LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 69
Si-hyun awkwardly lowered her head and greeted him.
After all, a stranger was peeking inside someone else’s home.
At the same time, she quickly noticed.
The homeowner was the Master of the Knight Guild.
When Si-hyun lifted her head, what caught her eye was an old man with a kind smile.
He stood up straight and approached Si-hyun with dignity.
Si-hyun, who had intended to leave, froze awkwardly, waiting for him.
“Young lady, do you like snacks?”
“…Um, yes.”
“Then, would you like to eat some before you go? It’s quite lonely for an old man like me.”
Si-hyun pondered for a moment.
Normally, she would have politely declined and moved on.
But several reasons kept her in place.
The enticing aroma that tickled her nose.
The beautifully decorated garden of the house.
If she were to find a new home, she’d want to live in a place like this. It was that kind of place.
After considering, Si-hyun nodded her head.
After all, this was no ordinary old man; he was the Master of the Knight Guild and an S-rank Hunter.
If the connection was genuine, there was no loss.
Creeeak—
The old man opened the front gate, and Si-hyun stepped into the house.
Once inside, the garden, adorned with delicate decorations, became vividly clear to her eyes.
Si-hyun walked gracefully to the table in the garden, admiring it as she followed the old man.
The old man observed her with a warm expression.
A striking woman with long, flowing white hair.
Her intelligent golden eyes held a captivating power.
And, above all, the most impressive thing was.
The heavy presence felt in her restrained footsteps.
Like the aura from a finely honed blade, even with light steps, she carried the fierce traces of a life lived.
In a single moment, the old man saw that this woman was no ordinary Hunter who had walked an extraordinary path.
Initially, he merely wanted to offer handmade snacks to the passing young woman, feeling somewhat lonely.
But a larger curiosity was sparked.
After inviting Si-hyun to sit at the table, he also took a seat.
Si-hyun’s eyes sparkled with joy as she looked at the snacks.
The old man chuckled as he slowly poured tea into a new cup and passed it to Si-hyun along with the snacks.
“This is the tea I enjoy often. I hope it suits your taste.”
“Oh, thank you. I’ll give it a try.”
Si-hyun blew gently on the tea and slowly took a sip.
The deep and flavorful taste spread smoothly in her mouth.
“Wow, this seems to go perfectly with the snacks.”
Though she didn’t know much about tea, she could certainly tell that it was well-brewed.
Si-hyun picked up one of the delicacies with a lovely smile.
It was incredibly delicious.
“From your expression, it seems to suit your taste.”
“Ah, yes! It’s really good. Do you often enjoy tea?”
“Well, yes. Especially on clear and refreshing days like today, it’s quite lovely to enjoy tea in the garden. A cup of tea accompanied by a gentle breeze has the power to soothe the heart.”
Si-hyun nodded slowly at the old man’s gentle words.
Without realizing it, she picked up another snack.
Imagining that the same flavor existed in the treats she received as gifts, her anticipation grew.
When she got home, she would have to share it with Si-yoon! Si-hyun smiled broadly.
The old man, momentarily gazing at Si-hyun’s satisfied smile, comfortably initiated a conversation.
“Just like a cup of tea is great, a game with someone is also enjoyable. Young lady, do you know how to play Janggi?”
“Janggi? I only know a little.”
“Then would you mind playing a game with me?”
At the old man’s proposal, Si-hyun briefly hesitated.
However, she soon nodded.
After enjoying such delicious tea and snacks, she felt she should show a bit of goodwill.
Looking at the old man going into the house, Si-hyun took out her phone.
She lightly reviewed the rules of Janggi and skimmed through the setup.
Soon, the old man returned to the garden and began setting up the Janggi pieces.
Si-hyun also prepared her pieces, and the game naturally commenced.
Calmly recalling her old memories and the information she’d just searched, Si-hyun moved her pieces with composure.
The old man responded with skilled movements.
Tap—!
As the Janggi piece moved, a cheerful sound echoed.
Unlike Si-hyun, who was double-checking her moves, the old man played without hesitation.
Before long, in less than an hour, it turned into a checkmate.
Si-hyun was cleanly defeated.
“Hmm… Young lady, you pick things up quite quickly, huh?”
“Ahaha, really?”
At the old man’s straightforward compliment, Si-hyun laughed awkwardly.
From the atmosphere, it seemed the old man wanted to continue the game.
As it was still early evening, Si-hyun asked leisurely.
“Why did you make those moves earlier?”
Si-hyun used her outstanding memory to request a review of her moves and asked him to go over what she had been curious about.
The old man answered Si-hyun’s questions sincerely.
After the review ended.
“I think this will be enough. What do you think?”
“Yes, thank you.”
To accommodate a beginner, the old man removed three pieces, including the general and horse.
