intricacies of such martial arts. Yet, deciding it wasn’t her place to intervene, she pulled her long hair forward, concealing her face like a ghost rising from a well, and leaned against the Grimoire.
As Iserin’s vision was obscured by her now-draped hair, she slowly closed her eyes and began to recall the events of the ceremony.
People looking at Iarin and Iserin, who had little time left before reaching adulthood, as ‘marriage prospects’ in the market; the third and fourth generation chaebols who were strangely dismissive of Lee Yang-hoon while admiring the beauty of the two; and the various secrets they bore thanks to having witnessed the powers of the Grimoire….
She aimed to neatly organize those thoughts using the memory technique Grimoire had taught her.
Long ago, a method used by a prime minister to remember numerous people in a certain kingdom. It was better in understanding and adaptability than the Memory Palace method and allowed for a notepad to pop up next to a person’s face like a memo.
It was a technique favored by Iserin because it allowed her to summon secrets readily.
Iserin recalled the faces of those who had annoyed her one by one, along with their ‘fatal’ secrets, and resolved that if they continued to pester her, she would make their lives thrilling by ensuring they’d never utter the word ‘marriage’ again.
[ So cute. ]
Grimoire was smiling with pleasure at the sight of Iserin’s fierce determination.
And Ella?
“Everyone out of my room….”
She was suffering.
“Why are you all in here like this…. I need to practice Witchcraft….”
Ella pleaded with Iarin, who had captured her and was using her as a pillow, and Iserin, whose long hair draped like a ghost. She wished desperately for them to leave, insisting that she had work to do while lamenting the disturbance.
But Ella’s ‘request’ had the opposite effect.
“No way. Today’s a day off for the bunny.”
Iarin set her foot down this time, even pointing out Ella’s pressure points.
Then, with a stern expression, she spoke to Ella.
“You sleep less than three hours daily, practicing all the time! Even though your life force is depleted and you’re barely hanging on, you don’t think to take a break! Looking for supplements and things that boost stamina while pushing yourself further!”
“That’s….”
“Bunny! Do you think you’re going to be young forever? You need to take care of yourself!”
Iarin chastised Ella, who only relied on her youth, stressing that practice must always be paired with adequate rest, delivering a lengthy lecture.
This speech continued until Ella finally nodded in agreement, understanding Iarin’s words, before Iarin stopped.
As soon as Ella nodded, Iarin flashed a bright smile as if to say she had never been cross with her and affectionately ruffled her hair.
“Good! Make sure you take proper breaks from now on, okay?”
“Yes, yes. I understand. So please let go of this. And can you please leave my room….”
Iarin, acknowledging Ella’s commendable attitude, patted her head. With her other hand, she extended her finger, concentrating her energy at its tip. Then she prepared to relieve her blocked energy channels.
This was a technique that helped promote restful sleep.
