The World’s Strongest Daughter.

…Did I knock too softly?

Just in case, I knocked on the door again.

Knock knock-

“…”

Again, there was no response.

Sensing something strange, I carefully turned the doorknob.

Creeeeak-

With the screech of old hinges, the door opened, and the scent permeating the room rushed to embrace me in welcome.

The fragrance that enveloped me seeped into my chest and began whipping my heart.

As I raised my head slowly while trying to calm my wildly beating heart, I saw a woman sitting by the window.

The brown hair she used to meticulously cut for me had grown long past her shoulders to her waist. Her fair skin, which she used to carefully apply makeup to every morning wanting to show only her pretty side, was now so pale, like a dying person. You could almost see through to her veins.

Why?

Even though I’m right here, her loving husband is right before her eyes. She stares out the window, holding a small glass bottle.

She showed no interest in me.

No, she seemed to have no interest in this world at all.

As Jeong Nan-do said, she looked like someone with a terminal illness waiting for death.

How did such a bright person end up like this?

Probably because of me, who died so selfishly.

Just then, she, staring blankly out the window, slowly turned her head.

“…Ugh.”

My heart clenched tight when I met those characteristically bright red eyes.

Like facing a monster.

Her unfocused red eyes showed no signs of life, and that malice-free gaze ate away at my heart.

“…Hello. I’m Yoo Ji-hwan, and I will be working here from now on.”

A desperately offered greeting.

My hands trembled with a faint hope that she might recognize me.

However…

“…”

Ju Yeon-hee simply turned her head back slowly without saying a word.

At that indifferent gesture, my heart sank.

It was the expected result.

How could she recognize me?

I’m not Min Sung-jae, but Yoo Ji-hwan.

Not her loving husband, just a complete stranger!

I had tried to soften the blow by hitting myself with reality beforehand, but it was all futile.

Standing in a daze, I finally came to my senses and tried to say something to her.

But the words wouldn’t come easily.

What should I say? What if she ignores me when I try to speak?

My heart was already at death’s door.

If I take another hit now, I might not be able to get up again.

After contemplating for a while, I steeled my heart and slowly opened my mouth.

“…I’ll take my leave now. Please call if you need anything.”

In the end, I could only run away.

Creeeeak-

Until I left the room with the old hinges’ scream, my wife didn’t even spare me a glance.

***

I trudged downstairs to the first floor and began receiving the formal handover.

“Um… Madam hardly eats anything, but still, we prepare meals regularly…”

At the mention of not eating, I remembered my wife’s thin wrists I had just seen.

“…Is something wrong? Young man, you look down since morning!”

“…Ah, no. Please continue with the explanation.”

Coming to my senses, I slapped my cheeks and listened to the housekeeper’s explanation.

Why did I come all the way to this remote mountain?

I didn’t come here to be sad about my wife but to take care of her.

I can’t stay sad forever.

Getting my wife back to a healthy life is the priority.

“And don’t go into that room in the back. It’s a room Madam manages herself…”

While listening to the explanation, I had a slight doubt.

My wife manages it herself?

“We don’t know since we’ve never been inside… anyway, you don’t need to clean there. And next…”

Leaving that small question mark, I continued learning about the work.

After familiarizing myself with the general work, lunchtime arrived.

The housekeeper in charge of meals busily prepared lunch, while I, still unfamiliar with the kitchen layout, only assisted from the side.

Today’s lunch menu was salad, grilled mackerel, and budae-jjigae(army stew).

They said it was planned as a nutritionally balanced menu.

…Of course, the problem was that she wouldn’t eat it.

While cutting ham for the budae-jjigae, my attention was drawn to the mackerel grilling nearby.

Quietly taking a sniff, I caught the faint scent of basil.

“What seasonings are in the grilled mackerel?”

“Hmm? Basil, pepper, and salt. Why?”

It’s not polite to meddle with someone else’s cooking, but this is food for my wife. A little input should be fine.

While continuing to slice the ham, I answered.

“I was thinking of adding some other herbs and wasabi… Would that be okay?”

“Sure, do whatever you’d like!”

Thanks to Jeong Nan-do’s prior arrangement, they didn’t seem to mind.

After putting all the cut ham and sausage in the pot, I retrieved ingredients I had spotted in the storage.

My ingredients were fresh dill and fresh wasabi. I always used these when grilling fish, and fortunately, I found them in storage.

First, I washed the fresh dill, shook off the water, and immediately placed it beside the mackerel.

Sizzle-

The hot oil met the fresh dill, releasing an appetizing aroma.

After basting the fish several times with the herb-infused oil using a spoon, I immediately picked up the fresh wasabi.

“Do you have a wasabi grater?”

If there’s fresh wasabi, there must be a grater.

“That small thing? It was somewhere… Look under there.”

Following her instructions, I searched the cupboard and found the grater tucked away in a corner.

After checking the fish, I took out dishes as directed by the other housekeeper and set the table.

Perfectly cooked, glossy white rice and fresh salad. Appetizingly grilled mackerel and budae-jjigae loaded with sausages.

Finally, after adding some side dishes, I quickly grated the wasabi and placed it beside the mackerel.

Although my contribution was limited to tasting and adding a few ingredients, it was a carefully prepared meal.

I hope my wife likes it.

