Chapter 270: Everyone’s Time
Yz2The thick fog clouding my vision slowly began to lift. However, my ears still felt submerged underwater—muffled and deaf. It seemed I hadn’t fully regained consciousness.mLu
3x5OU9M“Lord Geom-Ma…!”xaZy
WYfk7fBI covered my eyes with one hand and then slowly slid it down across my face. Only after the burn of that motion ran over my skin did I turn my gaze.HBgWfxa
nNZZrEShail and Karon were watching me, their eyes filled with worry.jY2Wtj
jBZvhI turned toward the window behind me. A pale full moon hung in the sky. It wasn’t late anymore—it was night.AJdu8AM
DTuMvConsidering I’d touched the relic late in the afternoon, quite a bit of time had passed since then.NknH1U
AsPlF‘It doesn’t feel like even five minutes have gone by…’IRF58I
yhky9I waved a hand to signal that I was okay. Only then did Karon, who had been pacing nonstop, let out a deep sigh. Shail, on the other hand, was fussing in obviously exaggerated concern.hxnCw
EHXeWRS“That lifeless look doesn’t bode well. I must stay by your side tonight to care for you.”5j1KJr
4smkuR“I told you I’m fine. I’m not a child.”yu3
r2bI brushed her off somewhat coldly. If I didn’t, that woman would probably follow me all the way to my room.Pru
glXmLgT“You are a child, Lord Geom-Ma.”5MgTXV
EgoTiK“…You just said a while ago that my mind was like that of a man in his forties.”doNg2
MVZp6“Ah, I don’t know how I could’ve said something so outrageous…”Xa99p
416NwHVShail smacked her own forehead. I stared at her for a moment before asking.9MR
24sal“So, what happened after I touched the relic?”pdDjqlZ
vvlmHJ“The moment your finger touched it, a light burst out.”YhmosUl
mH2Karon answered.rTvHJ
bRQ9“Right after, you lost consciousness and collapsed in the chair.”IAzI
lQfQn9L“In other words, I fainted.”tYK
eVt“Yes. At first, we were going to call the medical staff, but… then you spoke with your eyes closed. ‘He’s not in danger, so maintain your positions,’ you said. Your voice was yours, yet not quite… I don’t know how to explain it, but just hearing it made one feel reverent.”d1x5
ajkKBN“Hmm.”Smfn9
lzFBvAObviously, that wasn’t me speaking. It must have been the God of the Sword speaking through me. Understanding the situation brought a wave of relief. I glanced at the wall clock.hTV
6XJta[A.M. 03:00]l3MRiNi
NbjThe drowsiness vanished instantly. I quickly turned to them.C1Or
Abgh8Vs“Don’t tell me you’ve been here this whole time.”ylfn
C0znF“Yes.”Im7jrQQ
4LznShail and Karon nodded in unison.yMR
VzZOb“So that means you’ve been stuck here for seven or eight hours.”GY557
tml7“We’re here to assist you, sir. We were just doing our duty—no need to worry.”4Ada
quXZI tried to cover my eyes again but ended up just rubbing my brow. In moments like this, the right thing to do is offer a simple thank-you.dDjcZME
M7y“You both did well. Go get some rest.”3q2V2
VzCngYO“Yes. You rest well too, Lord Geom-Ma.”0Mha
mvwnMeKaron and Shail exited, closing the door behind them. But I had barely been alone for a moment before the door opened again.pws
czrYIaNA second later, Shail peeked her head in, half-hiding behind the door, and said.Wxq
bvwO“If you need company tonight, don’t hesitate to let m—…”UERxIV
arAzK6Seeing my hand reach for the bookshelf, she fled in an instant.mLKki
Qx3T“…Didn’t remember Shail being such a joker.”SlD6m
FhLI let out a small laugh. Who am I to talk about personality changes?9iy
TsD“After all, no one’s changed more than I have in just a single year.”wHg
U1dEven now, when something displeased me, my reaction was still violent.Qdba26i
gU1l‘Have I always been this way…?’CSZCnC
jjHy7My memories were a bit hazy.RCVg
RIbI clumsily opened and closed the hand I had reached for the sashimi with, but in the end, just let it drop.9gNl
uuVgYQ“I should move that shelf… I’m picking up bad habits.”RUF
pGzCyle***kggJ
CagJRyozo was lying face-down on the bed, her chin resting on the pillow. The tops of her feet tapped the sheet alternately.7xo
FDwh[Ryozo: Are you busy with work?]ZmUT
SmeDAU[Kang Geom-Ma: More or less. How about you—how’s your mom’s place? Are you doing okay there?]YpVK
9Wvb“Hmm.”Yy8
EwqvWShe tilted her head slightly, still resting on the pillow. The soft fabric brushed gently against her left cheek.g0Wzwa
iroRnI“What should I reply with…?”3dj
