Chapter 19: The Promise of a Fight and a New Beginning

Noh Youngjin’s spar request.

Those words shocked me greatly.

I hadn’t expected him to request a spar at all.

And I wasn’t the only one surprised.

“D-Deputy Team Leader! What are you saying?”

“Requesting a spar with Seo Juwon?”

“Deputy Team Leader, no matter what, Seo Juwon is a rookie. A deputy team leader requesting a spar with a rookie!”

“This makes no sense. This isn’t a spar, it’s violence!”

“That’s right! Suddenly a spar! Where’s such a one-sided proposal!”

The senior team members tried to stop Noh Youngjin.

Honestly, it was sudden for me too.

Coming just days after discipline to suddenly request a spar.

Regardless of skill, it was truly abrupt.

Perhaps feeling the same.

Ju Namgyu said.

“Deputy, what are you doing now?”

“Why? I just want a spar.”

“That’s why suddenly a spar. It’s too abrupt.”

“No, what’s the problem? This has nothing to do with discipline. And am I forcing it? I’m requesting, and if accepted, we do it. What’s the issue?”

Noh Youngjin retorted to Ju Namgyu.

Actually, it wasn’t wrong.

Sparring is free.

Spar requests within Myth Guild are free.

No, they’re even encouraged.

A guild is ultimately a martial group, and guild members growing skills through sparring benefits the whole guild.

No coercion either.

Especially, there’s no coercion in sparring.

Requesting is free, rejecting is free.

In other words, if I didn’t want to spar, I could just reject it.

Noh Youngjin said.

“Seo Juwon, what’ll it be? Spar or not? You decide. If you don’t want, quit. I don’t want to force a spar with someone unwilling.”

“Ah, but if you reject, apologize to me. Apologize for yapping about parachute and picking a fight. I’m the deputy team leader, I deserve at least that apology, right?”

Noh Youngjin said, glaring fiercely.

Eyes dripping with killing intent.

This wasn’t bluff to get an apology.

Noh Youngjin truly wanted to spar with me.

Ju Namgyu said.

“Seo Juwon, reject if you want. Sparring ends with rejection.”

At Ju Namgyu’s words, team members chimed in.

“Yeah, Seo Juwon. Just reject.”

“Right. You can’t beat the deputy team leader.”

“Just reject and apologize. You have a daughter, Juwon.”

“Yes. Think of Eunbyeol. Juwon ssi, judge wisely…”

The team members said to me with worried faces.

They were all worried about me.

Meaning, worried I’d get crushed in a spar with Noh Youngjin.

Silence filled the office.

There, Noh Youngjin said.

“Decide quickly, Seo Juwon. Spar with me, or apologize?”

Noh Youngjin’s question with a wicked smile.

To that, after heavy silence, I opened my mouth.

“Fine. Let’s do it, the spar.”

Those words spread shock in all directions.

Noh Youngjin’s face twisted slightly, of course, Ju Namgyu and all team members were astonished.

Some even grabbed my arm, telling me to reconsider.

But I didn’t retract.

Just glaring at Noh Youngjin with killing intent.

“Yeah? No regrets?”

“No.”

“Kekekeke, arrogant punk to the end. Good. Let’s fight. In front of the team members. Badges off.”

“Fine. But there’s a condition.”

“Condition?”

At the word condition, Noh Youngjin’s eyebrows furrowed fiercely.

“Yes. If I win, don’t touch me anymore.”

“What? Puhaha! Hey, Seo Juwon. You think you have a chance to win? Are you sane?”

Noh Youngjin burst into laughter, and the team members blinked.

As if saying, what’s the point of conditions if you can’t win.

But I didn’t yield and said.

“What will you do. Accept the condition?”

“Kekekeke, fine. Let’s. No. Not just that, if I lose, I’ll step down from deputy team leader. How’s that?”

At Noh Youngjin’s words, Ju Namgyu and team members were even more shocked.

Seemingly surprised that Noh Youngjin was betting the deputy position he prided so much.

Actually, from Noh Youngjin’s perspective, it wasn’t surprising.

He probably didn’t think he’d lose to me at all.

That’s why he was betting his only pride, the deputy position.

“Fine. Then let’s do that.”

“Hahaha, good. Then you set the date, Seo Juwon.”

Noh Youngjin snickered and left the office, saying see you at the spar.

After he left, Ju Namgyu and team members told me not to fight, that fighting would only harm me.

But I didn’t bend.

If I backed down now, someone like Noh Youngjin would try to devour me entirely.

Good. Since we’re fighting, I’ll do it thoroughly.

I resolved, thinking of the spar with Noh Youngjin.

Since we’re clashing, I’ll completely crush him.

The spar with Noh Youngjin was set.

The team leader and members kept trying to stop me, but I didn’t waver.

If we were going to keep clashing anyway, I thought we needed to settle it properly once.

Of course, the old me wouldn’t have done this.

Lacking special talent in any field, even unable to fight, I had never fought in school days.

In such a situation, no reason to accept a spar from a deputy team leader level expert.

The reason I didn’t back down was thanks to my necromancer power.

From the hunter qualification exam to various gates.

The EX-grade skeletons that always made me stand out among people.

With those guys, I thought I could fight sufficiently.

So I set a date, informed Noh Youngjin, and waited for the spar day.

Then came the holiday.

I welcomed a joyful event with Eunbyeol.

“Wowwww! Daddy! Super big!”

Eunbyeol who entered the spacious living room let out a cheer.

Indeed, the living room the size of a playground was truly vast.