“I’ll take it up. Please eat first.”

“Will you? Then go ahead.”

I picked up the large tray and carefully approached the second floor.

Creak- Creak-

Past the strangely creaking hallway, up the stairs, and finally to the second floor.

I placed the tray on the second-floor cart and slowly headed to my wife’s room.

Knock knock-

“Madam, lunch is here.”

I knocked just in case, but again, there was no answer.

I slightly opened the door and entered with the cart.

She was still sitting by the window with her small glass bottle.

She had been staring blankly out the window, then slightly turned her head, seemingly responding to the food’s aroma.

“…I’ll set up your meal.”

Since she showed no reaction, I silently began setting out the food.

After laying out the soup, side dishes, rice, and chopsticks, just as I was about to leave the room.

“…”

She slowly began to move.

She quietly picked up her chopsticks with slow movements and reached toward the side dishes when suddenly she whipped her head around to look at me.

Ugh…

Meeting those lifeless eyes, I startled and hurriedly fled the room like a guilty thief.

Creak- Click

“Phew…”

Though there was a small incident, she seemed willing to eat, which relieved me.

When I returned to the first floor, I told the housekeepers who were already eating that she had picked up her chopsticks.

“…Really? Madam picked up her chopsticks?”

“That’s unusual… It hasn’t been many days since she last ate. How strange…”

They continued eating while expressing amazement as if witnessing something remarkable.

…Many days?

I wondered what things had been like until now for them to react this way.

We ate lunch, and while I was clearing the table, one housekeeper went to the second floor to retrieve the dishes.

But…

“Hmm? She only ate the fish?”

“Looks like she barely touched the rice…”

I learned that my wife had only eaten a little of the grilled mackerel.

I wasn’t sure whether to feel good or bad about this – my feelings were somewhat mixed.

***

The afternoon work wasn’t anything special.

Just tending the yard and cleaning the house?

Though they clean daily, thorough cleaning is only done once every 3-4 days.

Getting paid 500,000 won monthly for this work – could there be a better part-time job?

I didn’t help with dinner preparation.

The menu was fried rice, salad, and steak.

There wasn’t much I could add to these dishes, and they were almost done by the time I arrived in the kitchen after finishing work.

Maybe that’s why?

When I brought up the meal, she didn’t even glance at it, and everything came back untouched.

Seeing the cold, returned food, the housekeepers began praising me.

“There must be a reason Chairman sent student Ji-hwan!”

“That’s right, I’ve seen Madam eat a little rice and soup before, but it’s the first time she’s eaten just side dishes!”

As a result, I was put in charge of tomorrow’s breakfast.

This came from their suggestion to test it out.

Though they probably made the suggestion without much thought, it was burdensome.

If she doesn’t even look at the food I prepare…

I don’t want to imagine it.

After dinner, it’s free time.

Of course, there’s nothing much to do in this mountain village…

Should I practice my mana skills?

After finishing my duties and showering, I sat in my room and checked my phone for the first time in a while.

Around 1 PM, Min So-yeon finally replied, asking why I had called.

[It’s nothing. Have a good weekend!]

Feeling tired, I brushed it off casually.

I tried to use the internet, but even that didn’t work well due to slow speeds.

“…Really nothing to do.”

Though under the same roof as my wife, I felt a strange loneliness, as if I were alone.

As I was rolling aimlessly on the bed, I suddenly noticed the dark sky outside the window.

When I got up and turned off the lights,

“Oh…”

Countless stars began appearing in the night sky.

Would they be more visible if I went outside?

I had nothing else to do anyway. It might be nice to make plans while leisurely stargazing.

After putting on clothes, I immediately left the room.

The housekeepers using the room across from mine must have already gone to bed, as there was no sound.

Just as I was quietly heading to the entrance…

“…”

The light at the end of the opposite hallway caught my attention as it flickered.

Did the power go out?

I turned around and headed toward the end of the hallway.

Thud- Thud- With each step, the creaking sound made the atmosphere somewhat eerie.

Reaching the end of the hallway, I shined my phone light on the ceiling light.

Flicker- Flicker-

The intermittent flickering suggested it would die soon.

Since it’s annoying, it might be better to just remove it.

I started searching nearby rooms for something to stand on, but after checking the first room and coming up empty, then the second and third rooms, I couldn’t find anything sturdy enough to support my weight.

…Nothing suitable, I should just pull…

And then the fourth.

I noticed the room my wife supposedly manages.

“…”

Why would she, who doesn’t move all day, specifically manage this room?

Unable to contain my curiosity, I reached out and grabbed the handle.

However…

“What did I expect…”

The door was locked.

What could be inside that requires the door to be locked?

“…”

I slowly gathered mana while thinking.

There shouldn’t be secrets between husband and wife.

Let’s just… just check…

After concentrating mana at my fingertips and shaping it appropriately, I inserted it into the handle.

The mass distorted to match the shape of the lock mechanism.

After confirming it was fully inserted, I grabbed the handle with my other hand and slowly turned it.

And finally…

Click-

The secret room opened.

Feeling like I was doing something wrong, I nervously swallowed, looked around, dispersed the mana, and slowly entered the room.

After firmly gripping the handle and quietly closing the door, I could finally look around calmly.

“…Huh?”

But in the room…