The World’s Strongest Daughter.

TN: Removed space from SwordEmperor. Just makes sense.

Min So-yeon’s POV

“Ah, seriously!”

I couldn’t help but yell aloud as I saw the [Raid Failed] message on the screen.

‘Midori’ had been whining about being tired for a while now, and her sloppy controls finally resulted in her failing to dodge the boss’s skill.

Tadatadak!

—-

SwordEmperor: Are you not paying attention? What are you doing, seriously?

Nalchang: I told you to go eat your boyfriend’s **** in moderation, didn’t I?

RareNick: I feel like slapping you…

Chyo1ko: Are you bragging about getting knocked up right now? I really want to beat you up

Midori: sryyyyyy i’m really sorry ah why am I like this

—-

Midori, who would have joked around playfully in normal circumstances, seemed genuinely apologetic for some reason.

…Is something going on?

—-

SwordEmperor: Are you feeling really unwell?

RareNick: If you’re really sick, why don’t you take a break?

Chyo1ko: Yeah, go take some medicine and sleep. Ah, you can’t take just anything… go to the hospital

Nalchang: You dumped your boyfriend or something? Call him and tell him to take care of you.

—-

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one who sensed something strange, as everyone expressed their concern jokingly.

—-

Midori: ah should I really go to the hospital? what if I find out I’m pregnant when I go? we did it a lot without using one last time

RareNick: ㅋㅋ I’m just going to stare at my fridge

Nalchang: What can you do? Gotta start planning the wedding first. I heard hotel wedding halls are nice

Chyo1ko: It’s been a while since we had a reason for an offline meetup. I’m gonna snatch someone at the after-party ㅋ

Nalchang: SwordEmperor, who has a boyfriend, should catch the bouquet ㅋㅋ…

—-

…Huh?

The concerned atmosphere passed by in an instant, and naturally, the target shifted to me.

—-

Chyo1ko: But can SwordEmperor just sit here like this?

Nalchang: Didn’t you say your boyfriend comes over to make you food?

—-

Today is Saturday.

Yoo Ji-hwan had asked me for my understanding, saying he had something to do on the weekend.

—-

Midori: ???? Is the guy who came to take care of you every day skipping the weekend?

Chyo1ko: Did he say where he was going?

—-

He said he was going to Gangwon-do to do some part-time job or something…

—-

RareNick: Oh

Nalchang: Rip

Midori: Part-time job ㅋㅋ

Chyo1ko: can you guys shut up!!!! what kind of part-time job?

—-

… What’s going on? Why are they acting like this?

I couldn’t understand the subtle reactions from the girls.

I explained what Yoo Ji-hwan told me, and the girls started to go wild.

Here we go again.

Since 95% of the rapidly scrolling chat was meaningless sexual harassment, I just ignored it.

As I was waiting for things to quiet down with my hands off the keyboard.

A remark made by someone caught my eye.

—-

Chyo1ko: What if he makes eyes at another girl while you’re not there?

—-

Yoo Ji-hwan, with another girl?

Well….

Maybe it was before, but now I can’t really imagine it.

Yoo Ji-hwan, who came running to me even when Kong Hye-sun was making a move on him.

He’s like a big puppy, I guess?

I can’t picture Yoo Ji-hwan abandoning me like that.

Even if he gets a girlfriend, he’ll still come to take care of me.

…Of course, it’s better if he doesn’t get one.

***

Yoo Ji-Hwan’s POV

One week until the first test on Monday.

Starting today, I plan to prepare for the practical exam with Min So-yeon.

I’m still a bit tired from the weekend, but I can handle academy classes just fine.

And so, the combat practice class arrived.

“G-good luck later!”

I waved my hand slightly at Kong Hye-sun, who was cutely cheering me on with clenched fists and then headed to the corner with my practice materials.

I picked up a mana stone about the size of an ostrich egg.

It’s a material that can be found scattered inside gates or in monsters’ bodies.