sdZCDuring winter break, Ryozo would be staying at her mother’s house.8UH
clgxGIt felt odd to use the word “stay” between a mother and daughter, but then again, Cynthia wasn’t part of the Saki family.E45lqU9
A3X87Originally, Ryozo had planned to spend the holidays hospitalized at the academy’s affiliated clinic. However, the institution had notified all students to return home, to keep them away from potential danger.zURaX
IkOUQIFHostile forces had attempted to infiltrate several times—and had succeeded twice.Y1d
cFYARJoaquin Academy was no longer safe. The fact that the administration admitted this was unprecedented.S4Ju
XMaYtu3That was only possible because the group of Elders—formerly the backbone of the system—was gone. They had prioritized honor over practicality.qi1
WkE0A2Now, the academy acted with logic and speed. It recognized its shortcomings and sought to improve. It embraced change and progress.Nxiv
ZWZuThe students, too, were influenced by this mindset. Even the arrogant noble heirs didn’t complain.UaDdV
mfMCc7CAt this point, both the headmistress and Kang Geom-Ma were figures everyone trusted implicitly.rmeKuFa
Elppu4VThat’s why Ryozo agreed to leave the hospital and head to Busan. She turned down her sister Saki Hina’s offer to get her a private room in Japan. After all, her mother could give her all the extra care she needed.qPCZK
QCrzIn truth, it didn’t matter where she spent the holidays. Whether the place was big or small.qmbPpY
XuyglWhat really mattered was being in the same country as Kang Geom-Ma.pDoCG3
FGdIEThough, well, her mother’s house wasn’t exactly small…6yTa02
DBYtU6‘…Okay, maybe just a little.’ZLQmflu
OrwdyJThe apartment was over 130 square meters, but Ryozo had grown up in palace-like mansions.FuwMH9k
QsdASMiddle-class living felt like a humbling experience for her.tpJGxs
esZed6D“Ugh, what should I say?”05F7aB
aPqShe groaned while massaging her forehead. It was just a casual conversation, but every word felt important.0xrxzIH
fL3gNot that they’d stopped talking recently—she just started overthinking every message.LEA6
LMda2xP[Ryozo: Busan’s not bad. It’s warmer than Gangwon. If you have time, maybe you could come vis—]aEc
NT80O“No, that’s way too direct!”HyE
wzEShe smacked her forehead and hammered the delete button several times.rozSU
IcFrBcShe was in the middle of writing and deleting when she felt a presence behind her.VwGto2
SWm“……!”uf2e9
rt7ZThe door was wide open. Cynthia stood leaning against the frame, an ambiguous smile on her face.o8b
XJZVoThump!k1GX27A
LnMNDRyozo rolled off the bed.D7II
oEe“M-Mom!”bYmze4o
QoSGShe sprang to her feet. Her forehead burned, though she couldn’t tell if it was from the bump or from falling to the floor.wis53
hgUlgv“C-c-could you please respect my privacy for once!”LKVC6i
EYfCynthia snorted.kyjf
f8mk“Missy, this is my house, you know? If anything, you’re the one invading my privacy.”R8X
S8F“…….”8x1p7
yLWKIRyozo pouted and glared. She had no comeback—Cynthia was right.vU5mWYY
S0IMIq“And I’ve called you for dinner several times. Did you even hear me? Or not even that?”hAgKhB
8URyoQ“I didn’t hear you…”YB2
YtDRight then, her smartphone screen lit up.drE
j6pYx[I heard her.]IONpYVH
DtpXIt was Vixbig, joining the conversation.0ekh5N
2RCmfDl[She didn’t just call you—she also knocked twice. But of course, you were so distracted you didn’t even notice.]ulgts
X7t“……”90Gd9uw
fO6Ryozo’s eyes sparked as she glared at the phone.KjDqg4R
whURThe screen, which had been glowing, suddenly shut off like a blown fuse.mNp1hlp
2P4pz4q“Did you see that?”D2SOo
4rGoscCynthia shrugged. Then, suddenly, her expression shifted.fnxah
NCAy5wX“Daughter.”BJj6o
7QvdgPFShe walked over and knelt in front of Ryozo.cL4e5X
CEWhcShe held her by the shoulders, her serious gaze making Ryozo’s chest tighten.Yi1b
xrp“How old will you be in five days?”tER
sQPtToday was December 27. Ryozo had only four days left as a seventeen-year-old girl.dNMw9W
sNfwk“Eighteen.”UG0crGJ
NG88vf“Those feelings and doubts you’re experiencing—I had them too at your age.”zpkknGT
dlmCynthia let go of her shoulders and, with a warm smile, brushed Ryozo’s messy bangs aside.6nrix
7UGytq“It’s part of life. That pure sensitivity—it’s something you can’t feel anymore once you’re an adult.”LIU
qjdRyozo’s eyes glistened. The warmth of her family tugged at her heart.4O49o9
