Chapter 7

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

……

So, it wasn’t a dream.

I recalled the intense and heated dawn I had spent with Ari.

“There, there…!”

“A little to the side! Ugh, yes, there….”

“Clean it up nicely….”

“Be careful…! You’re getting it all over the sheets!”

Just recalling the dialogue makes it feel a bit weird.

It was a terrifying abandoned house where ghosts might pop out, but cleaning the whole place was too much, so I focused on just one room.

Excluding the Saint, who had the audacity to run away first, I worked up a sweat to make a room where at least Ari could sleep.

Then I stumbled back to the shop and passed out.

After finishing my brief reminiscence, I stretched.

Day 2 of being in the game.

Time to start the busy day of a shop owner.

Before we parted ways yesterday, the Saint whispered to me with a very serious expression:

“That hood is an item blessed by the goddess. Even if it’s a bit uncomfortable, please try not to take it off.”

So today, I reluctantly pulled the slightly uncomfortable hood over my head again.

Clatter—clang—thud—

I gathered all the daily sale items from the Seer’s Shop, checked the updated daily quests, and began the shop owner’s day.

—

First customer.

“Did you sleep well, Arc?”

“……Thanks to Yo-Hena, I slept very well.”

[The customer is satisfied.]

……?

What?

Why is she satisfied just from a greeting?

Anyway, I got a free quest count filled.

Feels good.

“Here’s a gift for being the first customer.”

I took out a favorability item from my inventory.

Yo-Hena’s face lit up with a beautiful smile.

“Thank you, Arc.”

Hmm.

A hundred-point smile.

“Here, have a potion too. It’s good for your health.”

Yo-Hena’s smile faded.

It’s really good for your health, though.

After exchanging a few words about yesterday’s events,

“Um, please don’t use the slate in front of others. It might cause unnecessary misunderstandings… And always wear the hood!”

After leaving that reminder, Yo-Hena said she’d visit the shop again later and left.

We both have our main jobs, after all.

See you tonight, Saint.

—

After Yo-Hena’s good morning visit event, regular customers started lining up.

‘Serena, Haiyan, Sorin, Frederica……’

All familiar faces.

Most were 3-star friends, and like last time, they mostly traded small amounts of weird items.

I thought about pulling a few aside and handing them contracts, but since 3-star common contracts require quite a bit of resources, I decided it was too early.

But I’m short on hands.

I don’t know about other things, but rebuilding the Guild House with just Ari and me… ugh.

I’ll have to build other buildings in the future too. Surely I won’t have to grind everything manually, right?

“Excuse me, owner. Can I check out?”

“Ah. Yes.”

Snapping out of my thoughts, I took in the sight of the cool, tanned, muscular warrior woman.

“What do you usually do?”

I couldn’t help but ask.

But I’m curious.

What does a cool, tanned blonde warrior girl (3-star) usually do?

It’s not even in the ancient records of Goguryeo.

The golden-tanned girl, Brown, tilted her head at my sudden question and then answered cheerfully.

“I’ll do anything if you pay me!”

“Ah.”

Anything, huh.

Anything.

A lightning bolt of inspiration struck my mind.

Hehe.

Hehe…!

“Brown. Could you help me out? I’ll pay you well.”

Muhaha…!!!

—

In front of the temporarily closed shop, ten 3-star warriors gathered.

Ari? Why are you there?

Anyway.

“Thank you for gathering. We’ll now begin the reconstruction of the Guild House, where the Seer will reside.”

Actually, I’ll be living there, but my party members will too.

But since it’s originally the Seer’s building, it’s not a wrong statement.

Motivational exaggeration.

And.

“Here, everyone, have a drink before we start.”

“A potion…!”

“This rare item only found in the Tower… As expected of the Seer….”

“Just one sip and I’m overflowing with energy!”

The satisfaction of the nine soared instantly.

“Ari?”

The only one with a bad expression was Ari.

Ah.

She must be a bit uncomfortable seeing what she was supposed to drink being given to others.

Anyway, we’ll be farming more in the Tower tonight, so it’s a small investment for high efficiency.

To help her understand my deep intentions,

I whispered to Ari.

“You drank a lot earlier. I’ll let you have more tonight.”

“…….”

Anyway, I’ve gathered the workers.

The materials needed for the building repair and the furniture to decorate the interior are mostly stocked in the shop.

Shop owner, you’re the best!

“Let’s go. Let’s finish this quickly. For the Seer!”

“For the Seer!”

“For the Seer!”

My conscience hurt a bit.

—

A few hours later.

As the sun was setting—

[Guild House]

– Current capacity: 1 / 8

– Current comfort: 17

– Current coziness: 20

– Current splendor: 8

Still.

