The clock ticks to 9:00 pm, and I'm deeply engrossed in the intricate work on the Interdimensional Router. Rachel interrupts my concentration, gently reminding me, "We need to sleep now if you don't want to be late for tomorrow."
I glance at the clock, realizing how late it's gotten. "I just need a little more time to finish this."
Rachel raises an eyebrow, her tone firm. "Survival in this alternate timeline involves earning money. And you, my friend, are a goldmine."
I sigh, understanding where she's going with this. "You're still pushing the TV show and talk show idea, aren't you?"
She grins mischievously. "You're the man with the World Guinness Book of Record for having the most parasites removed from his body. Korea will eat that up. It's a ticket to fame and fortune."
I rub my temples, already dreading the attention. "I hate the idea of being in the spotlight like that."
Rachel places a hand on my shoulder, her expression earnest. "We need resources, and this is the fastest way. Trust me."
Resources, huh? That makes sense. This world lacks magic power, and a few abilities of Witch King have been locked such as the storage function. I am basically a civilian now, perhaps, a civilian with excellent throwing and parrying skills with shoddy daggermanship. I realize how much I depend on my magic power, Gift, and Physique at this moment.
Reluctantly, I agree, "Fine, we'll do it. But only if it helps us survive in this strange world."
Rachel nods triumphantly. "Great. Now, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
I close my laptop, conceding to Rachel's persuasive argument.
In the dimly lit room, I glance at the solitary bed, hesitant. "I think I'll crash on the floor," I offer, eyeing the space uneasily. Yep, that’s the gentleman thing to do. I am not shameless enough to cuddle… er… share a bed with such a fine beauty. I shove the intrusive thoughts at the back of my head.
Rachel arches an eyebrow. "Don't be such a chauvinist. I'll take the floor; you need a good rest for tomorrow's work on the Interdimensional Router."
"But it's not right. You shouldn't—"
"Stop with the chivalry," she interrupts. "It's not the 1800s anymore."
"You'd rather sleep on the floor?" I retort. "That's not equality, that's—"
"Fine, if you want equality," Rachel counters with a sly grin, "then maybe you should stop being such a feminist and join me on the floor."
I pause, caught off guard. "That's not what I meant."
"Exactly," she teases. "So, how about we compromise and just share the bed?"
"But—"
"The Interdimensional Router won't build itself," she quips, slipping under the covers. "Come on, roomie."
I sigh, defeated. "Fine, just this once."
As I settle in beside her, our playful argument fades, and I realize Rachel's cunning won this round.
Childishly, I grab a couple of pillows and place them between Rachel and me on the bed. "There, a barrier. No crossing this line."
Rachel chuckles, "Seriously? I'm not Yeonha, you know. I don't mind a little bit of touching."
I raise an eyebrow, "Touching? What? I just don't want to invade your space."
She blushes, realizing how her words came out. "I mean, not like that. I just meant...you know."
Smirking, I play along, "Oh, so you think I mind a little skinship?"
She stammers, "I didn't say that."
"Fine then," I grin mischievously, removing the pillows. "No barriers. Just a little bit of touching, as you said."
Rachel's ears turn red, and she stumbles over her words, "I didn't... I mean, I..."
I laugh, "Relax, I'm just teasing you. No touching required."
We share a quiet moment, lying side by side, the playful banter fading into a comfortable silence as we both settle into the bed.
I tilt my head, watching Rachel. Sensing my gaze, she turns to look at me. Trapped in this different timeline, possibly the 'First Iteration,' all we have is each other. The moment feels fragile, and I can't help but feel a bit shy.
"You know," I begin, "if we were back in our original timeline, today would be your birthday."
Rachel smiles, "Oh, I don't mind. It's just another day here."
"Well, I had something special planned for you," I confess. "An exclusive Taylor Swift concert for your birthday."
She looks puzzled, "Taylor who?"
I chuckle, "Swift. Taylor Swift. In this timeline, she's a huge superstar. But I guess she's not known from your… em… our timeline yet. Hmmm… That’s all thanks to Outcall and the Time Curve variation."
Rachel nods, "Interesting. Maybe we can check her out if we have time."
I explain, "No need. She's already a big deal in this timeline. We could actually attend her concert."
Her eyes light up with interest, "Really? That sounds like a plan. Let's do it if we get the chance."
Damn... I'm entranced by Rachel's beautiful blue eyes. Admittedly, she's been my crush from the novel, and maybe that's why I feel so jittery. Or perhaps it's just the guilt for failing my sweet little monster girl daughter, my dear Evandel.
I urge what little magic power I can squeeze out from my core… like I am having constipation. Rachel looks at me awkwardly, and worriedly. Soon, I draw from my Witch King's Storage a seemingly ordinary almond seed. Rachel's eyes widen as I say, "Happy birthday, Rachel. This is my gift for you." I smile, pushing the seed toward her.
