Chapter 39

The table was set with a lightly toasted slice of bread, crowned with a perfectly poached egg that overflowed in golden splendor, alongside sizzling sausages evenly drizzled with ketchup and mustard. And there was fresh orange juice made by tossing an entire orange into the mix.

Seeing this spread, my eyes sparkled with admiration when suddenly Perseus smirked and spoke to me and Chae-a.

“Eat up!”

Normally, thanks to Seorin or Han Arin who always take care of our meals, and the Spirit Master or counselor who often bring snacks, we’ve been eating so much that our bellies are perpetually full. But…

Since everyone’s been busy and there’s no proper space to cook, it felt like ages since we last had homemade food.

“Is that why? It tastes even better.”

While I thought about how food made with care is just so heartwarming, Perseus chuckled and glanced at me. Meanwhile, Chae-a, sitting beside me, stared quietly before grabbing her wagging tail and said:

“Chae-a wants to go ‘ang-nyang-nyang’ too!”

She’s gotten into the habit of using honorifics when asking for things, so with sparkling eyes, she pleaded. Since it wasn’t too difficult, I nodded, but then remembered that making such sounds while eating isn’t very polite. So, I decided to show some maturity.

“Yeah, but you have to finish eating first. Otherwise, you’ll get scolded!”

At my words, Chae-a gasped dramatically, gently let go of my tail, and whispered:

“If someone comes to scold me, please tell them that Chae-a ate diligently!”

“Alright, Chae-a is such a good girl.”

Feeling proud watching Chae-a eat enthusiastically, Perseus observed us and chuckled again.

“You’re taking good care of your younger sister.”

“Huh?”

Though his comment almost made my lips pout involuntarily, I managed to catch myself in time—proof of my growth! While being called “younger sister” was a little sad, I also felt proud of how far I’ve come. In this bittersweet moment, Perseus continued.

“Haven’t you wondered? How much do you know about dragons, Hae-un?”

That question left me momentarily stumped. All I knew were basic facts about dragons: they live long, possess extraordinary abilities and talents, and cherish their kin.

“Like…they live a long time, are highly talented, care for each other…”

And if I stretch a bit more, they love building lairs and can awaken special abilities. With that limited knowledge, I hesitated, nibbling on my bread. Perseus, noticing my struggle, ruffled my hair kindly and explained further.

“One key trait of dragons is that hatchlings are always prioritized in any situation.”

I tilted my head in confusion. That didn’t seem too different from “cherishing kin,” as far as I understood. Blinking curiously, I asked for clarification, and he proceeded to share slices of his sausage alternately between me and Chae-a.

“In short, if you want to learn something, there’s no need for complicated procedures. Just ask dragons who excel in that field. If you want something, simply approach the dragon who has it.”

Although I couldn’t fully grasp it yet, I could sense the enormity of what he meant. Intrigued, I listened intently as he snapped his fingers, creating a shimmering mana orb in midair.

“For instance, magic, astrology, summoning—if you wish, Hae-un, you could learn these.”

“Magic…?”

My curiosity skyrocketed at the mention of magic, prompting me to ask Perseus directly.

“Does that include cleaning magic?”

“Cleaning magic? Of course!”

Could there really be such an amazing form of magic? As excitement bubbled within me, I quickly grabbed my wiggling tail to stop it from betraying my enthusiasm and pressed on.

“What about bathing magic?”

“It’s possible if you tweak cleaning magic a bit.”

“Wow!”

This was incredibly fascinating. I thought learning this would greatly help Seorin later on. Feeling strongly motivated to learn, I looked at Perseus earnestly, only for him to pinch my cheek playfully and continue.

“Do you want to learn?”

“Y-yes!”

“There’s one condition though.”

Fortunately, since Perseus hadn’t charged me earlier, I still had some money saved. Though it might not be enough, I figured working hard could eventually cover the cost. Nodding vigorously, I prepared to hear the terms. Perseus extended both hands toward me.

