NoveLight ™
"Hmph."
I barely managed to convince Hong Yeonhwa, who was on the verge of carrying me straight to the infirmary, to settle for letting me rest for a while.
“One more, huff.”
In the cozy rest room, equipped with plush sofas and a bed, Hong Yeonhwa sat me down on the bed and started wiping my nose with tissues, gently cleaning away the blood from my nostrils.
Her tone was a little embarrassed as she spoke, but I didn’t really mind it. In fact, I quietly leaned in as she fussed over me, enjoying the feeling.
“Really? Are you sure you’re okay? You shouldn’t hide it if you’re in pain, okay? Promise me.”
[Really]
[Really, really]
[I’m fine]
I nodded repeatedly, reassuring her that I was just a bit overexerted and fatigued.
Even the Confession Necklace confirmed my innocence, but the worry etched on her face remained unshaken.
The same concern was reflected in her touch as she softly stroked my cheek.
At first, I thought she might be overprotective, but for some reason, I found comfort in her fussing over me.
I liked the way her anxious eyes lingered on me, and the way her soft hand caressed my cheek while muttering words of worry...
'This is... oddly satisfying...'
It was a strange thought, even for me. I felt a bit guilty for enjoying the pure concern Hong Yeonhwa was showing.
Suddenly, my vision blurred. It wasn’t like the dizziness I had felt earlier—it was something more familiar.
[Sleepy]
[Slumber]
[Soft bed]
I was exhausted. With the preliminaries over, I felt the creeping drowsiness closing in on me.
‘How many days has it been since I last slept?’
I hadn’t slept since the day before the midterms began, so it had been nearly four days.
While the written exams and dungeon runs had been manageable, the intense battles during the preliminaries had left me utterly drained...
‘Yeah... I need to sleep...’
The fear that I might pass out on the spot suddenly hit me.
While it wouldn't be a problem to sleep here, I’d rather rest in the dorms, if possible.
More importantly, my first opponent in the main tournament wasn’t going to be an easy one.
[Tournament Main Bracket (Group A)]
⑴ Lee Hayul │ Baek Ahrin
‘Baek Ahrin.’
Of all people, my first opponent was Baek Ahrin.
Honestly, I could guess the outcome, but even at this point, she was someone who could handle Ocean’s Wrath with considerable skill.
I should look forward to the match for what I could learn from it...
Still, considering the nature of my opponent, I needed to be in top condition.
I should hurry back to the dorm, take my medicine, and get some rest.
That thought in mind, I tried to get up.
"Hayul... If you're sleepy, you can rest here."
I couldn’t get up. As soon as Hong Yeonhwa heard the necklace's voice reporting my drowsiness, she blinked and, without hesitation, pulled my head into her embrace.
Smoosh... My face was suddenly pressed into something soft and warm.
The warmth radiating through her clothes was enough to make my already fading consciousness slip away even faster.
[Sleepy]
[Soft]
[Warm]
[Dorm]
‘I... I need to sleep in the dorm...’
I struggled to hold onto the last shreds of consciousness, but then Hong Yeonhwa brought her lips to my ear and whispered.
"It’s okay. You can sleep here. I’m right here with you, aren’t I? You’re such a good boy..."
Her gentle voice tickled my ear, coaxing me into sleep.
The soft sensation against my face, the warmth of her embrace, and her soothing words—all of it urged me to give in to the drowsiness.
"Huh."
I suddenly shuddered. There was a tickling sensation on my stomach.
Startled, I checked with my Observation Power, only to find that Hong Yeonhwa had slipped her hand inside my shirt and was gently rubbing my belly.
‘Wha- what the...’
I was confused. Why was her hand inside my shirt? My mind raced with questions, but her hand continued to move.
"Mmm, ahhh..."
Her soft palm stroked my belly, radiating warmth that seeped into my core.
The warmth wasn’t just confined to my belly—it spread throughout my body, like the feeling of sinking into a warm bath. It felt so good that a contented sigh escaped my lips.
"That’s it, my good boy. Time to sleep~"
It was comforting. I didn’t feel any discomfort...
My already fragile consciousness melted away completely.
‘Well, Hong Yeonhwa said it’s okay... It’s warm... I like the way she strokes my head... Everything feels so soft and comfortable... I like being held, being cared for, being loved...’
My eyes were already closed.
My body, exhausted from the consecutive matches, was soaked in fatigue.
This... was inevitable.
As she gently patted my back and rubbed my belly, I fell deeper into sleep.
"...Hayul? Are you asleep?"
Hong Yeonhwa whispered softly into Lee Hayul’s ear.
There was no response. He only breathed softly, his face buried against her chest.
His rapid breathing from earlier had calmed down, and his body was still.
A slight smile tugged at Hong Yeonhwa’s lips. Then, suddenly realizing something, she looked around the room with a start.
The rest room, with its bed and soft sofas, was empty. It seemed most cadets were still participating in the tournament.
After confirming no one was around, Hong Yeonhwa carefully lifted Lee Hayul a little higher into her embrace.
She gently patted his back and adjusted his position on her lap.
Now, his head rested closer to her face, and his hair, damp with sweat, tickled her nose.
"......"
Hong Yeonhwa swallowed hard and reached into the spatial pocket attached to her belt.
After rummaging for a moment, her fingers closed around a cool glass bottle.
It was an elegant vial containing a liquid that shimmered like a piece of the Milky Way.
A high-grade vitality recovery potion.
It was a bit expensive, but its effects were guaranteed.
And since its only effect was to restore vitality, there was no risk of it showing up in any doping tests for the upcoming main tournament.
Usually, Hong Yeonhwa would have simply handed the potion to Lee Hayul, but every time she did, he would refuse it, saying he felt guilty about always receiving things from her.