She takes it with trembling hands, lying flatly on the bed to admire it. "I... I can't," she stammers.
Insisting, I reply, "No, this should be yours. This is Evandel's essence, her core. Once you feed your blood to it, she will be reborn. This seed can't stay with me anymore. I'm hindering the little Evandel within it from being herself, from growing and becoming something more."
Rachel looks back at me, her eyes tearful. "Thank you, Hyon. Thank you..." She embraces the seed, standing up immediately. Overwhelmed with happiness, she heads for the bathroom, eager to feed the seed her blood and cultivate the little Evandel from within.
I sneak back to my desk, attempting to focus on more work. Happily, I take out my tools, gearing up to continue building my Interdimensional Router. Suddenly, I hear Rachel's voice from the bathroom, yelling for me to sleep already and to stop working since I need to wake up tomorrow. I shudder, wondering how she knows my intentions. I glance at the (suspected) culprit—a seemingly innocent squirrel eyeing me with scrutiny. It's Rachel's summoned spirit, Ratatoskr.
"I guess I have to go back to bed," I mutter to myself. I return my tools to their places and head to the bed, under the watchful eyes of the spirit.
In bed, I lie there, trying to find a comfortable position. Rachel finishes in the bathroom and joins me. "You know, Hyon," she says, a playful smile on her lips, "I appreciate your dedication, but you need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day."
I grumble, "I can't just stop. There's so much to do for the Interdimensional Router. Time doesn't wait."
Rachel smirks, "Time also doesn't wait for you to get a good night's sleep. Come on, shut down for tonight."
"But I—"
She interrupts, "No 'buts.' Sleep. Now."
I sigh, defeated, "Fine, fine. But how did you know what I was planning?"
Rachel points at the squirrel, "Ratatoskr here can sense your restlessness. Besides, we've been through this before. I know your workaholic tendencies… Or case in point, we know your workaholic tendencies."
I shoot a mock glare at the innocent-looking spirit. "Traitor."
Rachel chuckles, "Just go to sleep, Hyon. Tomorrow will be a new day."
As I settle into bed, I can't help but be grateful for Rachel's presence. She may have just saved me from another sleepless night, and maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be a little brighter.
In this First Iteration, I wonder just what we’ll encounter. I don’t know Lancaster’s motives for wanting to send Rachel in this very specific strand of time, but it can never be anything good, right?
The clock ticks to 9:00 pm, and I'm deeply engrossed in the intricate work on the Interdimensional Router. Rachel interrupts my concentration, gently reminding me, "We need to sleep now if you don't want to be late for tomorrow."
I glance at the clock, realizing how late it's gotten. "I just need a little more time to finish this."
Rachel raises an eyebrow, her tone firm. "Survival in this alternate timeline involves earning money. And you, my friend, are a goldmine."
I sigh, understanding where she's going with this. "You're still pushing the TV show and talk show idea, aren't you?"
She grins mischievously. "You're the man with the World Guinness Book of Record for having the most parasites removed from his body. Korea will eat that up. It's a ticket to fame and fortune."
I rub my temples, already dreading the attention. "I hate the idea of being in the spotlight like that."
Rachel places a hand on my shoulder, her expression earnest. "We need resources, and this is the fastest way. Trust me."
Resources, huh? That makes sense. This world lacks magic power, and a few abilities of Witch King have been locked such as the storage function. I am basically a civilian now, perhaps, a civilian with excellent throwing and parrying skills with shoddy daggermanship. I realize how much I depend on my magic power, Gift, and Physique at this moment.
Reluctantly, I agree, "Fine, we'll do it. But only if it helps us survive in this strange world."
Rachel nods triumphantly. "Great. Now, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
I close my laptop, conceding to Rachel's persuasive argument.
In the dimly lit room, I glance at the solitary bed, hesitant. "I think I'll crash on the floor," I offer, eyeing the space uneasily. Yep, that’s the gentleman thing to do. I am not shameless enough to cuddle… er… share a bed with such a fine beauty. I shove the intrusive thoughts at the back of my head.
Rachel arches an eyebrow. "Don't be such a chauvinist. I'll take the floor; you need a good rest for tomorrow's work on the Interdimensional Router."
"But it's not right. You shouldn't—"
"Stop with the chivalry," she interrupts. "It's not the 1800s anymore."
"You'd rather sleep on the floor?" I retort. "That's not equality, that's—"
"Fine, if you want equality," Rachel counters with a sly grin, "then maybe you should stop being such a feminist and join me on the floor."
I pause, caught off guard. "That's not what I meant."
"Exactly," she teases. "So, how about we compromise and just share the bed?"
"But—"
"The Interdimensional Router won't build itself," she quips, slipping under the covers. "Come on, roomie."
I sigh, defeated. "Fine, just this once."