He was confident he could win, even after such a concession.
The two began playing again.
Tap!
And then.
“Hmm…?”
This time, the old man was defeated.
Once again, it took less than an hour.
The old man stroked his beard, lost in thought.
He was certain he would win.
If the young lady was getting bored, he thought he might stop here, and if she had the desire to win, he would consider removing a piece or two more.
But what was the result?
His defeat. A clean defeat, to put it simply. An outcome entirely unexpected.
“Why did you move like that?”
“Ah, that piece…”
The old man patiently explained to Si-hyun, who was requesting a review, swallowing his doubt.
Seeing Si-hyun nodding in understanding, he recalled what he had said earlier.
“I underestimated you, young lady. I apologize, but may I ask you for one more game without removing any pieces?”
“Yes, of course!”
Si-hyun accepted the old man’s request.
The Janggi began again.
…
The old man furrowed his brow, staring at the Janggi pieces.
It was not because he felt unpleasant or uncomfortable.
It was just that he was so intrigued.
Tap! Tap!
If he played the same moves as before, his opponent would respond without hesitation.
Tap!
But if he played different moves, ample thinking would follow before a reaction.
Thinking back, it had been like this from the start.
This young lady had an exceedingly cautious nature.
Just by watching the movements of the pieces, he could see her character.
But.
“Hmm…”
She counterattacked without hesitation against a move she’d encountered once before. She didn’t take seconds to make her move.
She would never easily concede to the same attack and instead applied her own strategies to counterattack.
She flawlessly utilized what she had learned from the two reviews to confirm how to respond.
Her moves showed no hesitation.
If she made even a single mistake, she’d be heavily punished.
Although the old man had enjoyed playing Janggi from time to time, this was the first time he had faced such an opponent.
It was a continuous surprise.
Tap! Tap—
The old man was more focused on the Janggi than ever before.
How long had it been since he concentrated this hard on a game?
He thought it had been quite a while as he immersed himself in it.
The position was in his favor.
But he could not afford to let his guard down.
As if her thinking speed was several times faster than others.
This young lady pressed him with moves he had never seen before.
Just a moment of carelessness felt like it would lead to his demise.
The old man took a sip of tea.
Before long, sweat began to bead on his forehead.
He moved his pieces thoughtfully, one by one.
He soon realized that he was taking longer to make moves than she was.
And that, strangely, brought him a pleasurable thrill.
The old man smiled broadly as he moved his pieces.
Ultimately, as a result.
The old man barely won.
It was a truly close victory he secured.
If he had one more game, to be honest, he couldn’t be sure of winning.
To feel that way against a beginner already…
The old man gazed at Si-hyun in amazement.
Her sparkling golden eyes met his.
A brief silence.
The old man found himself asking.
“Young lady, may I ask what your profession is?”
It was merely a casual inquiry, as he had not intended to ask about her at all.
But somehow, he had.
It was because of the impressive demeanor she had shown in such a short amount of time.
Si-hyun smiled softly and replied.
“Thankfully, I’m working as a part-time lecturer at the Academy.”
“Oh, a teaching position! That’s a truly wonderful job.”
“Hehe…”
At the old man’s sincere praise, Si-hyun shyly pressed her hand against her cheek.
Her cheeks turned slightly red.
Seeing that adorable reaction caused the old man’s eyes to crinkle into a smile.
If his granddaughter had been alive, perhaps she could have shown such a cute expression.
He had lost his entire family during the Great Cataclysm.
While others praised him as the Master of the Knight Guild and an S-rank Hunter.
He had been feeling solitary in life.
In the first place, the title of Guild Master was just a formal position.
Feeling uplifted meeting someone who genuinely pleased him for the first time in a long while, the old man said.
“Young lady, shall we play another game?”
“Ah, um…”
Si-hyun checked her phone and responded.
“It’s about time for me to head home.”
“Oh dear, I’ve kept you far too long.”
“No, not at all! I really had a great time.”
The old man smiled broadly at Si-hyun’s polite reply.
“Young lady, will you visit me again?”
“Is that alright?”
“Of course! I shall prepare even more thoughtful tea and snacks than today.”
“…Hehe.”
The old man naturally handed over his business card, and Si-hyun exchanged hers in return.
As she handed over her business card, Si-hyun stood in a daze.
Though she had made them in advance, this was the first time she had handed them to someone.
And the fact that it was to the Master of a major Guild was baffling. Life truly was unpredictable.
“I’ll be heading back now! I really enjoyed today.”
“I enjoyed it too! Young lady, be careful on your way home.”
Si-hyun left the garden with a light step.
The old man watched her until she disappeared.
Her long white hair swayed gently in the warm spring light as she gradually faded from view.