* * *

The energy Malrang had sensed was definitely connected to a different dimension.

The sight of a common coffee mix box from Korea, and Seo Woohyun, who had lived there for 29 years.

What exactly had Cecily been trying to say that made Erdian interrupt her so blatantly?

The words were so pointed, it was almost as if they were deliberately giving him a hint, and it all seemed to lead to only one conclusion.

‘If what I’m thinking is true…’

Before he knew it, Seo Woohyun found himself in front of a table laden with a splendid array of food.

Feeling slightly awkward, he sat hesitantly in the seat Cecily, the hostess, offered him.

Erdian naturally took the seat next to him.

“Thank you for kindly taking care of our youngest, Malrang. Now, please enjoy your meal.”

With Cecily’s brief greeting, the dinner began.

Since he had tried some of these dishes at the Great Temple or an inn before, he had no trouble eating.

Seo Woohyun plastered on his polite smile several times, letting the meaningless small talk brush past his ears.

He was surrounded by people who were nothing but friendly towards him.

Next to him was Erdian, and across the table sat Malrang, Giselle, Raullet, Justin, Caro, Tia, Porter Marvin, Prince Habios, and Malrang’s parents, Cecily and Tartaros, whom he had just met today.

‘They’re all being kind to me because I’m Erdian’s holy servant. And the reason I, who didn’t even know Erdian’s name, suddenly became his servant is probably…’

As he cut into the food before him, Seo Woohyun blinked his tired eyes.

‘No, not yet. The evidence is too weak, and it’s too… obvious a guess. I’m not the protagonist of some fantasy novel.’

With only suspicious circumstances, he couldn’t be certain of anything.

Unless he had clear, tangible proof that he could see with his own eyes, everything was merely speculation.

Seo Woohyun wanted to be cautious.

He didn’t want to get ahead of himself and end up embarrassed later.

---

When it was time to leave after the meal, Cecily offered Seo Woohyun the box of coffee mix without hesitation.

“I didn’t know what it was, so I’ve just kept it. If you need it, please take it. There might be other things that carry the same energy, so let me know if you need them, Siel.”

With the others around, Cecily avoided directly mentioning dimensions.

But it was clear she was offering him other items that might have drifted in from the dimension where Seo Woohyun had lived.

It was a gesture of pure goodwill.

Normally, he would have nodded without a second thought, curious to see what other items there might be, but for some reason, he wasn’t interested.

He needed the caffeine, so the coffee was fine, but he didn’t care about whatever else might be there.

“No, thank you. This is enough.”

“If you ever need anything later or wish to see them, please feel free to come by.”

Cecily, Erdian’s old friend, spoke with boundless warmth.

From the moment they’d exchanged greetings until now, just before parting, she had treated him with the same kindness.

That’s why the brief break in her demeanor had felt all the more curious.

Why had Cecily looked at him that way when he mentioned sensing his energy from the coffee mix box?

Seo Woohyun tried to soothe the suspicion that was gradually taking shape in his mind.

Habios exchanged a few words with Cecily, his cheeks flushed, nodding repeatedly.

“Hyung, so what’s that? Are you not going to tell me?”

Malrang clung to Seo Woohyun’s sleeve, looking at the coffee mix box with fascination.

He couldn’t offer the coffee mix, which was caffeinated, to the child.

Especially since it had come through a dimensional rift, he wasn’t even sure if it was safe to consume.

When he explained vaguely that it was a bitter drink adults enjoyed, Malrang’s interest instantly vanished.

Though Malrang could be quite sturdy and mature, he still showed his aversion to bitter things, a reminder that he was, after all, just a ten-year-old child.

“Son, don’t just wear the same thing because you like it. I’ve packed plenty of clothes for you to wear in rotation. Don’t wander around looking all scruffy, okay?”

The red-haired man handed Malrang a bag nearly as big as the child himself.

As Seo Woohyun moved to help with the heavy bag, the attendant, Fin, quickly took it from him.

“I’ll carry it. I’m responsible for sorting the luggage and doing the laundry in the carriage.”

“Ah, thank you. Please take care of our Malrang. If you ever need my assistance, just mention my name at the Information Guild….”

Fin turned pale as he chatted with Tartaros.

It seemed he was startled by the idea of knowing a way to contact a dragon.

Judging by his nodding, Seo Woohyun decided it was safe to let the conversation continue.

‘…Argh, it’s bothering me. Really, there was no need to interrupt in the middle of their talk, so why did Lord Erdian cut in back then? Was it just that Cecily talks a lot, and he didn’t want her to drag it out? They’re old friends, so maybe that’s all it was…?’

Once you start dwelling on a question, it tends to grow endlessly.

Seo Woohyun turned his head, intentionally trying to distract himself.

Right beside him was Malrang, grinning, evidently pleased with his new clothes.

“Hyung, my big brother made these clothes for me! Cool, right?”

“Yeah, they fit perfectly. They’re totally Malrang’s style.”

