Chapter 164 – K-Hero (2)

The corridor was in complete silence. Only the footsteps of two people and the heartbeat of a heart could be heard.

Click, clack.

When Kang Geom-Ma’s door finally entered Saki’s field of vision, an alarm went off in her head.

‘How did it end up like this?’

It took her too long to sort out her thoughts.

Why, how, why the hell did she suddenly blurt out that she wanted to eat kimchi stew?

Was it because she had been watching too many videos about Kang Geom-Ma on YouTube lately? Every time she opened the app, everything was flooded with thumbnails with a big ‘K’ in the title. Was that why the word “kimchi” came out of her mouth without thinking?

The most absurd part of it all was that it wasn’t even completely unconscious.

It came from that blurry line between consciousness and the subconscious, which confused her even more.

Besides, when she entered the dorm residence a while ago, the dorm manager looked at her with a strange expression.

Saki tried to respond somehow. However, the manager simply lowered the blinds as if she hadn’t seen anything.

But that look didn’t leave her mind.

‘Hey! Aren’t you supposed to listen to the full sentence in Korean? Why do you always draw conclusions for me?’

The academy had a clear rule that said “Romantic relationships are forbidden.”

Yet, they allowed boys and girls to freely enter and exit each other’s dorms.

No matter how much they wanted to ensure student freedom, at the very least they should have some basic rules.

‘But well… in the end, I too…’

Sigh.

Saki rubbed her forehead and sighed.

Yes, she was already here. It was time to be honest with herself.

She was nervous because it was the first time she was entering a boy’s room.

Think about it. Kang Geom-Ma had zero common sense in these things. Unless it was about “rewards,” he showed no signs of desire.

What were the odds of anything happening with him? Zero.

That stung her pride a little, but…

As she followed him closely, she suddenly focused on his back.

‘Kang Geom-Ma… doesn’t seem like the type to invite someone to eat in private… much less to his room.’

A small jolt of electricity ran through Saki’s mind.

If that were the case, that meant she was the first.

Her lips curled into a faint smile.

Just then, Kang Geom-Ma stopped.

Saki, snapping back to reality, also came to a halt.

“We’ve arrived. It’s here.”

“Ah… Yes, yes.”

Before turning the doorknob, Kang Geom-Ma asked:

“Your dorm is much bigger than this. Wouldn’t you prefer to eat outside?”

Saki shook her head firmly.

“It’s fine. Besides, ours is unnecessarily big. It’s ridiculous that student dorms are so spacious.”

“If you don’t mind…”

Screeech.

The doorknob turned fully.

Saki placed her hand on her chest to calm herself and braced to enter.

As she stepped inside, she quickly glanced around. Just as he had said, the room wasn’t large.

Maybe about 16 square meters? However, it was so well-organized that it felt more spacious.

The pillow, the sheets, the study materials, the theory books… Everything was placed with precision, aligned at perfect angles.

She had imagined a boy’s room would be messy, with socks on the floor and a stale smell hanging in the air.

She had planned to scold him with a “God, at least clean a little!” and maybe help tidy up.

But…

Saki sighed internally.

This was much cleaner than her own room.

There wasn’t a speck of dust, not a single strange odor.

It was a completely spotless space, without color or scent.

That was because Kang Geom-Ma had worked in a kitchen line, where hygiene was a top priority.

Also, he had served the country for three years. The habits acquired during that time still stuck with him.

While Saki looked around like a meerkat, Kang Geom-Ma pointed to the bed with his chin.

“Sit there.”

“…I can sit on the bed?”

“I have a chair, but it’s very hard and I barely use it. Besides, I washed the bedding just yesterday, so it’s fresh.”

“No… I didn’t mean it like that… Anyway, thank you…”

Saki gently sat on the bed and turned her gaze toward the kitchen.

Kang Geom-Ma was carefully taking out the ingredients they’d bought at the supermarket and checking them one by one.

“No issues with the expiration date or freshness.”

After confirming everything, Kang Geom-Ma rolled up his sleeves, exposing his firm forearm muscles, and grabbed the kitchen knife.

Saki watched him without realizing it.

It was a small and modest space.

But still, it felt so warm and satisfying.

It was completely different from her house, which was absurdly large but suffocating.

‘Home…’

During the holidays, when she decided not to return to Japan, her family didn’t even bother to call her.

They didn’t care whether their daughter had come back or not.

Now that her father had cut her out of his life, she felt more at peace.

From the beginning, their relationship had been skewed.

When she was thirteen, her father stroked her head and said:

—In this world, only the best are remembered. Look at me. Despite being the leader of a nation, when I’m next to the Sword Master, I’m ignored. I don’t want you to suffer the same humiliation.

—I won’t force you to do what I couldn’t achieve. But if you have even a shred of talent, you should aim to reach the Seven Stars.

—If even that isn’t possible, it’ll be hard for me to recognize you as my daughter. Because, frankly, I don’t have time for it, my third daughter.

Her father never called her by her name.

When she was little, she thought it was just because he was strict.

But over time, she understood the true meaning behind his words.

Kang Geom-Ma observed Saki in silence with a complicated expression. He called her by her name.

“Ryozo, you can’t eat spicy food. I’ll make the kimchi stew a bit milder than the one served during the festival.”

Ryozo nodded silently. Then she turned her head toward the window.

The sky was dark. Amid everything, the faint moonlight shone on her cheek.

The sound of the chopping board reached her ears. It was truly comforting to hear that.

Ryozo hoped that sound wouldn’t end in just a minute.