So, on occasions like this, when he was already asleep in her arms, she would sneak it to him.
She pulled the cork from the bottle, releasing a sweet, refreshing scent into the air.
...Though that scent was quickly overwhelmed by Lee Hayul’s own natural fragrance.
Holding the bottle in one hand, she used the other to gently tap on his lips.
At first, his lips were firmly closed, but after a few gentle taps, they slowly parted.
His mouth opened without much resistance, like an automatic door responding to a few knocks.
Hong Yeonhwa’s expression became somewhat ambiguous.
‘He’s... too trusting, isn’t he...?’
The thought crossed her mind, but then she reconsidered. After all, despite his usual harmless demeanor, he did have his own psychological barriers.
It just seemed that those barriers had been lowered for a select few, one of whom was Hong Yeonhwa.
"......"
She carefully tipped the glass bottle to his lips and poured in the potion.
As the liquid flowed into his mouth, Lee Hayul instinctively swallowed, his throat moving as he drank.
Hong Yeonhwa let out a small sigh of relief. She had chosen the sweet-flavored potion just in case he might reject it.
The bottle emptied quickly.
Once the last drop was gone, his lips naturally closed again.
He let out a deep breath, then returned to his soft, steady breathing, his face once again nestled against her chest.
"...Mmm."
Hong Yeonhwa slipped her hand back inside his shirt, gently rubbing his belly again. She also made sure to transmit her warmth through her ability, Hellfire.
This wasn’t just because she wanted to touch him; it was to help the potion circulate more effectively throughout his body.
She glanced around again. No one else was there.
Confirming that they were alone, she buried her nose in his hair.
Her nose twitched as she inhaled his scent deeply.
‘Wow.’
Her vision blurred for a moment.
It was hard to describe his scent. It was a fragrance that had stirred powerful impulses within her ever since their time together in the Tower of Growth.
A honey-sweet aroma mixed with the freshness of a lush, vibrant forest...
“Wow... This is...”
Even the curse words she usually avoided in front of Lee Hayul slipped out as she became intoxicated by his scent.
And then.
[No swearing]
[Yeonhwa is nice]
Lee Hayul, still sound asleep, made a slight frown and shook his head.
Startled, Hong Yeonhwa immediately pulled her face away, and the necklace clinked softly as it echoed his voice.
And then, silence...
"...Hayul, are you awake?"
She patted his back gently and asked, but there was no response. His breathing remained steady. It must have been a sleep-talking reflex.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
She glanced at the necklace around Lee Hayul’s neck.
The Confession Necklace. A gift from Elia.
To be honest, it annoyed her a little.
She had been looking for a similar artifact to give to him herself, but Elia had beaten her to it...
But after hearing the quiet confessions Hayul had made through it, she couldn’t help but feel pleased.
She remembered what the necklace had just said.
"No swearing... but Yeonhwa is nice..."
It was such an adorable thing to say. In fact, she half-wondered if he wasn’t awake and just playfully pretending to be asleep, wagging his tail in a silent bid for attention.
‘This is all Hayul's fault...’
Her desires surged once again, her Hellfire flickering with intensity.
But she held herself back.
Suppressing her darker urges, she simply stroked his hair, knowing that giving in would be the worst decision she could make.
There was no need to rush things. Eventually, things would fall into place, and then, everything could happen legally and consensually.
Until then, she just needed to be patient.
"..."
Lee Hayul was delicate—someone who needed protection.
She believed, wholeheartedly, that it was her responsibility to keep him safe.
And right now, he was sleeping soundly in her arms.
It wasn’t as if she was forcing him to do this. He wanted it, too.
He liked being held in her arms, enjoying the warmth and care she provided.
So, this wasn’t so wrong.
Convincing herself, Hong Yeonhwa buried her nose in his hair once more.
"?!"
Suddenly, the sound of something dropping made her jolt and lift her head.
The door was open. A plastic bag had fallen to the ground, and she could see someone’s legs.
Damn it. She had been too distracted. She hadn’t been able to focus properly due to the intoxicating scent.
Hong Yeonhwa’s gaze slowly rose, and she met a pair of trembling green eyes.
Green eyes. Brown hair. A familiar face.
But the pale complexion and quivering lips were not familiar at all.
Lee Jiyeon.
Second-year at Shio-ram Academy, and heir to the Taesan family.
They had known each other since childhood, their families connected as part of the prestigious Three Great Clans. Back then, Hong Yeonhwa had called her "Jiyeon unnie."
But recently, they hadn’t had much interaction.
"......"
This wasn’t the best way to reconnect.
Lee Jiyeon's mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, clearly unsure of what to say.
Hong Yeonhwa glanced down at herself.
...There she was, holding a sleeping Lee Hayul in her arms, with one hand inside his shirt, rubbing his belly, while she buried her face in his hair, inhaling his scent...
"I... I’m sorry for interrupting."
"Wait, unnie, hold on—"
Lee Jiyeon stammered, clearly distressed, before turning on her heel and quickly walking away.
Not to confront, but to escape.
"No, no! Wait! Jiyeon, wait a seconddd...!"
Hong Yeonhwa’s desperate cry echoed through the rest room.
[Player Adjustment System: Affection]
Lee Hayul → Hong Yeonhwa
●●●●●●●●○○(84▷85/100)
"?" "Gratitude" "Warmth" "Guilt"
Lee Hayul → Lee Jiyeon
●●○○○○○○○○(21/100)
"Successor of Taesan"
[You have not satisfied the condition for lifting the "Curse of Silence."]
[You have not satisfied the condition for lifting the "Curse of Loneliness."]