Si-Hyun bowed her head awkwardly in greeting.
After all, she had just glanced inside someone else’s home, an act that could easily be seen as rude.

At the same time, she immediately realized something:
the homeowner was none other than the Master of the Knight Guild.

When she raised her head, her gaze landed on an elderly man wearing a warm, kind smile.
He rose from his seat, straightened his back with ease, and began walking toward her.
Si-Hyun, who had intended to continue on her way, hesitated awkwardly and decided to wait for him instead.

"Young lady, do you like sweets?"
“…Oh, uh, yes.”
"Then would you care to join me for some? This old man finds it rather lonely to eat alone."

Si-Hyun deliberated for a moment.
Under normal circumstances, she would have politely declined and moved along.
However, several reasons kept her rooted in place.

The enticing aroma of freshly baked goods tickled her nose.
The house's garden, beautifully maintained, seemed like it belonged in a storybook.

She even found herself thinking, If I ever move into a new home, it’d be amazing to live somewhere like this.

After a brief moment of consideration, Si-Hyun nodded.
This wasn’t just any elderly man—this was the S-rank Hunter and Master of the Knight Guild.
It wouldn’t hurt to form a connection with someone like him.

Creak—

The old man opened the gate, and Si-Hyun stepped inside.
As she walked in, the garden's vibrant beauty became even more apparent.

Si-Hyun let out a soft murmur of admiration as she followed the old man to the garden table.
The old man, with a gentle expression, quietly observed her.

Her long, silver-white hair shimmered in the sunlight, cascading softly with her movements.
Her golden eyes, glowing with intelligence and clarity, seemed to captivate anyone who looked into them.

But above all, what stood out was her presence.

Even her measured, deliberate steps exuded a subtle but undeniable weight, as if she carried the scars and wisdom of a long and arduous journey.
The old man could tell immediately: this young woman was no ordinary Hunter.

At first, he had simply wanted to share some of his homemade treats with a passerby to alleviate his boredom.
But now, his curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.

After gesturing for Si-Hyun to take a seat across from him, the old man sat down as well.
Si-Hyun’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the tea and sweets laid out before her.

With a soft chuckle, the old man poured tea into a fresh cup and handed it to her, along with the treats.

"This is the tea I usually enjoy. I hope it suits your taste."
"Ah, thank you. I’ll give it a try."

Blowing lightly on the tea, Si-Hyun took a cautious sip.
A rich, full-bodied flavor unfolded across her tongue, smooth and comforting.

‘Wow, this would go perfectly with the sweets.’

Though she didn’t consider herself knowledgeable about tea, she could tell this was brewed exceptionally well.
Smiling softly, she reached for one of the pastries and took a bite.
It was absolutely delicious.

"Judging by your expression, I’d say you’re enjoying it."
"Yes! It’s incredible. Do you often drink tea?"
"Hmm, I do. Especially on days like today—clear and refreshing—it’s a real pleasure to enjoy tea in the garden. A gentle breeze paired with a good cup of tea has a way of calming the soul."

Nodding slowly, Si-Hyun found herself unconsciously reaching for another sweet.

Imagining sharing these treats later with Si-Yoon back home made her smile even more.

Noticing the satisfied expression on her face, the old man spoke again, this time with a lighthearted tone.

"Just as tea is wonderful with company, so is a good game. Young lady, do you know how to play Janggi?"
"Janggi? I only know the basics…"
"Then would you indulge me in a match?"

Si-Hyun hesitated briefly but soon nodded.
After all, she had just been treated to such delightful tea and pastries—it only felt right to return the kindness in some way.

As the old man went inside to retrieve the game board, Si-Hyun pulled out her phone.
She quickly reviewed the rules and skimmed through some strategies to refresh her memory.

When the old man returned, he began setting up the board, and Si-Hyun followed suit, preparing her pieces.
The match began naturally.

Si-Hyun, recalling her limited past experience and the tips she’d just reviewed, moved her pieces with care and thought.
The old man, in contrast, played with fluid expertise, his moves deliberate and precise.

Clack—

The sound of the pieces moving echoed crisply between them.
While Si-Hyun carefully considered her moves, the old man played with the confidence of someone who’d done this countless times.

Before an hour had passed, the game was over.

Si-Hyun had lost, and decisively so.

"Hmm… You’re a fast learner, young lady."
"Ahaha, am I?"

The old man’s genuine compliment made Si-Hyun laugh awkwardly.
It was clear he wanted to continue playing, and with time to spare before the evening, Si-Hyun asked with a curious smile:

"Earlier, why did you make this move?"

Using her sharp memory, she reconstructed the board to review a particular play.
The old man, clearly pleased by her curiosity, explained the reasoning behind his moves in detail.

After finishing their review, he suggested something with a smile:

"If I remove three pieces, I think it’ll balance things out a bit more. Shall we go again?"
"Sure, that sounds good."

And so, the second match began.

Clack!

This time…

"Hmm?"

The old man lost.

The game took less than an hour, and the result was clear:
Si-Hyun had won decisively.

The old man stroked his beard in thought. He had not anticipated this outcome.

"Why did you move this piece here?"
"Ah, you see…"

Despite his surprise, the old man carefully explained in response to Si-Hyun’s questions.
Watching her nod in understanding, he realized he had underestimated her.

"I seem to have misjudged you, young lady. My apologies. Could I ask for one more match—this time with all the pieces in play?"
"Of course!"

The old man gave her a full, genuine smile as he prepared the board again.

The game of Janggi resumed.

...

The old man furrowed his brows as he stared at the game board.
It wasn’t out of frustration or annoyance.
Rather, it was sheer fascination.

Clack! Clack!

Whenever he repeated a move from earlier, she countered it swiftly and decisively.