***

I made a kimchi stew that made Ryozo scrape the bottom of the pot with her spoon.

It seemed the spiciness I toned down and the sweetness I added with sugar suited her taste.

I smiled silently. Ryozo, when I first met her, wouldn’t eat anything that wasn’t sweet yokan.

And now I was watching her clean out the pot with enthusiasm. I could barely hold back my grin.

Another funny thing was that I was serving Korean food to a Japanese girl. In my past life, I sold Japanese food to Koreans.

Now it was the exact opposite. A new sensation filled me, like I was contributing to the globalization of Korean cuisine.

Something like a small sprout of patriotism.

After all this is over, maybe I should open a Korean restaurant… I thought for a second.

I rubbed my face hard. It was okay to have that kind of enthusiasm.

Up to that point, it was healthy patriotism. But if I let it go any further, it’d turn into ridiculous nationalism. And there’s no turning back from that. I felt a slight chill.

On Earth, I don’t know what Korea’s status is, but in this world, it’s already more than enough. In fact, it’s gone too far. As I mentioned before, it’s one of the two major world powers and the nation that houses Joaquin Academy.

And now they’ve added me to that equation.

Korean + Joaquin Student + □□□

The impact of that combination was too much. Edited video thumbnails with that mix and comments full of “bring in the makgeolli master!” were everywhere. An overdose of nationalism that was bordering on madness.

‘I’m going insane.’

And me, unable to do anything, just suffered. I could cut through the spells of corps commanders like it was nothing. But in the face of those videos, I was completely powerless. I wished I could slice through them like spells too.

‘Could I… cut them?’

If I could cut anything, couldn’t I cut YouTube videos too?

I had already cut fear once, making an ogre have a heart attack. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Snap!

I slapped myself. Cut YouTube videos with my sashimi? I was so confused my thoughts made no sense anymore.

I was definitely going crazy. At this rate, I’d end up screaming “bring in the makgeolli master!” too.

“Why are you slapping yourself?”

Ryozo asked as she removed the rubber gloves. Since I had cooked, she took care of the dishes.

Before answering, I glanced quickly at the sink. Ugh… I’d have to wash those dishes again.

Well, it’s not like a Japanese princess would know how to do dishes. Still, she was better than Chloe, who broke plates just by looking at them.

“Felt like there was a bug on my face.”

“In this cold? I don’t think any bugs are left. And in a room as clean as this, they wouldn’t come either. There’s nothing to eat here.”

Ryozo sat next to me naturally. The mattress dipped slightly under her weight.

A peaceful silence settled for a moment, until she threw out an unexpected question.

“Kang Geom-Ma, what do you want most in life?”

I glanced sideways at her. Several emotions were flickering in her gaze.

Emptiness, sadness, anxiety,

They were all negative emotions. I didn’t know why Ryozo had that lost expression, but one thing I did understand: that question was one she was asking herself. And along the way, hoping I’d help her find an answer.

‘What I want, huh…?’

Thinking about it, I realized I’d been so focused on the present that I’d never thought about the future. At the beginning of the semester, my goals were “peace, normalcy, safety.”

Of course, that was all long gone. And it was my own fault too.

I had stepped into this story with my own feet. Now I was part of the main plot thread. Like a side character supporting the protagonist Leon from the shadows. I’d played that role more than once.

…But what happens after the Demon King is defeated?

My entire life had been focused only on these three years. But even after the war against the demons ends, I’ll still be here.

‘So, what will I do afterward?’

Ryozo’s question had unraveled a long thread of thoughts.

“Sorry. That was out of nowhere, wasn’t it? It’s just… you always seem so disinterested in everything… I got curious if there was anything you truly desired.”

Ryozo waved her hand like she was trying to lighten the serious mood. I answered in a quiet voice.

“Family.”

“…..?”

“I don’t have parents. And even if I wanted them, they’re not going to appear. So all I can do is keep wishing for them.”

It was true. In this life and in my past one, I’d never experienced the warmth of a family.

What others took for granted, for me was a deep longing.

Ryozo blinked several times, then her eyes opened wide. Her face turned red in an instant.

Did I go too sentimental? I wondered for a second, until I heard her voice, faint and trembling.

“Family… you can… make one…”

“Hmm?”

Ryozo stood up abruptly and ran toward the door.

“That, that! Let’s talk about it again when I turn 18!”

With those words and nothing more, she vanished, leaving behind a trail of her sky-blue hair fluttering in the wind.

I stared in her direction for a moment, then sighed and collapsed onto the bed.

Ding~

At that moment, my phone screen lit up.

[Chief Sung: Kang Geom-Ma, we’ve scheduled your visit tomorrow to the Korean branch of the Association. But… a small problem has come up.]

Tap tap.

[Me: A problem? Don’t tell me I won’t be able to access the Monolith or something?]

[Chief Sung: Well… as you know, you spoke with the Association’s Deputy Director this afternoon.]

[Me: Yeah. It was just a generic chat. I said if he came to Korea, I’d like to treat him to a meal.]

[Chief Sung: Well, after you left, he contacted me personally. Says that after “crossing swords in words” with you, he’s dying to meet the real you in person.]

“Crossed swords”? Since when does inviting someone to eat count as verbal combat for that guy?

[Me: So, uh… how soon are we talking?]

[Chief Sung: He’ll be here in a few hours.]

Ding~

[Chief Sung: Also, he said he wants to be your personal guide during your visit to the Association. I tried to talk him out of it, but it was useless. I’m really sorry. ㅠㅠ]

[Me: ?]