Chapter 58

Chapter 58. Oppa, How Do You Like It Here?

“Rokan, are you honestly telling me you plan on founding your own guild?”

His sudden, startling statement jolted me completely out of my daze.

While I had been wrestling with the dilemma of whether I ought to enlist in an existing guild, the notion of Rokan building one from the ground up had never once entered my thoughts.

I lacked deep familiarity with the administrative side of things, but establishing and overseeing an entire organization was bound to involve a mountain of tedious obligations.

Put in his shoes, I certainly wouldn’t have gone through the immense hassle of establishing a whole guild just to deal with this sort of issue.

Anticipating my bewilderment, Rokan calmly offered his reasoning.

“To start with, the concept of managing an outfit myself has crossed my mind before as an entertaining prospect. I took part in plenty of diversions before stepping into this world, yet stepping into the shoes of a manager was one path I never explored.”

Dragons possessed an innate drive to experience diverse ways of living through playful pastimes.

An undertaking that prompted a human to wonder, ‘Why go through the trouble?’ could easily strike a dragon as an engaging new diversion.

Seeing that I still looked slightly lost, Rokan supplied an analogy: “Don’t mortals play simulation titles where they run entire enterprises?”

His comparison brought clarity; to a creature like him, it genuinely might be viewed in that exact light.

It was merely a management simulator played out on a grander stage.

“It had only been a loose, passing thought that I might try my hand at it eventually. What pushed me to make it a reality was our recent discussion.”

Witnessing my indecision regarding guild membership had brought that dormant whim back to the surface.

“Given your current path, sticking to the training regimen crafted by Shasha and me yields the greatest results. However, as I pointed out earlier, practical battle experience is something you can never afford to set aside.”

Solely repeating training exercises day in and day out couldn’t match the growth of refining my dragon power through live, perilous combat encounters.

Yet the primary hurdle remained: as my strength advanced, locating uncontrolled gates for an unaffiliated hunter to clear would grow nearly impossible.

I was stuck trying to balance two contradictory requirements.

“That made me see this as the ideal moment to set up an organization. Once I establish it, you won’t need to stress over that barrier ever again.”

Rokan’s reasoning was indisputable.

By becoming a member of an outfit under his direct command, my raid assignments could be tailored seamlessly around our personal training schedule.

Depending on how things developed, with Rokan backing me up, I could bypass ordinary restrictions and step directly into A-rank gates instead of being confined to B-rank incursions, securing far richer combat experience.

“You’re completely right. I’m grateful… truly, thank you so much.”

“Didn’t I just explain? Long before our paths crossed, I already nursed a curiosity about directing an organization. I’m pursuing this partly for my own entertainment, so there’s no call to shower me with gratitude.”

Rokan offered an easy, warm grin, waving off the matter as if it were trivial.

Right then, a sudden thought struck me.

“Rokan, about setting up this guild. Have you mentioned it to Sia yet?”

“No. I haven’t brought it up with her.”

“In that case…”

My mind flashed back to my previous chat with Sia.

She had been eager to personally reveal her contribution to restructuring the dungeon, wishing to be the sole bearer of good tidings regarding its completion rather than letting Rokan steal her thunder.

Her dejection had been unmistakable when I revealed that Rokan had already spilled the beans.

“No, Shasha hasn’t heard a word about this yet.”

“Could you leave the news to her and let her tell me herself? I’ll act completely clueless when she brings it up.”

“You carry an unexpectedly thoughtful, romantic streak, don’t you?”

Though Rokan wasn’t privy to every minor detail of the previous exchange between Sia and me, he grasped my intention right away and offered a knowing nod.

“Sounds fair. You’ve had an exhausting day, so head back and get some proper rest.”

Rokan escorted me straight to my doorstep.

Lacking even the will to wash up, I collapsed flat against the floor the second I stepped inside.

I could have sworn the afternoon sun was still high when we set out, but a glance at the wall clock revealed the hour had slipped past nine in the evening.

Though my stomach grumbled, I was too depleted to fix a bite to eat, which spoke volumes about how punishing the day’s conditioning had been.

It seemed this sheer exhaustion would become my regular state after every future session.