Clack!

Clack—

When he tried a new move, she responded after careful consideration.

Thinking back, she’d been this way from the start.
This young lady had an exceptionally cautious personality.
Even the way she moved her pieces reflected her nature.

But…

“Hmm...”

She never fell for the same move twice.
If she’d been caught off guard before, she countered flawlessly the next time, taking mere seconds to make her move.
She wouldn’t let herself be attacked the same way again and, in fact, adapted and used the tactic against him instead.

She leveraged everything she’d learned from their two reviews of the game, applying it with pinpoint accuracy.
There was no hesitation in her moves.
The slightest misstep on his part was ruthlessly exploited.

The old man had played Janggi occasionally over the years, but he had never faced an opponent like this.
It was one surprise after another.

Clack— Clack—

For the first time in years, the old man found himself completely focused on the game.
How long had it been since he had played Janggi with such intensity?
It felt like forever.

He smiled faintly as he realized how much he was enjoying himself, immersed in the game.

The match seemed to be going in his favor.
But he couldn’t let his guard down—not even for a moment.

It felt as though she could think several steps ahead, moving at a speed far beyond anyone he’d ever faced.
She even came up with moves he’d never seen before, constantly pressuring him.
The slightest lapse in concentration felt like it would lead to his immediate downfall.

The old man took a sip of tea, savoring the brief reprieve.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, glistening in the sunlight.

Piece by piece, he moved with meticulous care, analyzing every possibility.
At some point, he realized it was taking him longer to make his moves than it took her.
And oddly enough, he found that realization thrilling.

Smiling broadly, the old man placed another piece on the board.

In the end…

The old man barely managed to win.
It was a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, razor-thin and hard-fought.

If they played one more match, he honestly couldn’t be sure of victory.
The fact that he was having such thoughts while facing a so-called beginner…

The old man stared at Si-Hyun with a mixture of awe and curiosity.
Her radiant golden eyes met his, calm and composed.

There was a moment of silence.

And then, before he could stop himself, the old man spoke:

“Young lady, if I may ask, what is your profession?”

He hadn’t intended to ask such a personal question of someone he’d met by chance.
But the impression she’d left on him in such a short time was too strong to ignore.

Si-Hyun smiled softly as she replied.
“Thankfully, I’ve been working as a part-time instructor at the Academy.”
“An educator! That is truly admirable work.”
“Hehe…”

The old man’s genuine praise made Si-Hyun blush slightly, and she pressed a hand to her cheek in embarrassment.

Seeing her shy reaction, the old man’s eyes softened.
A thought crossed his mind: if his granddaughter were still alive, she might have smiled at him like this.

He had lost his entire family during the Cataclysm.
To others, he was the Master of the great Knight Guild, an S-rank Hunter, a figure to be admired.
But deep down, he had lived with a persistent sense of loneliness.

His title as Master was largely ceremonial at this point.
Meeting someone like Si-Hyun after such a long time brought an unexpected warmth to his heart.

Feeling uplifted, the old man couldn’t help but suggest,
“Young lady, would you like to play one more match?”
“Ah, well…”

Si-Hyun checked the time on her phone before responding.
“It’s about time for me to head home.”
“Ah, I see. I must have kept you too long.”
“No, not at all! I truly enjoyed myself.”

The old man smiled warmly at her polite response.

“Young lady, would you consider visiting again someday?”
“Would that be alright?”
“Of course! I’ll prepare even better tea and treats for next time.”
“…Heh.”

The old man handed her his business card, and Si-Hyun, somewhat startled, handed him one of her own.

As she stared at the card in her hand, a peculiar thought struck her.
Although she had prepared these cards in advance, this was the first time she had actually given one to someone.
And that someone happened to be the Master of a major guild. Life, she mused, could truly be unpredictable.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave! Thank you so much for today—I had a wonderful time.”
“The pleasure was mine, young lady. Take care on your way home.”

With light, almost buoyant steps, Si-Hyun exited the garden.
The old man watched her retreating figure until it disappeared from view.

Her long, silvery-white hair shimmered softly in the warm spring sunlight, swaying gently as she walked away.

***

Cheongrim Guild Conference Room.

Sitting arrogantly in his chair, S-rank Hunter Kang Cheol-min exuded an air of indifference.
In contrast, the PR team employee standing before him waited anxiously for his response.

"You’re asking me to give a lecture at the Academy?"
"Yes, sir. Originally, we had planned for one of our A-rank Hunters to conduct the special lecture… but unfortunately, they passed away during the recent incident."

The employee maintained a composed but somber expression as they continued.

"If you, Kang Cheol-min Hunter, were to take on the lecture instead, I am confident it would greatly elevate the Guild’s prestige."
"Why should I personally bother with something like that? Can’t one of the lower-ranked guys handle it?"

Kang Cheol-min leaned back, speaking in a casual, dismissive tone.
His reaction was expected, so the employee calmly replied in a measured voice.

"If it were you, Kang Cheol-min, the strongest Hunter in Korea, personally delivering the lecture, it would undoubtedly boost our recent slump in recruitment applications."
"Hmm…"

"Show the students the charisma you displayed during the recent dungeon incident. With rival guilds ramping up their promotional efforts, we need to take bold action to stay competitive."

Faced with the employee’s earnest plea, Kang Cheol-min paused, lost in thought.

After a brief silence, a sly smile spread across his face, and he gave a curt nod.

"Alright, I’ll do it."

Crossing his arms, he declared arrogantly:

"I’ll deliver a lecture so monumental, it will go down in the Academy’s history. Make sure everything is prepared properly."
"Yes, sir! Understood!"

The PR team employee breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with gratitude, bowing respectfully.