“…I told you, it’s not Malrang.”

“Sorry. I’m so used to calling you that… Sorry, Flang.”

“I’ll let it go since you’re my hyung.”

“Siel, please take good care of our Malrang.”

“Of course. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he eats well, stays clean, and gets enough rest.”

With the family asking him to look after Malrang, this journey wasn’t a runaway adventure anymore; it was a sanctioned trip.

Seo Woohyun thought of the tasks he needed to complete in the Duchy of Soznian.

‘I don’t know anything about the irregular audit, so there’s no need to worry about it. Giselle and Caro will probably handle it all. First, I should read up on Lord Erdian’s past recorded in the duchy’s temple. I have to get that quest stamp.’

Despite his complicated feelings, he needed to complete the quest.

Once he gathered four more stamps, a powerful god here would grant him one wish.

‘But why is it that even such a powerful god can’t just speak clearly about whatever’s going on? What could it possibly be…’

Even as he tried to focus on something else, his thoughts circled back.

It was inevitable.

The vague and unsettling suspicions that weighed on him had grown so large they were now impossible to ignore.

As he pieced together things he couldn’t be sure were mere fantasies or clues, his suspicions began to take a clearer shape.

Tracing back the seeds of his doubts, Seo Woohyun arrived at the dreams he’d had when he was working as a deputy manager at the notorious Pyo Kang Industry.

In those dreams, as vividly as if he’d truly been there, he sat by a campfire in a dense forest, cooked food, wandered around unfamiliar cities, joined festivals, and traveled with people who felt like friends.

‘I don’t remember all the details exactly…’

As dreams tend to go, the finer details were gone, leaving only the general atmosphere and lingering sensations.

He remembered cooking by the campfire, but the shape of the food was blurry; he recalled laughing and chatting at the festival but not the scale of it or the buildings around it.

He had a feeling he’d fought with someone, but the reason for the fight was lost.

“Malrang, you must listen to Siel and not whine or misbehave, okay?”

“Yes! Now, Mom, go already!”

Leaving Cecily and Tartaros, who kept repeating their reminders to Malrang, the group walked down the mountain slope.

They had to decline their offer to accompany them to their lodging, as Malrang kept swaying side to side, urging them to go.

“I think my parents still see me as a little kid. I’m all grown up now.”

Watching him pout with his lips stuck out and a sulky expression, it seemed like he was still just a baby, oblivious to everything else.

The group held back their laughter as they descended the hillside.

Trying hard to ignore his poor stamina, he walked silently, when a familiar hologram sparkled in front of him.

[Main Quest: ‘Exercise’ completed.]

[You’ve struggled enough for your stamina.]

[Reward: 1 Eridian Praise Stamp]

[Would you like to claim it now?]

Normally, when a quest was completed, a message would simply indicate the reward, but for some reason, Eridian had decided to show off his writing skills and added a line.

‘Did I really sound that out of breath?’

Having received the reward and now seeing the stamp count at seven on the reward board, Seo Woohyun absentmindedly rubbed his forearm.

‘I should ask Tia later if I can build muscle with divine power.’

He thought it would be more than possible, considering he could heal wounds, create water and fire, and even summon a laundry and a messenger bird.

Just then, as he was walking, Eridian suddenly grabbed Seo Woohyun’s forearm and pulled him close.

The warm, fragrant scent brushing against his nose made his heart skip a beat.

‘What’s this? Why is he suddenly hugging me?’

Taking a deep breath, Seo Woohyun murmured, “El?” and Eridian, with his large hand covering Seo Woohyun’s eyes, whispered softly.

“Just stay like this for a moment.”

His gentle voice lingered in Seo Woohyun’s ears when a harsh voice shouted from somewhere.

“Damn it! I said to just kill the prince! The target isn’t the priest!”

“Ugh! My arm!”

“Captain! The saint…!”

“Hyung, big brother…”

Amid the sounds of blades clashing and shattering, a child’s voice called out.

It was a voice filled with fear, contrasting sharply with the bravado he’d just shown moments ago.

Still cradled in Eridian’s arms, Seo Woohyun reached out with trembling hands.

After a few futile attempts to grasp at the air, he finally caught the small, soft hand of the frightened child.

Just as Eridian had done with him, he pulled the child close.

He whispered to the shivering little body in his embrace.

“It’s okay, Malrang.”

Eridian was right there beside him.

With a god everyone admired and praised at his side, everything would surely be alright.

Seo Woohyun bit his lip, hearing the rapid beat of his heart.

The darkness obscuring his vision made the sounds around him seem unnaturally clear.

A short scream, a stranger’s shout, the sloshing sounds of feet moving across a wet floor, and an unfamiliar odor rushed in at once when suddenly, warm liquid splattered across his cheek.

“How dare you touch someone.”

The moment he heard the fury in Eridian’s voice, Seo Woohyun realized that the liquid splattered on his face was blood.

A wave of nausea washed over him as he processed that horrifying fact.

* * *