Part of me simply wanted to drift into unconsciousness right on the floorboards, but I couldn’t stand the layer of grime and sweat, so I dragged myself into a rapid shower before collapsing onto the mattress.

Resting there in the quiet moments before sleep, a fresh thought began to take shape.

Perhaps our upcoming date ought to be spent at that very training grounds where I had suffered today.

Seeing as Sia had poured her own effort into shaping that scenery, the place had to carry genuine emotional weight for her.

Furthermore, I yearned to uncover more about her past.

Although we had shared countless conversations since our paths crossed again, I realized she had shared very little about the time she spent existing as the dragon known as ‘Shasha.’

I chose to dial her before falling asleep, wondering if she might be open to altering our schedule for the weekend.

The hour had not quite hit ten, making it unlikely she was already resting.

The call connected almost instantly.

[Oppa! You were working with Grandfather all day, weren’t you? How did it go?]

Clearly Rokan had already dropped a hint, considering that was her very first inquiry.

“It gave me a firsthand taste of what the underworld feels like.”

Leaning into playful exaggeration, I recounted the trials of the grueling workout.

“Still, the backdrop was far too gorgeous to ever be called a pit of torment. What kind of underworld looks like paradise? Being forced to sweat through nonstop drills in such a breathtaking spot without a chance to soak it in felt like a total waste.”

[Mmm, really? Did Grandfather mention what that landscape was patterned after?]

“No, not a word. Where does it come from?”

In truth, Rokan had clued me in the second we stepped foot on the grounds.

Even so, hoping to see Sia burst with joy while explaining it herself, I chose to tell a little white lie.

I made a mental note to remind Rokan to keep my secret later.

[Oh, so he kept quiet. Oppa, do you want to take a guess?]

Hearing that I was in the dark, Sia quickly turned the topic into a playful riddle, clearly eager for me to piece it together.

“Well, let’s see. It reminds me a bit of those steep peaks you see in China. Was it drawn from a landscape like that? Or could it be… the place where your past life took place?”

[You nailed it! How on earth did you figure that out?]

Sia let out a delighted gasp and clapped, while I casually pushed forward with my deceit without batting an eye.

“I simply understand you inside and out.”

[People always say true sweethearts can read each other’s thoughts without speaking. Maybe that’s how you grasped it instantly. What did you think of the place, Oppa? Give me all the details.]

She pressed enthusiastically for my genuine impression of the environment, prompting me to lay out my true thoughts.

“…Which is why I found myself wanting to walk through it with you by my side. Rather than wasting such an incredible view on brutal combat exercises, I wondered how wonderful it would be to share a date there.”

[Why didn’t that cross my mind earlier? Oppa, what if we spend our date there this very week?]

I had intended to propose that exact plan, but Sia seized upon the concept with such delight that she blurted it out ahead of me.

“What should we do about the plans we already settled on for this weekend?”

[We can always visit that spot later on. If it works for you, pushing it back is fine by me. Or we could stick to our original schedule and save the outdoor picnic there for next week instead.]

Sia offered both paths freely, leaving the final call entirely to my preference.

Our previously arranged outing was plenty appealing, yet striking while the iron was hot felt far more enticing.

“Let’s go ahead with the picnic this week. We can circle back to the other spot whenever we find another opening.”

[Sounds wonderful! I’ll prepare some gimbap and sandwiches so our basket feels like a real outing.]

“Leave the picnic blanket and fresh fruit to me, then.”

[Oh, and Oppa! Be sure to cook up some tteokbokki as well!]

“Consider it done.”

Hearing the pure enthusiasm vibrating through her voice reassured me that proposing the change had been the right choice.

A warm anticipation for the upcoming day was already blooming inside me.

—

Before long, the anticipated afternoon of our outing arrived.

Right on schedule, I crossed over into the secluded training field shaped after Sia’s ancestral home.

Labeling such a picturesque retreat as a mere training ground seemed almost criminal amidst such breathtaking surroundings.

The awareness that this virtual landscape was anchored directly to a sovereign burial chamber lent it a faint touch of the uncanny, yet laying eyes on the vista once again washed away any unease.

The sheer elegance of the terrain was enough to make a person completely disregard its morbid foundation.

A quiet curiosity drifted through my mind, wondering if a day might arrive where I could actually set foot in the distant realm where Sia had been born and reared as a noble dragon.