Exaggerating a bit, big enough for Eunbyeol to run around.

“Eunbyeol, like it?”

“Woo! Love it! Daddy, really we living here?”

“Of course. For real. This is our home from now on.”

“Wowwwww! Best! Daddy best! Our daddy the best!”

Eunbyeol jumped around and then came to me, hugging tightly.

I lowered my posture, hugged Eunbyeol, and stroked her hair.

Yes.

The event our father-daughter duo welcomed was none other than ‘moving’.

To an incredibly spacious house, no less.

Ha, really big. 

Thinking of the old house makes it even more.

Hugging Eunbyeol, I looked at the vast living room.

Our previous home was really cramped.

Two rooms, but one barely a room, the other too small, used as storage.

The living room was also tiny.

Maybe 3 pyeong in area?

Perhaps smaller than that was our living room.

With table and fridge, even smaller.

Not to mention the rat-hole-like bathroom.

This is truly a palace.

In comparison, this house was really vast.

First, the area was a whopping ‘80 pyeong’.

Compared to the previous ten-something pyeong house, it was like a king’s palace.

Joining Myth Guild was truly heavenly luck.

Even more amazing, this house was provided free by Myth Guild.

Though not given but lent, using such a vast house for free was truly great.

Ha, even as a servant, do it in a noble house. Joining the top guild gives such benefits.

I recalled the sages’ words and smiled warmly.

Because I was so happy with Myth Guild’s welfare.

Eunbyeol and I toured every corner of the house.

A whopping five rooms, numerous bathrooms, utility room, wide veranda, dressing room, spacious bathtub.

Touring the palace-like house, Eunbyeol and I continuously exclaimed in admiration.

“Here, this is the last room?”

And finally, we arrived at the last room.

A door firmly closed like a fortress.

In front of it, I said to Eunbyeol.

“Eunbyeol, read that.”

“Huh? What?”

“That.”

I said, looking at the nameplate in the center of the door.

“Huh? Eunbyeol’s room?”

“Haha, yes. This is Eunbyeol’s room.”

“Ah! For real? Wowww! Eunbyeol’s room! Eunbyeol’s room!”

At the words her own room, Eunbyeol cheered intensely.

Much hotter cheer than seeing other parts of the 80-pyeong house.

Actually, a natural reaction.

Eunbyeol had never had her own room even once.

“Now, Eunbyeol. Shall we open the door?”

“Woo! Eunbyeol will! Eunbyeol open it!”

“Haha, okay. Eunbyeol open it.”

“Woo!”

Eunbyeol said that, stood on tiptoes to grab the doorknob.

And as she slowly pushed, the hidden interior began to reveal.

“Wowwww……!”

And finally, when Eunbyeol’s room door opened, Eunbyeol let out an emotional exclamation.

At Eunbyeol’s reaction, I felt proud.

Because I had decorated Eunbyeol’s room myself.

“Daddyyy, what is all this……?”

Eunbyeol, not even entering the room, asked me with a surprised expression.

“Haha, what else. Eunbyeol’s room.”

“Re, really? This is really Eunbyeol’s room……?”

“Of course. You saw earlier. Eunbyeol’s name on the nameplate.”

“Th, that’s true but…….”

Eunbyeol looking up at me then looked back at the room.

I also looked at the room with a warm smile.

Completely pink land.

Eunbyeol’s spacious room.

It was plastered in pink.

Wallpaper with bunny drawings pink.

Desk and chair pink.

Bunk bed pink.

Full-body mirror frame pink.

Bookshelf, air purifier, humidifier all pink.

Of course, balanced with pure white giant bunny dolls, but overall all pink.

Our Eunbyeol’s favorite pink.

“Eunbyeol, go in. You’ll like it more inside.”

“Huh? But still big……?”

“Of course. It’s Eunbyeol’s room, of course. Come, let’s go. Hold Daddy’s hand.”

Eunbyeol grabbed my hand as if waiting.

And holding tightly, stepped into the pink land-like room.

“Wowwww…….”

Eunbyeol standing in the middle of the pink pink room exclaimed.

“How is it? Like it, Eunbyeol?”

“Uwoong. Really like. Really all like, Daddy……..”

“Haha, yeah? Daddy tried hard to decorate. Glad it suits Eunbyeol’s taste?”

“So that’s it. Daddy decorated all…….”

Eunbyeol nodded then.

“Sniff…….”

Suddenly started sobbing.

“Wh, what. Eunbyeol, why?”

“Sniff..”

“What. Don’t like the room? Or hurt somewhere?”

I lowered to match Eunbyeol’s eye level and asked.

Suddenly bursting into tears, Eunbyeol was so worrying.

“Nooo. Just too like…….”

“Huh? Because like?”

“Uwoong. Room too too pretty and like, tears come out…….”

“Aigoo, that’s why?”

“Uh…….”

Uwoong. 

Daddyyy, thank you. 

Made such pretty room for Eunbyeol, really really thank you sniff,

Eunbyeol said that and snuggled into my arms, crying loudly.

As if shaking off all past grievances.

“It’s okay, Eunbyeol. Don’t cry. Hm?”

“Sniff, Daddyyy, heup, too like. Too good but tears keep coming…….”

“Aigoo, yeah? Must be tears of joy. But it’s a good day, so smile.”

“Uuwoong. Anyway really thank you, Daddy. Love you…….”

“Yes! Daddy loves our Eunbyeol too!”

I hugged Eunbyeol tightly and repeated several times.

That I love you.

Thank you so much for being born as Daddy’s daughter.

Let’s live happily in this house from now on.