“Place your face here, and I’ll teach you magic.”

“Huh?”

He formed what looked like flower petals with his hands, looking at me expectantly. Startled, I widened my eyes, unsure of what to do. Seeing my hesitation, Perseus added with a slightly disappointed tone:

“If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s fine. But if possible, I’d appreciate it if you’d try.”

After pondering deeply between embarrassment and a sense of duty, remembering the rarity of magical knowledge and Perseus’ greatness, I finally placed my face in the makeshift flower cup.

“Click!”

Did he just take a photo of me doing this? Realizing this could become terrible blackmail material, I gasped in horror. Perseus, however, grinned like a ghost nearing enlightenment and reassured me.

“As promised, I will pour all my resources into teaching you magic, Hae-un. You can look forward to it.”

Though puzzled by the word “pour,” I assumed it wasn’t anything bad and nodded in agreement.

‘This is so embarrassing…’

I wished there was a hole nearby to hide in. Covering my heated face with my tail, I tried calming down when Chae-a, observing from the side, declared confidently:

“Chae-a can do it too!”

Surprisingly, she mimicked the gesture, forming her own flower cup and placing her face inside, looking extremely proud. Finding her adorable, I couldn’t help but smile. She noticed and giggled, turning to me.

“Did Chae-a do well?”

“Yeah.”

“…Then praise me!”

Remembering how much she enjoyed being praised during disc throwing, I petted her head and showered her with compliments, effectively shaking off my earlier embarrassment.

* * *

After breakfast, we headed to the lair. There was no particular reason; I just wanted to check out the flowers and stones the Spirit Master mentioned earlier as unusual. Curiosity led us straight to some dazzling flowers and stones.

“Wow, they’re sun-like!”

Chae-a, captivated by the glowing objects, rushed over to inspect them closely. Concerned for her eyesight, I pulled her back gently as Perseus watched and commented appreciatively.

“The Sunflower and Stone.”

“Sun…?”

“Yes, the sun. These are rare finds—a Sunflower that blooms once every hundred years and the precious stones formed only near it.”

Still confused, I blinked repeatedly until Perseus pointed at the flower and elaborated.

“This flower enhances recovery rates for those around it, while the stone boosts its owner’s luck.”

Recovery speed and luck? Sounds incredible! As I gazed at them silently, Perseus slipped the stone into my pocket.

“Carry it with you.”

How much will my luck improve? Maybe I’ll find 500 won coins while walking? Lost in hopeful thoughts, I noticed Chae-a giggling beside me.

“Chae-a loves the stones too! Last time, Earthworm Sister and I admired them together—it was super fun!”

“Earthworm… earthworm…”

Was that an earthworm sound I heard? Ignoring minor details, I listened to Chae-a’s explanation as Perseus patted our heads fondly.

“I’ll visit again in a few days. Stay healthy till then.”

“Okay!”

With that, Perseus handed us over to Han Arin, who was approaching, and left.

* * *

The next day.

Perseus arrived earlier than expected and addressed us calmly.

“Originally, I planned to bring you two days later, but the elders kept messaging me every three seconds… Anyway, since permission was granted, I’m here to pick you up.”

Exuding deep fatigue, he sighed and stroked our heads before continuing.

“Let’s get going then. I’ll open the path, and you fetch the children.”

“Got it.”

Han Arin nodded and carefully held our hands. Watching this with awe, I turned to see Perseus give us a brief warning.

“Let me apologize in advance.”

“Hmm? Is there a problem?”

Looking up, I saw Perseus covering his face and sighing deeply.

“Whether human or dragon, living long tends to make one overly energetic, leading to excessive antics.”

“Annoying habits…?”

Confused by his cryptic words, I blinked, prompting him to chuckle bitterly and elaborate.

“In short, they will probably like you too much—to an exaggerated extent. Anyway, you’ll see when we get there.”

With that, Perseus teleported us away.

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