NoveLight ™
"Wow, the view here is amazing."
"This is why people need to make money."
"...Do you really have to come to that conclusion?"
The Han River, and the sunset visible beyond the horizon. As day transitioned into night, the lights of countless buildings flickered on, and the streetlights lining the roads lit up all at once. Tens of thousands of cars flowed through the streets like red blood cells through veins.
An artificial landscape that couldn’t be experienced in nature. And Eugene's home was positioned perfectly to observe how the city came to life throughout the day and slowly faded away again.
"Wow, I can see both Ttukseom and Jamsil Han River Park right from here."
"You can even see them folding up the tents. The location selection is legendary..."
"Wouldn’t it be fun to hang out and camp like that? Eugene, do you like things like that?"
"I absolutely hate it."
"...Eh?"
Everyone was left speechless, but Eugene’s expression was unwavering. As soon as his eyes glanced over, the sight of Logan, Laurentina, and all the men who had served in the military confirmed that they were all nodding in agreement with Eugene’s words.
Though Hotteok admitted that he didn’t mind too much, when asked about likes and dislikes, he also automatically chose the "dislike" option.
The men continued:
"If you camp and sleep outside at the end of January, you’ll never want to see it again."
"Ugh..."
"That’s right, staycation is the best. A pension or hotel is better than tents."
Although the conversation had veered off in a strange direction, the embers of the discussion still weren’t entirely extinguished. Then, the conversation was reignited by three male professional gamers who had just returned from New York.
"Speaking of which, Mikael, Gambit, and Ink... I remember you guys did really well in the recent tournament. The upcoming Final Championship is basically the esports equivalent of the Olympics, isn’t it? So…"
"We’ve all already served and returned before winning, so there’s not much of a connection."
"Ah."
"But still… things have gotten much better compared to the past. The service period has been shortened to just one year, and most things are now run by unmanned surveillance systems. Nowadays, most large-scale training is done via VR… though the winter training and guerilla warfare still happen in the old-fashioned way."
"That’s quite an improvement."
"Well, yeah."
And with that, the explanation continued.
Originally, the conscription system had been a fundamental part of South Korea’s defense, but with the collapse of North Korea in the early 2030s, the South Korean military underwent a massive transformation. The pressure from external forces had resulted in a drastic slimming down of the military, even cutting off some branches entirely.
During this period, the introduction of VR as a new technology created a sort of pandemonium, and conscription rates gradually dropped—though it didn’t disappear entirely. Most people still ended up going to basic training or boot camps.
This was the result.
Anyway, the topic, which had gone off on a strange tangent, returned to its original point.
"I had a bit of a fantasy about camping or glamping, but it’s a shame..."
"Glamping, maybe, but camping... These days, you can charge electronics and shower, so it’s not that bad, but still, choosing to suffer outside seems... not my thing."
"...But you chose the hard way for this?"
"Well, there was a reason for that."
The viewers were preoccupied with these strange comments.
Sadly, it wasn’t VR, and so Eugene decided to ignore the comments rather than call someone out. But this didn’t mark the end of the discussion.
She chuckled softly before adding:
"...Even though you won’t be able to have the exact camping or glamping experience, I can still offer something similar. We won’t be eating dinner in a banquet hall like lunch, but we’ll have a barbecue party on the private balcony at home."
"Eh... Eh?"
"While it may not be the same as roasting over an open fire, I can guarantee it will taste even better."
If you’re sad that you can’t create memories from outdoor activities, the solution is simple—provide an even greater enjoyment.
Though the logic was a bit shaky, the effect was clear.
The smell of delicious meat began to waft through the air as the sun dipped lower.
"How much would this have cost if we were eating at a hotel?"
"Well, if about four people got together, each person would have had to pitch in around 700,000 won."
Schiiik!
The sound that tickled the ears and the aroma that filled the terrace. Since this wasn’t a personal terrace but an external one connected to the banquet hall, its size was ideal for accommodating dozens of tables and chairs and hosting many people.
Glass and reinforced plastic were stacked up to great heights to ensure both the safety of the residents and the view, and the ceiling had a fine electrical current flowing to prevent insects from entering.
Below and beside, the night view of Seoul spread out. At over 80 meters above ground, the sight was truly unique.
And in the center of it all, the host of the evening—Eugene—was there.
"How’s the taste?"
"It’s really... so good, teacher..."
"That’s good to hear. I thought I hadn’t really taken care of the newcomers, so I decided to invite everyone to this big party. I hope we can get to know each other better here... I’m rambling on, but I hope you enjoy the time and have fun before you leave."
"Of course, we will. I’ll brag about it to everyone."
Is this a dream or reality?
Since this morning, the scenes that were unfolding around them were beyond belief—at the first get-together, they had been on the rooftop glamping site in Hongdae, and the memories of the participants were still fresh in their minds. But this second get-together felt like a completely different world.
No one knew what kind of magic Eugene had worked, but it was clear that they were experiencing something they could never pay for with money.