It’s not at the level where I can say, “Ah—what a nice house—.”

But at least the exterior is decent.

It seems like the place has evolved into a decently livable house.

The inside is also neatly cleaned up.

“Everyone, you’ve really worked hard.”

I praised the heroes for their efforts.

And of course, rewards shouldn’t just end with words.

*Jingling jingling—*

*Splish splash—*

“Here’s your pay for today, plus a bonus. Please continue to help out in the future.”

“Thanks, Arc!”

“Now I can have beer and snacks tonight!”

“Call us again next time, Arc!”

The heroes’ satisfaction was through the roof.

If we had conducted a survey, they would’ve given us a solid 5 stars.

Three-star heroes giving a five-star rating. That’s pretty fancy.

…No, no. Let’s stop with the discriminatory thoughts.

One by one, everyone left with happy smiles.

We’ll gather again tomorrow.

Now that the construction has officially begun.

The only one who stayed by my side.

The resident of the Guild House and my direct subordinate, the hero.

“Ugh, I’m so tired…”

Ari sprawled out.

As I gently patted her head.

“Take a little rest. Tonight will be busy too.”

I promised a bright and hopeful future.

* * *

It had been a long time since I soaked in warm water.

I submerged myself in the old but still functional bathtub, filled with my own sweat.

“Ah…”

Ari thought about the busy day she had.

And about the man who had jumped into her life since yesterday.

Arc.

The guy who always wore his hoodie backward, which was pretty funny, so she teased him every time she passed by.

But even when she laughed and teased him, he never really reacted, so she quickly lost interest.

However.

“Drink this.”

“Take it slow.”

“Don’t spill it.”

“Eeek…!”

The moment she recalled his gentle voice and mesmerizing looks.

A shiver ran down her spine!

Of course, the memory of drinking it was pretty tough.

…And there’s still a bit of trauma every time the potion bottle sloshes.

But still.

Thanks to that, she gained an enormous amount of magical power that she could never have achieved on her own.

And he celebrated her growth as if it were his own.

He gave her courage when she was unsure.

He even provided her with a place to sleep and wash, something she never had while cramming into the attic of an inn with her friends.

She was grateful.

Moreover.

That touch earlier.

The gentle hand that softly stroked her head.

“It felt so good…”

It had been so long since she received such kindness from someone.

Even though she became a hero through a divine revelation.

There was a strict hierarchy among heroes.

She was only a three-star.

A hero-in-training, barely worthy of the title.

There were countless amazing, capable sisters around her who seemed so much more impressive.

Not just in skill, but in age too.

Ari had just become an adult.

The warm kindness and attention she received, which she never even got back home, meant so much to her.

Is this what having an older brother feels like?

“Alright, I’ll do my best today too…!”

Refreshed and recharged with motivation.

*Rustle, rustle.*

After getting dressed and stepping out of the bath, Ari headed to the Guild House’s lobby-slash-living room.

“Oh, perfect timing. You must have been disappointed earlier, right? Let’s finish eating before we head to the Tower.”

“Eeeek…!”

Even though she ate so much yesterday.

The sight of a box filled with the same amount of food that had been distributed to the other heroes earlier.

Made Ari have a fit.

* * *

“Arc? Are you here?”

*Creak—*

Yo-Hena, unable to find Arc at the shop, carefully opened the door to the Guild House and stepped inside.

“Ari…?”

Damp hair.

Flushed cheeks.

A slightly pained expression.

Heavy breathing.

A hand gently rubbing her lower abdomen.

Yo-Hena took in Ari’s entire appearance, which seemed to radiate a strange allure.

Oh, come on.

Isn’t it too soon for ‘that kind of thing’?

Shouldn’t it take at least six months, no, a year?

A brief moment of chaste imagination, fitting for a saintess, passed by.

“Yo-Hena, you’re here! I was waiting for you…!”

Ari forced a bright smile as she greeted Yo-Hena.

Soon after.

“Yo-Hena, you’re here? You’re late.”

From the space connected to the living room.

Arc’s face peeked out from the kitchen door.

His face was calm, as if nothing was wrong.

But Yo-Hena didn’t miss the single line of sweat trickling down his forehead.

…It’s not the kind of weather to be sweating in winter.

Yo-Hena sensed something was off.

But still.

Did you two… do ‘that’?

She couldn’t just outright ask something like that.

For some reason.

Something.

Something deep inside her welled up with emotion.

“…The space has definitely improved. I’ll start living here from today too. Please take care of me.”

In a fit of emotion, Yo-Hena decided to move in.