Certainly not anytime soon; only once I had achieved complete mastery over the dormant dragon power flowing within my veins.

Viewing it through the eyes of her draconic lineage, if their cherished daughter returned from across the void merely to introduce a frail mortal man and announce, ‘This is the partner I intend to wed,’ the reception might prove somewhat chilly.

It would be far wiser to broach the topic only after I had cultivated enough draconic majesty to earn the respect of her kin.

Beyond that, I had no clue whether traversing the dimensional boundary was even within my capabilities.

Even assuming Sia commanded the arcana required to step across realities, journeying unburdened and ferrying another passenger were two drastically distinct feats.

Putting those musings aside, I took in the tranquil beauty one last time before spreading our picnic blanket across a scenic knoll with an unobstructed vantage before she arrived.

I was carefully arranging the homemade tteokbokki onto a clean platter when a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Oppa! I’m finally here!”

Sia stepped into view, dressed in an understated beige knit sweater paired with clean ivory slacks.

While the garments were casual and modest, her natural grace lent the entire ensemble an effortless, radiant charm.

Just like always, the instant her eyes found mine, she hurried across the grass and leaped straight into my embrace.

Wrapping my arms firmly around her, I gently smoothed my hand down her back.

“I truly missed you.”

“I missed you just as much. I can’t fathom why seven days felt like an eternity.”

“Tell me about it. Everything was such a whirlwind over the past week that the longing felt even sharper, Oppa.”

Her words hit the mark regarding how frantic our days had been. A nonstop tide of events had unfolded ever since our paths crossed again, leaving barely a moment for either of us to catch our breath.

“You must have been running on fumes after helping Grandfather renovate this entire sanctuary, too.”

“Mhm. We went over every single corner one final time to guarantee no flaws slipped through. Once that final check was wrapped up and I surveyed the whole expanse, it truly took my breath away.”

“I know what you mean. I’ve told you already, but the beauty here is truly remarkable. Thinking that you spent your youth looking out over a view like this in that other realm warms my heart.”

How many spots on this earth could ever hope to rival such an exquisite horizon?

“To be honest, the moment I first saw this view as a youngster, I had the exact same reaction. The very first instance I ventured outside the lair, I had no clue the surrounding yard could look so majestic. My jaw practically touched the dirt.”

Drifting into the memories of her early years, Sia’s eyes took on a distant, contemplative shimmer.

“Do you know the very first thought that crossed my mind when I gazed upon that view?”

“Tell me.”

“I found myself wishing I could share this magnificent view with you, Oppa.”

Sia let her gaze wander across the sprawling peaks with a gentle, serene smile.

While this wasn’t the genuine clearing outside her former home, being here beside me in an environment crafted to mirror it so faithfully appeared to stir up a flood of nostalgia.

Resting an arm lightly against my shoulder, she lingered in peaceful contemplation for a quiet spell.

Eventually, seeming to organize the emotions within her heart, she reached into her dimensional storage and drew forth a woven picnic basket.

“It seems at least half of that old wish has become a reality. I never dared to imagine a day would come where we could share an outdoor meal while looking out over this very scenery together.”

Sia set about unloading her handmade culinary creations item by item.

It was then that my eyes caught something rather unexpected.

Despite my promise to handle the fruit selection, Sia pulled a mound of bright tangerines from her basket.

“Tangerines?”

“Mhm. Since my lair is located on Jeju Island, and Jeju is world-famous for its citrus, I picked some up on my way. Be sure to carry the extras back with you later.”

She hadn’t resided on Jeju for very long at all, yet she carried herself like a seasoned native already.

Reaching into my own subspace, I produced the assortment I had readied for the afternoon.

I unloaded the assortment of fruits, a selection of beverages for us to share, and the freshly plated tteokbokki she had explicitly asked for.

With the array of food spread evenly across the fabric, the gathering finally bore the true spirit of an outdoor feast.

“It feels like ages since we last spread out a blanket like this, doesn’t it?”

“When did we last do this? That afternoon alongside the Han River, right? That was such a wonderful day.”

Basking in memories of our earlier days, we began savoring the meal side by side amidst an air of soothing comfort.

Neither of us had the faintest inkling of the trials waiting for us just beyond the horizon.