"Sniff, gulp!"

"Miss, if you eat like that, you’ll choke. Take it slow."

Seomun Ye-jin, who had come out from her room, was now sitting at the table on the second floor, devouring the dinner Baek Seo-jun had prepared for her.

She wasn’t particularly starving, but as she started eating the meal he had made, she found herself unable to stop.

"It feels like my body is recovering!"

The more she ate, the more it felt as though her body was healing. This wasn’t just an ordinary meal—it felt like it had some sort of miraculous effect.

"It’s because I added a little medicinal elixir that’s good for your body. How is it?"

It seemed there really was a magical elixir mixed in.

As she ate, Seomun Ye-jin paused mid-bite, her chopsticks frozen in place.

Knowing that a rare elixir, renowned for curing illnesses and boosting mana reserves, was included in the meal brought an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"Is it... really okay to use such a precious elixir for something like this?"

"Why wouldn’t it be? It’s for you, after all."

Baek Seo-jun’s warm gaze accompanied his nonchalant reply.

"Compared to your health, something like an elixir is insignificant."

At his words, Seomun Ye-jin’s face flushed bright red.

She could feel that he was genuinely concerned about her well-being.

Though the guilt over consuming the precious elixir didn’t entirely disappear, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the meal unfinished either.

He had poured his effort and care into making it for her, and leaving any of it uneaten would be disrespectful.

And then...

"Ah."

The thought of something more made her unable to lift her head.

Her face was burning, making it impossible to think straight.

After finishing her meal in that flustered state, she watched as Baek Seo-jun used telekinesis to lift the empty dishes and send them down to the first floor.

"Thank you for the meal," she said.

"I’m glad you enjoyed it," he replied with a gentle smile.

Unable to withstand the sight of his soft expression, Seomun Ye-jin abruptly stood up.

"I-I’m going to brush my teeth for a bit!"

"Alright."

Seomun Ye-jin hurried into the bathroom and quickly started brushing her teeth.

While mana awakeners could use their mana to automatically remove internal impurities, external cleaning still required manual effort.

As a result, she regularly enjoyed brushing her teeth and showering, finishing up with a final mana cleansing to ensure everything was spotless.

Even now, after finishing her post-meal routine, she stepped out of the bathroom feeling fresh.

It was time to talk about how they were going to handle the situation.

However, she found her eyes drifting toward Baek Seo-jun. Slowly, she sat down, trying to focus.

"Hmm."

Sitting across from her, Baek Seo-jun was staring at her intently.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked cautiously, noticing that he hadn’t said a word while looking at her.

"I was just thinking about how beautiful you are."

He said it boldly, without a hint of embarrassment.

"E-Excuse me?"

The unexpected answer left Seomun Ye-jin’s mind completely blank. Her face, without a doubt, must have been as red as a tomato.

As Baek Seo-jun stood up and walked toward her, she froze, her heartbeat pounding loudly in her chest.

As if hypnotized, Seomun Ye-jin stood up as well, coming face-to-face with him.

Then, without warning, Baek Seo-jun placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her.

Seomun Ye-jin’s thoughts came to a complete halt.

***

I rested my hand lightly on Seomun Ye-jin’s and gazed at her face for a moment.

Even at this close distance, her flawless beauty had no imperfections. Though she was only fifteen, she exuded a strikingly feminine charm.

Dressed in casual clothes meant for staying at home, her well-developed and elegant figure stood out all the more, every curve looking like a masterpiece.

In the original story, she was the only older heroine among the cast. But now, we were both fifteen...

"I need to make my claim on her clear."

With that thought, I let my actions follow my heart.

I leaned in and kissed her soft, pink lips.

The moment our lips met, one word came to mind—sweet.

It wasn’t just a metaphor. Her lips actually tasted sweet.

I already knew that, as a mana awakener and one of the most beautiful women in the world, her body was extraordinary. But experiencing it firsthand through this kiss made it undeniable.

Her very existence—body and soul—was one of the world’s most precious treasures.

"There will be many who covet her."

Just imagining the number of people who would try to take her made my blood boil.

There was no way I’d let someone like Baek Seo-jin get near her.

"Haaa..."

Even though it was just a light kiss, Seomun Ye-jin seemed flustered, her face red and her mind in disarray.

I waited patiently for her to calm down, gently pulling her into my arms.

Her soft, supple body was a delight to hold, and the sweet fragrance she exuded only intensified the desire to claim her completely.

"S-Seo-jun..."

"If it’s hard to speak, you don’t have to. Just stay like this; it’s enough."

Words didn’t feel necessary at this moment.

Simply staying close to her like this was enough.

Perhaps she felt the same, as Seomun Ye-jin remained silently nestled in my embrace.

After about three minutes, she finally spoke.

"Does this mean... today is our Day 1?"

"Hmm, you could say that. But counting the days might not be the best idea."

"Why not?"

"Because it’s not something that will ever end."

This would never end.

Even if she wanted it to end someday, I had no intention of letting it.

"You’re right. It will never end," Seomun Ye-jin agreed.

***

The idea that this would never end resonated with her.

Even if the whole world became her enemy, ending things with the one person who would always be on her side would make life meaningless.

She doubted that he would understand such a deeply hidden thought of hers.

"In that case, Seo-jun, it feels strange to bring this up on the first day, but... can I hear your plan?"

She wanted to know how he intended to deal with those who had slandered her with falsehoods and malice.

More than anything, she yearned to see him act for her again.

***

There was something in her eyes—beyond revenge, there was a subtle yearning.

It seemed she wanted to see how I would fight for her.

"Then I’ll gladly show her."

I had promised to protect her. Not just from physical threats but also from these societal attacks.

"A plan, you say."

Pausing briefly, I locked eyes with her.

Perhaps because our relationship had just taken a new turn, her blue eyes looked even more captivating.

Thinking of the pain inflicted on her by those malicious people, I was more determined than ever to utterly destroy them.

I had already crafted a plan, and now it was time to share it with her.

"Those people are nothing but trash following the orders of women’s organizations. I thought about it—simply killing them wouldn’t be satisfying, would it?"

"No, it wouldn’t."

Killing them wouldn’t bring a proper correction of the slander in the media, nor would it force those driven by jealousy and inferiority to face true humiliation.

And that wouldn’t bring Seomun Ye-jin the sense of closure she deserved.

"First, I’ll make sure the truth about you is widely known. Then, I’ll expose the lies they’ve spread, ensuring the entire nation becomes aware of their actions."

"The entire nation?"

"Yes. These tabloids and their manipulative tactics are only possible because of the Baekho Guild’s power backing them. So what happens if they’re crushed by a force greater than the Baekho Guild?"

"And what force would that be?"

She didn’t fully understand what I was getting at. She knew my strength in battle, but social power was a different matter.

I gave her the answer.

"I’ll seize the power of the state."

"The power of the state? Surely not..."

She seemed to begin grasping my intention.

In this world, while the political administration in South Korea was elected through votes, the true power didn’t lie with the government.

Although they rarely intervened openly, the Kangin Guild held actual authority.

All other guilds in Korea, including the Baekho Guild, were effectively subordinate to the Kangin Guild’s influence.

"Yes, I’ll mobilize the Kangin Guild."

The Kangin Guild’s master, Choi Kang-in, was a figure who, in the original story, handed over the guild’s leadership to Baek Seo-jin after recruiting him as his successor at the academy.

But this time, things would be different.

"Those who dared to act out under the protection of their supposed power will be crushed by an even greater authority. And after that... they’ll regret ever being alive."

This was the gift I planned to give my lover, Seomun Ye-jin, on our first day together.