However, despite all this, there was one element that kept Eugene’s team members tethered to reality.
The amount of food.
"Wow."
"One of them is just in charge of doing the dishes now..."
The endless flames rising as thick as a 5cm Tomahawk steak sizzled on the grill. And this was just one of over 50 steaks stacked in coolers. Eugene wasn’t just hosting this party—he was planning to feed everyone until their stomachs burst.
Naturally, the dietary needs of the special abilities users were also taken into account. Among the guests, four were users of special abilities, and factoring in the other twenty or so, the amount of food consumed for one meal was already over 50 servings.
And of course, this level of abundance naturally sparked greater appetites even in the onlookers.
"...Hey. Why are you eating so much?"
"Because it’s delicious. Look at the quality of the ingredients. It’s insane!"
"Now I want to eat even more because of you, this is driving me crazy."
And so, the meal time stretched longer than usual.
Of course, Eugene wasn’t planning to end it there. After most people had finished their meal, a brutal dessert assault followed.
"Wow, this sorbet is crazy good."
"If it had been ice cream, I probably wouldn’t have been able to eat more, but the timing is perfect..."
"Wow, I can’t fit any more dessert. I’ve eaten too much."
"Do you need anything else?"
"Ugh, help me! I can’t do this anymore!"
That was exactly what happened.
As the chefs who had worked all day on the buffet began to pack up and leave, aside from a few of the ability users, dozens of people sat quietly with their bloated stomachs, constantly patting their full bellies, with some even struggling to breathe.
Of course, none of the ability users disliked physical activity. The ones with stuffed bellies were half-forced to go on a walking digestion tour around the terrace.
"If anyone’s stomach is really too full, just speak up, and you can take some of the digestive medicine in the fridge. I’ve got about 50 bottles stocked, so you’ll be fine."
"Honestly, if I drink even one more drop of water, I think I’ll burst, teacher..."
"How did you eat so much?"
"But it was too delicious..."
It was truly an absurd response, but it was the truth.
Holding their bloated stomachs, they took slow steps. At first, every movement felt like a struggle, but as time passed, their steps became more relaxed. After about 10 minutes, Eugene casually mentioned the plan for the next day.
"Tomorrow, we’re going to the pool in the morning. Fortunately, no one drank too much tonight, so the chances of any mishaps tomorrow are slim... and of course, I won’t be streaming. I’m fine with it, but I know others probably wouldn’t be."
"Please don’t tell me the pool’s going to be some kind of Navy SEAL underwater training, right?"
"Haha. What do you think?"
Before anyone could make a move, Harmony had already been caught by Laurentina, and DICE, who had stepped backward, found his tail wrapped around his waist, pulling him automatically toward the group.
Naturally, it was going to be a regular swimming session. If things kept going this way, the housewarming party might end up feeding everyone to the point of bursting like farm animals, so some minimal exercise had to be included.
Hotteok hesitated for a moment before grabbing Limit’s arm and hoisting him into the air, and so, Hotteok and Limit earned the honor of participating in the swimming lesson tomorrow.
"Don’t worry. I won’t make you do anything weird. We’re just going to splash around in the water and come back, so come with a relaxed mind."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Had I been deceived this whole time?
With that thought in mind, after a while, everyone, having digested enough, returned to Eugene's house via the terrace. By now, it was nearly 8 PM, and as soon as they entered the house, they began to wash up individually, and those who had free time began rummaging through the closet.
Naturally, these were housewarming gifts.
"Congratulations on the new house, Eugene!"
"Wow, what’s this?"
"It’s a high-end speaker. I know you like practical things, but your house was a bit too bare, so I bought something expensive. Let’s listen to some music on it later."
"Oh, thank you."
Harmony was the first to pull out a large speaker from her carry-on.
Since it was too big to place on the storage cabinet, Eugene carefully set it down on the floor before starting the gift rush.
"It’s a humidifier. It’s pretty expensive... I thought you might need it for humidity control."
"Haha, I’ll have to keep it on all the time. Thank you."
"It’s a rug for the living room. But I didn’t expect the living room to be this big..."
"I think it’ll look good in the bedroom. Thank you."
"I brought a bottle of wine. Let’s drink it tomorrow. It’s pretty expensive."
"Oh my, thank you, but you’ve just returned from the U.S. and now this... I don’t know what to say..."
The gifts kept coming.
Food waste disposal units, coffee pots, clothes, kitchenware, and high-end items were all pouring in—just as Eugene was overwhelmed with gifts and compliments, something fell from DICE’s arms, where he was holding luxury chocolates and accessories.
Naturally, Eugene couldn’t miss it.
A greenish cloth. It looked like something too poorly made to be called clothes, with an open back.
"This... could it be...?"
"..."
The snake pajamas.
DICE had carefully kept the last outfit he wore in New York, and now, he was finally passing it on to Eugene as a gift.
Blushing like a tomato, Eugene turned away as DICE chuckled to himself.
The world truly was a strange place.