Chapter 117

When a person endures an overwhelming amount of suffering, the brain can’t handle it and puts the body into standby mode—meaning you pass out. Not that I had any desire to experience such rumors or information firsthand…

When I opened my eyes and tried to get up, all I felt was cold pain. My trembling body and sharp pains jabbing at me like needles. Every movement brought with it a dull ache, as if I had some sort of fever.

It was impossible to gauge how much time had passed since I collapsed. My head was foggy, making even thinking feel like too much effort—a clear sign of fatigue settling in.

“Ugh…”

My throat was so dry I could barely make a sound. And this was after the pain had somewhat lessened! The thought of enduring even more when reaching mastery filled me with dread. Truly, there might come a point where too much suffering becomes dangerous.

“Recovery…”

Block, Restore, Regenerate. I cast the spell that came to mind, layering it over myself. It was my hard-earned Level 1 Advanced Magic. Naturally, using magic now felt smoother than ever before.

Gradually, my body began to heal, and I could feel control returning to me. Sensing the strength flowing back into my fingertips, I clenched and unclenched my fists repeatedly, savoring the return of vitality.

Coldness seeped through my rear, but it was a sign my senses were awakening. My mind cleared like someone who’d just been doused in icy water.

Checking the time, I realized dusk had fallen. A gentle stillness hung in the air, accompanied by the cool glow of night. As I stood and stepped on crunchy autumn leaves, I headed home.

But the moment I took my first step, a massive influx of information forcibly flooded my brain—the flow of magical energy. Streams of light moved across my vision, revealing the fundamental elements composing the world. The vibrant hues binding together in blue represented life itself—each living thing pulsating with its own unique warmth.

Leaves on the ground glowed gray while those still clinging to trees shimmered green. The sky radiated a soft blue, and winds carried streaks of white light.

Next came intricate details about manipulating magic—partially overlapping what I’d learned from combat but diverging enough to be fascinating. How moving mana caused certain phenomena… All this knowledge stacked itself systematically inside my mind like a tower being built brick by brick. Though taxing, I gritted my teeth because it was undeniably useful.

The brilliance of magical constellations bathed me in radiant splendor, offering a thrilling sensation far beyond physical improvement gained through battle training.

[Advanced Magic Level 1 Achieved! Choose your effect!]

[1. Mana Conversion System]

[2. Twin Mana System]

Finally, the system acknowledged me—an unofficially trained mage now wielding Advanced Level 1 Magic. Even though I wasn’t formally initiated, simply being able to use magic made me content.

The choices didn’t matter much anyway. Without knowing exactly what they entailed, I carelessly picked one with my finger. Option 1 lit up, but since option 2 would likely apply eventually too, I didn’t worry about it.

With late evening approaching, I hurried home, reassuring everyone despite feeling sore—I knew telling them would only cause unnecessary concern.

After enjoying a peaceful dinner together, night fell quietly. Thus ended another uneventful day.

*

“It’s snowing.”

Day one of winter. Anne woke unusually early, gazing outside the window muttering to herself. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I turned toward her standing near the window, staring blankly at the snowy landscape.

“Are you okay with going out in the snow?”

I gently wrapped my arms around her from behind, tilting my head to ask.

“The snow’s fine… It’s different from rain,” she replied, her gaze shifting from the heavy clouds to meet mine with a soft smile. Her pale skin shone brilliantly against the falling snow.

“But lightning still scares you, so you won’t go outside even on snowy days, right?” I teased.

She stuck out her tongue playfully, looking every bit like a soggy puppy lacking energy.

“Don’t worry. I’ll always be here when the lightning strikes.”

“That’s true.”

Then, gripping my arm holding her, she tickled my hand softly. Her tender touch sent pleasant sensations coursing through me. Anne seemed to notice, snuggling closer into my embrace without letting go.

The spirits also stirred awake, gathering around my feet with their usual cheerful demeanor. Whether winter or spring, as long as they could plant seeds in the soil, they remained ever consistent. Watching them brought a smile to my face, which Anne mirrored with her own giggle.

“Aww…”

Jack rubbed his eyes groggily as he approached us.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Jack picked up a spirit and rubbed it against his cheek. Familiar with the gesture, the spirit bounced happily around him, showing a deep bond formed over time.

Of course, daily interactions in the greenhouse naturally fostered such connections. Quietly leading the spirits outside, Jack left, remembering I’d open the door for them but treating him as their primary playmate.

“Are you awake…?”

Warmth lingered indoors thanks to the heater and underfloor heating system. Snuggling within its comfort, Evangelin finally rose, rubbing her eyes and addressing me with a sleepy voice.

“Yeah. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, it was warm for once.”

“Evie, it’s snowing outside.”

“Really?”