As I settle in beside her, our playful argument fades, and I realize Rachel's cunning won this round.
Childishly, I grab a couple of pillows and place them between Rachel and me on the bed. "There, a barrier. No crossing this line."
Rachel chuckles, "Seriously? I'm not Yeonha, you know. I don't mind a little bit of touching."
I raise an eyebrow, "Touching? What? I just don't want to invade your space."
She blushes, realizing how her words came out. "I mean, not like that. I just meant...you know."
Smirking, I play along, "Oh, so you think I mind a little skinship?"
She stammers, "I didn't say that."
"Fine then," I grin mischievously, removing the pillows. "No barriers. Just a little bit of touching, as you said."
Rachel's ears turn red, and she stumbles over her words, "I didn't... I mean, I..."
I laugh, "Relax, I'm just teasing you. No touching required."
We share a quiet moment, lying side by side, the playful banter fading into a comfortable silence as we both settle into the bed.
I tilt my head, watching Rachel. Sensing my gaze, she turns to look at me. Trapped in this different timeline, possibly the 'First Iteration,' all we have is each other. The moment feels fragile, and I can't help but feel a bit shy.
"You know," I begin, "if we were back in our original timeline, today would be your birthday."
Rachel smiles, "Oh, I don't mind. It's just another day here."
"Well, I had something special planned for you," I confess. "An exclusive Taylor Swift concert for your birthday."
She looks puzzled, "Taylor who?"
I chuckle, "Swift. Taylor Swift. In this timeline, she's a huge superstar. But I guess she's not known from your… em… our timeline yet. Hmmm… That’s all thanks to Outcall and the Time Curve variation."
Rachel nods, "Interesting. Maybe we can check her out if we have time."
I explain, "No need. She's already a big deal in this timeline. We could actually attend her concert."
Her eyes light up with interest, "Really? That sounds like a plan. Let's do it if we get the chance."
Damn... I'm entranced by Rachel's beautiful blue eyes. Admittedly, she's been my crush from the novel, and maybe that's why I feel so jittery. Or perhaps it's just the guilt for failing my sweet little monster girl daughter, my dear Evandel.
I urge what little magic power I can squeeze out from my core… like I am having constipation. Rachel looks at me awkwardly, and worriedly. Soon, I draw from my Witch King's Storage a seemingly ordinary almond seed. Rachel's eyes widen as I say, "Happy birthday, Rachel. This is my gift for you." I smile, pushing the seed toward her.
She takes it with trembling hands, lying flatly on the bed to admire it. "I... I can't," she stammers.
Insisting, I reply, "No, this should be yours. This is Evandel's essence, her core. Once you feed your blood to it, she will be reborn. This seed can't stay with me anymore. I'm hindering the little Evandel within it from being herself, from growing and becoming something more."
Rachel looks back at me, her eyes tearful. "Thank you, Hyon. Thank you..." She embraces the seed, standing up immediately. Overwhelmed with happiness, she heads for the bathroom, eager to feed the seed her blood and cultivate the little Evandel from within.
I sneak back to my desk, attempting to focus on more work. Happily, I take out my tools, gearing up to continue building my Interdimensional Router. Suddenly, I hear Rachel's voice from the bathroom, yelling for me to sleep already and to stop working since I need to wake up tomorrow. I shudder, wondering how she knows my intentions. I glance at the (suspected) culprit—a seemingly innocent squirrel eyeing me with scrutiny. It's Rachel's summoned spirit, Ratatoskr.
"I guess I have to go back to bed," I mutter to myself. I return my tools to their places and head to the bed, under the watchful eyes of the spirit.
In bed, I lie there, trying to find a comfortable position. Rachel finishes in the bathroom and joins me. "You know, Hyon," she says, a playful smile on her lips, "I appreciate your dedication, but you need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day."
I grumble, "I can't just stop. There's so much to do for the Interdimensional Router. Time doesn't wait."
Rachel smirks, "Time also doesn't wait for you to get a good night's sleep. Come on, shut down for tonight."
"But I—"
She interrupts, "No 'buts.' Sleep. Now."
I sigh, defeated, "Fine, fine. But how did you know what I was planning?"
Rachel points at the squirrel, "Ratatoskr here can sense your restlessness. Besides, we've been through this before. I know your workaholic tendencies… Or case in point, we know your workaholic tendencies."
I shoot a mock glare at the innocent-looking spirit. "Traitor."
Rachel chuckles, "Just go to sleep, Hyon. Tomorrow will be a new day."
As I settle into bed, I can't help but be grateful for Rachel's presence. She may have just saved me from another sleepless night, and maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be a little brighter.
In this First Iteration, I wonder just what we’ll encounter. I don’t know Lancaster’s motives for wanting to send Rachel in this very specific strand of time, but it can never be anything good, right?