Today, we will use a mana stone that glows when you inject mana into it. It’s not as challenging as the ones used in the exam but sufficient for practice.

Arriving at the corner of the training ground, I casually approached Min So-yeon, who was waiting. She immediately said, “Let’s start,” as she sprang up.

“…You try first.”

At Min So-yeon’s request to demonstrate, I grabbed the mana stone with both hands and explained.

“It’s super easy. You just release mana and….”

I only slightly drew out my mana, but the mana stone glowed brightly, illuminating the surroundings.

“It lights up like this.”

Min So-yeon blankly stared at the transparently glowing mana stone as if it was fascinating, then slowly reached out her hand.

“…I want to try.”

Seeing how she spoke as if she had no interest while reaching out her hand, the corners of my mouth unconsciously rose.

With a slight smile, I handed the mana stone to her and added a brief explanation.

“The thing is, it shines as brightly as the amount of mana you put in. If you put in too much, it can even shatter.”

In other words, the key is how well you can control the brightness.

Holding the mana stone, she pursed her lips and glared at it as if drawing out mana.

“…Why isn’t it working.”

After glaring at it for a while, she did not produce even a handful of light.

Huh? Why didn’t it work?

It means she failed to draw out mana.

I bit my lip, feeling slightly puzzled by her frustrated appearance.

Min So-yeon definitely knows how to handle mana.

Moreover, befitting the title of a genius, she handles it quite skillfully.

But to think she can’t even light up a basic mana stone…

Could it be that she couldn’t grasp the feeling because it’s different?

“… It’s okay, So-yeon. The feeling might be a bit different, so that can happen. Let’s try again.”

I gently comforted the sulking Min So-yeon and proceeded to a second attempt.

“…Is this thing broken?”

This time as well, she failed to light up the mana stone.

…Is it really broken?

Feeling doubtful, I took the mana stone from her, saying I’d check it once, and drew out mana. As expected, the mana stone reacted to the mana and emitted light.

“…”

A subtle silence flowed between the two of us.

At that moment, Min So-yeon seemed angry that she had failed, and she started to send sharp gazes my way as she bit her lip.

Ah, no… it’s not my fault…

Flustered by her sharp gaze, I hurriedly racked my brain to find a solution.

Mana is like an organ attached to the body.

For example, it’s similar to the vocal cords in the throat.

The sound produced by the vocal cords differs depending on how you vocalize and how you use your throat muscles.

Since you have to rely on feeling, vocal cords and mana are very similar in that sense.

Thinking about it in comparison, it seems like Min So-yeon doesn’t properly know how to use mana right now.

If my guess is correct, it’s rather fortunate.

Just as I taught my wife how to handle mana, I can also teach Min So-yeon.

“So-yeon, take this.”

Having thought of a method, I immediately handed the mana stone to her.

No matter how frustrated she was, she didn’t want to lose the bet, so she obediently received it.

I reached out my hand and firmly grasped Min So-yeon’s hand, holding the mana stone.

“Heuk!”

At that, she widened her eyes and looked at me.

“I’ll teach you, so let’s try one more time.”

I slowly drew out mana and released it toward Min So-yeon, and her hand holding the mana stone twitched.

… It’s small.

So-yeon’s hand in my grasp felt really small.

To think that the hand that barely held my thumb has now grown this much and is handling mana…

Somehow, I felt deeply moved.

At that moment.

“S-stop!”

Min So-yeon angrily pulled her hand away.

“Ah, I get it! I told you to stop!”

“…You do?”

I was worried she would say I’m not her dad, but it seems like she grasped it right away.

Min So-yeon glanced at me as if gauging my reaction and started her third attempt.

“…It, it’s working….”

She finally started emitting mana.

Although it was a faint light, with slow practice, she would be able to do it in no time.

Min So-yeon, rejoicing for a moment, soon made a subtle expression and looked at me.

“Are you sure about this?”

Meeting her eyes, I smiled slightly and spoke, and she turned away without responding.