dyQYVS“To be honest, eighteen’s already a bit late for late-blooming adolescence… but you still have time, Ryozo. You’ve got two years ahead of you. Use them to lay a strong foundation.”bKr
ZA1faSUp to that point, all was well. But then Cynthia added.cx1ufyp
VRea“And once you’re an adult—take him down in one shot!”Np6Ot
8cJ9f6Ryozo’s face froze.BYv0v1c
9g74e“What…?”9IA35
E6Nx7gE“I can’t let my daughter lose to another woman.”iDy
uyiC6hzCynthia flipped her hair back. Her mature, elegant face lit up with confidence.zpRYD
HFy1tShe blew a strand away from her forehead, and a competitive flame danced in her eyes.oySx3
IDKT4zA“Get a notebook and start taking notes.”2zkA
50pmKXIAnd so began the legendary doctor’s impromptu sex-ed lesson.daPoxx
BDBThe more intense the class got, the more Ryozo’s blue eyes spun. Her face was so red, the swelling on her forehead looked ready to explode.XRvsx
C7EJgEven so, as dizzy as she was, she kept her ears wide open.B687ahJ
14lAfter all, the classes teens pay the most attention to always come with a very good reason.xdFQUAa
mUQci9z***ysg
sZHwTime flew by.3fjrFb
oQcsJmThe days were so busy I barely had a moment to breathe. I was so absorbed in work, I nearly lost all sense of time.dJy
pXc96It wasn’t until much later that I realized I had gone from seventeen to eighteen. That’s how committed I was.DToVb76
OZqAnd I’m not exaggerating—even ten bodies wouldn’t have been enough. I had to handle both the Seven Stars’ duties and track down conspiring factions.hlpCE
cdWIi‘Don’t I have some kind of Double Blessing or something among all these?’mtD62KW
UAb7DI stretched, loosening up my stiff limbs. After staring blankly for a moment at the mountain of documents, eyes sunken, I stood from my chair.Lw93e
GUCH1Aa“I’m going for a walk. Just a walk.”mQR4X5f
dsdXThe air in the office was so heavy, I felt weighed down inside. I desperately needed some fresh air.skp
V3g814I threw on a light coat and stepped outside. Walking through the empty academy had a strange touch of melancholy.CUK5BtF
ZLd“I’ve spent exactly one year here.”2ZJOW
R6LBiI remembered the first time I arrived, stepping into the snow. Back then, all I had were worries.HR9
igVCA future shrouded in uncertainty, a bank account draining by the day, an academy life that seemed incomprehensible at first.cxDPL
C6GzBcBut now?A4or
2WFleXFOne way or another, I had overcome all kinds of hardships—and even come to understand why I was pulled into this world.RpcJ
AtAzI raised my hand for no particular reason. My palms were full of blisters and calluses.7iGxs
wFGd“…This body, originally belonging to Lycan.”uHtiM6
5VHZLnYThe reason I had buried myself in work these past few days was because I still couldn’t fully accept that truth.eyP
S5dmBjI had always believed this body—this Kang Geom-Ma—belonged to a minor, inconsequential character.k0FE3X
NJ0UCLBut in reality, it was the body of the First Corps Commander. No matter how many times I turned it over in my mind, it was absurd.Z18
QecAnd yet, when I looked back calmly, everything added up.piH
MNNAfter all, the invasion led by Sixth Commander Basmon half a century ago had been justified by the “resurrection of Lycan.”bTqLW
8TU‘At the time, I thought it was just another generic cliché from a cheap mobile game.’u5XKPn2
KsluYThen it hit me—what if Miracle Blessing M was actually a game with a meticulously planned story?f66a4xB
wUi“Maybe it was disguised as a game from the beginning.”NpVR5y
3LCI recalled the God of the Sword’s final words.fcE90
tI5Ui“When we meet again, you’ll be far stronger than us.”zbw
nUbWho was he referring to with “us”? I didn’t know yet.mTCm6
bPq4j7ABut I think I understood what that god was trying to tell me.jxr804
6188nWhat I still had left to accomplish was far greater than anything I had done so far. Maybe he was just expressing that in a roundabout way.1omdB
RfVCnnUI looked up at the sky. The midday sun pricked at my eyes.a0mLqQL
lZnxw“So this is what it feels like to be blessed by a god.”TYh
itN4qI murmured, placing the edge of my hand over my brow to shield my eyes.d4y
DA4Maybe it was because it was New Year’s Day, but today’s sun shone with extraordinary clarity.xlwbZm
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationPeak.
Sergey Kononov
MortalGoooooo ask the Green one how to use magic u fool🫠🫠