We gathered around the window, gazing dreamily at the winter scene. Uncharacteristically mild for winter, flakes drifted lazily, melting upon contact with the heated windowsill into trickling droplets.

Today promised to be busy—with greenhouse construction, instructions for the fairies, and planting seasonal seeds to complete farming achievements. Though winter might bring fewer tasks, the start of each season always kept things hectic.

Still, delaying wouldn’t hurt. Anne looked uncertainly at the overcast sky despite claiming she was fine with the snow. Keeping promises meant sticking by her side.

“Should we stay in today? All day?”

At my suggestion, Anne’s eyes widened like a squirrel’s, her lips curling upward uncontrollably as she nodded enthusiastically.

“Okay!”

Her excited response woke little Yul, who stirred sleepily in bed.

“Our Yul is awake?”

“Yep.”

Yul confirmed with a small nod, her black horns gleaming brightly.

“Let’s head downstairs. Breakfast awaits!”

“Alright!”

Skipping joyfully down the steps, Anne radiated happiness with every movement. Watching her, Evangelin chuckled softly—Anne truly was transparent in expressing her emotions.

Yul followed cautiously, carefully descending step by step. Though stairs posed risks for children, we always supervised closely, and I could always heal minor injuries with magic if needed.

Evangelin naturally took her place in the kitchen while the rest settled at the dining table. Both Anne and Yul swung their legs mimicking each other, though Yul’s shorter limbs added extra cuteness to the motion.

For breakfast, warm soup awaited us. My preference for Korean cuisine often influenced our meals, though Anne and Evangelin gradually adapted to suit my tastes.

Soft, steaming rice accompanied the soup, creating a perfect spread enhanced by delicious side dishes.

Especially prepared by the incomparable chef Evangelin, this meal doubled our joy. While her cooking proficiency hadn’t increased lately, we already enjoyed immense pleasure from her efforts, leaving room for growth during future adventures. Among my skills, cooking ranked lowest in urgency to improve.

“Wow, what’s this?”

“It’s meat pancake. Thinly sliced meat marinated then coated in egg and flour before lightly fried.”

“Sounds delicious!!”

Though perhaps heavy for breakfast, we paid no heed to such distinctions. With my improved digestion allowing greater consumption, I relished everything heartily.

“A~”

“Aa~”

Anne dipped the meat pancake into soy sauce mixed with chopped green onions and red pepper flakes before feeding a piece to Yul. Chewing happily, Yul’s face lit up.

“It’s yummy!”

“Tastes good?”

“Yes!”

“Want another one?”

“Please!”

The polite gesture accompanying “please”—hands neatly clasped and extended forward—made Yul tilt her head curiously when noticing our laughter. She probably didn’t realize how adorable she appeared.

Accepting more meat pancakes from Anne and Evangelin, Yul happily cradled her cheeks.

“This is ‘chung-gook-ki.'”

“Where did you learn that expression?”

“Bought it!”

Language barriers aside, Yul’s cuteness and healthy growth mattered most. Our cozy morning gave way to a leisurely rest period, drawing fairy visitors naturally.

“Humans!”

“Hi!”

“We’re here!”

“It’s so warm here!”

Peeking through the slightly ajar door, fairies popped their heads in one by one. Fluttering inside, they circled us briefly before settling into various spots.

“Ugh, it’s freezing outside!”

“But thanks to your clothes, we’re warmer!”

Chirp chirp. Though I couldn’t fully understand their chatter, Anne listened delightedly.

“What are they saying?”

“They thank you for the clothes keeping them warm.”

“Hehe, really? That’s great.”

As translator, I facilitated conversations between the fairies and us. Meanwhile, Yul continued her studies. Despite the gloomy weather and continuous snowfall, Anne remained cheerful.

Naked fairies shivered outside, entering our home to claim their turn in receiving Anne’s latest fashion craze sweeping through fairy society.

Apparently, they even established an order system, bribing others to move up the queue for Anne’s creations. Imagining fairies diligently searching for items pleasing to Anne struck me as quite endearing.

“I prepared some snacks for the fairies.”

“Wow! Food!”

“Thank you, food human!”

“Food human”? Hmm. Technically correct but somehow off-putting.

Nevertheless, upon seeing Evangelin arrive with treats, the fairies eagerly gathered around, secretly munching away. Observant Yul stealthily joined in, proving young appetites remain voracious indeed.

“What are the fairies saying?”

“They thank you for the food.”

“Hmph.”

Seeing Evangelin capable of such smiles warmed my heart. She nodded contentedly.

Thus concluded the first day of winter—a pleasantly warm yet lazy day free from unnecessary pressure. Tomorrow would provide ample opportunity to fill any gaps. Starting from day two, we’d steadily progress step by step.