And so, we continued with repetitive practice.

Min So-yeon adapted extremely quickly, and by the end of the first period, she produced a much brighter light than at the beginning.

The moment we put down the mana stones, the bell rang to signal break time.

“…Ji-Ji-hwan! Is it okay if….”

Kong Hye-sun had approached at some point and spoke cautiously.

“Hm? What’s up?”

“We, we also practiced with mana stones… but the light doesn’t turn on… Could you take a look?”

I thought something had happened, but she asked me to check their mana stone practice.

It’s not a difficult task.

Considering the help I’ve received so far and since it’s break time, it should be fine to take a quick look.

Having made up my mind, I casually spoke to Min So-yeon, sitting beside me.

“So-yeon, I’ll be right back after checking on Hye-sun’s group.”

With a somewhat indifferent expression, she waved her hand as if telling me to do as I pleased.

…I guess that means go?

“…Then, I’ll be back.”

And so, I followed Kong Hye-sun and temporarily moved to another spot.

“Ah, hello…?!”

“Haa….”

Kong Hye-sun’s friends seemed to find me awkward and fled to the restroom, looking slightly intimidated.

“Shall we try then?”

“O-okay….”

In the end, it was just the two of us left.

I received the mana stone from Kong Hye-sun and tested it, and it worked fine without any issues.

Then, I observed her using it and quickly came to a conclusion.

The problem was with Kong Hye-sun.

She says she has never properly used mana before.

She mentioned using it by chance, so it wasn’t an innate problem.

It seems to be a case of not knowing how to use it, just like Min So-yeon. By coincidence, I happen to know a way to solve that problem.

“Hmm… For now, why don’t you hold this?”

“O-okay….”

Kong Hye-sun, holding the mana stone somewhat timidly, glanced at me with a face as flushed as her own hair.

… What’s with her?

“Hye-sun, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“Huh?! N-no…. Just hurry up….”

…Is she nervous?

Dismissing Kong Hye-sun’s reaction as trivial, I firmly grasped her hand.

“Okay, I’ll let you feel the sensation, so you must remember that feeling.”

“…O-okay….”

***

Min So-yeon’s POV

Hey, hey…!

Just as he did with me, Yoo Ji-hwan is holding Kong Hye-sun’s hand and lighting up the mana stone.

Seeing the two of them in the distance, I unconsciously sprang to my feet.

That carefree face of Yoo Ji-hwan, he clearly knows what he’s doing right now.

I even thought that maybe the nine-tailed fox wasn’t Kong Hye-sun, but Yoo Ji-hwan.

Then, Yoo Ji-hwan let go of Kong Hye-sun’s hand and instructed her something.

He’s probably telling her to try drawing out mana.

However, Kong Hye-sun failed to light up the mana stone again.

As if it was only natural, Yoo Ji-hwan grabbed her hand again, and I unconsciously started tapping my chest.

That idiot…! He’s clearly doing it on purpose!!

I, who learned from Yoo Ji-hwan, can tell.

The method he teaches has a forceful nature that makes you learn it even if you don’t want to.

If you don’t have a mana disability, it’s only natural to be able to do it.

Yet that Kong Hye-sun keeps giving her hand not just twice, but three times.

I couldn’t go and blatantly tell him, and it was so frustrating to see Yoo Ji-hwan foolishly wasting mana.

As I was restlessly watching Yoo Ji-hwan.

Suddenly, the words my friend had said popped into my mind.

‘What if he makes eyes at another girl while you’re not there?’

I thought there was no way that would happen, and even if it did, I believed Yoo Ji-hwan would take care of me until the end.

However…

Seeing Yoo Ji-hwan grabbing Kong Hye-sun’s hand several times without even realizing he was being tricked, my thoughts started to change.

Translator’s Corner

Catching the boutique at a wedding means the catcher has one year to marry; if they fail, they will stay single for ten years. It could also just be the boring you should get married next.

Not enough Facebook reposting energy on the first one, though.

-Ruminas